Highlights

• Total War: Warhammer 3 introduces new Legendary Lords with advantageous starting positions and powerful abilities that can easily defeat opposing armies.
• King Louen Leoncoeur, Azazel, Sisters of Twilight, Festus the Leechlord, Vilitch the Curseling, and Gorduz Backstabber are featured as recommended Legendary Lords with unique strengths and playstyles.
• Each Legendary Lord possesses special attributes, such as siege attacking, spellcasting, healing, damage debuffs, and resistance, making them formidable leaders in battle.

Now that Immortal Empires is finally out, Total War: Warhammer 3 is finally shaping up to be a worthy successor to Total War: Warhammer 2. This latest game-changing update pours the factions and Legendary Lords of the previous games into the fray for even more chaos (no pun intended). Naturally, the game's balance is upset.

Certain Legendary Lords have more advantageous starting positions on the map while others are just plain too powerful and can be an army on their own. Picking one of these Legendary Lords either on the campaign map or custom battles can easily spell doom for the opposing army.

Updated December 21, 2023 by Rhenn Taguiam: With the Shadows of Change and Thrones of Decay DLC expanding on the story of Total War: Warhammer 3, fans of the fantasy war game can take their conflicts to new heights with new units as well as Legendary Lords to command them. While the Total War entry has Legendary Lords that suit their faction’s specializations, fans who want to take their combat a step ahead may want to get to know specific Legendary Lords that can accommodate specific playstyles.

Included among recommended Legendary Lords include the Bretonnian’s greatest king, a devotee of Slaanesh, a servant of Nurgle, a sorcerer serving Tzeentch, and the sister heralds of the Elven Queen.

25 King Louen Leoncoeur (Bretonnia)

Straightforward Tank For Melee Domination

Arriving with the Bretonnia faction is King Louen Leoncoeur, considered the land’s greatest and mightiest Warrior-King. Even at a rumored 90-years-old, the Lionhearted looks as though he’s at his prime, with his dedication to uniting the lands of Bretonnia keeping his spirit strong. In the grand strategy game, King Louen is potent in melee courtesy of his inherent defenses on top of his capabilities to lead siege attacks.

When fully geared with his stats maxed, riding Beaquis the Hippogryph can make him hard to target. He can debuff defense with the Sword of Couronne while enjoying his heal-per-second passive. King Louen also possesses the Lion’s Shield for missile and magic resistance on top of a charge and melee damage boost aura.

24 Azazel (Slaanesh)

Heavy-Duty Spellcaster For Melee Incursions

Possessing beauty second only to the Dark Prince of Pleasure himself, Azazel was a Gerreon tribe chief whose acts of treachery and hedonism earned his reward of ascension to Daemonhood. Now a leader of Slaanesh’s Ecstatic Legions, Azazel can tap into the Lore of Slaanesh and his own Daemonblade to improve himself and his army’s overall performance in combat.

Being part of the Warriors of Chaos alone can give them natural regeneration, a decent AOE, and even a melee damage debuff to opponents. As Slaanesh’s favored, Azazel possesses natural damage mitigation and resistance on top of reducing his foe’s defenses. In turn, Azazel can cripple other Lords and units he faces in single combat, as he can sling one spell to the next if he’s not cycle-charging them to oblivion.

23 Sisters Of Twilight (Wood Elves)

Adaptable Long-Ranged Combatants With Mounts

Serving as the Heralds of Ariel, the Sisters of Twilight are a pair of warriors named Arahan and Naestra who ride the steeds Gwindalor and Ceithin-Har in combat. Being Wood Elves, the Sisters gain exceptional advantages when fighting in forests, while their extremely fast nature can facilitate the effective use of their multi-shot ammunition and armor-piercing missiles against both single units and hordes.

While the Sisters aren’t the best in terms of melee and single-target in the Warhammer title, they do boast decent resistances and may even poison foes when riding Ceithin-Har. They can summon the Goddess of the Hunt to reduce the missile resistance of foes, while they also possess a nifty regen to get themselves out of trouble. Depending on who they are mounting, they can boost their overall ranged (Gwindalor) or melee (Ceithin-Har) performance.

22 Festus The Leechlord (Nurgle)

Traditional Spellcaster With Self-Heals And Enemy Debuffs

Once the brilliant Doctor Festus, desperation to cure a strain of a disease led him to form a pact with Nurgle, transforming him into Festus the Leechlord whose knowledge of all diseases in the mortal world filled him with a desire to experiment. Now the leader of the Fecundites in Total War: Warhammer 3 gameplay, Festus intermixes healing and dealing massive damage over time to debilitate enemy forces.

The Leechlord possesses abilities that allow him to heal himself over time, while also possessing skills that deal direct damage per second as well as decrease the combat performance and speed of opponents across locations. With enough Lore of Nurgle spells unlocked, Festus can be a nightmare to deal with in the late-game as he can easily devastate enemies with the right combination of spells and abilities.

21 Vilitch The Curseling (Tzeentch)

Mage With Fast Skill Recharge For Heavy Spell Attacks

Once plagued by a weak body and a more athletic twin, Vilitch the Curseling became what he was when he woke up to find his himself connected to his twin’s body now devoid of intelligence and left to follow his commands. Amassing his newfound talents in magic allowed Vilitch to control his village and the Puppets of Misrule as a Warrior of Chaos, Vilitch can outlast other Legendary Lords through the Vessel of Chaos that allows him to replenish his barriers quickly when depleted.

On top of access to powerful spells under the Lore of Tzeentch, Vilitch can tap into abilities that let him quickly recharge his magic, as well as barriers that boost damage mitigation or provide quick healing. Through his twin, Vilitch also has enhanced defenses and damage on melee. As a Tzeentch spellcaster, Vilitch has faster access to spells via faster cooldowns.

20 Gorduz Backstabber (Chaos Dwarfs)

Fast Recruiter With Random Buffs

Among the Hobgoblin Chieftains in service of the Chaos Dwarfs is Gorduz Backstabber, whose title exactly describes how he’s outlived most of his brethren. Although quite a minor character in 4th Edition, Gorduz returns in Total War: Warhammer 3 gameplay as one of the more reliable Legendary Lords in their roster. Aside from being a Melee Specialist who can block projectiles and poison enemies, he bolsters Hobgoblin forces with natural healing and resistance.

However, where Gorduz shines is his inherent abilities. As a Legendary Lord, he recruits Hobgoblin units faster and adds to their Leadership. He can randomly improve his defenses, speed, and overall damage. Gorduz even has emergency healing and the ability to summon Hobgoblin Cutthroats temporarily in the field.

19 Ghoritch (Skaven)

Tanky Leader With Attack And Speed Buffs To Outpace Foes

The hulking and terrifying appearance of Ghoritch is not new among the horrific Rat Ogres of the Skaven. However, his more mutated nature is courtesy of Throt, the most gifted of Moulder’s Master Mutators. Sadly, the retention of his intellect and rebellious streak annoyed Throt as much as it impressed him, especially when Ghoritch became the Clan Moulder’s standing army leader.

Ghoritch retains his status as one of the Skaven’s most horrific Legendary Lords in Total War: Warhammer 3 gameplay, boasting improved defenses, offensive boosts against infantry units and fortresses, and being able to cause Terror and Fear to enemy units. It’s not enough that Ghoritch is a menace up close with attack and speed buffs, but he also has natural defenses, making him extremely capable of tanking other Legendary Heroes.

18 Ariel (Wood Elves)

Powerhouse Buffer For Different Combat Situations

Being among the Known World’s first colonizers, Ariel would become one of the mortal world’s strongest wizards and the chosen of Nature Goddess Isha. Along with her consort Orion, Ariel would become the Wood Elves’ foremost protectors, defending their forested lands of Athel Loren against the many Forces of Chaos.

In the gameplay of the strategy title, Ariel demonstrates her magical prowess by providing the faction with powerful spells that allow her to heal others or do lifesteal, conjure defensive barriers, and summon storms and underground attacks. Even outside her potency as a wizard, Ariel provides relevant leadership capabilities to the Wood Elves in the game. On top of devastating Legendary attacks, she can boost her troops’ defenses, provide healing, and bolster abilities.

