In the vast universe of Warframe, choosing the right primary weapon can make the difference between mission success and failure. This comprehensive Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List for 2026 will help you identify the most powerful weapons available, ranked by their effectiveness in various game modes. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned veteran, understanding weapon tiers is essential for optimizing your loadout and maximizing your damage output. This tier list is based on extensive testing, community feedback, and meta analysis, taking into account damage output, utility, versatility, and performance in endgame content.
When ranking primary weapons in Warframe, several key factors determine their placement in our tier list:
| Name | Type | Damage | Critical Chance | Status Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuva Lich | Rifle | High | 35% | 25% |
| Kuva Zarr | Launcher | Very High | 28% | 30% |
| Trumna | Rifle | High | 30% | 28% |
| Cedo | Shotgun | High | 25% | 35% |
| Tenet Arca Plasmor | Shotgun | Very High | 20% | 40% |
| Kuva Bramma | Bow | Very High | 30% | 25% |
| Tenet Detron | Shotgun | High | 30% | 30% |
| Kuva Chakkhurr | Rifle | Very High | 35% | 20% |
| Tenet Cycron | Rifle | High | 28% | 32% |
| Kuva Ayanga | Launcher | Very High | 32% | 28% |
| Name | Type | Damage | Critical Chance | Status Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amprex | Rifle | High | 25% | 30% |
| Ignis Wraith | Rifle | High | 20% | 35% |
| Kuva Kohm | Shotgun | High | 15% | 40% |
| Tenet Tetra | Rifle | High | 28% | 28% |
| Phantasma | Shotgun | High | 25% | 30% |
| Kuva Karak | Rifle | High | 30% | 25% |
| Tenet Grakata | Rifle | High | 28% | 28% |
| Nukor | Rifle | High | 15% | 35% |
| Zarr | Launcher | High | 28% | 30% |
| Lenz | Bow | Very High | 25% | 25% |
| Name | Type | Damage | Critical Chance | Status Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth | Shotgun | High | 20% | 30% |
| Strun | Shotgun | High | 15% | 35% |
| Sobek | Shotgun | High | 15% | 30% |
| Tigris Prime | Shotgun | Very High | 30% | 20% |
| Vaykor Hek | Shotgun | High | 25% | 25% |
| Rubico Prime | Sniper | High | 35% | 25% |
| Vectis Prime | Sniper | High | 35% | 25% |
| Lanka | Sniper | High | 30% | 25% |
| Opticor | Rifle | Very High | 25% | 20% |
| Arca Plasmor | Shotgun | High | 20% | 30% |
| Name | Type | Damage | Critical Chance | Status Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braton | Rifle | Medium | 20% | 25% |
| Boltor | Rifle | Medium | 25% | 20% |
| Burston | Rifle | Medium | 20% | 25% |
| Dera | Rifle | Medium | 20% | 25% |
| Hek | Shotgun | High | 25% | 25% |
| Karak | Rifle | Medium | 20% | 25% |
| Soma | Rifle | Medium | 25% | 20% |
| Supra | Rifle | Medium | 20% | 25% |
| Vulkar | Sniper | Medium | 30% | 20% |
| Snipetron | Sniper | Medium | 30% | 20% |
The Kuva Lich weapons are among the most powerful primary weapons in Warframe, offering exceptional damage output and unique elemental bonuses based on the Lich’s element. With high critical chance and solid status chance, these weapons excel in all mission types. Their ability to be customized with different elements makes them incredibly versatile against all enemy factions. The Kuva Lich weapons also benefit from a high Riven disposition, allowing for significant damage increases with the right mods.
The Kuva Zarr is a devastating launcher that combines the explosive power of rockets with the area denial of cluster munitions. Its primary fire launches a rocket with high damage and good critical chance, while the secondary fire releases a cluster of smaller explosives that cover a wide area. This dual functionality makes it exceptional for crowd control and single-target damage. The Kuva variant adds increased damage, critical chance, and a unique elemental bonus, making it one of the best launchers in the game.
The Trumna is a unique rifle that fires explosive rounds with a satisfying impact. Its primary mode offers solid damage with good critical and status chances, while its secondary mode releases a radial explosion that deals damage in a wide area. This combination makes it effective against both single targets and groups of enemies. The Trumna’s alternate fire also has the benefit of not consuming ammo, making it a sustainable option for extended missions.
