10 Best Bows In Warframe

In the world of Warframe, where fast-paced combat and futuristic weaponry reign supreme, bows offer a unique and powerful way to dominate the battlefield. Unlike other looter-shooters that often limit bows to stealth or niche roles, Warframe turns them into versatile, hard-hitting weapons capable of obliterating enemies with precision and flair.

Bows in Warframe are far from conventional. With their ability to deal massive damage, pierce multiple enemies, and even trigger explosive effects, they cater to a variety of playstyles. Whether you prefer stealthy assassinations, high-impact headshots, or chaotic AoE devastation, there’s a bow designed for your needs. From single-target precision to crowd-clearing power, bows are a staple in the arsenal of many Tenno.

In this article, we’ll highlight the 10 best bows in Warframe, showcasing their unique strengths and how they can enhance your gameplay. Get ready to unleash the full potential of these exceptional weapons and find the perfect bow to complement your playstyle!

#10: Lenz

The Lenz is a unique and devastating bow in Warframe, designed for players who enjoy explosive AoE damage and chaos on the battlefield. Unlike traditional bows, the Lenz fires explosive arrows that create a chilling blast followed by a massive detonation, making it perfect for clearing groups of enemies or dealing heavy damage to tougher targets.

The Lenz deals innate Cold damage upon the initial explosion, slowing enemies in the area before the final explosion delivers massive Blast damage. Its high base damage and AoE potential make it a strong choice for missions with high enemy density. However, the Lenz requires careful handling, as its self-damage potential can be deadly if players are caught within its blast radius. Mods like Primed Cryo Rounds, Split Chamber, and Serration enhance its explosive power, while Firestorm increases its blast radius for even greater crowd control.

This bow is best suited for open spaces or missions where AoE damage is key, though it may require skillful positioning to avoid self-harm. The Lenz blueprint is available for purchase in the Market. For Tenno who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay with an explosive twist, the Lenz is a thrilling and powerful addition to any arsenal.

#9: Dread

The Dread is a classic bow in Warframe that delivers deadly precision and devastating Slash damage, making it a favorite among players who value stealth and high-impact critical hits. This signature weapon of the Stalker is renowned for its ability to annihilate enemies with a single shot, thanks to its incredible critical chance and Slash-focused damage output.

The Dread fires arrows with innate Slash damage, ensuring frequent bleed procs that bypass enemy armor, making it particularly effective against heavily armored foes. Its high critical chance and multiplier allow it to deal immense damage, especially when paired with mods like Point Strike, Vital Sense, and Serration. The Dread is also capable of pinning enemies to walls, adding a satisfying visual flair to its already devastating performance.

This bow is best suited for precision-focused gameplay, excelling in both stealth missions and open combat. It’s an excellent choice for new and experienced players alike, offering power and versatility in a sleek package. The Dread can be obtained as a drop from the Stalker, making it a weapon that feels as rewarding to earn as it is to use. For Tenno who love pinpoint accuracy and overwhelming damage, the Dread is a must-have bow in Warframe.

#8: Paris Prime

The Paris Prime is a powerful and elegant bow in Warframe, offering exceptional precision, high critical potential, and satisfying damage output. As the Prime variant of the Paris, it features enhanced stats, including increased base damage, critical chance, and status chance, making it a reliable choice for players who prefer long-range engagements with finesse.

The Paris Prime deals a mix of Puncture and Impact damage, making it effective against armor and shields, while its high critical chance allows for devastating headshots. Fully charged shots pierce enemies, enabling players to take out multiple foes with a single arrow. When paired with mods like Point Strike, Vital Sense, and Split Chamber, the Paris Prime becomes a powerhouse capable of handling high-level missions and open-world content.

This bow shines in missions where stealth and precision are key, but it’s equally effective in fast-paced combat scenarios. Its stylish design and strong performance make it a favorite among Tenno who value both aesthetics and functionality. To acquire the Paris Prime, players must farm its parts from relics or trade with other players. For those seeking a versatile and deadly bow, the Paris Prime is an excellent addition to any arsenal.

