Nova Prime · Loadouts

Nova 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

Starter0–1 FormaStarterHigh confidenceStar ChartDefenseShards optional

First Slowva

Learn the frame.

Best for: Star Chart, first Nova, Defense and Mobile Defense

Tap Molecular Prime. Enemies crawl. Null Star is your health bar. Cheap mods, zero drama.

Slowva is how you learn Nova. Duration keeps the Prime on the map. Range makes the wave a room.

Investment: 1 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: 2/5 En
Mob: 3/5 Mob
Ease: 5/5 Ease

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

Star Chart2–3 FormaModerateHigh confidenceStar ChartSteel Path

First Slowva — Star Chart

First serious version.

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

Tap Molecular Prime. Enemies crawl. Null Star is your health bar. Cheap mods, zero drama. Primed Continuity and Primed Flow are the first real upgrade — not Blind Rage.

Slowva is how you learn Nova. Duration keeps the Prime on the map. Range makes the wave a room.

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: 3/5 En
Mob: 3/5 Mob
Ease: 5/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Hold To Sprint — Steel Path.

Steel Path3–4 FormaAdvancedMedium confidenceStar ChartSteel PathShards optional

Hold To Sprint — Steel Path

Your first endgame-capable version.

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

Hold Molecular Prime. Enemies sprint into the objective. Farm rotations finish faster. Same 150% Strength cap as Slowva. This is the peak you can run the day Steel Path unlocks — galvanized / arcanes, no Helminth.

Old Speedva was negative Strength. That is gone. Tap/hold on one loadout is the 2024–2026 Nova.

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

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Hold To Sprint — Optimised.

Optimised2–3 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceNetracellsArchon HuntsShards optional

Hold To Sprint — Optimised

Spend resources to push it.

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

Hold Molecular Prime. Enemies sprint into the objective. Farm rotations finish faster. Same 150% Strength cap as Slowva. Shards and a finished config. Tauforged is the last card.

Old Speedva was negative Strength. That is gone. Tap/hold on one loadout is the 2024–2026 Nova.

Investment: 3 Forma · Reactor · 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: 2/5 Dmg
Sur: 3/5 Sur
En: 4/5 En
Mob: 4/5 Mob
Ease: 3/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Hold To Sprint — Endgame.

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

Endgame2–3 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceFarmingDisruptionShards optional

Hold To Sprint — Endgame

Only if you actually need it.

Best for: Defense, Disruption, Index, any mission where spawn rate is the loot rate

Hold Molecular Prime. Enemies sprint into the objective. Farm rotations finish faster. Same 150% Strength cap as Slowva.

Old Speedva was negative Strength. That is gone. Tap/hold on one loadout is the 2024–2026 Nova.

Investment: 3 Forma · Reactor · 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: 2/5 Dmg
Sur: 3/5 Sur
En: 4/5 En
Mob: 4/5 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.

Steel Path3–4 FormaAdvancedMedium confidenceDisruptionBossesHelminthShards optional

Charged Particle

Your first endgame-capable version.

Best for: Bosses, Demolysts, people who like a second fireball

Antimatter Drop is a snowball you shoot. Dump a magazine into the ball, steer it, delete a hallway.

Drop is the original Nova nuke. It still deletes single threats when you actually charge it.

Investment: 4 Forma · Reactor · Helminth (Nourish (Grendel) or Roar (Rhino)) · 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: 2/5 Sur
En: 2/5 En
Mob: 2/5 Mob
Ease: 4/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Hold To Sprint — Optimised.

Steel Path2 FormaAdvancedMedium confidenceSpyCaptureShards optional

Taxi Window

Your first endgame-capable version.

Best for: Capture, Rescue, Spy, any tileset with long hallways, friends who hate walking

Wormhole is a door. Escape Velocity is a sprint buff. You are the squad's fast travel.

Wormhole is the ability people Helminth off — except on this config, where it is the whole joke.

Investment: 2 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: 2/5 En
Mob: 5/5 Mob
Ease: 4/5 Ease

Your next step: run this until it feels easy. Then Hold To Sprint — Optimised.

Endgame4–5 FormaEndgameMedium confidenceSteel PathHelminthShards optional

Neutron Gun

Only if you actually need it.

Best for: Steel Path weapons-platform, mobile tiles, people who hate standing in a Prime wave

Molecular Fission primes with Null Stars. Neutron Star pops the cloud. Your gun does the rest.

Molecular Fission is the 2026 Nova identity for people who move. Prime without waiting on the wave.

Investment: 5 Forma · Reactor · Helminth (Eclipse (Mirage) or Roar (Rhino)) · 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: 2/5 Dmg
Sur: 2/5 Sur
En: 2/5 En
Mob: 3/5 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.