Abilities are special skills that all Warframes, Archwings, and Necramechs possess, which are used to provide tactical advantages in battle by either affecting enemies directly or bolstering teammates in some manner. Every Warframe has a set of four unique Abilities that directly influence their gameplay and their role within a team. For example, Frost's Abilities are based around slowing down enemies and blocking damage, making him more suited to a defensive role. Nova, with her damage-oriented Ability set, is a good choice for offensive playstyles.
Most Abilities require Energy, which is spent every time an Ability is used. Warframes have only a limited Energy capacity, so Ability use must be carefully managed to prevent running out of Energy at critical moments. Energy costs vary between Abilities; in general the more advanced/powerful the Ability, the greater its Energy cost.
Controls[]
- Main article: Key Bindings
Platform | 1st Ability | 2nd Ability | 3rd Ability | 4th Ability |
---|---|---|---|---|
PC | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
PSN | R1 + | R1 + | R1 + | R1 + |
XBX | RB + | RB + | RB + | RB + |
Switch | R Button + B | R Button + Y | R Button + A | R Button + X |
Types[]
Warframe Abilities are internally classified into four different types loosely according to their theme: damage, buff & debuff, mobility, and perception. Some Warframe Abilities fall into more than one classification, while Reunite is the only ability with no classification. The abilities below are classified by what a corresponding Corpus Comba / Scrambus will disable.
Damage[]
The most common Ability type. Damage Abilities deal direct damage to enemies, however some abilities like Quiver have nothing damage related but are classified as such anyways. They are disabled by the Sap Comba.
Last updated: Update 32.3 (2023-02-15)
Buff & Debuff[]
These Abilities modify a unit's innate stats. Buff-type Abilities enhance a Warframe or their allies, while Debuff Abilities weaken or cripple enemies. Some Abilities perform both. They are disabled by the Nul Comba.
Last updated: Update 31.5 (2022-04-27)
Mobility[]
Mobility Abilities alter a Warframe's ability to travel between two points. Some abilities like Speed make the Warframe faster, while others like Undertow make it slower. Some abilities like Rhino Stomp have nothing mobility related but are classified as such anyways. They are disabled by the Slo Comba.
Last updated: Update 31.5 (2022-04-27)
Perception[]
Perception Abilities are used to confuse, distract or disappear from enemy sight, fooling some to engage false targets or prevent them from seeing the player entirely. They are disabled by the Fog Comba.
Last updated: Update 31.5 (2022-04-27)
Diminishing Returns On Bosses[]
Some Bosses have a mechanic where they are immune to certain effects from abilities or apply a "diminishing return" effect on repeated uses of a single ability, reducing their duration by 25% on subsequent casts. This mostly pertains to abilities that have crowd control effects since bosses have high resistance to them.[1][2]
Examples of diminishing returns or CC resistance:
- Equinox's Rest & Rage will slow boss-type enemies instead of putting them to sleep.
- Ivara's Sleep Arrow has diminishing returns against boss-type enemies.
- Nyx's Mind Control and Chaos have diminishing returns against boss-type enemies.
- Valkyr's Warcry has diminishing returns against boss-type enemies.
- Vauban's Bastille will slow boss-type enemies instead of lifting and placing them in stasis.
Examples of CC immunity:
- Zephyr's Tornado will not ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Zephyr's Tail Wind will not knockdown or ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Valkyr's Paralysis will not stun boss-type enemies.
- Volt's Shock and Discharge will not electrocute boss-type enemies.
- Hydroid's Tidal Surge will not ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Hydroid's Undertow will not pull in boss-type enemies.
- Hydroid's Tentacle Swarm will not grab boss-type enemies unless they've died.
- Limbo's Banish will not ragdoll or move boss-type enemies into the Rift Plane.
- Loki's Switch Teleport will not relocate boss-type enemies.
- Loki's Radial Disarm will not disarm, stun, or dismember boss-type enemies.
- Loki's Irradiating Disarm will not confuse boss-type enemies.
- Mag's Pull will not move boss-type enemies.
- Mag's Crush will not lift or ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Mag's Fracturing Crush will not stop boss-type enemies.
- Banshee's Sonic Boom, Silence, and Sound Quake will not push, stun, or stagger boss-type enemies.
- Ember's Fire Blast will not knockdown boss-type enemies.
- Excalibur's Radial Blind and Radial Javelin will not stagger boss-type enemies.
- Frost's Freeze and Avalanche will not freeze boss-type enemies.
- Frost's Snow Globe will not freeze or push boss-type enemies.
- Rhino's Rhino Charge will not ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Rhino's Rhino Stomp will not put boss-type enemies in stasis.
