Getting Started

Getting Started: Your First Day in Warframe

Welcome, Tenno! Warframe is a massive free-to-play game with a steep learning curve. This guide will get you through your first hour, explain the UI, controls, and essential early goals, and help you avoid common pitfalls. Follow this roadmap to start on the right foot.

First Hour Walkthrough

1. Launch and Login – After downloading (see the Download & Installation guide), create an account or log in. You'll be thrown straight into a tutorial cinematic.
2. Select Your Starter Warframe – You have three choices:
- Excalibur (balanced, sword-focused, beginner-friendly)
- Mag (shield-based, crowd control, good for later)
- Volt (electric, fast, great for mobility)
Recommendation: Excalibur is the most straightforward for new players. Don't worry – you can craft the other frames later.
3. Select Your Starter Weapons – You'll also pick a primary (rifle/bow), secondary (pistol), and melee weapon. Choose what looks fun; all are viable early.
4. The Tutorial (Vor's Prize) – The game guides you through basic movement (sprint, slide, jump, bullet jump), shooting, melee, and using your Warframe’s abilities. Follow the on-screen prompts. This quest takes about 15–20 minutes and teaches you the core mechanics.
5. Arrive at the Orbiter – After the tutorial, you’ll be in your personal spaceship (the Orbiter). From here, you access all game systems.

Character Creation (Warframe Selection)

Warframe has no traditional character creator. Your identity comes from your Warframe – a biomechanical suit with unique powers. The starter choice is permanent for that account (though you can later craft or buy other Warframes). Your gear also includes weapons, a landing craft, and cosmetic items (syandanas, helmets, armor) that can be customized from the Arsenal.

Controls on All Platforms

Below are default controls. You can rebind most options in Settings > Controls.

Note: Mobile controls are customizable with button size and position. A controller is recommended for mobile.

UI Overview

Your Orbiter has several key consoles:

• Navigation (Globe icon at front) – Select planets, missions, and star chart nodes. Follow the blinking blue nodes for the main quest.


• Arsenal (weapon rack, left side) – Equip Warframes, weapons, companions, and appearance. Upgrade mods here.


• Mods (console behind Navigation) – Equip and upgrade mods that boost your Warframe and weapons.


• Foundry (center console) – Craft Warframes, weapons, items, and blueprints. Requires resources and time.


• Market (console to the right of Navigation) – Buy blueprints, weapons, Warframes, and cosmetics with Credits (in-game currency) or Platinum (premium). Avoid buying most things with Platinum – many blueprints are free with Credits.


• Codex (computer screen near the front) – View quests, enemies, and lore.


• Syndicates (console left of Market) – Join factions to earn special rewards later.


• Relay Access (after unlocking) – Visit social hubs with other players.




Essential Early Objectives



1. Complete the Vor's Prize quest – This unlocks Navigation and the full star chart.
2. Clear the first few nodes on Earth (e.g., Mantle, Mariana) to unlock the Venus junction.
3. Unlock Venus – Do the Earth-to-Venus junction requirements (usually a simple task like killing X enemies or completing a specific mission type).
4. Reach Mercury – Complete the Venus junction tasks, then move to Mercury. At Mercury, you can farm for the component blueprints of Rhino (a tanky Warframe very useful for beginners).
5. Build the first weapon from blueprints – e.g., the Mk1-Braton (starter) can be replaced with the Braton (buy blueprint from Market for Credits).
6. Upgrade your mods – Focus on modding your primary weapon with damage mods like Serration (or Pressure Point for melee) and your Warframe with Vitality and Redirection (shields).



What to Do First and What to Avoid



DO:

• Follow the main quest line (Vor's Prize) until you can freely navigate the star chart.


• Always equip the best mods you have, even if unupgraded.


• Use your abilities – each Warframe has 4; learn what they do.


• Collect resources: Credits, Ferrite, Alloy Plate, Polymer Bundle, Salvage, Nano Spores.


• Join a clan early (or start your own) – clans offer powerful gear blueprints and a community.


• Check the Foundry often to start crafting (long timers will complete while you play).


AVOID:

• Spending platinum on cosmetics or weapons – Platinum is premium currency. Spend it on inventory slots (Warframes slots cost 20p, weapon slots cost 12p for 2) and reactors/catalysts (to supercharge gear). Never buy weapons with plat from the Market unless you have excess.


• Selling weapons too early – You need weapons to level Mastery Rank. Always level a weapon to rank 30 before selling it.


• Ignoring mods – Mods are the core of your power. Even common mods make a huge difference.


• Trying to solo hard content – Use public matchmaking for missions beyond Earth. The game scales difficulty.


• Rushing foundry items – Spending platinum to speed up crafting is rarely worth it for early items.


• Overextending in the star chart – Unlock planets step by step; don't skip to high-level nodes.

Early Resource Priorities

Resources are used in the Foundry. Early priorities:

Pro tip: Always run with a resource booster (if you have) and break containers/chests you find.

Common Beginner Mistakes

1. Not upgrading mods – A rank 5 Serration doubles your damage. Even rank 3 is a huge boost. Don't sell mods; fuse dupes to upgrade.
2. Selling your starter Warframe – Cannot be recovered easily. Keep it until you craft a new one.
3. Ignoring melee – Melee is powerful and regenerates energy via some combos. Practice bullet jump + melee slam.
4. Spending Platinum on revives – Never spend plat on revives. You have 4 free revives per day per Warframe (shared pool). If you die, wait or use a teammate.
5. Not using abilities – Each Warframe has a powerful ultimate (4th ability). Use it! But be mindful of energy management.
6. Skipping junction requirements – Junctions unlock new planets. Read the requirements and complete them – many are simple (e.g., kill 150 enemies with slash damage).
7. Building too many things at once – The Foundry queue limits you to one item per tab. Prioritize a new Warframe (Rhino) and weapon for mastery.
8. Not joining a clan – Clans provide access to dojo-only blueprints (like the Dragon Nikana, Ignis Wraith, and Warframe blueprints). Ask for an invite in Recruiting chat.

Day-One Checklist

Complete these tasks on your first day to set a strong foundation:

• [ ] Finish Vor's Prize quest (main quest).


• [ ] Equip your starter weapons and Warframe; practice bullet jumping (crouch + jump while sprinting).


• [ ] Run 3–5 missions on Earth (e.g., Mariana, Monté) to collect Ferrite and Credits.


• [ ] Purchase the Braton blueprint from the Market for 25,000 Credits (if you have enough) and start building it in the Foundry (takes 12 hours).


• [ ] Open the Codex and accept the Once Awake quest (prerequisite for later content).


• [ ] Visit the Arsenal and add any mods you have to your gear. Upgrade one damage mod (e.g., Serration for primary, Hornet Strike for secondary, Pressure Point for melee) to rank 3.


• [ ] Unlock the Venus junction (check Navigation for requirements). Complete it to reach Venus.


• [ ] On Venus, run the Fossa node (Assassination boss fight) at least once to start collecting Rhino parts (Neuroptics, Chassis, Systems blueprints). You can do this solo or in a group.


• [ ] Check the Foundry and start crafting Rhino Warframe components (takes 12 hours each).


• [ ] Join a clan (type /join clan in Recruiting chat, or ask for a starter clan).


• [ ] Watch a 5-minute beginner modding guide on YouTube (e.g., Brozime or iFlynn).


• [ ] Do NOT spend any Platinum yet. Save it for Warframe/weapon slots.

Follow this checklist and you’ll avoid the most common pitfalls. Warframe is a marathon, not a sprint – take your time, explore, and enjoy the power fantasy. Good luck, Tenno!