Satisfy your Final Fantasy Buster Sword cosplay desires with Warframe’s own take on the classic heavy blades.

Gamers know the drill, heavy blades take longer to swing but dish out more pain than your average sword. In Warframe however, with the right mods, you can make your cyborg ninja swing your heavy blades faster and deadlier! 

If you're the type who likes taking out your enemies with one massive heavy swing then grab your Warframe, and get ready to unleash your inner Cloud!

Notes:

• This list will include all versions of each of the heavy blades. Meaning multiple versions of the same weapon may appear on this list.
• This list will only include “Heavy Blades” which are weapons that can use mods exclusive to this category such as heavy blade stances like “Cleaving Whirlwind”. Some weapons which may seem like “Heavy Blades” such as the Tatsu (which is actually a Two-Handed Nikana) will not be included.

10. Galatine

The legendary sword of Gawain… in space.

We start out the list with a classic (at least by heavy blade standards). The Galatine doesn’t do anything crazy like shoot lasers or tear holes through dimensions. No no no, it’s just a good old-fashioned beat stick that you use to slice and pummel your enemies into submission.

It might not seem as impressive as the other weapons on the list but it’s one of the earliest heavy blades a player can get their hands on, and it’s a pretty good one to have at the early stages of the game.

What Galatine excels at:

• Zoomin’:

The Galatine ties with the Masseter, Tenet Exec, and Galatine Prime with having the fastest attack speed among heavy blades. So you won’t feel the weight of a heavy blade as much but you’ll still be dealing the heavy blade damage.

• Dishing out status effects:

The Galatine has a pretty decent status chance of 20%. Use this to deal whatever elemental or physical status effect you want on your enemies.

• Cutting down health bars:

With its main damage being slash (172.9 slash damage), it’s most effective against enemies with high health and whose status effect ignores armor.

How to get Galatine:

You can simply buy the Galatine’s blueprint from the in-game market. You can access the market from the console across the console where you access your quests.

Galatine Details

9. Dark Split-Sword

Take control of the dark side, either of the dark sides.

Next on the list is the Dark Split-Sword. This weapon’s pretty interesting if you’ve had the chance to try it. Depending on the equipped stance mod, the Dark Split-Sword can function as either a Dual Swords or Heavy Blade weapon. Of course, we’ll concentrate on its latter mode.

What’s unique about the Dark Split-Sword is that it has innate Radiation damage. And since it has a high status chance, you can mod it to have a lot of elemental damages for a Condition Overload build.

What Dark Split-Sword excels at:

• Radiation damage:

Having a natural 100 radiation damage means the Dark Split-Sword will have the upper hand against enemies with Alloy Armor, Infested Sinew, and Robotics types of armor.

• Status effects:

With a status chance of 25%, you’ll best make use of this weapon by giving it various elemental effects. Make sure to use 60/60 mods and Condition Overload when going for this build.

How to get Dark Split-Sword:

You can research and obtain the Dark Split-Sword Blueprint in the Tenno Lab of your clan dojo.

Here’s a quick guide on building a Dojo

Dark Split-Sword Details

8. Tenet Exec

This heavy blade is making waves!

As of currently, the only Tenet/Kuva heavy blade in the game. It’s also a weapon that doesn’t have a base form, meaning there’s currently no weapon in the game just called the “Exec”.

What makes the Tenet Exec special are its slam attacks. Both the normal and heavy slam attacks release shockwaves that deal impact damage and ragdoll your foes. This allows you to follow up with more attacks or make an escape should you need to do so.

Like Kuva Weapons, all Tenet weapons raise their max rank every time you apply a forma, capping at rank 40. It will also have bonus damage, the type of damage would depend on the Warframe used to spawn your Sister of Parvos.

What Tenet Exec excels at:

• Having the Tenet Weapon bonuses:

The Tenet Exec, once you’ve used forma five times, will have a max level of 40. It also has the added bonus damage based on the progenitor element Ergo Glast had when you bought it.

• Crowd control:

Use the shockwave mechanic to rock your enemies’ worlds! Knocking down entire groups of enemies makes managing their numbers much easier.

• Landing (get it?) crits:

The Tenet Exec has an amazing critical chance of 38%. This ties it with the Heliocor as the third-highest critical chance among all melee weapons. And trust me that is a looong list of weapons. It also has an impressive 2.4x critical multiplier.

Prepare to see yellow, orange, and red numbers on your screen every time you take a swing.

