In a game that's called Warframe, one would expect the titular armored robo-soldiers to be the ultimate killers. However, the damage that warframes deal still dwarfs in comparison to their weapons. Whether these weapons are firearms, sidearms, or melee sticks, a warframe isn't ready for war without them.
Some of these weapons are better than others. While theoretically, any weapon can become overpowered if players dump eight Formas into them, some weapon builds are low-investment and can still turn the most difficult content in the game into a joke. For those looking to turn Archon Hunts or the Steel Path into a walk in the park, give these broken Warframe weapon builds a shot.
6 Laetum
The Laetum, by far, is the most powerful weapon in the game and right now, it's hard to find something that can match its damage output. The best part is that its most popular build isn't even Crit-based, meaning there's no pressure to cram in Crit mods. All players have to do for this particular build is rack up the headshots, transform to Incarnon mode, and then shred enemies apart.
It makes quick work of Archon Hunts and just about any enemy in the game (as long as it's not level cap). It has a clear advantage over its bigger brother, the Phenmor in that it actually deals area damage since the bullets somewhat explode on impact. For additional crowd control, players can simply replace the Primed faction mod with Jolt to turn Heat into Radiation.
5 Phenmor
Phenmor might have less area damage compared to the Laetum but it sustains its Incarnon mode better and more reliably. Thus, it's also a preferable or even ideal weapon for Archon Hunts, along with the Laetum. What Phenmor lacks in area damage, it makes up for with better accuracy and lower recoil.
The gameplay is similar to the Laetum; players just need to keep hitting headshots until the Incarnon meter is full. After that, there aren't many enemies that will survive this onslaught. There's also no pressure to rack up Crit mods and modifiers since this is primarily a status weapon.
4 Pure Crit Zaw With Exodia Contagion
Who needs guns when a Crit Zaw paired with Exodia Contagion can trivialize the toughest Steel Path content? It's all thanks to the busted and overpowered mechanics of Exodia Contagion. At first glance, the damage is deceptively low but in practice, it's one of the most reliable ways to deal millions of damage per second without much effort.
All players have to do with this build is jump in the air, glide, aim, and then attack with their melee weapon while in the air. Any enemy hit will be vaporized, more so if players are using a subsumed Eclipse ability while standing in the light.
While this weapon is considered broken or too overpowered, it's not recommended for Archon Hunts or even against a Rank 5 Kuva Lich/Tenet Sister. Its aim is hard to control and there are some limitations to its armor penetration. Still, there's no better option for clearing up packs of enemies in the blink of an eye.
A disclaimer is in order though; this build is nothing without the Exodia Contagion which is a bit expensive but obtainable for most players. Since it's also a Zaw, any player can access or work on this build regardless of the Mastery Rank.
3 Kuva Hek
Tired of those long and dangerous Archon Hunts? Then speed them up with the Kuva Hek! This overpowered weapon build is all about killing those unfair Archons with just one to two well-placed shots (assuming the stars align).
With the build above, players just need to build some Primary Deadhead stacks along with Galvanized Hell stacks by killing some minions in the arena. After that, all that's left to do is unleash a devastating alt-fire on the Archon's glowing Archon Shard. This amount of concentrated damage will take out a huge chunk of the Archon's health.
If players are using Ivara and are presumably invisible with the right setup and the right buffs, they can one-shot the Archon instead of needing a couple more alt-fire volleys.
2 Kuva Bramma
Of course, Archons aren't the only enemies in Warframe. The majority of the content for high-ranking players revolves around Steel Path. And when it comes to clearing up the Steel Path star chart, the most reliable weapon would be the Kuva Bramma, which is one of the best bows in the game.
Granted, this weapon was nerfed. Its ammunition count was drastically lowered to just five arrows, meaning players will need to keep moving in hopes of picking up more arrows than they can fire. But despite the nerf, this remains more powerful than any launcher or explosive primary.
Players will essentially just carpet bomb enemies and clear up rooms. Any enemy who somehow survives the initial arrow explosion and radius will often bleed to death thanks to Hunter Munitions. To that end, it's a great weapon for tackling level-cap enemies.
1 Pure Crit Sporelacer Kitgun
Like the Exodia Contagion builds, this one is overpowered based on the fact that even low-MR players can acquire it. It will likely ruin most other Mastery-locked weapons for low-ranking players since this weapon deals absurd amounts of damage while also having an area of effect.
Usage is also simple, just aim and fire. The Pax Charge Arcane is quite crucial here since it makes the ammo economy a lot more manageable. Beyond that, the difficult part about obtaining this weapon is the grind needed for Entrati and Solaris standing.
Warframe is available on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch