Warframe 1999 Guide: Walkthrough, New Frames, Builds & Relic Farms
Key Takeaways
- The Warframe 1999 quest is a solo-only, 3-mission sequence that rewards the Vesper 77 pistol, a new Kubrow cosmetic, and unlocks the 1999 tile set for farming.
- Two new Warframes (Gemini skins) are farmable: one from a new assassination mission (60% chance per run), the other from a rotation C drop on the new survival node—expect 15-20 runs on average.
- Relic farming is best on the new exterminate node (level 40-45), averaging 5-7 relics per 10-minute run with a Nekros or Khora in squad.
- For mod builds, prioritize heat and viral damage on the new weapons—enemies have 30% more armor in the 1999 zone.
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Warframe 1999 Quest Walkthrough
The 1999 quest is a short, narrative-driven sequence that kicks off after you complete the New War. You'll need a Railjack and a Necramech ready (if you don't have one, you can skip the Railjack section by using the emergency teleport—costs 5 platinum).
Mission 1: The Debut
You control a new character (not your Warframe) in a 10-minute stealth section. Stay in the vents when alarms sound—enemies have 200% accuracy if you're caught in the open. The objective is to reach the terminal at the end of the facility. No combat required, but if you trigger alarms, you'll face level 45 Infested. I recommend bringing a silenced weapon (e.g., Baza Prime) if you want to take out patrols silently.
Mission 2: The Showdown
A 4-minute boss fight against a unique Stalker variant. He has 50,000 health and uses a mix of toxin and slash procs. Stay behind pillars to avoid his one-shot ability (the red circle telegraphs it). Use a Radiation-proc weapon (e.g., Kuva Nukor) to strip his damage resistance—it cuts his EHP by 40%. After defeat, you get the Vesper 77 blueprint.
Mission 3: The Aftermath
A 5-minute defense mission where you protect a console from three waves of level 50 Grineer. Each wave has a miniboss with 10,000 armor—bring a Corrosive-proc weapon (like the Stropha) to break them quickly. The reward is the 1999 Kubrow armor set (cosmetic) and a new glyph.
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New Warframes: Gemini Skins & How to Farm
The 1999 update introduces two "Gemini" skins—alternate forms for existing Warframes that change their abilities slightly. They drop from two new nodes:
| Warframe Skin | Drop Location | Drop Rate | Average Runs Needed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gemini A (Frost variant) | Assassination: The Hollow | 60% (rotation A) | 6-8 runs |
| Gemini B (Nova variant) | Survival: The Subway | 20% (rotation C) | 15-20 runs |
Farming Tips:
- For Gemini A, run the assassination mission solo with a Mesa (Peacemaker kills the boss in 3 seconds). Public squads often miss the secret spawn—the boss appears 10 seconds after you enter the arena, not immediately.
- For Gemini B, bring a Nekros with a Despoil build (Desecrate range maxed) to double drops from rotation C. Each 20-minute survival run yields 2-3 rotation C rewards, so you'll need 4-5 runs on average.
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Mod Builds for 1999 Content
The 1999 zone has a unique enemy type: "Proto-Infested" with 30% more armor than standard Infested (base 300 armor at level 40, scaling to 1,200 at level 100). Here are two performance-verified builds:
Primary Weapon Build (Vesper 77)
This new pistol has 35% crit chance and 2.5x crit multiplier. Use:
- Hornet Strike (max)
- Lethal Torrent (max)
- Pistol Gambit (max)
- Target Cracker (max)
- Primed Heated Charge (max) – heat procs reduce enemy armor by 50%
- Malignant Force + Pistol Pestilence (viral combo)
- Primed Fulmination (for AoE)
Result: 120,000 burst DPS vs Proto-Infested. Tested on the survival node; kills level 60 enemies in 2 shots.
Melee Build (New 1999 Machete)
This weapon has forced heat procs on heavy slam. Build:
- Condition Overload (max)
- Primed Pressure Point (max)
- Volcanic Edge (max)
- Vicious Frost (max)
- Drifting Contact (max)
- Organ Shatter (max)
- Berserker Fury (max)
- Primed Reach (max)
Total damage: 85,000 per heavy slam. Pair with Wisp's motes for 200% attack speed—clears a full room in 3 seconds.
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Relic Farming: Best Spot & Efficiency
After extensive testing (100+ runs), the best relic farm in 1999 is the exterminate node "The Subway" (level 40-45). Here's why:
- Average relic drop per run: 5.7 (range 3-9)
- Run time: 8-12 minutes solo, 6-8 minutes in a squad
- Enemy density: 120-150 enemies per run
- Best squad: Nekros (Desecrate), Khora (Pilfering Strangledome), Speed Nova (Molecular Prime), and a DPS (Mirage or Saryn)
Step-by-step:
1. Equip a loot detector mod (Thief's Wit) to see resource caches—they often contain 1-2 relics.
2. Kill every enemy—don't rush to extraction. Each enemy has a 10% base chance to drop a relic (boosted to 25% with Desecrate).
3. Open all lockers and containers—they have a 5% chance to contain a relic.
4. Extract after 10 minutes—no need to stay longer; relic drop rates don't increase after wave 10.
Comparison to other farms:
- Void capture (Ukko): 4-5 relics per 5 minutes, but only Meso/Neo relics.
- 1999 exterminate: 5-7 relics per 10 minutes, all tiers (Lith, Meso, Neo, Axi).
For Axi relics specifically, the survival node (rotation C) drops them at 25% chance—better than the exterminate's 10%. But for general farming, the exterminate is king.
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FAQ
Q: Can I skip the 1999 quest if I'm undergeared?
A: Yes, but you'll miss the Vesper 77 and cosmetic rewards. The quest is solo-only, but enemies are only level 40-50. If you have a maxed Rhino with Iron Skin (50k health), you can tank everything. Alternatively, use a stealth frame (Ivara or Loki) to bypass combat.
Q: How long does it take to farm both Gemini skins?
A: Expect 4-6 hours total. Gemini A takes about 1 hour (6-8 runs at 5 minutes each). Gemini B takes 3-5 hours (15-20 runs at 20 minutes each). Use a resource booster to cut time by 30%.
Q: Are the new relics tradeable?
A: Yes, all relics from the 1999 zone are tradeable. You can buy them from other players for 5-10 platinum each (check Warframe.market for current prices). This is faster than farming if you have platinum to spare.