Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List (2025 Update)

Choosing the best primary weapon in Warframe is crucial for maximizing your damage output and surviving high-level missions. In this Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List (2025), we’ve ranked the most powerful rifles, shotguns, bows, and snipers — analyzing their performance, damage scaling, and versatility. Whether you’re exploring the Origin System or tackling Steel Path missions, this guide will help you find the weapon that truly fits your playstyle.

Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List 2025 chart comparing top rifles, shotguns, and bows.

S-Tier Weapons – Best Picks in the Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List

These weapons define the 2025 meta. They deliver unmatched area damage, excellent scaling, and remain effective even in late-game endurance missions.

1. Kuva Zarr

The Kuva Zarr remains a fan-favorite and one of the strongest AoE weapons in Warframe. Its explosive cannon fire clears entire rooms, while its cluster bomb alt-fire allows for devastating damage layering. With Galvanized mods, this weapon’s scaling potential is almost limitless.

Kuva Zarr firing AoE explosives — top primary weapon in Warframe

If you’re looking to complement Kuva Zarr’s explosive power with melee synergy, check out 👉 Warframe Melee Tier List (2025) to find melee options that pair perfectly for hybrid builds.

2. Phenmor (Incarnon)

Phenmor’s Incarnon form provides exceptional single-target burst damage and reliable critical scaling. Its infinite ammo mode and evolution upgrades make it perfect for Steel Path and boss encounters. Once fully evolved, it becomes one of the most consistent DPS primaries in the game.

For Tenno who enjoy endgame experimentation with Incarnon evolutions, take a look at 👉 Warframe Incarnon Weapons Tier List (2025) to explore other transformation-based weapons.

3. Tenet Arca Plasmor

A reinvented Corpus powerhouse, the Tenet Arca Plasmor releases energy blasts that penetrate multiple enemies, wiping out Corpus and Infested crowds. Its innate radiation damage and solid crit stats make it an outstanding all-rounder.

Tenet Arca Plasmor plasma wave — versatile primary weapon on the Warframe tier list

Players who prefer high burst AoE builds can find complementary strategies in 👉 Warframe Endgame Builds Guide (2025) for mod synergies and survivability tips.

A-Tier Choices from the Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List

These weapons perform well in most mission types and are great alternatives when you want balance between power and usability.

1. Soma Prime

Still one of the most iconic rifles in Warframe, Soma Prime delivers high critical chance and a fire rate that melts enemies in seconds. Although it’s not as explosive as Kuva Zarr, it’s incredibly consistent with a proper crit-focused build.

Soma Prime rifle Warframe gameplay 2025.

If you’re a newer Tenno learning to mod effectively, the 👉 Best Warframes for Beginners (2025 Guide) can help you understand how weapon synergy works at early levels.

2. Bubonico

A hybrid bio-weapon that fires viral bursts and lobbed explosive shots. It shines in both crowd control and sustained damage. The Bubonico is particularly effective in Infested and Defense missions where continuous firing and AoE are needed.

Bubonico bio-weapon viral burst Warframe 2025.

To push Bubonico’s potential, use Galvanized Chamber and Condition Overload synergy builds — an approach similar to those ranked in our 👉 Warframe Secondary Weapon Tier List (2025 Update).

3. Dread

Dread remains one of the best stealth bows in the game. With high slash and critical multipliers, it’s perfect for stealth missions or precision play. Its quiet shots and powerful bleed procs make it deadly even in higher-level runs.

If you enjoy stealth gameplay and tactical missions, you might also like our 👉 Warframe Spy Missions Guide (2025).

B-Tier: Niche or Specialized Weapons

Not every primary weapon dominates the meta, but these stand out in specific roles or with creative builds.

1. Cedo

Cedo’s unique glaive-style alt-fire allows you to deal both melee and ranged damage simultaneously. Its innate status chance makes it excellent for hybrid setups and team synergy. Though not the strongest in pure DPS, it’s one of the most flexible weapons available.

Cedo shotgun glaive hybrid weapon in Warframe 2025.

2. Nataruk

Nataruk rewards precision timing with guaranteed critical hits when charged perfectly. Its elegant design and smooth handling make it a favorite for experienced players. The bow excels at high-level missions where precision outperforms raw damage.

Nataruk bow critical timing shot Warframe 2025.

3. Rubico Prime

Rubico Prime continues to dominate Eidolon hunts and long-range missions. Its high zoom and critical multiplier make it a sniper of choice for specialized content. However, outside open-world or boss scenarios, it’s less efficient than the current meta weapons.

Rubico Prime sniper rifle in Warframe 2025 Eidolon hunt.

Damage Type Breakdown

To master the Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List, understanding damage types is key:

Slash: Ideal for health-based enemies.
Impact: Great against shields.
Puncture: Effective versus armor-heavy targets.
Elemental Mods: Combine viral + heat or corrosive + cold for faction-specific advantages.

Warframe primary weapon elemental damage types chart 2025.

For more about how these mechanics impact endgame scaling, see our 👉 Warframe Endgame Builds Guide (2025).

Conclusion

Primary weapons define how you play Warframe — from blasting enemies with AoE cannons to landing perfect stealth kills with precision bows. As of 2025, weapons like Kuva Zarr and Phenmor dominate, but the best choice always depends on your mission type and personal rhythm.

Keep experimenting, mix mods creatively, and adapt to new patches and updates. The best weapon is the one that keeps you engaged and unstoppable across the Origin System.

Tenno showcasing top primary weapons Warframe 2025.

For deeper weapon analytics and evolving meta builds, explore 👉 Overframe’s Primary Weapon Builds.