Warframe Nidus - How to Unlock and Best Build Guide

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The corrupted Warframe Nidus is a great warframe that can use his parasitic abilities for survival, crowd control, and also wipe any room, excelling as an offensive character in any context or mission. His tankiness/immortality gives him great potential for soloing content, even in the endgame missions, and he can work great in a team as well.

With its new Prime variant releasing now, we can take a closer look at this masterfully versatile warframe, and how to build it.

Warframe Nidus Ability menu
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How to Obtain and Craft Nidus?

Nidus' main blueprint is acquired from “The Glast Gambit” quest, additional main blueprints can be bought from Cephalon Simaris for 50,000 Reputation. Nidus' component blueprints are acquired from Rotation C of Infested Salvage on Oestrus, Eris.

Component Requirements/How to Obtain Time to Build
Nidus BlueprintThe Glast Gambit Quest Reward72 Hours
Nidus NeuropticsOestrus, Eris - Rotation C Salvage - Drop Chance 14.29%12 Hours
Nidus ChassisOestrus, Eris - Rotation C Salvage - Drop Chance 14.29%12 Hours
Nidus SystemsOestrus, Eris - Rotation C Salvage - Drop Chance 14.29%12 Hours

Read More: Warframe The Arsenal Divide - Weapons Rebalance, Reworked Mods, And New Arcanes

Warframe Nidus - Skills & Abilities

Nidus is a very tanky warframe that has the potential of just not dying thanks to his passive. His abilities not only give him great survivability but also offensive power and crowd control tools, making him a very complete warframe and a great addition to any team or solo missions.

Passive
The Infestation dwelling within Nidus mutates rapidly when used against his foes, fueling his abilities and yielding various symbiotic benefits.

Mutation Stacks are a resource unique to Nidus, indicated by the Mutation counter and gauge displayed in the lower-right on the HUD, above the ability icons. The gauge is divided into five sections which represent the number of hits dealt to enemies via Nidus' abilities. The counter at the center of the gauge keeps track of the number of Mutation stacks, capping at 100.

Upon hitting one or more enemies via Virulence or Ravenous, depending on the number of hits the sections of the gauge will light up clockwise. After a total of 5 hits, the gauge completes a cycle and the sections become unlit again, while the counter increases by 1 Mutation stack. If Nidus suffers fatal damage with at least 15 stacks of Mutation, those 15 stacks are consumed, granting him 5 seconds of invulnerability and restoring 50% of his health.

Virulence
Rupture the ground with a damaging fungal growth that steals energy from each enemy it strikes. For every five enemies hit, the Infestation mutates, multiplying its destructive force.

Stats Stat Values
Strength150 / 160 / 175 / 200 Damage
Duration-
Range10 / 11 / 13 / 16 Meters
Miscellaneous4 Meters of fungal growth width 25% Energy refund rate per hit

Larva
Spawn an Infested pod that erupts with tendrils, latches onto nearby enemies, and pulls them in. Enemies killed while held have a chance of generating a Mutation stack.

Stats Stat Values
Strength-
Duration4 / 5 / 6 / 7 Seconds
Range8 / 9 / 10 / 12 Meters of grab radius
Miscellaneous3 Seconds of unaffected targets release delay

Parasitic Link
Bind to a target with a parasitic link. When cast on an ally, both the host and Nidus have their Ability Strength increased. Linked enemies take some of the damage inflicted on Nidus.
Mutation Stacks Cost: 1

Stats Stat Values
Strength10% / 15% / 20% / 25% Strength bonus 20% / 30% / 40% / 50% Damage redirection
Duration30 / 35 / 45 / 60 Seconds
Range24 / 28 / 34 / 40 Meters of ally link 10 / 13 / 16 / 20 Meters of enemy link
Miscellaneous-

Ravenous
Gluttonous maggots swarm nearby enemies, feasting until they burst with Infestation. The maggots benefit from Mutation and each enemy consumed adds to the Mutation stack.
Mutation Stacks Cost: 3

Stats Stat Values
Strength100 / 110 / 125 / 150 Blast damage 10 / 13 / 16 / 20 Health regeneration per second
Duration25 / 30 / 35 / 40 Seconds
Range4 Meters of explosion radius
Miscellaneous8 Meters of ability diameter Number of maggots: 9 Maggot health: 1000 HP Maggot Toxin damage: 10
Warframe Nidus Prime
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Nidus - Best Arsenal Loadout

Since Nidus’ build relies on his skills more than weapons, you can use any setup on this part. Acceltra, Epitaph, and Orthos will serve their roles perfectly, and of course, if you can afford the Prime or Vandal versions, the better. Use as many Forma on them as you see fit to achieve the desired build, and you'll be good to go!

