Quick Start Guide

by Kalaay

This section is for those who don't have the time or energy to read the entire guide and just want a quick summary. This is NOT meant to replace reading everything on this site and is NOT a complete summary by any means. Throughout this page, we will link to more thorough explanations of the discussed topics so you can read up on the things you have questions about.

How the fight works

The Profit-Taker bossfight has three distinct phases (Shields, Armor and Pylons) that repeat like this:

Shield → Armor → Pylon →

Armor →

Shield → Armor → Pylon →

Shield → Armor → Death

:::info So the procedure looks like this:

• You land, use your secondary and melee weapons to take the shield down, then use an archgun to destroy the legs (making PT fall) and body.
• Profit-Taker shoots out pylons, you destroy those (usually with your primary, see Ogris later) and repeat the process :::

Prerequisites

To be able to do the Profit-Taker boss in the first place, you need to be max rank with Solaris United and have finished the first three phases of the Profit-Taker heist.

Gear

Overview

:::info Profit-Taker's main mechanic restricts you to dealing damage with only one element at a time, so the recommended setup looks like this:

• Primary: Kuva Ogris, used exclusively for pylons.
• Melee: any Zaw with Exodia Contagion (make sure you can reach 100% crit chance). This is because Contagion turns Zaws into incredibly strong projectile weapons that can both be used very quickly and cover a lot of elements because of how Exodia contagion works, more on that a bit later
• Secondary: any high crit damage secondary works (Notable examples include, but are not limited to: Sicarus Incarnon, Tenet Diplos, Gammacor Incarnon, Pyrana Prime etc.), but because of the innate elements on a Contagion Zaw, you either want one that has innate magnetic damage (a lich weapon or a Synoid Gammacor) or you have to equip Magnetic Might. The weapon of choice therefore is the Sicarus Prime with an incarnon adapter installed for its passive buffs. More on the element distribution in a second.
• Archgun: can be used either in hand (see Mausolon lower down) or in mech (see Corvas lower down). The easier option is usually to do mech, since it doesn't leave you in the open during the pull down animation and during the destroying of the legs :::

:::tip The expected distribution of elements looks like this (taken from Creating builds):

Secondary: Viral, Heat, Magnetic, and optional Radiation (also IPS, depending on the weapon)

Melee (Contagion): Gas, Cold, innate IPS, Blast (innate to Exodia Contagion), Corrosive (covered by Melee Exposure), Radiation, and optional Magnetic

Operator/Volt Shield/Shock Trooper: Electric

With this combination, you're only missing Toxin, and there is no way to fit it in the builds without creating the need to switch to your primary. :::

Primary: Ogris

Ogris deals damage to pylons through the pylon bubble without requiring punch through, using the Nightwatch Napalm augment.

Video demonstration (17 mb):

You should usually only need one shot if your buffs (Vex Armor on Chroma, Eclipse on anything else) are up. The Nightwatch Napalm damage ticks will finish it for you.

The Ogris is the weapon of choice because it's both simple to use and easy to get. You can use either variant, although the Kuva variant is preferred due to it dealing more damage (more progenitor% is better, element doesn't matter). A very basic but functional build is also shown in the video. For more info about how it works, click here, and for a proper build with more info, click here or, if you want to get a riven for it (or have one already), this might be the build you want.

:::warning ATTENTION: All the following builds are meant for Chroma only, as Chroma's Vex Armor ability is additive to damage mods so Chroma does not run +damage% mods if he doesn't have to.

For builds for other frames running Eclipse, consult the Eclipse Builds page. :::

Secondary: Sicarus Prime

Not a lot to be said here, you just shoot between contagion throws. Use the Exilus that benefits your situation the most. Cascadia Overcharge assumes shield pad usage. If you don't use shield pads (i.e. if you use Chroma), use Secondary Enervate.

Incarnon Adapter Evos:

EVO II: Feigned Retreat +40 Base Damage

EVO III: Extended Volley +12 Base Magazine Size

EVO IV: Commodore's Fortune +14% Base CC.

Zaw

Example Build: Contagion can be unranked, Exposure often needs at least about rank 2. The Zaw Strike of choice is Balla, because it throws at the beginning of the animation, allowing throws in quick succession. Read more about this here

Exodia Contagion is thrown by double jumping, aim gliding, and meleeing. This allows you to shoot your secondary while you fall after throwing your zaw, when you do it quickly.

