Warframe Tier List 2026: All Frames Ranked (Update 41)

by GameTree Team

Last update: January 17, 2026

Added information about the best warframe for new players – Rhino

Table of Contents

Last Updated: January 17, 2026

Author – Darren Buser

What We Updated

Updated tier list for Update 41: The Old Peace (December 2025)
Added Uriel, Gyre Prime, and Caliban Prime to rankings
Revised S-tier to include Dante and Revenant based on current meta
Updated best Warframe recommendations for new players
Added information about new game modes and Focus system changes

Quick Overview

Warframe continues to evolve with Update 41: The Old Peace bringing massive changes to the meta in late 2025. With 63 unique Warframes now available (including the newly added Uriel), choosing the right frame for your playstyle and mission type has never been more important. This tier list ranks all Warframes based on their performance in endgame content including Steel Path, Arbitrations, and the new Descendia and Perita Rebellion game modes.

Whether you’re farming resources, tackling high-level survivals, or running quick captures, understanding where each Warframe stands in the current meta will help you make smarter choices about where to invest your Forma and time. Looking for coordinated squadmates to tackle endgame content? GameTree’s Warframe LFG page connects you with Tenno who share your mission goals and playstyle preferences.

Update 41: The Old Peace Changes

Digital Extremes released Update 41: The Old Peace on December 10, 2025, introducing significant narrative content and gameplay systems that affect Warframe viability:

New Warframe – Uriel: The 63rd playable Warframe focuses on demonic abilities and crowd control, currently ranking in A-tier for general content
Descendia Game Mode: Endless infernal descent rewarding high-damage AOE frames like Saryn and Mesa
The Perita Rebellion: 12-minute survival mode on Tau moon favoring tanky frames with strong area denial
Focus System Expansion: New Tektolyst Artifacts and Arcanes enhance ability-focused Warframes significantly
Gyre Prime & Caliban Prime: Prime variants added in 2025 with improved base stats

These changes shifted the meta toward Warframes with strong AOE damage, self-sustain, and ability-scaling potential. Frames like Dante (with his Overguard generation) and Revenant (with damage immunity) have risen to dominance.

How This Tier List Was Created

Our Warframe tier list rankings are based on multiple factors that determine effectiveness across all game modes:

Damage Output: Ability to eliminate enemies quickly in Steel Path and level-cap scenarios
Survivability: Health pool, armor, shields, and defensive abilities that keep you alive
Utility: Crowd control, team support, and versatility across mission types
Scaling: Performance in endgame content like hour-long survivals and arbitrations
Ease of Use: Accessibility for both new and veteran players

We’ve analyzed data from top-tier players, recent balance patches through Update 41, and community consensus to create the most accurate January 2026 meta snapshot. Note that even lower-tier Warframes can excel in specific mission types with proper modding.

Complete Warframe Tier List (Update 41)

Loot Tier – Best Farming Warframes

If resource and mod farming is your goal, these three Warframes stand above all others by multiplying loot drops. Since Warframe’s endgame revolves around collecting resources to craft gear, these frames deserve their own category:

Nekros (and Nekros Prime): Desecrate ability forces slain enemies to drop additional loot. With unlimited range and no enemy cap, Nekros dominates farming missions. His Health Conversion augment also provides excellent survivability. Essential for farming resources like Argon Crystals, Orokin Cells, and rare mods.
Khora (and Khora Prime): Pilfering Strangledome augment doubles loot from ensnared enemies. Her combination of crowd control, damage, and loot multiplication makes her the best all-around farming frame. Can solo most content while generating resources passively.
Hydroid (and Hydroid Prime): After his rework, Hydroid’s Pilfering Swarm augment multiplies loot from tentacle-caught enemies. Many players consider him the best solo farming frame for missions like Index and Dark Sectors. His recent buffs improved damage output significantly.

These three frames are non-negotiable for serious resource farming. If you’re grinding Prime parts, Endo, or crafting materials, always bring one of these Warframes.

