As players of Warframe dive deeper into the intricate world of customization and mastery, constructing the perfect melee weapon becomes an essential aspect of their journey. One of the most versatile weapon systems in Warframe is the Zaw, a modular weapon from the Plains of Eidolon, which allows for extensive personalization through different combinations of strike, grip, and guard. This guide explores five exceptional Zaw recipes that can significantly enhance your gameplay, whether you're focusing on speed, damage, or critical hits.
The Art of Crafting the Perfect Zaw
Before jumping into the specific recipes, let’s delve into the basics:
- Strike: Defines your weapon’s primary damage type and DPS.
- Grip: Affects speed, attack animations, and can slightly alter the critical chance or status chance.
- Guard: Influences the blocking capability, channeling efficiency, and offers additional bonuses or effects.
💡 Note: Each player's playstyle dictates which Zaw attributes are prioritized, so consider these recipes as starting points or inspirations for your own custom build.
1. Crit Master - Exodia Contagion
When aiming for high critical hit rates and damage:
- Strike: Plague Kripath - High base damage with balanced critical and status chances.
- Grip: Ekwana II Jai - Boosts critical chance significantly.
- Guard: Exodia Contagion - Offers a unique ability to infect enemies upon critical strikes.
| Component | Effect |
|---|---|
| Plague Kripath | +10% Critical Damage |
| Ekwana II Jai | +40% Critical Chance |
| Exodia Contagion | 50% chance to infect enemies on critical hit |
2. Status Dojo - Dokrahm
Perfect for those who prefer a status effect-focused approach:
- Strike: Dokrahm - High base damage with excellent status chance.
- Grip: Mukray - Improves status chance at the cost of a slight speed reduction.
- Guard: Tempered Bladefall - Increases both status chance and status duration.
3. DPS Overload - Cyath
Designed for players who need a balance between speed, damage, and attack range:
- Strike: Cyath - Impressive reach and base damage, a true DPS powerhouse.
- Grip: Kronsh - Provides the fastest attack speed among grips, ideal for quick DPS.
- Guard: Forma Stroke - Enhances DPS with additional damage during channeling.
4. Stealth Weapon - Ruhang
Crafted for stealthy gameplay or players who prefer to strike from the shadows:
- Strike: Ruhang - Offers silent attacks with increased range.
- Grip: Sekunda - Improves the stealth factor by reducing the visibility of weapon effects.
- Guard: Fate - Increases stealth attack damage.
5. The Adaptable Beast - Rabvee
A versatile setup for adaptable gameplay:
- Strike: Rabvee - Balances between status and critical chance with decent range.
- Grip: Kroosta - Slight focus on critical chance but retains versatility in speed.
- Guard: Eternal Edge - Enhances both critical and status effects, making your Zaw adaptable for any situation.
Ultimately, crafting a Zaw in Warframe is an art that requires understanding your playstyle and the game's mechanics. Each recipe discussed here serves a different purpose and reflects varied playstyles, ensuring that every player can find or create a Zaw that perfectly complements their approach to gameplay. Remember that while these recipes can guide you, experimentation with different combinations is key to mastering the craft.
The journey with Zaws is never truly complete. As new content is added, new strikes, grips, and guards can synergize in unforeseen ways, providing endless possibilities for your arsenal. Continue experimenting, refining your weapon, and mastering the Plains of Eidolon to achieve true dominance in Warframe.
How do I obtain the components for these Zaws?
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Components like strike, grip, and guard are primarily obtained through the vendors in Cetus, using Standing you earn from bounties. Certain rare strikes, like the Plague Kripath, require completing specific events or activities.
Can Zaw components be traded?
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Yes, most Zaw components can be traded between players, except for some special event strikes. Trading requires both players to be present in a Dojo or Cetus.
What’s the difference between Zaw and other melee weapons?
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Zaws offer unparalleled customization through modular design, allowing players to tailor their weapons to their exact playstyle with stats unique to their chosen components. They are crafted, not purchased, requiring resources and components specific to the Plains of Eidolon.
How important is the rank of the Zaw?
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The rank of a Zaw influences its effectiveness through stat progression. Upgrading your Zaw to its maximum rank is essential for unlocking its full potential, increasing damage, critical chance, and status effects.
Can I use mods with these Zaws?
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Absolutely, Zaws can use any melee mod, allowing further customization through modding. Consider mods that enhance the specific attributes of your chosen Zaw parts to maximize their effectiveness.
