The Immortal Empires combined map for Total War: Warhammer 3 offers access to no less than 86 Legendary Lords for players who own all the DLC packs. But even without any of the DLC, you still have a few dozen unique Legendary Lords to choose from. Needless to say, that’s more than enough to keep you busy for weeks or even months.

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Grand strategy games aren’t exactly known for being perfectly balanced, and neither is Immortal Empires. In fact, some Legendary Lords are so powerful that they're borderline broken, while others are so weak that they’re barely even worth playing. We have a sneaking suspicion that you’re not interested in playing as the losers, so we took the liberty of putting together a list of the absolute best Legendary Lords you can play right now in Immortal Empires.

Updated by Jason Moth on January 31, 2023: The Immortal Empires Beta phase is still ongoing, and there have been no significant developments since this article was originally published. However, we wanted to take the time to add additional information for each Legendary Lord in the hopes of helping players who might be considering checking them out. We felt the DLC requirement, in particular, to be very relevant since unlocking all 86 Legendary Lords in Immortal Empires is very expensive, and there's no point in buying more content packs than you need.

10 Grom the Paunch

Grom the Paunch goblin boss

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Greenskins

Broken Axe

Massif Orcal - Bretonnia

The Warden and the Paunch

The Greenskins are in a pretty good place at the moment, with most of their factions being reasonably powerful and fun to play. However, the best Greenskins Legendary Lord at the moment is, without a doubt, everyone’s favorite thicc boy, Grom the Paunch. Grom has a pretty easy starting position that lets him quickly steamroll over Bretonnia and start causing havoc within the Empire.

Goblins aren’t exactly the best units in Warhammer 3, but they can become surprisingly good when led by Grom. The Legendary Lord can amass entire armies of them in just a few turns and pump out wagons and war machines for half the usual cost. But his unique mechanic, "Grom’s Cauldron," is the main reason why the lord is on this list. He’s not quite as strong as the others, but Grom is definitely not to be underestimated.

9 Taurox The Brass Bull

Taurox fighting Lizardmen skinks

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Beastmen

Slaughterhorn Tribe

Clar Karond - Naggaroth

The Silence and the Fury

Taurox is a lean, mean killing machine. Introduced in the last DLC for Total War: Warhammer 2 alongside a much-needed rework for the Beastmen, Taurox quickly became one of the best Legendary Lords in the game. In Warhammer 3, the Brass Bull is still a force to be reckoned with, and his Slaughterhorn Tribe is still an immensely fun faction to play as if you’re the type of person who enjoys leaving a trail of carnage and destruction in your wake.

Taurox starts off in Naggaroth surrounded by enemies, which would be a problem for most Legendary Lords but not for him. His entire campaign revolves around razing everything in sight to the ground and then continuing to rampage until the whole world is a smoldering ruin. Thanks to his unique campaign mechanics, the Brass Bull can fight battle after battle without losing momentum while gaining some nice bonuses and rewards in the process. Taurox’s only problem is that he’s a bit of a one-trick bull, and his campaign can get boring because of that.

8 Vlad and Isabella Von Carstein

Vlad and Isabella leading undead army

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Vampire Counts

Sylvania

Castle Drakenhof - Sylvania

None

The Von Carsteins are inseparable in Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires. Regardless of whether you pick Vlad or Isabella as your starting Legendary Lord, the other will immediately be available as a Legendary Hero. You don’t have to put them both in the same army, but you’ll get some nice bonuses if you do. While both Vampire Counts are very powerful even on their own, they work much better as a unit and are the only pair of characters in the game with this type of connection, making them quite unique.

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Vlad and Isabella both start in Sylvania and have a pretty easy time expanding into the lands of Kislev and the Empire. With Mannfred relegated to the desert in Immortal Empires, there’s really no one that can challenge them anymore in the early game. Having said that, the Von Carsteins rely almost entirely on magic and don’t provide any significant buffs to their troops. And, much like all other Vampire Counts, if they fall, their army will crumble shortly after.

7 Alarielle The Radiant

Alarielle and Elyrian archer

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

High Elves

Avelorn

Gaean Vale - Ulthuan

The Queen and the Crone

The High Elves are no longer the powerhouses they used to be in Warhammer 2’s Mortal Empires, but they can still hold their own in Warhammer 3. Alarielle, in particular, continues to be very strong and is arguably the best Legendary Lord the High Elves have to offer at the moment. Her starting position in the relative safety of Ulthuan means that she can expand and unite the island under her banner without having to worry about any serious threats, at least in the early game.

Alarielle’s ability to field armies comprised of units pertaining to two different races is no longer as unique as it used to be due to Warhammer 3’s outpost mechanic, but it still sets her apart from her fellow High Elves. Alarielle gets some nice bonuses while all of Ulthuan is held by the High Elves but gets penalized when it is not. She also gets weaker as Chaos grows stronger, which tends to happen a lot in Immortal Empires. Despite these challenges, Alarielle’s campaign is now arguably better than ever before.

6 Settra The Imperishable

Settra the Imperishable chariot charge

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Tomb Kings

Khemri

Khemri - Southlands

Rise of the Tomb Kings

Playing as good old Settra the Imperishable in Immortal Empires is extremely satisfying and engaging. Settra has quite a few enemies in the early game, including Skarbrand, Mannfred, Volkmar, and a couple of other powerful Legendary Lords. Luckily, the Imperishable has an easy time gaining the allegiance of minor Tomb Kings factions that he can use to create a buffer zone between him and his enemies. Pick your battles wisely in the early game, and you’ll have the entire desert under your command in no time.