S-Tier – Meta-Defining Powerhouses

S-tier Warframes dominate the current meta with exceptional performance across all content types. These frames trivialize endgame content and require minimal forma investment to excel:

Saryn (and Saryn Prime): The undisputed AOE damage queen. Saryn’s viral spores spread across entire tilesets, dealing millions of damage in endless missions. Her Miasma ability nukes entire rooms instantly. Excels in Defense, Survival, and the new Descendia mode. With proper modding, she can solo level-cap Steel Path missions. Recent Focus system changes made her even stronger.
Mesa (and Mesa Prime): Single-target DPS king with her Peacemaker ability auto-targeting enemies within range. Mesa’s Shatter Shield provides 95% damage reduction, making her incredibly tanky. Dominates boss fights, Index farming, and any mission requiring quick eliminations. Her recent buffs to Shooting Gallery duration improved team support utility.
Dante: The newest S-tier addition after his release earlier in 2025. Dante generates Overguard for entire squads through his support abilities, making teams nearly unkillable. His Exalted weapon received massive buffs with Arcane slottability in Update 41. Built-in Slash damage nuke provides AOE clearing. Despite nerfs shortly after release, remains meta-defining for coordinated teams.
Revenant (and Revenant Prime): Arguably the most unkillable Warframe in the game. Mesmer Skin provides complete damage immunity and status effect immunity for a set number of hits. Can solo Archon Hunts, Steel Path Circulus, and other endgame content with ease. His Reave ability provides healing and mobility. Thralls create energy sustain through passive energy regeneration.
Wukong (and Wukong Prime): Post-rework Wukong combines survivability, damage, and utility. His Celestial Twin doubles your damage output by copying weapon fire. Cloudwalker provides invulnerability and healing during repositioning. Defy grants massive armor buffs and knockdown immunity. Excellent for solo play and long endurance runs.
Wisp (and Wisp Prime): Supreme support frame with game-changing buffs. Her Reservoirs provide health regeneration, movement speed, and shock procs to all allies. Breach Surge amplifies damage and provides crowd control through teleportation. Can turn invisible while airborne for survivability. Essential for organized squads in Eidolon hunts and Profit-Taker runs.
Octavia (and Octavia Prime): Unique rhythm-based gameplay creates insane damage scaling. Mallet reflects enemy damage while buffing allies. Metronome provides invisibility, multishot, and melee damage based on matching musical beats. Can go permanently invisible while buffing team damage to absurd levels. Trivializes Spy missions and long survivals.

These Warframes represent the absolute peak of what’s possible in Warframe. If you’re pushing level-cap content or optimizing clear times, prioritize building these frames first.

A-Tier – Powerful and Versatile Choices

A-tier Warframes excel in most content but have specific weaknesses or require more investment than S-tier frames. Still excellent choices for endgame content:

Rhino (and Rhino Prime): The best beginner Warframe and still viable in endgame. Iron Skin provides invulnerability when properly modded with Iron Shrapnel augment. Roar buffs team damage by 50%+ with Power Strength builds. Rhino Stomp freezes entire rooms for crowd control. Accessible early-game (Venus boss drop) and scales infinitely with right mods.
Nova (and Nova Prime): Master of speed and crowd control. Molecular Prime slows enemies by 75% (or speeds them up for fast farming) while doubling damage taken. Wormhole provides instant teleportation for objective rushing. Null Star grants damage reduction. Essential for organized farming groups and Eidolon hunts.
Nidus (and Nidus Prime): Immortal tank that thrives in endless missions. No shields means Rage/Hunter Adrenaline mods provide infinite energy. Mutation stacks increase ability strength infinitely. Regenerates from zero health automatically. Parasitic Link provides damage reduction and power strength. Best frame for endurance runs lasting multiple hours.
Protea: Time-manipulation specialist with incredible utility. Artillery grenades deal scaling damage. Dispensary provides health, energy, and ammo to squad. Her ultimate rewinds time to restore health, energy, and ammo. Excellent for solo content and supporting teams. Recent buffs to grenade damage improved her DPS significantly.
Gyre (and Gyre Prime): Electric damage specialist added in Update 41. Cathode Grace provides energy regeneration and electric buffs. Rotorswell creates arcing electricity that chains between enemies. Her ultimate (Coil Horizon) generates a massive electric field dealing percentage-based damage. Strong in new Perita Rebellion mode against armored Sentient enemies.
Uriel: The newest Warframe from Update 41: The Old Peace. Uriel focuses on demonic transformation and crowd control abilities. His kit synergizes well with Focus system changes, particularly Tektolyst Artifacts. Still being tested by community, but early consensus places him in solid A-tier for general content.
Caliban (and Caliban Prime): Sentient-themed frame released in 2025. Razor Gyre provides mobility and damage. Sentient Wrath strips armor and shields. Fusion Strike provides AOE damage. His passive adapts to damage types received. Strong choice for new Tau content in Update 41.
Gauss (and Gauss Prime): Speed-focused frame with incredible mobility. Mach Rush provides fastest traversal in game for objective rushing. Kinetic Plating grants 100% damage reduction when battery is charged. Thermal Sunder provides AOE damage and armor/shield strip. Essential for Disruption missions and Thermia Fractures.
Equinox (and Equinox Prime): Dual-form frame offering versatility. Day form buffs damage and provides AOE nuke through Maim. Night form provides healing and crowd control through Rest. Pacify and Provoke provide team-wide damage reduction or damage buffs. Requires understanding form-switching mechanics but rewards mastery.

