Warframe, the beloved multiplayer action RPG, is famed for its signature armor mechanic. Instead of Classes,Warframeplayers can equip various Warframes – ancient suits of armor with unique powersets – to fight enemies.
At first glance, a player can stick to the first Warframe they chose and modify it to their liking. However, people also have the opportunity to gain almost any Warframe for free – provided they have the patience to get their crafting materials. For players who want to dedicate time to a new Warframe, what exactly is their best option? Which Warframe should they avoid in the meantime?
Updated on June 02, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam:With TennoCon 2024 just a week away from its July 19 start date, fans of the acclaimed free-to-play MMO might be excited for any announcements that may arrive throughout the festivities. While the game managed to satiate the wait for the in-person event via the Prime Resurgence for Nekros and Harrow, players may be curious as to what other Warframes should they prioritize acquiring to maximize their experience. After all, while the game does offer a vast roster of Warframes, some of them can dominate the rest when it comes to practicality. Among must-have Warframes when it comes to strength include one patterned after a Greek warrior, a pacifist monk, an infested fighter, and a musical scribe.
Space-Time Control Provides Various Mobility Options
Passive
Dodge gives way to entering and exiting the Rift, leaving a portal that recharges Energy. Kills in the Rift give +10 Energy
1st Skill
Banish:Damage enemies and get them and allies out of Limbo’s current plane
2nd Skill
Stasis:Enemies in the Rift are Frozen. Projectiles are also Frozen and only resume their path when the ability ends
3rd Skill
Rift Surge:Enemies in the Rift have Rift Surge that passes onto enemies outside if they are killed. Rift Surged enemies that leave the Rift perform Banish.
Ultimate
Cataclysm:Unleash a blast of void energy that opens a rift tear before damaging opponents again as it closes
As his name suggests, Limbo traverses the paths between realms. His Passive introduces the Rift Plane, an entirely new mechanic that capitalizes onWarframe’s psychics.Banish (S1)lets enemies experience the wrath of the Rift.Meanwhile, Stasis (S2)stuns Banished opponents, whileRift Surge (S3)attacks them. Lastly,Cataclysm (Ult)summons a miniature black hole of sorts to mangle through enemies.
There’s no need to mention Limbo’s fame, thanks to his space-themed kit. All of Limbo’s abilities boast decent damage, all of which can be turneddevastating with the right combos. Limbo can easily phase out enemies, stop projectiles, and even create miniature black holes.
Get +5 Health whenever an enemy dies within 10m
Soul Punch:Hit an enemy and release their soul to damage enemies on a path behind it
Terrify:Force enemies to flee in terror
Desecrate:Make fallen enemies drop more loot
Shadows of the Dead:Summon Shadows from fallen enemies to become temporary allies
Nekros has been a prominent part of the Warframe universe since 2013 and still manages to be incredibly relevant in 2022. Those who are seeking a great beginner Warframe, or need a hero who is exceptional at resource farming, will want tocheck out Nekros. He’s usable in almost any mission and is capable of being incredibly tanky if built correctly. HisSoul Punch(S1) can transform enemies into projectiles, and mark them, transforming them into allied shadows should they perish while marked.
Terrify (S2)is a great way to create space, as it causes enemies nearby Nekros to flee in terror.Desecrate (S3)is the ultimate farming tool, as it forces enemies to drop even more loot when they die. When Nekros uses hisShadows of the Dead (Ult)ability, he is capable of summoning defeated enemies to fight alongside him for a short time, giving him access to a veritable army.
Get +60% Slide Speed and +35% Slide Distance
Fire Walker:Rush to create a flame trail that cleanses allies and damages enemies
Blazing Chakra:Burn enemies from afar and emit Healing upon death. Reactivate to teleport to the position
Warding Halo:Stun and damage enemies who get too close
Divine Spears:Stun enemies by impaling them using spears on the ground
Players looking for an interesting, high-mobility Warframe that is capable of filling multiple roles should check out Nezha. His high health pool, fast sprint speed, and crowd control make him a viable option as a tank or a DPS depending on how players build and use him.Fire Walker (S1)gives him great movement as it leaves a trail of flame which can end in an explosion of fire should players teleport.
Warding Halo (S3)gives him a safety bubble that will stun any enemies that get too close andBlazing Chakram (S2)acts as a ranged attack that simultaneously makes enemies more susceptible to damage and forces them to drop restorative orbs when they perish. Those who find themselves surrounded by foes can useDivine Spears (Ult)to impale their attackers and then re-use the ability to slam any survivors harshly into the ground.