17 Lord Kroak (Lizardmen)

Spellcaster Specializing In AOE Devastation To Cripple Foes

There’s a reason why Lord Kroak of the Lizardmen remains afloat in a ceremonial chair with regal attire, and that’s because his mortal existence is that of a Relic Priest - what’s left of his body arranged meticulously and with reverence to become a vessel of his mighty spirit. Despite his pun-based name, Lord Kroak was among the most powerful magic-users in the Known World, being taught the Winds of Magic by the Old Ones.

Lord Kroak’s gameplay in the Total War title reflects this nigh-incomprehensible connection to the arcane. Unique to the Legendary Lord is heavy AOE abilities able to blast clustered enemies to smithereens, making it an ideal playstyle to use larger units to bait opponents into grouping together.

16 Vlad Von Carstein (Vampire Counts)

Traditional Lord Built For Finishing Duels

Mannfred von Carstein might have gotten a favorable position in the Southlands, but sooner or later, he'll run into Settra and Skarbrand, putting his territory in peril. Vlad, meanwhile, starts in good old Sylvania along with Isabella. Their region is practically uncontested as the Dawi aren't even that much of a threat to their plains.

When it comes to battle, Vlad is the standard Vampire Counts lord. He can hold his own, but it's better to protect him at all costs lest his whole army fails. Vlad as a Legendary Lord excels in solo incursions, is capable of dealing various forms of damage, calls forth the undead and a powerful manticore, and buffs other units. With Isabella built as a support, Vlad can make his army debilitate the enemy's defense while he squares off against the opponent while they’re at a disadvantage.

15 Isabella Von Carstein (Vampire Counts)

The Perfect Buffer To Secure Vlad’s Aggressive Survival

The immortal wife and heir apparent to Lord Vlad of Sylvania, Isabella Von Carstein is as devoted to her husband as vicious to her enemies. With the Blood Chalice of Bathori, Isabella combines her swordsmanship and magical prowess with the inherent biological benefits of their vampiric condition. In her Total War: Warhammer 3 gameplay, Isabella makes for a potent Legendary Lord with innate heal, passive damages, and debuffs.

Even as a spellcaster, Isabella’s access to the Lores of Shadows and Vampires lets her heal, buff, and raise undead servants. Isabella also complements Vlad with their bonuses to melee attack and defense, with the bonus of the former’s flexible slate of abilities.

14 Settra The Imperishable (Tomb Kings)

Glass Cannon Capitalizes On Heavy Attacks At The Expense Of Defense

Granted, players can go southland undead playstyle either with Mannfredd or Settra, but of the two choices, the latter might be better. For he does not serve, he rules! Besides, Settra already has some allies in the Southlands and can easily confederate to snowball even harder.

Against Skarbrand and his Khorn-horde, he might stand a better chance because Tomb Kings have access to Warsphinx and other competent large-unit killers. Settra himself is a powerhouse with the proper mount and can easily go toe-to-toe with Chaos' Legendary Lords. Just watch his HP.

13 Ku'gath (Nurgle)

Well-Rounded Lord With Self-Sustain With Enemy Debuffs

Ku'gath from papa Nurgle almost has the same advantage as Kairos from Tzeentch. He starts alone and lonely in the Dragon Isles and must expand quickly for some much-needed hugs from all those clean and healthy younger factions. He's almost uncontested in this endeavor, with the most immediate threat being the Dragon Prince, Imrik.

As a battle unit, he's a well-rounded wizard capable of combining the best combat tactics of Skaven and Vampire Counts. He's not as robust as Kairos, but his ability to sustain his units while debuffing enemy units is troublesome.

12 Kairos (Tzeentch)

Spellcasting Prowess Leads To Powerful AOE Plays

Other Chaos agents have it great as well, the game is centered around that faction, after all. Kairos starts rather well with his Dawn's Landing position on the Immortal Empires map. In doing so, there's usually just one simple option for him, to paint the land with Tzeentch's maddening change northward.