- Mesa's Shooting Gallery will not jam or stun boss-type enemies.
- Mesa's Muzzle Flash will not blind boss-type enemies.
- Oberon's Smite will not ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Oberon's Reckoning will not lift boss-type enemies.
- Nekros' Terrify will not fear boss-type enemies, but will continue to apply an armor reduction debuff.
- Nezha's Divine Spears will not pin or ragdoll boss-type enemies.
- Fatal Attraction will not attract boss-type enemies.
- Lifted proc does not affect boss-type enemies.
Outliers:
- Saryn's Spores will be able to properly spread and receive spores from nearby boss-type enemies.
- Nekros' Shadows of the Dead will not summon boss-type enemies.
- Ivara's Prowl will not steal from boss-type enemies.
List of Abilities[]
- Main article: Category:Warframe Abilities
Injectable[]
- Main article: Helminth#Ability Replacement
Some abilities can be injected into other Warframes, replacing one of their abilities via the Helminth. These include:
See Helminth#Injecting and Replacing Abilities on replacing one of a Warframe's abilities with these.
N/A 25 |
Empower Increase the strength of your next ability use. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Misc:
+ 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 % (strength bonus) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Infested Mobility Increase your parkour velocity. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:35 / 45 / 50 / 60 % (sprint speed bonus) 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 % (parkour velocity bonus) | |
Duration:5 / 6 / 7 / 8 s | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Master's Summons Heal your companion and call it to your side. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Misc:
25 / 50 / 75 / 100 % (health and shield restore) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Rebuild Shields Instantly restore your shields. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Misc:
25 / 50 / 75 / 100 % (shields restored) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 25 |
Perspicacity Your next hack will be automatic. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Misc:
100% (hack chance) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Energized Munitions Imbue your weapons with ammo efficiency. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:3 / 3.5 / 4 / 5 s | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Misc: 75 % (ammo efficiency) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Marked For Death Stun an enemy; a portion of the next damage you deal to it will be dealt to all enemies around it. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:35 / 45 / 60 / 75 % (damage) | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:7 / 8 / 9 / 10 m (explosion range) 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 m (cast range) | |||
Misc:
1 (max targets) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Expedite Suffering Condense all Slash and Toxin Status Effects into a single damage instance. Introduced in Update 29.0 (2020-08-25) |
Strength:1 x (damage multiplier) | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:6 / 8 / 10 / 12 m | |||
Misc:
45° (cone angle) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Parasitic Armor Sacrifice Shields to reinforce Armor for a period of time. Introduced in Update 30.5 (2021-07-06) |
Strength:25 / 50 / 75 / 100 % (Shields to Armor conversion) | |
Duration:10 s / 15 s / 20 s / 25 s | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Hideous Resistance Grant yourself immunity to Status effects. Introduced in Update 30.5 (2021-07-06) |
Strength:4 / 6 / 8 / 10 Charges | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Voracious Metastasis Consume Energy to heal yourself and grant matching Energy to each ally. Introduced in Update 30.5 (2021-07-06) |
Strength:200 / 300 / 400 / 500 (health restored) | |
Duration:16 / 14 / 12 / 10 s | |||
Range:N/A | |||
Efficiency:
50 (energy restored, equal to cost) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Sickening Pulse Emit a pulse that adds stacks to Status Effects already afflicting enemies, except Bleed, Heat, and Toxin effects which are duplicated with fresh timers. Introduced in Update 30.5 (2021-07-06) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:2 s (expansion duration) | |||
Range:5 m / 6 m / 7 m / 8 m (pulse initial radius) | |||
Misc:
8 / 12 / 16 / 20 m/s (expansion distance per sec) | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
N/A 50 |
Golden Instinct Send out a short-lived Void Spark that is drawn toward the nearest Medallion, Ayatan Sculpture, rare crate, unscanned Kuria or unscanned Fragment. Introduced in Update 30.5 (2021-07-06) |
Strength:N/A | |
Duration:N/A | |||
Range:200m | |||
Subsumable to Helminth |
Strength Mods | Duration Mods | Range Mods |
---|---|---|
Warframe | Subsumable Abilities | Applicable Augments | General Gameplay Role | Notes | Secretions For Subsuming | Secretions For Injecting | Experience Gained per Injection |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ash | Shuriken | Seeking Shuriken | Armor Strip | — | Calx 50% Pheromones 77% Bile 80% |
Oxides 51% Biotics 38% Synthetics 17% |
848 |
Atlas | Petrify | Ore Gaze | Crowd Control Farming |
Petrified enemies do not drop Rubble. | Oxides 75% Synthetics 57% Bile 80% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
784 |
Banshee | Silence | Savage Silence | Damage Debuff Disable Enemy Abilities Stealth |
— | Biotics 80% Pheromones 54% Bile 80% |
Oxides 52% Calx 22% Synthetics 23% |
776 |
Baruuk | Lull | Endless Lullaby | Crowd Control Stealth |
— | Oxides 51% Synthetics 79% Pheromones 80% |
Calx 33% Biotics 58% Bile 10% |
808 |
Caliban | Sentient Wrath | — | Crowd Control Damage Debuff |
ALTERED: Frontal cast only and Tau Status Effect removed. Range reduced to a frontal cone spanning ? degrees and cannot inflict Tau status. |
Calx 71% Synthetics 71% Pheromones 72% |
Oxides 47% Biotics 14% Bile 37% |
784 |
Citrine | Fractured Blast | — | Crowd Control Healing Energy Restore |
ALTERED: Diminished Strength Damage reduced to 125 / 150 / 200 / 250, Health Orb drop chance reduced to 25%, and Energy Orb drop chance reduced to 10%. |
Oxides 75% Synthetics 57% Bile 80% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
|
Chroma | Elemental Ward | Everlasting Ward | Support | Elemental Ward versions of the ability are determined by the chosen Warframe Primary Emission Color. | Calx 80% Synthetics 48% Pheromones 80% |
Oxides 32% Biotics 34% Bile 31% |
776 |
Dagath | Wyrd Scythes | — | Crowd Control Damage |
ALTERED: Diminished Slow. Slow is reduced to 15% / 18% / 22% / 26%. |
Calx 82.5% Synthetics 55% Pheromones 65% |
Calx 77% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
? |
Dante | Dark Verse | — | Damage | — | Calx 82.5% Synthetics 55% Pheromones 65% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
? |
Ember | Fire Blast | Healing Flame Purifying Flames |
Crowd Control Armor Strip Healing |
ALTERED: No Overguard From Healing Flames Augment Armor reduction per cast is capped at 75%. Healing Flame heals for 37 health for each enemy hit and does not grant Overguard. |
Calx 80% Biotics 49% Bile 80% |
Oxides 18% Synthetics 18% Pheromones 59% |
760 |
Equinox | Rest & Rage | Calm & Frenzy | Crowd Control Damage Debuff Stealth |
Rest or Rage versions of the ability are determined by the chosen Warframe Primary Emission Color. | Oxides 80% Biotics 62% Bile 64% |
Calx 16% Synthetics 15% Pheromones 72% |
824 |
Excalibur | Radial Blind | Radiant Finish | Crowd Control | — | Biotics 80% Pheromones 52% Bile 80% |
Oxides 50% Calx 27% Synthetics 24% |
808 |
Frost | Ice Wave | Ice Wave Impedance | Crowd Control | — | Calx 68% Synthetics 70% Pheromones 70% |
Oxides 11% Biotics 61% Bile 30% |
816 |
Gara | Spectrorage | Spectrosiphon | Crowd Control Energy Restore |
— | Calx 77% Biotics 55% Bile 80% |
Oxides 28% Synthetics 27% Pheromones 49% |
832 |
Garuda | Blood Altar | — | Healing | — | Calx 71% Synthetics 71% Pheromones 72% |
Oxides 47% Biotics 14% Bile 37% |
784 |
