How do I get started in the meta?

[PrimordialHelios]

As of yesterday, I've been reading a lot about frame builds and using forma to upgrade things, and this is kind of overwhelming to me. Where should I start reading about all of this? Are there any tutorials or guides, or should I just wait until I get later into the game (currently a Novice, about to get Silver Novice)?

[Kaotyke]

The Meta is: Play what you like.

Spoiler

That is MY Meta.

 

[(PSN)Musicopia]

If you're just starting out, I really wouldn't worry about the "meta" at this point. If your focused on the end game you'll miss all the cool stuff on the way there. 

Just play the game, level frames and weapons, complete the star chart and then maybe worry about "end game" 

Just play and have fun. Progression and all that. 

[(XBOX)Papa Requiem]

Well forma take a lot of time but I'll give you some tips.

If you have limited time or forma, go to YouTube and try to find a build for the gun you want to forma. If you can't find one then the gun is probably not good enough to waste limited resources on.

Forma will reset your weapon/frame to rank 0. So be prepared for that.

Most guns require 4-5 forma. Most frames 1 or 2 but only if you unlock the exilus slot first. But don't worry about that because they're not 100% needed for builds.

Finally forma drop from the void and require four rare resources to build. Orokin cells, neural sensors, neurodes and ... I'm trying a blank on the fourth... Morphics I think?

 

Good luck!

[.Tabris]

Hi !

warframe wikia is a good start; there you can get infos on weapons, frames, drops, etc, etc.

The tab "Fan Resource" on WF official site has a lot of useful links, youtube channels and so forth.

Taking a ride on what Venom-Snake  and Musiopia said, figure out what you like to play best first, get to learn the fell of the game, how the mechanics work and how all of this comes together in the end. 

[HadrosaurHero]

Start out with just playing the game and knocking out bosses and mission nodes. Once you get knowledgeable in the game and satrt doing void missions, then worry about Forma-ing you stuff and getting mods.

I'm one of those people who's always out of credits so I'm behind the majority in the mod department.

[(XBOX)Papa Requiem]

Of course, the others are right when they say play what you enjoy but if you enjoy the meta, its best not to waste forma until you get a feel of if builds work.

[AzureTerra]

Try everything and find what suits YOU. 

[Gelkor]

Well, endgame is fashionframe, so Meta is:

Premium Skins: Any.

Steam-bought Tennogen Helmets

Pakal Armor/Syandana Set

Prisma Armor Sets for baRocketeers.

Telos Syandana for those that don't like floppy things.

Lotus Puppies with amazeball colors. 

[(PSN)ToastyFairy01]

Following the builds of other players, using their playstyle, and their methods of farms ultimately means you will not be able to develop your own style if you persist in doing so*. The meta is going to change anyways, so don't sweat it until you can actually afford to go into the extremes. Once upon a time, Despair was the top tier weapon of its time but that's obviously not the case anymore. What I am trying to say is that by time you get to the full potential of a weapon's current meta (if your experience is as I think it is), it'll be obsolete and replaced. My recommendation is to use a little bit of everything and try to find something you like**.

 

Example*: When Synoid Gammacor was basically the best thing around, I was strongly against using Anemic Agility and instead used Magnum Force. The reasoning behind that is extremely simple; Anemic Agility causes your weapon to do less damage per shot but increases the number of damage ticks (if memory serves), which leads to extreme ammo inefficiency in particular weapons in late game (which can be countered with an Ammo mutation, but that also costs damage). However, Magnum Force increases damage at the cost of accuracy, but because of the nature of the Gammacor (and other 100% accuracy beam weapons), it takes no penalty and only benefits. Going against the meta of Anemic Agility meant that my Synoid Gammacor was simply superior in the late game in terms of damage per shot and ammo efficiency, which means I used less ammo to kill more. No reason to use 30 shots to kill instead of 15, I say (and yes, the damage difference actually is that large). I do so because I value burst damage over damage per second.

