Mesa — First Regulators
Starter build. Shatter Shield, then Peacemaker. Open the Regulator grid. Hornet Strike is enough to clear Star Chart.
Codex Checked · Compared against current game data for this update. · Update 43.5 · 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Current
Star Chart, first Mesa, anyone who has never opened an exalted secondary
Wrong drop or mechanic?
Why this build?
Starter for Star Chart, first Mesa, anyone who has never opened an exalted secondary
Health: Inventory unknown — Mark what you own. Until then this is a recommendation, not a test you failed.
- Peacemaker is Mesa. The Regulator grid is the build. The Warframe grid just keeps 3 and 4 up.
- Shatter Shield ignores melee and status. Do not stand in a Heavy Gunner's face-slam thinking you are invincible.
- One Intensify caps the DR. You do not need Blind Rage to live on Star Chart.
Don’t use this for: Steel Path endurance · level-cap content · frames played as a gun platform only
0 Forma, basic mods, no Helminth or shards required
You don’t need the shards to run the loop. They are a later ceiling, not a gate.
Bring: Regulators (exalted pistols) — Ability screen → Peacemaker. This is a secondary weapon grid. Hornet Strike, Barrel Diffusion, Lethal Torrent. Empty grid = wet noodles.
My test
Did this still work for you?
Your note, in this browser. Separate from Codex verification — the stamp on the card is editorial, this is yours.
Readiness
Inventory unknown
Not checked — add your collection. You have not failed a test.
- Required mods 0/16 · required — 0/16 named
- Forma 0/2 · required — 2 on the card. Codex does not track installed Forma.
- Helminth · optional — Not required
- Arcanes · recommended — 0/1 recommended
- Shards · optional — Optional unless the card says a breakpoint
Investment: 2 Forma · Reactor · 1 shard. Typical farm ~1–2 hours. Trade if a route is vaulted.
Codex Checked · Compared against current game data for this update. · Update 43.5 · 5 Sept 2026 · PC · Current
High confidence. How strongly the Codex recommends this for its stated purpose — not a test log. Verification is separate: Codex Checked against Update 43.5.
Your next step
Open First Regulators — Star Chart
The next rung on this frame is unlocked. Mark I run this, then step up.
First Regulators — Star ChartPlan
Today → next → later
Inventory unknown — mark “I own this” on a few mods. Until then this is a plan, not a score of zero.
- NextGet Pistol AmpThe Index / Nightwave
- After that0–2 FormaOne slot at a time. Rank 30 after each polarize.
- LaterAmber · Casting SpeedHelminth and shards are the last rungs. They are not the Starter.
- FinalFirst RegulatorsStarter · Starter · 0–2 Forma
Upgrade from here
First Regulators — Star Chart
Shatter Shield, then Peacemaker. Open the Regulator grid. Hornet Strike is enough to clear Star Chart. Primed Continuity and Primed Flow are the first real upgrade — not Blind Rage.
Open First Regulators — Star ChartHelminth & shards
What to put on the body
- 1 Amber · Casting Speed — Shatter Shield then Peacemaker in one motion.Archon locked
Tonight
What is actually up
30 minutes, one hour, or two — matched to this loadout, not a dump of the Origin System.
30 minutes
Farm Pistol Amp
One named gap. The Index / Nightwave
60 minutes
Pistol Amp, then Forma
Finish the missing named card, then spend a Forma if a polarity is still fighting you.
120 minutes
One Archon Hunt
If you are logging off after this, stop at the named component. Do not start a second Forma session tired.
- Farm Pistol Amp
The Index / Nightwave
Who this is for
Play this build from zero
You just beat Mutalist Alad V and have never opened an exalted pistol grid.
- Time to a playable copy
- Same day if you own Hornet Strike, Barrel Diffusion, Intensify, and Continuity.
- First mission to practice in
- A Grineer Exterminate. You want bodies in a cone, not a boss with a null field.
3 button drills · 18 parts · tick the lists as you go
Before you start
0 of 3 done
Put it on the Warframe
0 of 5 done
Keep this up
Regulator loop
Pocket card. Stick this on a second screen; the long version is the mission below.
- 1Shatter Shield (3) before you walk into a room. 95% gun DR once Intensify is on. Melee still hurts.
- 2Shooting Gallery (2) — damage buff that bounces between allies and jams nearby guns.
- 3Peacemaker (4). Aim-cone pistols. Hold fire. Look at heads. Do not melee.
- 4Ballistic Battery (1) stores gun damage for one fat shot. Starter can ignore it.
First mission — press these buttons
- 1
Shatter Shield in the hallway
3Press 3. A shimmer. Guns tickle. Melee still slaps.
You will know it worked when: A glass tint. Incoming bullets spark.
- 2
Gallery, then 4
42 then 4. Hold fire. Look at the pack. The cone shrinks.
You will know it worked when: Twin pistols. Heads popping in a fan.
- 3
Drop 4 to roll
If something swings, cancel Peacemaker, roll, recast 3 if it died.
Common mistakes
Pressing 4 with no pistol mods
Unmodded Regulators are starter secondaries. Treat the grid like a real gun.
When this feels easy
- 1Mesa's WaltzWalk while firing. Steel Meridian / Red Veil.
- 2Then Helminth 1Peace Out is the next config.
Parts checklist
0 of 18 owned. Tap How on anything you still need.
Dependencies
20 dependencies
Frame → mods → unlocks. Tick Collection and Progress. This is a decision graph, not a wiki tree.
