Warframe Jade Shadows: Everything new in the update

Warframe Jade Shadows is the latest major update (36.0), and its list of changes is much bigger than Dante Unbound. Other than the titular Warframe Jade, the update adds a cinematic side quest casting some limelight on our favorite assassin, the Stalker. Moreover, Update 36.0 ships with some game-changing adjustments that will shake up the status meta.

Unveiled during the hour-long DevStream #177 hosted during PAX East 2024, Jade Shadows was a surprise reveal for many fans. However, parts of its ideas have previously come up in some of last year's DevStreams.

This article goes over everything new in the Warframe Jade Shadows update, including all the major change, new gear, cosmetics, and mods.

Warframe Jade Shadows release date for all platforms

Jade Shadows is coming on June 18 (Image via Digital Extremes)

Warframe: Jade Shadows will be released on June 18, as confirmed on Devstream #180. Tenno across all platforms will get to play the new Stalker-related story quest and everything else the update brings on this day.

All major features of Warframe's Jade Shadows update at a glance

Jade Shadows will also come with a handy set of quality-of-life changes (Image via Devstream)

Here's everything new in Warframe's Jade Shadows update:

A new cinematic quest from the Stalker's point of View
New Warframe: Jade
New Weapons: Evensong Bow, Cantare Throwing Knives, Harmony Scythe
New Game mode: Ascension
New Landing Craft: Terror
New Eximus unit type: Jade Light Eximus. This is an Eximus variant added to all existing enemy factions.
A new Clan Operation, Belly of the Beast, has gone live with the Jade Shadows update
New Duviri Decrees
Four new Warframe augments for Qorvex's Containment Wall, Dagath's Grave Spirit, Protea's Blazing Artillery, and Sevagoth's Sow
New Arcanes and Augment mods
New Status Duration mods
Enemy Scaling and Status Effects rework
Quality-of-Life UI additions

Warframe Jade Shadows build size for all platforms (estimated)

The Jade Shadows download size will vary depending on which platform you're playing Warframe on:

PC: 1.15 GB
PS4: 1.30 GB
PS5: 4.00 GB
Xbox One: 2.67 GB
Xbox Series X/S: 2.72 GB
Switch: 1.22 GB
iOS: 1.00 GB

All about Jade, the anti-Stalker

Jade will be an angelic Warframe to foil the Stalker (Image via Digital Extremes)

Jade, the titular Warframe, is poised to be the polar opposite of the Stalker, complete with an angelic theme. Instead of hunting and exterminating, her skillset will be all about supporting her allies and rebuffing her enemies.

Jade will also come with three signature weapons: Evensong, Cantare, and Harmony - which are foils to the Stalker weapons (Dread, Despair, and Hate).

To learn more, check out our detailed guide on Jade's Abilities.

Jade Shadows has brought massive changes to Warframe's enemy armor and status effects

The Jade Shadows update will try to shake up Warframe's stagnating status meta once again. How Digital Extremes will exactly go about the status effect and enemy armor rework has not been finalized yet.

Here are the broad strokes of the proposed reworks, as explained during Devstream #179.

Partial Armor strip viability: make Corrosive good again

Warframe's armored enemies are finally getting an effective armor cap (Image via Digital Extremes)

Currently, damage resistance enemies gain from armor is very bottom-heavy. Even at 10 stacks of Corrosive, enemies retain the majority of their damage resistance.

This makes it a dramatic difference between 99% armor strip and full armor strip. The rework will redistribute damage resistance gained from armor in a way that makes partial armor strip more viable. No more stacking Emarld Archon shards to make your Warframe viable on Steel Path.

Additionally, Digital Extremes are adding a cap to how much damage mitigation enemies can gain from armor. The proposed cap right now is 90%, but it is subject to change.

To balance the enemy EHP change mandated by this armor scaling change, raw health pool of armored enemies will be buffed to make them as durable as before.

Corpus shields will recharge now

The shields on your frame recharge automatically - but not the ones on shielded enemies unless they have a Shield Osprey hovering around them. The Jade Shadows rework will change that to give Corpus recharging sheilds past lvl 70.

Buffs to Cold, Blast, and Gas status effects

Here are all the status effect reworks coming in Jade Shadows:

This update will be yet another attempt at buffing Cold damage, but the idea is more actionable this time around. Cold will now freeze enemies (sans Eximus units and bosses) at 10 stacks. Frozen enemies will be more vulnerable to critical damage.
The Gas status effect will have improved visualization to let your distinguish which enemies are affected by it at a given point.
Blast damage will be more 'blasty'. Digital Extremes has not elaborated further yet.
Magnetic damage will disable enemy shield regeneration. This change has not been confirmed yet, and it is subject to change.

Warframe: Jade Shadows' quest will be from Stalker's point of view

Is Stalker mode finally coming with Warframe Jade Shadows update? (Image via Digital Extremes)

The Warframe Jade Shadows key art was shared during the update's surprise reveal at PAX East. Two figures feature in it: Jade, the 57th unique Warframe, and what seems to be a Stalker-themed landing craft.

Jade will also be coming with her own signature melee weapon in Warframe - which could be a polearm, scythe, or speargun. In any case, not many details can be listed about the new frame before the upcoming DevStream, which will talk more about the new update.

Has Stalker mode finally made it to Warframe with the Jade Shadows update?

A sneak peek into the Stalker Mode from TennoCon 2017 (Image via Digital Extremes)

We won't reveal the contents of the cinematic quest here due to spoiler reasons, but it involves an up, close, and personal look into the Stalker's daily routine.

During the reveal of this update in Devstream #179, many fans theorized it will either make improvements to the Stalker invasion mechanic in missions or finally introduce the much-coveted Stalker Mode in Warframe.

The 'Stalker Mode' feature was first proposed during TennoCon 2017, complete with a proof-of-concept gameplay segment.
In the original Stalker Mode concept supposed to debut last year, you essentially get to play the Stalker and invade other players during mission.
Stalker has already become a playable Warframe of sorts if you unlock the final Opportunity Drifter Intrinsic on the Circuit.

So, did Warframe add the much-coveted Stalker mode? Technically, yes. However, rather than a Stalker invading other players' missions, all you can do for now is join the Belly of the Beast Clan Operation as a friendly Stalker.

Check out other guides on this game from Sportskeeda:

All Warframes tier list ||Warframe Incarnon weapons tier list || Kuva weapons tier list || All Warframe Twitch drops this week || Best stat-stick weapons in Warframe || Tenet weapons tier list || Latest Baro Ki'teer Inventory || All Warframe Promo Codes || Best weapons in Warframe for each Mastery Rank

Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh