You’ve been grinding for hours in The First Descendant. Maybe you’re farming for Ultimate Bunny or trying to figure out why your Devourer build keeps failing. Then you see it. A post on a forum, a stray comment on a Discord server, or a sketchy YouTube thumbnail mentioning "Ines."
Wait. Who?
If you search the current roster of Descendants—from the tanky Ajax to the chill-inducing Viessa—you won't find her. There is no Ines in the character selection screen. There is no Ines in the Access Info tab. So why is everyone talking about The First Descendant Ines as if she’s the next meta-breaking character?
Honestly, it's a bit of a mess. When a game like this blows up, the rumor mill turns into a factory of misinformation. People mix up leaked names, NPC dialogue, and even characters from entirely different games. Let's peel back the layers and look at what is actually happening with this mystery.
The First Descendant Ines: Fact vs. Fiction
Let's be blunt. As of the current 2026 game state and the patches we’ve seen since launch, there is no playable character named Ines. If you’re looking for a secret unlock code or a hidden questline to get her, stop. You’re chasing a ghost.
The confusion usually stems from two places. First, Nexon (the developer) has a massive catalog of games. Sometimes, assets or names from projects like Project DW or even Mabinogi (which has an Inid/Ines connection in some localizations) get conflated with TFD. Second, the community often latches onto datamined codenames.
In the early beta stages of The First Descendant, dataminers found strings of text referencing internal character names. Some of these became the heroes we love today. Others? They were scrapped or renamed. It is entirely possible that "Ines" was a working title for a character like Valby or perhaps a support character that never made the cut.
Think about how many games do this. They start with a placeholder, realize the kit doesn't work, and pivot. If you’re seeing "The First Descendant Ines" mentioned in a guide, be careful. It’s likely a hallucination by an AI-generated site or a clickbait creator trying to capture search traffic for a character that doesn't exist.
Why Do We Fall for This?
Gamers want the "new." We want the secret sauce.
When you’ve hit the level cap and your modules are all maxed out, the idea of a hidden character is intoxicating. The lore of The First Descendant is also wide open. We have the Magisters, the Vulgus, and the Colossi. There’s plenty of room for new faces.
In the community, we’ve seen people swear they saw an NPC named Ines in the Albion command center. I’ve spent way too much time walking around Albion, talking to every vendor from Anais to Deslin. There is a lot of flavor text. There are mentions of "Descendants who fell" and "Old guard" heroes. But specifically "Ines"? It’s just not there in the lore books.
What's more likely is that players are mishearing or misreading the name of Enzo or perhaps getting confused with Esiemo. Phonetically, they aren't that close, but in the heat of a chaotic boss fight with voice chat peaking? Anything is possible.
The Real Roster We Have
If you came here looking for a new build, don't walk away empty-handed. While Ines isn't a thing, the current meta is shifting. You have characters that fill every niche you could possibly want.
- Valby is the queen of area-of-effect damage right now. Her "liquefied" state makes her nearly untouchable while she coats the battlefield in water. If you wanted Ines because you heard she was a "water mage," Valby is your girl.
- Gley remains the high-risk, high-reward powerhouse. She doesn't use MP; she uses her own life force. It’s a brutal way to play, but her damage output is unparalleled when you build her for infinite ammo.
- Luna brought a rhythm-game mechanic to a looter-shooter. It was a weird choice, but it works. She’s the closest thing to a "bard" we have.
Lessons from Datamining
We should talk about the ethics and accuracy of leaks. Datamining is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it gives us a roadmap. On the other, it creates false expectations.
A few months back, a "leak" suggested a character with a bow-and-arrow kit. Everyone started calling it different names. One of those names that floated around the darker corners of the internet was Ines. Fast forward to the actual update, and we got something completely different.
The lesson? Unless Nexon puts it on their official Trello board or includes it in a "Dev Note," it’s basically fan fiction.
Navigating the Albion Rumor Mill
How do you spot a fake character leak? It's easier than you think.
First, look for the screenshots. In 2026, everyone has a high-def capture card or a "Share" button. If the only "evidence" of The First Descendant Ines is a blurry photo of a monitor or a piece of concept art that looks suspiciously like a DeviantArt commission, it’s fake.
🔗 Read more: Italian Outfits for DnD Kobold: Why Your Small Character Needs Big Style
Second, check the Access Info tab. Nexon is actually really good about this. They list everything. If a mod exists, it’s in there. If a material exists, it’s in there. Even "coming soon" items usually have a grayed-out slot. There is no slot for Ines.
Third, look at the voice actor credits. Actors often list their roles on IMDb or personal sites. No one has claimed the role of Ines for this game.
The "Mandela Effect" in Gaming
It’s wild how a community can collectively "remember" something that didn't happen. Maybe someone made a very convincing mock-up for a class project. Maybe a popular streamer joked about a character named Ines and the clip went viral without the context.
This happens in every major live-service game. Remember the "secret cow level" rumors in the original Diablo? Or the "Sheng Long" hoax in Street Fighter? Ines is the First Descendant version of that. A ghost in the machine that exists only because we keep searching for her.
What You Should Actually Be Farming
Forget the ghosts. Focus on the grind that actually yields results. If you’re looking to improve your account, you shouldn't be searching for Ines; you should be looking for Energy Activators.
These are the rarest drops in the game and for good reason. They increase your module capacity. A character without an Energy Activator is like a Ferrari with a lawnmower engine. You can have all the "Ultimate" parts in the world, but without capacity, you’re nothing.
- Target the Amorphous Materials: Check the rewards for Intercept Battles. You need the ones with a 3% or 6% drop rate for the Activator Blueprint.
- Level up your Mastery: Don't just stick to one character. Leveling up different Descendants increases your overall account power, which gives you better stats across the board.
- Optimize your Reactor: A lot of players ignore the mounting requirements. If your Reactor requires a "Submachine Gun" to be held and you're using a Scout Rifle, you're losing a massive percentage of your skill power.
Future Character Patterns
Nexon has a pattern. They like to release one "Standard" Descendant and one "Ultimate" version every few months. They also tend to favor characters that have a very distinct elemental identity.
We have Fire (Blair, Lepic), Ice (Viessa), Electric (Bunny, Sharen), and Poison (Freyna). We also have "Non-Attribute" characters like Ajax and Gley. If a character like Ines were to ever join the roster, she would need a new niche. Maybe Wind? Maybe Earth?
But until that official reveal trailer drops, treat any mention of Ines as a cautionary tale about the internet.
Actionable Steps for Players
Stop wasting time searching for hidden unlock guides for characters that aren't in the game files. It kills your enjoyment and leads to burnout. Instead, do this:
- Verify your sources: Stick to the official The First Descendant website or the verified Discord. If a "leak" doesn't have a corresponding file path (like
Char_Ines_Base), it’s a fabrication. - Clean up your inventory: Spend twenty minutes breaking down all those level 1-40 weapons you’re hoarding. You need the materials for weapon unique ability enhancements.
- Join a Mega-Thread: If you’re genuinely curious about upcoming content, follow the dedicated datamining subreddits where people actually post code strings rather than just "trust me bro" rumors.
- Focus on the Season Pass: The rewards in the current season are actually decent for once. Grab the boosters and the caliber while you can.
The hunt for The First Descendant Ines is a dead end. But the hunt for a perfect build? That’s where the real game is. Go back to Albion, talk to the Magisters, and start farming for something that actually exists. Your DPS will thank you.