Tzeentch Race Details for Warhammer 3 – Total War

Tzeentch is one of the playable races of the Total War: Warhammer 3 game at release. Tzeentch is the god of change, manipulation, and magic, the Great Conspirator, and the Changer of Ways. His intricate plans and endless schemes double back upon one another in a web of lies, half-truths, promises, and betrayal that would make any mortal’s head spin.

Kairos Fateweaver, legendarily powerful Lord of Change and spellcaster supreme, leads the Oracles of Tzeentch in an invasion of Cathay – and the rest of the world to follow shortly.

• Corruption: Tzeentch Corruption
• Climates
  • Suitable: Unknown
  • Unpleasant: Unknown
  • Uninhabitable: Unknown

Kairos Fateweaver – Legendary Lord

• Name: Kairos Fateweaver
• Faction: Oracles of Tzeentch
• Race: Tzeentch

Table of Contents

Tzeentch Legendary Lords

Tzeentch has one Legendary Lord at the launch of the Total War: Warhammer 3 game. Kairos Fateweaver, legendarily powerful Lord of Change and spellcaster supreme, leads the Oracles of Tzeentch in an invasion of Cathay – and the rest of the world to follow shortly.

Kairos Fateweaver – Legendary Lord Tzeentch

Kairos Fateweaver can see things that are hidden even to Tzeentch. His right head sees possible futures as clear as day. No scheme is hidden from its sight and the infinite possibilities of tomorrow crystallise into irrefutable fact. Kairos’ left head sees the past without the petty colourations of perspective and bias. Valuable as this vision is, it comes with a heavy cost. Both of Kairos’ heads are blind to the present; he cannot see time as it passes – only events that are to come or whose time has already lapsed.

Kairos as an entity has unsurpassed magical knowledge and capability. While unpredictable and quite, quite mad, he is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, unleashing all manner of powers to crush his enemies. He naturally combines well with the forces around him to provide supporting fire and heavy melee damage.

He, along with every other unit in a Tzeentch army, also comes with Barrier. This is a damage shield that regenerates quickly outside of combat and protects against all harm, acting as effectively another health bar. It makes hit-and-run attacks with flyers (plenty of those, you’ll notice below) and cavalry particularly effective, along with allowing you to cycle out your standard melee troops if applicable. It’s also another area that can be buffed and altered through technology and skills, most of which are very powerful.

Unique skills and abilities of Kairos Fateweaver Legendary Lord of Tzeentch in Total War: Warhammer 3:

• Fragments of Magic – allows Kairos to acquire and equip fragments of other spell lores, giving him access to several spells from that lore. Only one fragment can be equipped at a time.
• Staff of Tomorrow – Kairos’ powerful artifact allows him to reduce all his spell cooldowns in an instant.
• Gaze of Fate – paralyze a unit to prevent its movement and vastly drop their melee attack.

Tzeentch Lords

In Total War: Warhammer 3 Tzeentch has access to two Lords, the Exalted Lord of Change and the Herald of Tzeentch. The Exalted Lord of Change doesn’t have a mount because it is a flying unit already, but the Herald of Tzeentch can either use a Disc of Tzeentch or Burning Chariot mount.

Exalted Lord of Change – Tzeentch Lord

A Lord of Change is hideously unpredictable and manipulative. Behind its gaze lies a curious and wreckful mind, deeply intelligent, yet as uncaring of consequence as it is fascinated by it. It is like a child playing upon some gigantic anthill, poking with a stick at its inhabitants and laughing at the hopeless antics of their defence. Nothing pleases him more than to see the world broken and made anew, to redirect the course of a life or even history itself, spilling hope upon the ground while raising the ambition of others up to an unexpected pinnacle of power.

As well as being fierce melee combatants, Lords of Change are powerful spellcasters. Casting spells in a Tzeentch army fuels your ability to call upon the powers of the God of Magic, special army abilities that are charged by the winds of magic seeing use. These are powerful effects that can blitz enemies from the field with ease – and with every lord and plenty of heroes, and even some standard units, having access to spells, are easy to exploit.

Tzeentch’s spellcasters specialise in either the Lore of Metal, with all the spells you’re used to, and the Lore of Tzeentch, which includes:

• Blue Fire of Tzeentch
• Pink Fire of Tzeentch
• Treason of Tzeentch
• Glean Magic
• Tzeentch’s Firestorm
• Infernal Gateway

This is a purely offensive school, with four spells that deal direct damage and the others debuffing enemies to their doom. You’ve now seen a selection of the new spell lores we have coming in Total War: WARHAMMER III – we’ll be actually detailing these schools and their spells very soon.

