If you’ve spent hours running random missions in The First Descendant only to see your mastery rank creep up one level every few sessions, you’re far from alone. Many new players don’t realize that most in-game activities give barely any mastery XP, even if they take 20+ minutes to complete. Mastery rank isn’t just a flex number either: it unlocks higher-tier missions, exclusive mod slots, rare cosmetic skins, and access to endgame Void raids that drop the best gear in the game. This guide breaks down exactly how to rank up mastery in the first descendant without wasting hours on low-effort, low-reward tasks.
How to Rank Up Mastery in The First Descendant: Prioritize High-XP Missions First
Not all missions give the same mastery XP payout, and picking the right ones is the single biggest factor in how fast you rank up. Void Intercept missions on Hard or Extreme difficulty give roughly 3x more mastery XP per minute than regular story or side missions, thanks to their constant high-level enemy spawns and large completion bonuses. Most players can clear a Hard mode Void Intercept run in 10 to 12 minutes, even with a random squad, so you’ll get far more levels per hour than you would running longer, lower-payout content. Daily bonus missions also give an extra 50% mastery XP boost, so always knock those out first right after you log in before you start longer farming sessions. If you’re still early game and can’t handle Hard difficulty yet, stick to Normal mode Void Intercept runs until you hit descendant level 20, then swap up as soon as you can reasonably clear the harder content without wiping repeatedly.
Farm Mastery XP Efficiently With Optimized Team Comps and Loadouts
Running missions solo might feel more convenient if you don’t have friends to play with, but it’s slowing your mastery rank progress way more than you think. Full 4-player squads grant a 30% group XP bonus that stacks with all other buffs, so even if you run the exact same mission with a random squad, you’ll get nearly a third more XP per run than you would alone. You don’t need a perfectly coordinated meta team either; just pick characters with strong area-of-effect damage like Viessa or Ajax to clear constant enemy waves as fast as possible. Each enemy kill contributes a small amount of mastery XP, so faster clears mean more kills per run and more total XP for your time. If you don’t have a pre-made squad, use the in-game quick match filter for Void Intercept Hard runs, most players in that queue are also farming mastery so you won’t get stuck with people wasting time hunting for collectibles mid-mission.
Don’t Waste Time On Low-Value Activities That Slow Mastery Progression
One of the biggest mistakes new players make is spending hours on activities that give almost no mastery XP at all, just because they’re easy to run without thinking. Cutting these tasks out of your farming rotation can cut your total grind time for max mastery in half, with almost no extra effort on your part. Any activity that doesn’t list "Mastery XP" explicitly in its pre-mission reward screen is not worth your time if your main goal is ranking up. Some of the most common low-value activities to skip include:
You don’t have to avoid these activities entirely, of course. If you want to hunt for lore tablets or replay your favorite story mission for fun, go for it, just don’t expect it to move the needle on your mastery rank progress.
Leverage Temporary Buffs and Events to Maximize Mastery XP Gains
If you want to rank up even faster, keep an eye out for in-game events and free buffs that multiply your XP gains for short periods. The game regularly runs weekend events that give 2x or 3x mastery XP for all mission runs, so plan your longer farming sessions around those dates if you can. 1-hour 50% XP boosts are also available for purchase from the in-game credit shop for very low prices, no premium currency required, so you can stock up on those to use during event weekends. I once stacked a 3x event buff, a 50% shop boost, and a 30% group bonus to get 10 mastery levels in a single 2-hour farming session, which would have taken me 8 hours of regular unboosted runs. Seasonal battle pass tracks also often have free XP boost tokens as early rewards, so claim those first before you start farming for the week to get the most value out of them. Just make sure you don’t waste a boost by logging off halfway through the hour, or using it on low-value missions that don’t give much XP to begin with.
Ranking up your mastery doesn’t have to be a boring, endless grind if you focus on the right activities and cut out the low-value tasks that waste your time. Stick to high-difficulty Void Intercept runs with full squads, use your XP boosts during events, and skip activities that don’t give explicit mastery XP rewards, and you’ll see your rank climb far faster than most casual players. Following these simple steps will help you how to rank up mastery in the first descendant efficiently, so you can unlock all the endgame content, rare mods, and exclusive skins you’ve had your eye on without spending every free hour grinding. I still use these exact tricks every time a new descendant drops, and I usually hit max mastery on new characters in less than 3 days of casual, 1-hour per day play sessions.