Buffs Incentivize Heavy-Damage Plays
Can get up to +100% Damage temporarily based on how fast she kills enemies. She uses her Talons if she has no melee weapons
Dread Mirror:Use the enemy’s life force as a shield to get damage. Charge to transform it into a projectile
Blood Altar:Use the enemy’s body on an altar to give Health to Garuda and her allies
Bloodletting:Gain Energy by sacrificing Health
Seeking Talons:Charge to set an area and release Talons on the target. Survivors are more prone to Bleeding.
IfGarudaand her arm blades were any indications, players could spice up theirWarframegameplay with a bit of melee combat brutality. When not equipping any melee weapon, players can use Garuda’s Talons instead, as theycan be moddedand customized separately in missions. Her PassiveDeath’s Gategrants up to 100% damage bonuses to her abilities each time she kills an opponent, with damage increasing by 5% per kill.
Her mastery of life and death is reflected easily inDread Mirror (S1), where she conjures a mirror out of the opponent’s life force that absorbs damage and also creates a projectile attack. Meanwhile,Blood Altar (S2)impales a target with her talons and steals health for Garuda and her teammates. This constant life drain is essential, however, as Garuda can trade some of her life force for Energy viaBloodletting (S3). Lastly, her UltimateSeeking Talonswill have Garuda’s talons explore the area and hit targets, with survivors being more prone to damage-over-time bleeding.
Inspire Allies As A Fierce Olympian Peltast
Critical Chance Bonus +1% per 40 Shield, including Overshields. Bonus is doubled when using Spearguns.
Axios Javelin:Throw an Axios Javelin. An enemy pinned against the wall will pull enemies surrounding them before suffering burst damage.
Tharros Strike:Summon and swing Tharros shields to repel enemies and reduce their Armor and Shields. Heals for enemies struck.
Rally Point:Attract enemies while giving Energy Regeneration over time to him and his allies. Shields get regenerated for kills and assist that allies contribute for the duration.
Final Stand:Jump and throw various Axios Javelins. They deal damage to nearby enemies wherever they land, and deal greater damage when enemies are struck.
Built and inspired to look like an Olympian warrior,Styanaxis built for durability and efficiency. With the right focus on strength, range, and ability duration, Styanax can easily pulverize opponents while suffering little to no damage for as long as he can keep his shields active. Granting allies much-needed Energy Regeneration and Shields allows Styanax to secure the team’s survivability, especially in tough fights. Players who find it difficult to survive certain locations can pick up Styanax for a durable Warframe that can withstand heavy attacks and hit just as hard in return.
As his design is inspired by the Greek javelin- and shield-toting peltasts, Styanax’s kit maximizes his potential using the sameweapon types.
Styanax has a Passive that scales Critical Chance bonus based on his Shields, which encourages builds using Shield-enhancing Mods. This bonus is doubled when using Spearguns, which are also his thematic weapons of choice. Styanax takes advantage of range withAxios Javelin (S1)which damages its target and surroundings, while he can fight up close withTharros Strike (S2)which heals him whenever enemies are struck. The Warframe can aid allies with Energy and Shield regeneration viaRally Point (S3), while he unleashes AOE-modified Axios Javelins viaFinal Stand (Ult).
Release a 100 Damage shockwave when landing from great heights
Rhino Charge:Charge towards a target and damage anyone in the way
Iron Skin:Harden skin to grant Damage Resistance to self
Roar:Boost the damage to allies for a short time
Rhino Stomp:Stun enemies with stomps
Those looking for a solid tank will definitely want to considerRhino. This hulking Warframe is capable of mitigating damage like an absolute beast, giving teams of fragile Warframes a chance to burst out a massive amount of damage without the need to constantly dodge enemy attacks. Rhino can be a valuable asset in tons of situations and is very rewarding to play for gamers looking to help the team.
Rhino’sCharge (S1)gives him a great gap closer, allowing him to quickly rush toward problematic enemies, and his powerfulRhinoStomp (Ult)will temporarily stasis all nearby foes. He’s even got the ability to buff teammates, giving them increased damage with hisRoar. To cap it all off, hisIron Skin (S2)helps him withstand attacks that would easily shred other Warframes.
Creative Glass AOEs Fit Solo, Team Setups
May create a 10-second blind that takes effect when exposed to bright light
Shattered Lash:Strike multiple ways with shattered glass
Splinter Storm:Grant Damage Resistance to allies while damaging enemies as well as their weapons and lessening their damage
Spectorage:Trap enemies in mirrors that release images of themselves that deal damage when destroyed
Mass Vitrify:Slowly crystallize enemies that enter a ring of molten glass. The expansion will harden the ring to block weapon fire, while the ring gains strength from the Health and Shields of affected enemies. Use S1 to destroy the ring and send shards outwards for an AOE.
