Nekros Warframe Build Guide — Best Desecrate Farming Setup
Nekros Farming Build Quick Reference
| Stat | Base | Build Target | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ability Range | Ability Range | 100% | 150–200% | Desecrate covers larger area; hits more corpses per cast |
| Ability Efficiency | Ability Efficiency | 100% | 145–175% | Reduces energy cost of toggling Desecrate continuously |
| Ability Strength | Ability Strength | 100% | 100% (not prioritized) | Desecrate drop rate is fixed at 54%; strength does not increase it |
| Ability Duration | Ability Duration | 100% | 60–80% | Duration affects Shadows — reduced duration acceptable |
| Health | Health | 370 | 500–700 with Vitality | Moderate survivability needed during farming sessions |
| Shadows Active | Shadows Active | 7 | 7 (base) | Desecrating Shadows augment makes each minion proc Desecrate on kill |
Understanding Nekros and Desecrate
Nekros is a utility-focused Warframe whose entire value in the endgame revolves around one ability: Desecrate (his 3). Desecrate is a toggled channeling ability that triggers on every corpse within Nekros's range, giving each one a 54% additional chance to generate an extra loot drop. Ability strength does not affect this 54% rate — the roll is fixed. What scales with mods is range (affecting how many corpses Desecrate can reach) and efficiency (affecting how much energy each corpse roll costs).
The math is simple but powerful: in a normal mission without Nekros, each enemy has one chance to drop loot. With Nekros and Desecrate active, each enemy gets a second chance with a 54% probability. In a 20-minute Survival mission where 500 enemies die, you generate roughly 270 additional loot rolls. Over time, this dramatically increases the quantity of rare resources like Orokin Cells, Neurodes, and Control Modules.
Nekros also has Shadows of the Dead (his 4), which raises slain enemies as minions to fight for him. With the Desecrating Shadows augment mod, each minion kill also triggers a Desecrate loot roll — essentially multiplying Nekros's loot generation by his active shadow count. This augment is essential for the maximum farming efficiency build.
Nekros Desecrate Farm Build (8 Mod Slots)
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aura | Energy Siphon | Passive energy regeneration to sustain Desecrate toggling indefinitely |
| Exilus | Handspring or Sprint Boost | Knockdown recovery or speed to cover the farming area efficiently |
| Mod 1 | Vitality | Health buffer for unexpected damage during long farming sessions |
| Mod 2 | Stretch | Primary range mod — increases Desecrate radius by 45% |
| Mod 3 | Augur Reach | Additional range; also restores shields on ability cast |
| Mod 4 | Fleeting Expertise | High efficiency reduction — essential for sustained Desecrate toggling |
| Mod 5 | Streamline | Additional efficiency to cap near 175% |
| Mod 6 | Desecrating Shadows (Augment) | Shadows minions proc Desecrate on kill — mandatory for max farming output |
| Mod 7 | Overextended | Extreme range at the cost of strength — acceptable since strength does not affect Desecrate rate |
| Mod 8 | Adaptation or Steel Fiber | Damage resistance for steel path; armor for base content |
Companion Choice for Maximum Farming
The companion slot is critical for a farming Nekros. Smeeta Kavat is the single best companion for resource farming due to its Charm precept: this ability randomly activates 30-second windows that double all resource pickups. During a Nekros Desecrate session, a Charm trigger combined with Nekros's additional rolls can produce windfall quantities of rare resources.
The Carrier Sentinel with Vacuum mod is the alternative if you do not have a Smeeta — it auto-collects resources within 12 meters, preventing drops from despawning in fast-paced missions. For non-Carrier companions (Kavats, Kubrows, MOAs), equip the Fetch mod which provides a 20-meter pickup range — actually superior to Carrier Vacuum's 12 meters.
Equip Animal Instinct on your Smeeta Kavat — it shows both enemies and resource containers on the minimap, ensuring you never walk past a high-value cache. This mod is worth the Mastery Rank requirement (needs MR 4+ Kavat to equip) specifically for the resource radar utility.
Best Farming Locations for Nekros
- Gabii (Ceres) Dark Sector Survival — Best overall resource farm. High Grineer + Infested enemy density, excellent for Orokin Cells, Neurodes, and Nano Spores simultaneously.
- Helene (Saturn) Defense — Fast-paced Defense with high enemy density. Polymer Bundle, Plastids, and Orokin Cells are common drops.
- Hieracon (Pluto) Excavation — Cryotic farming alongside rare resources. Good for players who need large quantities of Cryotic for Archwing crafting.
- Eris (any node) Survival — Infested-heavy tileset good for Mutagen Samples, Nano Spores, and Neurodes.
- Deimos (Cambion Drift) — Orokin Cells, Neurodes, and Deimos-specific resources. Nekros works well in open world enemy clusters.
- Void Survival (Mot) — Control Modules, Argon Crystals, and Neurodes from Corrupted enemies. Excellent multi-resource farm.
- Earth Dark Sector Survival (Tikal) — Early-game accessible node with Neurodes and Rubedo as primary drops.
Frequently asked questions
Does ability strength affect Nekros Desecrate drop rate?
No. Desecrate's drop chance is fixed at 54% per corpse regardless of ability strength. Strength mods waste mod capacity on Nekros. Focus on range (to cover more corpses simultaneously) and efficiency (to reduce energy cost per proc).
How do I get Nekros?
Nekros's blueprint parts drop from the Shadow Stalker boss fight, accessible after completing The Second Dream quest. Alternatively, Nekros blueprints occasionally appear in Nightwave challenge reward rotations. He can also be purchased from the Market for Platinum.
Can Nekros and Khora both be in the same squad for double loot?
Yes. Having both Nekros (Desecrate) and Khora (Pilfering Swarm augment) in the same squad provides independent additional loot rolls. Each frame's loot mechanic triggers separately, effectively giving each corpse three total chances to drop loot. This combination is sometimes called a 'double loot squad.'
Is Nekros good for anything other than farming?
In combat, Nekros's Shadows of the Dead provides decent minion distraction and some crowd control. He is not a strong DPS or tank frame, but his Terrify ability (his 2) strips 20–80% of enemy armor depending on ability strength, which has niche use in armor-stripping builds. For general combat, other frames outperform him significantly — Nekros's value is almost exclusively his loot generation.
What is the best farm for Orokin Cells with Nekros?
Gabii on Ceres is the best Orokin Cell farm with Nekros. The Dark Sector Survival mission has high Grineer enemy density that constantly respawns, and Orokin Cells are in the Ceres drop pool. Run for 20 minutes per session and aim for at least 5–15 Orokin Cells per run with proper Desecrate uptime.
Sources & verification
Continue this guide path
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- ›Warframe Mods Guide — How Modding Works, Capacity & Best Mod TypesMods are Warframe's primary progression system. This guide explains mod capacity, Forma, polarity, and the best mod categories for weapons and Warframes across all content levels.
- ›How to Farm Neurodes in Warframe — Best Methods on Earth & DeimosNeurodes are a rare crafting resource on Earth and Deimos, required for most Warframe and weapon builds. Here are the fastest methods to stock up, including Survival farms and Cambion Drift bounties.
- ›How to Farm Orokin Cells in Warframe — Best Locations & MethodsOrokin Cells are one of Warframe's rarest and most-needed crafting resources. This guide covers the best farming locations, enemy types, and frames to maximize your Orokin Cell drops per hour.
- ›How to Farm Control Modules in Warframe — Neptune & Void LocationsControl Modules are a rare Corpus-faction resource required for many Prime blueprints and utility items. This guide covers the best farming nodes on Neptune and in the Void.