Vigilante mods are a unique set of modifications in Warframe designed to enhance critical hit potential, particularly for primary weapons. They do not directly increase critical chance like standard mods; instead, they provide a powerful set bonus that grants a chance for critical hits to be upgraded to the next critical tier.
The core mechanism of Vigilante mods revolves around their set bonus:
Understanding the Vigilante Set Bonus
When multiple Vigilante mods are equipped on your Warframe, companions, or weapons, they contribute to a cumulative set bonus. This bonus provides a unique effect:
- Additive Critical Chance: Critical hits from your primary weapons have a chance to gain an additive +100% critical chance.
- Tier Upgrade: This +100% critical chance effectively increases the "tier" of your critical hit. For instance, a critical hit that would normally be a "yellow" crit (100% damage multiplier) can become an "orange" crit (200% damage multiplier). Similarly, an orange crit can become a "red" crit (300% damage multiplier).
- Scaling Probability: The probability of this effect occurring (the "X%" chance mentioned in the set bonus description) increases with each additional Vigilante mod equipped from the set across your loadout. The more Vigilante mods you have equipped, the higher the chance for your primary weapon critical hits to receive this significant bonus.
For example, a mod like Vigilante Armaments is part of this set, and equipping it contributes to the set bonus.
Practical Impact: Critical Tier Elevation
The unique +100% critical chance bonus offered by the Vigilante set bonus translates directly into more potent critical strikes:
- Yellow Critical Hits (1x Damage Multiplier): If your primary weapon's critical chance is below 100% but above 0%, you typically get yellow critical hits. With the Vigilante set bonus active, these yellow hits can proc and gain +100% critical chance, making them function like orange critical hits.
- Orange Critical Hits (2x Damage Multiplier): For weapons with critical chances between 100% and 200% (e.g., 150%), you'll see orange critical hits. When the Vigilante set bonus procs, these orange hits gain +100% critical chance, pushing them into the red critical hit tier.
- Red Critical Hits (3x Damage Multiplier and Beyond): Weapons with over 200% critical chance already produce red critical hits. The Vigilante set bonus can push these even further, leading to even higher damage multipliers, often indicated by brighter red numbers or further stacking the critical tier.
This makes Vigilante mods particularly powerful for primary weapons with already decent critical chance, as they significantly amplify their damage potential by consistently upgrading the quality of their critical strikes.
