Congratulations on completing The New War, one of Warframe’s most ambitious cinematic quests. You have witnessed the fall of the Lotus, battled the Sentients, and made choices that ripple across the Origin System. Now the main quest is over, but your journey is far from finished. Warframe opens up a wealth of new content, systems, and challenges after this point. This guide walks you through exactly what to do next and how to make the most of the post-New War experience.
After the credits roll, you will find yourself back in your Orbiter with a whole new landscape to explore. The first thing to do is check your Codex for new quests, because The New War serves as a gateway to several major story arcs and gameplay expansions. Here’s how to tackle each one in a strategic order.
Complete the Angels of the Zariman Quest
The most immediate narrative follow-up is the Angels of the Zariman quest. Head to your Codex and activate it from the quest list. This quest introduces you to the Zariman Ten Zero, a massive derelict ship trapped in the Void, and unravels more about the Void’s influence and the mysterious Holdfasts. It’s not just story—completing it unlocks the Zariman as a permanent hub with its own bounty system, syndicate, and resource loop. You will also meet the Holdfasts syndicate and gain access to the Voidplume resource economy, which is crucial for crafting new gear.
Explore the Zariman Ten Zero Hub
Once you finish Angels of the Zariman, the Zariman becomes your new base of operations for mid-to-late game progression. Navigate to it from the star chart. Inside, you will find four NPCs representing the Holdfasts: Cavalero, Quinn, Archimedian Yonta, and Hombask. Each offers unique services: Cavalero sells Incarnon weapon blueprints and evolution materials, Yonta trades Voidplumes for standing and cosmetic rewards, Quinn provides bounties and lore, and Hombask sells Zariman-themed decorations. Spend time familiarizing yourself with the layout—it’s smaller than an open world like Deimos, but packed with functionality.
The Zariman is also where you access the new mission types: Void Flood, Cascade, and Armageddon. These missions are not only fun and rewarding but also the primary source for Voidplumes, Pinions, and other resources you need to rank up with the Holdfasts and craft the latest weapons and the Warframe Gyre.
Farm Voidplumes and Raise Standing with the Holdfasts
The Holdfasts syndicate uses a unique resource-based standing system. Instead of standing caps and daily rep like Solaris United, you collect Voidplumes (Quills, Downs, Vanes, Crests, Pinions) scattered throughout Zariman missions. Turn them in to Archimedian Yonta for standing. Prioritize farming the highest tier available—Pinions drop from Void Angels, which you learn to defeat during the quest line. To rank up efficiently, always have a goal: each rank unlocks new offerings, from powerful Incarnon weaponry to the Gyre blueprint. Consider running public bounties from Quinn to double dip on mission rewards and Voidplume pickups.
As you progress, you will accumulate resources like Entrati Lanthorns, Orokin Cells, and new crafting components. Use them to build the Phenmor, Laetum, and Felarx Incarnon weapons. These guns evolve into monstrous forms once you charge them with headshots, and they remain among the strongest weapons in the game.
Unlock New Warframes and Weapons
Several Warframes become available after The New War, each tied to different content drops. Gyre is the direct reward from Zariman bounties and the Holdfasts syndicate. Her electricity-based crowd control and critical enhancement abilities make her a fantastic addition to any squad. Styanax was originally a promotional frame but now appears in the Circuit’s weekly rotation after completing The Duviri Paradox. Caliban, a sentient-themed Warframe, is crafted with resources from Narmer bounties on the Plains of Eidolon and Orb Vallis—these become accessible after completing The New War. To get Caliban, you will need to run high-level Narmer bounties and gather Anomaly Shards from Railjack.
For weapons, the Zariman Incarnon arsenal is a top priority. The Phenmor rifle, Laetum pistol, and Felarx shotgun each have devastating Incarnon transformations. Additionally, the Aeolak and Hespar drop from Zariman missions. Later, the Duviri Paradox introduces even more Incarnon adapters for classic weapons via the Circuit game mode.
Take on the Veilbreaker Quest and Archon Hunts
After The New War, you can start the Veilbreaker quest, which continues the story of Kahl-175, a Grineer soldier you briefly controlled. This quest is short but unlocks Kahl’s Garrison, a weekly mission hub accessible from the Drifter’s Camp. Here you run Kahl’s Break Narmer weekly missions to earn Stock, which can be traded for mods, weapon blueprints, and Archon Shards. Archon Shards are permanent upgrades to your Warframes, boosting stats like ability strength, duration, armor, or health—so they are essential for endgame builds.