 

Example**: I like Tysis. I very rarely use it, but I do like it a lot. I made it into a 100% Status weapon that does Corrosive and Blast. Why Blast? Because it's fun to knock enemies over while also stripping their armor (if we're not running 4 CPs...). It's not powerful, but I find it fun.

[AXCrusnik]

Honestly Meta isn't all the important in Warframe. Most people that deal with meta builds are doing it to cheese (bypass with as little effort as possible) content.

What you should really be reading to fully enjoy the game IMO is learning each frames abilities (starting with the ones you have/are interested in) and how they are affected by mods (this info can be found on the wiki), so that you can mod them in ways you think are interesting, boosting certain abilities or aspects of their theme.

Same for weapons, study their stats and take advantage of their high base stats by modding them up further.

Edited May 9, 2016 by AXCrusnik

[s10th_72]

Rhino prime+tonkor+lex prime+scindo prime :D jk, the meta is what you want the meta to be friend :)

[(XBOX)BluAina]

As others have stated find what suits you, but if you're talking about the community meta, just watch recruiting tab.There you will find the meta frames mostly or just watch the youtubers, most of the time the meta is "set" by them it seems, but doing this is repetitive imo and sometimes leads to stale gameplay

[ngrazer]

Just now, PrimordialHelios said:

currently a Novice, about to get Silver Novice

Just play as you'd like to. The more you progress in this game the more you'll knew. Step by step you'll figure out how everything works in this game and you'll find your own way. Don't waste any forma, reactor or catalyst (or platinum) unless you are 100% sure.

[Fionntan]

Few already mentioned but play as you see fit.

Nothing much to worry about, besides picking frame that suits your taste. :)

[Vasault]

play for fun dude, if you play for the meta, you'll start hating the game, and maybe like me, quit the game

[Pavelord]

Meta or not you need to gather resources first, I'd say you first complete the starchart to acces all planets and build resource extractors, otherwise you will not have the capabilities to contruct the equipment you want when you want.

[(PSN)Magician_NG]

One doesn't simply fashionframe.

It's an art, not a science.

[Chroia]

11 minutes ago, Pavelord said:

Meta or not you need to gather resources first,

This, but more important than resources is getting a good Mod selection going.

Not much to that, at the beginning: Just kill stuff and collect the mods that drop.

Priorities are Serration (+damage for rifles), Point Blank (Same, for shotguns) and Hornet Strike (same, for secondaries. Also keep an eye open for any and all +#% <Element> damage mods.

Once you have a bunch of them, go to the wiki and take a look at the Damage 2.0 table.

Another thing to do, once you've gotten some mods in place, is to go to youtube and look up a Vault run video.  Lots of critical mods there.

 

That should keep you busy for a bit.  :)

Edited May 9, 2016 by Chroia
Elaboration.

[PrimordialHelios]

Thanks for the help, guys!

[Stratego89]

Step 1: You don't.

[MopUpCrewman]

Asking that question is the worst possible thing you could do in a game that has diversity.

[KillingDyl]

I think you might need to look up the current fashion meta as that is changing everyday.

[Vesiga]

Step 1; stay away from Draco and learn your frames and weapons first. 
Step 2; buy every color pal and accessory, no excuses. 
Step 3; T-bag capture target while your team is de-materializing him, so you can degrade him. 
Step 4; ?????
Step 5: Void is life. 
Step: 6 warframe.market 
Step 7: ??????
Step 8: profit.
Step 9: I'm So Meta Even This Acronym 
Step 10: spin in circles as fast as you can hit WASD

That's it. That's the game. 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Vesiga

[KirukaChan]

You won't need to start using Forma until the 60 mod points granted from Rank 30 gear + a potato isn't enough to hold all the mods you want. In other words, it won't be an issue until you start maxing out mods like Serration, Hornet Strike, etc. When it comes to choosing what to Forma, just go with things that you really like. It's pretty common for people to produce their best results when using their favorite gear and/or favorite play style.