Herald of Tzeentch – Tzeentch Lord

As the magically fashioned slaves of Tzeentch, Horrors are considered automatons to be expended as part of a carefully wrought plan. Should a servant of greater power be required, Tzeentch will create a Herald, a more stable type of Horror. Such Daemons have enough consciousness to direct others of their kind without constant guidance from a Lord of Change, directing furious sorcery against Tzeentch’s enemies.

To mount-up, a Screamer must be transmuted into a new form before it can safely be used. These Discs of Tzeentch retain the flattened and manta-like shape of the Screamer, but their magical bodies are transformed into unlikely shapes and aspects as part of the binding ritual.

Heralds have little patience at the best of times, and none at all in training Screamers and Discs. They therefore consider ‘borrowing’ a chariot from an Exalted Flamer to be entirely in keeping with their status. Such a feat requires great cunning indeed if the Herald in question wishes to escape the Flamer’s wrath. However, all these trials and tribulations seem as naught once the Herald is free to swoop and dive across the battlefield on his new possession, cackling madly as he unleashes his fearsome Sorceries upon the enemies of his Dark God.

Spell lores: Metal or Tzeentch
Mounts: Disc of Tzeentch or Burning Chariot

Tzeentch Heroes

With the launch of Total War: Warhammer 3 you will have access to two hero types for Tzeentch. The Cultist of Tzeentch and the Iridescent Horror. The Cultist of Tzeentch has access to a Chaos Steed mount and the Iridescent Horror can chose between a Disc of Tzeentch or a Burning Chariot mount.

Cultist of Tzeentch Hero

Tzeentchian cultists are a unique group. Clandestine worship of their God is more common, especially in Cathay, than for other Gods, due to his secretive and manipulative nature. At the same time, interpreting their God’s wishes is more challenging than for the straight-forward Khorne or Slaanesh where copious amounts of bodily fluids are usually enough. Strange masks, complicated rituals, and endless scheming and plotting mark the Cultists. If anything, a chance to do the glory of their lord with a simple battle is preferable.

Growing their cults and spreading the ways of Tzeentch is massively important, however. His schemes require sacrifices, blackmail, bribes, and most of all knowledge. A cultist may work for years as part of a machine he barely understands, even being convinced of his own failure (and expecting the mutations that come with it) when the scheme succeeds on a wider scale he cannot understand.

They have unique access within the armies of Tzeentch to the Lore of Fire, making them a useful option for further battlefield damage and control. As they grow in power, they can also learn to summon daemons direct from the Chaos realms, including great Lords of Change themselves. While their time on the battlefield will be limited, their power is not.

Spell lore: Lore of Fire
Mount: Chaos Steed

Iridescent Horror Hero

Pink Horrors, collected magic as they are, can sometimes be granted capabilities beyond the norm, and the authority and sanity that comes with it. These Iridescent Horrors are masters of the magical arts and powerful combatants, proving the greater of even some champions. Their deadly skills are enhanced further with locus magics that allow them to greatly buff their allies at a moment’s notice, or summon more through portals to the Chaos Realms.

Lores: Metal or Tzeentch
Mounts: Disc of Tzeentch or Burning Chariot

Tzeentch Units in Warhammer 3

Now lets take a closer look at all the revealed units for Tzeentch in Total War: Warhammer 3.

Tzeentch Infantery

Tzeentch has a two infantery units in Total War: Warhammer 3. The Blue Horrors of Tzeentch and the Forsaken of Tzeentch.

Blue Horrors of Tzeentch

Blue Horrors are sullen and malicious, like evil-tempered children, and sneer and grumble their way through a battle. Once spawned, they add a deeper whining note to the incessant chortling of the group as they attempt to grapple with enemies and squeeze the life from them, before inevitably wandering off in search of fresh entertainment.

Notable characteristics of the Blue Horrors unit in Warhammer 3:

• While classed as melee troops as that’s where their proficiency lies, Blue Horrors are capable of vomiting up magical fire. This gives them an impressive first punch on a charging enemy.
• All daemons suffer from instability when their morale is low, making them begin to disintegrate on the spot, rather than flee from battle.
• Despite their pathetic stature when compared to more senior daemons, Blue Horrors are still a fearful sight for the mortals of the world, gibbering mouths and flailing, deadly limbs.

