Warframe: Koumei build guide

Of all the Warframes currently available to play, and there are a lot to choose from - count 60, Koumei is probably the most polarizing option one could go for. Warframe's allure for players is to obtain an ever-increasing ceiling of power by utilizing every tool and trick in the book. This philosophy, however, falls short in front of the dice-rolling maiden of Cetus.

Koumei embodies parts of the Japanese mythos and mysticism, with the threads of fate, dice rolling for divinations, and omamori charms being a part of her actual abilities.

Her kit is based around spreading pain through Status Effects and Status Damage, which offsets her biggest drawback — relying on luck-based dice rolls to get the most favorable outcome. Thankfully, there are ways to force the game to be on your side.

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What you need to know about Koumei's Warframe abilities

As mentioned above, Koumei's kit in Warframe relies on dealing damage through Status Effects and providing useful buffs for your weapons. We have already covered Koumei's abilities in detail, but here's a short rundown of what she can do.

Koumei tests her fate at every step (Image via Digital Extremes)

Passive: Five Fates

Koumei leaves everything up to chance, and her passive perk embodies her philosophy perfectly. Every minute, fate selects one of her equipped weapons to impart randomized Status Effects when dealing Damage for one minute. This buff and her ability to draw upon decrees through Omikuji can turn her into an effective weapons platform.

Another feature of Koumei's passive is that her abilities roll five dice on each ability cast. Her abilities gain increased effectiveness based on the combined number of dice rolls. Furthermore, if any ability rolls three dice with six on the fair side, it is counted as the Shadow's Trinity, and the skill gains special features.

Kumihimo

Koumei spreads threads in front of her, which inflict many Status Effects on enemies who touch them. Kumihimo's damage is based on the total fair dice roll, multiplied by ability strength.

• Shadow's Trinity converts the threads into Silver threads, which inflict every possible elemental Status Effect.

Omikuji

Possibly Koumei's most controversial ability, purely because of the randomness and the ability to get incredible power surges from decrees. Koumei rolls her dice and obtains a challenge, which grants a random decree upon completion.

• These decrees are drawn from the pool available in Duviri Plains, which can be incredibly strong but can turn your playstyle into a haphazard mess of weapon swapping.
• Omikuji's randomness can be offset by her new Omikuji's Fortune Augment mod.
• Shadow's Trinity allows her to bypass the challenge and gain a decree automatically.

Omamori

Koumei draws her dice and obtains the combined fair dice roll as Omamori charms that surround her. These charms have a 50% chance to negate incoming damage and heal Koumei instead. Using a charm puts the ability on a three-second cooldown, but the damage negation remains active during this phase.

• Shadow's Trinity grants complete invulnerability as long as one charm remains.

Bunraku

Using her threads and dice, Koumei strings up enemies and inflicts a randomized set of Status Effects on enemies caught in her line of sight. Based on the combined dice roll, Koumei can inflict stacks of every Physical (Impact, Puncture, Slash), Primary Elemental (Heat, Cold, Electricity, Toxin), and Secondary Elemental (Blast, Corrosive, Gas, Magnetic, Radiation, Viral) Status Effect.

• Rolling Shadow's Trinity inflicts the maximum number of Status Effects and casts the ability behind Koumei.

Despite the random nature of her abilities, Koumei acts as a walking Epitaph-like Primer, allowing players to utilize weapons that can capitalize on the number of status effects. Melee weapons with Condition Overload can dish out massive damage, while Secondaries like Dual Toxocyst can shred through enemies, thanks to the Carnage Reign Incarnon talent.

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Best endgame build for Koumei in Warframe

Our suggested build for Koumei requires at least three Formas to install one Naramon (dash) polarity and two Vazarin (D) polarity.