Glass may not seem like the strongest choice when it comes to combat, but the WarframeGaramakes incredible use of the material. This high-armor multi-class hero can use Glass to help defend herself and is also capable of turning her enemies into brittle versions of themselves before effortlessly shattering them into pieces. HerSplinter Storm (S2)is a dual-purpose AOE ability that will slice and dice through any enemies it contacts while simultaneously fortifying any allies that are caught in its range.
Shattered Lash (S1)gives her a solid damaging ability, whileSpectrorage (S3)will taunt enemies into attacking mirrors that actually damage them upon shattering, helping to draw fire away from teammates. While all of these abilities are good, the real showstopper isMass Vitrify (Ult), which unleashes a circle of molten class that will encase enemies and then harden to block oncoming gunfire for a short time. Players that useShattered Lashcan effectively explode the ring and send shards flying in all directions.
Death Itself Becomes An Ally In Combat
Transform into Sevagoth’s Shadow upon death and collect souls to resurrect
Reap:Sevagoth’s Shadow leaps forward and attacks enemies. Survivors are dealt Damage-over-Time by Death’s Harvest, while the dead’s souls fill the Death Well
Sow:Drain the lifeforce of targets with a Death Seed before detonating them, dealing some HP% as Radial Damage. Fills Death Well
Gloom:Emit a wave that stuns and slows enemies. Allies in the wave steal Health with attacks. Fills Death Well
Exalted Shadow:Use Sevagoth’s Shadow to deal melee attacks
Deathly Sevagoth manipulates the Void itself to cast shadows and darkness to devastate his enemies. Quite the versatile Warframe, Sevagoth acquires two “forms” when used: its base Warframe form and the Shadow. Upon death, Sevagoth summons his Shadow, which must harvest souls in order to revive his physical form. The Shadow has a separate form and base abilities, giving Sevagoth a second life to turn the tide of battle.
The Shadow is also an integral part of Sevagoth’s skillset.Reap (S1)summons the Shadow to attack enemies at the front. Sevagoth also acquires a handy lifesteal ability withSow (S2), which plants a leeching death seed, and Gloom, a shadow wave. Over time, Sevagoth can triggerExalted Shadow (Ult)which unleashes the Shadow for devastating melee attacks.
Get +25% Ally Revive Speed and +50% Ally Revive Distance
Well of Life:Damage affected enemies to get Health
Energy Vampire:Get Energy over time when enemies are marked with this skill
Link:Damage taken when Link is active is received by a nearby enemy
Blessing:Allies get temporary Damage Immunity as well as Health and Shield Regeneration
Trinityis as straightforward as she can get – she’s a support Frame. Trinity’s Passive allows her to revive teammates much faster. Meanwhile, she boasts a unique “attack” in the form ofLink (S3)that dissipates damage taken to nearby enemies. Trinity’sWell of Life (S1)grants lifesteal to allies against the targeted foe, whileEnergy Vampire (S2)does the same for energy. Lastly, herBlessing (Ult)not only heals the party’s HP and Shields but also grants some damage resistance.
Thanks to Trinity’s accessible kit, she easily boastssome of the most efficient defensive abilitiesout there. After all, Trinity’s skills help her replenish ally resources and even disperse enemy attacks back to their sources. While other Frames may boast better support skills, Trinity’s perfect for anyone who wants a healer role.
Using abilities heals Titania and nearby allies
Spellbind:Nearby allies receive Status Effect Immunity, enemies are sent to the air
Tribute:Inflict effects depending on the setting, be it damage reduction (Thorns), lower target accuracy (Dust), boost companion damage (Full Moon), or enemy slows (Entangle)
Lantern:Transform an enemy into a beacon that other enemies will follow before it explodes
Razorwing:Titania shrinks and flies while insects attack enemies
Perhaps the perfect equivalent of the queen of fairies,TitaniainWarframegameplay is a mistress of her own personal armyof mechanized butterflies. HerPassivegives her an automatic 25% boost to Rolling and Bullet Jumping distance, giving her an edge in mobility. Not only that, but Titania’s abilities also give the Upsurge buff to all allies within 15 meters that regenerates 4 HP per second for 20 seconds. This works well withSpellbind (S1), which not only disarms enemies but also grants her allies temporary immunity to status effects.
A polar opposite of Spellbind would be herTribute (S2)where she forces a debuff on an enemy she damages, be it damage reduction and reflection (Thorns), accuracy reduction (Dust), increased damage taken (Full Moon), and slowed movement (Entangle). Meanwhile,Lantern (S3)is a decent distraction as it forces enemies to gather around a cluster of razorflies before they explode for burst damage. Lastly, herRazorwing (Ult)forces Titania to shrink down and fly as she wishes while a gathering of razorflies viciously attack foes.
