When was the last time you did an Eidolon hunt — not for a mastery rank requirement or for nostalgia, but genuinely for a reward? If you’re like most players, probably not recently. Despite being one of Warframe’s most unique and skill-intensive game modes, Eidolon hunting has faded from relevance. But why?

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A Look Back: What Are Eidolons?

Eidolons were introduced on October 12, 2017, as massive Sentient remnants scattered across the Plains of Eidolon. Born from the sacrifice of Gara in the Warframe lore, these ghostly giants were originally sentient enemies torn apart and left to haunt the landscape.

In gameplay, Eidolons are formidable open-world bosses that roam at night, requiring a distinct loadout and coordinated approach to defeat. Unlike standard enemies, Eidolons have:

• Sentient Shields that can only be damaged by Void attacks from Operator Amps
• Weak points (called Synovias or “limbs”) that must be sequentially destroyed
• Specific mechanics depending on which of the three Eidolons you fight

The three types are:

• Teralyst – Roams freely at night, has 4 limbs
• Gantulyst – Requires a Brilliant Eidolon Shard to summon, 6 limbs
• Hydrolyst – Requires a Radiant Shard to summon, 6 limbs

Capturing Eidolons instead of killing them yields better rewards, but requires charged Eidolon Lures, adding further mechanical complexity.

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What Made Eidolon Hunting Worthwhile?

One word: Arcanes, particularly Arcane Energize — the most desirable energy-regen mod in Warframe. With a 5% drop chance from Hydrolyst captures and a six-hunt cap per night cycle, it was once one of the only realistic paths to farm this top-tier Arcane. Add in the teamwork, complex mechanics, and rewarding loop, and you had one of the game’s most prestigious activities.

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What Went Wrong?

1. Arcane Dissolution: The Final Blow

On December 13, 2023, the Whispers in the Walls update introduced Arcane Dissolution, a new system that effectively trivialized the value of Eidolon hunts.

• Players can dissolve duplicate Arcanes into Phosphor
• Phosphor can be used to buy Arcane Packs from the Vosfor vendor
• Each pack gives 3 random Arcanes, which includes a chance at Energize
• This method is much faster, easier, and doesn’t require Eidolon-specific gear or time-gated hunts

The result? A major incentive to Eidolon hunt was gutted, and a more universal path to rewards was favored.

2. Accessibility Barriers

Efficient Eidolon hunting demands:

• Specific Amps (like 177) that require high standing across multiple Syndicates (Little Duck, Onkko)
• Amp Arcane Adapter (locked behind Syndicate rank)
• Ranked Focus Schools (Madurai preferred)
• Eidolon Lures and knowledge of Vombalyst mechanics

This complexity formed a skill wall — not necessarily bad — but became a gate when paired with toxic community behavior. Veterans formed exclusive squads, gatekept strategies, and punished new players for inefficiencies. The result? Few new players entered the scene.

3. Time-Gated Design

Eidolons only appear at night on the Plains of Eidolon. Worse yet, night is shorter than day, meaning opportunities to hunt are limited.

This creates:

• Rushed sessions
• Increased frustration if a team underperforms
• Limited accessibility for casual or time-constrained players

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The Community Speaks: How to Save Eidolon Hunting

1. Remove or Rework the Time Gate

Reddit suggestions include:

• Add a dropdown to choose between day/night instances (like invasions)
• Let Ankko sell a beacon to change time in your session
• Make Eidolons always available (lore reasons can be hand-waved — they have before)

2. Reduce the Standing Wall

Players recommend:

• Let Amp Arcane Adapters be purchasable with Platinum, just like melee ones
• Introduce alternative, faster amp crafting for newer players

3. Add Exclusive Incentives

Currently, Eidolons drop:

• Arcanes (now redundant due to dissolution)
• Riven Transmuters (niche value)

Ideas to improve rewards:

• Add exclusive Arcanes unobtainable via dissolution
• New cosmetics or Operator-themed gear
• Operator Arcane slots or amp-exclusive rewards

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Current Alternatives and Inefficiencies

Arcane Packs are simply better:

• 3 rolls per opening
• No standing or gear requirements
• Obtainable from any source of duplicate Arcanes

Meanwhile, a Hydrolyst capture offers just one shot at Energize.

New players are much more likely to engage with Void Cascade or other Arcane-bearing missions that are easier, accessible at any time, and give faster payouts.

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Final Thoughts: Is There Still a Future?

Eidolon hunting remains a favorite activity for a niche group of dedicated players — the mechanical complexity and skill ceiling are genuinely fun when mastered. But unless changes are made, the game mode will continue to slide into obscurity.

With small but impactful changes like:

• Removing time gating
• Making Arcane adapters more accessible
• Adding exclusive drops

…Eidolons could regain their place as a mainline activity. Until then, they remain a relic of Warframe’s past — fun, yes, but increasingly irrelevant.