Greetings! Warframe, like any other live service game out there, is a massive experience. With so many different ways to play. But I bet you’re wondering the following?
- Where do I go?
- What do I do?
- Who is this Lotus lady?
Well, as a veteran player with over two thousand hours under his belt. I am here to help guide you through the game. To start off this guide, there is one thing that must be made very clear to you out of the gate.
The Solar System Is Your Oyster, Somewhat
I have learned that after players finish the opening quest “Vors Prize”, Warframe gives the option to experience its first open-world area, the “Plains of Eidolon”. This takes the form of the quest “Sayas Vigil”. You will be forced to do this and engage with the open world content fairly early. I recommend just finishing this quest and moving onto the Junctions and doing what is required of you from them.
Junctions unlock new planets, and new missions and give you rewards for doing so. So please follow the Star Chart moving from the very first missions on Earth to the following planets in order:
- Venus.
- Mercury.
- Mars.
- Phobos.
- Ceres.
- Jupiter.
- Europa.
- Saturn.
- Uranus.
- Neptune.
- Finally, Pluto.
This will take some time so I would advise you to engage in the games “Recruitment” chat channels in your orbiter. Try and find yourself a sherpa who will patiently help you through the game. Uranus is where the great story content begins. You will have to do certain missions, objectives, and quests along the way. But do take your time and appreciate what the game has to offer along the path.
It can be very easy to get lost when the game is telling you to engage in its open worlds. Since that content is more endgame centered than something for beginners. Only return to the open worlds when it is time to take on The New War. As some prerequisite items are only acquired through them. Such as your Necramech.
Warframe is an MMORPG, Not a Looter Shooter
When you begin the game, you will be given your choice of three warframes, and six weapons to choose from. A bow or gun for your primary weapon. The choice of a pistol or set of kunai. As well as a sword or staff. These choices tailor the experience you would like to have. Do you want to go in, guns blazing? Or use silent weaponry to be a stealthy player.
In addition, you can choose from three types of warframes. You can either choose from a spell-casting frame, a warrior frame, or a crowd-control frame. These, combined with your weapons chosen are going to be all you have for a while. You can purchase certain upgraded versions of your weapons to increase your damage output. But one thing has to be made clear. Weapons and warframes are built or bought, either with credits in the case of certain starter weapons, or resources mixed with credits after acquiring weapon and warframe blueprints. Weapons cannot be dropped from enemies like looter shooters.
The way you make weapons do more damage is with the mod system. This system can only be taken advantage of when you have a collection of mods that are dropped from enemies. While also having to fully level up your warframes or weapons. Please go into the game understanding you will have to earn new weapons and put work into making them take out enemies faster than an unmodded or unleveled weapon.
Understanding Your Missions in Warframe
Warframe has an array of missions spread throughout its star chart. You have regular take-down missions, defensive missions, and stealth missions. Like, as “Exterminate” and “Capture” missions that focus on action. While missions like an “Interception” or “Mobile Defense” focus on defending locations. With “Rescue” missions and “Spy” missions being all about stealth. Discerning what missions ask of you can be the key to victory, and you will be doing a lot of these as time goes on.
While you are still new, be sure to change your matchmaking settings to “Public” so you can group up with other players to help you through the missions. Once the objective in each mission ends, you will be given a green marker on your map. Go there to extract from your missions.
The Level is Your Tool
Warframe uses a procedurally generated level system akin to Diablo for its dungeons. Meaning each mission you load into, outside of defensive-type missions will be randomly generated. The level will have a multitude of different locations, and hallways that snap into place. This allows each mission to feel fresh. But there is a lot of thought and care put into the design for each type of level. Warframe has a stealth component to it. So a lot of areas will have vents, and tubes to allow you to sneak around and take out your enemies with your melee weapon or silent weapons, like a bow or kunai.
Another key element of the gameplay is the movement system. You can dodge, aim glide, bullet jump, jump on walls, and cling to walls. Missions on almost every level have tons of ways to take advantage of the movement system. You can bullet jump and aim glide to close long distances. Cling to a wall and shoot enemies out of your line of sight and dodge to improve your mobility. Practicing and perfecting this element of gameplay can increase your survivability on higher-level planets.
How to acquire new Warframes
Every boss in Warframe drops warframe part blueprints. These, as well as other blueprints, like weapons or sentinel companion blueprints, can be taken to the foundry in your ship to build. The caveat to this system is that building anything, from weapons to warframes can take significant amounts of resources from certain planets. As well as having a real-time build timer. Weapons can take up to 24 real-world hours, and warframes will take 12 hours for each part, then 72 hours for the warframe itself.
This can sound like a bummer, but considering Warframe has a lot of content to get through. Starting to build something, then leaving it to complete missions and having to stop playing due to real-life circumstances mitigate that. I do not advise “rushing” a build with the game’s premium currency, as you will most likely not be using certain weapons long-term.
Find warframes and weapons that seem up your alley, go after them and keep them for the hardest tasks the game throws at you. While also building other weapons to get your mastery rank up to play other content and make even better weapons.
Understanding Warframe’s Mastery System
The mastery system of Warframe is a long-form progression system. Everything you can equip, such as warframes, weapons, and companions can be leveled up. Every level they achieve gives you mastery experience points. At each mastery rank level, you will be given a test to level your account up. Each mastery rank will give you an array of account bonuses. Such as more reputation being obtained daily for syndicates or open-world factions. As well as having mod space for your equipment already unlocked at each level. Start from 1-30.
Another bonus to this system is the ability to unlock new and more powerful weapons and warframes at each rank. The mastery rank requirement for items indicates how powerful they are when you get them. Enhanced even further by the mod system.
This system also solidifies Warframe as an MMO. Things take time in the game, and that is okay. You can come back to it on a regular basis to experience its story content and progress through the star chart to reach endgame areas to make things easier. Such as the mission “Hydron” being the games experience point farm.
I hope this guide helps you understand the journey Warframe puts you on. Content gets more complex and difficult as time goes on, so enjoy the early days while you still can!
If you are unsure about anything in the game not listed here, please visit the in-game codex.
Update 3/9/2023
If you are visiting this guide in preparation for The Duviri Paradox. Be aware that everything in this guide has no bearing on the content of The Duviri Paradox itself. You do not have to engage with this content to play it. But if you do choose to play the normal content of Warframe, I hope this helps you in your journey.
