The Basmu: An Underrated Sentient Rifle in Warframe
The Basmu has always been a little slept on in Warframe. This Sentient rifle not only looks great, but it also fires inherent Electricity rounds that explode on impact, dealing Heat damage. While the Basmu features an alternative fire mode that acts as a beam weapon, today’s focus will be on its primary firing mode.
The Best Basmu and Dreadful Killshot Build in Warframe
The Dreadful Killshot build was introduced in the most recent Nora’s Nightwave. This build grants a damage and status chance bonus that scales with your Warframe’s health. To maximize the bonus — which caps at 360% — you want your Warframe’s total health to reach 1350. Even at a lower health threshold of 600, you can match the benefit of a full-ranked Serration mod.
While the Basmu can be paired with any Warframe, it is highly recommended to run it with one that can reach the higher health value to avoid leaving extra damage potential unused.
Low-Cost Build Ideal for Steel Path
For this build, the focus is on a low-cost, easy-to-acquire setup that will carry you through Steel Path with just a single Forma—making it hard to pass up.
For the Arcane enhancement, we’re using Primary Crux. This Arcane increases ammo economy and status chance. However, if you have other maxed Arcanes such as Merciless or Deadhead, feel free to use those instead.
Recommended Mods
- Critical Delay: This mod provides a significant boost to critical chance but reduces fire rate. Although this trade-off can sometimes lower overall DPS, we will compensate for it later in the build. If you don’t have Critical Delay, Point Strike is a good alternative.
- Galvanized Aptitude: If unavailable, use Rifle Aptitude. Galvanized Aptitude benefits from “Gun CO,” which grants a multiplicative damage increase based on how many status effects enemies have.
- Magnetic Capacity: Adds Magnetic damage—one of the strongest elemental types in the game—while also increasing magazine capacity.
- Vital Sense: Significantly improves your critical damage.
- Malignant Force + Rime Rounds: Treat these as the two elemental mod slots; combined, they create Viral damage—arguably the most valuable elemental damage type in Warframe.
- Dreadful Killshot: Provides a 20% damage and status chance buff for every 75 points of Warframe health, capping at 360%.
- Galvanized Chamber: Grants multishot, effectively increasing the number of rounds fired per shot. If you don’t have this, switch to Split Chamber.
This build does rely on some form of outside Corrosive priming when facing heavily armored enemies, so consider pairing the Basmu with a secondary weapon or a companion that can provide this. Diriga or hound builds are excellent complements.
Outsourcing Viral Damage
The build becomes even more flexible if you can outsource Viral damage. For example, if you have Nourish as a Helminth option, you can replace the Viral elemental mods with Corrosive mods, Blast mods (if you have good enemy grouping), or any other elemental combination you prefer.
Warframe Synergies and Playstyles
One enjoyable way of running this build is with a Frost Warframe. While the Frost build might not reach the health cap, it still gains substantial bonuses from Dreadful Killshot. With a fully stripped armor on your fourth ability plus a subsumed Nourish providing Viral damage, this setup is incredibly effective—especially in activities like Void Cascades.
Why This Build Stands Out
What makes the Basmu and Dreadful Killshot combo so compelling is its synergy with health-tank playstyles, which are often favored by newer players. With just one Forma investment, this build is economical and effective.
While it may not compete with meta weapons at level-cap gameplay, it does not need to. This low-investment Basmu build scales effortlessly into Steel Path, making it an excellent choice for players seeking a powerful, budget-friendly rifle.
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Give this build a try and discover the potential of the Basmu, an underrated gem in the world of Warframe!
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