Forsaken of Tzeentch

Many Warriors of Chaos find that the rewards of the gods turn out to more closely resemble afflictions than blessings. In time, many Forsaken lose any capacity for rational thought, setting aside sophisticated weaponry in favour of jagged teeth and twisted claws. They have no intelligence glinting within their black eyes, for their minds churn with nothing more than thoughts of killing and devouring everything they can catch. These atavistic warriors often bear ever-twisting assortments of mutations, including writhing tentacles, chitinous claws, extra heads and hairy, grasping limbs that push out through their armour.

Notable characteristics of the Forsaken unit in Warhammer 3:

• One of very few dedicated, melee-only ground units in Tzeentch’s roster, and vital for holding early battles in campaign.
• The madness of the Chaos Realms and the infection of their bodies makes Forsaken immune to Psychology but liable to Frenzy.
• Given their high armour compared to almost everything else on the Tzeentch roster, you’re going to get a lot of use out of Forsaken – depending on your playstyle, anyway.

Tzeentch Missle Infantery

Tzeentch also has two missle infantery units, the Pink Horrors and the Exalted Pink Horrors of Tzeentch.

Pink Horrors of Tzeentch

Pink Horrors are identified by their luminescent pink skin and their squeals of high-pitched laughter. Spellcasting fills them with joy, and they emit especial merriment as eldritch energy screeches from their upraised hands. When wounded, a Pink Horror exhales a final lunatic cackle before rapidly decomposing.

Notable characteristics of the Pink Horrors unit in Warhammer 3:

• Vomiting burning hellfire spells magical, firey doom for most other low-tier units.
• Also boast greater melee capabilities than their blue cousins, making them a useful hybrid unit.
• Gibbering, delighted buffoons, which I personally feel a distinct connection with.

Exalted Pink Horrors of Tzeentch

Pink Horrors that have proven sufficiently powerful, cunning, or mad and survived many battles, not to mention the raucous, random happenings of their home dimension, may become Exalted Pink Horrors. They wear golden trappings and consider themselves first among the lower servants of Tzeentch. Quite how much actual respect, or even knowledge, other higher daemons are paying to them is unknown, the ever-higher pitch of their excited squeals means, at least, they are having a good time.

Notable characteristics of the Exalted Pink Horrors unit in Warhammer 3:

• A further upgrade in all forms over the Pink Horrors.
• Their concentrated warpfire will out-damage even the Celestial Dragon Crossbows of Grand Cathay.
• Their delight at magic and desire to see it increases Winds of Magic recharge rate for the army, stacking with each unit.

Tzeentch Cavalry and Chariots

Now lets take a look at the cavalry and chariot units of Tzeentch. They have access to Chaos Knights, Doom Knights and Burniung Chariots.

Chaos Knights of Tzeentch

Knights of Tzeentch are feared throughout the Old World and beyond as merciless butchers capable of turning the course of battle with a single charge. They are towering brutes atop immensely powerful Chaos Steeds, rider and mount clad in thickest plate, each section of armour crafted by a master Daemonsmith. A Knight’s greaves are jagged blades, well suited to slicing through the flesh of the enemy. Even the frightful reputation of the Knights of Tzeentch is a weapon in its own right, crippling those who would stand against them before a single blow is struck.

Notable characteristics of the Knights of Tzeentch unit in Warhammer 3:

• Lack the massive-impact charge of standard cavalry, but are far more effective in a pitched battle.
• Heavily armoured, unlikely to flee, and fast to strike, causing fear with their thunderous charge.
• The addition of a Tzeentch barrier to the power of Chaos Knights makes them absolute tanks.

Doom Knights of Tzeentch

Doom Knights are some of the most powerful mortals the world has ever seen, taming Discs of Tzeentch, and thus consider themselves superior even to other champions of Chaos. Screeching through the air like few before them, they would be a wonderous sight to behold if their coming did not always spell death and, as is their namesake, doom. There is no escape from the Doom Knights, and they show no mercy.