How to get Tenet Exec:

You can get this heavy blade from Ergo Glast in the Perrin Sequence room on any of the Relays. It can be bought for 40 Corrupted Holokeys.

Here’s a video guide on how to get the Tenet Exec and the other melee Tenet Weapons

Tenet Exec Details

7. Zenistar

Burn the image of this axe into your enemies’ minds and skulls.

We all know that heavy blades wield a lot of power, but how about one that has the power of a star (Disclaimer:ItdoesnotactuallysaythattheZenistarhasthepowerofastar. Thewriter’sopinionsarehisandhisalone).

In case you're not sure what you’re seeing in the pic above, the Zenistar is a big axe that’s constantly on fire.

The gimmick with this weapon is that its heavy attack launches a flaming disc that deals impact damage if it hits an enemy and then explodes for heat damage.

What Zenistar excels at:

• Roasting fools:

The Zenistar has innate heat damage, making it highly effective against Flesh-based enemies (or enemies that have exposed flesh).

• Spreading status:

In the heavy blade family, the Zenistar has the second-highest status chance (30%) making a build with multiple status effects easily viable on this weapon.

• AOE:

When the flaming disc lands, it actually stays for 10 seconds and will continue to deal damage to any enemies around it, making that area hostile to them. Keep in mind though that performing another heavy attack will cause the disc to prematurely come back.

How to get Zenistar:

The only way to get the Zenistar is through the Daily Login Rewards system. You can select it among other exclusive weapons on day 100. If you choose not to pick the Zenistar, it will become available again every other 200 days (so the next time it appears after 100 would be 300). It will continue appearing every 200 days until it is selected.

Zenistar Details

6. Scindo Prime

Chop down the competition with the Scindo Prime.

Next, we go to another war axe. The Scindo Prime doesn’t have a special effect but it more than makes up for it with its impressive stats and reliability.

Although it may not have any unique attributes on its own, it has a skin called the Manticore skin that actually has an effect. It increases damage by 15% while reducing attack speed by the same amount.

What Scindo Prime excels at:

• Criticalizing:

The Scindo Prime has a critical chance of 26% (4th highest among heavy blades) and a critical multiplier of 2.4x (tied with the Tenet Exec as the 2nd highest critical multiplier among heavy blades).

• Statusimifying:

With a 24% status chance, you can also go for a status build with this weapon (it’s up to you whether you want to focus more on its crits or stats).

How to get Scindo Prime:

Like most Primed weapons, the Scindo Prime’s blueprints and parts are obtainable by cracking Void Relics or trading them with other players. A list of the Void Relics containing this weapon’s blueprints and parts can be found on the “Scindo Prime details” link below.

Void Relic Guide

Scindo Prime Details

5. Galatine Prime

This ain’t your dad’s Galatine.

The Galatine’s big brother has come a long way. With improved base damage, critical chance, and status chance, the Galatine Prime is simply a direct upgrade. Its attack speed is untouched though, but it’s still the highest attack speed among heavy blades so can’t really complain.

Similar to the base Galatine, this one doesn’t have any special gimmicks. And honestly, most of the heavy blades further down the list don’t have crazy, mind-blowing tricks (the next one has a doozy of an effect though). I guess the best heavy blades embody the less is more ideology.

What Galatine Prime excels at:

• Versatility:

The Galatine Prime has an equal critical chance and status chance of 26%. This means you can focus your mod build on either one of these or give it a little bit of both if you want.

• Fast slashes:

Tied with the Galatine, Masseter, and Tenet Exec with having the fastest attack speed among heavy blades.

How to get Galatine Prime:

Like most Primed weapons, the Galatine Prime’s blueprints and parts are obtainable by cracking Void Relics or trading them with other players. A list of the Void Relics containing this weapon’s blueprints and parts can be found on the “Galatine Prime details” link below.

Void Relic Guide 

Galatine Prime Details

4. Vitrica

A glass cannon gets broken easily. A glass sword on the other hand…

Nihil’s personal weapon, the Vitrica was originally used by this Orokin executioner to punish dissidents to the Orokin Empire. In your hands, you use it to petrify your enemies before shattering them to itty bitty pieces… maybe we are the bad guys.

Attacking while Aim Gliding will unleash a projectile that will turn enemies to glass for 7 seconds. Following this up with a slam attack on the glassed enemies will deal a huge bonus damage.

What Vitrica excels at:

• Stunning enemies:

As stated above, you can turn your enemies into glass for 7 whole seconds. Also, the radius of effect is 5 meters, allowing you to glass multiple enemies at once.

