Koumei and the Five Fates companion rework details - Warframe

Companions are getting an extensive rework with some substantial changes in Warframe.

The Koumei and the Fives Fates update for Warframe will be introducing all manner of changes to companions, so this is a breakdown of everything you can currently expect on October 2, when the update drops.

Warframe companion rework details

A Sentinel in Warframe

Source: Digital Extremes

First, I want to be clear that, according to the developers, things might change between now and the release. It should also be noted that the aim of this rework is to improve the quality of life and balance problems that have been an issue for some time. 

Beast companions (Kavats, Kubrow, etc.) are gaining a moddable weapon slot

Yes, you will no longer need to mod your pet's weapon from the main mod screen for the pet, freeing up some room in your main build. 

  • When you start the game, you will automatically receive a Beast-specific weapon for each of your Beast companions. This does not take inventory space or cost you any resources.
  • Beast weapons will gain affinity and rank up, but they will not contribute toward your overall Mastery.
  • Posture Mod slot for Beast melee weapon alters overall behavior, gives extra capacity for modding.

This also means that some changes are coming to the stat lines for pet weapons.

Kubrows:

  • Previously ALL types of Kubrows: Damage 304, Status 5%, Critical 10%/3x
  • Chesa Kubrow: Damage 275, Status 15%, Critical 15%/1.5x
  • Huras Kubrow: Damage 350, Status 5%, Critical 20%/3.5x
  • Raksa Kubrow: Damage 250, Status 20%, Critical 7.5%/2.5x
  • Sahasa Kubrow: Damage 300, Status 5%, Critical 10%/3x
  • Sunika Kubrow: Damage 550, Status 7.5%, Critical 7.5%/3.5x

Predasites:

  • Previously ALL types of Predasites: Damage 304, Status 5%, Critical 10%/3x
  • Medjay Predasite: Damage 350, Status 20%, Critical 10%/3x
  • Pharaoh Predasite: Damage 325, Status 25%, Critical 7.5%/2.5x
  • Vizier Predasite: Damage 300, Status 30%, Critical 5%/2x

Kavats:

  • Previously ALL types of Kavats: Damage 80, Status 7.5%, Critical 20%/2x
  • Adarza Kavat: Damage 90, Status 5%, Critical 30%/2.5x
  • Smeeta Kavat: Damage 80, Status 7.5%, Critical 20%/2x
  • Vasca Kavat: Damage 110, Status 25%, Critical 15%/2x

Vulpaphyla:

  • Previously ALL types of Vulpaphyla: Damage 80, Status 7.5%, Critical 20%/2x
  • Crescent Vulphaphyla: Damage 100, Status 17.5%, Critical 22.5%/2x
  • Panzer Vulpaphyla: Damage 90, Status 12.5%, Critical 25%/2x
  • Sly Vulpaphyla: Damage 80, Status 20%, Critical 20%/2x

Other:

  • Helminth Charger: Previously 350 Damage, now 200 Slash damage plus an additional non-combining 50 Toxin damage
  • Hounds: Hound companions already had a moddable weapon, but we rebalanced these from a base of 152 Damage to a base of 300 Damage.

There are currently no plans for Rivens for pet weapons. 

A Kubrow wearing armor in Warframe

Source: Digital Extremes

Changes to Companion AI behavior

Companion AI is also being changed to solve a couple of problems, such as them falling behind or just being hard to spot in the fog of war.

  • Pets would previously follow behind you while moving, which made it harder to notice them around and put them further away from enemies when combat started. Pets will now try to lead you instead, staying a few meters ahead while you are moving so they are ready to attack when combat starts.
  • The base speed of companions with legs has been significantly increased
  • Pets would previously choose targets in a complete circle around you. This means that when using their abilities or making attacks, they weren't even on screen, so it was hard to appreciate their usefulness. This has been tuned so that pets will prefer to choose targets that are near you and in your field of view.
  • When selecting a new target to attack, pets now gain a speed boost on their way to the target while off-screen (to reduce the time it takes them to engage).
    Improved pet animations while following the player through bullet jumps and double jumps so that they animate more quickly and fluidly.

