Total War Warhammer 3 tier list 2026: which factions dominate Immortal Empires?

Four years after Total War: Warhammer 3’s release, and with the Immortal Empires sandbox now universally recognized as the best Total War mode ever made, factions have found their balance. Some dominate, others are solid, others still frustrate. Our 2026 tier list ranks the 23 playable races (base + DLC) by their strength on Very Hard / Legendary solo campaign.

TL;DR:

• S Tier (5 factions): Clan Skryre, Warriors of Chaos, Clan Eshin, High Elves, Chaos Dwarfs
• A Tier (5-6 factions): Greenskins, Kislev, Dwarfs, Vampires, Empire
• B Tier: rest of the solid, playable factions
• C Tier: Norsca, Vampire Coast (under pressure since nerfs)
• Competitive multi ≠ solo campaign: some S-tier campaign picks are mediocre 1v1

Table of contents

• How to read this tier list
• S Tier: the 5 factions that dominate
• A Tier: strong with some movement
• B Tier: solid without shining
• C Tier: challenging on Legendary
• Best picks beginner vs veteran

How to read this tier list

Criteria considered:

• Starting position in Immortal Empires (hostile neighbors, resources)
• Unit roster — depth, synergy, elite units
• Unique faction mechanics
• Main legendary Lord strength
• Campaign difficulty Very Hard / Legendary

Tier evaluated on solo campaign in sandbox mode. Competitive multi has its own tiers (Sisters of Avelorn dominate 1v1, for instance, but are just one unit in a roster).

S Tier: the 5 factions that dominate

Clan Skryre (Ikit Claw) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ King of Immortal Empires since TWWH2 and still on top after 2025-2026 patches. Ikit Claw benefits from:

• Warlock Engineers — incredible ranged infantry
• Jezzails — long-range snipers
• Doomwheels — devastating vehicles
• Underground economy via Under-Empires
• Starting position (Skavenblight) defensible and rich

Ikit’s campaigns are consistently ranked best in the game by every major guide.

Warriors of Chaos (Archaon) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Historically TWWH1’s worst race, turned monster in TWWH3 thanks to successive reworks. Archaon has:

• One of the most forgiving starting positions — Northern Wastes with few immediate threats
• Chaos Undivided roster — units from all marks (Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, Slaanesh)
• Chaos Gifts mechanics — your favorite boosts your power

Paired with Kholek Suneater as secondary, the best Chaos package.

Clan Eshin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Skaven assassins. Asymmetric gameplay based on:

• Extreme mobility — your army sprints everywhere
• Stalking — invisible enemy approach
• Death Globes and Gutter Runners — atypical elite units
• Starting position — Lahmia accessible and interesting

Very fun to play, very strong mechanically.

High Elves (Alarielle / Tyrion) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Massive late-game. Before 1850 (turn 100+), High Elves struggle a bit. After, they’re a steamroller:

• Sisters of Avelorn — best archers in the game, hands down
• Silver Helms and Dragon Princes — unmatched elite cavalry
• High Magic — very strong
• Influence Court — unique elven diplomacy mechanics

Requires early-game patience but rewards massively.

Chaos Dwarfs ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the best-balanced factions. No bad units, solid economy, well-paced campaigns. Specificities:

• Demon summonings
• Tauri Centaurs — atypical heavy cavalry
• Hellcannons and K’daai Destroyers — artillery and monsters
• Tower of Zharr — unique career mechanic

A Tier: strong with some movement

Greenskins (Grimgor / Azhag) — A+ The TWWH2 rework lifted Orcs to real force status. Black Orcs still as strong, Waaagh mechanics well integrated.

Kislev (Tzarina Katarin) — A Diversified roster, ice magic, strong in competitive multi too. Ice Guard excellent.

Khazalid Dwarfs (Thorgrim) — A Long but safe campaign. Dwarf artillery still legendary. Gyrocopters and Ironbreakers dominate.

Vampire Counts (Vlad) — A Less broken than before nerfs, but Zombie Dragons and necromancy remain powerful. Vlad > Mannfred > Isabella as Lords.

Empire (Karl Franz) — A Elite Reiksguard cavalry, devastating Demigryphs. Central position difficult but rewarding.

B Tier: solid without shining

• Lizardmen (Mazdamundi) — strong magic but somewhat dated roster
• Wood Elves (Durthu) — niche, specialized
• Khorne Bloodbound — strong but one-dimensional
• Nurgle (Ku’gath) — tanks but slow
• Tomb Kings — solid roster but weird economy

C Tier: challenging on Legendary

• Norsca (Wulfrik) — roster limited since Chaos changes
• Vampire Coast — heavily nerfed since 2024
• Bretonnians (Louen) — promised rework never really came, dated gameplay

Reminder: C-tier factions are not unplayable. They just require more skill to pull off.

Best picks beginner vs veteran

For starting Immortal Empires:

1. Karl Franz (Empire) — classic roster, central position, perfect tutorial
2. Thorgrim (Dwarfs) — slow but robust, few surprises
3. Grimgor (Greenskins) — aggressive and fun, forgives mistakes

For veterans / challenges:

1. Ikit Claw (Skryre) — learning the S-tier meta
2. Archaon (Chaos) — extreme asymmetric gameplay
3. Alarielle (High Elves) — political puzzle of Court Intrigue

For roleplay / flavor:

1. Eltharion (High Elves Yvresse) — very different gameplay via Prisoner
2. Morathi (Dark Elves Cult of Pleasure) — atypical economy
3. Settra (Tomb Kings) — pharaonic roleplay

For other Total War and Warhammer analyses, see our Tempest Rising review, our EU4 vs EU5 comparison, and our Crusader Kings III beginner guide 2026.

Creative Assembly patches regularly — this tier list will be updated every 6 months.