#7: Rakta Cernos

The Rakta Cernos is a fast-firing and highly versatile bow in Warframe, offering a balance of speed, utility, and consistent damage output. As a Syndicate weapon from the Red Veil, the Rakta Cernos comes with the Blight effect, which restores energy, deals AoE damage, and increases movement speed when triggered, adding a unique layer of utility to its already strong performance.

The Rakta Cernos excels with its rapid-fire capabilities, allowing players to unleash a flurry of arrows with high accuracy. Its innate Radiation damage makes it particularly effective against robotic and heavily shielded enemies, while its fast charge rate enables swift takedowns in both stealth and combat scenarios. When modded with Split Chamber, Serration, and Point Strike, the Rakta Cernos delivers consistent critical hits and high damage, making it viable for both standard missions and endgame content.

The Blight effect enhances its usability in longer missions, providing energy restoration and a crowd-control burst, making it an excellent choice for players who value sustainability and mobility. The Rakta Cernos can be acquired through the Red Veil Syndicate. For Tenno seeking a versatile and efficient bow with added utility, the Rakta Cernos is a strong and stylish option.

#6: Cernos Prime

The Cernos Prime is a versatile and hard-hitting bow in Warframe, known for its unique multi-arrow functionality and exceptional performance in both crowd control and single-target damage. As the Prime variant of the Cernos, it boasts improved stats, including higher base damage, critical chance, and status chance, making it a reliable and powerful choice for all mission types.

The Cernos Prime fires three arrows in a horizontal spread by default, allowing it to hit multiple enemies at once. Players can switch to a vertical spread with its customizable firing modes, providing flexibility to adapt to various combat scenarios. Its high critical chance and status potential make it an excellent candidate for mods like Split Chamber, Point Strike, and Hunter Munitions, while elemental mods like Viral or Corrosive enhance its effectiveness against heavily armored foes.

This bow is particularly effective in missions requiring crowd control, as its spread can clear groups of enemies efficiently, but it’s also capable of precise, high-damage shots for single targets. To acquire the Cernos Prime, players must farm its parts from relics or trade with other Tenno. For those seeking a bow that combines power, flexibility, and stylish design, the Cernos Prime is a top-tier weapon.

#5: Daikyu

The Daikyu is a heavy-hitting bow in Warframe designed for players who value raw power and high single-shot damage. Unlike faster-firing bows, the Daikyu requires more precision and patience, as its slower draw speed is offset by its ability to deal massive damage with each fully charged shot.

This bow excels at taking down heavily armored enemies, thanks to its high base damage and innate Puncture, which makes it particularly effective against armored foes. Its high status chance allows it to reliably proc elemental effects, especially when paired with mods like Viral or Corrosive. The Daikyu’s impressive range and pinpoint accuracy make it ideal for long-range engagements, allowing players to eliminate enemies from a safe distance.

While the Daikyu’s slower draw speed requires careful timing, it rewards players with devastating precision and impact. Mods like Split Chamber, Serration, and Hunter Munitions further enhance its damage potential, making it viable for high-level missions and open-world content.

To obtain the Daikyu, players can craft it using a blueprint available in the Tenno Lab of the Clan Dojo. For Tenno who enjoy a high-risk, high-reward playstyle and appreciate a bow that can deliver devastating single shots, the Daikyu is an excellent choice.

#4: Mutalist Cernos

The Mutalist Cernos is an Infested-themed bow in Warframe that combines traditional bow mechanics with unique crowd-control capabilities. Unlike conventional bows, the Mutalist Cernos fires arrows that release a toxic gas cloud upon impact, dealing AoE damage over time and applying status procs to enemies caught in the cloud.

This bow excels in missions with high enemy density, as its gas cloud can effectively control groups of enemies, dealing consistent damage and softening them up for follow-up attacks. With its high status chance, the Mutalist Cernos is ideal for applying multiple status effects when paired with mods like Split Chamber, Serration, and elemental combinations like Viral or Corrosive.

Though it lacks the raw single-target damage of other bows, the Mutalist Cernos compensates with its utility and versatility. It’s particularly effective against tightly packed enemies or in missions where crowd control is crucial. Its Infested design and mechanics make it a unique addition to any arsenal, appealing to players who value tactical gameplay.

The Mutalist Cernos blueprint can be purchased from the Market. For Tenno seeking a bow that offers a mix of AoE damage and status application, the Mutalist Cernos is a strong and distinctive choice.