Changes are being made to Companion Precepts

The developers (correctly) feel that some Precepts are too low-impact, with an obvious high-impact outlier that just takes over the meta. That means you, little Smeeta Charm. 

Charm (SMEETA Kavat): The resource and credit pickup multiplier has been removed from Charm and promoted to being its own separate precept Mod (Loyal Retriever,) which can be equipped on all Beasts. Charm's chance to provide a buff on activation has been increased to 40%. The available buffs are:

  • 25% chance of Reinforced Shield
  • 25% chance of Instant Reload (re-rolled if your current weapon doesn't need to reload)
  • 10% chance of Bonus Critical Chance buff
  • 10% chance of Free Ability Casts
  • 10% chance of Bonus Affinity. (Affinity bonus has been increased to 3x)

So, essentially, the looting meta in the game has been freed up a bit, as you can now use the following mod to get Smeeta-like benefits on any Beast companion: 

  • Loyal Retriever (Beast companions): Provides a passive 13% chance that each resource or credit pickup will be doubled. This effect is always active: there is no cooldown, no duration, no waiting for it to be ready. If you already own a Smeeta, then you will automatically receive a Loyal Retriever for free. In the future, this will be purchased with Conservation tags from the Earth Conservation vendor. 

And then there are all the more minor changes to all the other Precepts as well.

