If you’ve spent any time running Void Intercept Battles or grinding resource nodes in The First Descendant, you’ve definitely spotted other players rocking flashy, unique skins that make their characters stand out from the default loadouts. A lot of new players assume the best skins are locked behind paywalls, but that’s far from the truth once you know how to get skins in the first descendant without blowing your budget on premium currency. I’ve put in over 120 hours in the game so far, and I’ve unlocked more than 30 skins without spending a single cent on microtransactions, so I’m breaking down all the working methods I’ve tested personally.
Core Methods for How to Get Skins in The First Descendant for Free
You don’t have to spend real money to build a skin collection you’re proud of. The vast majority of the game’s skins are available through regular gameplay, as long as you know which activities to prioritize. If you’re just starting out and still figuring out how to get skins in the first descendant, focus on these proven methods first:
A common mistake new players make is skipping the lower-difficulty Void Challenges because they think the rewards aren’t worth it, but even the difficulty 2 challenges sometimes drop temporary skin tokens you can save up for permanent unlocks. You don’t need a fully maxed out character to clear these either; most difficulty 3 challenges are doable with a level 30 descendant and basic optimized mods. It’s easy to overlook these free methods when you first start looking for how to get skins in the first descendant, but they give you access to 80% of the game’s entire skin library without any extra cost. Just make sure you check the reward list before queuing so you don’t waste time on a challenge that drops a skin for a character you don’t own.
Premium Skin Options That Offer the Best Value
If you have a little extra cash to spend and want a specific skin that isn’t available for free, there are a few premium options that are actually worth the cost, unlike some low-effort reskins you’ll find in the daily shop. The first thing you should look at is the premium event pass, which costs around $10 and gives you over 20 exclusive skins, plus enough premium currency to buy the next season’s pass for free if you complete all tiers. That means you only ever have to pay once if you keep up with event challenges. Never buy individual skins from the daily rotating shop first, because those skins almost always end up in event passes or discount bundles a few months later for a fraction of the cost. Even if you’re only interested in free options, it’s good to know what premium options exist when you’re learning how to get skins in the first descendant, so you can make informed decisions if you ever decide to spend money. When you’re researching how to get skins in the first descendant, you’ll see a lot of people recommending the premium shop, but it’s always better to wait for sales or bundles before buying anything there. You’ll also find limited-time collaboration skins that only drop for a few weeks, like the recent anime crossover skins, and those won’t come back once the collaboration ends, so those are the only individual purchases I’d ever recommend if you’re a big fan of the crossover IP. I only spend money on skins once I’ve exhausted all free options for how to get skins in the first descendant, and I’ve never regretted that approach. Just make sure you don’t impulse buy; wait until the last day of the collaboration to make sure you don’t find a better deal or earn enough free premium currency from challenge rewards to cover part of the cost.
Common Skin Unlock Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made almost every mistake possible when chasing skins in this game, so I can tell you exactly what not to do if you want to unlock as many as possible without wasting time or money. First, don’t waste temporary skin trial tokens on skins you don’t plan to buy permanently. Those tokens let you test a skin for 7 days, but if you save 10 of them, you can exchange them for a permanent rare skin in the in-game shop, which is a way better use of the tokens. A lot of players also skip daily login rewards, but the 30-day login cycle always includes at least one free weapon skin and one accessory skin, so it only takes 30 seconds a day to claim those rewards and build up your collection. One of the first things I wish I knew when I started learning how to get skins in the first descendant is that login rewards are non-negotiable if you want to build your collection fast. You also shouldn’t trade skins with random players outside of the official in-game trade system, because 90% of those trades are scams, and you could lose your account entirely if you get caught violating the game’s terms of service. The official trade system is only available for players above level 40, so wait until you unlock that before you try to swap duplicate skins with other players. Many of these mistakes come from not having clear info on how to get skins in the first descendant, so avoiding these pitfalls will cut down the time it takes you to build your collection by half. If you’re new to how to get skins in the first descendant, you might not know that duplicate skins you earn from challenges can be exchanged for skin tokens that let you unlock other skins you want, so don’t delete those duplicates from your inventory.
How to Customize Unlocked Skins to Stand Out Even More
Once you unlock a skin, you don’t have to stick to the default color scheme or accessories that come with it. The game’s customization menu lets you tweak almost every part of your skin, from the base color to glowing accent lights and even small accessories like backpacks and arm patches. You can unlock custom color palettes from the same event passes and Void Challenges that drop skins, so you don’t have to pay extra to personalize your look. I like to match my skin’s color scheme to the damage type of my main build, so my fire build has a red and orange skin, and my cryo build has a blue and white skin that makes it easy for my team to tell what role I’m playing during co-op missions. A lot of guides on how to get skins in the first descendant skip over customization entirely, but it’s a core part of making your collection feel personal. You can also save up to 10 different custom skin loadouts for each descendant, so you can switch between looks depending on the mission type or who you’re playing with. Just don’t go overboard with too many bright colors if you’re running stealth missions, because overly flashy skins can make you easier for enemies to spot from a distance. Customization is one of the most underrated parts of learning how to get skins in the first descendant, since it lets you turn even basic free skins into something totally unique that no other player is using.
At the end of the day, building a great skin collection doesn’t have to take hundreds of hours or cost you a ton of money, as long as you focus on the right activities. Prioritize event pass challenges and weekly Void Challenges first, and you’ll unlock dozens of high-quality skins for free before you even consider spending any real money. Now that you know how to get skins in the first descendant, you can jump into your next mission knowing exactly what rewards to look for to make your character feel uniquely yours.