Welcome to the most comprehensive Warframe tier list available online! As a veteran Tenno who’s spent countless hours testing every frame in the most challenging content, I’m excited to share my complete ranking of all 62 Warframes as of Update 40: The Vallis Undermind. Whether you’re a new player wondering which frame to invest your first Forma in, or a seasoned veteran looking to optimize your Steel Path runs, this guide has everything you need.
| Tier | Description | Frame Count | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loot Tier | Resource farming specialists | 3 | Endless missions, resource grinding |
| S Tier | Meta-defining powerhouses | 9 | Steel Path, high-level content |
| A Tier | Excellent with strong niches | 12 | Specific roles, team support |
| B Tier | Solid options for specific tasks | 18 | Casual play, specialized content |
| C Tier | Average or situational | 15 | Niche uses, fun gameplay |
| D Tier | Weak or needing reworks | 5 | Collection completion only |
This tier list reflects the current meta after Update 40’s massive changes, including the addition of the new fungal Warframe Nokko and significant balance adjustments that have shaken up the rankings.
These three Warframes stand alone in their ability to multiply your loot drops, making them essential for any serious resource farming operation. In a game where grinding is the endgame, these frames are in a league of their own.
Why Loot Tier: Nekros remains the undisputed king of loot duplication thanks to his Desecrate ability. While his individual loot chance per enemy may be lower than Khora’s or Hydroid’s, his massive range and unlimited target count make him the most reliable loot frame for any mission type.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Any farming mission, especially survival and excavation
Why Loot Tier: Khora excels as the best loot-based Warframe for endless missions. After the Pseudo-Exalted rework in Techrot Encore, her Whipclaw no longer benefits from Riven stat-sticks, but she’s become much more accessible to new players while maintaining her loot generation capabilities.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Long survival missions, Defense missions
Why Loot Tier: Hydroid rose to prominence after his rework as an all-rounder with loot-duplication capabilities. His Pilfering Swarm ability makes him the best solo farming Warframe, especially when combined with his armor stripping capabilities.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Solo farming, mobile playstyles
These Warframes represent the pinnacle of power in Warframe’s current meta. They excel in virtually all content types and are the frames you should prioritize if you want to dominate Steel Path and other high-level challenges.
Why S Tier: Dante received significant nerfs shortly after his release due to how overpowered his versatile kit was, but he remains S-tier material. His Overguard generation alone would be enough to earn this spot, but he brings so much more to the table.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Extremely high – his Overguard makes him nearly immortal in most content
Why S Tier: Protea is arguably the best all-around frame currently in the game. Her Shield Satellites provide instant shield restoration for the entire squad, while Blaze Artillery can clear Steel Path hordes with ease.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Top-tier – her shield restoration and damage output make her invaluable
Why S Tier: Saryn has been consistently S-tier since her release twelve years ago – a testament to her incredible design. She offers one of the best-scaling area DPS abilities with Spores and becomes the most powerful gun-buffing frame with her Augment.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Supreme – her damage scaling has no upper limit
Why S Tier: As the most popular support frame, Wisp provides invaluable squad-wide buffs to fire rate and health. Her healing motes are easy to deploy and incredibly effective, making her essential for any coordinated team.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Excellent – her buffs make any team composition stronger
Why S Tier: Revenant was the most-played Warframe in 2024, and for good reason. His Mesmer Skin ability makes him virtually immortal in almost all content, allowing him to solo difficult endgame content with ease.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Nearly perfect – Mesmer Skin carries him through all content
Why S Tier: Mesa is one of the easiest frames to pick up and play effectively. Her Peacemaker ability essentially aim-bots all enemies on screen, making her incredibly accessible while still being powerful enough for endgame content.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Very high – especially with proper build optimization
Why S Tier: With proper Ability Strength and casting speed investment, Nezha’s Thermal Sunder becomes one of the best instant-nuke setups in Steel Path. While it requires an Augment mod and Helminth ability, the payoff is incredible.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Excellent – his nuke potential is unmatched
Why S Tier: Volt has been a top-tier Warframe since the game’s early days, and recent updates have only made him stronger. His Electric Shield provides complete damage protection from the front, while his Discharge remains one of the best nuke abilities.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Top-tier – his versatility makes him valuable in any situation
Why S Tier: As the newest Warframe introduced in Update 40, Nokko has quickly proven himself as S-tier material. His fungal theme might not appeal to everyone, but his power is undeniable.
Key Strengths:
Steel Path Viability: Extremely high – his self-sustain and damage output are exceptional
These Warframes are just a few buffs away from S-tier status and excel in specific roles or content types. They’re solid choices for any player’s arsenal.