Between receiving -1 construction time for all buildings, +20 growth in all provinces, and +1 local recruitment capacity, Settra can develop both his empire and his army faster than other Legendary Lords. The +10% casualty replenishment rate isn’t a bad passive effect to have, either. Settra doesn’t have special buffs for any particular unit type, but he makes up for it by being a very competent fighter who can take out entire regiments all by himself. He’s not the greatest wizard, though, so it’s best not to rely on him too much for magical damage.

5 Archaon The Everchosen

Archaon the Everchosen on horseback epic pose

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Warriors of Chaos

Warhost of the Apocalypse

Writhing Fortress - Chaos Wastes

Chaos Warriors

Archaon was one of the most disappointing Legendary Lords in the original Total War: Warhammer, so it’s great to see that Creative Assembly finally decided to do him justice. While not quite as powerful as some of the other Warriors of Chaos, the Everchosen is nevertheless a very strong Legendary Lord and an absolute blast to play in Immortal Empires.

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Archaon’s faction gets some amazing bonuses, including an increased research rate and diplomatic relationships with other Chaos factions for each vassal it owns. Meanwhile, Archaon himself gives weapon strength, missile strength, and ward saves to every unit in his army. His starting position in the Chaos Wastes can be a bit challenging since he’s not the only powerful lord in the area. However, if you play to his strengths, the Everchosen can definitely bring about the End Times upon the rest of the world.

4 Ikit Claw

Ikit Claw leading Skaven army

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Skaven

Clan Skryre

Skavenblight - Bretonnia

The Prophet and the Warlock

Veteran Total War: Warhammer players probably saw this one coming a mile away. Ikit Claw was extremely powerful in Warhammer 2, and that hasn’t changed in Immortal Empires. Deploying nukes on the battlefield is still as broken and hilarious as ever unless you happen to be on the receiving end of one, of course. And there are plenty of other weird and wonderful inventions and contraptions hidden in Clan Skryre’s Forbidden Workshop that only Ikit Claw can access.

Forbidden Workshop aside, Chief Warlock can also recruit some of the most powerful Skaven units for half the price and gets a whopping +20% boost to the research rate right off the bat. If you want to play Skaven in Immortal Empires, Clan Skryre and Ikit Claw are the way to go. The nukes alone are enough to secure this Legendary Lord a high spot on this list, but they’re not all Ikit Claw brings to the table; not even close.

3 Kholek Suneater

Kholek fighting Empire soldiers

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Warriors of Chaos

Heralds of the Tempest

The Challenge Stone - Chaos Wastes

Chaos Warriors

There’s something very satisfying about playing as a Legendary Lord that towers above everybody else on the battlefield. There are very few other lords that can match Kholek Suneater in terms of size and strength. This behemoth gets reduced upkeep costs for other similarly large units like Dragon Ogres and Dragon Ogre Shaggoths, as well as missile resistance for monstrous units. Basically, the idea here is to create an army composed exclusively of monsters and lead it using an even bigger monster. And yes, that’s just as fun as it sounds.

But Kholek’s biggest strength comes from "Empowered by Worship," which gives the Suneater a number of buffs for each faction he vassalizes. Those bonuses stack up quickly because it’s pretty easy to vassalize factions in Immortal Empires as the Warriors of Chaos. The ability is so good, in fact, that it’s probably going to get nerfed pretty soon. Enjoy Kholek while you can because he’s probably not going to remain as strong as he is now forever.

2 Skarbrand The Exiled

Skarbrand surrounded by warriors of Khorne

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Khorne

Exiles of Khorne

Deff Gorge - Southlands

None

Skarbrad is up there with the likes of Kholek and Taurox as one of the best melee Legendary Lords that can take on anybody in a 1v1 duel. This oversized demon is all about violence and brutality, and he doesn’t mind showing it on the battlefield. You can literally turn Skarbrand into a one-man army that doesn’t need any troops to get the job done by turning 25 or 30. But if you do want to give him some troops to act as cannon fodder, you’ll be happy to know that Skarbrand gets a -35% recruitment cost discount for all units as long as he’s in enemy or razed territory.

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Skarbrand is a fantastic Legendary Lord for people who don’t like city management or complex battlefield tactics. Skarbrand gets extra campaign movement range after razing a settlement and even move movement after winning a battle. Plus, his armies can replenish in enemy territory, so once you start rampaging, you can just keep going without looking back. He uses melee units almost exclusively, and he’s not really into magic, so in battle, you simply select everything, click on the enemy army, and enjoy the show.

1 Be’lakor

Be'lakor stares menancingly

Race

Faction

Starting Position

DLC Requirement

Warriors of Chaos

Shadow Legion

Isle of Wights - Albion

None

Be’lakor is an ancient being of unfathomable power. His ability to command the legions of Chaos is unmatched, but he doesn’t bow to any of the Chaos Gods. In fact, he’s pretty close to being a god himself and has the power to corrupt Human lords into becoming Daemon Princes under his thrall. Be’lakor’s starting position in Albion lets him expand wherever he wishes virtually unopposed, and his ability to open Chaos Rifts allows him to travel pretty much anywhere on the map at will.

Be’lakor starts right off the bat with all the Chaos God Gift slots unlocked and gets -25% upkeep for all demon units. The Legendary Lord also starts with an extremely powerful ability that grants him +40% damage resistance for 33 seconds on a two-minute cooldown. Unlike a lot of other Legendary Lords that are either good fighters or good wizards, Be’lakor is good at both. His battlefield prowess, combined with his campaign abilities, are more than enough to earn the Lord of Shadows the top spot on this list.

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