Warframe Hildryn Build Guide - How to Obtain, Craft, and Best Builds

Introduced with Fortuna and the Orb Vallis, Hildryn is a very fun and versatile character to play that can work perfectly in almost any context or situation. A tanky warframe that uses Shield-based abilities, these make her sturdy in combat but also extremely aggressive, and especially effective against shielded enemies, like the Corpus. Don’t be tricked by her lack of Energy, because she can do perfectly well without it.

How to Craft Hildryn?

Hildryn's Main Blueprint can be bought from Little Duck for 5,000 Reputation upon reaching the rank of Agent with Vox Solaris in Fortuna. Her component blueprints can be acquired as drops from the Exploiter Orb.

Building Requirements
Hildryn Blueprint Price - 5,000 Reputation - Vox Solaris (Agent)
Hildryn Neuroptics - Drop Chance 38.72% (Exploiter Orb)
Hildryn Chassis - Drop Chance 38.72% (Exploiter Orb)
Hildryn Systems - Drop Chance 22.56% (Exploiter Orb)

Building Time
Warframe- 72 Hours
Components - 12 Hours

Hildryn Overview and Best Weapon Options

Hildryn abilities, being shield-based, will involve a lot of focus on improving her shield pool and shield recharging stats. Don’t be afraid of spam Pillage whenever you need it, Haven can be a great supportive ability in Co-Op, and the Balefire Charger compensates for its lack of good Critical and Status values with some massive inherent damage.

However, keep always in mind that you won’t be able to rob shields of enemies without shield, which can put you at a serious disadvantage if you go against certain factions. Be mindful of the fight you’re getting into, and you should be fine.

Abilities
Passive
Hildryn utilizes her advanced Shielding systems to power all of her abilities. Although all of Hildryn's abilities drain her Overshield and Shield points since she has no Energy capacity, her shields boast additional passive benefits and defensive capabilities. Energy Orb pickups restore 25 shield points and instantly reset shield recharge delay.

Overshields protect Hildryn's Health pool from damage types that normally bypass shields to directly affect health, such as Toxin damage. When her Overshield pool is depleted, any excess damage from the last hit is negated, preventing damage from leaking into the Shield pool.

Hildryn's shield pool scales with her rank differently than normal Warframes, increasing her shields for a total of +250% shields at Rank 30.

Balefire
Charge and launch devastating bolts of fire.
Overshield/Shield Cost per Shot: 100 - 45
Strength:100 - 200 / 200 - 400 / 350 - 700 / 500 - 1000 Electricity damage per bolt
Range:1 / 2 / 2 / 3 Meters of explosion radius
Misc:100% Ragdoll chance on hit with Overshield

Pillage
Pillage a percentage of Shields and Armor of nearby enemies to replenish Hildryn's own Shields and Overshields.
Strength: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% Shield/armor drain per enemy
Duration: 2 Seconds of expansion duration
Range: 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 Meters of pulse initial radius
Misc:
20 Meters of expansion distance per second
100% Status cleanse on cast

Haven
Create a shield aura around allies. Enemies that approach shielded allies will take damage.
Overshield/Shield Drain per Ally: 5
Overshield/Shield Drain per Enemy: 25
Strength:
150 / 250 / 300 / 500 Ally shield capacity bonus
100 / 125 / 150 / 200 Radiation damage per second
Duration: 50% / 60% / 70% / 80% Shield recharge rate
Range: 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 Meters of link radius
Misc: 100% Extra damage per second with Overshield

Aegis Storm
Take the skies and rain Balefire rockets down on the enemy. Nearby enemies are blasted into the air where they will create an Energy Orb every few seconds. When shields run out the enemies are smashed into the ground.
Overshield/Shield Drain per Second: 25
Overshield/Shield Drain per Enemy: 25
Overshield/Shield Drain per Dodge: 50
Strength:
100 / 125 / 150 / 200 Points of Radiation damage per second
100 / 300 / 400 / 500 Points of Impact damage on deactivation
Range: 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 Meters of energy field max radius
Misc: 8-18 Seconds of energy orb drop interval

Recommended Weapons

Since her Exalted Weapon can be a bit underwhelming in later parts of the game, it is advised you equip Hildryn with different types of weapons. Arca Plasmor should go always with her since 80% of the time you will fight against Corpus, weak to Magnetic damage. Epitaph built on Blast and Critical should give you a wider range of action against other types of enemies, and Orthos should have no issues covering whatever it’s left in that regard.

As always, if you can afford the Prime version of the Orthos, the better. Use as many Forma on them as you see fit to achieve the desired build, and you'll be good to go!

Primary Weapon - Arca Plasmor

Secondary Weapon - Epitaph

Melee Weapon - Orthos

Hildryn Best Builds

Hildryn - Balanced Tank Build

Mods List
Aura Mod - Sprint Boost
Alternatives:
Shield Disruption
Corrosive Projection
Exilus Mod - Cunning Drift
Loadout
Vigor
Redirection
Adaptation
Fleeting Expertise
Blind Rage
Continuity
Fast Deflection
Streamline

Exalted Weapon - Balefire Charger

Loadout
Hornet Strike
Lethal Torrent
Barrel Diffusion
Frostbite
Pistol Pestilence
Scorch
Deep Freeze
Pathogen Rounds

The build will focus, first and foremost, on buffing the Shield pool and recharge. The rest is just a matter of improving Efficiency and Strength while trying to not diminish too much duration, throw Adaptation there for more sustain in more tight situations, and you should be relaxed. Sprint Boost as the Aura mod is a personal preference, but if you want to start with the right foot against a specific faction, Shield Disruption and Corrosive Projection should work great against Corpus, Grineer, and some Infested.

The Balefire Charger build is needed mostly in case you want to use Aegis Storm. Other than that, since the crit and status values can be underwhelming, you may end up preferring your normal weapons over that one, at the end of the day it’s your call.