Furthermore, our Koumei build will get additional Ability Strength and Ability Efficiency from the Arcanes. It will be more beneficial as an endurance frame rather than a conventional blitz gameplay. From a stat-based perspective, we should be comfortable with a 160-200% Ability Range and a 155% Ability Duration, after which you can squeeze in Ability Strength at the cost of your survivability.

Note that we have set up Koumei as a hybrid Health-Shield character, but you can go for one or the other.

Our suggestion of a good Koumei build, but feel free to make changes (Image via Overframe)

Mods used:

• Aura: Growing Power
• Exilus: Cunning Drift
• Archon Continuity
• Omikuji's Fortune
• Equilibrium
• Archon Stretch
• Vigilante Vigor
• Fast Deflection
• Adaptation
• Archon Vitality

Arcanes used:

• Arcane Impetus: Easily the highest DPS and utility-oriented Arcane in the game for Koumei. Grants both Ability Strength and Efficiency based on unique Status Effect application, therefore has a near 100% uptime.
• Arcane Aegis: A defensive option for endurance missions, can be easily swapped out for Arcane Grace or Arcane Blessing if Health tanking is preferred over Shield gating.

Realistically, there is no need for Arcane Shards in this build, but if you have any to spare, putting two Emerald Archon Shards for the max Corrosive stacks and two Crimson Archon Shards for the Ability Strength is more than enough. For the last slot, one Amber Archon Shard for 30% energy on spawn is a decent quality-of-life option.

Helminth

Most of Koumei's abilities do not have an Ability Energy pressure, so the bog standard option of slapping Nourish on every Warframe doesn't exactly work for her. The safe bet is to implant her with Rhino's Roar as the Ability Strength gain will make her Status Effect applications stronger.

A safer option would be to install Mirage's Eclipse. This ability has a dual purpose of buffing a Warframe's offense and defense, depending on where they stand. Combined with Omamori, this setup can provide up to 85% effective Damage Reduction.

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Best weapons for Koumei in Warframe

Thanks to Koumei's passive, it is beneficial for players to fill up every slot with Status damage-oriented weapons. There are a great many options one can choose from, such as Torid Incarnon, Kuva Sobek, Tenet Glaxion, and even Phenmor.

The last slot is saved for bane mods (Image via Digital Extremes)

Here's a general setup of what a Torid Incarnon build for Koumei would look like:

Mods used:

• Galvanized Chamber
• Galvanized Aptitude
• Critical Delay
• Vile Acceleration
• Vital Sense
• Thermite Rounds
• High Voltage
• Bane mod of your choice
• Vigilante Supplies - Exilus

You should have Primary Merciless as the Arcane of choice.

When it comes to the Secondary weapon, you can opt to go for Ocucor, Dual Toxocyst, and even Dual Coda Torxica if you're already fond of the Hollvania weapons.

The initial recoil is the only hurdle for this build (Image via Overframe)

Here's a general build for Dual Toxocyst Incarnon using the Carnage Reign talent:

Mods used

• Galvanized Diffusion
• Galvanized Shot
• Galvanized Crosshairs
• Primed Target Cracker
• Primed Pistol Gambit
• Merciless Gunfight (Can be swapped out for Sharpened Bullet or Hollow Point)
• Primed Convulsion
• Lethal Torrent
• Targeting Subsystem - Exilus

As for the Arcane, Secondary Fortifier is the best defensive option, but you can go for Secondary Merciless or Secondary Outburst.

The melee roster is too big to outline here, but the general idea is to use the Condition Overload mod on your choice of blade.

Koumei's prowess in applying multiple stacks of unique Status Effects makes the mod incredibly powerful at elevating any melee weapon. It's even better if you have a well-rolled Riven mod. Generally, weapons with special attack modifiers like Sancti Magister's slam or Dual Kronen Prime's slide attacks are extremely potent.

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Koumei is a bit of a sore spot for both the developers and players due to how her abilities focus on a theme that goes against the fast-paced combat style. However, she excels greatly in endurance missions where she can stack up her decrees and dominate the battlefield.