When Total War: Warhammer 3 releases in mid-February, it will launch with seven playable races. The majority of playable factions focus heavily on Chaos, including the forces of Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, and Tzeentch. On the human side of the war, Cathay and Kislev stand mighty. Elsewhere, the Ogre Kingdoms stomp into town.
Which Legendary Lords in Total War: Warhammer 3?
In the Total War: Warhammer trilogy, every faction is broken down into playable Legendary Lords, which feature their own units of renown, special abilities, and play styles. In Total War: Warhammer 3, we’ll see a few new lords.
Upon release, Cathay, Kislev, and the Ogre Kingdoms each feature two playable legendary lords. For the four Chaos Gods, one lord per faction, and a customizable daemon lord for the Chaos Undivided faction.
Playable Factions in Total War: Warhammer 3
I hope you love Chaos because Warhammer 3 features a lot of Chaos-borne units!
Legion of Chaos (Chaos Undivided)
Think of the Legions of Chaos as a bonus, customizable race and Legendary Lord in Total War: Warhammer 3.
Instead of choosing one of the four primary Chaos factions, the ninth Legendary Lord represents Chaos Undivided or the ideal that a unified Chaos faction under a single banner ensures strength and subjugation.
As a playable faction, players can fully customize their version of the Daemon Prince with unique weapons, armor, and body parts. If you choose to dedicate yourself to a Chaos God, like Khorne or Nurgle, you’ll unlock unique customization options with fitting boons.
Plus, the Daemon Prince commands unholy entities from across the Chaos realms, including demons and knights.
Khorne
Khorne, the Chaos God of blood, killing, and rage, prefers battle to diplomacy, focusing on total destruction of its opposition from the get-go.
As the Blood God, Khorne relishes in the destruction of the battlefield. For every kill Khorn forces achieve on the field, their battle resources increase, allowing players to acquire unique abilities for the overall army and its individual units.
Speaking of units, Khorne relies heavily on Bloodletters of Khorne, with their heavy, red armor and greatswords, plus the Minotaurs of Khorne, Skullcrushers, and the Gorebeast Chariot of Khorne.
Nurgle
Of the many races introduced throughout the trilogy, Nurgle is perhaps the most gruesome and disgusting of them all. The Chaos God of despair, disease, decay, and the inevitable end, Nurgle unleashes Ku’gath Plaguefather upon the world.
The faction of Nurgle introduces a few new, enticing mechanics to the game. For example, buildings and settlements are more akin to cancerous growths that mutate and blight the world around them, evolving over time through life, death, and infection.
As for units, Nurgle fields grotesqueries. You have the Plaguebearers, Rot Flies, Great Unclean One, Pox Riders, and the Beast of Nurgle.
Tzeentch
Tzeentch, the Chaos God of ambition, schemes, lies, magic, and change, utilizes cunning and unique schemes on the battlefield and campaign map to gain favor and bolster troops.
On the topic of schemes, Tzeentch can transfer settlement control and ownership to any faction in the game, open the gates of major settlements, force rebellions, and even halt factions on the map to gain greater leverage before a big battle.
On the battlefield, Tzeentch deploys various demon terrors, including Screamers of Tzeentch, Soul Grinders, Doom Knights, Pink Horrors, and Forsaken of Tzeentch.
Slaanesh
Slaanesh, the Chaos God of excess, hedonism, and obsession, utilizes magic and seduction on the battlefield to consume and/or win over foes. The ability to seduce enemy units to your side before a major battle could turn the side of the war.
Led by N’Kari, the Seducers of Slaanesh focus heavily on fast-moving units that flank and devastate from behind in quick maneuvers and hit-and-run tactics.
Their units include the Daemonettes of Slaanesh, Chaos Furies, Soul Grinder, and Hellstriders of Slaanesh, among countless other unique demon forces.
Kislev
You might remember the forces of Kislev from the game’s announcement trailer, which featured the northern lords heavily in all their icy prowess.
Kislev is a frigid, unforgiving land that produces hearty warriors and beasts, like the armored polar bears we witnessed firsthand in previous trailers.
Due to their northern borders and close proximity to the forces of Chaos, Kislev stands as the first line of defense against the hordes. To stand strong, Kislev utilizes heavily-armored, axe-wielding forces, the power of winter and bear gods, and the strength of firearms to topple its enemies.
Grand Cathay
Of the many empires in the Warhammer World, Grand Cathay stands ever-powerful as the largest. Ruled by a race of immortal dragons who take human form, Cathay is very clearly based on Imperial China and its mythology, as is clear in many of its units and architectural designs.
Their far-east setting, however, puts them quite the distance from the bulk of Chaos forces, which is both good and bad. Their position offers new players a chance to accumulate overwhelming power, but their distance will force their isolation. Fret not, though, because this is Total War. You’ll have adequate combat to enjoy.
On the field, Grand Cathay utilizes spearmen, Jade Warrior Crossbowmen, Terracotta Sentinels, and destructive war machines, such as the Wu-Xing War Compass and Fire Rain Rocket.
Ogre Kingdoms (DLC Faction)
As the first DLC available for Total War: Warhammer 3, the Ogre Kingdoms, which are available free if you pre-order the game, introduce two playable factions: Disciples of the Maw, led by Skrag the Slaughterer, and Goldtooth, led by Greasus Goldtooth.
Your Ogre Lord will complete one of four quests to earn a ‘Big Name’ which provides unique bonuses to the lord itself and to his units. Furthermore, the Ogre Kingdoms utilize a unique resource, Meat, which is used to buff units and feed the troops.
Speaking of troops, the Ogre Kingdom has access to hard-hitting monsters, nimble Gnoblars, and towering Ogre fighters, including the Maneaters, Ironguts, Gnoblar Trappers, Ogre Bulls, and more!
Overall, which of the factions in Total War: Warhammer 3 will you play first?