Precept Changes
Acidic Spittle (VIZIER Predasite)
  • Increased the projectile speed and accuracy, and always applies Corrosion status to its target now.
Anabolic Pollination (PHARAOH Predasite)
  • Increased the lifetime of the spore clouds from 6 seconds to 10 seconds, and increased the duration of the damage buff from 10 seconds to 15 seconds.
Anti-Grav Grenade (MOAs)
  • Effect radius doubled from 3m to 6m, effect duration doubled from 3 seconds to 6 seconds.
  • Fixed the math which was not giving the correct damage bonus based on the mod's rank, nor was it considering damage against shields
Coolant Leak (Robotic Companions)
  • Formerly slowed enemies down by 10% when they were within 3 meters as a constant aura.
  • Now hits enemies within 10 meters with 40 damage and 3 stacks of Cold status, with a 10 second cooldown.
  • Changed from cost of 4 Mod points and no ranks, to having a base of 2 Mod points and 3 ranks.
Crescent Charge (CRESCENT Vulpaphyla)
  • Lifts target into the air, and throws that target at another nearby enemy doing damage of 20% of its Max Health plus the Vulpaphyla's weapon damage in a 5 meter radius.
  • Removed the Vulnerability effect since it becomes much harder to capitalize on when the enemy is getting thrown around, and replaced with 5 stacks of Puncture status on affected enemies.
Dig (SAHASA Kubrow)
  • Your Kubrow can now dig up Heavy Weapon ammo packs if you need them.
Endoparasitic Vector (PHARAOH Predasite)
  • Projectile now homes in on its target and creates visible tentacles attaching to the held victims.
  • Can now attach to enemies that enter the radius after the projectile connects. Tentacle grab range doubled from 5m to 10m.
  • Fixed the Precept being able to apply Slow to VIP enemies that should be immune to Slow; fixed being able to Slow allies if they were in range; fixed the damage type being incorrect, fixed the Precept failing to attach to targets sometimes.
Ghost (SHADE Sentinel)
  • When you move out of range of enemies, there is now a 3 seconds grace period before the invisibility effect ends. If you move back within range of enemies, invisibility will be sustained.
Infectious Bite (MEDJAY Predasite)
  • Spores now explode immediately if they absorb more damage than the victim has Health, and inflict a portion of the absorbed damage in a 3 meter radius (100% at max rank).
Looter (CARRIER Sentinel)
  • Maximum range increased from 12 meters to 22 meters, and the description updated to clarify that it functions as a wave rather than the sentinel shooting each crate individually.
Hunt (HURAS Kubrow)
  • Now drags enemies within 2 meters of its charge and staggers within 3 meters, and uses the pet's weapon damage.
Mischief (SMEETA Kavat)
  • In addition to its previous effects, Mischief's decoy now Blinds enemies within 8 meters when the decoy is destroyed.
Negate (WYRM Sentinel)
  • Allowed Manifold Bond's cooldown reduction to apply to Negate's cooldown timer
Neutralize (CHESA Kubrow)
  • Instead of disarming a single enemy, it now disarms and staggers in a 10m radius
Paralytic Spores (MEDJAY Predasite)
  • The initial damage now scales off the pet's equipped weapon. In addition to staggering enemies, now applies 5 seconds of 50% slow, and enemies are open to melee finishers.
Savagery (SUNIKA Kubrow)
  • Previously: would enable Kubrow to make a high damage Finisher on a single enemy
  • Now: Kubrow will rapidly teleport between up to 8 enemies in a 10m radius, doing damage and briefly immobilizing them. All victims are knocked down at the end of Savagery.
Scan Matter (OXYLUS Sentinel)
  • The duration and cooldown time for showing resources containers and mining locations has been removed, the effect is continuous now. Additionally it now breaks open one container within 60 meters every 3 seconds and automatically collects the contents.
Sense Danger (Kavats)
  • Title changed to "Sense Weakness" because the Kavat is now the danger.
  • Kavat gains 200% bonus damage against highlighted enemies and Kavat attacks have a 30% chance to knock highlighted enemies down.
Shockwave Actuators (MOAs)
  • Reduced cooldown times to 25/20/15/10 seconds based on rank.
Survival Instinct (SLY Vulpaphyla)
  • Formerly reduced enemy accuracy against your Warframe until your next attack.
  • Now, when you bullet jump it creates a decoy which draws enemy fire for 1.5 seconds. 5 second cooldown time after creating a decoy.
Stalk (HURAS Kubrow)
  • When you move out of range of enemies, there is now a 3 seconds grace period before the invisibility effect ends. If you move back within range of enemies, invisibility will be sustained.
Stasis Field (MOAs)
  • Increased the radius of the Stasis from 5 meters to 10 meters, and made the visual effect more obvious.
  • Now also works on reducing the damage of hitscan weapons that hit you inside the bubble instead of only projectiles.
Territorial Aggression (Kavats)
  • Changed the effect from "pacifying wild creatures", to causing damage.
  • Your Kavat creates a 6 meter circle that lasts 15 seconds: enemies inside the circle have a 30% chance each second to be hit by a ghostly Kavat that does the same damage as your real Kavat.
Trample (HELMINTH Charger)
  • Leaves a trail of Virulence behind when charging that applies damage to enemies that touch the spikes.
  • Trample knocks down and applies Toxin to any enemies struck.
  • Helminth Charger also gains bonuses to health, armor, and damage for each enemy struck while charging.
  • Damage now properly scales with the effect of the Strain Fever Mod.
Unleashed (SUNIKA Kubrow)
  • Instead of targeting "VIP" enemies, a category which is somewhat poorly defined and doesn't come up very often, this will now target Eximus units, doing 300% damage against Overguard.
Volatile Parasite (Predasites)
  • In addition to its built in damage, Volatile Parasite now explodes for 100% of the damage absorbed while it is attached to the victim, with an additional 1.4x multiplier if the victim dies before the Volatile Parasite expires.
Whiplash Mine (MOAs)
  • Increased the speed of the projectile in flight, and made the MOA more intelligently choose its target to maximize the number of enemies in the tether radius.
A Kavat wearing armor in Warframe

Source: Digital Extremes

New Companions Mods and changes to existing mods

New Beast weapons means new mods for them, and changes to already existing mods.

