There are so many primary weapons in Warframe that it can be difficult to pick and choose which ones you should build up and use. As someone who’s been playing Warframe since its closed beta, allow me to provide you with a humble list of the best primaries you need to fill out your armory.
Strongest Primary Weapons in Warframe
Every weapon on this list is a juggernaut when it comes to raw destructive power and versatility amongst the Steel Path. These are weapons designed to devastate all those hostile toward the Tenno, and they have little drawbacks in that crusade. They are not listed in any sort of order because, like everything else in Warframe, there are always nuanced situations where one might outperform another. However, know that no matter which one you pick, you cannot go wrong.
Felarx
Starting out strong, we have the Felarx, a unique Incarnon weapon with the ability to change from a powerful shotgun to a pair of headhunting pistols on command. Unlike most weapons in Warframe, the Felarx allows you to customize it using several perks that dramatically change its overall functionality, making it powerful in multiple different scenarios entirely depending on your preference.
Nataruk
The Nataruk is the most powerful, destructive Bow in all of Warframe, and it’s an entirely free weapon you can earn just by playing through the story. Like all bows, Nataruk has access to charged shots, and these shots deal incredible damage alone. However, unique to it, releasing the charged shot of Nataruk at the right time rewards you with scaling burst damage that is practically unrivaled anywhere else. If that wasn’t enough Nataruk has very high base damage, making its non-charged rounds even deal impressive damage, and has infinite ammo to boot.
Kuva Bramma
Just because Nataruk is the top of the line, doesn’t make it the only Bow to hit this list. Enter the Kuva Bramma, a Kuva Grineer-themed tech bow that launches literally explosive rockets at high speeds. These rocket arrows are of the Blast variety, enabling you to incorporate various elemental effects. This is particularly advantageous due to the acquisition method, which provides an additional elemental damage bonus based on the frame you used to acquire it.
The Kuva Bramma has the highest base damage of all bows, making it technically the bow with the biggest numbers attached on paper. The only real negative to using this Bow is its incredibly poor ammo economy, which is a major problem in longer missions without the aid of ammo packs or Protea’s Dispensary ability.
Cedo
There are many Shotguns available for you to use in Warframe, but among the most powerful is the fully automatic Cedo. This shotgun comes with the unique ability to fire an explosive glaive using its secondary fire. This glaive has one of the highest Status Chance percentages out of all weapons, and this is for a good reason. The Cedo does a walloping 60% more damage per unique Status Effect on an enemy. This makes the Cedo deal an unruly amount of damage provided you can inflict several statuses at a time. This is important because the Cedo has low Base damage to compensate for its insane ramp-up potential.
Tenat Arca Plasmor
There’s not too much to say about this highly-popular weapon. Though classified as a shotgun, the Tenat Arca Plasmor operates more like an energy cannon, unleashing devastating blasts at close range. Thanks to how it is acquired, similar to the Kuva Bramma, it will always come with one additional elemental damage bonus based on the frame used to obtain it, outside of its innate Radiation damage.
Ignis Wraith
The Ignis Wraith might be a veteran of Warframe’s arsenal, but don’t let its age fool you—this flamethrower still burns bright with sheer destructive power. With its innate Heat damage, it unleashes a torrent of flames in a wide Area of Effect (AoE), scorching anything caught in its path. Its continuous fire comes with a hefty Status Chance, making it a blazing hot choice for melting through enemy ranks. Heat’s versatility lets you pair it with other elements, turning this weapon into a formidable tool for incinerating various foes. Plus, with its straightforward use, the Ignis Wraith has earned its place as a beloved favorite among players of all stripes.
Trumna
The Trumna is what happens when you combine a high-capacity machine gun that fires explosive rounds with a bouncing, high-explosive grenade launcher. This crazy combination results in a death machine capable of tearing through hoards of all types of enemies with incredible ease. The only true negative is that it requires an expensive, time-hungry grind, as it requires you to farm Standing with the Entrati Family located on Deimos.
Kuva Chakkhurr
This quirky flintlock rifle packs a punch with explosive rounds that create a massive area of effect (AoE). Lighting up an entire room with a single shot is just another day at the office for this gun. Despite its semi-auto rifle mechanics, many consider it more of a launcher. The real cherry on top? Headshots with the Kuva Chakkhurr deal an extra 50% damage, an insane modifier that turns its already monstrous base damage into pure overkill. It’s a literal blast in every sense of the word.
Soma Prime
One of the oldest weapons to make this list, the Soma Prime is a high-capacity machine gun with a spooling time that increases as it fires. Its very high Crit Chance and Crit Multiplier allow it to easily dish out extreme amounts of damage at a rapid pace. More so, it has Incarnon form like the Felarx, which is why it belongs on this list.
Kuva Zarr
If you’ve ever dreamed of unleashing cannonball mayhem in Warframe, the Kuva Zarr is your ticket to pure explosive delight. With its formidable extra elemental bonus like other Kuva armaments, this beastly weapon is all about delivering bone-rattling devastation. The Kuva Zarr boasts two firing modes: one that sprays a ferocious shotgun blast, and another that launches a mighty cannonball. Whichever mode you choose (and let’s be real, you’ll probably end up loving both), the Kuva Zarr guarantees a booming good time. Prepare to be blown away, quite literally, by this powerhouse of a weapon.
