warframe.today
How to Get Orokin Catalysts and Reactors (2026): Every Source, Ranked
Nightwave Offerings first; Sorties, Descendia, Daily Tribute and Acrithis after
Last Updated on September 30, 2026
The short answer
The reliable route is Nightwave Offerings: a finished Orokin Catalyst or Reactor costs 75 Nightwave Creds each. Everything else gives a blueprint, and most of it is a roll: 2.50% per Sortie, the Steel Path Descendia reward pool, Acrithis on a weekly rotation, and fixed Daily Tribute milestones.
Reviewed September 30, 2026, current through Update 44 (Iceblade of Narin). Every number on this page has two sources; this page is re-checked after every major patch.
| Source | What you get | How reliable |
|---|---|---|
| Nightwave Offerings | Finished Catalyst or Reactor, 75 Creds each | Best: you choose when |
| Sortie, final stage | Blueprint. 2.50% each per Sortie | A daily roll with low odds |
| Steel Path Descendia | Both blueprints in the rare reward pool (19.36% each in that pool) | One roll per clear |
| Daily Tribute milestones | Catalyst at 50 and 350 days. Reactor at 250, 550, 650, 950 | Fixed, but slow |
| Acrithis | Blueprint for 20 Pathos Clamps each | Weekly rotation, so not always in stock |
| Archon Hunts | Blueprint | Random |
| Invasions, Gift of the Lotus, Tactical Alerts, 1999 Calendar | Blueprint | Rare and occasional |
| Market | Finished item | Always available |
Table of Contents
The efficient order
- Do Nightwave acts every week and buy the Catalyst and Reactor from Nightwave Offerings for 75 Creds each.
- Run the daily Sortie. The final stage rolls a Catalyst or Reactor blueprint at 2.50% each.
- Clear the Steel Path Descendia when you can. Its rare reward pool holds both blueprints.
- Log in daily. The Daily Tribute milestones pay a Catalyst at 50 and 350 days and a Reactor at 250, 550, 650 and 950.
- Check Acrithis each Monday. Her stock rotates, and she sells either blueprint for 20 Pathos Clamps.
- Craft the blueprint. A Catalyst costs 25,000 credits, 1 Morphics, 1 Gallium, 1 Control Module and 1 Orokin Cell. A Reactor costs 35,000 credits, 1 Morphics, 1 Neural Sensors, 1 Neurodes and 1 Orokin Cell. Both take 23 hours.
- Install in the Arsenal: open the mod loadout, pick Action, then Upgrade. It cannot be removed later.
Which one goes where
| Item | Doubles mod capacity of |
|---|---|
| Orokin Catalyst | Weapons, including Archguns, Archmelee and Sentinel weapons |
| Orokin Reactor | Warframes, Archwings, K-Drives, Necramechs and companions |
Tips that save runs
- Nightwave Creds are the only source where you decide the timing. Spend them on these first if you have empty weapon or frame slots.
- A Reactor and Catalyst stay on the item when you add a Forma.
- Reactors cannot be sold or traded, so a spare one is only worth keeping for a new frame.
Mistakes that waste runs
- Waiting for old event sources such as Fomorian Sabotage or the Razorback Armada. Both are retired.
- Sacrificing a catalyzed weapon into another. The Catalyst does not transfer to the new weapon.
- Putting a Reactor on the wrong item. It is permanent once applied.