Best Melee, Primary, Secondary Weapon in Warframe

Last Updated on October 15, 2022

With the new year upon us, there’s no better time to commit yourself to improving in a game of your choice. And what better game than Warframe?

Best Melee, Primary, Secondary Weapon in Warframe – When you start the game, you are recommended a lot of weapons. This is very confusing for the people who have just gotten into the game. Talking about weapons, I would say you shouldn’t focus too much on the higher tier ones, because they are tied to a higher Mastery Rank.

The list was recently updated as per 2021 standards, we will start working on the 2022 list after the new year.

Important Tip: There are meta weapons, there are fun weapons. I have added a section at the end of this article that covers a few fun weapons that can deal damage and fun to use. The point here is that Warframe is a game, it is important to have fun while playing, if running the meta weapons is your thing, then go for it.

In this article, we’ll hone our sights on the weapons that outshine the rest. While we may inevitably be missing some hidden treasures, this list should cover the bulk of fantastic Warframe weapons to decimate enemies.

How To Find What’s Best for me?

Everyone has their unique taste and preferences, and almost most guns have a unique niche when paired with the best Warframe gun mods.

Ultimately, it’s your choice—but the process remains the same for all players.

This process is to:

Test out all the different and interesting guns in Warframe.
Choose and mod the one that fits your playstyle.
Rinse and repeat until you get your ideal selection.

As long as you find your gun fun and not grindy, coupled with the right mods, you can theoretically make it past most gunfights and battles.

Regardless, there are a few guns that are considered to be exceptional for most situations. These will be listed below.

Best Beginner Weapons

Best Beginner weapons in Warframe for Mastery Rank 1-5 would be.

Melee: Nikana Prime (MR 4) – Insane damage output, and with the right mod combination you can melt enemies of level 100 without any problems. You can also use Tipedo or Atterax both are good enough to carry you to high-level content.
Primary: Ignis is one of the best early-game weapons that doesn’t require any aiming and can clear rooms very easily. If you are Red Crit Damage lover, then Amprex should be your choice (Amprex is MR10 weapon after the release of Hotfix 22.13.3). If you don’t like any of these go for the Assault rifles such as Grakata, Karak or Boltor.
Secondary: Atomos, Lex and Lato are pretty good beginner secondary weapons. Though, you should not focus too much on secondaries for a while since there are not many good ones for the beginners. You can obtain powerful crit/status pistols later on when you reach higher MR.
Shotgun: Kohm and Hek are two amazing beginner warframe shotguns that a low MR player can use. Both Kohm and Hek blueprints can be obtained from the Warframe Market.

2022 Update:

Hek: The Hek is a powerful and precise shotgun with a tight spread, making it a great gun for short to mid-range for beginners. The Hek’s high-status chance and fast reload speed as an all-rounder makes it perfect for defeating enemies in Warframe.
Dread: A hunting bow that fires bladed arrows, the Dread is not to be messed with. With a high critical chance, high-status chance, and hefty damage output, Dread can cause serious carnage on the battlefield in the right hands.
Atomos: Nothing can get more beginner-friendly than a flamethrower. The Atomos is a highly effective and simple-to-use flamethrower that can be used to destroy Infested and Corpus, as well as still seeing some use in the late game.
Mire: If you need to deck your collection of weapons with a good Melee, the Mire is a worthy choice. Aside from boasting the fastest attack speed among all the other swords in-game, it also has a high-status chance, poisoning enemies that come into contact with it.
Kohm: Similar to the Hek, Kohm has a high rate of fire and damage output, with the difference being that Kohm fires slower-moving projectiles. The Kohm can be a strong early-game weapon with the right mods like Accelerated Blast and Blunderbuss.

Update: Removed Synoid Simulor from the list after the nerf. It used to be the strongest elemental weapon in Warframe.

Best Primary Warframe Weapons

Below are a few weapons that are end-game viable and can be used for any faction

Best Primary / Shotguns

Note: Snipers are also primaries, we’ve added them in this section. A separate article with builds will be posted shortly.

