‘Warframe’: best melee, primary, and secondary weapons

Let’s talk about the best weapons and weapon builds in ‘Warframe’.

Warframe has hundreds of different weapons that operate in several different ways. From shotguns and plasma beams to a variety of melee weapons, you can tailor your arsenal to your tastes. That being said, it’s always great to have a few weapons present due to their usefulness, so today we’re gonna talk about some of the Best Weapons in Warframe.

(Note: By general rule, all the Mods listed in build examples are the standard versions. Prime, Amalgam, or Umbral versions will guarantee significantly better results, so always prioritize those).

Best Primary Weapons in Warframe

Acceltra

Acceltra is an automatic rocket launcher that fires explosive ammunition, sporting great critical chance, critical multiplier, fire rate, and explosion radius, with a bonus on reload speed if you’re moving or if it’s wielded by the warframe Gauss. Its rocket ammunition arms after traveling 7 meters in midair, thus making it safe for you to use it as a great AoE weapon, as long as you keep enough distance.

Obtainable by: Defeating a Demolisher Infested on the Dark Sector mission Ur, Uranus.

Mastery Rank Required: 8

Pros:

  • High Critical and Base damage values
  • High Critical Chance
  • Fast Fire Rate

Cons:

  • Projectiles have Travel Speed
  • It can easily knock you back if you’re shooting from a close distance

Suggested Build:

  • Serration
    +165% Damage
  • Split Chamber
    +90% Multishot
  • Vital Sense
    +120% Critical Damage
  • Vigilante Armaments
    +60% Multishot
    5% chance to enhance Critical Hits from Primary weapons
  • Malignant Force
    +60% Toxin
    +60% Status Chance
  • Point Strike
    +150% Critical Chance
  • Rime Rounds
    +60% Cold
    +60% Status Chance
  • Fast Hands
    +30% Reload Speed
  • Exilus Mod – Rifle Ammo Mutation
    Converts unused Ammo Pickups into Primary Weapon Ammo.

Ignis Wraith

The Ignis Wraith is a superior form of the Ignis flamethrower, now having very high Critical and Status Chance, and improved Magazine size. This flamethrower can obliterate almost any enemy with ease, and its native fire damage helps a lot whether you’re using only that element or any fire-related combination, which makes it really effective against Infested enemies.

Obtainable by:

  • Operation: The Pacifism Defect event (formerly)
  • Baro Ki’teer vendor (currently)

Mastery Rank Required: 9

Pros:

  • Great innate Heat Damage
  • High Critical values
  • High Ammo Capacity

Cons:

  • The innate Heat Damage makes it less effective against Proto Shields of Corpus enemies
  • Limited Range
  • Multishot Mods have no effect on the radial damage

Suggested Build:

  • Serration
    +165% Damage
  • Split Chamber
    +90% Multishot
  • Heavy Caliber
    +165% Damage
    -55% Accuracy
  • Vital Sense
    +120% Critical Damage
  • Vigilante Armaments
    +60% Multishot
    5% chance to enhance Critical Hits from Primary weapons
  • Stormbringer
    +90% Electricity
  • Malignant Force
    +60% Toxin
    +60% Status Chance
  • Point Strike
    +150% Critical Chance
  • Exilus Mod – Agile Aim
    +20% Movement Speed when Aiming

Arca Plasmor

The Arca Plasmor is a Shotgun that fires Radiation-infused plasma ammunition, sporting great Status Chance, high Punch Through values, and guaranteed Impact Damage procs. Those benefits make this weapon immensely effective against enemy crowds and a great choice for endless missions if built properly.

Obtainable by: Researching in a Dojo Energy Lab.

Mastery Rank Required: 10

Pros:

  • High Damage
  • Great Ammo efficiency
  • Possess one of the largest magazines

Cons:

  • Limited Range
  • Low Fire Rate
  • Projectiles have Travel Time

Suggested Build:

  • Point Blank
    +90% Damage
  • Frigid Blast
    +60% Cold
    +60% Status Chance
  • Vicious Spread
    +90% Damage
    +60% Spread
  • Charged Shell
    +90% Electricity 
  • Hell’s Chamber
    +120% Multishot
  • Shell Shock
    +60% Electricity
    +60% Status Chance
  • Chilling Reload
    +60% Cold
    +40% Reload Speed
  • Tactical Pump
    +30% Reload Speed
  • Exilus Mod – Snap Shot
    +20% Movement Speed when Aiming

Best Secondary Weapons in Warframe

Epitaph

One of the weapons introduced in the Call Of The Tempestarii update, the Epitaph is a sidearm that deals extra headshot damage if the warframe Sevagoth uses it. Its uncharged shots fire explosive slabs with great Status Chance and a guaranteed Cold proc, while the fully-charged ones possess high Critical Chance and Multiplier values.