Why A Tier: Atlas received significant buffs in the Pseudo-Exalted rework. His Landslide ability now allows for a true “One-Punch Man” experience, capable of one-shotting enemies well into Steel Path levels.
Key Strengths:
Best For: High-level single-target damage, crowd control
Why A Tier: While rarely seen in public lobbies, Banshee has incredible potential that often goes unnoticed. Her Silence ability combined with Gloom Helminth turns enemies into harmless mannequins.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Stealth missions, armor stripping, team support
Why A Tier: Gauss is one of the best frames for daily activities like Sorties. His speed-based kit makes him incredibly mobile and versatile for various mission types.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Speed runs, mobile combat, general mission completion
Why A Tier: Xaku’s unique ability combination makes them excellent for specific content types, especially against Corpus and Infested factions.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Faction-specific content, defensive missions
Why A Tier: Gara provides some of the best defense in the game, making her invaluable for Defense and Excavation missions.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Defense missions, Excavation, mobile defense
Why A Tier: Octavia’s unique music-based kit makes her incredibly versatile and fun to play, while still being effective in most content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Stealth missions, team support, general gameplay
Why A Tier: Mirage remains one of the best damage-dealing frames, especially when combined with certain weapon types.
Key Strengths:
Best For: High-damage output, weapon-focused gameplay
Why A Tier: Equinox’s day/night duality makes them incredibly versatile, capable of filling multiple roles effectively.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, area damage, versatile gameplay
Why A Tier: Inaros remains one of the tankiest frames in the game, making him excellent for players who prefer a more straightforward playstyle.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Survivability-focused gameplay, newer players
Why A Tier: Chroma provides excellent damage amplification and tankiness, making him valuable for team play.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, damage amplification, boss fights
Why A Tier: Lavos’s unique alchemy-based kit makes him excellent for status effect-focused gameplay.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Status effect gameplay, elemental combinations
Why A Tier: Sevagoth’s unique shadow-based kit makes him excellent for both damage and support roles.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Mobile combat, team support, area damage
These Warframes are good at what they do but may be outclassed by A or S-tier frames in most situations. However, they still have their place in specific content types or playstyles.
Why B Tier: Ash received significant changes in recent updates, making him more viable than before, but he still struggles to compete with top-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Single-target damage, stealth missions
Why B Tier: Ember’s rework made her more viable than before, but she still struggles in high-level content compared to top-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Lower-level missions, area damage
Why B Tier: Frost provides excellent defense but is often outclassed by frames like Gara in pure defense scenarios.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Defense missions, crowd control
Why B Tier: Ivara is excellent for stealth-focused gameplay but lacks the damage output of higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Stealth missions, Spy vaults, resource farming
Why B Tier: Limbo is incredibly powerful in specific situations but can be disruptive to team play.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Defense missions, Excavation, mobile defense
Why B Tier: Loki provides excellent utility and stealth but lacks the damage output of higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Stealth missions, Spy vaults, survivability
Why B Tier: Nidus provides excellent survivability and crowd control but requires specific playstyle to be effective.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Survival missions, crowd control, survivability
Why B Tier: Nova provides excellent utility and crowd control but has been power-crept by newer frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Speed-running, crowd control, mobility
Why B Tier: Oberon received a significant rework in Update 40, making him more viable than before, but he still struggles to compete with top-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, healing, area damage
Why B Tier: Rhino is a classic frame that provides excellent utility but has been outclassed by newer frames in most scenarios.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Newer players, team support, crowd control
Why B Tier: Trinity provides excellent team support but is often outclassed by frames like Wisp in pure support scenarios.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, healing, energy management
Why B Tier: Valkyr provides excellent survivability but lacks the damage output of higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Melee combat, survivability, close-range combat
Why B Tier: Wukong provides excellent utility and survivability but lacks the damage output of higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Newer players, survivability, melee combat
Why B Tier: Zephyr provides excellent mobility and air superiority but is situational in most content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Open-world content, mobility, air combat
Why B Tier: Baruuk provides excellent crowd control and survivability but requires specific playstyle to be effective.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Defensive missions, crowd control, survivability
Why B Tier: Hildryn provides excellent shield-based gameplay but is energy-intensive and situational.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Shield-focused gameplay, area damage, crowd control
Why B Tier: Kullervo provides good damage and utility but is outclassed by higher-tier frames in most scenarios.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Damage-focused gameplay, single-target damage
Why B Tier: Yareli provides excellent mobility and crowd control but is situational in most content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Mobile combat, crowd control, protection
These Warframes are average or only useful in very specific situations. They’re not bad frames, but they’re generally outclassed by frames in higher tiers.
