Citrine · Loadouts

Citrine by progress

Progression path first. Specialist cards after. Each progression card is the peak you can run at that rung — not a second identity.

New to Warframe? Open the glossary

Progression path

Starter0–2 FormaStarterHigh confidenceStar ChartSteel PathShards optional

First Facets

Learn the frame.

Best for: Star Chart, first Citrine, learning the gem

Gem paints four statuses. Fractured Blast groups and prints orbs. Crystallize is the shiny weak spot. You are a health tank.

Citrine is a status engine with a health tank attached. The gem is the kit.

Investment: 2 Forma · Reactor · 1 shard

Inventory unknown · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

High — How strongly the Codex recommends this for its stated purpose — not a test log.

Dmg: 3/5 Dmg
Sur: 4/5 Sur
En: 3/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 5/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then First Facets — Star Chart.

Star Chart2–3 FormaModerateHigh confidenceStar ChartSteel Path

First Facets — Star Chart

First serious version.

Best for: Junctions through the Outer Terminus. Steel Path is the next card, not this one.

Gem paints four statuses. Fractured Blast groups and prints orbs. Crystallize is the shiny weak spot. You are a health tank. Primed Continuity and Primed Flow are the first real upgrade — not Blind Rage.

Citrine is a status engine with a health tank attached. The gem is the kit.

Investment: 3 Forma · Reactor · 2 specialised mods

Inventory unknown · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

High — How strongly the Codex recommends this for its stated purpose — not a test log.

Dmg: 3/5 Dmg
Sur: 4/5 Sur
En: 4/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 5/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Squad Prism — Steel Path.

Steel Path3–4 FormaAdvancedMedium confidenceStar ChartSteel PathShards optional

Squad Prism — Steel Path

Your first endgame-capable version.

Best for: Steel Path Star Chart, Circuit, first Archon. Helminth is the next card.

Prismatic Gem is a status turret for the whole cell. Archon Stretch drinks the Electric. Everyone's guns get greedy. This is the peak you can run the day Steel Path unlocks — galvanized / arcanes, no Helminth.

Four statuses from one turret is why Citrine still has a squad job in 2026.

Investment: 4 Forma · Reactor · 1 shard · 2 specialised mods

Not yet · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

Medium — A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification.

Dmg: 2/5 Dmg
Sur: 2/5 Sur
En: 3/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 4/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Squad Prism — Optimised.

Optimised4–5 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceNetracellsArchon HuntsShards optional

Squad Prism — Optimised

Spend resources to push it.

Best for: Netracells, Archon, EDA. You have Helminth or you don't need it.

Prismatic Gem is a status turret for the whole cell. Archon Stretch drinks the Electric. Everyone's guns get greedy. Shards and a finished config. Tauforged is the last card.

Four statuses from one turret is why Citrine still has a squad job in 2026.

Investment: 5 Forma · Reactor · 2 shards · 3 specialised mods

Not yet · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

Medium — A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification.

Dmg: 2/5 Dmg
Sur: 2/5 Sur
En: 3/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 3/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Squad Prism — Endgame.

Needs Helminth or shards. Open the Starter first if those are locked.

Endgame4–5 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceArchon HuntsShards optional

Squad Prism — Endgame

Only if you actually need it.

Best for: endgame / endurance groups, status melee squads, anyone who brought Citrine to buff people

Prismatic Gem is a status turret for the whole cell. Archon Stretch drinks the Electric. Everyone's guns get greedy.

Four statuses from one turret is why Citrine still has a squad job in 2026.

Investment: 5 Forma · Reactor · 2 shards · 3 specialised mods

Not yet · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

Medium — A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification.

Dmg: 2/5 Dmg
Sur: 2/5 Sur
En: 3/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 2/5 Ease

Your next step: stop here unless a specialist card fits the mission.

Needs Helminth or shards. Open the Starter first if those are locked.

Specialist builds

Not part of the path

Same frame, different job. These are not missing rungs — they are optional identities once the path feels easy.

Endgame5 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceSteel PathShards optional

Critical Lattice

Only if you actually need it.

Best for: Snipers, weak-point weapons, people who like big yellow numbers

Crystallize parks a crit crystal on every face. Recrystalize spreads it. Shoot the growth, not the health bar.

Crystallize is a free weak-point factory. Snipers become room-clear.

Investment: 5 Forma · Reactor · 2 shards · 4 specialised mods

Not yet · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

Medium — A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification.

Dmg: 3/5 Dmg
Sur: 3/5 Sur
En: 2/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 2/5 Ease

Your next step: stop here unless a specialist card fits the mission.

Needs Helminth or shards. Open the Starter first if those are locked.

Endgame4 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceSteel PathHelminthShards optional

Gloomy Quartz

Only if you actually need it.

Best for: Solo Steel Path, endurance, people who never liked shooting crystals

Gloom over Crystallize. Slow field, health leech, gem still paints the room. You become unkillable on purpose.

You give up Crystallize. Gloom is the survive subsume for people who already have a gun.

Investment: 4 Forma · Reactor · Helminth (Gloom (Sevagoth)) · 2 shards · 3 specialised mods

Not yet · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

Medium — A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification.

Dmg: 3/5 Dmg
Sur: 4/5 Sur
En: 2/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 2/5 Ease

Your next step: stop here unless a specialist card fits the mission.

Needs Helminth or shards. Open the Starter first if those are locked.

Steel Path4 FormaAdvancedMedium confidenceDefenseHelminthShards optional

Omamori Quartz

Your first endgame-capable version.

Best for: Defense, endurance, people who picked Citrine because she does not fold

Omamori or Arcane Blessing on a 400 HP gem tank. Passive regen, health orbs, charms. You refuse to die.

Citrine's 400 HP and orb kit is a health-tank that other frames fake with Umbral sets.

Investment: 4 Forma · Reactor · Helminth (Omamori (Koumei)) · 2 shards · 2 specialised mods

Not yet · Codex Checked 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Update 43.5

Medium — A solid recommendation with more situational dependencies. Confidence is not verification.

Dmg: 3/5 Dmg
Sur: 4/5 Sur
En: 2/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 4/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Squad Prism — Optimised.