The Cedo is a shotgun that fires explosive slugs, dealing both impact and explosive damage on hit. Its unique mechanic allows the slugs to stick to enemies and explode after a short delay or when shot again. This creates opportunities for strategic gameplay, allowing players to set up chain reactions of explosions. With high status chance and solid damage output, the Cedo excels at crowd control and can easily handle groups of enemies in higher-level missions.
The Tenet Arca Plasmor is an improved version of the already powerful Arca Plasmor, offering increased damage, critical chance, and status chance. It fires a wide plasma projectile that can hit multiple enemies, making it incredibly effective for crowd control. The Tenet variant also has the unique ability to chain electricity between enemies, further increasing its damage output against groups. With its wide area of effect and high damage, it’s one of the best shotguns for clearing rooms quickly.
The Kuva Bramma is a bow that fires explosive arrows with a massive area of effect. Each arrow splits into multiple smaller arrows upon impact, creating a devastating explosion that can clear entire rooms. Its high damage and critical chance make it exceptional for both single-target and crowd control situations. The Kuva variant adds increased damage, critical chance, and a unique elemental bonus, making it one of the most powerful bows in the game. However, its self-damage potential requires careful positioning when firing at close range.
The Tenet Detron is a shotgun that fires explosive rounds with high damage and good critical chance. Its unique mechanic allows it to detonate its shots manually by reloading, creating strategic opportunities for setting up chain reactions. With its high damage output and versatility, the Tenet Detron excels in both close-quarters and medium-range combat. The Tenet variant also has the ability to chain electricity between enemies, further increasing its effectiveness against groups.
The Kuva Chakkhurr is a powerful rifle that fires high-damage projectiles with excellent accuracy and range. Its high critical chance and multiplier make it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. The Kuva variant adds increased damage, critical chance, and a unique elemental bonus, making it one of the best single-target weapons in the game. While its fire rate is slower than some other rifles, its per-shot damage more than compensates, making it ideal for taking down high-priority targets.
The Tenet Cycron is a rifle that fires continuous beams of energy, dealing consistent damage over time. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply multiple status effects to enemies, making it excellent for stripping armor and dealing with various enemy types. The Tenet variant has the unique ability to chain electricity between enemies, increasing its effectiveness against groups. With its consistent damage output and status application, the Tenet Cycron is a versatile weapon that performs well in all mission types.
The Kuva Ayanga is a launcher that fires explosive projectiles with a high arc and large area of effect. Its primary mode fires single projectiles with high damage, while its secondary mode releases a barrage of smaller projectiles that cover a wide area. This dual functionality makes it exceptional for both single-target damage and crowd control. The Kuva variant adds increased damage, critical chance, and a unique elemental bonus, making it one of the best launchers for dealing with groups of enemies.
The Amprex is a rifle that fires chains of electricity that jump between multiple enemies. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply electricity damage to groups of enemies, making it excellent for crowd control. While its damage per target is lower than some other rifles, its ability to hit multiple enemies simultaneously makes it highly effective in missions with dense enemy populations. With the right mods, the Amprex can be a formidable weapon for clearing rooms quickly.
The Ignis Wraith is a flamethrower that releases a continuous stream of fire, dealing heat damage over time to all enemies in its path. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply heat procs, causing enemies to panic and take additional damage over time. The Ignis Wraith excels at crowd control, capable of clearing entire rooms with its wide area of effect. While it struggles against enemies at long range, its effectiveness in close-quarters combat makes it a valuable weapon for many mission types.
The Kuva Kohm is a shotgun that rapidly fires multiple pellets with each shot, with the number of pellets increasing the longer the trigger is held. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply multiple status effects to enemies, making it excellent for stripping armor and dealing with various enemy types. The Kuva variant adds increased damage, critical chance, and a unique elemental bonus, making it one of the best shotguns for sustained damage output. While its ammo consumption can be high, its damage potential more than compensates.
The Tenet Tetra is a rifle that fires explosive rounds with good damage and critical chance. Its unique mechanic allows it to detonate its shots manually by reloading, creating strategic opportunities for setting up chain reactions. With its high damage output and versatility, the Tenet Tetra excels in both close-quarters and medium-range combat. The Tenet variant also has the ability to chain electricity between enemies, further increasing its effectiveness against groups.
The Phantasma is a shotgun that fires energy beams with high damage and good critical chance. Its primary mode fires continuous beams, while its secondary mode releases a radial explosion that deals damage in a wide area. This combination makes it effective against both single targets and groups of enemies. The Phantasma’s alternate fire also has the benefit of not consuming ammo, making it a sustainable option for extended missions.
