Build it. The Epitaph Prime is a powerful secondary weapon with excellent crowd control and single-target damage. Its main weakness is projectile travel time.
Tap for fast Blast bursts that guarantee a Cold proc; hold for one charged shot with far higher critical chance that carries the Slash. Sevagoth gets a bonus with it.
The Epitaph Prime is the Primed version of the Epitaph wrist-mounted sidearm, offering improvements to its damage, critical chance, critical multiplier, and status chance.
It features two distinct firing modes: uncharged shots that create an explosive area of effect, and charged shots that deliver high critical damage with innate punch through.
This weapon excels in both crowd control and single-target elimination, making it a versatile choice for various missions and enemy types.
How to get the Epitaph Prime
- The Epitaph Prime is vaulted: its relics no longer drop in missions. Open relics you already own, buy them for Aya when Prime Resurgence lists it, or buy the parts for platinum.
- Blueprint: Lith D7, Meso K7, Axi A19, Axi C10, Axi C11 and 3 more (vaulted relics).
- Barrel: Lith Q2, Lith W4, Neo P9, Neo V11, Axi P8 and 1 more (vaulted relics).
- Receiver: Lith E2, Meso E6, Meso E7, Neo E4 (vaulted relics; the rare slot in Lith E2, Meso E6).
- Run the fissure tier that matches each relic, refine the rare part’s relic to Radiant, and pick the best of the four results with a squad.
- Build the parts, then the weapon: 12 hours each, or rush with platinum.
Check the Relic finder for live odds per refinement; the set price on this page is what the built set trades for on warframe.market.
Stats
| Class | Secondary |
|---|---|
| Mastery Rank | 14 |
| Trigger | CHARGE |
| Noise | Alarming |
| Fire Rate | 1.75 |
| Accuracy | 80 |
| Magazine | 1 |
| Reload | 0.6 s |
| Critical Chance | 4% |
| Critical Multiplier | 1.8x |
| Status Chance | 14% |
| Set Price | 23p on warframe.market (48h average) |
| Riven Disposition | (0.55) |
| Damage | 315 total |
|---|---|
| Impact | 126 |
| Puncture | 47.3 |
| Slash | 141.8 |
The Epitaph Prime has a low riven disposition of 0.55, meaning rivens for this weapon will provide smaller stat bonuses compared to weapons with higher dispositions.
Builds
For charged shots, focus on maximizing critical chance and critical damage to leverage its high base stats. For uncharged shots, prioritize status chance and area-of-effect damage. A hybrid build can balance both modes effectively.
Pistol
Pistol
Pistol
Pistol
Pistol
Pistol
Pistol
Pistol| Mod | Why it’s here |
|---|---|
| Hornet Strike | +220% Damage |
| Primed Pistol Gambit | +187% Critical Chance |
| Primed Target Cracker | +110% Critical Damage |
| Lethal Torrent | +60% Fire Rate; +60% Multishot |
| Primed Fulmination | +44% Blast Range |
| Galvanized Shot | +80% Status Chance; On Kill: +40% Direct Damage per Status Type affecting the target for 14s. Stacks up to 3x. |
| Pistol Pestilence | +60% Toxin; +60% Status Chance |
| Frostbite | +60% Cold; +60% Status Chance |
Secondary Merciless is the pick: stacking damage on kills with faster reloads. Secondary Encumber for a status build (a chance at a second random proc), Secondary Deadhead if you land headshots.
Reviewed September 2026.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- No magazine, no reloads
- Guaranteed Cold proc on both firing modes
- Excellent crowd control with uncharged shots
- High critical stats for charged shots
- Innate punch through on charged shots
Cons
- Projectile travel time
- Self-stagger from uncharged shot explosions
- Explosion damage falloff
- Low riven disposition
The Epitaph Prime is a top-tier secondary weapon, offering a unique blend of area-of-effect and precision damage. Its ability to apply guaranteed Cold procs and its high critical potential make it a formidable choice for any Tenno. Mastering its two firing modes will unlock its full potential.