As 2021 ended on a strong note for Warframe given its successful launch of The New War, it would be an appropriate time to look back and see which weapons were truly at the top of the food chain. While this list can be seen as pointing to possible trends and a clearly defined meta, that isn’t to say that any weapons not shown here aren’t viable. Feel free to disagree, but these are definitely the best weapons in Warframe at this time in 2022.
Best weapons in Warframe in 2022
Primary Weapons
Kuva Bramma
After receiving many nerfs since its inception, the Kuva Bramma is the best of the best. It’s an explosive bow weapon that has extremely high base damage, explosion radius, critical stats, and status. To top it all off, the weapon charges so quickly, allowing it to be spammed. Its only downside is its low ammo count which can be offset with an Ammo Drum or an arrow mutation mod, or using Carrier’s Ammo Case precept.
This weapon is also highly viable with the Hunter Munitions mod. The Bramma doesn’t have one single explosion. It creates multiple cluster bombs on impact which can all proc the mod. Slash procs and room clearing potential make every other weapon not even close in terms of lethality. Since it came out back in 2020, this is still one of the best overall weapons in Warframe even in 2022.
Cedo
This weapon doesn’t have that much lethal potential as many other weapons do on this list. What the Cedo heavily excels at is its utility for melee weapons making use of the Condition Overload mod. It has a secondary firing mode that shoots out a glaive that bounces off surfaces with an extremely high status chance. On top of that, the glaive inflicts all four base elemental procs (fire, cold, toxic, shock).
Because of that, a target inflicted with 4 elemental ailments is susceptible to taking up to 320% bonus damage from melee weapons with the aforementioned Condition Overload.
Ignis Wraith
The flamethrower that can do it all. The Ignis Wraith is such a versatile weapon and has exceptional viability to be a room clearer, a Condition Overload utility weapon like the Cedo, and something in between. With decent critical stats and a high status chance, this is viable for things like a hybrid build as well as making use of the Hunter Munitions mod.
Spraying fire into a room full of enemies while making them susceptible to bleed damage is huge. This weapon also can be used with the Firestorm mods to amplify its conal range, allowing for better ammo consumption.
Bubonico
The second arm cannon weapon in Warframe is an extremely strong one. The Bubonico has two different firing modes when used. It can be fired like a standard shotgun with the normal trigger controls. If used for secondary fire, it blasts out explosive toxic payloads with a decent blast radius and status chance.
It is a bit of a niche weapon in the sense that you have to either build for the primary or secondary fire. Their critical chances are so vastly different, making critical more viable for the primary while status and blast radius are for secondary fire.
Acceltra
Gauss’ signature explosive assault rifle is a force to be reckoned with. There’s just something so satisfying about having explosive weapons with high critical stats, making them viable with the very powerful Hunter Munitions mod.
Some of the best weapons in Warframe are those that have a good area of effect potential. Since the game throws enemies at you in large groups, single target weapons won’t do that much unless you have punch-through or some kind of crowd-controlling ability to stop them. This is why the Acceltra is the best of both worlds. It’s satisfying to shoot as a single target weapon, but its explosive potential allows for fast room clearing.
Honorable mentions: Phantasma, Kuva Zarr, Kuva Ogris, Kohm/Kuva Kohm, Tenet Arca Plasmor
Best Secondary Weapons in Warframe
Kuva Nukor
The Kuva Nukor combines the chain laser mechanic of the Atomos and the enlargement of enemies via microwaving like the original Nukor. Basically, you shoot this weapon at a crowd of enemies and they will all suffer heavy status procs and be enlarged from the radiation of the weapon.
This allows for easier criticals to be done on enemy weak spots. On top of that, the Kuva Nukor has an incredibly high critical multiplier of 5x. While it does have a rather low critical chance, it can be boosted significantly to make it viable as a critical weapon. Not to mention, this weapon has a status chance of 50%, making this stronger than many primary weapons. Even with the chain beam nerf that happened earlier this year with The Warframe Great Arsenal Divide, this weapon is still a monster in 2022.
Tenet Cycron
This is the Corpus counterpart to the Kuva Nukor. The Tenet Cycron is a continuous beam weapon that can chain up to two additional enemies and sports a high critical chance, but a lackluster multiplier. It also has less status than the Kuva Nukor.
The weapon’s biggest strength is that it has infinite ammo. It recharges once its ammunition count hits zero or whenever the user stops firing. You don’t have to worry about using a mod slot for ammo mutation, giving it more of a use for utility.