#3: Nataruk

The Nataruk is a unique bow in Warframe, introduced during The New War expansion. It combines precision, power, and versatility, making it one of the best bows in the game. What sets the Nataruk apart is its special mechanics—it doesn’t require traditional ammunition and features a unique charge system that rewards precision and timing for maximum damage.

The Nataruk’s Perfect Shot mechanic allows players to release arrows at the optimal moment during the charge cycle, significantly increasing critical chance, critical multiplier, and status chance. Its arrows are capable of piercing multiple enemies, dealing massive AoE damage in a straight line, making it effective for both crowd control and single-target precision.

With high base damage and innate Impact, Puncture, and Slash damage, the Nataruk can handle any faction with ease. Pairing it with mods like Serration, Hunter Munitions, and Point Strike further amplifies its devastating power, while elemental mods like Viral or Corrosive make it even more lethal in endgame content.

Obtained during The New War quest, the Nataruk is not only powerful but also embodies the lore and essence of Warframe. For Tenno who appreciate a balance of precision and overwhelming power, the Nataruk is a must-have weapon that excels in both versatility and style.

#2: Zhuge Prime

The Zhuge Prime is a versatile and deadly crossbow in Warframe, combining rapid-fire mechanics with exceptional critical and status potential. As the Prime variant of the Zhuge, it features improved stats, including higher base damage, critical chance, and status chance, making it a top-tier choice for Tenno who value precision and sustained firepower.

The Zhuge Prime excels at delivering consistent damage with its fast fire rate and pinpoint accuracy. Each bolt deals a mix of Puncture and Slash damage, making it highly effective against heavily armored enemies while also inflicting bleed procs that bypass armor. Its bolts can pin enemies to walls, adding a satisfying visual effect to its performance. Mods like Point Strike, Split Chamber, and Hunter Munitions enhance its critical and Slash capabilities, while adding Viral or Corrosive boosts its effectiveness in high-level missions.

This crossbow performs well in a variety of mission types, from stealthy Exterminate runs to high-pressure Survival missions. Its combination of single-target damage and versatility makes it a reliable weapon for both solo players and squads. The Zhuge Prime can be acquired by farming its parts from relics or trading with other players. For Tenno seeking a bow-like weapon with rapid-fire capability and exceptional damage potential, the Zhuge Prime is a standout choice.

#1: Proboscis Cernos

The Proboscis Cernos stands as the ultimate bow in Warframe, renowned for its devastating crowd-control capabilities and unparalleled AoE damage. As an Infested variant of the Cernos, this bow fires explosive arrows that unleash a tentacle-like effect, pulling in enemies before delivering a massive explosion of Viral damage, making it the perfect choice for clearing groups of enemies in any mission type.

The Proboscis Cernos is particularly effective in high-density missions like Survival and Defense, where its ability to group enemies and inflict Viral procs can soften them up for follow-up attacks or outright annihilate them. Its high status chance ensures consistent application of Viral, amplifying damage dealt by other weapons or Warframe abilities. Mods like Serration, Split Chamber, and Galvanized Chamber enhance its damage output, while adding Heat or Corrosive mods further boosts its effectiveness against tougher enemies.

This bow’s unique mechanics and incredible versatility make it a favorite for both new and veteran players alike. The Proboscis Cernos blueprint can be purchased from the Market, making it readily accessible for Tenno looking to upgrade their arsenal. For those who value devastating AoE potential and crowd control, the Proboscis Cernos is the definitive choice for the best bow in Warframe.

Conclusion

Bows in Warframe offer a unique blend of power, precision, and versatility, standing out as some of the most satisfying weapons to wield in the game. From the explosive crowd control of the Proboscis Cernos to the precision and lore-rich elegance of the Nataruk, these weapons cater to a wide range of playstyles, proving that bows are not only viable but essential in the arsenal of any Tenno.

Whether you prefer stealthy takedowns, devastating AoE effects, or rapid-fire precision, the bows on this list showcase the best that Warframe has to offer in this weapon category. By mastering these exceptional tools, you can dominate the battlefield, clear high-level missions, and tailor your gameplay to your preferred style. Equip your favorite bow and let your arrows guide you to victory across the Origin System.