Glossary
Quick, spoiler-light definitions for the terms we use across the compass and modern roadmap branches.
- Adversary System
- A family of personal enemy systems, including Kuva Liches, Sisters of Parvos, and Technocyte Coda.
- Albrecht's Laboratories
- A later mission area connected to Sanctum Anatomica and Cavia progression.
- Amp
- A modular weapon used by your Operator or Drifter. It becomes more relevant after major story systems unlock.
- Angels of the Zariman
- A post-New-War quest that opens the Zariman Ten Zero and its hub progression.
- Archon Hunts
- Harder weekly missions unlocked through later quest progress. They are best treated as a later power goal.
- Archon Shards
- A power-up system tied to later weekly and post-New-War progression.
- Arbitrations
- Harder alert-style missions for players with stronger builds and broader Star Chart progress.
- Ascension
- A mission type introduced through Jade Shadows. Treat its rewards as optional until you want that branch.
- Atomicycle
- A vehicle connected to the 1999-era progression branch.
- Bounties
- Repeatable hub missions that usually reward standing, resources, blueprints, or parts.
- Break Narmer
- A repeatable mission loop connected to Kahl's Garrison and Veilbreaker progression.
- Cambion Drift
- The Deimos open world area connected to the Necralisk and Entrati progression.
- Cavia
- A later syndicate connected to Sanctum Anatomica, Albrecht's Laboratories, and Whispers in the Walls.
- Cetus
- The hub on Earth connected to the Plains of Eidolon and Ostron bounties.
- Chrysalith
- The Zariman hub where you access Holdfasts progression, vendors, and Zariman bounties.
- Clan Dojo
- A player-built hub with research labs that unlock exclusive blueprints.
- Codex
- Your in-game reference for enemies, items, and available quests.
- Deep Archimedea
- A later high-difficulty system connected to Cavia and Sanctum Anatomica progression.
- Dormizone
- A personal space connected to Zariman progression.
- Drifter Intrinsics
- A Duviri progression system that improves your Drifter inside Duviri activities.
- Duviri
- A separate open-ended progression area with its own quest, activities, rewards, and Drifter systems.
- Endo
- A resource used to upgrade mods. Better mods usually matter more than simply changing weapons.
- Entrati
- The Deimos syndicate family connected to the Necralisk and Cambion Drift.
- Focus
- A later progression system for Operator or Drifter abilities. Learn it gradually after it appears in-game.
- Focus School
- One of the paths inside the Focus system. You do not need to perfect this choice immediately.
- Fortuna
- The Venus hub connected to Orb Vallis and Solaris United progression.
- Foundry
- The crafting station where you build Warframes, weapons, gear, and required progression items.
- Hollvania
- A 1999-era hub connected to The Hex progression and related bounties.
- Incarnon
- A later weapon upgrade type with special forms and evolution goals.
- Incarnon Genesis
- An adapter path for selected weapons, tied to Steel Path Circuit progression.
- Intrinsics
- Progression points for certain systems, such as Railjack and Duviri, that unlock practical upgrades.
- Jade Shadows
- A modern quest that introduces Ascension. Tenno Compass names it without explaining story reveals.
- Junction
- A gated node between planets. Completing one unlocks the next planet.
- Kahl's Garrison
- A post-New-War system connected to Veilbreaker, Break Narmer, and later power progression.
- Kuva Lich
- A Grineer adversary that can reward Kuva weapons after a multi-step defeat process.
- Kuva Weapons
- Special weapons connected to Kuva Liches.
- Main Quest
- The main story quest chain. These quests often unlock major systems, hubs, or progression branches.
- Mastery Rank
- Your account-wide progression level. It increases by leveling new Warframes, weapons, companions, and other gear.
- Melee Upgrade Segment
- A later upgrade segment connected to Whispers in the Walls progression.
- Mods
- Cards that boost weapons, Warframes, companions, and other gear. They are the core of your power.
- Necralisk
- The Deimos hub connected to Cambion Drift, Entrati bounties, and several later systems.
- Necramech
- A large mech suit used in certain mission types and open-world areas.
- Netracells
- A later weekly-style activity connected to Sanctum Anatomica and Cavia progression.
- Nightwave
- A rotating challenge and reward system. It is useful as a light weekly anchor, not mandatory homework.
- Open World
- A large outdoor zone connected to a hub, bounties, resources, and syndicate standing.
- Open World Syndicates
- Reputation factions tied to open-world zones. They are long-term grinds, not early completion goals.
- Operator
- A major story-unlocked player system. This glossary keeps the term practical and spoiler-light.
- Orb Vallis
- The Venus open world area connected to Fortuna and Solaris United.
- Ostron
- The Cetus syndicate connected to Plains of Eidolon bounties and standing.
- Parazon
- A wrist-mounted tool used in several systems, including adversary progression.
- Plains of Eidolon
- The Earth open world area connected to Cetus and Ostron progression.
- Plexus
- The Railjack modding and upgrade interface.
- Prime Gear
- Prime Warframes, weapons, and items are upgraded variants usually acquired through Void Relics.
- Prime Parts
- Components from Void Relics used to build Prime gear.
- Proxima
- Railjack mission regions. Start with early Proxima nodes before worrying about deeper Railjack farming.
- Railjack
- A player-piloted spaceship used in its own mission type.
- Reactant
- A pickup collected during Void Fissure missions to open your equipped Void Relic.
- Relic Refinement
- Using Void Traces to improve a Void Relic before opening it.
- Rising Tide
- The quest that unlocks Railjack access.
- Sanctum Anatomica
- A later hub connected to Whispers in the Walls, Cavia, Netracells, and lab progression.
- Sisters of Parvos
- A Corpus adversary system that can reward Tenet weapons.
- Solaris United
- The Fortuna syndicate connected to Orb Vallis bounties and standing.
- Sortie
- A set of higher-level daily missions with modifiers and reward rolls.
- Spoiler-Light
- Information that points you forward without revealing key story moments.
- Standing
- Reputation earned with syndicates. It unlocks ranks and rewards over time.
- Star Chart
- The map of planets and missions. Your primary progression track in the early game.
- Steel Path
- An optional harder difficulty mode for the Star Chart. Endgame-adjacent.
- Steel Path Circuit
- A harder Circuit path tied to later Duviri progression and Incarnon Genesis adapters.
- Syndicate
- A faction-like progression group with standing ranks, vendors, and rewards.
- Technocyte Coda
- A later 1999-era adversary system connected to modern progression.
- Temporal Archimedea
- A later high-difficulty system connected to Hex-era progression.
- Tenet Weapons
- Special weapons connected to Sisters of Parvos.
- The Circuit
- A Duviri activity with a structured reward path. The Steel Path version is a later goal.
- The Hex
- A modern quest and syndicate branch connected to 1999-era progression.
- The Holdfasts
- The Zariman syndicate connected to Chrysalith bounties and vendors.
- The Lotus Eaters
- A short modern bridge quest leading toward later 1999-era progression.
- The Quills
- An Operator-focused syndicate connected to early Amp progression.
- Void Fissure
- A mission variant where you collect Reactant to open Void Relics.
- Void Relic
- An item opened in Void Fissure missions to earn Prime parts and related rewards.
- Void Traces
- A resource from Void Fissures used for Relic Refinement.
- Vox Solaris
- A Fortuna-adjacent syndicate tied to later Operator and Amp progression.
- Whispers in the Walls
- A modern quest that opens Sanctum Anatomica, Cavia, and related late systems.
- Zariman Ten Zero
- A post-New-War location opened through Angels of the Zariman.