Which sidearms are the cream of the crop?
Secondary weapons are either severely neglected, or seriously sought after, depending on your progression. Given Warframe’s absolutely mouth-watering amount of weaponry, we wouldn’t blame you for not knowing where to start with these little doo-dads.
Much emphasis is placed upon your choice of primary and melee weapons, yet not so much on your choice of secondary. That is, of course, until you begin to slowly get a taste of Warframe’s endgame.
However, as a veteran Tenno, my word of advice for you is to pay your secondaries the attention they are due. After all, they come in very handy when you’re in a pinch. Some of them may suit your fancy or flat out outperform your primary or melee.
“Alright but which secondaries do I even get?” I hear you ask. Have no fear, Tenno, for we are bringing you the top 10 secondary weapons that promise to wreak havoc upon your enemies.
Whether you’re a new Tenno, or an experienced one, you’ll find weapons that could easily satisfy your needs!
10. Bronco (Good pistol for beginners)
“The Bronco is a small-scale shotgun that can be wielded with one hand. Only effective at close range, it has a limited clip size.” – Warframe
Many Tenno love themselves a good shotgun. Their seemingly unrivaled ability to one-shot enemies makes them quite reliable.
So, what if we took a shotgun and squished it down to a pistol? Assuming you don’t end up with a pile of scrap metal, you’d get the Bronco!
A shotgun-pistol. Yeah, we’re already starting off this list with an oddity of a weapon. However, make no mistake, the Bronco can comfortably rescue you from life-or-death situations, with its decent status chance, fast fire rate and high base damage.
What makes the Bronco awesome:
- High base damage, which comprises mostly of impact damage;
- Decent overall status chance;
- Fast fire rate;
- Quick reload speed;
- Innate 7 pellet multishot;
- Compatible with the “Dizzying Rounds’ Bronco augment mod.
How to get it:
Bronco details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Bronco
9. Furis (Good Auto-Pistol for Early Game)
Hurray! Something a little less strange!
“The Furis delivers a high damage output in a short time frame thanks to its high rate of fire.” - Warframe
Would you prefer something a little more on the normal side? How about a machine pistol?
The Furis is as conventional as conventional weapons get, however, don’t think that means it’s going to underperform. Quite the contrary!
With its high puncture damage, fast fire rate, and ability to use an exclusive augment mod, the Furis excels at mowing down early game enemies quickly!
What makes the Furis awesome:
- High puncture damage;
- Fast fire rate;
- Highly accurate, with minimal recoil;
- Compatible with the “Winds of Purity” augment mod for life steal.
How to get it :
Furis details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Furis
8. Castanas (Good AoE for Early Game)
“The remotely triggered Castanas quietly deliver a lethal dose of electricity to unsuspecting enemies.” – Warframe
Space ninjas need some convincing ninja armaments to become fully immersed in their role. What better weapon could you ask for than Shuriken!
However, the Castanas aren’t just your average run-of-the-mill Shuriken. They’re electrically charged and can be stuck onto any surface. The Shuriken can be detonated at will, with a guaranteed electricity proc!
I was shocked, when I learned that it only requires mastery rank 3 (pun unintended)!
What makes the Castanas awesome:
- Second highest base damage of all throwable secondaries;
- Innate electricity damage, with a guaranteed electric proc;
- High-status chance;
- Highly accurate;
- Extremely fast reload speed;
- Shuriken can be stuck onto almost anything, including allies;
- Silent;
- Multishot and “Fulmination” (or “Primed Fulmination”) benefit it greatly.
How to get it:
Castanas details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Castanas
7. Gammacor (Amazing Beam Weapon for Early to Mid-Game)
“Designed to quickly vaporize minerals for content analysis, users discovered its powerful beam was equally efficient at dispatching hostiles.” – Warframe
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Space ninja fire a beam, until I laid eyes on the Gammacor. One of the simplest, yet most fun secondaries I’ve ever used.
Its magnetic damage makes it a nightmare for any Corpus, who dares cross your path. Not to mention, the status chance allows you to mod it in a myriad of different ways!
What makes the Gammacor awesome:
- Innate magnetic damage, highly effective against enemy shields;
- High status chance;
- Extreme accuracy;
- Decent Reload speed;
- Only 0.5 ammo is consumed per damage tick.
How to get it:
Gammacor details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Gammacor
6. Atomos (Awesome Beam weapon for Mid-Game)
“This particle cannon generates a condensed beam of super-heated plasma designed to melt rock to ore, and enemies to molten slag.”- Warframe
If melting things sounds like a fun time to you, the Atomos is all the microwave you need for reducing those Grineer Lancers into cheese melts!
The Atomos is a death laser that can be had at mastery rank 5. Other than making you lunch, it can also fire a beam that can be chained between multiple enemies!
Do not underestimate the Atomos, for it’s a fun weapon with ground-breaking potential!
What makes the Atomos awesome:
- Innate heat damage;
- High Status Chance;
- Beam can be chained with a maximum of 3 enemies.
