Ember starting mission in Warframe
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Best Secondary Weapons in Warframe

Drawn from the belt.

Your main weapon is usually the one that does the talking in Warframe, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a strong secondary on hand just in case things break down further. Rarely are there second chances, but the moment one rears its head, you want to have the top-of-the-line secondary ready to speak up, just in case.

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Strongest Secondary Weapons in Warframe

Sometimes speaking from the hip is the best way to get your point across, and in Warframe, the best secondaries excel in all forms of content, including the harrowing Steel Path. These guns all pack a serious punch and ensure that no one else will be getting a word in, should you have to pull one of them out.

Fighting Corpus in Warframe
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Grimoire

The Grimoire is like a mystical Swiss Army knife, packed with dark energies thanks to its ability to use unique Tome mods to buff allies. As a weapon, it deals pure Electricity damage, which is one of the best elements to combine with for the sake of versatility. Its alt-fire shoots a slow-traveling voltaic orb that delivers powerful shocks to all foes that dare go near it. Think of it as your own personnel storm in a book, zapping enemies into submission while giving buffs to your allies all at the same time.

Laetum

The Laetum is an absolute beast of a pistol, known for its insane fire rate and Crit potential. This Incarnon weapon starts strong, but it gets even wilder—nail enough headshots in its base form, and it morphs into a fully automatic rifle with a fast rate of fire. Its pinpoint accuracy and enemy-shredding capabilities make it a beloved favorite among players. Because the Laetum is an Incarnon weapon, you can slap on unique perks that turbocharge its already ridiculous performance. The Laetum’s reliable, adaptable performance ensures it’s always the life of the party in any Tenno’s arsenal, ready to wreak havoc at a moment’s notice.

Using Grimoire in Warframe
Screenshot by Destructoid

Hystrix Prime

The Hystrix Prime is a total powerhouse in terms of damage, and it’s easy to see why! Its secret weapon? The ability to swap between four ammo types: Heat, Electricity, Toxin, and Cold. With this feature, you can tailor its firepower to any situation using mods while also guaranteeing status procs for the element you choose. This insane versatility means you’re always ready for whatever the battlefield throws at you. Whether you need to melt through armor or freeze foes in their tracks, the Hystrix Prime has got you covered.

Kuva Nukor

The Kuva Nukor is a radiant powerhouse, and here’s why: it’s like carrying a mini sun on your belt. It excels at spreading chaos by dealing radiation damage, which makes enemies turn on each other in confusion. Each shot from the Kuva Nukor can chain this disorienting effect to multiple targets, creating a dazzling display of chaos and destruction. Due to its Kuva label, the Kuva Nukor always comes with an additional elemental bonus attached. With the right mods, you can make this weapon a true beacon of mayhem, causing enemies to fry themselves in a radiant frenzy. It’s like having a weaponized light show that turns foes into a sea of fireworks.

Taking cover in Warframe
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Pyrana Prime

The Pyrana Prime is a powerhouse that packs a serious punch all thanks to its fierce combination of features. This weapon shines with its rapid-fire rate and high Crit chance as a hand-held shotgun, allowing it to deliver a storm of pellets downrange in no time. Its real strength lies in its ability to unleash a torrential spray of projectiles, making it perfect for close-quarters combat and overwhelming enemies with sheer volume. It’s the perfect response to foes who want to get up close and personal.

Lex Prime

The Lex Prime is a formidable weapon thanks to its sheer power and precision. While is undoubtedly the most basic of the secondaries on this list, this pistol packs a punch with its high base damage and excellent Crit hit chance, making each shot a potential game-changer. It’s known for its impressive single-shot damage output, which allows it to deal with high-priority targets efficiently. In Warframe, raw power enough to deal with most threats, and Lex Prime combines it with pinpoint accuracy and high Crit potential, making it a top choice for taking down even the toughest enemies with precision and force.

Shoot the Grinner in Warframe
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Kuva Brakk

As a shotgun, the Kuva Brakk is exceptionally strong due to its high base damage, significant Crit Hit Chance, Status Chance, and projectile spread, allowing it to hit multiple enemies all at once. Its effectiveness is further amplified by the influence of its Kuva label, providing an additional elemental damage bonus on top of its raw base damage. It serves as an excellent choice as a Secondary solely because of its raw power, which works as a strong alternative to the Pyrana Prime for those looking for a more traditional shotgun experience.


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Author
Image of Darrus Myles
Darrus Myles
Darrus, a seasoned guide writer and indie developer with nearly a decade under his belt, plunges into the gaming realm like a knight charging into battle (albeit with a trusty keyboard instead of a sword). With RPGs as his domain, he fearlessly slays industry challenges, turning every obstacle into XP for his quest to game domination.