Warframe: Biggest winners and losers of the Pseudo-Exalted Rework

Warframe's Techrot Encore update will rework Pseudo-Exalted abilities to be a much more transparent mechanic for newer players, but it nullifies stat-sticks. In this tradeoff, some Warframes stand to lose a lot, while others are becoming far more palatable in terms of usability. In this article, we'll do a complete breakdown of how it affects each of the concerned frames.

If you're not sure how pseudo-exalted abilities work pre-patch, here's a gist of how stat-sticks work for that purpose and why this rework will crash Melee Riven prices.

Some context before we begin: all Pseudo-Exalted abilities are becoming much simpler with combo build-up. The short version is that these abilities will have a decoupled unique combo framework, same as current-day Atlas, and you will be guaranteed +20 to your combo per cast. In other words, your Pseudo-Exalted combo reaches its maximum potential in seven casts, regardless of how many enemies you are hitting.

With that out of the way, here are the biggest winners and losers of the Pseudo-Exalted rework in Techrot Encore.

Atlas is a much stronger Warframe after the Pseudo-Exalted Rework

Atlas can't stop winning after this (Image via Sportskeeda || Digital Extremes)

Atlas mains are walking Techrot Encore update with a bright smile; this Warframe is winning big-time with the rework.

Firstly, those who played Atlas will already be familiar with the combo framework that is now being standardized for all Pseudo-Exalted abilities.

Secondly, Landslide now goes up to 12x instead of 4x, and the damage scales fully with the combo counter. There is no base damage nerf to offset this for Landslide, so expect it to deal much more damage unmodded.

Thirdly, on top of all this, Landslide's Critical Chance will be increased from 5% to 35%, and its Status Chance from 5% to 15%. You can mod Landslide with Blood Rush, Weeping Wounds, and all sorts of elemental combos, so this is a huge buff on the baseline to work on. I'm predicting a Melee Influence Lanslide build to become a meta staple in the future.

Other Warframes that are getting buffed with the Pseudo-Exalted Rework

Ash is getting a light rework, and his entire kit is getting a series of buffs (including 50% higher base duration on Smoke Screen). Overall, Ash should perform much better in every scenario he was already good at. Here's some more details on the Ash rework in Techrot Encore.

Baruuk will be much stronger and easier to play after the update (even though his ult is an actual Exalted ability, not pseudo-exalted). The energy waves from Desert Wind will actually build combo now, which makes it far easier to get to 12x in Steel Path.

Although Desert Wind's critical chance is getting reduced from 50% to 35% — this still works out as an overall buff since you can use Blood Rush now. Before, the highest crit chance you could have is about 187.5%, but now you can get 189% with just Blood Rush at 12x Combo. With a full Sacrificial set, this jumps up to 285%, which is a lot of red crits with some orange.

Khora is the clear-cut loser in Warframe's Techrot Encore update

Khora bros, it's joever (Image via Sportskeeda || Digital Extremes)

If we look at peak potential, Khora is the biggest loser of Warframe's Pseudo-Exalted rework. Here's what you're losing if you are an end-game Khora main with high investment, like me:

Magistar Incarnon and other Incarnon's perks will no longer boost your base stats, as stat-sticks will no longer be a thing
You are also no longer gaining bonuses from Rivens

If these two were not big enough blows, Whipclaw's base damage is being halved. Theoretically, this is not a nerf, as Pseudo-Exalted abilities now gain full damage scaling from 12x combo multiplier, which works out to a bit better overall unmodded damage. However, if you were fully min-maxed with a stat-stick, expect to lose as high as ~75% of your damage compared to pre-rework.

Sure, it's easier to build combo now, so beginners who are just getting into Khora will find that she plays much better in the regular mobile cadence of Warframe. However, that QoL combo-building buff is immaterial to end-game Khora mains, who could already maintain combo with Naramon and other unique interactions such as Rauta.

When all is said and done, the extremely high damage ceiling was only one part of Khora's utility. She will still be a great loot-boosting Warframe — only, not as good at running level-cap Survivals.

We brought this up in our Interview with Pablo, Warframe's Design Director. The rationale, according to statistics, is that this change will benefit 95% of the playerbase, while the rest will have to take the nerf at the top-level.

All other Warframes affected by the rework

Here's where all other Warframes stand after the Pseudo-Exalted rework:

Gara will be about the same, if not slightly better. Shattered Lash is slow to cast, so Gara will no doubt require Naramon if you want to lean into this ability as your main damage source. Gara is losing Incarnon-perks and stat-stick Rivens but has some compensation from base stat buffs on Shattered Lash (Critical Chance of 20% and Status Chance of 30%).
Excalibur is a bit worse for wear where Slash Dash is concerned. It now builds combo the same way as Atlas, so pure Slash Dash is a more free-flowing playstyle than snapshotting after combo build-up with an actual melee. However, it will now use mods on Exalted Blade, so you lose Incarnon perks and Riven bonuses.
Valkyr and Wukong are potentially better thanks to less modding restrictions and the allowance of Arcanes on their Exalted.
Mesa might be much better, depending on whether you can stack Arcanes (meaning both Regulator Arcane and the Arcane equipped on your secondary weapon work at the same time).
Hildryn's Balefire will also be better, thanks to the newly-added Arcane Slot.

Some of these things will only get figured out after the patch drops on March 19, 2025. You can preview all of the changes in the Dev Workshop forum post.

Check out our other guides on the game:

Edited by Adarsh J Kumar