How to Obtain Excalibur Prime in Warframe: A Definitive Guide
The burning question on many Tenno’s minds, both veteran and new, is: How do you get Excalibur Prime? The short, bittersweet answer is: you can’t, not anymore. Excalibur Prime was a limited-time exclusive, obtainable only by Warframe Founders who purchased a Founder’s Pack during the game’s early access phase. These packs are no longer available, making Excalibur Prime a permanently vaulted and highly sought-after piece of Warframe history.
The Founder’s Program was Digital Extremes’ way of funding the game’s development in its initial stages. By purchasing one of the Founder’s Packs (Hunter, Master, and Grand Master), players received various in-game benefits, including Excalibur Prime, Skana Prime, Lato Prime, exclusive armor sets, and platinum. This act of faith and financial support during Warframe’s infancy is what makes Excalibur Prime so special and why it’s unlikely to ever return.
The exclusivity isn’t just about status; it’s a testament to the commitment and dedication of the original Founders who helped bring Warframe to life. While the desire to own Excalibur Prime is understandable, respecting the exclusivity is crucial to honoring those who were there from the beginning.
Understanding the Legacy of Excalibur Prime
Excalibur Prime is more than just a Warframe; he is a symbol of Warframe’s origin and the community that supported its development. It served as a beacon of the past, a reminder of how far Warframe has come since its early access period.
Stat Similarities to Regular Excalibur
Statistically, Excalibur Prime doesn’t boast overwhelmingly superior numbers compared to the regular Excalibur. However, he comes pre-installed with an Orokin Reactor, which instantly doubles his mod capacity. Furthermore, he possesses unique polarities, allowing for optimized mod builds.
Why Excalibur Prime Will Likely Never Be Unvaulted
The decision to keep Excalibur Prime permanently vaulted is rooted in a promise made by Digital Extremes to its early supporters. Releasing Excalibur Prime would break that promise and potentially alienate the very community that helped build Warframe into what it is today. While Digital Extremes has occasionally brought back limited-time items, Excalibur Prime remains off-limits.
Excalibur Umbra: The Next Best Thing
While you can’t get your hands on Excalibur Prime, Excalibur Umbra is a fantastic alternative and, in many ways, a more compelling Warframe. Obtained through “The Sacrifice” quest, Excalibur Umbra possesses a unique backstory and gameplay mechanics.
What Sets Excalibur Umbra Apart
- Sentient Awareness: Umbra can fight independently even when the player is transferred out of the Warframe, attacking nearby enemies with his signature Nikana.
- Adaptive Armor: Umbra possesses unique Umbral mods that provide increased stats when used together, offering a significant boost to his survivability and damage output.
- Intriguing Lore: His backstory connects directly to the overarching narrative of Warframe, making him more than just a powerful Warframe; he’s a character with a history.
Is Excalibur Umbra Better Than Excalibur Prime?
From a purely functional standpoint, many players argue that Excalibur Umbra is superior to Excalibur Prime. While their base stats are very similar, Umbra’s Umbral mods and sentient abilities give him a significant edge in many situations. The unique polarities also make it easier to install and experiment with different builds.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I trade for Excalibur Prime?
No. Excalibur Prime cannot be traded. It is permanently bound to the Founder’s account that originally received it. There is no way to acquire Excalibur Prime through trading with other players.
2. Are Excalibur Prime parts available from Void Relics?
No. Excalibur Prime parts do not drop from Void Relics. They were never part of the Prime Vault system and were exclusively available through the Founder’s Program.
3. What about buying an account with Excalibur Prime?
Buying and selling Warframe accounts is against the game’s Terms of Service and can result in a permanent ban. Even if you could find an account for sale, you would risk losing access to it entirely. It’s not worth the risk.
4. Will Digital Extremes ever change their minds about Excalibur Prime?
While anything is possible, it’s highly unlikely that Digital Extremes will ever make Excalibur Prime available again. Their commitment to the original Founders is a core principle.
5. What are the other benefits of being a Warframe Founder?
Founders received several exclusive items and benefits, including:
- Excalibur Prime
- Skana Prime
- Lato Prime
- Exclusive armor sets (e.g., Excalibur Proto-Armor Skin)
- Platinum
- Forum badges
6. Are the Skana Prime and Lato Prime still exclusive?
While Skana Prime and Lato Prime were also part of the Founder’s Packs, they have been brought back temporarily through promotional events. This doesn’t mean Excalibur Prime will follow suit, as the Founder’s status is primarily tied to the Warframe itself.
7. What’s the deal with Excalibur Umbra’s scarf?
Excalibur Umbra’s scarf is part of his character model and cannot be removed or toggled off. It’s a unique visual element that distinguishes him from other Excalibur variants.
8. Can I use Excalibur skins on Excalibur Umbra?
Yes. You can use most Excalibur skins on Excalibur Umbra, allowing for a degree of customization. However, the scarf will remain part of Umbra’s appearance.
9. Is there a “Dark Excalibur” in Warframe?
No, there isn’t a “Dark Excalibur” Warframe in Warframe. The mention of a “Dark Excalibur” refers to a mythological concept and is unrelated to the game.
10. Is Excalibur Umbra a sentient Warframe?
Excalibur Umbra is not sentient in the same way as Sentient enemies. However, he possesses a degree of autonomy and awareness, allowing him to fight independently when the player is not directly controlling him.
11. Where does Excalibur Umbra fit into Warframe lore?
Excalibur Umbra’s backstory is deeply interwoven with Warframe’s lore. “The Sacrifice” quest delves into his origins as a Dax soldier who was transformed into a Warframe, shedding light on the Warframes being “human beings”. The Games Learning Society can provide further insights on game narratives.
12. Is Excalibur Umbra the same in all regions of Warframe?
Excalibur Umbra’s abilities and stats are consistent across all regions of Warframe. His availability and acquisition method are also the same: completing “The Sacrifice” quest.
13. How do I obtain Excalibur Umbra?
You can obtain Excalibur Umbra by completing “The Sacrifice” quest. The quest starts automatically after completing “The Second Dream” quest.
14. What is the “Excalibur Umbra Prime” model mentioned online?
The mention of “Excalibur Umbra Prime” is misleading. There is no official “Excalibur Umbra Prime” in Warframe. The Umbra design was, as the article pointed out, designed with the Chinese market in mind.
15. What are some good builds for Excalibur Umbra?
Effective builds for Excalibur Umbra typically focus on:
- Strength: To maximize the damage output of his abilities, especially Radial Blind and Exalted Blade.
- Duration: To increase the duration of Radial Blind and other abilities.
- Efficiency: To reduce energy costs, allowing for more frequent ability usage.
- Umbral Mods: Utilizing Umbral Intensify, Umbral Vitality, and Umbral Fiber together provides a significant boost to his stats.
Excalibur Prime remains a symbol of Warframe’s origins and a badge of honor for its original supporters. While unobtainable today, players can still enjoy the power and lore of Excalibur Umbra, a worthy alternative with its own unique strengths. Although Warframe is a complex game, it has great potential for educational purposes. The GamesLearningSociety.org provides studies on the various ways games are being applied to learning environments.