Warframe Tier List: The Most Popular Warframes According To Digital Extremes

Since launching in 2013, Warframe has successfully carved out a comfortable space for itself in a crowded genre. The free-to-play sci-fi game has withstood time, console generations, and juggernauts like Destiny 2 to become a well-populated and well-respected entry in the loot-shooter genre. Often seeming to operate off the beaten path, the game is nonetheless full of devotees and could be considered one of those live-service games that is much more popular than you may realize. Now, celebrating its 50th in-game character, Styanax, developer Digital Extremes has shared the official tier list of the game's titular Warframes, broken down by popularity.

Each Warframe operates as a class-based assailant designed to meet the various playstyles of the game's players. This includes Warframes that move incredibly fast and tirelessly so as to utilize shock and awe, Warframes that are built to tank for a co-op squad, and Waframes meant to deal the highest DPS in the game, among many others.

While the full list of in-game Warframes extends beyond the 15 you see here and includes Prime-variant suits, this list of 15 core Warframes comes straight from the source. GameSpot can exclusively reveal this list of the 15 most popular Warframes in the nearly decade-long live-service game. Did your favorite make the top of the list? Do you see any surprises here, or is this about what you'd expect?

On the other side, if you're new to Warframe and looking for an in, you could combine this list with our Warframe tips for beginners in order to get off to a quick start. In a game like this, with so much lore to unravel and content to play through, those initial hours are critical into wrapping your head around things.

If you're really quick, you could even get the game's 50th Warframe for free. It'll be available to all players at no charge until 11:59 ET on Thursday, Sept. 22. All you need to do is simply log into the game before then, whether you're coming back for your 2,000th hour of playtime or you're registering for the first time.

Here's the official Warframe tier list as revealed by Digital Extremes and ranked according to popularity among players.

1. Wukong

A primal warrior with the heart of a trickster. Wukong fights alongside a summonable twin to strike unaware enemies with ancient fury. Evaporate into a shroud of mist to daze enemies and recover health for Wukong and his summoned twin ally.

2. Nezha

Nezha’s playful façade conceals the burning power of the heavens. His fire blazes through battlefields to melt enemies while shielding and restoring allies.

3. Gauss

Never stop moving. Gauss' battery is charged by movement, powering devastating kinetic abilities. They can't kill what they can't hit.

4. Excalibur

A master of the blade, Excalibur ricochets from one enemy to the next with a perfect blend of offense and movement that makes him ideal for newcomers.

5. Rhino

Rhino is the heaviest Warframe. His kit focuses on solid-steel defense and disrupting attackers with catastrophic tremors.

6. Volt

Volt’s arsenal is electrifying. Energy can be used to chain lightning through adversaries, boost Volt’s speed or shield him from projectiles.

7. Titania

Wielding deadly grace, Titania slices through the sky on pixie wings. She boosts her teammates’ damage and evasiveness, whisks enemies into the air, and cleaves through victims as a small, yet deadly, sprite.

8. Mag

Using full command of surrounding magnetic energy, Mag is an expert at manipulation as she pulls in prey and deflects projectiles.

9. Mesa

With a steady hand and quick reflexes, Mesa is a true gunfighter perfect for shooting down enemies in rapid succession.

10. Revenant

Revenant rose from lifeless remains to deliver undead vengeance to foes and use them against their allies.

11. Octavia

This sonic supporter uses player-made anthems to entrance enemies, buff allies, and deal devastating damage to the beat of her songs.

12. Nidus

Nidus mutates like an epidemic sweeping through the battlefield, gaining parasitic strength from anyone pulled into the Infestation.

13. Lavos

This master experimenter effortlessly commands elemental forces. Lavos deconstructs foes with a deadly mix of fire, ice, electricity and, toxins.

14. Yareli

The vivacious Yareli commands the ocean's fury. She glides through encounters on a living surfboard and sweeps up opposing forces into the riptide.

15. Chroma

Chroma’s abilities adapt to his energy color, drastically modifying their effects. Chroma tanks incoming damage and then flips it into buffs for allies.