Obtainable by: Void Storm missions in Earth Proxima, Venus Proxima, and Saturn Proxima (blueprint and parts).

Mastery Rank Required: 8

Pros:

  • Guaranteed Cold procs and Impact procs on direct hits.
  • Very fast charge speed.
  • No magazine, so it doesn’t need to reload.

Cons:

  • Very low Critical Chance and Multiplier.
  • Explosions can knock you off.
  • Very low Fire Rate.

Suggested Build:

  • Lethal Torrent
    +60% Fire Rate
    +60% Multishot
  • Hornet Strike
    +220% Damage
  • Barrel Diffusion
    +120% Multishot
  • Augur Pact
    +90% Damage
    40% of Energy spent on abilities is converted to Shields.
  • Scorch
    +60% Heat
    +60% Status Chance
  • Frostbite
    +60% Cold
    +60% Status Chance
  • Pistol Gambit
    +120% Critical Chance
  • Target Cracker
    +60% Critical Damage
  • Exilus Mod – Lethal Momentum
    +40% Projectile Speed

Akstiletto Prime

The Prime variant of the Akstiletto dual machine-gun pistols, this pair of golden beauties appeared for the first time with the release of Vauban Prime, and they remain as one of the best secondary weapons ever since. The high Fire Rate and Reload Speed these guns have will make you feel unstoppable in almost any kind of mission, and while they have a bit of a disadvantage against armored enemies, they compensate for it with great Critical and Status Chance, inflicting massive amounts of damage.

Obtainable by: Opening Relics in Void Relic Missions

Mastery Rank Required: 10

Pros:

  • Low recoil.
  • Very good Critical and Status Chance.
  • High Fire Rate.
  • High Reload Speed.

Cons:

  • Low Puncture damage, making it really weak against armored enemies.

Suggested Build:

  • Hornet Strike
    +220% Damage
  • Lethal Torrent
    +60% Fire Rate
    +60% Multishot
  • Augur Pact
    +90% Damage
    Set Bonus: 40% of Energy spent on abilities is converted to Shields.
  • Barrel Diffusion
    +120% Multishot
  • Pistol Pestilence
    +60% Toxin
    +60% Status Chance
  • Scorch
    +60% Heat
    +60% Status Chance
  • Frostbite
    +60% Cold
    +60% Status Chance
  • Steady Hands
    -60% Weapon Recoil
  • Exilus Mod – Targeting Subsystem
    On Hit: +30% Accuracy when aiming, for 9 seconds

Mara Detron

A Void Trader-exclusive version of the Corpus Detron weapon, this Shotgun Sidearm is an improvement over the original one, even if it predates it in the game’s canon. The Mara Detron sports high Reload Speed and Status chance, and while its Critical values aren’t as great, it can proc some serious elemental damage to your enemies, making it one of the best secondary weapons.

Obtainable by: Baro Ki’teer vendor

Mastery Rank Required: 9

Pros:

  • Great Status chance.
  • High Reload Speed.
  • Fast Projectile Speed.

Cons:

  • Very low Critical Chance.
  • Low Critical Multiplier.
  • Slow fire rate.

Suggested Build:

  • Hornet Strike
    +220% Damage
  • Lethal Torrent
    +60% Fire Rate
    +60% Multishot
  • Augur Pact
    +90% Damage
    Set Bonus: 40% of Energy spent on abilities is converted to Shields.
  • Barrel Diffusion
    +120% Multishot
  • Pistol Pestilence
    +60% Toxin
    +60% Status Chance
  • Scorch
    +60% Heat
    +60% Status Chance
  • Frostbite
    +60% Cold
    +60% Status Chance
  • Steady Hands
    -60% Weapon Recoil
  • Exilus Mod – Targeting Subsystem
    On Hit: +30% Accuracy when aiming, for 9 seconds

Best Melee Weapons in Warframe

Orthos Prime

Orthos Prime is a gold-coated staff with great Reach distance in combat, which makes it a great weapon for crowd control since you can easily strike large groups of enemies at once. Sporting high Status and Critical Chance stats, the Orthos Prime polearm is a staple in any Tenno arsenal and one of the most entertaining Melee Weapons to use, regardless of the mission you’re in.

