Discover the Best Gley Build Guide for The First Descendant and how to create a powerful character with Skills, modules, and weapons.
Creating an effective build in The First Descendant involves carefully selecting and optimizing various components of your character, including modules, reactor stats, weapons, weapon mods, and skills. For a Gley build, we will focus on optimizing your skill power and survivability. Let us walk you through creating the best Gley Build in the First Descendant with our guide below.
Best Gley Build Guide for The First Descendant
The character Gley is unique amongst The First Descendant characters, not using shields, but HP recovery through kills. She has two states, one being Frenzied, where she increases damage but decreases HP recovery. Therefore, she plays at a high-risk, high-reward style based on aggression and kills outside of frenzied to restore health.
Gley overall feels like one of the strongest characters in The First Decesendant due to her damage, survivability, and skill combos. However, her overall power is limited due to her complexity and unique gameplay features. If you pick Gley, commit to learning to activate and reactive Frenize when needed. If you do, she’s one of the most powerful but also the most complex and different.
| Gley Build Pro | Gley Build Cons |
|---|---|
| Damage | Complex |
| Skill Kit | High Risk |
| Life Leach | Low Mobility |
Features and Mechanics for Gley Build in The First Descendant
The following list presents all the essential Gley Build Features and Mechanics for the First Descendant:
- Best Modules: Predator Instinct, HP Concentration, and Time Distribution
- Best Reactor Stats: Singular and Dimension
- Best Weapon: Blue Beetle Scout Rifle
- Best Weapon Mods: Max HP
- Best External Component: Max HP
- Skills
- Frenzied
- Life Siphon
- Increased Sensory
- Massacre
- Thirst (Passive)
- Playstyle: Utility dealer with max HP build and no shields.
- How to Unlock: Can be purchased or crafted
- Story: Gley was the captain of the Albion’s Medical Corps and gave everything she had to her work.
How to play Gley in The First Descendant
An effective Gley build relies on three key factors: equipped weapon, character modules, and player skill. Gley’s gameplay centers on absorbing life spheres from defeated enemies, which boosts her overall power. Additionally, she can activate a Frenzied mode by consuming health (HP), significantly increasing her damage output. This requires a strategic balance between gathering life spheres and carefully using HP to maximize damage potential when it’s safe to do so.
Area Damage and Single-Target Damage: Gley’s damage depends more on her weapon than any other Descendant character. Her abilities enhance her ATK or defense rather than dealing elemental damage. She is highly effective at single-target damage but can also deliver strong AOE damage with the right equipment and ammunition.
Movement and Speed: Gley has average mobility and speed for the game. However, use caution with her Increased Sensory ability. Activating it while in a Frenzied state will decrease her Movement Speed.
Bosses and Ultimates: Gley excels at dealing with bosses, as most of her abilities focus on single targets.
Defenses and Survival Tips: Many of Gley’s abilities have two versions, depending on whether she is in a Frenzied state. The non-Frenzied versions focus on defensive buffs or HP recovery, allowing you to prioritize survival over damage based on the situation. This dual functionality provides flexibility, making her adaptable in various combat scenarios.
How to unlock Gley in The First Descendant
To unlock the Gley character in the First Descendant, you should speak with the Magister Anais in the Albion Mountains to conduct research for materials. Below are the required research/crafting materials for Gley:
- Gley Enhanced Cells
- Monad Shard x246
- Silicon x430
- Cooling Metallic Foil x40
- Gley Enhanced Cell Blueprint
- 200,000 Gold
- Gley Stabilizer
- Metal Accelerant x519
- Flectorite x292
- Complex Carbon Activator x60
- Gley Stabilizer Blueprint x1
- 200,000 Gold
- Gley Spiral Catalyst
- Nanopolymers x363
- Ceramic Composite x408
- Synthesized Artificial Biometal
- Gley Spiral Catalyst Blueprint x1
- Gley Code
Skills
The premise behind a Gley build is her unique passive Thirst, which gives HP back for killing enemies but removes shields from Gley. You can enter a Frenzied stat for more firearm ATK but the reduction in HP Recovery. Therefore, her playstyle is about purposefully activating Frenized when going on the offensive and deactivating and killing enemies to trigger the Thrist Passive. The second important ability is Life Siphon, which also rewards HP recovery and can change depending on Gley’s state. You will want to recognize your state based on Gley’s appearance and skill bar colors, and UI.