B-Tier – Solid Situational Picks

B-tier Warframes work well in specific mission types or with heavy investment, but struggle to match higher tiers in general effectiveness:

Mag (and Mag Prime): Magnetic damage specialist that dominates Corpus missions. Magnetize creates damage-multiplying bubbles. Polarize strips shields and armor. Counter Pulse provides crowd control. Her damage scales infinitely against grouped enemies but struggles in wide-open tilesets.
Ember (and Ember Prime): Heat damage specialist who used to dominate the meta. Recent ability damage scaling changes reduced her effectiveness. Still viable for low-to-mid level farming with her fire aura passive clearing rooms. Inferno provides decent AOE nuke. Immolation grants damage reduction. Better options exist for endgame content.
Volt (and Volt Prime): Electric damage frame essential for Eidolon hunts. Electric Shield provides critical damage multiplier for organized teams. Speed boosts entire squad movement. Discharge provides crowd control through stun. Limited survivability holds him back in Steel Path content.
Baruuk (and Baruuk Prime): Unique restraint-based tank. Elude provides automatic enemy evasion. Lull puts enemies to sleep. Serene Storm (his Exalted weapon) deals percentage-based true damage when restraint is depleted. Extremely tanky but requires understanding restraint management. Better tank options available.
Lavos: Elemental master with cooldown-based abilities instead of energy. Combines all four elemental damage types. Ophidian Bite provides healing and status cleanse. Vial Rush provides mobility. Catalyst converts status effects into energy. Interesting mechanics but outclassed by simpler frames.
Trinity (and Trinity Prime): Classic support frame focused on energy and healing. Energy Vampire provides energy to entire team. Blessing heals all allies to full health and provides damage reduction. Link redirects damage to enemies. Her role has been partially replaced by easier-to-use supports like Wisp.
Frost (and Frost Prime): Defense specialist for stationary objectives. Snow Globe creates invulnerable barrier around objectives. Avalanche provides armor strip and crowd control. Ice Wave slows enemies. Essential for mobile defense but outclassed in other mission types by frames with better AOE damage.

C-Tier – Niche Use Cases

C-tier Warframes struggle in the current meta but can work with specific builds or mission types. Generally require heavy forma and rare mods to match B-tier performance:

Nezha (and Nezha Prime): Fire-based tank with mobility focus. Divine Spears impales enemies over large area. Warding Halo provides invulnerability similar to Rhino’s Iron Skin but with lower numbers. Fire Walker provides movement speed. Overshadowed by Rhino who does the tank role better.
Gara (and Gara Prime): Glass-themed frame with scaling damage. Splinter Storm stacks damage infinitely through ability refresh. Mass Vitrify creates glass wall for defense. Can achieve Steel Path level damage but requires specific build knowledge and time investment per mission.
Loki (and Loki Prime): Stealth specialist who dominated early Warframe meta. Invisibility provides permanent stealth with duration builds. Switch Teleport allows objective manipulation. Radial Disarm strips enemy weapons. S-tier for Spy missions specifically, but C-tier for general content as invisibility doesn’t scale damage.
Titania (and Titania Prime): Fairy-themed frame with Archwing transformation. Razorwing provides incredible mobility and damage when built correctly. Spellbind provides crowd control. Lantern creates damage-dealing decoys. Very squishy without proper modding and struggles against nullifier bubbles.
Yareli (and Yareli Prime): K-Drive surfing frame released to mixed reception. Merulina provides mobility and damage reduction while riding. Sea Snares groups enemies for secondary weapons. Aquablades creates orbiting water slashes. Fun concept but impractical for most endgame content.

