
Keelan stands out as one of the most adaptable Descendants in The First Descendant, offering impressive skill power paired with exceptional single-target damage. His ability to dash rapidly, combined with skills that inflict Acidic Decay, allows him to dismantle both enemies and bosses effectively. This makes Keelan an excellent selection for players who thrive on aggressive, quick-strike gameplay.
In addition to Keelan’s formidable mobility and damage potential, he possesses reliable area-of-effect (AoE) skills that are effective against waves of Vulgus foes. Although his Transcendent Modules might appear underwhelming compared to others, his versatility shines in both solo missions and major boss encounters. Below, discover the best build strategy for Keelan to fully utilize his capabilities in The First Descendant.
Unlocking Keelan in The First Descendant

To add Keelan to your roster, you’ll need to unlock him. There are two primary methods: you can purchase him directly for 600 caliber, or opt to research him at the Research Institute in Albion. If you prefer the research route, gather the following materials:
Item | How To Acquire | Requirements |
---|---|---|
Keelan Enhanced Cells | Research |
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Keelan Stabilizer | Research |
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Keelan Spiral Catalyst | Research |
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Keelan Code | Void Vessel Mission |
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The overall cost for conducting research on Keelan amounts to 400, 000 Credits. Once you have gathered the necessary materials, visit Magister Anais at the Research Institute to initiate the research process, which will take approximately 16 hours to complete.
Playing as Keelan in The First Descendant




Keelan thrives on speed and relentless movement, leveraging effective skill timing—especially with Acidic Decay—to maximize his damage per second (DPS).His skill set includes various active abilities that work synergistically with his quick mobility. Below is a breakdown of each ability:
- Void Corrosion: Fires a corrosive projectile from a distance, inflicting Acidic Decay on targets. Should a target already have Acidic Decay, this skill deals extra damage.
- Onslaught: A signature dashing skill allowing him to charge forward, penetrate enemies, and spread Acidic Decay. The dash concludes with an explosion inflicting additional damage.
- Septic Gust: This close-combat skill spreads Acidic Decay while triggering Blood Rot on enemies, culminating in an explosive finish.
- Tremor: A versatile ability that boosts the effectiveness of Onslaught stacks when no Acidic Decay is present, or deals damage based on current stacks.
- Erosion (Passive): Enhances the Acidic Infusion Level with repeated skills usage, providing an Agility buff that accelerates movement speed.
Optimal Keelan Build in The First Descendant

The premier build for Keelan emphasizes maximizing his skill power and rapid dash capabilities while enhancing his survivability. Most builds center around his core ability, Onslaught, instrumental for piercing multiple enemies and triggering massive explosions.
By stacking Acidic Decay using Void Corrosion and synergizing it with Tremor, Keelan becomes adept at clearing both swarms and Elite Vulguses. Prioritizing these skills will lead to a build that not only achieves remarkable DPS but also keeps Keelan mobile, making him elusive, especially in challenging scenarios like Void Intercept battles.
Best Modules for Keelan
For peak performance, equipping modules that enhance Keelan’s skill power while minimizing cooldown times is essential. Recommended modules include:
- Mobile Strike (Transcendent Module): Replaces Septic Gust with Hunting Time, providing an Adventurer’s Spirit buff that prevents Onslaught stack reduction for a limited duration, essential for uninterrupted dashing.
- Focus on Toxic: Amplifies Toxic Skill Power and shortens cooldowns, ensuring Acidic Decay is consistently applied.
- MP Conversion: Further reduces cooldown durations, crucial for maintaining a high rate of attacks and bolstering DPS.
- Nimble Fingers: Grants additional cooldown reductions, ensuring Keelan’s abilities are always at the ready.
- Stim Accelerant and Increased HP: Enhance Keelan’s overall effectiveness by providing additional HP, enabling him to endure counterattacks.
- Singular Amplification: Boosts Keelan’s Singular Skill Power Modifier, enhancing damage output without sacrificing mobility.
With a thoughtfully curated module configuration, you can significantly amplify Keelan’s damage capacity while ensuring he can sustain his high-dash frequency and skill utilization.
Recommended Weapons for Keelan
While Keelan’s strengths lie in his abilities, the right weapon is crucial for optimizing damage output. The following weapon recommendations are tailored for Keelan:
- Voltia (Beam Rifle): This weapon features the Chain Current ability, delivering bonus damage against foes with Anti-Void Shields. Its high Firearm ATK and range perfectly complement Keelan’s dash-based approach.
- The Final Masterpiece (Handgun): Offers a notable speed boost and is effective for swiftly dispatching Vulguses with minimal shots.
- Afterglow Sword (Sniper Rifle): Though less common in Keelan’s setups, it serves effectively for long-range encounters, particularly against Elite Vulguses and Void Intercept bosses.
Weapon choices can vary based on your playstyle, but if a single recommendation stands out, Voltia emerges as the top contender.
Best Weapon Modules for Keelan
While weapon selection is key, enhancing them with the right modules for optimizing damage output and efficiency is necessary. For the Voltia, consider these modules:
- Rifling Reinforcement: Elevates Firearm ATK by as much as 12%, significantly enhancing the damage of each shot.
- Action and Reaction: Provides a substantial increase to Firearm ATK (+15%), albeit with a minor recoil penalty that is manageable given Voltia’s firing pace.
- Concentration Priority: Delivers an impressive boost to Firearm Critical Hit Damage (up to +47%) while decreasing reload time by 30%, making significant shots count.
For those with additional module slots, equip options that further enhance firing rate or critical damage modifiers according to your play preferences and available selections.
Ideal Reactors for Keelan
To achieve optimal performance in The First Descendant with Keelan, the Toxic Singularity Reactor is highly advisable. This reactor maximizes both Toxic and Singular Skill Power, ensuring devastating damage from abilities like Onslaught and Void Corrosion. Additionally, it boosts overall skill power while contributing to cooldown reduction, all of which supports Keelan’s high-frequency skill usage and overall effectiveness.
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