Total War: Warhammer III is the capstone of Creative Assembly's Warhammer trilogy, and the Immortal Empires campaign is the largest strategy map ever made — combining all three games' factions across a massive world map. With 86 playable legendary lords across 24 factions, each with unique campaign mechanics, army rosters, and quest battles, there are thousands of hours of content. The real-time battles feature armies of thousands clashing with cavalry charges, artillery barrages, monster duels, and devastating magic spells. Whether you want to play a Chaos daemon horde, an organized Empire gunline, a sneaky Skaven underempire, or elegant High Elf spearwalls, every faction plays completely differently.
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.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kislev | A | Hold the line with Kossars in melee/ranged hybrid formation, use ice magic to freeze and shatter enemy blobs, then charge War Bear Riders into the flank for devastating impact. | Tzarina Katarin (Ice magic), War Bear Riders, Kossars with Great Weapons, Little Grom (artillery) |
| Cathay | S | Set up a defensive formation with melee infantry shielding crossbowmen and cannons. Maintain Harmony balance for passive buffs. Miao Ying flies over enemies in dragon form dealing AoE damage. | Miao Ying (dragon form), Jade Crossbowmen, Grand Cannons, Terracotta Sentinel |
| Khorne | A | Charge everything immediately — Khorne has no subtlety. Use Skarbrand to solo enemy lords and monsters while Bloodletters grind through infantry. Win before ranged units can whittle you down. | Skarbrand (melee lord), Bloodthirsters, Exalted Bloodletters, Skullcrushers |
| Nurgle | B | Absorb damage with regenerating Plaguebearers, spread plagues on the campaign map to weaken enemies before battle, and use Great Unclean Ones as unkillable anchor points. | Ku'gath Plaguefather, Exalted Plaguebearers, Great Unclean One, Plague Toads |
| Empire | S | Build a balanced army with halberdiers holding the line, handgunners firing over their heads, Helstorms devastating blobs, and cavalry flanking. Karl Franz dives onto enemy lords for duels. | Karl Franz (on Deathclaw griffin), Handgunners, Helstorm Rocket Battery, Steam Tank |
A-Tier: Kislev
Kislev combines hybrid infantry (Kossars are melee/ranged) with powerful bear cavalry and ice magic. Tzarina Katarin is a devastating caster lord with the Lore of Ice that freezes enemies. Kislev's economy relies on the Devotion system — keep it high for faction-wide buffs. War Bear Riders are some of the strongest cavalry in the game.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | War Bear Riders | Kislev's elite shock cavalry with enormous mass and charge bonus. |
| Core Gear | Tzarina Katarin (Ice magic), War Bear Riders, Kossars with Great Weapons, Little Grom (artillery) | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Devotion management, ice magic investment, cavalry speed | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | real-time battles | Battles feature hundreds to thousands of units in real-time. |
How to Play Kislev
Hold the line with Kossars in melee/ranged hybrid formation, use ice magic to freeze and shatter enemy blobs, then charge War Bear Riders into the flank for devastating impact.
Kislev combines hybrid infantry (Kossars are melee/ranged) with powerful bear cavalry and ice magic. Tzarina Katarin is a devastating caster lord with the Lore of Ice that freezes enemies. Kislev's economy relies on the Devotion system — keep it high for faction-wide buffs. War Bear Riders are some of the strongest cavalry in the game.
What makes this build work: The synergy between War Bear Riders and real-time battles creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Tzarina Katarin (Ice magic), War Bear Riders, Kossars with Great Weapons, Little Grom (artillery) amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Devotion management, ice magic investment, cavalry speed) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Cathay
Cathay's Harmony system gives bonuses when Yin and Yang units are balanced in your army. Their ranged game is exceptional — Jade Crossbowmen and Grand Cannons shred anything before it reaches your line. The Terracotta Sentinel is an invincible golem monster unit. Miao Ying (Storm Dragon) is a top-tier combat lord who transforms into a dragon.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Terracotta Sentinel | Cathay's golem monster unit with extreme durability, fear-causing mass, and solid melee damage. |
| Core Gear | Miao Ying (dragon form), Jade Crossbowmen, Grand Cannons, Terracotta Sentinel | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Harmony balance (Yin/Yang), ranged damage, artillery accuracy | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | campaign map | The turn-based campaign map manages your empire: building cities, recruiting armies, managing economy, diplomacy, and territorial expansion. |
How to Play Cathay
Set up a defensive formation with melee infantry shielding crossbowmen and cannons. Maintain Harmony balance for passive buffs. Miao Ying flies over enemies in dragon form dealing AoE damage.
