Last Updated on October 16, 2022
The latest update, The New War, has brought upon the latest Warframe—Caliban—an offensive controller that excels in both damage and crowd control.
Enemies that get too close to this Sentient technology run this risk of getting flung into the air, followed up by a large explosion that strips armor and shields of the affected targets.
With stellar tanky stats, excellent damage output, and unique utility and crowd control capabilities, Caliban has decent potential to rival other Warframes in viability once players get a hang of its unique ability set.
Let’s go over some of the best Caliban builds that make use of this character’s flashy set of strengths now.
Caliban’s Abilities
To play Caliban optimally, you’ll need to understand Caliban’s abilities and how they operate on the battlefield.
Here’s a rundown of his unique toolkit.
- Lethal Progeny: Produce up to three Conculyst comrades to fight by his side and repair his shields.
- Fusion Strike: Converge three streams to strips armors and shields.
- Sentient Wrath: Smash the ground sending out a radial wave of destruction.
- Razor Gyre: Become a spinning vortex of death, hitting enemies with a destructive blast.
Once you’ve crafted the Caliban Warframe, you can go ahead and use any of the mentioned builds:
List of Top Caliban Builds
Here are four fun Caliban sets to test out.
- Beginner Build that focuses on the whole toolkit
- Focuses on Crowd Control
- Direct Firepower + DPS
- Tank Build
Build 1: Standard All Rounder Build
This Caliban build remains faithful to its starter toolkit — Lethal Progeny, Fusion Strike, Sentient Wrath and Razor Gyre.
Stats
| Armor | 275 |
| Energy | 150 |
| Health | 300 |
| Shield | 1295 |
| Sprint Speed | 1.10 |
| Duration | 150% |
| Efficiency | 80% |
| Range | 145% |
| Strength | 214% |
Mod List
- Energy Siphon
- Redirection
- Adaptation
- Streamline
- Primed Continuity
- Blind Rage
- Stretch
- Augur Secrets
- Natural Talent
Description
This build works best for those who want to mess around with Caliban’s kit without changing him too drastically. You don’t need Forma and Subsume to make this beginner Caliban build, so Razor Gyre remains.
Natural Talent is a mandatory mod for this build as it helps make Fusion Strike charge more quickly. It also allows Sentient Wrath to activate faster.
You’ll benefit from using utility abilities to immobilize enemies for the 1st and 3rd slot – removing them off their armor and following it up with strong damage.
You’ll also be making use of your 2nd slot to recharge your shields and build up Adaptation stacks. A focus on Power Strength enables your abilities to deal significantly more damage, apply harder-hitting debuffs, and strip defences.
While you’ll most likely be dealing with enemies close quarters, you’re also geared up quite nicely to do well for Range and Duration. Mods like Power Drift and Intensify can replace Augur Secrets.
Build 2 – Grouper Build
This build switches Razor Gyre with either Ensnare or Larva. There are also some slight modifications to the mods.
Stats
| Armor | 275 |
| Energy | 400 |
| Health | 300 |
| Shield | 525 |
| Sprint Speed | 1.10 |
| Tau Resistance | 10% |
| Duration | 150% |
| Efficiency | 80% |
| Range | 145% |
| Strength | 230% |
Mod List
- Brief Respite
- Rolling Guard
- Natural Talent
- Streamline
- Primed Continuity
- Blind Rage
- Stretch
- Umbral Intensify
- Primed Flow
Description
Razor Gyre—one of Caliban’s trademark abilities—frankly, isn’t very strong at pulling enemies in. Other better replacements exist that remain faithful to Caliban’s playstyle and crowd control abilities.
This build uses V- and double dash as Forma and can switch between Larva or Ensnare as Subsume.
With Larva, you are granted the ability to pack enemies together to set the way for you to unleash a devastating attack on them. That is, of course, before hitting them with Sentient Wrath and then Fusion Strike, exposing them to ridiculous amounts of damage with your weapons and abilities.
Caliban can endure hits with the combination of Brief Respite and Rolling Guard. Strength is the primary focus for the mod choices, and Primed Flow helps in replenishing the energy due to this build’s negative Efficiency.
Build 3 – Aquablades Build
Razor Gyre is replaced with Aquablades with slight modifications to the mods and stat spread.
Stats:
| Armor | 275 |
| Energy | 400 |
| Health | 300 |
| Shield | 525 |
| Sprint Speed | 1.10 |
| Tau Resistance | 10% |
| Duration | 123% |
| Efficiency | 75% |
| Range | 100% |
| Strength | 285% |
Mod List:
- Brief Respite
- Rolling Guard
- Natural Talent
- Streamline
- Blind Rage
- Transient Fortitude
- Umbral Intensify
- Primed Continuity
- Primed Flow
Description
This Caliban build capitalizes on Aquablades—a Subsume of Yareli. It works similar to Razor Gyre, but has a few features that vastly improve the build, such as higher damage output, better energy Efficiency, doesn’t clash with other abilities, and can do better Slash procs.
This build, just like the others, excels when making Power Strength the build’s focus. Fusion Strike helps prepare and off-load damage to enemy targets. Sentient Wrath helps keep targets manageable by debuffing them. Aquablades and your primary weapon can then be used to deal the finishing attack.
Build 4 – Empower Build
Razor Gyre is replaced with Empower. There are also slight modifications to the mods and stat spread.
Stats:
| Armor | 275 |
| Energy | 425 |
| Health | 850 |
| Shield | 525 |
| Sprint Speed | 1.10 |
| Duration | 226.5% |
| Efficiency | 100% |
| Range | 34% |
| Strength | 249% |
Mod List:
- Corrosive Projection
- Power Drift
- Umbral Vitality
- Umbral Intensify
- Transient Fortitude
- Augur Secrets
- Primed Flow
- Energy Conversion
- Narrow Minded
- Primed Continuity
Description
This Caliban replaces Razor Gyre with Empower, an ability that increases the strength of your next ability use. The other abilities are as follows: Sentient Wrath, Lethal Progeny, and Fusion Strike.
The bulk of the mods are additions to help give the build more Ability Strength. Blind Rage may be a staple for other builds – but it doesn’t work as well in this build since energy efficiency mos are hard to fit already.
Empower is the build’s bread and butter, although you can switch it with any other Helminth Ability of your desire. Empower stacked with Energy Conversion helps scale your damage to really high levels, which works great in Steel Path mission runs.
The rest of the kit works similarly to other builds; Sentient Wrath can do crowd control, Fusion Strike helps strip enemies’ armor, and Conculysts deal Damage.
To play this Warframe build optimally, try to get an energy orb as often as possible and cast it before casting any other abilities.Play Warframe The New War on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S.
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