How Do I Use Abilities?

[Precursor]

I recently discovered a bunch of other player using their abilities to their advantage. In the very beginning during the toturial, I was able to use it, but I can't use it when playing online with others. I asked others how I use them and they said to use buttons "1 through 4". I know that but I can't use it. It says "ability cannot be casted", "ability is not in use", etc. They told me that I had to equip it and all, but I cannot seem to find a way to do so. I scouted out most of the options in the in-game interface, but to no avail, I failed. To sum it up, how do I equip abilities.

I must have passed the button were I can equip the abilities, but I searched the interface pretty thoroughly.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Precursor

[shoudra]

After you get to the wrench in the arsenal menu for your warframe...If you are low level there is a power requirement that you need to fill out first. Try to use the top / bottom slots on both sides with 2 marks on the side of each ability try the abilities there. Hopefully, you are using the right ability cards too...Hope that helps.

[Precursor]

Quick question: Are these abilities just one use, and how come I can only equip one?

Edited March 28, 2013 by Precursor

[shoudra]

you can use it as many time as you like (providing you have energy).

Second question: Sounds like you are low level? You'll gain more max energy as you level, up to 30...I think it max energy is equal to your level If you are lucky and got a Orokin artifact for warframe it doubles to 60 (doubling takes effect right away as well i.e. if you are level 5, you get 10 max energy.

[Acyl]

Quick question: Are these abilities just one use, and how come I can only equip one?

They are not consumed. Once you equip the mod that grants the active power, you can use the power as often as you want - provided your Warframe has enough energy to cast the power. It's a resource system; you pick up energy drops from killing enemies, opening lockers, destroying objects, etc. They're the blue balls.

Basically, right now all Warframe upgrades - active powers or passive boosts - are mods. Your Warframe has slots for mods. Four of these slots are intended for special mods that grant the active powers. You get a free set of mod cards for each of the Warframe's active powers. Once you slot the appropriate power, the 1 - 4 keys then become active, and you can use the powers.

Do note that a Warframe has a given mod capacity which increases as you level up the Warframe, so at low levels you won't be able to use all your powers.

Mod slots have polarity - these are the symbols on the slots. If you slot a mod with matching polarity into the right slot, it takes up less of your total capacity. This is why four of those mod slots are dedicated to your active powers - they have the polarity of active powers.

You CAN slot some other type of mod in that space instead, intentionally giving up the active power. Like, for example, I rarely use Super Jump on my Excalibur, so occasionally I'll stick something else in that slot. [size=4]This means the '3' key now does absolutely zilch for me, because Super Jump isn't slotted.[/size]

[size=4]Hope that helps.[/size]

[Acyl]

you can use it as many time as you like (providing you have energy).

Second question: Sounds like you are low level? You'll gain more max energy as you level, up to 30...I think it max energy is equal to your level If you are lucky and got a Orokin artifact for warframe it doubles to 60 (doubling takes effect right away as well i.e. if you are level 5, you get 10 max energy.

Note, t[size=4]here's a difference between energy in the sense of having the capacity to slot mods into your warframe, what Shoudra is talking about...[/size]

[size=4]...and energy in the sense of having a blue bar on your HUD in missions, near your health and shields, that goes down when you cast powers.[/size]

[shoudra]

Thanks for helping clarify things, it is late here and my urge to help while watching hulu overpowered me to help. So, I am kinda tired and distracted :P

[Precursor]

Well this certainly solved my problem. Thank you all!

[darkprophecies]

For more info please visit https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/18773-tips-for-new-players/ theres quite alot of things that you can read there!