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Companions are an integral part of yourWarframeloadout, offering invaluable utility boons such as vacuuming nearby loot or enhancing your minimap with information on loot pickups. Every build in Warframe can benefit from a trusty companion, and thanks to the Pet 2.0 rework in the Abyss of Dagath update, companions are stronger than ever before.
Beasts are now incredibly tanky, Sentinels can dish out high damage, and all companions can no longer die during missions. These radical changes have changed how companions work on a fundamental level, and a new category of mods provides additional flexibility when creating the perfect companion build. This guide will cover how Warframe’s companion system works, covering all companion types, acquisition methods, and explain every new system added in the Abyss of Dagath update.
Companion Types
Every loadout in Warframe can equip one companion at a time, located under the second tab of the arsenal UI. Companions are categorized into two types:
The type of companion you equip will determine what types of mods, weapons, and cosmetics it can equip.You cannot equip more than one companion at a time, although you can freely switch between companions between missions.Companions have ten mod slots and use a unique suite of mods, labeled “Companion” mods in-game. The robotic and beast subtypes also have exclusive mods to choose between, subdivided further depending on what type of robot or beast is in your loadout.Companions are also unkillable as of the Abyss of Dagath update.Should your companion lose all HP, they will enter a downed state temporarily before resurrecting themselves. You can speed this process up by using certain companion mods.
Robotic Companions
As the name suggests, robotic companions are machines that gain access to the unique “Robotics” category of mods. There are three subfamilies of robots in Warframe:
Sentinelswill likely be the first companion type you’ll gain access to in Warframe. Most Sentinels are crafted from in-game market blueprints that cost a moderate sum of Credits. Each Sentinel comes with at least one exclusive ability mod. For example, the Deathcube Sentinel has access to the Vaporize mod, allowing it to fire a supercharged laser every few seconds. Since they are smaller than other robots,Sentinels cannot use Link survivability mods.Every Sentinel has access to ten mod slots and a weapon socket, allowing you to mod your Sentinel and its weapon separately. Sentinel weapons take traditional weapon mods. Many Sentinels also haveaugment mods available at Cephalon Simaris, buffing each Sentinel with an additional ability or utility effect.
MOAsare a tankier variant of Sentinels that are much more difficult to craft. These companions must be forged at Fortuna and are fully modular, comprised of a Core, Model, Brackets, and Gyro components. The core used by your MOA dictates what abilities it can use. Each MOA has two unique abilities and the ability to use Link survivability mods, making them fairly durable when paired with a tanky Warframe. MOAs feature ten mod slots and a separate weapon socket, althoughMOAs do not come with pre-built weapons.You’ll need to use a Sentinel weapon or craft a MOA weapon at Fortuna to give your robotic friend some much-needed firepower.
Houndsare robotic versions of Kubrows that guard the Sisters of Parvos, typically referred to as Sister Liches. Similar to MOAs, Hounds are fully modular and have two unique abilities dictated by their Model and Bracket components. Unlike MOAs,Hounds may only pre-build Hound weapons.These weapons also come with any Hound you obtain upon defeating a Sister Lich. Hounds have ten mod slots to play with and a separate weapon socket.
Beast Companions
A beast companion refers to any organic creature you’ve incubated in your Orbiter or pacified in one of Warframe’s open world environments. Most beast companions are created by incubating Kubrow eggs in your Orbiter’s incubation chamber, although a few infested variants of Kubrows and Kavats can be obtained on Deimos.All beast variants have ten mod slots and no weapon socket.Each beast also comes with two unique abilities.
Kubrowsare created after incubating a Kubrow egg in your incubator. There are five Kubrow variants: Chesa, Huras, Raksa, Sahasa, and Sunika.Predasitesare Infested variants of Kubrows you can find on Deimos, of which there are three types: Medjay, Pharaoh, and Vizier. Additionally, you can infuse a Helminth Cyst with a Kubrow egg to create aHelminth Charger, a mutated Kubrow that has access to the unique Strain mod set.
Digs for items you need, notably Energy Orbs and ammo.
Vizier
Creates healing spores and spits Corrosive projectiles.
Kavatsare cats that are created by injecting Kavat DNA into a Kubrow egg before incubating it. There are three types of Kavat breeds and threeVulpaphylavariants you can find on Deimos:
Buffs include double resources, infinite energy, and forced orange crits.
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How To Obtain Companions
Companion drop sources vary wildly depending on what type of companion you’re chasing.Most robotic companions are crafted, while beast companions tend to be incubated.This isn’t a set rule for every companion, but this is a good rule of thumb to follow. Robotic companions simply require a crafting blueprint or components to forge, while beast companions can’t be made until you complete the “Howl of the Kubrow” quest on Earth.
Exact acquisition methods for every companion can be found below. The tables are separated between companion categories and subfamilies.
Prime versions of Sentinels may be obtained by opening Void Relics during Fissure missions. All Prime Sentinels require a main blueprint, carapace, chassis, and systems to craft.
Vasca
Incubate a Kubrow egg with two Vasca DNA templates.
Vasca DNA templates are created by imprinting a Kavat that was attacked by a Vasca Kavat. They appear in the Plains of Eidolon during night.
Downed State And Recovery Time Explained
The Abyss of Dagath update overhauled how companion downed stats work.Companions are unkillablein Warframe. They still have HP values and can be downed, but companions cannot permanently die during a mission, regardless of your mod configuration. This goes for all robotic and beast companions, not just Vulpaphylas and Predasites as was the case before the Abyss of Dagath update.
