Warframes


 * For the game itself, see WARFRAME.

The Warframe is an advanced weapons system used exclusively by the Tenno in their missions throughout the Origin System. The Warframes possess regenerative shields, greatly enhanced mobility, and enable the use of an array of supernatural abilities – all of which further augment the Tenno's deadly use of traditional combat arts.

Overview
Warframes are divided into a collection of diverse models, each of which personifies a great warrior spirit. Players may don the Warframe to gain its prowess with bladed weapons, for instance. Each model of Warframe is moreover highly reconfigurable, meaning players can tailor their choice of Warframe to fit a multitude of playstyles. While certain Warframes excel in a particular situation, none are limited to a singular role and no role demands the use of a singular Warframe.

Players customize Warframes via the installation of mods which can upgrade their Warframe Attributes, endow them with additional utilities, and even alter their abilities. Further bonuses can be achieved by equipping add-ons, such as Arcane Helmets.

Each Warframe features four unique and extraordinary activatable powers that allow for a large degree of control over the surrounding environment. (Warframes also possess passive abilities – powers which activate on their own accord.) These powers allow a Tenno to cast virtually anything, with examples ranging from devastating waves of energy to bullet-nullifying barriers or even mass healing. Warframes greatly augment the physical abilities of a Tenno as well, affecting natural skills like swordsmanship, marksmanship and, most notably, acrobatics.

New players start the game by selecting their first Warframe, from the, , or  Warframes, and playing through the tutorial. As the player progresses, they may craft or buy other Warframes from the full list of offerings.

As of, there are a total of 57 Warframes consisting of both original models and special variants. Only one of these special variants is exclusive to certain groups of players; is a Founders-exclusive.

Acquisition
Warframes are obtained by two general methods: crafting them with in-game materials at the Foundry or purchasing them fully assembled from the Market. Additionally, obtaining a Warframe requires the use of a storage slot. Players possess a finite number of storage slots, which can be expanded by purchasing additional slots at the Market.

Foundry
Assembling a Warframe at the Foundry requires the Warframe's main blueprint and three component parts:

To construct a Warframe, players must first assemble each of its components. This is performed by expending resources earned throughout the game, including a copy of the part's corresponding blueprint. Component blueprints are generally obtained by completing appropriate Assassination missions, Quests, or Clan Dojo research, though exceptions exist. After collecting and assembling all of the necessary parts, players can purchase the Warframe's main blueprint from the Market with  (the game's free-to-play currency) to complete the construction process. Once assembled, a Warframe may be upgraded at any time with the installation of an.

Market
Warframes can also be purchased fully assembled in the Market with. When acquired in this manner, a Warframe comes pre-installed with an and is provided with a complimentary Warframe storage slot.

Storage
Players begin the game with two Warframe storage slots and can acquire additional slots from the Market for a nominal fee of 20 each (Players also gain a complimentary slot for any Warframe purchased directly from the Market). Note that a player can acquire without spending real world money by trading with other players.

Attributes
Attributes are the stats and functionality of Warframes such as Health, Armor, Shields, Energy, and Movement Speed. Each Warframe is made unique with a different combination of these and their powers.

Leveling Up
Warframes require affinity, conventionally known in other games as experience points (XP), in order to attain higher ranks. Each Warframe levels up separately from other Warframes to a maximum of Rank 30. Note that each of the Warframe's equipped weapons have affinity rankings as well which also increase separately from Warframes. During missions, players are awarded affinity through actions getting such as killing enemies, using abilities, completing objectives or reviving downed allies.

With each successive rank, a Warframe gains mod capacity as well as increases to Health, Shields, and Energy capacity, as well as 200 mastery points. Stat boosts received from ranking up are calculated from the base value of the Warframe for each stat, preventing mods from affecting the bonus.

During level up, all Warframe stats gain: For a total of +200% Health and Shields and +50% Energy capacity at Rank 30.
 * +20% Health capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 1
 * +20% Shield capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 2
 * +5% Energy capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 3

The only exceptions are, , and For a total of +300% Health and +50% Energy capacity at Rank 30.
 * Inaros
 * +15% Health capacity every 3 ranks staring at both Rank 1 and Rank 2
 * +5% Energy capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 3
 * +5% Energy capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 3

For a total of +200% Health, +50% Armor, +15% Ability Strength, +50% Energy capacity, and +10 Health/s Regeneration at Rank 30.
 * Nidus
 * +20% Health capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 1
 * +10% Armor every 6 ranks starting at Rank 2
 * +3% Ability Strength every 6 ranks starting at Rank 3,
 * +10% Energy capacity every 6 ranks starting at Rank 5
 * +2 Health/s Regeneration every 6 ranks starting at Rank 6.
 * +2 Health/s Regeneration every 6 ranks starting at Rank 6.

For a total of +125% Energy capacity at Rank 30.
 * Garuda
 * +12.5% Energy capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 3
 * +12.5% Energy capacity every 3 ranks starting at Rank 3

Since, Warframe Abilities unlock and rank up with affinity. Maximum Rank for Abilities is Rank 3.

Cosmetics
Every Warframe thus far can equip various kinds of alternative equipment or skins. These cosmetic items include Helmets, Idle Animations, and holographic Emblems.

Some of these items are available by default, some can either be bought from the Market or found as blueprints via the Alerts system. They can all be equipped in the arsenal under Appearance.

Trivia

 * Warframe, from the Orokin Warplatform.png literally means "War platform".
 * The name "Warframes" comes from a 1950s Boeing (Company) WWII research project equipping WWII soldiers with exoskeletons, as mentioned by Steve Sinclair during Devstream #1.
 * Such a project did not actually exist and never saw development or research with Boeing, which never developed significant military ground equipment of any kind until 2014. It is likely that the creator was referring to a failed system referred to as Hardiman, which was developed by General Electric in the mid to late 1960s, just prior to America's involvement in the Vietnam War.
 * Warframes are thought to be built upon preexisting human bodies using the Helminth and a specific strain of the Infestation. It is suspected that frames are built using the bodies of willing Hostages from Rescue missions and the inhabitants of Warframe Cryopods from Defense Missions. Specters are likely built the same way, given that the former mission type provides Specter blueprints.