Below are the skills of Gley’s character:
- Frenzied: Increases Firearm ATK and Penetration but reduces HP Recovery.
- Life Siphon: Damages enemies in range while recovering your HP. Grants additional effects depending on Gley’s Frenzy state.
- Increased Sensory: Applies different effects depending on Gley’s Frenzy state.
- Massacre: Switches the equipped weapon to Massacre. Enemies hit by Massacre take heavy damage and are afflicted with additional effects, depending on Gley’s Frenzy state.
- Thirst (passive): Gley cannot have Shield or MP. Defeated enemies drop a Life Sphere. Obtaining a Life Sphere restores HP and adds a stack of Power of Life.
Frenzied
Frenzied Features in The First Descendant:
- Description: Consumes HP to enter Berserk mode. In Berserk mode, the distance weapon’s ATK and Penetration increase.
- Descendant Attribute: Non-Attribute – Singular
- Cooldown: 1 second
- HP Cost: 10% of Max HP
- Firearm ATK Increase: 25%
- Firearm Explosive ATK Increase: 25%
- Firearm Penetration Increase: 51
- Incoming Recovery Decrease: 50%
How to Use Frenzied: this is the most important skill to activate to increase overall damage at the cost of Max HP. This skill has a low cooldown and is meant to be used frequently. Only activate Frenzied when your health is high, and you need increased damage. Your HP recovery will be low, so rely on Life Siphon or a non-frenzied state to kill enemies and recover health.
Life Siphon
Life Siphon Features in The First Descendant:
- Description: Deals damage to nearby enemies and restores HP. In Berserk mode, damage increases; in Normal mode, damage inflicted by enemies decreases for a certain period of time.
- Descendant Attribute: Non-Attribute – Dimension
- Cooldown: 20 seconds
How to Use Life Siphon: This skill is the best way to recover HP in a frenzied state. The lower Gley’s HP, the better for the build, so it incentivizes you to risk it and drop low purposefully, then activate Life Siphon for an HP and damage boost. If low HP is in a non-frenzied state, it works to lower incoming damage and stacks that effect based on enemies hit. The damage radius is 6 meters, so use it near as many targets as possible.
Life Siphon Advanced Stats
Below are the advance stats for Life Siphon skill:
- Power of Life Cost: 4
- Damage: Skill Power x 317.5%
- Damage Range: 6 meters Radius
- Max Expandable Range: 300%
- Health Recovery Amount: Max HP x 5% per Enemy Hit
- Frenzied Damage: Skill Power x 453.3%
- Per 10% of HP consumed: Skill Power + 10%
- Non-Frenzied Damage Decrease: 2%
- Non-Frenzied Duration: 8.0 seconds
- Max Stacks: x10
Increased Sensory
Increased Sensory Features in The First Descendant:
- Description: Her Increased Sensory adds an infinite ammo effect for a certain amount of time during Frenzy, and when in a Non-Frenzied state, increases Movement Speed and HP Recovery during which Life Sphere generation is increased.
- Descendant Attribute: Non-Attribute – Singular
- Cooldown: 40 seconds
How to Use Increased Sensory: another skill to increase damage at the expense of movement speed while in a Frenized state. You won’t consume bullets while Maximize Lethality is active, a perfect skill for a boss burn where you don’t need to move out of mechanics. In a non-frenized state, you gain increased life spheres and recovery, making it the best survivability skill. However, Increased Sensory has a long cooldown, so use sparingly.
