The First Descendant: What does DBNO mean?

Modified Jul 09, 2024 23:26 IST

What does DBNO mean in The First Descendant — DBNO means the knockout stage in The First Descendant (Image via Nexon)

The First Descendant has some gaming terminologies that not everyone may know, with DBNO being one of them. In short, 'DBNO' stands for 'down but not out' - a common abbreviation in shooters with a revival mechanic. Granted, many looter-shooters have their own terms for it, such as 'Fight for your Life mode' in the Borderlands franchise. In The First Descendant, however, DBNO is the term officially used for the English client.

If you're new to The First Descendant, here's a detailed breakdown of how the DBNO phase works.

DBNO state in The First Descendant, explained

DBNO duration can be increased with some gear rolls (Image via Nexon)

When you reach zero HP in the First Descendant, your character falls to their knees and enters the DBNO state. In this temporary state, you can crawl around at a snail's pace as you bleed out. If you are not revived before the red bar on top of your character runs out, you die.

Dying takes one count from your Death Counter, and running out means you fail the mission you are in. Note that if you are playing The First Descendant solo, you do not enter the DBNO phase.

This functionality is present in many games across several genres of multiplayer titles, including battle royales. However, they are considered a cornerstone of looter-shooters, which often have mechanics catered around this 'bleedout' or 'knockout' phase.

Also Read: The First Descendant tier list: Best characters to play

How and why to skip the DBNO phase in The First Descendant

Players who have gone unprepared into a difficult Void Intercept boss arena in The First Descendant will be all too familiar with the DBNO state. If you are downed in a boss like the Dead Bride that sports area-denial mechanics, it is better to hold down X (keyboard) to 'Abandon,' which means to skip the DBNO phase altogether.

You want to specifically skip the DBNO phase in these cases because The First Descendant's Intercept bosses have a timer within which you have to defeat them. By skipping this downed phase, you save valuable time that you can use to defeat the boss instead.

However, make sure to use these skip functions only when you're sure no help is coming. The Death Count in Void Intercept Battles is limited to only three, and you don't want your back pressed against the wall in some of these.

Thankfully, the right gear, coupled with a few DPS characters in The First Descendant, means you won't have to face the DBNO screen much even when the going gets tough.

Check out our other guides on The First Descendant:

Edited by Dinesh Renthlei