Beast Melee Postures

  • Standard Training: Every new Kubrow owner will gain this Mod by default on completing the quest "Howl of the Kubrow". This Posture has no special behaviors or benefits. If you've already completed this quest, it will be added to your account automatically.
  • Protector Training: Your pet will prioritize attacking enemies that are within 15 meters of your Warframe. Also applies four stacks of Puncture on hit. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Pacifist Training: Your pet will not attack enemies unless they strike it with a melee weapon first. It is useful if you value your pet's supporting features rather than its claws and teeth. It also gives a 50% Evasion bonus to your pet to keep it safe. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Earth Conservation vendor.
  • Persistent Engagement: Your pet will prefer to keep attacking one target until it's down. It also increases the pet's damage. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Bravado Assault: Your pet will prefer to attack Eximus and VIP enemies. Increases damage to Overguard done by your pet by 300%. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Lunging Claws: Your pet will prefer to hit an enemy once and then switch targets to affect as many different enemies as possible. Increases Status Duration by 80%. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Deimos Conservation vendor.

New Damage Conversion Mods

  • Icy Inclination: 300% Cold Damage, +300% Status Chance, elemental damage converted to Cold. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Incendiary Inclination: 300% Heat Damage, +300% Status Chance, elemental damage converted to Heat. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Infectious Inclination: 300% Toxin Damage, +300% Status Chance, elemental damage converted to Toxin. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Deimos Conservation vendor.
  • Inductive Inclination: 300% Electric Damage, +300% Status Chance, elemental damage converted to Electric. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Precision Conditioning:+140% Melee Damage, physical damage converted to Slash. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Earth Conservation vendor.
  • Brute Conditioning +140% Melee Damage, physical damage converted to Impact. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Disabling Conditioning: +140% Melee Damage, physical damage converted to Puncture. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.

General Mod changes

  • Prosperous Retriever (Beast companions): An alternative to Loyal Companion for players looking for a more focused looting experience, this variant provides a passive 18% chance that each credit pickup will be doubled. This version does not have a chance to double resources. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Venus Conservation vendor.
  • Resourceful Retriever (Beast companions): Another specialized alternative, this variant provides a passive 18% chance that each resource pickup will be doubled. This version does not have a chance to double credits. Purchased with Conservation tags from the Deimos Conservation vendor.
  • Weakened Immunity (Beast companions): +50% Status Damage.
  • Cull the Weak (Beast Companions): +60% melee damage per Status type affecting the target, and +240% damage for non-critical hits.  Purchased with Conservation tags from the Earth Conservation vendor.
  • Spare Parts: Now compatible with both Hounds and Sentinels instead of only Sentinels
  • Strain set effect: Maggots are now created with their AI fully aware, which removes a pause they needed to wake up.
  • Strain Eruption: Now always applies Corrosive status to enemies in range when Maggots explode
  • Strain Fever: Fixed this effect not actually giving extra damage per cyst, was stuck at 40%. Now properly gives +40% damage per each cyst, and has a HUD buff for visibility.

The following mods will no longer have Beast compatibility and will instead have weapon compatibility, so be sure to check your builds when the update goes live:

  • Bite
  • Maul
  • Frost Jaw
  • Venom Teeth
  • Shock Collar
  • Flame Gland
  • Hunter Synergy
  • Mecha Overdrive (Kubrows only)
  • Swipe (Kavats only)
  • Strain Fever (Helminth Charger only)
A Sentinel wearing armor in Warframe

Source: Digital Extremes

The Sentinel weapon rebalance changes

Finally, all the Sentinel weapons are getting a little bit of a rebalance to bring everything a little bit closer together in viability and attractiveness for Tenno.