Increased Sensory Advanced Stats
Below are the advanced stats for the Increased Sensory skill:
- HP Cost: 5% of Max HP
- Maximize Lethality
- Duration: 5s
- Running Speed: 50% Decrease
- Sprint Speed: 50% Decrease
- Movement Speed When Aiming: 50% Decrease
- Maximize Recovery
- Duration: 10s
- Running Speed: 30% Increase
- Spring Speed: 30% Increase
- Movement Speed When Aiming: 30% Increase
- Life Sphere Drop Rate: 60%
- Health Recovery Amount: 8% of Max HP
Massacre
Massacre Features in The First Descendant:
- Description: Changes current Firearm to Massacre. Adds additional skill damage during Frenzied state, and inflicts Stun effect on hit enemies.
- Descendant Attribute: Non-Attribute – Dimension
- Cooldown: 1 second
How to Use Massacre: this skill acts as your ultimate ability, which switches the firearm to the massacre. Your Massacre firearm stuns enemies (non-frenized) or deals additional damage during the Frenzied state. Therefore, you want to activate Frenzie and swap to Massacre when your health is high and damage is needed. Additionally, you can use this as a defensive tool when under pressure and needing stuns to avoid incoming enemy damage.
Massacre Advanced Stats
Below are the advanced stats for the Massacre skill:
- HP Cost: 15% of Max HP
- Minimum Use Condition: 3 or more Power of Life
- Damage: Same as Equipped Weapon
- Frenzied Additional Damage: Skill Power x 64.7%
- Per 10% of HP Consumed: Skill Power +10%
- Non-Frenzied Stun Duration: 2.7 seconds
Thirst (Passive)
Thirst Features in The First Descendant:
- Description: Creates Life Spheres upon killing enemies. Recovers HP and stores Power of Life when absorbing Life Spheres.
- Descendant Attribute: Non-Attribute
How to Use Thirst: this always active passive rewards Gley for playing aggressively and killing enemies. While not frenzied, you gain damage reduction and life spheres. This is how you replenish your HP; the amount is proportional to Max HP. Therefore, you want as much HP as possible to keep your survivability and replenishment high. Moreover, you want to constantly be aware of this unique mechanic and reactive Frenzied when needing HP, and Gley plays radically differently because of this passive alone.
Thirst Advanced Stats
Below are the advanced stats for the Thirst skill:
- Non-Frenzied Damage Reduction: Total Damage x 4%
- Life Sphere Drop Rate: 30%
- Health Recovery Amount: 4% of Max HP
- Duration: 8 seconds
- Power of Life Obtain Amount: x1
Descendant Modules for Gley Build
Predator Instinct, HP Concentration, and Time Distribution are the best modules (mods) for a Gley Build in the First Descendant. Predator Instinct modifies firearm ATK to increase while firing a firearm during a frenzied state. Therefore, even in a non-frenized state, you have serious weapon damage. HP Concentration is another good mod because it increases both max HP and skill critical rate. Lastly, time distribution greatly increases HP, which is important for playing Gley without shields. The more HP you can stack the better your survivability will be.
In The First Descendant, modules are essential components that enhance and customize your character’s abilities, stats, and overall performance. Modules can be acquired through questing, missions, loot drops, and vendor items. Moreover, you have limited resources to slot mods; therefore, some slots may be empty depending on your chosen setup.
Gley Best Modules for Leveling
Below is a list of the best leveling mods for Gley Build in the First Descendant:
- Focus on Singular – Greatly increases Singular Skill Power and Skill Cooldown Reduction.
- Skill Extension – Increases Skill Duration.
- Strong Mentality – Considerably reduces your Skill Costs.
- Shock Punch – Replaces your Sub Attack with a Shock Punch. Increases Max Module Capacity
- Singular Master – Considerably increases Skill Power, with an additional increase for Singular skills.
- Nimble Fingers – Reduces your Skill Cooldown
- Time Distribution – Reduces Skill Cooldown and greatly increases Max HP.
