When out to save the galaxy, Tennos have to adapt to the world around them to complete their missions. This has led to many unique drops throughout the world of Warframe. Whether it be seasonal items, new areas with new loot, or mission-driven pieces, there are a lot of different resources one can encounter. It can be hard to know where to get each one optimally.
This guide will go over the resource known as Cryptographic ALU and how to farm it effectively. It is one of the rarer resources a Tenno is tasked with acquiring in Warframe. Hop into your Archwing and get ready for a fight.
Resource
Cryptographic ALU is a mission-based resource. It isn’t needed for crafting new gear or improving old equipment. It’s not something that every Tenno operator will even encounter if they don’t end up getting to the mission that requests it. However, if you’re here, you’re ready for this mission series and looking to get a hard-to-find resource in greater supply.
On top of being dropped only as a mission item, the Cryptographic ALU is also easily missed. It isn’t something a player automatically picks up as they drop. Cryptographic ALU drops from enemies and stays there unless purposefully picked up by an operator. It is a hexagonal drop with two knobs on it. The easiest characteristic to look for when trying to pick them up is their orange coloration that dominates the sits of the drop.
There is a way around the lack of automated pick-up with the Cryptographic ALU. If a Tenno has unlocked the Itzal Archwing, automatic pick-up is possible. The Itzal Archwing has 4 different abilities, but the one that will help is the Cosmic Crush. It draws in nearby drops and objects before sending out a large shockwave from the back hole it forms. This can help make farming a bit easier but is not needed. If you haven’t unlocked it, just pay close attention to the ground when farming.
Uses
The Cryptographic ALU is used to create a mission-based item: The Razorback Cipher. This is the only known item in the game that calls for the Cryptographic ALU. With a low demand like an individual item, it makes sense that it is only necessary to harvest 4 of the Cryptographic ALUs total. Once you have those 4, grab 3 Gallium, 1250 Credits, and 1500 Polymer in order to completely craft the Razorback Cipher.
Players will have to have the Razorback Cipher in their gear slot to use it during the fight to shut down the Razorback. They will also need it to progress throughout the area to get into the room to stop the Razorback. This is all part of the Razorback Armada series, so remember to switch off the Cipher when done.
Best Farms
When it comes to farming the Cryptographic ALU, keep in mind it only drops from 1 mission type in the Razorback Armada areas. Corpus Archwing missions will be the focus for farming this resource drop. Now, players have options when it comes to picking which mission they want to run repeatedly until they get all 4 pieces to drop from enemies. There are, however, 2 crowd favorites.
The first will see Tennos flying to Jupiter orbit. Here, there is a sabo run located at Galilea that is one of the more popular choices. The enemies run on the weaker side in the 15-20 range, and it takes no time at all to run. This makes it an ideal speed run mission to get in, get the kills, and get out as fast as possible. There aren’t an enormous amount of enemies in this mission, but you may end up with more kills overall with how fast it can be run.
The second option is more popular overall because of the sheer number of enemies, and there will be enough to make you question how they keep spawning. Take yourself to Neptune and run the Salacia mission with your Archwing. As a Mobile Defense Mission, Tennos have the option of having a never-ending supply of enemies to farm from. The enemies in this mission range from 27-32, so it is the harder of the two options overall. It is the better one for efficiency if players can keep the fight going.
Either mission will eventually get you all the needed Cryptographic ALU needed to make the Razorback Cipher. It’s simply up to personal preference as to how the best way to farm it. If you’re up for the endless wash, rinse, repeat, then Galilea will be the best option for you. Not a fan of replaying the same mission dozens of times for a drop and just wanting to knock them down until they drop what you want? Head to Salacia, and your operator will be swimming in enemies for ages.