D-Tier – Needs Buffs or Reworks

D-tier Warframes are currently underperforming and require significant buffs or complete reworks to compete with modern frames. These are mastery rank fodder for most players:

Chroma (and Chroma Prime): Elemental dragon frame that used to excel in damage buffing. Vex Armor provides damage and armor buffs based on damage taken. His role has been completely replaced by easier-to-use frames. Only viable use is Profit-Taker Eidolon for credit farming. Desperately needs rework.
Limbo (and Limbo Prime): Dimensional rift frame with polarizing mechanics. Can freeze enemies in the rift and provide objective invulnerability. However, rift mechanics disrupt team gameplay and most players hate having Limbo in squad. Since Nullifier bubbles no longer delete Limbo’s Cataclysm on contact, he moved up slightly from previous rankings but still niche.
Inaros (and Inaros Prime): Pure health tank with no shields or energy. Sandstorm provides crowd control. Devour heals through enemy finishers. Scarab Swarm creates armor from enemy kills. Massive 7,000+ health pool sounds great but offers no utility compared to modern tanks like Rhino or Revenant who provide invulnerability instead.
Nyx (and Nyx Prime): Mind control specialist who used to dominate crowd control meta. Chaos confuses enemies. Absorb creates damage-absorbing bubble. Psychic Bolts strips defenses. Outclassed by every other crowd control frame as confused enemies don’t contribute to objective completion.
Banshee (and Banshee Prime): Sound-based frame focused on damage amplification. Sonar highlights weak points for massive damage multipliers. Silence provides stun aura. Soundquake deals continuous AOE damage but roots Banshee in place. Extremely squishy and requires perfect positioning. Better damage amplifiers exist (Rhino’s Roar, Mirage’s Eclipse).

Best Warframes for New Players

If you’re just starting your journey in Warframe, these frames are accessible, forgiving, and remain viable even in endgame content:

Rhino – The Perfect Starter Frame

Rhino is widely considered the best Warframe for beginners and remains powerful through all content tiers. Available from the Fossa boss fight on Venus (accessible within your first few hours), Rhino teaches fundamental Warframe mechanics while being incredibly forgiving:

Iron Skin: Grants invulnerability that absorbs damage based on armor. With Iron Shrapnel augment, can be refreshed infinitely. New players can face-tank damage that would kill squishier frames.
Roar: Provides massive damage buff to all weapons and abilities for entire squad. Scales with Power Strength mods.
Rhino Charge: Mobility tool that knocks down enemies and provides crowd control.
Rhino Stomp: Freezes all enemies in large radius, giving breathing room during overwhelming situations.

Rhino requires minimal forma investment, works with basic mods from early star chart, and his playstyle (activate Iron Skin, shoot things) is extremely straightforward. Even veteran players use Rhino Prime for Steel Path content.

Other Beginner-Friendly Options

Excalibur: Your starting frame (or available from Mars). Exalted Blade provides melee damage that scales with mods. Radial Blind provides crowd control. Slash Dash offers mobility. Simple to understand and effective through star chart completion.
Wukong: Unlocked from clan dojo research. Celestial Twin doubles damage output. Cloudwalker provides invulnerability. Defy grants second life. Extremely forgiving for learning game mechanics.
Oberon: Drops from Eximus units throughout star chart. Hallowed Ground provides armor and status immunity. Renewal heals allies over time. Reckoning provides radiation proc for crowd control. Jack-of-all-trades frame that handles most mission types.

Once you’re comfortable with game mechanics, transition to S-tier frames like Mesa or Saryn for maximum effectiveness. Need help finding veteran players to run difficult boss fights? GameTree’s Discord LFG bot connects you with experienced Tenno willing to help newer players farm Warframe parts and navigate the star chart.

Mission-Specific Recommendations

While tier lists rank overall power, certain Warframes excel in specific mission types:

Defense & Survival

Best: Saryn, Octavia, Khora, Mesa – AOE damage and crowd control dominate these modes. Saryn’s spores clear rooms automatically. Khora combines damage with loot farming.

Spy & Rescue

Best: Loki, Ivara, Wukong – Permanent invisibility trivializes stealth objectives. Loki’s switch teleport can shortcut vault puzzles.

Exterminate & Capture

Best: Gauss, Volt, Wukong – Speed frames complete objectives fastest. Gauss’s Mach Rush covers entire tilesets in seconds.

