Mag vs Zephyr
Same Tank / Defense fantasy — which tank kit fits your squad and mission rota?
TL;DR — Quick Pick
Pick Mag if…
- You want the squad gap filled by Mag's vibe — Take down your enemies with magnetic force.
- This slot should feel like Pull, Magnetize, and Crush, not a reskin of Zephyr's Tail Wind, Airburst, and Tornado.
- You're buying into Mag's passive — nearby items gravitate toward Mag for easy collection.
Pick Zephyr if…
- You want the squad gap filled by Zephyr's vibe — Command the power of the wind.
- This slot should feel like Tail Wind, Airburst, and Tornado, not a reskin of Mag's Pull, Magnetize, and Crush.
- You're buying into Zephyr's passive — zephyr moves faster and falls slower while airborne.
Verdict
Both fill the Tank / Defense lane. Lean Mag for Polarize and Polarize; lean Zephyr for Turbulence and Turbulence. Mission Usefulness is a wash — decide on kit feel and passive, not the rating table.
At a Glance
Mag
Stat
Zephyr
Tank / Defense
Role
Tank / Defense
MaduraiAura
VazarinMatch the priority to your main ability
Mod Priority
Match the priority to your main ability
Pull
Kit Opener
Tail Wind
Mission Usefulness
Mission
Mag
Zephyr
Steel Path Survival / Defense / Disruption
Mobile Defense / Excavation
Exterminate / Capture Speed Runs
Spy / Rescue / Nightmare
Open World / Bounties
Long-Range Gunplay / Eidolon-Style Content
When Each Shines
Mag
- Polarize carries mid-mission casts; Crush is the density payoff.
- Mod focus stays on match the priority to your main ability so the cast loop doesn't fall over mid-rota.
- Defense tiles where Mag's survival tools stay online under Steel Path pressure.
Zephyr
- Turbulence carries mid-mission casts; Tornado is the density payoff.
- Mod focus stays on match the priority to your main ability so the cast loop doesn't fall over mid-rota.
- Defense tiles where Zephyr's survival tools stay online under Steel Path pressure.
Mod Scaling Focus
Mag
Match the priority to your main ability — Strength or Duration first for most kits, then Efficiency, then Range.
- STR
- Raises damage and effect potency across Mag’s Strength-scaling abilities.
- DUR
- Extends channeled / timed effects — often comfort on Mag if the kit leans on buffs or zones.
- RNG
- Helps radius / targeting tools. Dump it if Mag is mostly self-buff or exalted weapons.
- EFF
- Keeps ability uptime comfortable, especially on longer Steel Path missions.
Zephyr
Match the priority to your main ability — Strength or Duration first for most kits, then Efficiency, then Range.
- STR
- Raises damage and effect potency across Zephyr’s Strength-scaling abilities.
- DUR
- Extends channeled / timed effects — often comfort on Zephyr if the kit leans on buffs or zones.
- RNG
- Helps radius / targeting tools. Dump it if Zephyr is mostly self-buff or exalted weapons.
- EFF
- Keeps ability uptime comfortable, especially on longer Steel Path missions.
Who Should You Pull?
- Polarize into Crush is the cast story you want to master — not a random subsume mashup.
- Magnetize and later abilities stay on the frame forever in your builds — you're not looking for a subsume tourist.
- Zephyr's Turbulence loop asks for a different muscle memory than you want to practice.
- You're done shopping the Tank / Defense aisle once Mag is online.
- If you only rank one more Warframe to 30 this week, it should be Mag.
- Turbulence into Tornado is the cast story you want to master — not a random subsume mashup.
- You'd rather specialize hard into Turbulence than stay generic in the Tank lane.
- Skipping Mag frees a craft slot — you'd rather finish Zephyr properly.
- Open-world and bounty pacing still feel good on Zephyr, not only endless survival tiles.
- Inventory space / foundry queue: Zephyr jumps the line over another Mag craft.