- Increased DEF – Increases DEF stats
| Slot | Module | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Skill Module) | Empty | NA |
| 2 | Focus on Singular | Rare |
| 3 | Skill Extension | Standard |
| 4 | Strong Mentality | Standard |
| 5 | Empty | Empty |
| 6 | Empty | Empty |
| 7 (Sub Module) | Shock Punch | Standard |
| 8 | Singular Master | Rare |
| 9 | Nimble Fingers | Standard |
| 10 | Time Distribution | Rare |
| 11 | Increased DEF | Standard |
| 12 | Empty | Empty |
Gley Best Modules
Below is a list of the best mods for Gley Build in the First Descendant:
- Predator Instinct – modifies firearm ATK to increase while firing a firearm during a frenzied state.
- Skill Extension – increase skill duration.
- Increase DEF – increase DEF stat.
- Increase HP – increase max HP.
- Non-Attribute Master – Improves Skill Power and boosts to Non-Attribute Skill Power.
- Skill Range Mastery – increase critical hit damage and skill effect range.
- Dual Claw – Changes attack and increases Max Module Capacity.
- Nimble Fingers – Reduces Skill Cooldowns.
- Technician – Significantly improves Skill Power.
- Regeneration Boost – Leech a small amount of HP from enemies.
- Strong Mentality – Reduced Skill cost.
- HP Concentration – Increases Max HP and Skill Critical Rate.
| Slot | Module | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Skill Module) | Predator Instinct | Transcendent |
| 2 | Skill Extension | Standard |
| 3 | Increase DEF | Standard |
| 4 | Increase HP | Standard |
| 5 | Non-Attribute Master | Rare |
| 6 | Skill Range Mastery | Rare |
| 7 (Sub Module) | Dual Claw | Standard |
| 8 | Nimble Fingers | Standard |
| 9 | Technician | Standard |
| 10 | Regeneration Boost | Standard |
| 11 | Strong Mentality | Standard |
| 12 | HP Concentration | Rare |
Best Reactor Stats for Gley in The First Descendant
The best reactors for a Gley build boost you in Singular and Dimension. This is due to your skills being effective based on these stats. Another option is to boost the Skill Power and Sub Attack Power.
In The First Descendant, reactors are powerful enhancements significantly impacting a character’s abilities, stats, and overall performance. They function as core components that provide substantial boosts and unique effects, enabling players to tailor their characters to specific playstyles and strategies. Change your reactor based on if you need damage or survivability when using the First Descendant: Best Gley Build Guide.
Weapons for Gley Build
Blue Beetle, Smithereens, and Afterglow Sword are the best weapons for a Gley Build. The Blue Beetle scout rifle is a versatile choice for Gley because she uses Fusion and Singular skills, granting two unique buffs. The Arcane Wave passive gives a faster trigger rate when arcane energy or purification is proc, drastically increasing your DPS. The Smithereens Shotgun grants the Fearlessness unique ability and is a perfect combo for burst damage, boosting critical hit rate and chance. This bonus stacked with Frenzie will melt enemies up close. Lastly, the Afterglow Sword Sniper RIfle is a great weapon for taking out enemies at max range.
The following list presents the best weapon choices for Gley Build guide for the First Descendant:
- Blue Beetle – Scout Rifle
- Smithereens – Shotgun
- Afterglow Sword – Sniper Rifle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle features in the First Descendant:
- Firearm ATK: 62
- Fire Rate: 199
- Reload Speed: 2 seconds
- Effective Range: 35 meters
- Arcane Wave: when using a fusion skill, grants self the unique arcane energy with a set chance. When using a singular skill, it grants the self the unique ability of purification with a set chance.
This Blue Beetle scout rifle is a versatile choice for Gley because she uses both Fusion and Singular skills, granting two unique buffs. The Arcane Wave passive gives faster trigger rate when arcane energy or purification is proc drastically increasing your DPS. Moreover, the range is nice if you plan on not using a sniper rifle or want something medium-range application.
