The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle is now live as a Transcendent Weapon in Update 1.4.5. It uses General Rounds and is built around critical hits, with its unique effect changing depending on how you distribute Transcendent ability points across the yellow, purple and green options.
The live update also confirms how to get it. Monster Hunter has been added to Transcendent Weapon Loot from existing content that already awards Transcendent Weapons, so you are not waiting for a separate crafting quest or one-off event shop. The weapon can come from monster drops and mission-completion rewards in those activities.
How to get The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle
The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle is part of the normal Transcendent Weapon Loot pool after Update 1.4.5. Nexon says it can be obtained from rewards for defeating monsters and completing missions in existing content where Transcendent Weapons are already available.
That makes the acquisition route broader than the pre-release notes suggested. Open the map, use the acquisition information for Transcendent Weapon Loot and target activities already marked as sources. The daily Transcendent Weapon Rotation Boost can also make selected activities more attractive when the boost is active.
Monster Hunter yellow, purple and green effects
| Option | Main effect | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Builds chain explosions from shots fired; critical hits build the trigger faster | Grouped enemies and critical-hit setups |
| Purple | Builds Hunter’s Sense from critical hits, then ricochets damage at maximum stacks | Mixed packs with Normal, Elite and Tyrant targets |
| Green | Applies the Monster Hunter effect to Commanders, Tyrants and Colossi on critical hits | Boss and high-priority single-target damage |
The three colours are different upgrade directions on the same The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle. They are not three separate weapons, and you are choosing which part of Hunter’s Sense to strengthen through the Transcendent ability-point system.
Yellow option: chain explosions
Yellow focuses on repeated fire and explosions. While holding The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle, firing enough shots creates a chain explosion at the impact point. The explosion damages nearby targets and can spread through the surrounding group.
Critical hits count more heavily towards the shot requirement, so a critical-focused setup reaches the explosion more quickly. Nexon also says stacking the effect repeatedly on the same target reduces the explosion damage, which stops the chain component from behaving like unlimited single-target burst.
Purple option: Hunter’s Sense ricochet
Purple gives The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle a stronger multi-target role around tougher enemies. Critical hits on Normal Monsters, Elite Monsters and Tyrants build Hunter’s Sense on your character. When the effect reaches maximum stacks, it resets and deals ricochet damage to the target and nearby enemies.
This is useful when a priority target is surrounded by other enemies because your normal focus fire can spill extra damage into the pack. It is a different pattern from yellow: yellow builds towards explosions from your firing sequence, while purple rewards the Hunter’s Sense stack cycle.
Green option: Commander, Tyrant and Colossus damage
Green is the most direct boss-focused route for The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle. Critical hits on Tyrants, Commanders and Colossi inflict the Monster Hunter effect on the target, giving the weapon its dedicated high-priority damage path.
If the job is burning down a Colossus or another large target, green is the first option to compare against your current build. Yellow and purple bring more value when surrounding enemies matter, while green keeps the focus on the enemy you are already trying to kill.
Which Monster Hunter option is best?
There is no single best The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle option for every activity. Yellow is the natural pick for a critical-heavy crowd setup, purple suits fights where Hunter’s Sense can build through repeated critical hits, and green is aimed at Commanders, Tyrants and Colossi.
Use the enemy type to make the decision. If most of your time is spent clearing groups, yellow or purple gives the unique effect more chances to spread damage. If the run succeeds or fails on one boss target, green is much easier to justify.
Is Monster Hunter good for Onslaught Stage 5?
The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle fits the new Onslaught Stage 5 on paper because Stage 5 is a six-wave activity that finishes with a Colossus, while Tyrants also move towards the Energy Concentration Point during the mission. That gives both the group-damage and high-priority effects relevant targets.
Stage 5 itself unlocks after one Stage 4 clear. Public Operations require 93,300 Arche Activity, while Private Operations can still be started below that threshold. Monster Hunter is not required for entry, so treat it as one Transcendent option for the activity rather than a mandatory weapon.
Monster Hunter and the daily Rotation Boost
The daily Transcendent Weapon Rotation Boost can help with the The First Descendant Monster Hunter assault rifle farm because boosted content changes each day and applies to activities that can drop Transcendent Weapons. The active boosted missions are shown through the map’s Content with Ongoing Events menu.
Check that menu before settling into a long farming session. The weapon is in the wider Transcendent loot system now, so the most efficient place to farm can change with the day’s boosted content instead of staying tied to one fixed mission.
Related Guides
Nexon confirms Monster Hunter’s live loot source and Hunter’s Sense effects in the official Update 1.4.5 notes.