Sporelacer (Kitgun)
When the Sporelacer is used in a secondary kitgun build, it’s like a mini Kuva Bramma. It has an explosive payload that splits into smaller bomblets, blanketing the affected area with more damage. The weapon also has innate toxin damage, allowing it for a good pairing with other elements.
To top it all off, since it’s a kitgun, it can make use of the kitgun arcanes like Pax Seeker or Pax Charge. This allows for further customization of the weapon to your liking at the cost of secondaries not having a Hunter Munitions equivalent for their class.
Catchmoon (Kitgun)
The Catchmoon has definitely fallen from the top of the food chain, but still packs a serious punch. This gun fires in a similar nature to the Arca Plasmor or the Fulmin in its secondary firing mode. Because of that feature, the weapon blasts a wall of energy with innate punch through, making it viable in tight corridors and chokepoints.
If you pair this weapon with something like a Pax Seeker arcane, it’ll be even more devastating. This weapon has very easy headshot potential thanks to its rather lenient hitboxes when it comes to hitting them.
Aksomati Prime
While single target weapons aren’t all that great in the grand scheme of things, the Aksomati Prime break that mold. These twin auto pistols are the younger brother of the Soma Prime which heavily benefit from the stronger secondary pistol mods compared to their primary counterparts.
This weapon has an edge over many other twin auto pistols in the secondary category just from their high slash proc chance.
Honorable mentions: Rattleguts (Kitgun), Gaze (Kitgun), Akarius, Atomos, Pyrana Prime
Best Melee Weapons in Warframe
Kronen Prime
Tonfa weapons paired with Sovereign Outcast very much trivialize melee combat in Warframe. Since this stance has guaranteed slash procs in its combos, every weapon benefits heavily from it.
The Kronen Prime, however, goes beyond that. These shiny pair of tonfa sport exceptional critical stats and status, making this viable for a Condition Overload and critical build. It also has an extremely high slash damage stat compared to its impact and puncture, almost guaranteeing that you’ll be inflicting bleed on enemies most of the time.
Finally, since the Sovereign Outcast stance makes the user attack with several multi strikes in a matter of seconds, the screen will be riddled with high damage numbers. It also allows for fast combo accumulation, making this weapon a tool of destruction with mods like Blood Rush and Weeping Wounds.
Lesion
The Lesion, even after the slide attack nerfs, is still standing tall at the top of the food chain. It may not have the highest stats for crit, but can be boosted enough to make use of a hybrid build with status. On top of that, this weapon has a passive ability whereupon inflicting a status proc, it gains increased attack speed and passive toxin damage.
This weapon basically has an innate Berserker Fury applied to it, eliminating the need for attack speed mods. It’ll allow for further customization to build around the toxin damage which it basically has all the time with the high status chance it has. Despite all the melee nerfs and changes in the last few major updates, the Lesion is still one of the best melee weapons in Warframe in 2022.
Telos Boltace
This is basically the puncture damage equivalent of the Kronen Prime. The Telos Boltace may not have the slash damage output that the Kronen has, but what it does have is its unique vortex slide attack. This sucks enemies within 14 meters of you, allowing for them to get completely blended from your multistriking attacks.
If you need something to disperse enemies or need a moment of respite, you can perform another slide attack. If done shortly after the vortex, this next slide attack will create an energy wave that suspends enemies in the air, like a Rhino Stomp.
Pennant
This two-handed Nikana can dish out some serious damage. It’s the strongest weapon for using a heavy attack build. The Pennant is also has a passive attack speed buff upon heavy attack kill. This makes subsequent attacks come out quickly for a short time depending on combo duration.
Since this is a heavy attack weapon, it does leave you vulnerable to ranged attacks because of the animations while attacking and recovering. It’s a good tradeoff for some rather ridiculous damage.
All Zaw Weapons
Zaws are perhaps the most versatile set of melee weapons you can use. You can pick your own parts to build a weapon for more attack speed, damage, critical, or status. Then, you have an option to make Nikanas, Machetes, Swords, Scythes, Heavy Blades, and Polearms.
The reason why these weapons are so powerful is that you can literally cater them to a playstyle you want while also equipping them with the Exodia arcanes like Contagion or Force. Because of that versatility, Zaws are some of the best melee weapons in Warframe even in 2022.
Honorable mentions: Hate, Nikana Prime, Glaive Prime, Cerata, Reaper Prime
Warframe is out now for free on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
