Build it. Karyst Prime boasts the highest base damage among single daggers, making it a formidable choice for melee combat. Its main weakness is a lower attack speed compared to its base variant.
Grants a 10% Movement Speed bonus when held (i.e. melee mode or quick melee).
The Karyst Prime is the primed variant of the Karyst, offering significant improvements across its stats, including damage, critical chance, critical multiplier, and status chance. This makes it a powerful upgrade over its base counterpart.
Released alongside Inaros Prime and Panthera Prime, the Karyst Prime maintains the dagger’s signature Slash damage focus. It also features a unique passive that grants a 10% movement speed bonus when equipped, enhancing player mobility.
Notably, the Karyst Prime holds the highest base damage among all single daggers and is second only to the Arca Titron across all melee weapons. Its design is inspired by the Kris, a Javanese dagger, with elements from Egyptian jewelry and knives.
How to get the Karyst Prime
- The Karyst 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: Meso B5, Meso I2, Meso P3, Neo P4, Neo S14 and 4 more (vaulted relics).
- Handle: Lith I1, Lith T4, Meso C7, Meso G3, Neo A5 and 3 more (vaulted relics).
- Blade: Lith K6, Lith K7, Meso K3, Axi K12, Axi K6 (vaulted relics; the rare slot in Lith K6, Lith K7).
- 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 | Melee |
|---|---|
| Mastery Rank | 12 |
| Attack Speed | 0.67 |
| Range | 2.2 m |
| Blocking Angle | 50° |
| Combo Duration | 5 s |
| Follow Through | 0.9 |
| Wind Up | 0.4 s |
| Slam Attack | 688 |
| Heavy Attack | 688 |
| Critical Chance | 24% |
| Critical Multiplier | 2.2x |
| Status Chance | 30% |
| Set Price | 36p on warframe.market (48h average) |
| Riven Disposition | (1.15) |
| Damage | 344 total |
|---|---|
| Impact | 50 |
| Puncture | 96 |
| Slash | 102 |
| Toxin | 96 |
With a critical chance of 24% and a status chance of 30%, Karyst Prime leans towards a hybrid build. The riven disposition is 1.15, which is a favorable value for enhancing its stats further.
Builds
Given its high base damage, good critical chance, and high status chance, a hybrid build focusing on both critical hits and status effects is ideal. Prioritize mods that boost both damage types, leveraging its innate Slash damage for powerful procs.
Melee
Melee
Melee
Melee
Melee
Melee
Melee
Melee| Mod | Why it’s here |
|---|---|
| Condition Overload | +80% Melee Damage per Status Type affecting the target |
| Blood Rush | +40% Critical Chance stacks with Combo Multiplier |
| Weeping Wounds | +40% Status Chance per Combo Multiplier |
| Organ Shatter | +90% Critical Damage |
| Primed Pressure Point | +165% Melee Damage |
| Berserker Fury | On Melee Kill: +35% Attack Speed for 10s. Stacks up to 2x. |
| Primed Reach | +3 Range |
| Virulent Scourge | +60% Toxin; +60% Status Chance |
Melee Influence when the build carries an Electricity source (an Electricity proc spreads every elemental status to enemies nearby). Melee Crescendo for Heavy Attack builds. Arcane Fury or Arcane Strike as the cheap fallback.
Reviewed September 2026.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highest base damage among single daggers
- Second-highest base damage of all melee weapons
- High critical chance and status chance for hybrid builds
- Innate Slash damage for powerful procs
- 10% Movement Speed bonus passive
Cons
- Lower attack speed compared to its base variant
- Vaulted, making acquisition of components more challenging
- Requires MR 12 to wield
The Karyst Prime is a top-tier dagger, excelling in raw damage and hybrid build potential. Its unique passive and strong base stats make it a valuable addition to any Tenno’s arsenal, despite its vaulted status. Players who enjoy fast melee combat with significant damage output will find this weapon highly rewarding.