Update 28.1 introduced the Steel Path toWarframea few months afterTencent acquired the game. The new star chart was an attempt to provide new challenges for players who have completed all of the content in the game. Gamers can complete all of the original star chart missions again, but the enemies are a lot stronger.
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As an incentive, there is a rotating list of Steel Path rewards for players to unlock using Steel Essence, which is a reward from completed missions. The Steel Path wasmarketed as new content, but had a mixed reception among the community. Here, let’s take a look at every relevant aspect of the Steel Path thatWarframeplayers will want to know about.
7The Hard Mode
Tencent teased several hard modes before officially announcing Steel Path. The idea was to have a re-play of the entire star chart, but with enemies that could put up a fight against high level frames.
Initially, there was going to be a hard mode and an ever harder mode, but the idea was scrapped for the Steel Path. Many players that were champions of the decision didnot like the end productfor several reasons, which are discussed below.
6Steel Path Changes
The only real difference between the missions in the original chart and the Steel Path is enemy rank. Enemies are given +100 level, 250% health, 250% shields, and 250% armor. Additionally, gamers will get double the resource drops and double the mod drops.
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Likewise, bounties will be 100+ level, but frames must achieve an MR of 10 to access them. Apart from these differences, the original chart, gameplay, and enemies remain the same. While the Steel path was labeled as new content, it is essentially the same game with enemies that take longer to kill. Because combat is harder, gamers should use one of thetop ranked framesandS tier weapons.
5How To Unlock The Steel Path
The Steel Path becomes available when gamers have played through the star chart. The Heart of Deimos, and Ropalolyst must be completed as well in order for the mode to appear. The Steel Path nodes apply to the base missions in the game, not the other objectives or modes.Beginners and low MP players should avoidthe Steel path until they are at least 10 MP andhave essential mods.
After the initial star chart is complete, players will need to meet with Tenshin, which will make the mode available in the chart. Gamers can toggle between normal and Steel Path difficulty by pressing the new button on the right side of the screen while the chart is open.
4Steel Path Rewards
Tenshin provides a number of rewards for players that have successfully finished Steel Path nodes. Eight of the rewards are available on a weekly rotating basis. Players that want a particular reward will need to check in each week. Overall, the available rewards are pretty underwhelming.
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The majority of high-level players who have completed the chart will not have much need to complete the Steel Path, as there are better rewards in the galaxy. It can be monotonous to re-play all of the E Prime and other Earth missions, and the incentive is not enough for most players.
3Mastery Points
One reason to play through the Steel Path is to level up MP. The Steel Path missions provide completely distinct mastery points. Gamers who are concerned about getting every Mastery Point available will want to play through as many missions as they can. However, there are plenty of other ways to increase MP.
Players should note that any of the missions on each node can be played without having to complete any of the additional objectives in the initial playthrough. As soon as a new node is unlocked, gamers can move on to that location and begin the missions.
2Alert Missions
There are daily Steel Path missions that reward an additional three Steel Essence for completion. Because the Steel Path is essentially just a second playthrough, completing the daily featured missions is a good way to take the Path in doses.
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The cool thing about these missions is that they take place in different spots in the game’s timeline. This helps make the re-play more nostalgic than repetitive.
1Other Steel Essence Drops
While completing the missions, there are a few different enemies that have guaranteed essence drops. Three of them are the Eidolon Gantulyst, Hydrolyst, and Teralyst, all of which will drop one Steel Essence. Players can find all of these enemies in the Plains of Eidolon, where they will be in random locations across the plains.
Likewise, Acolytes are now permanent enemies inWarframeand will drop a total of two Steel Essence when killed. Players will run into these enemies every few minutes, and they are one of the best essence sources in the Steel Path. The final way to get more steel essence is to complete all of the missions in each location. Upon completion, gamers will receive 25 Steel Essence for their efforts.