When a companion fully loses its HP, it will enter adowned statefor the next 60 seconds. While in this state, your companion will be unable to attack or use its abilities, butall utility mods on your companion will still function.For example, if you installed the Vacuum mod on your Sentinel and it becomes downed, it will still pull nearby items for you while it’s repairing itself.Once 60 seconds pass, your companion will automatically revive itselfwith no input from you. This downed state period, referred to asRecovery Timein-game, may be sped up by installing certain companion bond mods.
Reviving Downed Companions
Excluding Sentinels and Deimos companions, all companions may be revived while they are in a downed state. Hold the interact key while over their body to revive them, skipping the downed state outright.
Modding Companions
Modding a companion is slightly different from modding a Warframe or weapon. Unlike Warframes, each companion comes with at least oneability modwith a unique effect. These ability mods are socketed into the companion itself, hence why companions have ten mod slots over the standard eight mod limit seen on Warframes and weapons (excluding Exilus and Aura slots).
When multiple ability mods are installed on your companion, the game makes a priority list of what mod to activate first.Abilities installed on the top-left mod socket trigger first, followed by mods on the top row.If you plan on installing multiple ability mods on your companion, be sure the most important one is in the top-left socket ot maximize its uptime. Passive abilities such as Vacuum, Fetch, and Assault Mode are always active and don’t follow this activation hierarchy.
Finally, all companions have the capacity to damage your foes.Robotic companions must use a targeting mod to enable weapon usage,the most common mod being “Assault Mode” which is usable on all robotic companions. Beast companions don’t need any targeting mods to attack nearby foes, althoughbeast companions donothave a separate modding space for weapons;you’ll need to sacrifice mod space to buff their damage output. Robotic weapon modding works identically to Warframe weapon modding, sharing the same mod pool and eight-slot limit as your standard firearms.
What Mods Should I Be Using?
Every companion you use should have these two mods installed:
The former mod will grab all items within an 11.5m radius of your Warframe. Items include dropped resources, ammunition, and Energy Orbs. This makes looting rooms substantially faster and is considered essential on every companion build in Warframe. Animal Instinct is a quality-of-life mod that adds information on enemy whereabouts and dropped resources on your minimap, making it easier to navigate larger tilesets.Equip both of these mods on every companion you own.
How To Acquire Bond Mods
Bond mods were introduced in the Abyss of Dagath update andoffer unique synergies between your Warframe and companion.For example, the Duplex Bond mod allows your Warframe to temporarily duplicate their companion by spending large sums of Energy. Bond mods can also offer major buffs to your Warframe if your companion meets certain criteria.There’s no limit to how many bond mods you can install on a companion.
Companion bond mods may be purchased from conservation specialists in each of Warframe’s open world hubs—Cetus, Fortuna, and the Necralisk.Bond mods require that you at least Rank 3 with the hub’s respective Syndicate to purchase. Each mod costs 20,000 Standing and comes unranked.
Every Bond Mod
Each mod requires you to be at least Rank 3 with the hub’s respective Syndicate. Bond mods cost 20,000 Standing each.
Restorative Bond
9 (D)
Health Orbs restore 60 more HP and reduce Companion Recovery by 3s.
Companion Precept mods apply status effects from companion weapons.
Killing enemies with 3+ unique status effects reduces companion ability cooldowns by 3s.
Covert Bond
7 (–)
Finisher and Mercy kills grant your companion 10s of stealth that will not disrupt.
The duration can be extended, up to a cap of 60s.
Mystical Bond
9 (–)
After your companion uses an ability with a cooldown 5 times, your next Warframe ability drains no Energy.
7 (V)
Companion melee hits increase your Combo Count by 6.
Heavy attacks increase companion damage by 30% multiplied by your Combo Multiplier for 30s.
Reinforced Bond
While your companion has 1,200+ shields or overshields, your weapons gain 60% fire rate.
Aerial Bond
7 (D)
Airborne kills reduce Companion Recovery time by 3s, increased to 9s if it’s a headshot kill.
While airborne, your companion creates a 10m AoE that slows targets by 35%. The AoE persists for 3s after landing.
Momentous Bond
9 (V)
Killing Eximus enemies grants 120% bonus random elemental damage to your companion for 30s.
Headshot kills reduce your Companion Recovery timer by 3s.
While your companion’s critical chance is greater than 50%, you gain +120% critical damage.
Astral Bond
Damage dealt by the Operator or Drifter grants 120% Void damage to your companion for 10s.
Companion Void damage grants +30% Amp efficiency to your Operator or Drifter for 5s.
Companion melee attacks strip 15% of enemy armor.
If the target was damaged by a Warframe ability recently, the armor strip applies to all enemies in a 9m radius.
Seismic Bond
While a channeled ability is active, companion melee attacks create a 4m shockwave for 30% of their melee attack damage.
Damage dealt by your companion increases your Ability Efficiency by 3% for 12 seconds. Stacks 10 times.
Contagious Bond
When your companion kills an enemy afflicted with a status effect, 50% of the status effect spreads to other enemies within 9m.
Duplex Bond
After spending 100 Energy, duplicate your companion for 30s. Up to 3 clones may exist at a time.
Clones cannot use abilities and have a 50% chance of dropping Energy Orbs on kills.
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