If you’ve spent any time in The First Descendant, you know the grind isn’t just about combat skill — it’s about gathering the right materials at the right speed. Season 3 has shifted drop rates, adjusted mission rewards, and even opened up faster routes that weren’t worth the time before.
This guide focuses on high–efficiency farming loops for the resources you’ll need most — from everyday catalysts to once–and–done crafting items. The goal: maximize gains while minimizing time wasted.
The First Descendant Fast Resource Farming Routes for Season 3
1. Core Crafting Staples
Some resources are in constant demand because they feed directly into catalysts, activators, and upgrades you’ll be chasing all season.
Crystallization Catalyst Components
You’ll burn through these faster than you expect, so your farming plan needs to be consistent.
- Murky Energy Residue – Best found in Sterile Land infiltrations like The Forgottense (~14–24 per run). This route also drops Artificial Biometals and external set pieces, making it ideal for multi–goal farming. Pair this with 400% daily bonuses when possible.
- Macromolecule Biogel – The Muskeg Swamp outpost in Echo Swamp is your friend here. One elite enemy drop nets ~11–22 per kill in Hard Mode, with the bonus of faster sabotage target clears.
- Mixed Energy Residue – Roam Agna Desert vaults in The Remnant or The Storage. Smaller zones = less running, but choose your area based on whether you want more frequent vault spawns (Remnant) or higher–tier vaults (Storage).
- Advanced Neural Circuits – The Borderline of Truth mission in White-Night Gulch is the standard method, but if you’re willing to work harder, a Shipment Base Fortress Courtyard reset loop with Jayber can push yields 15–25% higher.
2. Energy Activators
Energy Activators aren’t consumed in huge numbers, but you’ll still need dozens across your weapons and Descendants.
- Low-Carbon Activator – The fastest farm is in Kingston’s Grand Square Void Reactor. Each run can net ~10–22, and you can repeat it several times a minute with a fast build.
- Conductive Metallic Foil – Standard vault farming in Vespers (The Ruins, Timberfall) works best due to clustered spawn patterns.
- Heat Plasma Battery – The Old Mystery infiltration (250%) works well. Sprint past mobs, clear the water–room elites, and you can expect ~30–60 drops per 1–2 minute loop.
- Polyatomic Ion Particle – The Command Relay mission in Frozen Valley is the speed option: kill the two elites, abort, and restart — about once per minute.
3. Limited–Need Resources
Some materials are only required in finite amounts, usually for crafting a Descendant or legendary weapon once. Farming these efficiently means you can move on without revisiting them.
- Balanced Plasma Battery – Farm Quarantine Zone infiltration for good drop speed and bonus Polyatomic Ion Particles.
- Divided Plasma Battery – The Asylum infiltration elite reset is the fastest method — skip the rest of the mission.
- Crystal Biogel – The Void Fusion Reactor in White-Night Gulch spawns two elites dropping ~5–8 each.
- Artificial Biometal – Anticipated Ambush Point in Rockfall is a 1–minute loop with a guaranteed elite spawn.
4. Vault–Farmed Energy Residues
Vaults are the primary method for many Energy Residue types — making code breakers a hidden currency in your farming efficiency.
- Highly–Concentrated Energy Residue – Hagios vaults, especially around Dune Base, have dense spawn points.
- Pure Energy Residue – Fortress region vaults work, with Aurora Forest offering clustered vaults for faster clearing.
- Negative Ion Particle – Vaults in Sterile Lands’ Classified Area spawn in predictable clusters.
5. Fellow Companion Farming
Season 3 Fellow farming is still all about smart Decryption Key usage:
- Boss Vaults – Focus on these first for major blueprint components.
- Experimental Materials Storage Boxes – Prioritize these for minor components.
- Leveling Items – Gather later if keys are tight.
Aim for ~75 box openings per Fellow to get the materials you need. Remember: Hard Mode boosts drop rates slightly.
6. Split–Farm Opportunities
Some of the best time savers in Season 3 come from combining farms:
- Murky Energy Residue runs also feed Fusion Plasma Batteries.
- Muskeg Swamp Biogel farming can overlap with Macromolecule Biogel collection.
- Fortress Courtyard neural farming can yield Cooling Metallic Foil as a side drop.