Gauss | Thermal Sunder | Thermal Transfer | Crowd Control Nuking Damage Buff |
ALTERED: Scaling from Heat Status on enemies capped to 10x Ability Damage. Damage is equivalent to 50% of Gauss's battery; 225 / 300 / 375 / 450 Cold damage and 450 / 600 / 750 / 900 Heat damage. |
Oxides 46% Pheromones 80% Bile 80% |
Calx 50% Biotics 15% Synthetics 35% |
800 |
Grendel | Nourish | Hearty Nourishment | Crowd Control Damage Buff Energy Restore |
ALTERED: Self-Heal Removed and Effect Reduced No self healing, armor applies only 1 Viral stack, energy multiplier is reduced to ? / ? / ? / 1.6x, and Viral weapon bonus damage is reduced to +?% / +?% / +?% / +45%. Does not have a swallowed enemy requirement, as other Warframes cannot cast Feast. |
Oxides 53% Biotics 80% Synthetics 80% |
Calx 33% Pheromones 16% Bile 50% |
792 |
Gyre | Coil Horizon | Coil Recharge | Damage Crowd Control |
— | Calx 67% Biotics 73% Pheromones 71% |
Oxides 17% Synthetics 71% Bile 12% |
800 |
Harrow | Condemn | Tribunal | Crowd Control Shield Restore |
Other Warframes cannot benefit from the Tribunal augment, due to their inability to cast Penance and Thurible. | Oxides 80% Calx 56% Pheromones 80% |
Biotics 20% Synthetics 62% Bile 20% |
816 |
Hildryn | Pillage | Blazing Pillage | Defense Strip Shield Restore Status Cleanse |
Costs 50 Energy instead of consuming Shields. Does not generate shields for Inaros and Nidus. Other Warframes cannot benefit from the Blazing Pillage augment, due to their inability to cast Haven. |
Calx 54% Biotics 74% Pheromones 80% |
Oxides 52% Synthetics 26% Bile 24% |
816 |
Hydroid | Tempest Barrage | Viral Tempest | Crowd Control Armor Strip |
— | Oxides 79% Calx 80% Synthetics 51% |
Biotics 36% Pheromones 34% Bile 32% |
816 |
Inaros | Desiccation | Desiccation's Curse | Crowd Control | — | Calx 73% Biotics 80% Bile 53% |
Oxides 17% Synthetics 14% Pheromones 70% |
808 |
Ivara | Quiver | Empowered Quiver Power of Three |
Stealth | Tap-cast for Cloak, hold-cast for Noise. Sleep and Dashwire arrows not available. Tap/hold cast inversion in Settings menu still applies. |
Calx 67% Biotics 73% Pheromones 71% |
Oxides 17% Synthetics 71% Bile 12% |
800 |
Jade | Ophanim Eyes | — | Crowd Control Defense Strip |
ALTERED: Cannot revive allies. | Calx 82.5% Synthetics 55% Pheromones 65% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
? |
Khora | Ensnare | — | Crowd Control | — | Oxides 67% Calx 70% Synthetics 68% |
Biotics 61% Pheromones 18% Bile 18% |
776 |
Koumei | Omamori | — | Healing | ALTERED: Gain between 10 to 20 Omamori Charms but cannot gain the invulnerability. | Calx 82.5% Synthetics 55% Pheromones 65% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
776 |
Kullervo | Wrathful Advance | — | Damage Buff Movement |
ALTERED: Diminished Range and Melee Critical Chance Range reduced to 10 / 11 / 11.5 / 12.5 meters and melee critical chance reduced to 25% / 50% / 75% / 100%. |
Calx 82.5% Synthetics 55% Pheromones 65% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
|
Lavos | Vial Rush | — | Damage Buff Crowd Control |
Costs 0 energy with a 5 second cooldown.
Base ability does not include hold-cast to imbue the next ability cast with Cold damage. |
Calx 77% Biotics 55% Bile 80% |
Oxides 28% Synthetics 27% Pheromones 49% |
832 |
Limbo | Banish | Rift Haven | Crowd Control Support |
Base ability includes hold-cast to cancel the ability, releasing all affected targets from the Rift.
Non-Limbo Warframes remain unable to step into the Rift Plane themselves without another player's Banish, Cataclysm or portals from Limbo's passive. |
Oxides 48% Synthetics 80% Pheromones 80% |
Calx 30% Biotics 62% Bile 10% |
816 |
Loki | Decoy | Damage Decoy Deceptive Bond Savior Decoy |
Crowd Control | — | Oxides 53% Pheromones 80% Bile 80% |
Calx 59% Biotics 18% Synthetics 18% |
760 |
Mag | Pull | Greedy Pull | Crowd Control | ALTERED: Diminished Range Range reduced to 7.5 / 10 / 11 / 12.5 meters. |
Oxides 72% Calx 71% Synthetics 68% |
Biotics 21% Pheromones 23% Bile 61% |
840 |
Mesa | Shooting Gallery | Muzzle Flash | Damage Buff Crowd Control |
— | Oxides 80% Calx 80% Biotics 48% |