The Kuva Karak is an improved version of the standard Karak rifle, offering increased damage, critical chance, and a unique elemental bonus. Its balanced stats make it a versatile weapon that performs well in all mission types. With good damage output, critical chance, and status chance, the Kuva Karak can be customized for various playstyles, whether focusing on critical damage or status effects. Its high Riven disposition also allows for significant damage increases with the right mods.
The Tenet Grakata is a rifle with a high fire rate and good damage output. Its high critical chance allows it to deal consistent damage with well-placed shots, while its high fire rate makes it effective for suppressing groups of enemies. The Tenet variant has the unique ability to chain electricity between enemies, further increasing its effectiveness against groups. While its ammo consumption can be high, its damage potential and versatility make it a valuable weapon for many mission types.
The Nukor is a rifle that fires beams of radiation that can jump between multiple enemies. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply radiation damage to groups of enemies, causing them to attack each other. This makes it excellent for crowd control and turning enemies against each other. While its damage per target is lower than some other rifles, its ability to hit multiple enemies simultaneously and cause infighting makes it highly effective in missions with dense enemy populations.
The Zarr is a launcher that combines the explosive power of rockets with the area denial of cluster munitions. Its primary fire launches a rocket with high damage and good critical chance, while the secondary fire releases a cluster of smaller explosives that cover a wide area. This dual functionality makes it exceptional for crowd control and single-target damage. While it has self-damage potential that requires careful positioning, its versatility and damage output make it one of the best launchers in the game.
The Lenz is a bow that fires explosive arrows with a massive area of effect. Each arrow creates a cold explosion that slows enemies, followed by a heat explosion that deals damage. This combination makes it excellent for crowd control and dealing with groups of enemies. While its self-damage potential requires careful positioning when firing at close range, its high damage output and utility make it one of the best bows for clearing rooms quickly.
The Corinth is a shotgun that offers two firing modes: a standard shot and a grenade launcher. Its primary mode fires a spread of pellets with good damage, while its secondary mode launches a grenade that can be detonated mid-air. This dual functionality makes it versatile for both close-quarters and medium-range combat. While its damage output is lower than some other shotguns, its versatility and unique mechanics make it a valuable weapon for many situations.
The Strun is a classic shotgun that fires a spread of pellets with good damage and status chance. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply multiple status effects to enemies, making it excellent for stripping armor and dealing with various enemy types. While its damage output is lower than some other shotguns, its reliability and consistent performance make it a solid choice for many mission types.
The Sobek is a shotgun with a large magazine size and good damage output. Its high status chance allows it to quickly apply multiple status effects to enemies, making it excellent for stripping armor and dealing with various enemy types. While its damage per shot is lower than some other shotguns, its large magazine size allows for sustained fire without frequent reloads, making it a reliable choice for extended missions.
The Tigris Prime is a shotgun that fires two powerful shots with high damage and excellent critical chance. Its high critical chance and multiplier make it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. While its fire rate is slow and its magazine size is small, its per-shot damage more than compensates, making it ideal for taking down high-priority targets. With the right mods, the Tigris Prime can be one of the most powerful shotguns in the game.
The Vaykor Hek is an improved version of the standard Hek shotgun, offering increased damage and a unique Justice effect that restores health on kills. Its high damage output and critical chance make it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. While its magazine size is small, its per-shot damage and utility make it a valuable weapon for many mission types, especially for players who can benefit from the health restoration.
The Rubico Prime is a sniper rifle with excellent critical chance and multiplier, making it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. Its high damage output and accuracy make it ideal for taking down high-priority targets from a distance. While its fire rate is slow and its magazine size is small, its per-shot damage more than compensates, making it one of the best sniper rifles in the game.
The Vectis Prime is a sniper rifle with excellent critical chance and multiplier, making it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. Its unique mechanic allows it to reload a single bullet after each shot, maintaining its magazine size and allowing for sustained fire. While its fire rate is slow, its per-shot damage and unique reload mechanic make it a valuable weapon for taking down high-priority targets from a distance.
The Lanka is a sniper rifle that fires charged shots with high damage and excellent critical chance. Its unique mechanic allows it to charge shots for increased damage, making it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. While its fire rate is slow and requires charging, its per-shot damage and versatility make it a valuable weapon for taking down high-priority targets from a distance.