How to get it:
Atomos details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Atomos
5. Synoid Gammacor (Enhanced Gammacor for Mid-Game to Endgame)
“Deployed by the Cephalon Suda, once a data-analyzing instrument, the Gammacor's main focus is defense.” – Warframe
If the Atomos wasn’t enough death laser for you, the Synoid Gammcor is sure to satiate your hunger.
Unrivaled power and efficiency. That’s what the Synoid Gammcor prides itself on. It’ll roast your enemies many times better than the standard Gammacor!
Those annoying Corpus seem awfully fond of their shields. It would sure be a shame if the Synoid Gammcor’s innate magnetic damage forced’em to kiss their shields goodbye!
What makes the Synoid Gammacor awesome:
- Innate magnetic damage, highly effective against enemy shields;
- High critical chance;
- High status chance;
- Extreme accuracy;
- Decent Reload speed;
- Only 0.5 ammo is consumed per damage tick.
How to get it :
Synoid Gammacor details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Synoid_Gammacor
4. Akjagara Prime (Good for Endgame)
“Precision machined mirrored pistols. Primed and ready.” – Warframe
Who doesn’t love a high-power burst fire bladed pistol? You guessed it! Nobody! You know what’s better? Two high-power burst fire bladed pistols!
The Akjagara Prime is everybody’s favorite dual pistols, and not simply because they evoke such a badass feeling in whoever wields them!
With its high slash damage, wonderful critical damage and high-status chance, the Akjagara Prime promises to deliver death to your foes in style!
What makes the Akjagara Prime awesome:
- High slash damage;
- Decent critical chance;
- Good critical multiplier;
- Amazingly high-status chance;
- Fast fire rate;
- Highly accurate.
This weapon is vaulted, so you’ll need to purchase it from your fellow Tenno!
Akjagara Prime builds:
Akjagara Prime details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Akjagara_Prime
3. Aksomati Prime (Ultimate Dual Machine-Pistols for Endgame)
“The elegant Aksomati precisely refined to this, their ultimate manifestation.” -Warframe
Machine-pistol fans rejoice! The Aksomati Prime has come to knock the “Steel” out of “Steel Path” enemies!
Critical and status chances, along with a blazingly fast fire rate, make this weapon a no-brainer for Steel Path. You wouldn’t think such a weapon would be very accurate, correct? Nope!
The longer you hold down the trigger, the more accurate it becomes! Not only does the Aksomati Prime shred everything in its path, it does so while being incredibly satisfying to use!
What makes the Aksomati Prime awesome:
- High slash damage;
- High critical chance;
- Third highest critical multiplier of all secondaries;
- Decent status chance;
- Quick reload speed;
- Super fast fire rate;
- Accuracy increases as the trigger is held down;
- Large magazine capacity.
How to get it:
Aksomati Prime details : https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Aksomati_Prime
2. Kuva Twin Stubbas (Perfect Dual SMG for Steel Path)
Dual SMGs this time!
“Double-fist rapid-fire bursts of pain with these dual-wield variants of the Grineer submachine gun. Higher Fire Rate and Magazine Capacity.” – Warframe
Anyone a fan of SMGs? Regardless of the game you’re playing, they’re always fun to use! How about dual Kuva SMGs? Introducing the Kuva Twin Stubbas.
If you’re at the point where you’re looking for Steel Path worthy weaponry, I can safely assume you’ve vanquished your fair share of Kuva Liches. I would highly recommend you take down as many of them as you need to access this monster of a weapon.
The critical and status chances are through the roof, not to mention that it also does high slash damage to enemies. If you stumble upon the Kuva Twin Stubbas, while grinding Liches to obtain our #1 weapon (spoiler alert!), by all means, take them!
What makes the Kuva Twin Stubbas awesome:
- High slash and impact damage;
- High critical chance;
- Super high-status chance;
- Fast fire rate;
- Good accuracy.
How to get it:
Kuva Twin Stubbas details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Kuva_Twin_Stubbas
1. Kuva Brakk (Best Secondary in the Game)
“This Lich-variant semi-automatic hand cannon delivers a lot of punch in a small package. Higher fire rate, magazine capacity and reload speed.” - Warframe
For our final entry, we have the bee’s knees. The best in class, and overall, most powerful secondary. The Kuva Brakk.
Much like our first entry, the Kuva Brakk is also a pistol-shotgun. Seems like this weapon is the Bronco’s undoubtably more capable and more popular child.
After all, it does have the highest status chance of all pistol-shotguns in the game and a ridiculously high critical chance. The fire rate is nothing to laugh at either, as it can decimate enemies with it’s high DPS.
What makes the Kuva Brakk awesome:
- High impact damage;
- Super high critical chance;
- Highest status chance of all pistol-shotguns;
- Super quick reload speed;
- Innate punch through of 0.5m;
- Innate 10 pellet multishot.
How to get it:
Kuva Brakk details: https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Kuva_Brakk
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