Warframe: Arbucep build guide

Arbucep is the brand-new Archgun added alongside Nokko in Warframe's recent fall update. And what a time to be introduced, too, because Archguns (or more to the point Heavy Weapons) got buffed big-time. If you skipped the patch details, you can slot two Arcanes (one primary, one secondary) into a single Archgun now.

But that's not all the reasons why you should invest in an Arbucep build. Long story short, it's one of the best Archguns right off the bat, and by that virtue one of the best non-crit raw DPS weapons without relying on Warframe buffs.

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Best single-Forma Arbucep build in Warframe

Arbucep can actually be a crit weapon thanks to Enervate (Image via Digital Extremes)

With Arbucep, you can actually get the best build (or at least one of the best builds possibly with the current tools) for just one Forma.

Now that I've done that marketing pitch, I'll come clean: it's a rather high-investment build overall. Not only do you need to Catalyst and spend two Archgun Arcane Adapters, you'll then have to Gravimag it just to use it actual missions.

Is all this extra investment worthwhile? It depends on whether you'd want to use a Heavy Weapon in general. At the moment, the best use-case for Arbucep is doing the Profit Taker Heist.

Arbucep fires 6x rockets per shot, and each shot cycles between the following Elemental damage types:

• Blast
• Corrosive
• Gas
• Magnetic
• Radiation
• Viral

The rocket volleys spread out after firing, but then home in on enemies (usually one enemy). Due to their spread before they converge, Arbucep can also be a viable hallway-nuke if you add some Punch Through on it.

In terms of crits-vs-status, Arbucept certainly isn't a crit weapon by default, unless you get some additive chance via Cat's Eye, Harrow, or something similar. However, we can still go with Enervate to get a crit-based Arbucept build without relying on Warframe buffs.

Mod setup

Arbucep mod setup, check Arcanes below (Image via Digital Extremes)

We use the following mods, in order of mod slot number:

• Primed Rubedo-Lined Barrel or Primed Deadly Efficiency (V Forma by default)
• Sabot Rounds (for punch through)
• Contamination Casing
• Charged Bullets
• Hypothermic Shell
• Magma Chamber
• Containment Breach
• Critical Focus (V Forma needed)

We are going with Corrosive and Cold for our base Elements. Containment Breach is for the +30% Multishot more than Radiation damage itself (which is just +30% damage technically, as Arbucep doesn't get additional multishot).

Cold is to trigger Primary Frostbite, whereas Corrosive is just a pretty good damage type overall. Of note, you can also with Viral-Fire instead if you don't have Primary Frostbite.

Arcanes

The following are the Arcanes needed on this Arbucep build:

• Primary Slot: Primary Frostbite is for some scaling damage (Multishot is the same as damage with Arbucep) and Critical Damage through Cold procs
• Secondary Slot: Secondary Enervate to get additive crit chance, so we can actually do Critical Damage

As usual, the best Warframe to pair with this Arbucep build are the usual suspects of best damage-platform frames: Saryn and Mirage. If you run Saryn, you can just go with Viral-Fire for your modded elemental combo, and run Primary Blight instead of Primary Frostbite, since you can trigger Blight with Toxic Lash's Toxin damage instance.

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Check out our other guides on the game:

• Nokko build guide (Perma-Invis Nuker)
• All Warframes tier list
• Warframe Incarnon weapons tier list
• Warframe Kuva weapons tier list
• Warframe Coda weapons tier list
• Best weapons in Warframe for each Mastery Rank