Completing Veilbreaker also opens Archon Hunts, weekly missions that pit you against a powerful Archon boss. These are tough encounters requiring a well-modded squad, but the reward is a guaranteed Archon Shard. If you are new to endgame content, consider teaming up with friends or using public matchmaking. Farming Archon Shards consistently will dramatically increase your power level for Steel Path and beyond.
Progress to the Duviri Paradox
The Duviri Paradox is a completely separate quest and open-world expansion that becomes available after The New War. While you can technically start it immediately, it’s recommended to first gather some upgraded gear from the Zariman and Veilbreaker content, because Duviri’s roguelike Circuit mode pulls from your entire arsenal, and having more modded weapons and Warframes increases your success. The Duviri landscape itself offers a Drifter-focused melee combat experience and serves as a stunning narrative revelation about the Operator and the Void.
In Duviri, you will also unlock the Circuit, a wave-based gamemode that grants Incarnon Genesis adapters for older weapons like the Braton, Latron, and Strun. This system lets you transform classic guns into Incarnon powerhouses, blending nostalgia with endgame performance. To maximize your progress, alternate between Zariman farming, Archon Hunts, and Duviri runs each week. The variety keeps the game fresh and prevents burnout.
Master the Incarnon Weapon System
By now, you have access to two tiers of Incarnon weapons: the original Zariman originals and the Genesis adapters from Steel Path Circuit in Duviri. Understanding how to evolve these weapons is key. Visit Cavalero on the Zariman to install adapters and spend resources to unlock evolution tiers, each providing powerful passive bonuses. Choose evolutions that complement your playstyle—for example, the Phenmor’s evolution that increases fire rate on headshots is devastating with a high-crit build. For Genesis weapons, you unlock their Incarnon forms by completing specific challenges in Circuit and then installing the adapter at Cavalero.
Investing time in the Incarnon system pays off massively. These weapons can shred level 200+ Steel Path enemies, making them staples for endurance runs and boss fights. If you enjoy tinkering with builds, this is your playground.
Strengthen Your Arsenal for Steel Path and Beyond
With the new tools at your disposal, you can now tackle Steel Path difficulty. Steel Path is a hard mode that applies a 100-level increase, enhanced enemy shields/armor, and spawns more enemies. It unlocks when you complete every node on the standard star chart. The reward for completing Steel Path nodes is Steel Essence, which Teshin in the Relay exchanges for powerful mods, Kuva, and cosmetics. Your Incarnon weapons, Archon Shards, and new Warframes will make this mode far more manageable.
Beyond Steel Path, you have Arbitrations (which you may have already unlocked), Sanctuary Onslaught for leveling, Eidolon Hunts for Arcanes, and Railjack missions if you haven’t fully upgraded your ship. The post-New War game is essentially a launchpad into Warframe’s endgame. Set your own goals: collect all Incarnon weapons, min-max your favorite Warframe with Archon Shards, or chase the latest Prime releases. The world is yours to conquer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first thing I should do after The New War?
Start the Angels of the Zariman quest from your Codex. This immediately opens up a new hub, syndicate, and resource loop that will dominate your next few weeks of progression.
How do I unlock the Zariman hub?
Complete the Angels of the Zariman quest. Once finished, the Zariman node appears in the Void region of your star chart, and you can travel there as you would to any relay or open world.
What are Archon Hunts?
Archon Hunts are weekly boss missions unlocked after finishing the Veilbreaker quest. You fight a heavily modified Archon (a sentient-warfame hybrid) for a guaranteed Archon Shard, a permanent upgrade item for your Warframes.
Can I get new Warframes after The New War?
Yes. Gyre is available from Zariman bounties and the Holdfasts syndicate. Caliban comes from Narmer bounties and Anomaly Shards. Styanax appears in the Duviri Circuit rotation. Additionally, some frames like Voruna and Citrine are tied to later updates not directly gated by The New War.
What are Incarnon weapons and how do I get them?
Incarnon weapons evolve during combat after charging up with headshots (or other conditions), transforming into a more powerful form. The first set—Phenmor, Laetum, Felarx—are obtained from Cavalero on the Zariman using Voidplumes and other resources. Later, Incarnon Genesis adapters for older weapons come from the Steel Path Circuit in Duviri.
Should I do Duviri right after The New War?
You can, but it’s wise to first upgrade your arsenal with Zariman weapons and Archon Shards. Duviri’s Circuit mode draws from your entire equipment pool, so having more built items increases your success. The narrative of Duviri is independent, so you won’t spoil anything by waiting.
The end of The New War is just the beginning of Warframe’s deepest content. Dive in, explore at your own pace, and enjoy the ever-expanding universe.