Smithereens
Smithereens Shotgun features in the First Descendant:
- Firearm ATK: 20
- Fire Rate: 150
- Reload Speed: 1.6 seconds
- Effective Range: 10 meters
- Fearlessness: On hitting the enemy with all bullets, increase the Firearm Critical Hit rate and Firearm Critical Hit Damage of this attack. Upon landing a Critical Hit on an enemy, grants the Firearm’s unique ability Amplification.
The Fearlessness unique ability is a perfect combo for burst damage, boosting critical hit rate and chance. This bonus stacked with Frenzie will melt enemies up close.
Afterglow Sword
Afterglow Sword Sniper Rifle features in the First Descendant:
- Firearm ATK: 240
- Fire Rate: 66
- Reload Speed: 2.5 seconds
- Effective Range: 55 meters
- Nightmare Reaper: on hitting an enemy’s weak point, inflicts the unique ability death propagation. On hitting an enemy commander or collossi, increase firearm critical hit rate and apply the effect to the attack.
The Afterglow Sword is the best choice for ranged precision weak point damage. Once you trigger Death Propagation, you gain increased reload and damage on weak points. Use this weapon for ranged headshots if possible.
External Component
You want Max HP external components because Gley does not have shields. Unlike other parts of our build, you cannot enhance External Components. These are random (RNG) based drops only when you are at max level. Therefore, they are the finishing touches on your build. Prioritize the following stats for External Components:
- Max HP
- HP Recovery
- DEF
Gley Story in the First Descendant
“If you keep looking after others until the very end, who looks after you, mom?”
Dia Elias asked her mother. ‘Until the very end’ was the slogan of Albion’s Medical Corps, and it was the first time that their captain, Gley, faced someone who questioned this slogan. A question that had never been asked by, nor asked to, someone who had declared and lived by this slogan all her life. Hearing this question from her own daughter brought about complicated emotions within Gley, but she could not grant her daughter’s request to allow her to protect herself. Gley, who had lost her entire family on the battlefield, was afraid. If she were to lose her daughter as well, then she would lose everything.
Undeterred by Gley’s stubbornness, Dia went to her mother’s old colleague and fellow military academy professor, Ajax, for a recommendation letter and thus enlisted in the military. Gley, feeling betrayed by Ajax, who knew of her past scars and yet still wrote the recommendation letter, refused to even speak to him.
Gley’s Story Continued
Despite feeling much concern over her daughter who had stubbornly become a soldier in the end, Gley decided to give Dia a chance and trust in her decision which she would end up regretting when an incident occurred, in which all forces that had been deployed to the Vespers strike operation, excluding the Descendants squad, suffered massive casualties, with many going MIA. Among those who had gone missing were Gley and her daughter. While Albion Headquarters frantically searched for the missing personnel, Gley and Dia were subjected to horrible experiments performed by the Order of Truth. The mother and daughter duo were used as test subjects for the Order’s experiments to create a new ‘species’ by injecting Vulgus DNA into human bodies. Gley despaired at her situation, as she could only tremble in anger helplessly as her daughter’s agonizing screams echoed around her.
When Gley, who had lost consciousness in her rage and despair, came to her senses, she was met with the sight of her adjutant cowering in a corner and a completely destroyed intensive care unit. Regaining her composure, Gley asked “Where is my daughter?”, to which nobody replied. Just as she was about to enter another frenzy in her rage, her adjutant shouted, “Her body was never found! She may still be alive, Captain! We’re the Medical Corps, remember? We shouldn’t give up hope until the very end!” Hearing this, she felt a warmth surround her body. Gley, who finally calmed down, felt a spark of hope. If Dia was still alive, then she could be saved. As it is the duty of the Medical Corps to never give up until the very end, Gley picked herself up. Her mission to retrieve her daughter was only beginning.
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