Discs are the Daemonic steeds of Tzeentch. These bizarre creations are neither Daemon nor construction, but a nightmarish blend of the two. Coruscating with mystical force, Discs fly above the ground, skimming gently forwards upon the Winds of Magic. The Discs themselves are far from defenceless, lashing out around themselves with bolts of magical fire, or manifesting whirling tentacles and ripping claws to slash at enemies that approach too close.

Notable characteristics of the Doom Knights unit in Warhammer 3:

• Flying shock cavalry that are more than a match for any foe.
• Trade their ground-borne cavalry allies’ armour and defense for vastly superior speed and power.
• The strongest melee-focused unit in Tzeentch’s arsenal.

Burning Chariot of Tzeentch

Burning Chariots of Tzeentch hurtle across the Realm of Chaos like incandescent meteors, bringing the Great Sorcerer’s chosen emissaries to every corner of existence. As they blaze through the heavens of the mortal world, Chariots of Tzeentch are commonly mistaken for comets, which are in turn interpreted as omens of great events and terrible wars. The Discs and Screamers which make up the bizarre chariot are drawn to raw magic like moths to a flame, and therefore to the Exalted Flamers, who exude tasty sorcery from every pore and wrinkle of their fungoid flesh.

Notable characteristics of the Burning Chariot unit in Warhammer 3:

• The ranged firepower of an Exalted Flamer, as is mounted on the Burning Chariot, is the strongest anywhere in the world – more than even siege weaponry.
• Such are the devastating energies being pulled from the warp by the Exalted Flamer, it will run out of power quickly, at which point it must contest with foes in melee.
• The combination of extremely fast, very powerful area attacks that can fly out of harm’s way with ease is potent.

Tzeentch Monsters

Next up we have plenty of monsters that Tzeentch has access to in Total War: Warhammer 3. Namely the Chaos Furies, Screamers, Spawns, Lord of Change, Flamers, Exalted Flamers and the Soul Grinder of Tzeentch.

Chaos Furies (Tzeentch)

Chaos Furies are yowling shards of malevolent energy – Chaos in its purest form. With little in the way of intelligence, they are utterly subservient to the whims of the Dark Gods, and shift in aspect and power as the balance of the dark pantheon alters. They are easily subjugated by other Daemons, whom they regard with a mix of dread and awe. Furies swarm at the edges of the battle, avoiding the thickest fighting if they can. Only when they sight a vulnerable victim do they descend, a wailing mass from which there can be no escape.

Notable characteristics of the Chaos Furies unit in Warhammer 3:

• These Furies trade the Frenzy of Khorne for the Barrier of Tzeentch.
• This makes them far more effective as hit-and-run units, and a natural first step before Screamers and Doom Knights can enter the fray.
• A cheap and effective unit for counter-attacks and flanks, especially given their vanguard deployment.

Screamers of Tzeentch

Screamers are glimmering sky-sharks that ride upon the Winds of Magic as a bird glides upon the breeze. They roam the tides of magic, preying upon the shadow-souls of mortal creatures, lone Chaos Furies and other unfortunate magical ephemera. Once the Screamers catch their doomed prey it is torn to pieces in an eye-blink, the gossamer shreds of its soul-stuff offered up as a gift to Tzeentch. So swift and agile are Screamers that they are highly sought after as steeds, however their instinctive nature swiftly proves calamitous should their controller’s attention wander.

Notable characteristics of the Screamers of Tzeentch unit in Warhammer 3:

• Lightweight and unarmoured, they are still powerful once locked in melee combat, acting as Tzeentch’s equivelent of early cavalry.
• Must be quickly moved in and out of combat to exploit the Barrier and their charge bonuses to its fullest.
• A giant, flying, blue sky shark that lets out a hearty scream at every opportunity. Who among us cannot identify?

Spawn of Tzeentch

A creature visited by too many gifts of the Dark Gods inevitably succumbs to madness and mutation, and becomes a Chaos Spawn. A once-­humanoid form that has sprouted and burst into an obscene and monstrous anatomy, mutated almost beyond recognition. The eyes of the original creature peer out, a glint of its former personality barely perceptible amidst the fleshy ruin. Chaos Spawn are creatures of unspeakable horror, their twisted bodies sporting an impossible array of spines, eyes and mouths.

Notable characteristics of the Spawn of Tzeentch unit in Warhammer 3:

• Another of Tzeentch’s rare melee-dedicated land units, though trading armour for power.
• A low model count and lack of defenses make this a tricky unit to hold the line with, but their powerful blows and pure ferocity make them a unique part of Tzeentch’s roster.
• Sort of like a land-based screamer.