Here is a slow demonstration of what the button presses look like (7 mb):

Here is a real life example of quickly throwing and shooting (7 mb):

Archgun in hand: Mausolon

Benefits from Warframe buffs such as Vex Armor or Reinforced bond, is limited by long call down animation and ammo economy. If You waste too many bullets, you will have to deal with long cooldowns. That's why this build has Ammo Chain, because the cooldown is based on %ammo used.

Archgun on mech: Corvas (non-Prime)

Allows you to survive more easily, does not have to deal with cooldowns. Usually slightly more annoying to use because of a higher aiming point and the mech being completely unbuffed.

Warframe: Chroma

Here is an example build for Chroma (see more here): :::info See more build notes here This build utilizes the Shock Trooper Helminth Ability to cover electric, allowing you to cover all elements if you use an on call crewmate.

• Handspring can be replaced with Primed Sure Footed if you have it.
• Decaying Dragon key is recommended so you can stack your damage buff faster.
• Healing can be done via Magus Elevate.
• Flex slots can be filled with more strength or duration (e.g. Augur Message/Secrets), or other QoL mods if needed.
• Arcane Velocity very noticably affects your secondaries' performance and is therefore a must-get if you are going to invest into farming Profit-Taker, other useful Arcanes include (but are not limited to): Guardian, Awakening, Grace, Nullifier.
• Shards: either duration (red), strength (red), starting energy (yellow) or max energy (blue) :::

For best credit gains, you need at least one Chroma in your squad. To make sure you actually benefit from it, you might as well run it yourself.

Chroma has the ability to double credits (double dipping with things like credit blessing) by picking up credits in range of his effigy ability, see How To Place Effigy for how you can place it. :::warning Attention: Make sure not to walk away from your Effigy after you have placed it. The credit doubling only works when you are in range (about 10 m) of it. :::

Other useful stuff

Intrinsics

In general, you should level up your railjack instrinsics, as this has an effect on a lot of aspects of this fight, mainly: Archwing speed (Piloting r8), Necramech damage (Gunnery r5), pylon damage (Gunnery r8) and:

On-Call Crewmates

One of the most useful tools to help you with Profit-Taker is the On-Call Railjack crewmate. It is free to use after you have bought one from ticker in fortuna, stays for 3 minutes after you have summoned it and it can help you kill enemies around you or cover elements you havent covered (toxin in particular).

They can have different stats, and the ones you should prioritize are combat, repair and endurance, in that order. Elite crewmates (unlocked at Command r10) can have additional perks, and the one you want most for efficient runs is the +150%cc buff. It comes in secondary and primary variants and is a bonus additive to other cc mods. Generally speaking, any crewmate with a cc perk is better than one without it.

An ideal Crewmate would look somewhat like this:

In terms of weapon choices, as long as it has high damage and is crit-based, it will work somewhat. AoE weapons, or weapons with an AoE damage portion, are usually preferred. Limitations are: some AoE weapons cant do damage to Profit-Taker and can therefore only be used for killing adds (notably: Zarr or Ogris), Crewmates cannot use Incarnon perks or abilities, Rivens, or Arcanes (with a few insignificant expections), and Crewmates cannot use a lot of two-handed weapons like bows, double pistols or throwing weapons (anything rifle or pistol shaped will usually work)

Recommended weapons are (click them to see the builds):

Secondary: Catabolyst, Synoid Gammacor

Primary: Opticor Vandal, Kuva Chakkhurr, Torid, Amprex

:::tip Note: All weapons except Chakkhurr need your Crewmate to be buffed with Vex Armor or Total Eclipse to work well. :::

Energy economy

With the provided setup you will quickly notice that you need a lot of energy. With enemies being an inconsistent source of orb drops, we strongly recommend Energy Restores.

The more comfortable and cheaper setup is what the community refers to as "padless" by using Preparation and Primed Flow to have a huge reserve of Energy which should last the entire run. You can also use amber Archon Shards to fill some of your maximum energy when you spawn in or blue Archon Shards to further expand your energy capacity.

Here is an example Volt build with this philosophy in mind:

Overframe build

Archon Shards

Shards that always work are reds for strength or duration. Going with the sentiment expressed above, amber shards for starting energy also work. Most speedrunners run either all strength or 4 strength and one cast speed.

Graphics Settings

It is generally recommended to lower your graphics settings (low preset except for anti-aliasing so it doesnt look blurry), especially Effects Intensity (found in accessibility settings, recommended setting: 50%), because enemy reinforcements and Profit-Taker attacks are very flashy and therefore very distracting. Screen shake should also be off, for your eyes' sake.

Further reading

Want to read more? Start by clicking "Basics" up top!