Soma Prime (MR6) – Hands down the best automatic rifle in the game that can be obtained easily using the ~~Twitch Prime loot pack~~.
Sybaris Prime – Best Crit/Status Primary out there. If you have been playing this game for a long time, you must know by now that CC/Status is always better.
Ignis Wraith (MR9) – This flamethrower melts all the enemies within seconds. Combined with the heat and a CC+CD melee, this weapon can be used for fighting with even enemies of level +150 without any issues.
Tigris Prime (MR13) – Tigris Prime is an End Game Weapon and cannot be obtained before getting MR13. Tigris Prime has the highest base damage compared to any weapon in the game.
Vaykor Hek (MR12 shotgun) – Vaykor Hek can be obtained from Steel Meridian, this is a better version of the Hek variant. Boasts a better rate of fire, crit chance, and double mag capacity.
Arca Plasmor (MR12 Semi-Auto Shotgun) – Corpus shotgun that shoots damaging pulses of Radiation that guarantees impact procs. Good enough for enemies up to level 80. You can obtain Arca Plasmor from the Energy lab in the dojo.
Kohm/Kuva Kohm (MR5 Shotgun) – Kohm is a hold-trigger shotgun that fires full-auto, each following shot with adds an additional pellet to the next shot. This is one of my favorite shotguns that can reach 100 status if you have the right riven mod. The Kuva variant is even more powerful.
Trumna (MR13) – Trumna is an Orokin weapon that is designed by the Entrati. This is a fully automatic rifle that fires explosive bullets. Charges are built upon getting kills that fuel an alternate fire mode which bounces high explosive grenades.
Bubonico (MR13) – Started playing with it recently and its a lot of fun since its not a traditional shotgun. Bubonico is an Infested Shotgun that launches a barrage of Toxin blasts. It also has an alternate fire mode that shoots three explosive viral shots in a burst. This is a true end-game weapon as it has both high crit and status chance.
Kuva Bind: With three shooting modes, this weapon can be modified to fit any playstyle. Semi is the go-to for its accuracy, but if you want to compensate for recoil or simply spam projectiles at near point-blank range, then auto is your best friend.
Tenet Tetra: The auto mode of the Tenet Tetra acts as a semi-grenade launcher, hitting clumped enemies for massive damage. Some good mods to include in this weapon is Primed Firestorm for an even stronger AoE range and Primed Shred for increased damage.
Zhuge Prime: Similar to the Tenet Tetra, this gun has good AoE potential and is excellent with mods. Speed Trigger increases the fire rate of the Zhuge Prime considerably, while Bladed Rounds pads up this rifle’s critical chance.
Synapse: A fantastic all-around gun that has good ammo, crit, and elemental damage. If you reckon yourself a good headshot aimer, the Synapse can make quite a fine companion.
Bubonico: Can throw explosions that proc a viral status effect before shooting. Ammo regenerates, so you don’t have to worry about running out.
Phantasma: While you won’t be seeing any crits with this gun, it’s still amazing when paired with Innate Element and the mod Galvanized Savvy. This ups the chance of plasma explosions, which sets enemies ablaze.
Kuva Bramma: Arguably one of the top bows in Warframe, the Kuva Bramma is an excellent choice even at endgame level. With explosive arrows and clusterbombs that can be detonated mid-air, this weapon offers a touch of versatility and power that marks it as one of the A-class weapons in the game.

Best Primary Shotguns in Warframe

Here are the best shotguns for players in Warframe.

Arca Plasmor: With high damage and a guaranteed Impact proc upon firing, the Arca Plasmor is a devastating weapon that can be modded to fit any type of scenario.
Kuva Kohm: A great weapon whose only fallback is its hungry ammo consumption. Has an increased critical chance, status chance, and fire rate that makes it a formidable choice in close-range quarters.
Exergis: Hard-hitting, but a tad slow in firing. If you’re confident in your ability to fire precise shots, the Exergis can be a decent weapon across all Mastery ranks.
Tigris Prime: While they nerfed the status chance, the Tigris Prime still performs well in high levels, especially in one-on-one situations.
Corinth Prime: This weapon has a better status chance and magazine size than its predecessor. It also has the lowest pellet spread among all the other shotguns in the game, equalling just the Vaykor Hek and Hek.

Best Pistol / Secondary in Warframe

All the websites out there will mention many of the secondaries without knowing much. I myself have put up 4000 hours in this game and I know what I am talking about. However, this doesn’t mean that these will be the right options for you, you can always use the comment section below to tell me about your favourites.

image credit: Zilaria on Youtube

Kuva Nukor – The normal Nukor is one of my most used pistol in the game, just because it’s really fun to use. The Kuva variant is the more powerful one.
Pyrana Prime – A High slash pistol that can deal a lot of damage. On top of that, if you get three kills in quick succession, second ethereal Pyrana appears for a short time.
Pandero – One of the best CC + CD pistol in the game. 100% end-game viable and can destroy every enemy in the star chart with a couple of bullets.
Acceltra – Acceltra is gauss’s signature weapon. A solid crit pistol that can take down enemies in a jiffy.
Sicarus Prime – After the latest buff to this pistol, it outclasses most of the pistols in the game. Not very fun to use, just a basic point and shoot weapon.
Aklex Prime – The dual-wielding Aklex pistol, deals a lot of damage and extremely fun to use. Can be obtained using the weekly relics that Baro Ki’Teer brings.

What are the best secondaries in 2022?