Lord of Change

As might be expected of a creature born of pure magic and bound to the will of the Master of Sorcery, a Lord of Change is a potent spellcaster. The Winds of Magic obey his every command, allowing him to summon whirling tempests of change and mutation, blast the enemies of Tzeentch with bolts of multicoloured fire or unravel the mind of an enemy spellcaster from the inside. Although a Lord of Change elects to use magic and trickery to further its ends, he is still a fearsome fighter. Countless heroes have underestimated these strange creatures, thinking their wiry frames and fluttering wings fragile.

Notable characteristics:

• A fully-fledged spellcaster and devastating single-entity monster AND flyer all in one, handy, affordable bird-shaped package.
• Can gain even more and more powerful spells from various campaign technologies.
• Won’t go toe-to-toe with a Bloodthirster, but it still plenty powerful enough to lay waste to mortal formations.

Flamers of Tzeentch

Flamers are capable of a fair turn of speed, expelling gaseous ichor through the fungoid ‘skirt’ at their base to bound and leap across the ground with considerable mischievous gusto. A Flamer uses its blazing limbs to hurl bolts of magical flame at the foe. This is not fire in its truest sense, but a roiling cloud of Chaos energy. It does not burn, but warps reality. A Flamer’s victim might briefly feel invigorated, before collapsing into a writhing puddle of flesh.

Notable characteristics of the Flamer of Tzeentch unit in Warhammer 3:

• While not on the same level as the Exalted Flamers, ground-bound or mounted, standard Flamers still output a ludicrous amount of damage, and operate as small groups rather than solo.
• Much like Pink Horrors, will need careful placement to ensure maximum damage, but can annihilate when placed correctly.
• As a later-game, powerful monster unit, can still hold their own in melee combat, especially after applying a few burns to their victims. They also apply warpfire in melee, making any support fire very effective.

Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch

A Flamer uses its blazing limbs to hurl bolts of magical flame at the foe. This is not fire in its truest sense, but a roiling cloud of Chaos energy. It does not burn, but warps reality. A Flamer’s victim might briefly feel invigorated, before collapsing into a writhing puddle of flesh. The Exalted Flamers are able to channel magical flame to a far greater extent than their lesser brethren, and can conjure up great billowing sheets of Warp-magic, or hurl bolts of sorcerous change that make the very air sizzle with their passing.

Notable characteristics of the Exalted Flamer unit in Warhammer 3:

• Likely to be the most powerful ranged attack on the battlefield, including siege weapons.
• Spray warpfire in a cone, making them extra deadly against formations or single entities. The Warpflame debuff increases damage taken from fire attacks, strengthening almost the entire Tzeentchian army against the target.
• Low ammunition means they will inevitably end up in close-combat – they don’t excel, but they will hold their own.

Soul Grinder (Tzeentch)

When a Daemon’s physical body is slain, he can surrender his true name to the Forge of Souls. The dark bargain thus sealed, his crippled essence is bound to a mighty Warp-metal hulk. Thus is he reborn as a Soul Grinder. A Soul Grinder’s clanking tread shakes the ground with every step, and it is devilishly fast for a creature its size, able to scuttle swift as a horse’s gallop, or even faster should the scent of battle touch its nostrils. Piston-driven legs thud home with sickening force, crushing to bloody paste those beneath.

Notable characteristics of the Soul Grinder unit in Warhammer 3:

• Compared to its Soul Grinder friends in other factions, Tzeentch’s hurls a long-range, anti-large set of magic spears at any targets.
• Magical attacks ensure maximum damage, alongside armour-piercing.
• Blue, which is a cool colour.

Tzeentch Campaign Mechanics

Lets take a look what Tzeentch has to offer in terms of campaign mechanics.

Grimoires

As a god of knowledge, Tzeentch desires it above all else. Grimoires represent forbidden texts, hidden spellbooks, ancient lore, unknown histories, and everything else that is floating around the Warhammer world that is not commonly known. It is favour with Tzeentch and can be used to ensure success.

Grimoires are collected and generated by any number of actions – battles, buildings, sacking settlements, dilemmas, and more. By themselves they do very little, but you have an endless number of ways to spend them and keeping a steady supply will make you a master of the world, even without your armies.

