To unlock the Steel Path in Warframe, complete every node on the Origin System Star Chart that is available before The New War, including the quest-locked nodes, then talk to Teshin at any Relay and ask about the Steel Path. Once he unlocks it, a Steel Path toggle appears on the right side of the Star Chart, and every mission you switch it on for becomes a much harder version with better rewards.
A run of recent updates has trimmed the checklist: the Zariman, Albrecht’s Laboratories, Höllvania and the Deepmines bounties no longer count. Below: exactly what counts, what you can skip, how to see what you are missing, and what the mode changes.
What Counts Toward the Unlock
You need every one of these done on the normal Star Chart:
- Every regular node and Junction on the planets, moons and other regions you reach before The New War.
- Quest-locked nodes. These include Tyana Pass on Mars, Follie’s Hunt on Venus, the Ropalolyst on Jupiter and Saya’s Visions on Earth.
- Every node on Lua and the Kuva Fortress. Reaching them means finishing the main quests up to Chimera Prologue.
- Oro on Earth, Vay Hek’s node, which needs Mastery Rank 5.
If you want the Steel Path in Duviri as well, finish The Duviri Paradox quest and its three base nodes on normal difficulty: The Duviri Experience, The Lone Story and The Circuit. Isleweaver is not required.
What No Longer Counts
| Content | When it was removed from the checklist |
|---|---|
| Zariman Ten Zero, Albrecht’s Laboratories and Höllvania missions | Hotfix 38.5.3 (March 2025) |
| Deepmines Bounties | Update 41.0 (December 2025) |
| The Squad Vs. Squad Faceoff node | Hotfix 38.0.8 |
| Mutalist Alad V and Jordas Golem Assassinations on Eris, and Brutus on Uranus | Not required |
That makes the Steel Path reachable much earlier than it used to be for accounts that have not touched the newer zones.
How to Unlock It, Step by Step
- Go to any Relay and find Teshin.
- Ask him “Steel Path?” Since Update 39.1 (August 2025), if you are not ready yet he lists the nodes, quests and Mastery Rank you still need. This is the fastest way to find the one Junction or quest node you missed.
- Clear what he lists, then return and ask again.
- Accept his invitation to unlock the mode.
- Open Navigation. The Steel Path toggle now sits on the right side of the Star Chart. Turn it on and pick any node.
What Changes in Steel Path Missions
| Change | Steel Path effect |
|---|---|
| Enemy level | +100 (+50 in Archwing, Empyrean and Railjack) |
| Enemy health and shields | 2.5 times normal |
| Enemy armor | Not increased (since Update 36.0) |
| Resource drop chance | +100% |
| Mod drop chance | +100% (not in Railjack) |
| Acolytes | Spawn in most mission types and always drop Steel Essence |
The jump from normal enemies to +100 levels is steep, so bring a Warframe and weapons with real upgrades, Forma and an Arcane or two. Our guide to which starter Warframe to pick covers the frames every account starts with; by the time Teshin opens the Steel Path, you will want a Warframe with a full build behind it.
Steel Path Rewards
The mode’s currency is Steel Essence. You earn it from:
- Daily Steel Path Incursions, five Steel Essence each.
- Acolytes, which always drop it.
- Railjack and Empyrean missions on the Steel Path, and opening Void Relics in Steel Path Void Fissures.
- The Steel Path Circuit in Duviri, which also gives the Incarnon Genesis adapters that turn old weapons into Incarnon weapons.
Spend it at Teshin’s Steel Path Honors shop. The evergreen stock includes a Veiled Riven Cipher (once a week), Arcane Adapters, Stance Forma, Kuva and Relic packs, and cosmetics such as the Bishamo armor set, plus a weekly rotating item. Riven mods from those ciphers can be traded for Platinum (both players need Mastery Rank 8), as our guide on getting Platinum without paying explains.
Update 43.0 (June 2026) added Steel Path Railjack too. It shows up once you have the Steel Path unlocked and have finished that Railjack mission on the normal path.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Steel Path requirements? Every Origin System Star Chart node available before The New War, including Junctions and quest-locked nodes (Lua and the Kuva Fortress need the quests up to Chimera Prologue), plus Mastery Rank 5 for Oro on Earth.
Do you need to complete the Zariman for the Steel Path? No. Hotfix 38.5.3 removed the Zariman, Albrecht’s Laboratories and Höllvania from the requirements.
Do you need Duviri for the Steel Path? Not for the Star Chart. You only need The Duviri Paradox and its three base nodes if you want the Steel Path inside Duviri.
How do I check which nodes I am missing? Ask Teshin “Steel Path?” at any Relay. Since Update 39.1 he lists every remaining node, quest and Mastery Rank requirement.
Where is the Steel Path toggle? On the right side of the Star Chart in Navigation, once Teshin has unlocked the mode for you.
Is armor increased on the Steel Path? No. Enemy health and shields are multiplied by 2.5, but armor has not been raised since Update 36.0.