I've been playing Warframe for years, and one of the recurring events I always look forward to is the Thermia Fractures on Orb Vallis. As of 2026, the event continues to cycle back regularly, giving players another shot at the highly coveted Opticor Vandal—a powerful variant of the standard Opticor that trades raw damage for a massive boost in critical chance, critical multiplier, status chance, magazine size, reload speed, and charge rate. Every time this event appears, I dive straight back into the icy tundra of Venus to seal those glowing orange fissures and earn points. In this guide, I'll share exactly how I tackle Thermia Fractures, from preparation to final reward, so you can secure your own Opticor Vandal without too much hassle.

Step 1: Gearing Up and Finding Coolant Canisters

Before heading into Orb Vallis, I always make sure my loadout is ready. The event requires you to seal Thermian fissures using Coolant Canisters dropped by Coolant Raknoids that patrol around the Temple of Profit. The Temple of Profit sits in the northwest part of the Vallis map, a massive structure hard to miss. I usually load into the open world from Fortuna and immediately fly there with my Archwing.

Once I arrive, I look for the giant Exploiter Orb stomping around. It's always accompanied by a small pack of Coolant Raknoids. These spider-like machines are the only source of Coolant Canisters. I take them down quickly—most primary weapons with decent damage can do the job, but I've found that high burst-damage snipers or shotguns make short work of them. After destroying a Coolant Raknoid, it drops a glowing blue canister. I pick it up, and it becomes my key to sealing fractures.

It's worth noting that one canister can seal multiple fractures (up to four for bonus points), but you can't carry two at once. I always plan my route accordingly.

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Step 2: Spotting and Starting the Seal

With the Coolant Canister in hand, I take to the skies and start scanning for Thermia Fractures. These look like bright orange fiery eruptions bursting from the snow—hard to miss even from a distance. Once I spot one, I land close by but not too close, because the eruption area itself can be hazardous. I approach the fissure and place the canister directly on it, which triggers the sealing process.

Immediately, a timer starts, and enemies begin spawning around the canister. Grineer units, Corpus proxies, and sometimes even wild Raknoids will rush in to disrupt the operation. This is where things get intense.

Step 3: Defending the Canister

The sealing process takes about a minute, and during that time I must defend the canister. If I leave the vicinity, the enemies switch their aggro to the canister and can quickly destroy it, halting progress. That means I have to stay put and absorb incoming fire. In my early days, I tried doing this with squishier frames and ended up failing repeatedly. Now I always bring a durable Warframe.

My personal favorite for solo runs is Hildryn. Her Haven and Pillage abilities can constantly regenerate shields and strip enemy armor, making her nearly invincible while I just hover next to the canister. Gara works wonders in a group thanks to Mass Vitrify, creating a protective ring. Frost's Snow Globe is another classic choice for shielding the canister and slowing enemies. If I'm in a squad, we typically assign one person to handle defense while the others thin out the enemy numbers—but I've learned that killing enemies during the sealing spawns even more of them, so it's often better to just soak the damage and kill them after the fissure is sealed.

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I also recommend equipping a sentinel or companion with a mod like Medi-Ray or Link Shields to help with passive healing during the defense. The key is staying alive and keeping the canister intact until the process completes. Once the fracture is sealed, I clean up the remaining enemies and prepare for the next one.

Step 4: Maximizing Points and Rewards

Each sealed fracture rewards one event point. The rewards are unlocked at specific point thresholds, and you can only earn each reward once per account. Here's the breakdown:

  • 5 Points: Operation Buried Debts Emblem

  • 10 Points: Amalgam Shotgun Spazz and Amalgam Serration mods

  • 50 Points: Amalgam Barrel Diffusion and Amalgam Organ Shatter mods

  • 75 Points: Operation Buried Debts Sigil

  • 100 Points: Opticor Vandal

The Opticor Vandal is the ultimate prize. I remember how much my gameplay changed when I finally got it—the high crit stats make it a beast for taking down heavy targets. To reach 100 points efficiently, I always use the bonus mechanic: sealing four fractures with a single coolant canister grants extra points. If I manage to do that consistently, I can hit 100 points in about 25 canisters rather than 100 separate runs. It saves a ton of time.

I plan my route to avoid capturing fractures that are too close to the Exploiter Orb's patrol path. If the Orb or its Coolant Raknoids wander too close, they can complicate things by spawning additional enemies or even attacking me while I'm already dealing with the fracture defense. I also pay attention to my network connection—Warframe can be finicky, and losing connection to the host can reset progress on a canister. After sealing four fractures with one canister, I often head back to Fortuna to save my session, especially if I'm on a weaker internet connection.

Step 5: Additional Tricks I've Learned

Over the years, I've picked up a few tricks that make the Thermia Fractures grind much easier:

  • Use an Archwing Launcher with infinite uses: Having quick air mobility lets me hop between fractures faster, especially when carrying a canister.

  • Bring an AoE weapon for post-seal cleanup: After the fracture is sealed, I can quickly wipe out the gathered enemies without spawning more during the process.

  • Invite friends or join public squads: Thermia Fractures are way smoother with at least one other person. One can focus on defense while the other scouts the next fracture.

  • Run the event during double XP weekends: While not directly related to event points, it's a great time to level up some gear while grinding.

I also keep an eye on the in-game news terminal for when the event goes live. Since it's a recurring event, the rewards don't reset—once you've earned them, you're set. But if you missed out last time, it's always worth jumping back in.

Final Thoughts

The Thermia Fractures event remains one of the most rewarding experiences in Warframe, especially for players who love high-crit weapons. The Opticor Vandal is a game-changer, and the amalgam mods are excellent additions to any build. By following the strategy I've outlined—gearing up with a defensive frame, grabbing Coolant Canisters from the Temple of Profit, sealing fractures one after another with the same canister, and defending them patiently—you'll rack up 100 points faster than you might think. Even in 2026, this event holds its own, and I never miss a chance to stock up on those sweet, exclusive mods. So grab your Archwing, brace the cold, and get sealing, Tenno!