- 1●mesaframe
- 2○Pistol Ampmod
- 3○Power Driftmod
- 4○Intensifymod
- 5○Continuitymod
- 6○Streamlinemod
- 7○Flowmod
- 8○Vitalitymod
- 9○Redirectionmod
- 10○Stretchmod
- 11○Hornet Strikemod
- 12○Barrel Diffusionmod
- 13○Lethal Torrentmod
- 14○Pistol Gambitmod
- 15○Target Crackermod
- 16○Heated Chargemod
- 17○Pistol Pestilencemod
- 18○Arcane Energizearcane
- 19○Amber · Casting Speedshard
- 20○Archon Hunts (shards optional)unlock
Depends on
What this loadout needs
Required is a gate. Recommended is a ceiling. Optional is a later farm — don’t stall the card for it.
Required
- Pistol Amp
missing · The Index / Nightwave
Capacity plus Regulator damage. Growing Power is fine if you do not have it.
Power Driftmissing · Unlock Lua
Continuitymissing · Run low-level Defense or Survival
Streamlinemissing · Enemy drops and early missions
Flowmissing · Enemy drops
Vitalitymissing · Jackal
- Redirection
missing · Drops
Hornet Strikemissing · Konzu, Cetus
- Barrel Diffusion
missing · Enemy drops
Lethal Torrentmissing · Nightmare missions
- Pistol Gambit
missing · Enemy drops
- Target Cracker
missing · Enemy drops
- Heated Charge
missing · Enemy drops
Recommended
Arcane Energizemissing · Buy 20–40 Platinum worth
Peacemaker drains while you hold it. Skip until you can afford it.
Optional
Watch it played
YouTube for this loadout
The ultimate 2025 gunslinger - Mesa!
Peacemaker regulators in 2025. Shatter Shield still is the DR.
Mesa: Perfected | Deadeye | Build & Guide | 2026
Peacemaker regulators in 2026 with Nautilus Cordon and Shatter Shield. Feat. MHBlacky.
Is This the Most BROKEN Mesa Build Without Forma?
Zero-Forma Peacemaker that still works on Steel Path.
Strength
~145% (Intensify) — Shatter Shield caps at 95% DR around 119% Strength
Duration
155% for Shatter Shield and Gallery
Range
100–130%
One cheap Strength mod caps Shatter Shield. Extra Strength still feeds Peacemaker's damage multiplier.
From the mods
Live power
Additive from max-rank Codex mods. Efficiency clamped 15–175%. Umbral set is +11% Strength per extra piece.
- Strength
- 145%
- Duration
- 130%
- Range
- 145%
- Efficiency
- 130%
- Energy
- +150%
- Capacity
- 42 / 67
Weapon HUD
Arsenal numbers
Base × damage mods × crit expectation × fire rate × multishot. No faction, no quantization. Galvanized kill stacks are a slider, not assumed.
- Damage
- 112
- Crit
- 26% × 3.20
- Status
- 42%
- Fire rate
- 15.33
- Multishot
- 2.80
- Avg hit
- 177
- Arsenal DPS
- 7599
Toggle common mods
Mesa mods
- AuraPistol AmpCapacity plus Regulator damage. Growing Power is fine if you do not have it.The Perrin Sequence
- ExilusPower DriftOrokin Vaults / Lua
- 1IntensifyCaps Shatter Shield. Do not skip this.Mercury / Venus
- 2ContinuityEnemy drops / Saturn
- 3StreamlineEnemy drops
- 4FlowEnemy drops
- 5VitalityEarth / drops
- 6RedirectionEnemy drops
- 7StretchShooting Gallery bounce range. Optional.Enemy drops
| Slot | Mod | Source | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aura | Pistol Amp Capacity plus Regulator damage. Growing Power is fine if you do not have it. | The Perrin Sequence | |
| Exilus | Power Drift | Orokin Vaults / Lua | |
| 1 | Intensify Caps Shatter Shield. Do not skip this. | Mercury / Venus | |
| 2 | Continuity | Enemy drops / Saturn | |
| 3 | Streamline | Enemy drops | |
| 4 | Flow | Enemy drops | |
| 5 | Vitality | Earth / drops | |
| 6 | Redirection | Enemy drops | |
| 7 | Stretch Shooting Gallery bounce range. Optional. | Enemy drops |
Regulators (exalted pistols)
- 1Hornet StrikeCetus bounties / drops
- 2Barrel DiffusionEnemy drops
- 3Lethal TorrentOrokin Vaults / trade
- 4Pistol GambitEnemy drops
- 5Target CrackerEnemy drops
- 6Heated ChargeEnemy drops
- 7Pistol PestilenceViral with Heated Charge. Skip if you only have four mods.Enemy drops
| Slot | Mod | Source | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hornet Strike | Cetus bounties / drops | |
| 2 | Barrel Diffusion | Enemy drops | |
| 3 | Lethal Torrent | Orokin Vaults / trade | |
| 4 | Pistol Gambit | Enemy drops | |
| 5 | Target Cracker | Enemy drops | |
| 6 | Heated Charge | Enemy drops | |
| 7 | Pistol Pestilence Viral with Heated Charge. Skip if you only have four mods. | Enemy drops |
Arcanes
Arcane Energize
Peacemaker drains while you hold it. Skip until you can afford it.
Eidolon / trade
Archon shards
- 1
Amber · Casting SpeedShatter Shield then Peacemaker in one motion.1 · Archon Hunt
| # | Shard | Qty | Source | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amber · Casting Speed Shatter Shield then Peacemaker in one motion. | 1 | Archon Hunt |