Tomb Finger Kitgun: Fires a small, precise projectile that detonates upon impact on enemies. You can also add Rifle mods to this gun, making it even more powerful.
Kuva Nukor: A high critical multiplier and status chance isn’t everything the Kuva Nukor offers, the ability to chain multiple enemies with its beam allows for more impact on the battlefield.
Sporelancer: The Sporelancer fires toxin explosive shots. As a secondary weapon, the Sporelancer is effective in hitting a nearby, concentrated area with damage with its three bomblets.
Zymos: An excellent choice to deal status effects on enemies, especially if you’re proficient in doing headshot damage due to its stunning and seeking capabilities upon a successful headshot.
Gaze Kitgun: Shoots a persistent cutting beam with pinpoint accuracy. A great finisher weapon. The Atomos is another great pistol that works similarly to this gun.

You can obtain riven mods for both of these for cheap and try your luck with rerolling. These weapons are insane and can even outclass most of the Primaries.

I’d like to give a special mention to weapons such as Nukor, Sonicor, Staticor, Pox, Atomos, and Spira Prime. These are not exactly end-game weapons but are really fun to use. Use the Warframe Trading Channel to buy a riven for them and you’ll enjoy a lot.

Best Sniper in Warframe

Lanka: A fantastic sniper that trumps the rest. Can shred enemies into pieces in mere seconds with its powerful damage capabilities and increased critical damage on zoom.
Rubico Prime: This sniper rifle can kill everything. From assassination targets, Sortie-level enemies, to lower mobs, this weapon is a prime choice for long-range duels.
Vulkar Wraith: The go-to sniper rifle when fighting against shields, the Vulkar Wraith has puncture damage that excels against robots. It also boasts the third-highest base damage among all other rifles in the game.
Vectis Prime: The Vectis Prime is a great sniper that excels in crit-modded builds. A high crit and status chance makes each shot count, assuming you hit your targets, of course.
Snipetron Vandal: Compared to the Rubico, the Snipetron Vandal is a good alternative if you lack the trust in your aim to carry you (5>3 bullets per mag). It’s still bloody good though, with a high crit and status chance, as well as pinpoint zoom accuracy.

Best Melee in Warframe

Nikana Prime – High crit melee weapon, end game viable.
Orthos Prime – Introduced way back in Update 9.0, this weapon still shreds enemies, has a high range and high damage. I still to this day use it and if you have maiming strike, you can slide your way to victory.
Lesion – Lesion is a high-status polearm that I’ve been using for a long time. It has good range and is perfectly end-game viable. To craft it you need to purchase the blueprint from the market, you also need a fully crafted Tipedo.
Gram Prime – Released with the Chroma Prime access, this heavy blade has a base crit and status chance of 32%. With the right build, this weapon can take down any enemy in the game.
Galatine Prime – Best Heavy Sword in the game. Takes the right build to make it perfect, but turns amazing once you stack kills with the Blood Rush + Berkserker build.
War – Not easy to obtain, but once you get it, there’s no going back.

Update 30/12/2020 – Removed Atterax because of the Maiming Strike nerf.

Best Bow Weapon in Warframe

Rakta Cernos (Red Veil Syndicate) – Rakta Cernos is the fastest firing bow in the game. It also has the syndicate proc that restores energy. Requires MR12 to obtain, you can trade with other tennos if you are not affiliated with Red Veil.
Dread (Stalker Bow) – Deals a large amount of slash based damage, highest critical chance tied with Lenz which is the third-best bow in our list. You cannot farm for this thing though since it’s only dropped on stalker death.
Lenz – Base crit chance of 50% and deals blast damage on each shot. Lenz is the highest damage dealer compared to all bows in the game, but you might blow yourself up time-to-time (because of the blast damage).

One thing that I would like to add after this list is that you can make many other bow weapons end-game viable using Rivens. I use Zhuge as my main bow whenever I am running low/mid-level missions.

Conclusion?

So you listed a lot of weapons here, which one is the best and which one should I use?

This question is a little flawed. If you are starting out it might be difficult for you to use any good weapon since most of those are tied to higher mastery ranks. Also, the weapons listed here are best in my opinion, so they might not work for you, right away. You can try all the weapons mentioned in the list and check if you like using them. If you are a straight-up DPS guy, just use the best in the category and you’ll be good to go.

Best in Category?

Best Primary – Kuva Kohm
Best Secondary – Kuva Nukor
Best Melee – Orthos Prime/Nikana Prime/Gram Prime

There are a few weapons in the game which can’t handle high-level missions, but thanks to riven mods offering up to +300% damage, now you can use them.

If we didn’t include your favourite, don’t fret. The beauty about this game is that you can get everything to at least a somewhat playable level with the right combination of mods and environment.

Do you agree with the list above? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section on the best guns in the game, tailored for beginners and veterans alike.

Play Warframe now on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S.

These are the end-game/beginner weapons that you can grab in Warframe. If you need to know more do let us know using the comment section below.

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