Kairos won't receive much resistance unless Mannfred allies with Settra. But Kairos Fateweaver can prove to be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. His spells alone make him the equivalent of five or so artillery units. This makes him one of the best Wizard lords in the game.

11 Archaon The Everchosen (Warriors Of Chaos)

Potent Spellcasting Kit Has Balanced Damage, Buffing Capabilities

Of course, it wouldn't be a chaos-focused game without Archaon the Everchosen and his death metal band entourage. He's still mostly the same as his Warhammer 2 variant, and can quickly snowball into several doom stacks unopposed. His northernmost starting point helps a lot here.

Meanwhile, he's still one of the best candidates available for the Sword of Khaine. Give that widowmaker and he won't need an army anymore; he's on his way to chop heads and take names, and he's all out of names. He's even more powerful now as a spellcaster since he now has access to Death and Metal lore (fitting enough).

10 Valkia The Bloody (Warriors Of Chaos)

Traditional Frontliner Can Dominate With Proper Momentum

Valkia the Blood might not have the size, but she certainly has the ferocity and the ability to turn into a one-man army. Even without the Sword of Khaine, players can simply sic her against the enemy frontline and let her rip everything to shreds without much worry.

Players might need to look out for certain duelist lords that are on this list, but other than that, Valkia will tear through a generic lord's army with ease. Due to her location in the northwest corner of the map, Valkia can also snowball harder than most other Chaos Lords, turning her into an immediate threat to the Dark Elves.

9 Grimgor Ironhide (Greenskins)

Toolkit Suitable For Outlasting Foes With Sustains, Damage Build-Up

Those who prefer to just WAAAGH! all over the place instead of strategizing will be blessed with as much fun as they can without interruption. Because Grimgor Ironhide and his Greenskin 'Ardboyz practically have the whole continent for themselves.

They aren't threatened by any factions within a significant radius except for Kholek Suneater. But that meat mountain moves around as a horde anyway and might be too busy beelining for Grand Cathay. As for Grimgor's skills, any Warhammer veteran ought to know by now that he's almost as good in the game as he is in official lore. He is still da best at stomping Chaos lords.

8 Tyrion (High Elves)

Assassination Specialist At The Expense Of Weak Frontline Combat

Tyrion in Warhammer lore is a massive powerhouse who turned into a god near the end of the High Elf storyline. In Total War: Warhammer 3, he's also quite arguably the best duelist lord in the game. With the Sword of Khaine, nothing can kill him.

Against armies, he's slow when it comes to killing, sadly. That small steed and his human-sized model can only do so much against thousands of enemies, plus he has no spells, unlike his brother. But when it comes to assassinating other lords on the battlefield, there's none higher than this High Elf.

7 Zhao Ming (Grand Cathay)

Durable Leader With High Damage, Adaptable Spell Roster

Grand Cathay has proven to be one of the most well-rounded factions in the game, and their Legendary Lords reflect that. Zhao Ming, for example, is often considered by the community as the most powerful lord in Grand Cathay. He's tanky, deals incredible damage, and has tons of spells at his disposal— he's a better version of Malekith from the Dark Elves.

But his luck doesn't stop there as Grand Cathay also has one of the most advantageous starting positions in Immortal Empires. They're all tucked away far into the east where they usually only have to worry about Snikch and his rats.

6 Taurox The Brass Bull (Beastmen)

Built Specifically To Devastate Armies, Raze Territories

Poor Malekith just can't catch a break. His faction is surrounded by Khorne fanatics, to the north, there's Valkia, and to the south, there's Taurox and he's angry. Taurox leads a faction that's notorious for not stopping. He just doesn't care about buildings or territory, most of his faction's playstyle involves razing settlements.

So the Total War: Warhammer 3 world is his litterbox. Since he's also a minotaur unit, no normal-sized unit can stand in his way. Taurox also has a lot of combat tricks to aid in dealing with blobs of infantry, and he can easily stop a whole army dead in its tracks while the Cygors crush everyone with rocks.