Obtainable by: Opening Relics in Void Relic Missions

Mastery Rank Required: 12

Pros:

  • High Slash Damage
  • One of the highest Critical Chance and Multiplier values of all Polearms
  • One of the highest Status Chance of all Polearms.

Cons:

  • Low Impact and Puncture damage, making it really weak against armored enemies.

Suggested Build:

  • Stance Mod – Shimmering Blight
    Fast spinning attacks and staggering strikes.
  • Reach
    +1.1 Range
  • Vicious Frost
    +60% Cold
    +60% Status Chance
  • Virulent Scourge
    +60% Toxin
    +60% Status Chance
  • Volcanic Edge
    +60% Heat
    +60% Status Chance
  • Weeping Wounds
    +40% Status Chance per Combo Multiplier
  • Condition Overload
    +120% Critical Chance, x2 for Heavy Attacks
  • Blood Rush
    +40% of Critical Chance stacks with Combo Multiplier
  • Berserker Fury
    On Melee Kill: +35% Attack Speed for 10 seconds, stacking up to 2 times

Paracesis

The Paracesis is a story-related Heavy Blade that is also known as “The Sentient Slayer”. Originally the signature weapon of the villainous Orokin Ballas, it will add 10 extra ranks after you polarize it, capping at Rank 40 and gaining additional bonuses against Sentient enemies, while also removing their Damage Resistances. Overall, the Paracesis is a superb weapon that excels in combat and is conveniently accessible for all the players to obtain, making it easily the best Heavy Blade.

Obtainable by: Blueprint is rewarded after completing the Chimera Prologue quest.

Mastery Rank Required: 10

Pros:

  • High Slash Damage.
  • One of the highest Critical Chance and Multiplier values of all Heavy Blades.
  • High status chance.
  • Polarizing the weapon increases its max rank by 2, capping at Rank 40, having 10 more levels than normal weapons.

Cons:

  • Low Impact and Puncture damage, making it weak against armored enemies.

Suggested Build:

  • Stance Mod – Tempo Royale
    Fast spinning attacks and staggering strikes.
  • Reach
    +1.1 Range
  • Pressure Point
    +120% Melee Damage
  • Voltaic Strike
    +60% Electricity
    +60% Status Chance
  • Organ Shatter
    +90% Critical Damage
  • Molten Impact
    +90% Heat
  • True Steel
    +120% Critical Chance, x2  for Heavy Attacks
  • Shocking Touch
    +90% Electricity
  • Berserker Fury
    On Melee Kill: +35% Attack Speed for 10 seconds, stacking up to 2 times

Nikana Prime

The one-handed sword Nikana is one of the most popular Warframe weapons, and its Prime version only improves upon that beautiful blade. With high Critical values, one of the highest Status Chance stats, and sporting ridiculous Attack Speed, you can rip any enemy apart with elegance and precision when wielding this Tenno weapon.  

Obtainable by: Opening Relics in Void Relic Missions

Mastery Rank Required: 12

Pros:

  • High Slash Damage.
  • Highest Critical Chance and Multiplier of all Nikanas.
  • Second highest Status Chance and Attack Speed of all Nikanas

Cons:

  • Low Impact and Puncture damage, making it weak against armored enemies.

Suggested Build:

  • Stance Mod – Blind Justice
    Reverse grip style that emphasizes slashing and impaling strikes.
  • Drifting Contact
    +10 Seconds of Combo Duration
    +40% Status Chance
  • Pressure Point
    +120% Melee Damage
  • Life Strike
    +20% Life Steal on Heavy Attack
  • Organ Shatter
    +90% Critical Damage
  • Killing Blow
    +120% Melee Damage On Heavy Attack
    +60% Heavy Attack Wind Up Speed
  • True Steel
    +120% Critical Chance, x2  for Heavy Attacks
  • Reflex Coil
    +60% Heavy Attack Efficiency
  • Buzz Kill
    +120% Slash Damage

Written by Santiago Leguiza on behalf of GLHF.

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