I recently came back to Warframe after playing it briefly over 10 years ago and wow, the game feels completely different now. It seems like everything has been reworked, but it’s so much fun. I’ve put in about 30 hours, though half of that was AFK googling stuff. I used some discount coupons to buy 4,300 platinum and the Starter Weapon Pack, but honestly, I have no idea what to spend it on.
Also, I rediscovered an old account from 2019 where I picked Excalibur with his sword, pistol, and bow setup. I don’t really like Excalibur or his abilities and I usually don’t end up using them. I really enjoy playing Volt with his staff more, and his playstyle feels a lot better to me.
So here are my questions:
1. How do I get Volt? Is it worth farming him or should I stick with Excalibur? Also, are there other beginner-friendly Warframes and weapon combos?
2. What are the essential upgrades I should buy with my platinum? I have about 4,450 plat, but I’m clueless on how valuable that really is or what to prioritize.
3. What common beginner mistakes or “noob traps” should I watch out for?
Oh, and should I worry about buying Wukong?
4 Answers
Warframe has indeed evolved a ton since you last played; many systems have been revamped multiple times. Getting Volt involves joining a clan for his blueprints or purchasing him directly from the shop using your platinum. You’ve got plenty of plat (~4.5k), which is a lot and can buy almost anything you want.
As for spending platinum, the most valuable things early on are inventory slots for frames, weapons, and companions since you’ll want space to hold everything you collect. You can also use plat to buy forma, reactors, and catalysts to power up your gear without farming those parts. Avoid buying materials from the market because they’re usually overpriced.
Biggest noob traps include rushing to buy frames or weapons with plat (everything is farmable), selling Warframes or weapons prematurely, and spending plat to speed up crafting unnecessarily early on. Also, Wukong can be obtained through clan dojo research, so don’t feel pressured to buy him with plat.
Getting Volt is pretty straightforward once you join a clan. You can grab his blueprints from the Tenno Lab in the clan dojo and craft him there. You’ll need to collect some materials as you progress through the star chart, but it’s not too hard. For weapons, you can purchase the Bo blueprint from the market using credits and craft it yourself—don’t waste platinum buying weapons outright if you can farm or craft them. Volt and Bo make a solid combo if you like his playstyle!
Definitely avoid buying warframes or weapons straight with platinum if you can farm them—they’re all obtainable through gameplay. Prioritize buying slots with your platinum since your inventory space is super important as you collect more gear. You can also trade with other players to get nice prime parts once you get comfortable, but watch out for scams and inflated prices if you hang around trade chat.
Since you like Volt with the staff, definitely focus on crafting him by joining a clan. Also, BO is a great weapon that you can craft without spending plat. Wukong can also be researched in the clan dojo so no need to waste plat there either. Take your time crafting and experimenting with different setups—it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Since you have a good chunk of platinum, you could buy another warframe to try out if you want—but like others said, most frames are farmable by playing and doing quests. It’s usually best to spend plat on inventory slots first so you don’t feel cramped. Don’t worry too much about being “locked in” to Excalibur; you can always expand your collection later.
Also, definitely check out the Warframe wiki online for up-to-date info on farming and modding. That resource is a lifesaver when starting out.
Thanks for the tip! Didn’t realize I could join a clan to get Volt’s blueprints. That sounds way better than starting fresh.