Total War: WARHAMMER II moves the trilogy south to the New World, where High Elves, Dark Elves, Lizardmen and Skaven race to seize control of the Great Vortex above Ulthuan. The Eye of the Vortex campaign is a five ritual sprint with a final defensive battle at the end, which makes it far tighter and more directed than the sandbox of WARHAMMER III's Immortal Empires. Tomb Kings and Vampire Coast arrived as paid races with their own rules, one paying no upkeep but capped by unit limits, the other chasing Infamy and a star metal harpoon to kill the merwyrm Amanar.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Elves | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Dark Elves | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Lizardmen | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Skaven | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Tomb Kings | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Total War: WARHAMMER II tier list.
A-Tier: High Elves
High Elves is a top-performing option in Total War: WARHAMMER II.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Lothern Sea Guard | High Elf infantry that carries both spear and bow, so one unit holds a line and shoots. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Eye of the Vortex ritual race | Each race performs five rituals to bend the Great Vortex to its will, gated behind a race specific resource. |
How to Play High Elves
High Elves focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Lothern Sea Guard does the damage and Eye of the Vortex ritual race keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Dark Elves
Dark Elves is a strong option in Total War: WARHAMMER II.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Witch Elves | Dark Elf frenzied infantry with no armour and enormous attack output. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Rites | Every race can pay gold for temporary faction wide effects, from campaign movement bonuses to recruitment discounts. |
How to Play Dark Elves
Dark Elves focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Witch Elves with Rites and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Lizardmen
Lizardmen is a strong option in Total War: WARHAMMER II.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Saurus Warriors | The Lizardmen backbone, tough, armoured and slow, with high leadership that keeps them standing while faster units do the killing. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Skaven food and under-cities | Food is the Skaven currency of stability. |
How to Play Lizardmen
Lizardmen focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Skaven food and under-cities covers the gap Saurus Warriors leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Skaven
Skaven is a specialized option in Total War: WARHAMMER II.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Hell Pit Abomination | The Skaven single entity monster, unpredictable, enormous and capable of resurrecting itself once mid battle. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Dark Elf slaves and Black Arks | Slaves come from winning battles and drive the Dark Elf economy, with several quests requiring specific slave counts or sacrifices. |
How to Play Skaven
Skaven focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Dark Elf slaves and Black Arks rather than raw numbers, and Hell Pit Abomination is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Tomb Kings
Tomb Kings is a specialized option in Total War: WARHAMMER II.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Necropolis Knights | Tomb Kings cavalry riding giant serpents, immune to psychology and effective against both infantry and other cavalry. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Mortal Empires campaign | Owning both WARHAMMER I and II unlocks Mortal Empires, a combined map covering the Old World and the New World with every race from both games. |
How to Play Tomb Kings
Tomb Kings focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Necropolis Knights and Mortal Empires campaign pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Dark Elves: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to High Elves once you understand core mechanics and have access to Lothern Sea Guard
- Keep a Lizardmen setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Tomb Kings for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Time your rituals around your army positions, because every completed ritual spawns Chaos and Skaven intervention armies at the settlements performing it.
- Do not start the fifth ritual until you can win a defensive battle, since finishing it gives you only five turns before the final battle arrives at your door.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Total War: WARHAMMER II Guides
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Total War: WARHAMMER II Overview
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Tier List
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Walkthrough
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Beginner's Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Tips & Tricks
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Weapons Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Combat Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Boss Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Maps & Locations
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Crafting Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Total War: WARHAMMER II, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Builds: strategy game with similar mechanics