The Opticor is a rifle that fires charged beams of energy with high damage and good critical chance. Its unique mechanic allows it to charge shots for increased damage, making it capable of dealing massive damage with well-placed shots. While its fire rate is slow and requires charging, its per-shot damage and ability to penetrate multiple enemies make it a valuable weapon for taking down groups of enemies from a distance.
The Arca Plasmor is a shotgun that fires a wide plasma projectile that can hit multiple enemies, making it incredibly effective for crowd control. With its wide area of effect and high damage, it’s one of the best shotguns for clearing rooms quickly. While its damage per target is lower than some other shotguns, its ability to hit multiple enemies simultaneously makes it highly effective in missions with dense enemy populations.
The Braton is a standard rifle with balanced stats and reliable performance. Its moderate damage, critical chance, and status chance make it a versatile weapon that performs adequately in all mission types. While it doesn’t excel in any particular area, its consistency and ease of use make it a solid choice for new players or those looking for a reliable all-around weapon.
The Boltor is a rifle that fires bolts that can pin enemies to walls. Its moderate damage and critical chance make it a decent choice for taking down enemies at medium range. While its fire rate is slower than some other rifles, its per-shot damage and unique pinning mechanic make it a valuable weapon for crowd control and dealing with groups of enemies.
The Burston is a rifle with a burst fire mechanism that fires three shots with each pull of the trigger. Its moderate damage and critical chance make it a decent choice for taking down enemies at medium range. While its burst fire mechanism can be difficult to control, its per-shot damage and accuracy make it a valuable weapon for players who prefer precise, controlled fire.
The Dera is a rifle with a high fire rate and moderate damage output. Its moderate critical chance and status chance make it a decent choice for taking down enemies at medium range. While its damage per shot is lower than some other rifles, its high fire rate makes it effective for suppressing groups of enemies and maintaining consistent damage output.
The Hek is a shotgun with high damage output and good critical chance. Its unique mechanic allows it to fire multiple pellets with each shot, making it effective for taking down enemies at close range. While its magazine size is small, its per-shot damage more than compensates, making it a valuable weapon for players who prefer high-damage, close-quarters combat.
The Karak is a standard rifle with balanced stats and reliable performance. Its moderate damage, critical chance, and status chance make it a versatile weapon that performs adequately in all mission types. While it doesn’t excel in any particular area, its consistency and ease of use make it a solid choice for new players or those looking for a reliable all-around weapon.
The Soma is a rifle with a high fire rate and moderate damage output. Its high critical chance allows it to deal consistent damage with well-placed shots, while its high fire rate makes it effective for suppressing groups of enemies. While its ammo consumption can be high, its damage potential and versatility make it a valuable weapon for many mission types.
The Supra is a rifle that fires continuous beams of energy, dealing consistent damage over time. Its moderate status chance allows it to apply status effects to enemies, making it decent for stripping armor and dealing with various enemy types. While its damage per target is lower than some other rifles, its ability to maintain consistent damage output makes it a reliable choice for extended missions.
The Vulkar is a sniper rifle with good critical chance and moderate damage output. Its high accuracy and range make it ideal for taking down enemies from a distance. While its fire rate is slow and its damage output is lower than some other sniper rifles, its reliability and ease of use make it a solid choice for new players or those looking for a reliable long-range weapon.
The Snipetron is a sniper rifle with good critical chance and moderate damage output. Its high accuracy and range make it ideal for taking down enemies from a distance. While its fire rate is slow and its damage output is lower than some other sniper rifles, its reliability and ease of use make it a solid choice for new players or those looking for a reliable long-range weapon.
The best primary weapon in Warframe depends on your playstyle and the mission type, but generally, S-tier weapons like the Kuva Lich variants, Kuva Zarr, and Trumna are considered top-tier due to their high damage output and versatility.
Kuva weapons are obtained by defeating Kuva Liches, which are special enemies that can spawn after you’ve completed The War Within quest and have been marked by a Kuva Larvling.
Riven mods can significantly increase the power of a weapon, especially those with high disposition. For S-tier and A-tier weapons, a good Riven mod can push their damage output even further, making them worth the investment.
Tenet weapons are obtained from Sisters of Parvos, while Kuva weapons come from Kuva Liches. Both offer enhanced stats compared to their standard counterparts, but they have different elemental bonuses and acquisition methods.
Weapon tiers can change with major updates, balance changes, or the introduction of new weapons. It’s recommended to check updated tier lists every few months to stay current with the meta.
For more Warframe guides and tier lists, check out our Warframe Builds and Warframe News sections on Boundbyflame.com.