Sentinel Changes
Artax
  • Previously: Cold based beam weapon, always applies Cold status (Damage 5, Status 3%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 100/Reload 1.5, Critical 2%/1.5x)
  • Now: Changed Artax math from old "Chance of status per second", to newer "Chance of status per firing interval" that other beam weapons use, and buffed the status chance. (Damage 5, Status 35%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 100/Reload 1.5, Critical 2%/1.5x)
Burst Laser
  • Previously: Fires a short burst of laser bolts. (Damage 7, Status 2%, Fire Rate 1.61, Magazine 15/Reload 0, Critical 2.5%/1.3x)
  • Now: Improved accuracy and improved stats. (Damage 20, Status 10%, Fire Rate 1.5, Magazine 15/Reload 0, Critical 15%/2x)
Prisma Burst Laser
  • Previously: Fires a short burst of prisma laser bolts. (Damage 10, Status 10%, Fire Rate 1.5, Magazine 15/Reload 0, Critical 5%/2x)
  • Now: Improved accuracy and burst rate, improved stats. (Damage 22, Status 10%, Fire Rate 1.5, Magazine 15/Reload 0, Critical 18%/2.2x)
Burst Laser Prime
  • Previously: Fires a short burst primed laser bolts. (Damage 12, Status 14%, Fire Rate 1.5, Magazine 15/Reload 0, Critical 6.2%/2.3x)
  • Now: Improved accuracy and burst rate, improved stats. (Damage 25, Status 15%, Fire Rate 1.5, Magazine 15/Reload 0, Critical 20%/2.3x)
Cryotra
  • Previously: Cold based beam weapon (Damage 10, Status 35%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 80/Reload 4, Critical 5%/2x)
  • Now: Fires volleys of icy grenades that persistently chill the area around them (Damage 30, Status 10%, Fire Rate 0.667, Magazine 3/Reload 5, Critical 10%/1.8x)
Deconstructor
  • Previously: Helios Sentinel attacks enemies using pieces of itself (Damage 50, Status 25%, Fire Rate 1.33, Magazine 6/Reload 3, Critical 0%/1x)
  • Now: Increased the seeking cone for choosing a secondary victim on bounce to 90 degrees; damage increased. (Damage 130, Status 25%, Fire Rate 1.33, Magazine 6/Reload 3, Critical 0%/1x)
Deconstructor Prime
  • Previously: Helios Sentinel attacks enemies using pieces of itself (Damage 75, Status 25%, Fire Rate 1.33, Magazine 6/Reload 3, Critical 0%/1x)
  • Now: Increased the seeking cone for choosing a secondary victim on bounce to 90 degrees; damage increased. (Damage 160, Status 25%, Fire Rate 1.33, Magazine 6/Reload 3, Critical 0%/1x)
Deth Machine Rifle
  • Previously: Rapid fire Sentinel machine gun with a large magazine capacity and spool-up time. (Damage 5, Status 1%, Fire Rate 8.3, Magazine 100/Reload 2, Critical 5%/2x)
  • Now: Behavior unchanged but damage increased. (Damage 15, Status 1%, Fire Rate 8.3, Magazine 100/Reload 2, Critical 5%/2x)
Deth Machine Rifle Prime
  • Previously: Rapid fire Sentinel machine gun with a large magazine capacity and spool-uptime. (Damage 7, Status 4%, Fire Rate 10, Magazine 100/Reload 2, Critical 10%/2x
  • Now: Behavior unchanged but damage increased. (Damage 20, Status 4%, Fire Rate 10, Magazine 100/Reload 2, Critical 10%/2x
Helstrum
  • Previously: Launches a swarm of micro-missiles. (Damage 9.1 On target + 5 Radial, Status 30%, Fire Rate 0.91, Magazine 80/Reload 2, Critical 5%/1.5x)
  • Now: Behavior unchanged but damage increased. (Damage 10 On target + 30 Radial, Status 30%, Fire Rate 0.91, Magazine 80/Reload 2, 5%/1.5x)
Laser Rifle
  • Previously: Automatic gun that shoots laser bolts. (Damage 8, Status 2%, Fire Rate 1.67, Magazine 5/Reload 1.2, Critical 2.5%/1.3x)