• Being a status beast:

The Vitrica has a jaw-dropping 33% status chance (the highest among heavy blades). Making this the ideal heavy weapon to use when you want to maximize the Condition Overload mod.

• Bringing the pain:

Shattering glassed enemies with a slam attack deals 999 damage, which will be further increased by any damage mods you add to the weapon, elemental mods also count towards this.

Aside from this, the Vitrica has the highest base damage among all heavy blades so you can make your enemies feel the full wrath of the heavy blade.

How to get Vitrica:

Initially available through the Nightwave Series 3, Episode 5 boss battle. Now the boss battle is only accessible via an Enter Nihil's Oubliette Key and a Nihil's Oubliette decoration which can be bought from the Nightwave shop.

Here’s a video guide on how to farm the Vitrica

Vitrica Details

3. War

It’s not stealing if you take it from a Stalker… I guess… I don’t know.

This is the blade gifted to the Shadow Stalker in the Second Dream Quest before it gets broken in half. No worries though, you can repair it with a Broken War and a War Blueprint that drops from the Shadow Stalker himself.

Once you have it, make your enemies quake in fear with the fearsome sentient’s heavy blade. Also, make them quake by slamming this gigantic thing into their skulls.

Despite being a “blade”, the War deals mostly impact damage. It also has an attribute wherein every enemy you hit that doesn’t get knocked out by War will get an Impact status effect.

What War excels at:

• Critical pain:

The War is tied with the Galatine Prime and Scindo Prime with having the third-highest critical chance among heavy blades (26%). It also ties with Gram Prime and Paracesis with having the highest critical multiplier of 2.6x.

• Armor breaking:

The fact that the War can constantly proc Impact effects makes it an amazing candidate for Shattering Impact which can make you quickly strip enemies of their armor.

How to get War:

The War’s blueprint has a 2.77% chance to drop from the Shadow Stalker.

Here’s a video guide on how to get both the War and the Broken War blueprints (you need a Broken War to craft the War)

War Details

2. Gram Prime

Take it one massive swing at a time with the Gram Prime.

This is what some would say to be the embodiment of the heavy blade. It may have a weighty feel to it due to its slow attack speed, but it’s weight worth having. 

This mighty sword is one of the highest damaging heavy blades out there  (if not the highest damaging heavy blade) when comparing base attributes.

What Gram Prime excels at:

• Raw damage:

This weapon’s base damage ranks second among all heavy blades (300 base damage). So smash your way to victory!

• Crits:

Critical chance: 32% (second highest heavy blade crit chance). Critical multiplier: 2.6x (highest heavy blade crit multiplier). What more needs to be said?

• Dealing status effects:

The Gram Prime has the second-highest status chance among heavy blades (32%) chance, making this weapon deal tons of status effects even if you decide to go for a full-critical build.

How to get Gram Prime:

Like most Primed weapons, the Gram Prime’s blueprints and parts are obtainable by cracking Void Relics or trading them with other players. A list of the Void Relics containing this weapon’s blueprints and parts can be found on the “Gram Prime details” link below.

Void Relic Guide

Gram Prime Details

1. Paracesis 

The Sentient (and everything else) slayer.

If you’ve ever read The Lightning Thief (spoiler alert if you haven’t), the Paracesis is like Luke Castellan’s gift to Percy, the winged shoes. Really cool and really helpful but was actually intended to kill the user. (Another spoiler alert if you haven’t played the New War Quest yet) Ballas gives you the Paracesis just so he can use it on you in the New War Quest.

Spoilers Over

But regardless of all that, the fact remains, this is one lean, mean slicing machine. And also, similar to Kuva and Tenet weapons, the Paracesis gains two extra max ranks every time you apply a Forma to it, up until you reach rank 40.

What Paracesis excels at:

• Dealing crits galore:

The Paracesis has the third-highest critical chance among heavy blades (31%), and ties with the other top contenders in this list with having the highest critical multiplier (2.6x).

• Ripping through Sentients:

True to its nickname, this thing slays Sentients. For each additional level above 30, the Paracesis gains bonus damage against Sentient enemies. This weapon can also be used to clear Sentient damage resistances.

• Versatility in Modding:

Since its true max rank is 40, this makes the Paracesis way more open to better, more expensive mods and allows you to better optimize or fulfill whatever build you want to use on it.

How to get Paracesis:

The Paracesis’ blueprint is awarded to the player for completing the quest: Chimera Prologue.

Here’s a quick walkthrough of the Chimera Prologue

Paracesis Details

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