Build it if you already run archguns on the ground with a Gravimag, the instant max fire rate and wall-penetrating explosions make it a strong crowd-clear pick. Skip it if you only care about single-target burst, its damage per shot trails behind other Kuva archguns.
Unlike the base Grattler, this variant needs no spool-up time and fires at max rate immediately. Every round explodes in a 9 meter radius on impact, and the initial hit and the explosion apply status separately.
The Kuva Grattler is the Lich variant of the Grattler archgun, with higher crit chance, crit multiplier, and status chance than the base version, plus a doubled magazine and doubled ammo regen in Archwing or Necramech combat.
It gets talked about in 2026 mainly as a ground weapon: equipped with a Gravimag, it becomes a heavy weapon usable in normal missions, and its instant max fire rate plus wall-piercing AOE explosions make it excellent for clearing groups.
It is primarily a Puncture weapon with a large Blast-heavy bonus damage split, giving it good crowd control against Grineer and Corpus trash alike, though it falls behind top single-target archguns like Kuva Ayanga or the Imperator line.
How to get the Kuva Grattler
- Finish The War Within and reach Mastery Rank 5.
- Run any Grineer mission at level 20 or higher. When the lights flicker yellow, kill fast and a Kuva Larvling drops.
- Walk up to the Larvling and read the weapon it shows. If it is not the Kuva Grattler, leave it alive and run another mission.
- Mercy-kill it with the Warframe whose progenitor element you want; that frame sets the bonus element on the weapon.
- Hunt the Lich: clear its nodes for Requiem murmurs, stab it with the Requiem mods in the right order, and vanquish it in the Railjack showdown on Saturn Proxima.
- The Kuva Grattler lands in your Foundry inbox with a 25 to 60 percent bonus of that element.
- Install a Gravimag on it and bring it into ground missions with the Archgun Deployer gear item, or mount it on a Necramech.
Fuse a second copy with Valence Fusion to push the bonus to 60 percent and choose the element you keep. Converted Liches trade in a Clan Dojo, so a Toxin or Magnetic copy can be bought. Rank 40 with five Forma.
Stats
| Class | Arch-Gun |
|---|---|
| Mastery Rank | 15 |
| Trigger | AUTO |
| Noise | Alarming |
| Fire Rate | 5.55 |
| Accuracy | 16.7 |
| Magazine | 60 |
| Reload | 4 s |
| Critical Chance | 27% |
| Critical Multiplier | 2.1x |
| Status Chance | 27% |
| Riven Disposition | (0.7) |
| Damage | 205 total |
|---|---|
| Impact | 5 |
| Puncture | 40 |
| Slash | 5 |
| Blast | 155 |
Riven disposition is 0.7, the lowest of this group, meaning rivens roll weaker and cost less. It is not worth chasing a riven here unless one is already cheap, the ceiling gain is small compared to higher-disposition weapons.
Builds
Lean into the AOE crowd-clear identity: max multishot and fire rate mods first since there is no spool-up penalty to manage, then add crit mods since the base crit chance is already solid, and elemental mods last for extra status coverage on top of the innate Blast and Puncture split.
Archgun
Archgun
Archgun
Archgun
Archgun
Archgun
Archgun
Archgun| Mod | Why it’s here |
|---|---|
| Rubedo-Lined Barrel | Base Archgun damage mod, up to 100 percent more damage at max rank. |
| Automatic Trigger | Increases Archgun fire rate, stacking with the Grattler’s already-instant max rate for faster clear speed. |
| Parallax Scope | Flat Archgun crit chance mod, pushing the Grattler’s solid 27 percent base crit chance higher. |
| Hollowed Bullets | Flat Archgun crit multiplier mod that makes those crits hit harder. |
| Dual Rounds | Archgun multishot mod, multiplying both the initial hit and the separate explosion status chance. |
| Magma Chamber | Adds Heat damage and status chance, layering another proc type onto the innate Blast and Puncture damage. |
| Charged Bullets | Adds Electricity damage and status chance, combining with Magma Chamber’s Heat to form Radiation for extra crowd confusion. |
| Ammo Chain | Increases max ammo, needed since the fast fire rate and no spool-up burn through the magazine quickly in atmosphere. |
Archguns take one Primary and one Secondary arcane once an Archgun Arcane Adapter opens the slots (Deepmines bounties, Nightcap in the Fortuna Airlock, or the Market). Primary Merciless in the first slot and Secondary Merciless in the second; skip both until the adapter is cheap for you.
Reviewed September 2026.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- No spool-up time, fires at max rate immediately
- Explosions penetrate walls and hit groups behind cover
- Doubled magazine and ammo regen in Archwing or Necramech modes
- Strong status chance and solid crit chance for an archgun
Cons
- Riven disposition of 0.7 caps how much a riven can improve it
- Lower single-target damage than other Kuva archguns like Ayanga
- Needs a Gravimag to use outside of Archwing or Necramech missions
Good for players who want a ground-usable archgun that clears rooms fast and shreds groups hiding behind cover. Less appealing for anyone chasing single-target burst or a riven-driven build.