Warframe Secondary Weapon Tier List (2025 Update)
Why Secondary Weapons Matter in Warframe
In Warframe, secondary weapons play a critical role in shaping your overall damage output, mobility, and combat flexibility. Whether you’re a new Tenno or a veteran optimizing endgame builds, understanding the Warframe secondary weapon tier list helps you choose the right tools for every mission.
While primary weapons handle most ranged combat, secondaries can often become your main damage source — especially when modded correctly. In 2025, balance changes and new Prime variants have shifted the meta significantly, making this tier list essential for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve.
S-Tier Picks in the Warframe Secondary Tier List
These are the absolute best-in-slot secondaries in Warframe, dominating every category from raw damage to utility.
1. Kuva Nukor
The Kuva Nukor remains a top-tier secondary in 2025 due to its unique chaining beam mechanic and immense status potential. Its base 70% status chance allows for viral, radiation, and heat combinations that melt high-level enemies. With Galvanized mods and Secondary Merciless, it easily surpasses most primaries in DPS.
Check out our Warframe Primary Weapon Tier List (2025 Update) to find synergistic primaries that complement Kuva Nukor builds.
2. Tenet Cycron
The Tenet Cycron offers a powerful alternative with its infinite ammo mechanic and high status chance. Perfect for endurance runs or Steel Path missions, its innate radiation damage pairs well with crowd control abilities.
If you enjoy optimizing your loadouts, check out our 👉 Warframe Companion Tier List (2025 Update) to find the best allies to support your playstyle.
3. Epitaph (Primary Fire Mode)
Wielded by Sevagoth, the Epitaph is an incredibly versatile hybrid weapon. Its charged shots deliver high critical and status potential, while the uncharged mode provides quick status procs. With its mix of cold and impact damage, it’s excellent for armor stripping and crowd control.
You can learn how the Epitaph compares to other hybrid weapons in our Warframe Melee Weapon Tier List (2025 Update).
A-Tier Secondary Weapons in Warframe 2025
Strong, reliable, and capable of carrying you through nearly all content when modded correctly.
1. Sporelacer Kitgun
The Sporelacer Kitgun, when built with the right chamber and loader combination, provides excellent crowd control and hybrid status/crit scaling. It excels in open-world missions like the Plains of Eidolon or Orb Vallis.
If you want to pair it with stealth-focused Warframes for efficient missions, check out our 👉 Warframe Spy Missions Guide (2025) for expert tips on silent infiltration.
2. Catchmoon Kitgun
Still relevant after multiple balance patches, Catchmoon continues to impress with its punch-through energy waves. Its ability to clear rooms and deal consistent area damage makes it perfect for fast-paced missions.
Learn how Catchmoon synergizes perfectly with beginner-friendly Warframes in our 👉 Best Warframes for Beginners (2025 Guide).
3. Lex Prime
The Lex Prime may be old, but it remains a fan favorite. Its high critical damage and accuracy make it an ideal secondary for players who value precision shooting. It’s especially strong against bosses and high-level eximus enemies.
If you’re focusing on single-target DPS, check out our 👉 Warframe Endgame Builds Guide (2025) to learn how to maximize damage output against high-level enemies.
B-Tier Options from the Warframe Secondary Tier List
These weapons are decent but not outstanding. They’re fun to use and can perform well with strong modding setups.
1. Akjagara Prime
The Akjagara Prime is a dual pistol with solid critical and status stats, but its inconsistent recoil pattern limits efficiency in high-level missions.
2. Pyrana Prime
When modded for crit and multishot, Pyrana Prime offers massive burst potential. Its unique mechanic of spawning a spectral third gun makes it flashy but somewhat situational.
3. Zakti Prime
While not a raw damage dealer, Zakti Prime provides great crowd control through gas explosions. It’s a niche weapon, perfect for support-style loadouts or stealth builds.
C-Tier and Below Secondary Weapons in Warframe
These secondaries are mostly outclassed by newer or rebalanced weapons. They might still be useful for Mastery Rank progress but are not recommended for high-level play.
- Twin Grakatas: Fun but ammo-hungry.
- Vasto Prime: Stylish yet underpowered without Riven support.
- Magnus Prime: Decent but lacks scaling beyond mid-level content.
Tips for Choosing the Right Secondary Weapon in Warframe
- Match Your Warframe’s Playstyle:
Aggressive Warframes like Mesa or Wisp benefit from high crit pistols, while stealthy frames like Loki excel with silenced weapons. - Use Galvanized Mods:
Mods like Galvanized Diffusion and Galvanized Shot dramatically boost secondary performance after kills. - Combine with Arcane Enhancements:
Arcanes such as Secondary Dexterity help sustain combo bonuses when switching between melee and secondary weapons. - Balance Ammo Efficiency and Damage:
Many high-tier secondaries drain ammo quickly. Pair them with Ammo Mutation mods to maintain uptime in long missions. - Experiment with Elemental Combos:
Status-based builds like Viral + Heat or Corrosive + Radiation are effective against Steel Path enemies.
Conclusion
The Warframe secondary weapon tier list (2025) shows just how diverse the arsenal has become. Whether you prefer precision pistols, beam weapons, or explosive kitguns, there’s a top-performing secondary for every playstyle. The meta continues to evolve as Digital Extremes adjusts weapon balance, so staying informed will help you keep your edge.
If you’re ready to optimize your full arsenal, you can also explore community weapon rankings and live statistics on Overframe.gg.