The Abyss of Dagath mainline update for Warframe is now live and there’s a ton of content to unpack. I spent some time running the new Abyssal Zones and tried out a couple of builds with the newly reworked Hydroid and our latest Warframe Dagath. Digital Extremes has done a fantastic job with regard to the quality of life improvements and it’s promising to see that new player improvements are coming in very frequently, which is something I wanted to address for months. If you are wondering if you should jump into the game in the new update, here are my thoughts about the new update.
What’s New in Abyss of Dagath Update?
If you want a quick summary of everything in the new update, here’s what you can expect:
- New player patch improvements
- HUD improvements
- Companion Rework
- Hydroid Rework
- Dagath (New Warframe)
- Grendel Prime Access
- Abyssal Zone (New Activity)
- New Shop Bundles
Abyssal Zones Need Some Help
Abyssal Beacons are the key to locating the Grineer Galleon in the Abyssal Zone near Ceres. Players can take on the activity solo or in a pre-made squad and defeating the required number of enemies recovering a Defixio and bringing it to the Extraction Point grants players rewards.
The activity is fun to run and if you want to unlock Dagath, it is something you have to do. You need to acquire some Veinthorn and once you get enough of it, you will be able to unlock Dagath. This is a much better approach to unlocking a new frame than some of the RNG-filled experiences we’ve had in the past. You can blast through the Abyssal Zones very quickly and even on Steel Path, it doesn’t take too long to clear them. Abyssal Zones are essentially Exterminate missions with a twist and they are doable even in a solo setup.
I strongly recommend running the Steel Path version because you get significantly more Vainthorn and if you do not have high-end gear, you can simply ask others to help you. The matchmaking seems to have issues and you might find yourself in the normal version instead of the Steel Path version even when queuing into the correct mode. This should be hotfixed soon or already fixed by the time you read this article.
New Warframe: Dagath (and Hydroid rework)
The new frame Dagath is designed to spread the Doom debuff around with Wyrd Scythes. Her whole kit is very synergistic and is a solid crowd-control frame. She is one of the tankiest Warframes around with her third ability allowing her to turn into a Specter. I decided to go for a tanky build with a lot of ability and strength and I had no trouble surviving the toughest of enemies.
She might not be as powerful as some of the other tanks in the game, but she is a blast to play and has a more proactive playstyle. Overall, I am quite happy with the new Warframe and it has been an absolute joy to use her in high-end content.
The other “new” Warframe is, of course, Hydroid. He has been in the game for years now and has always been in a tough spot. With Nekros around, very few players chose to play Hydroid and his playstyle has always been too passive for my liking. He was a glorified loot bot and despite being such a cool and loved character, his kit was nothing short of boring. With the new rework, it feels like using a brand-new Warframe while also retaining his core identity.
Should You Get Grendel Prime?
If you are looking to get Grendel Prime, which is the game’s newest Prime Warframe feel free to do so using the trade system. The Prime Access packs are very expensive and can cost you between $70 to $125 if you want to get the packs. This is very inefficient, and the only packs I recommend whenever a new Prime Warframe is out is the Accessories bundle for $45 which gives you a 90-Day Affinity Booster and a 90-Day Resource Booster along with some Prime cosmetics.
Grendel is a monstrous Warframe in Steel Path, and he is nigh unkillable while also dishing out tons of Viral damage. He is capable of stripping armor completely and his Viral damage can easily shred enemies. While he is not as broken as he used to be at launch, you cannot go wrong picking him up.
The best way to get Grendel is to either get some relics and open them up in Fissure missions. Or by purchasing the frame from some other player using Platinum. A Grendel Prime set will cost you around 130 Platinum, which you can get by selling some items quite easily.
If you already have Grendel, it is still worth getting Grendel Prime as you get slightly better base stats and more polarizations on your mod slots which makes it easy for you to mod him. He is a fantastic frame and you should be looking to pick up a full set of Grendel Prime parts. The Masseter Prime and Zylok Prime are also up for grabs in case you want to get them and you can easily get a full set for each by running a few relics with your buddies or in an LFG group.
New Player Changes
The new player experience has been tweaked slightly with the removal of flawed mods and MK1 weapons. There are also some adjustments to the enemy radar and quests to ensure players have an easier time navigating through the game. It is also easier to get your first Nechramech and Cetus Wisps, which should make farming for them a lot easier.
With the radar changes, new players should have an easier time locating enemies via the minimap, and the changes to some of the game’s early quests are designed to give players a more welcoming experience. There are also many changes at vendors to offset the grindy nature of the early game. From Cetus Wisps not disappearing to Nechramech components being added to Loid’s Store, you should be able to gear up and move to the mid-game as a new player a lot quicker than what was previously possible.
Should You Check Out Abyss of Dagath?
Yes, absolutely. It is a fantastic update and while there are some bugs that need to be squashed, I was quite pleased with the update. Digital Extremes is taking serious steps to improve new player experiences and the new Warframe is a blast to use. If you have been away from the game and were wondering if you should give the update a shot, you have my strongest recommendation.
