Protea Guide

Warframe, Digital Extremes' illustrious online sci-fi odyssey, captivates legions of gamers with its serpentine blend of high-octane combat, elaborate crafting, and a vast armada of exquisitely designed Warframes. Among the pantheon of these interstellar combat suits, Protea, the time-manipulating engineer, stands out with her unique abilities to control the battlefield. This guide will descend intense into what makes Protea a special addition to any Tenno's arsenal, dissecting her capabilities, procurement routes, optimal power modifications (mods), polarity slots, and a comprehensive review of her performance in the contemporary Warframe meta.

Stats

At her core, Protea boasts a robust and balanced stat line that makes her an admirable choice for a variety of missions. Her health, shield capacity, and armor provide a solid foundation for durability. However, what truly sets her apart is her generous energy pool, which is critical for her ability-centric playstyle. Furthermore, Protea's unique Passive ability grants her a 100% additional Power Strength to her next cast after reaching 100% Ability Efficiency, permitting her abilities to pack a more potent punch when needed.

Possession

To bring Protea into your Warframe armory, you must embark on the "Deadlock Protocol" quest. This saga-driven journey not only expands on the Corpus faction's lore but also introduces players to the reimagined Corpus Ship tileset. Upon completing the quest, players gain access to the Granum Void, a parallel dimension where Protea's component blueprints can be obtained. These components include Protea's Chassis, Neuroptics, and Systems.

Crafting Protea demands diligence, as you'll need to engage in multiple runs across the Granum Void, challenging the luck of the draw to secure her blueprints. Once collected, the standard crafting times and resource requirements apply. For Tenno seeking immediate gratification, Protea is also available through direct purchase in the in-game market.

Power Mods

Protea's abilities are a harmonious blend of offense, defense, and utility, making her suitable for almost any mission type. Below, we'll outline a recommended mod setup to maximize her battlefield proficiency.

Primary Mods

• Flow/Primed Flow: Increases Protea's maximum energy, vital for her ability-centric gameplay.
• Streamline/Primed Streamline: Boosts efficiency, allowing for more frequent ability usage.
• Intensify/Umbral Intensify: Enhances ability power, making her gadgets more lethal or effective.

Secondary Mods

• Stretch: For increased ability range, to affect more enemies or cover larger areas with her powers.
• Continuity/Primed Continuity: Extends the duration of her abilities, crucial for her Time Anchor and other sustained effects.
• Adaptation: Enhances her survivability by granting damage resistance after taking damage from different types.

Tertiary Mods

• Augur Secrets and Augur Reach: For additional power strength and range without compromising other stats significantly.
• Redirection/Vigor: Given Protea's reliance on shields, these mods can significantly bolster her durability.

Remember, modding in Warframe is a profoundly personal affair. This setup aims to provide a balanced approach, enhancing Protea's abilities without overly skewing her stats in any one direction. It would be wise to tweak this loadout based on your play style and the demands of specific missions.

Polarity

Polarity slots in Warframe allow for the customization of Warframes and weapons, reducing the mod capacity required for specific mods. Protea starts with a balanced mix of V (Madurai), D (Vazarin), and - (Naramon) polarities, alongside a universal aura polarity slot. Players may find that adding additional V or - polarities can complement her power-focused builds more efficiently. However, the presence of a D polarity slot also invites the possibility of increasing her durability through mods that require this polarity.

Utilizing Forma, a craftable item in Warframe, players can add or change polarity slots on Protea. Given her versatile abilities, it may be beneficial to tailor her polarity slots to enrich her abilities' potency significantly or to evenly distribute them, ensuring a comprehensive build that doesn't overly favor one aspect of her potential at the expense of others.

Review

Protea's debut has undeniably introduced a multifaceted Warframe capable of excelling in various mission types. Her unique temporal abilities allow players to take on the role of a battlefield engineer, laying traps, providing support, and even manipulating time to their advantage.

• Temporal Anchor: Protea's hallmark ability, allowing for daring forays into enemy territory with a safety net, resetting her to a previous state if overwhelmed.
• Blaze Artillery: Delivers devastating area damage with a turret that's as lethal as it is visually impressive.
• Dispensary: A versatile support tool, providing essential resources for Protea and her allies.
• Grenade Fan: Offers both offensive and defensive boons, making Protea adaptable to rapidly changing combat scenarios.

Critically, Protea's performance scales impressively well from early to endgame content, making her a stalwart companion for both burgeoning and seasoned Tenno alike. Her abilities require a thoughtful approach, rewarding strategic players with a tool for every situation. However, this complexity might be frightening for new players, who may struggle to fully leverage her potent arsenal.

In the current meta, Protea shines as a solo powerhouse and a valuable team player, especially in prolonged engagements where her resource generation and area denial capabilities can turn the tide. Yet, it's essential to recognize that her reliance on energy dictates the necessity of a well-thought-out build, as her effectiveness is directly proportional to her ability to sustain her abilities over time.

In conclusion, Protea is a testament to Digital Extremes' commitment to delivering deeply complex and rewarding gameplay experiences. Whether you're tactically deploying her Blaze Artillery or strategically placing her Dispensary to support your squad, Protea offers a dynamic and engaging playstyle that blends traditional shooter mechanics with the strategic depth of an engineer. As with any Warframe, mastery of Protea comes not only from understanding her abilities but from integrating her into the broader strategies and compositions of your team. With the right approach, Protea can not only change the flow of battle but reverse it entirely, providing a unique and powerful asset to any Tenno's arsenal.