What does DBNO mean in The First Descendant?

The First Descendant has a whole heap of unique phrases and abbreviations, like DBNO, that’ve been stumping new players because there’s no guide or explainer for what they mean, even though they’re pretty crucial terms.

Here’s what DBNO means in The First Descendant and why it matters.

What does DBNO mean in The First Descendant?

In The First Descendant, DBNO stands for “Down But Not Out.” Essentially, it’s referring to the state where you’ve been downed from taking damage and can crawl, albeit very slowly. In this state, you’re not dead. Instead, you have a limited amount of time for your allies to heal you. If this timer runs out, you’re forced to respawn.

If you’ve played other shooters like Apex Legends or Rainbow Six Siege you’ll find the DBNO state in The First Descendant quite familiar. What sets this state apart in The First Descendant is that it offers gear that can modify this state, making all the difference when facing more formidable opponents.

On External Components, you can find the affix “DBNO Duration,” which increases the time you have in this downed but not out state. This means your allies will have more time to heal and revive you, which can make or break a boss battle.

While you may think extending the duration of this down-but-not-out state isn’t beneficial, it has a significant impact during the more challenging events and battles, especially in Void Intercept battles where you have limited lives. Increasing your DBNO duration gives your team more time to come to your aid, which in turn increases the chances of surviving and reducing the risk of burning through your team’s death limits.

The exception is if the DBNO player is in a position where you’ll be taken down while trying to help them. It’s not worth trying to revive them if it’s unsafe.