Cathay's Harmony system gives bonuses when Yin and Yang units are balanced in your army. Their ranged game is exceptional — Jade Crossbowmen and Grand Cannons shred anything before it reaches your line. The Terracotta Sentinel is an invincible golem monster unit. Miao Ying (Storm Dragon) is a top-tier combat lord who transforms into a dragon.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Terracotta Sentinel and campaign map creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Miao Ying (dragon form), Jade Crossbowmen, Grand Cannons, Terracotta Sentinel amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Harmony balance (Yin/Yang), ranged damage, artillery accuracy) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Khorne
Khorne has no ranged units and no magic — pure melee aggression. Bloodletters, Bloodthirsters, and Skullcrushers charge headlong into the enemy and win through overwhelming violence. The Skull Throne mechanic rewards kills with army-wide buffs. Skarbrand is possibly the strongest melee lord in the entire game.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Bloodthirster | Khorne's greater daemon — a flying monster with massive melee damage, terror, and area-of-effect attacks. |
| Core Gear | Skarbrand (melee lord), Bloodthirsters, Exalted Bloodletters, Skullcrushers | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Melee attack, charge bonus, ward save | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | magic system | Each faction has access to specific lores of magic (Fire, Life, Death, Shadows, etc. |
How to Play Khorne
Charge everything immediately — Khorne has no subtlety. Use Skarbrand to solo enemy lords and monsters while Bloodletters grind through infantry. Win before ranged units can whittle you down.
Khorne has no ranged units and no magic — pure melee aggression. Bloodletters, Bloodthirsters, and Skullcrushers charge headlong into the enemy and win through overwhelming violence. The Skull Throne mechanic rewards kills with army-wide buffs. Skarbrand is possibly the strongest melee lord in the entire game.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Bloodthirster and magic system creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Skarbrand (melee lord), Bloodthirsters, Exalted Bloodletters, Skullcrushers amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Melee attack, charge bonus, ward save) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Nurgle
Nurgle is a slow, tanky faction that grinds enemies down through attrition. Plaguebearers are nearly unkillable with their regeneration and physical resistance. The Plague mechanic spreads diseases across the campaign map debuffing enemies. Great Unclean One is a massive monster unit with healing abilities. Nurgle struggles against fast, kiting armies.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Steam Tank | The Empire's armored vehicle that functions as a nearly unkillable battering ram. |
| Core Gear | Ku'gath Plaguefather, Exalted Plaguebearers, Great Unclean One, Plague Toads | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Physical resistance, regeneration rate, plague management | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | siege rework | Warhammer III overhauled siege battles with multi-layered defenses, buildable barricades and towers during battle, and wider streets for monster and cavalry combat. |
How to Play Nurgle
Absorb damage with regenerating Plaguebearers, spread plagues on the campaign map to weaken enemies before battle, and use Great Unclean Ones as unkillable anchor points.
Nurgle is a slow, tanky faction that grinds enemies down through attrition. Plaguebearers are nearly unkillable with their regeneration and physical resistance. The Plague mechanic spreads diseases across the campaign map debuffing enemies. Great Unclean One is a massive monster unit with healing abilities. Nurgle struggles against fast, kiting armies.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Steam Tank and siege rework creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Ku'gath Plaguefather, Exalted Plaguebearers, Great Unclean One, Plague Toads amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Physical resistance, regeneration rate, plague management) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
S-Tier: Empire
The Empire (available through Warhammer I ownership) is the most versatile faction with excellent infantry, cavalry, artillery, and magic. Karl Franz is a strong combat lord on a griffin. The Elector Counts system requires political management to unite the provinces. Empire Handgunners and Helstorm Rocket Batteries form a devastating ranged core.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Celestial Dragon | Cathay's lord transformation — Miao Ying or Zhao Ming can shift into a massive dragon with devastating breath attacks and melee damage. |
| Core Gear | Karl Franz (on Deathclaw griffin), Handgunners, Helstorm Rocket Battery, Steam Tank | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Elector Count authority, ranged infantry buffs, cavalry charge bonus | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | legendary lord skills | Each legendary lord has a unique skill tree with combat abilities, army-wide buffs, and campaign bonuses. |
How to Play Empire
Build a balanced army with halberdiers holding the line, handgunners firing over their heads, Helstorms devastating blobs, and cavalry flanking. Karl Franz dives onto enemy lords for duels.
The Empire (available through Warhammer I ownership) is the most versatile faction with excellent infantry, cavalry, artillery, and magic. Karl Franz is a strong combat lord on a griffin. The Elector Counts system requires political management to unite the provinces. Empire Handgunners and Helstorm Rocket Batteries form a devastating ranged core.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Celestial Dragon and legendary lord skills creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Karl Franz (on Deathclaw griffin), Handgunners, Helstorm Rocket Battery, Steam Tank amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Elector Count authority, ranged infantry buffs, cavalry charge bonus) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Cathay — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Kislev once you understand core mechanics and have access to War Bear Riders
- Keep a Khorne setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Empire for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Cycle-charge cavalry by selecting them, right-clicking the enemy to charge, then immediately pulling them back with a move order after impact. This repeats the charge bonus damage without getting bogged down in melee.
- Magic wins battles. A single well-placed Wind of Death, Burning Head, or Pit of Shades can destroy half an army. Always invest skill points into your caster lord's magic abilities before combat skills.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
