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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lothern Sea Guard | S | Defensive High Elf lines that need to shoot while holding | High Elf infantry that carries both spear and bow, so one unit holds a line and shoots. |
| Witch Elves | A | Flanking charges into missile units and light infantry | Dark Elf frenzied infantry with no armour and enormous attack output. |
| Saurus Warriors | A | Pinning an enemy line in place while dinosaurs flank | The Lizardmen backbone, tough, armoured and slow, with high leadership that keeps them standing while faster units do the killing. |
| Hell Pit Abomination | B | Breaking an infantry block when your Clanrats are already losing it | The Skaven single entity monster, unpredictable, enormous and capable of resurrecting itself once mid battle. |
| Necropolis Knights | B | Tomb Kings armies that need a hammer to go with the skeleton anvil | Tomb Kings cavalry riding giant serpents, immune to psychology and effective against both infantry and other cavalry. |
S-Tier: Lothern Sea Guard
High Elf infantry that carries both spear and bow, so one unit holds a line and shoots. It is the reason a High Elf army can field fewer unit types than anyone else.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Defensive High Elf lines that need to shoot while holding |
| Key Mechanic | Eye of the Vortex ritual race |
| Recommended Build | High Elves |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Lothern Sea Guard: Pairs naturally with High Elves thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Witch Elves
Dark Elf frenzied infantry with no armour and enormous attack output. They shred unarmoured targets and evaporate against anything that hits back properly.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Flanking charges into missile units and light infantry |
| Key Mechanic | Rites |
| Recommended Build | Dark Elves |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Witch Elves: Pairs naturally with Dark Elves thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Saurus Warriors
The Lizardmen backbone, tough, armoured and slow, with high leadership that keeps them standing while faster units do the killing.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Pinning an enemy line in place while dinosaurs flank |
| Key Mechanic | Skaven food and under-cities |
| Recommended Build | Lizardmen |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Saurus Warriors: Pairs naturally with Lizardmen thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Hell Pit Abomination
The Skaven single entity monster, unpredictable, enormous and capable of resurrecting itself once mid battle.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Breaking an infantry block when your Clanrats are already losing it |
| Key Mechanic | Dark Elf slaves and Black Arks |
| Recommended Build | Skaven |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Hell Pit Abomination: Pairs naturally with Skaven thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Necropolis Knights
Tomb Kings cavalry riding giant serpents, immune to psychology and effective against both infantry and other cavalry.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Tomb Kings armies that need a hammer to go with the skeleton anvil |
| Key Mechanic | Mortal Empires campaign |
| Recommended Build | Tomb Kings |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Necropolis Knights: Pairs naturally with Tomb Kings thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Ulthuan
- Witch Elves → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Saurus Warriors → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Lothern Sea Guard → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Time your rituals around your army positions, because every completed ritual spawns Chaos and Skaven intervention armies at the settlements performing it.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Total War: WARHAMMER II Guides
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Total War: WARHAMMER II Overview
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Best Builds
- 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 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
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- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