Warframe Acceltra
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Primary Weapon - Acceltra

Mod Effect
Loadout Mod #1 - Serration+165% Damage
Loadout Mod #2 - Split Chamber+90% Multishot
Loadout Mod #3 - Vital Sense+120% Critical Damage
Loadout Mod #4 - Vigilante Armaments+60% Multishot 5% chance to enhance Critical Hits from Primary weapons
Loadout Mod #5 - Malignant Force+60% Toxin +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #6 - Point Strike+150% Critical Chance
Loadout Mod #7 - Rime Rounds+60% Cold +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #8 - Fast Hands+30% Reload Speed
Exilus Mod - Rifle Ammo MutationConverts unused Ammo Pickups into Primary Weapon Ammo.
Warframe Epitaph
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Secondary Weapon - Epitaph

Mod Effect
Loadout Mod #1 - Lethal Torrent+60% Fire Rate +60% Multishot
Loadout Mod #2 - Hornet Strike+220% Damage
Loadout Mod #3 - Barrel Diffusion+120% Multishot
Loadout Mod #4 - Augur Pact+90% Damage 40% Energy spent on abilities is converted to shields.
Loadout Mod #5 - Scorch+60% Heat +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #6 - Frostbite+60% Cold +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #7 - Pistol Gambit+120% Critical Chance
Loadout Mod #8 - Target Cracker+60% Critical Damage
Exilus Mod - Lethal Momentum+40% Projectile Speed
Warframe Orthos
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Melee Weapon - Orthos

Mod Effect
Stance Mod - Shimmering BlightFast spinning attacks and staggering strikes.
Loadout Mod #1 - Reach+1.1 Range
Loadout Mod #2 - Vicious Frost+60% Cold +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #3 - Virulent Scourge+60% Toxin +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #4 - Volcanic Edge+60% Heat +60% Status Chance
Loadout Mod #5 - Weeping Wounds+40% Status Chance per Combo Multiplier
Loadout Mod #6 - Condition Overload+120% Critical Chance (x2 for Heavy Attacks)
Loadout Mod #7 - Blood Rush+40% Critical Chance stacks with Combo Multiplier
Loadout Mod #8 - Berserker FuryOn Melee Kill: +35% Attack Speed for 10s. Stacks up to 2x.

Warframe Nidus - Best Builds

Warframe Nidus Build
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Nidus - Solo Build

The idea of the build is to use Nidus’ abilities as you see fit in the moment, prioritizing obtaining stacks so you benefit from them as soon as possible. To do this, focus on powering up the Range, Duration, and Strength as much as you can without taking any negative stat as a consequence. Since Nidus doesn’t have shields you need to boost his armor and health and use Parasitic Link at all times, always. While Hunter Adrenaline should work better than Flow in later stages of the game, it’s up to you which one to use, and for dramatically better results, replace the mods in this setup with their Prime or Umbral versions.

Mod Effect
Aura Mod - Corrosive ProjectionConverts 150% of Energy spent to Shields while Overshields are inactive.
Exilus Mod - Power Drift+15% Ability Strength +30% Chance to Resist Knockdown
Loadout Mod #1 - Stretch+45% Ability Range
Loadout Mod #2 - Intensify+55% Ability Strength
Loadout Mod #3 - Continuity+30% Ability Duration
Loadout Mod #4 - Vitality+440% Health
Loadout Mod #5 - AdaptationWhen Damaged: +10% Resistance to that Damage Type for 20s. Stacks up to 90%.
Loadout Mod #6 - Steel Fiber+110% Armor
Loadout Mod #7 - Flow+150% Energy Max
Loadout Mod #8 - Augur Reach+30% Ability Range. Set Bonus: 40% Energy spent on abilities is converted to shields.

And that's all you need to know about Nidus! While you're here, you can check out our useful Yareli, Gara, and Sevagoth guides, or keep an eye on our Prime Vault and Prime Access guide so you don't miss on the returning and upcoming items!

For more articles like this, take a look at our Warframe and Guides page.