Synthetics 35% Pheromones 51% Bile 15% |
808 |
Mirage | Eclipse | Total Eclipse | Damage Buff Damage Reduction |
ALTERED: Diminished Effectiveness Damage bonus reduced to 2% / 9% / 15% / 30% and Damage Reduction cap reduced to 75%. Limited to 1 damage buffing ability per Warframe. |
Oxides 67% Calx 72% Bile 68% |
Biotics 50% Synthetics 34% Pheromones 16% |
800 |
Nekros | Terrify | Creeping Terrify | Armor Strip Crowd Control |
— | Oxides 80% Biotics 80% Pheromones 52% |
Calx 15% Synthetics 12% Bile 71% |
784 |
Nezha | Fire Walker | Pyroclastic Flow | Crowd Control Movement Speed Status Cleanse |
— | Oxides 68% Calx 68% Synthetics 68% |
Biotics 34% Pheromones 34% Bile 33% |
808 |
Nidus | Larva | Larva Burst | Crowd Control | ALTERED: Diminished Range Radius reduced to 5.33 / 6 / 6.67 / 8 meters. |
Biotics 80% Pheromones 80% Bile 80% |
Oxides 80% Calx 31% Synthetics 10% |
968 |
Nova | Null Star | Neutron Star | Damage Reduction | ALTERED: Damage Reduction capped at 75%. | Oxides 80% Biotics 69% Synthetics 63% |
Calx 22% Pheromones 18% Bile 58% |
784 |
Nyx | Mind Control | Mind Freak | Crowd Control Support |
— | Oxides 80% Biotics 80% Bile 49% |
Calx 32% Synthetics 32% Pheromones 30% |
752 |
Oberon | Smite | Smite Infusion | Crowd Control Damage Buff |
— | Calx 80% Pheromones 49% Bile 80% |
Oxides 14% Biotics 80% Synthetics 13% |
856 |
Octavia | Resonator | Conductor | Damage Crowd Control |
Uses the default Mandachord song. | Calx 80% Biotics 60% Bile 73% |
Oxides 34% Synthetics 36% Pheromones 32% |
816 |
Protea | Dispensary | Repair Dispensary | Healing Energy Restore |
ALTERED: Diminished Duration Duration reduced to 5 / 7.5 / 10 / 12.5 seconds. |
Calx 58% Biotics 80% Synthetics 74% |
Oxides 21% Pheromones 23% Bile 60% |
832 |
Qorvex | Chyrinka Pillar | — | Damage Crowd Control |
— | Calx 82.5% Synthetics 55% Pheromones 65% |
Calx 19% Biotics 19% Pheromones 60% |
? |
Revenant | Reave | Blinding Reave | Healing Shield Restore Invulnerability |
— | Oxides 80% Calx 80% Bile 55% |
Biotics 35% Synthetics 32% Pheromones 34% |
808 |
Rhino | Roar | Piercing Roar | Damage Buff | ALTERED: Diminished Damage Increase Damage bonus reduced to 2% / 9% / 15% / 30%. Limited to 1 damage buffing ability per Warframe. |
Oxides 80% Biotics 80% Pheromones 80% |
Calx 37% Synthetics 12% Bile 77% |
1008 |
Saryn | Molt | Regenerative Molt | Crowd Control Healing Movement Speed |
— | Biotics 80% Pheromones 80% Bile 52% |
Oxides 14% Calx 46% Synthetics 35% |
760 |
Sevagoth | Gloom | — | Crowd Control Healing |
— | Calx 77% Biotics 55% Bile 80% |
Oxides 28% Synthetics 27% Pheromones 49% |
832 |
Styanax | Tharros Strike | — | Crowd Control Defense Strip Healing |
— | Biotics 80% Pheromones 52% Bile 80% |
Oxides 50% Calx 27% Synthetics 24% |
? |
Titania | Spellbind | Spellbound Harvest | Crowd Control Status Cleanse |
Spellbound Harvest augment grants 50 shields if used on HildrynConfirmation needed | Oxides 63% Calx 80% Bile 66% |
Biotics 16% Synthetics 12% Pheromones 70% |
784 |
Trinity | Well of Life | Pool of Life | Healing Crowd Control |
Base ability includes heal over time over large radius. Percentage of damage dealt to the target converts into area healing. | Oxides 50% Synthetics 80% Bile 80% |
Calx 38% Biotics 17% Pheromones 52% |
856 |
Valkyr | Warcry | Eternal War | Attack Speed Buff Crowd Control |
ALTERED: Diminished Speed Increase Attack Speed bonus reduced to 9% / 12% / 15% / 30%. |
Oxides 72% Biotics 68% Pheromones 68% |
Calx 30% Synthetics 59% Bile 10% |
792 |
Vauban | Tesla Nervos | Tesla Bank | Crowd Control | — | Oxides 48% Calx 80% Biotics 80% |
Synthetics 52% Pheromones 23% Bile 23% |
784 |
Volt | Shock | Shock Trooper | Crowd Control Damage Buff |
— | Oxides 80% Biotics 48% Pheromones 80% |
Calx 31% Synthetics 10% Bile 61% |
816 |
Voruna | Lycath's Hunt | — | Healing Energy Restore |
ALTERED: Passive Removed Health and Energy Orb drop chance reduced to 50% and cannot activate the Heavy Attack Efficiency passive. |
Oxides 72% Biotics 68% Pheromones 68% |
Calx 30% Synthetics 59% Bile 10% |
|
W |