Warframe is a free-to-play multiplayer looter-shooter from Digital Extremes, first released in 2013. You play as a Tenno, controlling a Warframe, a fast suit with unique abilities, and use guns, melee weapons and movement to complete missions across a star system. The game does not hand you much guidance, and the amount of content is large. This guide gives you a clear order of priorities for your first weeks: choose a starter, clear the Star Chart, understand Mastery Rank, use mods, craft in the Foundry and join a clan.
Choose a starter Warframe
At the start you pick one of the starter Warframes, and your starting weapons depend on the choice. The Warframe wiki lists Excalibur, Mag and Volt, and describes Volt as the most balanced of the three starters, offering buffs, survivability and damage. Some other guides list Loki among the starter options, so check what the in-game selection screen offers. Do not agonize over the choice. You will unlock many more Warframes through crafting, and the starter is mainly a way to learn the game.
Follow the Star Chart first
The Star Chart is your map of the entire Origin System, with planets and mission nodes connected by branching paths. The official Warframe advice is to complete the Star Chart first. Progress through the Junctions and the main quests, because completing it unlocks planets, mission locations and resources you need for crafting. Clearing it also unlocks quests and rewards and raises your Mastery Rank. Many new players try to build new Warframes after only a few planets, and then stall. Keep moving through the chart.
Stick to squads early on
Warframe is designed as a multiplayer game. Squads complete objectives and defeat enemies faster, and a friend can help you learn mission mechanics. You can queue solo, but joining a squad is often easier, and you learn faster when you see how other players move and fight.
Mastery Rank explained
Mastery Rank is your account level. You can see it in the top-left of the Main Menu or under Profile. You gain Mastery by using Warframes and weapons in missions, by leveling gear to rank 30 for the first time, and by completing Star Chart nodes for the first time. One guide notes each Warframe gives 6,000 Mastery points and each weapon 3,000 when leveled to 30. When you have enough points you can take a Mastery Rank test, which you can attempt only once every 24 hours, and passing it raises your rank. Higher ranks unlock more loadout slots, better weapons and Warframes, and some content and events are locked behind them.
Warframe advises you to master every item you use before moving on, even if it is not your favorite, because full mastery usually comes around Rank 30. Once an item reaches rank 30, it no longer earns Mastery for you.
The core loop
- Clear Star Chart missions.
- Level up your starter weapons and Warframes.
- Mod your gear when you feel too weak to progress.
Repeat this loop and you will make steady progress. Max out your starting weapons first, since they are weak but give Mastery Rank progress when leveled. Then buy basic weapon blueprints from the marketplace with credits, and when you cannot afford more, farm and craft other blueprints.
Mods: the key to power
Mods boost Warframes and weapons, and without them you reach only a fraction of your potential. You unlock Mods by playing, so loot everything. Fill each item capacity. Early useful Mods include Redirection and Vitality for survivability and Intensify for abilities. Mods level up using Endo, which is hard to find early on, so upgrade the useful ones when you can. In the early game you only need one copy of most Mods, so you can dissolve duplicates into Endo.
The Foundry and the Market
Most weapons and Warframes are crafted in the Foundry, which requires the item blueprint. Some blueprints are sold in the Market, usually for Credits, and you can also add items directly to your Arsenal with Platinum. Crafting takes time, so queue items you want before you log off. Build things even if you do not need them yet, because ranking up new gear is how Mastery Rank grows.
Platinum: what to spend your starter amount on
New players receive 50 starter Platinum, the premium currency. One guide recommends spending it on additional slots, namely four weapon slots and one Warframe slot, for a total of 44 Platinum. Slots let you own more weapons and Warframes at once, which matters for Mastery. You can earn Platinum in-game through trading, so avoid spending it on things you can farm.
Master the movement
Movement is a big part of Warframe. You learn the Bullet Jump early: crouch, then jump to launch forward. Combine it with the Double Jump or Aim Glide, which you trigger by aiming your weapon while airborne. Crouch again in mid-jump to slide into another Bullet Jump. Aiming the camera upward before jumping sends you high into the air. Practice these moves in easy missions, because good movement makes you harder to hit and speeds up every mission.
Weapons worth building early
Community guides commonly point new players toward a short list of early weapons that are easy to craft and strong for their rank, including the Boltor, the Hek, the Ignis and the Orthos. Build them, rank them to 30 and enjoy the Mastery Rank they give, even if you later switch to something else. The same logic applies to Warframes: guides often suggest building frames like Rhino and Garuda early, both because they are useful and because ranking them raises your Mastery. Do not stress over finding the perfect build at this stage. Rank everything you craft, and delete or sell gear only after it reaches rank 30 if you need the slot.
Companions, extractors and Syndicates
As you play you will unlock extra systems. A companion with a vacuum ability saves time by gathering resources for you in missions. Extractors are drones you build and assign to a planet on the Star Chart once you have completed all the missions on that planet, and how many you can deploy depends on your Mastery Rank. Syndicates are factions that offer rank-ups and rewards, and the best ones require the foundations you build by completing the Star Chart. Treat all of these as bonuses once your basic loop is running smoothly.
The introduction mission
Your very first mission teaches movement, the objective and a choice that affects your start. Take your time here, learn the controls and experiment with the Bullet Jump. If you are stuck on how to progress, simply clear Star Chart nodes, Junctions and quests. That progress rewards you with Mastery Rank experience and unlocks the next step.
Use the Codex
The Codex is an in-game database that covers Warframes, Mods and enemies. Access it from the console on the left side of your Orbiter or under Profile in the Main Menu. It also tracks your main and side quests, so check it if you are lost.
Open landscapes: come back later
Open landscapes such as the Plains of Eidolon and Orb Vallis appear early, but the official advice is to move beyond them and return later. The top-level Bounties and Syndicate rank-ups there require stronger loadouts and more knowledge than you will have at first. Finish the Star Chart and main quests, then return.
Join a clan
Clans are persistent groups of players. Joining one gives you access to the Clan Dojo, where you can meet other players and use labs that offer clan-exclusive blueprints for weapons, Warframes and resources. You can join a random clan through the Clan finder to get early blueprints easily, and a Dojo Key lets you access your clan labs, which have terminals selling early weapons and blueprints.
Take your time
You cannot do everything as a new player. After you finish the Star Chart and the main quests, focus on the parts of Warframe that are fun for you, such as open landscapes, alerts or even fishing, instead of chasing alerts, Nightwave and events all at once. Do not worry about optimizing everything early on.
Quick start checklist
- Pick a starter Warframe and finish the introduction mission.
- Rank up your starter weapons and Warframe to 30.
- Follow the Star Chart and the main quests.
- Equip mods and fill each item capacity.
- Join a clan to get early blueprints from the Dojo.
- Take each Mastery Rank test as soon as you qualify, since you can only attempt one every 24 hours.
- Return to open landscapes once your loadout is stronger.
Frequently asked questions
Is Warframe free?
Yes. It is free to play, with Platinum as an optional premium currency.
What should I do first?
Complete the Star Chart and the main quests.
What is Mastery Rank?
Your account level, gained by leveling gear and clearing the Star Chart.
How do I get more Warframes?
Craft them in the Foundry from blueprints.
Should I join a clan?
Yes. It gives you the Dojo and early blueprints.
Do I need mods?
Yes. Mods are how you boost your Warframe and weapons.
Can I play solo?
Yes, though squads are faster for many missions.