Why C Tier: Excalibur is the starting frame and provides a good introduction to the game, but he’s quickly outclassed by other frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Newer players, introduction to the game
Why C Tier: Mag provides good utility against Corpus but struggles against other factions and in high-level content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Corpus missions, armor stripping
Why C Tier: Vauban provides excellent crowd control but is often outclassed by other frames in most scenarios.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Defense missions, crowd control
Why C Tier: Nyx provides excellent utility but lacks the damage output of higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Crowd control, utility missions
Why C Tier: Titania provides excellent mobility and damage in her archwing form but is situational in most content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Aerial combat, mobility, damage
Why C Tier: Harrow provides excellent team support but is very specific in his use case.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, protection, healing
Why C Tier: Grendel provides excellent crowd control but is very energy-intensive and situational.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Crowd control, area damage
Why C Tier: Citrine provides good utility and support but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, protection, utility
Why C Tier: Styanax provides good damage and utility but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, area damage, utility
Why C Tier: Caliban provides good utility and damage but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Defense missions, area damage, utility
Why C Tier: Dagath provides good utility and damage but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Damage over time, utility, buffs
Why C Tier: Voruna provides good damage and utility but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Why C Tier: Cyte-09 provides good damage and utility but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Damage-focused gameplay, protection, utility
Why C Tier: Jade provides good utility and support but is outclassed by higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Team support, healing, protection
These Warframes are generally considered weak or in need of significant reworks to be viable in current content. They’re mostly for collection completion or very specific niche uses.
Why D Tier: While Hydroid Prime is Loot-tier, the regular version lacks the stats to be effective in high-level content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Collection completion, low-level farming
Why D Tier: While Vauban Prime is usable, the regular version lacks the stats to be effective in high-level content.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Collection completion, low-level defense
Why D Tier: While Zephyr Prime is situational but usable, the regular version lacks the stats to be effective.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Collection completion, low-level mobility
Why D Tier: While Limbo Prime is situational but usable, the regular version lacks the stats to be effective.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Collection completion, low-level defense
Why D Tier: While Atlas Prime is A-tier, the regular version lacks the stats to compete with higher-tier frames.
Key Strengths:
Best For: Collection completion, low-level single-target damage
S-tier Warframes excel in multiple areas: damage output, survivability, team utility, and versatility in different mission types. They typically have abilities that scale well into Steel Path content and can handle various challenges effectively.
Prime versions generally have higher stats and more polarities, making them strictly better than their non-Prime counterparts. However, the tier placement is more about the frame’s kit design than just stats – a well-built non-Prime can still be effective.
The Warframe meta shifts with major updates, typically every 2-3 months. Update 40 brought significant changes, including the new Warframe Nokko and balance adjustments that affected many frame rankings.
Not at all! Warframe is about having fun, and many lower-tier frames can be incredibly enjoyable to play. However, if you’re focused on efficiency in Steel Path or other high-level content, S and A-tier frames will serve you better.
For new players, I recommend starting with frames like Excalibur, Rhino, or Frost. They’re straightforward to play and teach important game mechanics. As you progress, you can work toward S-tier frames like Wisp or Saryn.
Prime Warframes are obtained through Prime Access (real money purchase), farming relics in missions, or trading with other players. Check our Roblox Private Server Links guide for tips on efficient farming methods.
For solo play, frames like Revenant, Inaros, and Nidus excel due to their self-sustain and survivability. They can handle most content without relying on team support.
Mods are incredibly important – a well-built lower-tier frame can outperform a poorly-built S-tier frame. Focus on getting essential mods like Continuity, Streamline, and Ability Strength mods first.
The Loot-tier frames (Nekros, Khora, Hydroid) are unmatched for resource farming. They can significantly increase your loot drops, making resource grinding much more efficient.
Follow official Warframe channels, check patch notes regularly, and consult community resources. The Plants vs Brainrots codes guide shows how important it is to stay current with game updates.
This Warframe tier list reflects the current state of the game as of Update 40: The Vallis Undermind. The meta is always evolving, and what’s considered top-tier today might change with the next major update. However, the frames in S and A tiers have consistently proven their worth across multiple updates and content types.
Remember that this is a general guide – individual skill, mod configuration, and playstyle can dramatically affect a frame’s performance. A skilled player with a C-tier frame can often outperform a novice with an S-tier frame.
Whether you’re a new Tenno just starting your journey or a veteran looking to optimize your arsenal, I hope this comprehensive tier list helps you make informed decisions about which Warframes to invest in. Keep grinding, stay updated with the latest changes, and most importantly, have fun defending the Origin System!
Bookmark this guide and check back regularly for updates as the Warframe meta continues to evolve with new updates and balance changes!