Disruption

Best: Gauss, Revenant, Protea – Frames that can quickly eliminate demolysts while defending conduits. Revenant’s Mesmer Skin provides immunity to demolyst abilities.

Eidolon Hunts

Best: Volt, Wisp, Trinity, Harrow – Organized Eidolon hunts require specific team compositions. Volt provides damage buffs through shields, Wisp provides electric procs and buffs, Trinity provides energy, Harrow provides critical damage buffs.

Steel Path & Endgame

Best: Revenant, Octavia, Saryn, Wukong – Survivability and scaling damage matter most. Revenant’s complete immunity makes him the safest choice for solo Steel Path.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the strongest Warframe in 2026?

Saryn Prime is widely considered the strongest Warframe for general content due to her unmatched AOE damage potential. However, “strongest” depends on context – Revenant is stronger for solo endurance, Mesa for boss killing, and Dante for team support.

Should I build regular frames or wait for Prime versions?

Build regular frames as you encounter them during star chart progression. Prime versions offer stat improvements but are not dramatically different. Many top-tier frames (Dante, Gauss, Protea) don’t have Prime variants yet and still dominate the meta.

How often does the Warframe meta change?

Major meta shifts occur with mainline updates every 3-4 months. Update 41 (December 2025), Update 40 (October 2025), and Update 39 (May 2025) each introduced new frames and balance changes. Minor hotfixes tweak individual frames more frequently. Check official patch notes regularly.

Are low-tier Warframes worth building?

Yes, for mastery rank progression. Every Warframe provides 6,000 mastery points when leveled to rank 30. Additionally, some C-tier and D-tier frames excel in specific niches – Loki dominates Spy missions despite low general-tier placement.

What mods do I need for endgame Warframes?

Core mods for any endgame build: Primed Continuity, Primed Flow, Transient Fortitude, Blind Rage, Adaptation, Rolling Guard, Brief Respite, Arcane Energize. Farm these from Arbitrations, Baro Ki’Teer, and Eidolon hunts. Focus on maxing Vitality, Intensify, Continuity, and Streamline first as new player.

Can I solo endgame content with any Warframe?

S-tier and most A-tier frames can solo Steel Path and level 9999 content with proper builds. B-tier frames require more investment and player skill. C-tier and D-tier frames struggle without specific strategies. Revenant, Octavia, and Wukong are the safest solo choices.

What’s Next for Warframe in 2026?

Based on developer announcements and community expectations, here’s what’s coming to Warframe in 2026:

Major Tau System Update: Update 41: The Old Peace was described as a “prelude” to a much larger Tau-focused expansion coming later in 2026. Expect new tilesets, enemies, and potentially multiple new Warframes.
TennoCon 2026: Confirmed for mid-2026 with tickets going on sale February 27, 2026. Major reveals expected including new Warframes, cinematics, and expansion announcements.
Dagath Deluxe Skin: Confirmed for February 2026 release to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse theme).
Vauban Heirloom Skin: Early 2026 release confirmed. Each Warframe will eventually receive an Heirloom skin treatment.
Continued Prime Releases: Based on release patterns, expect 3-4 new Prime Warframes throughout 2026.
Cross-Save Improvements: Digital Extremes confirmed ongoing improvements to cross-platform functionality including potential Switch 2 native port.

The Warframe development team has maintained consistent updates for over 10 years, so expect the meta to continue evolving throughout 2026.

Conclusion

Warframe’s tier list constantly evolves with each update, but the fundamentals remain: prioritize frames that match your playstyle and mission goals. S-tier frames like Saryn, Mesa, and Dante dominate general content, while specialized frames excel in specific niches. New players should start with accessible frames like Rhino before transitioning to more complex options.

Update 41: The Old Peace introduced Uriel and expanded endgame systems, but didn’t drastically shake up the established meta. The upcoming major Tau expansion in 2026 may introduce meta-defining changes, so stay informed through official patch notes and community discussion.

Remember: even D-tier Warframes can complete most content with proper modding. Play what you enjoy, but understand each frame’s strengths and weaknesses. The best Warframe is the one you have fun using.

Ready to squad up with veteran Tenno for farming rare Warframe parts? Find your Warframe crew on GameTree’s LFG page, or use our Discord bot to instantly connect with players running the same missions. Just type /lfg Warframe in any Discord server with GameTree installed – no signup required to start finding squads for Eidolon hunts, relic farming, or Steel Path runs.