  • Now: Behavior unchanged but damage increased. (Damage 45, Status 7.5%, Fire Rate 2.5, Magazine 5/Reload 1.2, Critical 17%/1.8x)
Laser Rifle Prime
  • Previously: Automatic gun that shoots primed laser bolts. (Damage 12, Status 5%, Fire Rate 10, Magazine 5/Reload 1.2, Critical 15%/1.5x)
  • Now: Behavior unchanged but stats increased. (Damage 55, Status 10%, Fire Rate 3, Magazine 15/Reload 1.2, Critical 20%/2x)
Multron
  • Previously: Projectile gun with very low damage and small amount of punch through (Damage 5, Status 5%, Fire Rate 3.33, Magazine 60/Reload 3, Critical 12.5%/1.8x)
  • Now: Fires a volley of powerful explosive darts that explodes in a large area shortly after embedding into something  (Damage 100, Radial distance 3.5M, Status 22%, ROF 1.56, Magazine 3/Reload 3, Critical 15%/2x)
Stinger
  • Previously: Dart gun that always applies Toxin status on impact (Damage 15, Status 5%, Fire Rate 3.3, Magazine 4/Reload 1.2, Critical 2.5%/1.5x)
  • Now: Always applies Toxin status on impact, then continues to hit the target once per second for 3 seconds with Stinger's modded damage types. This can stack.  (Damage 15, Status 20%, Fire Rate 3.33, Magazine 4/Reload 1.2, Critical 2.5%/1.5x)
Sweeper
  • Previously: Sentinel shotgun with short effective range. (Damage 7x6, Status 2.33%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 10/Reload 2.3, Critical 5%/1.5x)
  • Now: Behavior unchanged but stats increased. (Damage 35x6, Status 4.5%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 10/Reload 2.3, Critical 10%/1.8x)
Sweeper Prime
  • Previously: Sentinel shotgun with short effective range. (Damage 10x6, Status 2.5%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 20/Reload 2, Critical 5%/2x)
  • Now: Behavior is unchanged, but stats increased. (Damage 45x6, Status 5%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 20/Reload 2, Critical 10%/2.2x)
Tazicor
  • Previously: Projectile gun that shoots short bursts of Electric bullets. (Damage 8, Status 15%, Fire Rate 8.33, Magazine 4/Reload 2.5, Critical 2%/1.5x)
  • Now: It fires a chaining beam of electricity that can incapacitate several enemies. (Damage 5, Status 25%, Fire Rate 12, Magazine 40/Reload 2.0, Critical 5%/1.5x)
Vulcax
  • Previously: Charge-up beam weapon that reloads after every shot (Damage 35, Status 10%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 1/Reload 6, Critical 20%/2.5x, Punchthrough 1M)
  • Now: Damage has been significantly improved to help the Vulcax's viability as a heavy weapon, along with better Accuracy, Reload and twice the Punchthrough. (Damage 500, Status 10%, Fire Rate 1, Magazine 1/Reload 3, Critical 20%/2.5x, Punchthrough 2M)
Vulklok
  • Previously: Slow, high damage, high accuracy sniper rifle (Damage 85, Status 25%, Fire Rate 0.15, Magazine 10/Reload 2, Critical 35%/2.5x)
  • Now: Increased damage and gained Punchthrough  (Damage 175, Status 25%, Fire Rate 0.15, Magazine 10/Reload 2, Critical 35%/2.5x, Punchthrough 1.5M)

And that's all the details we have so far on the companion rework. For more helpful guides, be sure to check out our Warframe page.

Contributing Guides Editor

Contributing Guides Editor

Hailing from Ireland, Aidan has been conditioned by local weather conditions to survive hours at his PC grinding through whatever game is offering the lowest possible drop rates for loot. He thinks the easiest way to figure out what fans of games want to read is to just be a fan of games. You can normally find him logged into Warframe, Destiny, or a gacha game. You can reach out to him on X @scannerbarkly.