Changing of the Ways

The primary spend for Grimoires is in the Changing of the Ways. This is a series of actions unique to Tzeentchian factions that allow you to change or observe things on the campaign map with merely a wave of the wrist (causing a mouse click, usually). Each has a reasonable cooldown and costs a chunk of Grimoires, scaling with the severity and effectiveness of the action. Beyond the first, each also requires a technology to unlock, some of which may be buried fairly deep in the tree. Here’s a rundown of what’s possible:

• Transfer Settlement
  • Transfer control and ownership of one settlement to a new faction. This can be your faction or another.
• Open Gates
  • Open the gates of a major settlement with walls, for any battles in that settlement in the next few turns.
• Force Rebellion
  • Causes a rebellion in a region, spawning an army for the owner to contend with.
• Track Army
  • You are given the line of sight of a target army.
• Reveal Faction Intentions
  • Shows the plans of all armies a target faction controls.
• Reveal Shroud
  • Gives complete vision of a target faction’s territory.
• Halt Faction
  • All characters – so armies and heroes – have their movement halted and disabledfor the faction’s following turn.
• Give War Co-ordination Target
  • Gives a faction a war co-ordination target even if they are not your ally.
• Break Alliance
  • Break the military or defensive alliance between two factions.
• Force War
  • Force a war between two factions.

As you can imagine, this can get hectic, manipulative, and downright scummy depending on your desires and plans. While it’s unlikely you will be able to get all your goals completed without ever annihilating an enemy army yourself, it gives several fascinating possibilities in the mid to late game. Even early, transferring settlements between factions you’re not interested in warring with to ones you’re about to conquer can be very powerful.

Winds of Magic Manipulation

Another ability unique to Tzeentch is his specific control of the winds of magic. Indeed, so tied are his machinations to them that many buildings have unique effects when the winds of magic are particularly strong, increasing their capabilities. To this end, Tzeentch can reduce the winds of magic in one province where he has a settlement to increase it in another, at will.

As well as providing the aforementioned buffs to his buildings, this allows for armies with multiple spellcasters – that’s going to be quite a lot of your Tzeentch armies, believe it or not – to benefit heavily in terms of the power reserves available to them. It’s also worth noting that there have been some large changes made to the nature of the Winds of Magic and power reserves in battle, which we will detail soon. The upshot is that this ability should never be discounted to ensure victory.

Corruption, Unholy Manifestations and the Great Game

The Great Game never ceases between the Chaos Gods. It represents their endless attempts to one-up each other, the endless infighting of Chaos that ensures that even should they dominate the world, it is unlikely to ever know peace. Even the Gods that can stand each other rarely see eye-to-eye and alliances are rarer than a surprised Lord of Change.

Thus, it is represented in WARHAMMER 3 as which god is in the ascendant, powering up all their factions on the map. This is in the form of improvements to Unholy Manifestations – four free abilities available to every daemon faction, which are unlocked as that faction’s corruption spreads through the world. Yes, corruption is now split between general Chaos corruption and four types, one for each God. We’ll detail this system at another time, but what you need to know right now is that Unholy Manifestations unlock as more corruption for your god is spread across the land.

The upgraded versions have heavier effects – generating more of a resource or dealing more damage to an army, for example. Here’s the Unholy Manifestations for Tzeentch:

• Scriveners of Insanity
  • Unlocked from the start.
  • Allows a friendly army to generate a big batch of grimoires over the course of several turns. The army cannot move during this time, and must be in enemy territory.
• Mutagenic Energies
  • Requires 1500 global Tzeentch corruption.
  • Causes a target army to suffer attrition for a turn, regardless of situation or immunities.
• Magic Flare
  • Requires 3000 global Tzeentch corruption.
  • Increases the Range and Barrier hit points of all units in an army. Barrier is a special shield all Tzeentch units have – we’ll detail this further in the upcoming roster reveal.
• Night of Madness
  • Requires 6000 global Tzeentch corruption.
  • Target friendly army generates Tzeentch corruption and control (renamed from public order) loss in a province, as well as increasing the army’s Winds of Magic power reserve. It cannot move during these turns.

Cults

As well as the passive effects of high corruption, which are unique to each god and will be detailed down the line, Cults can form once a god is particularly dominant in a region. This cult becomes a foreign building slot, owned by you, that can construct unique buildings based on your dedicated god. Tzeentch’s options are:

• Sanctuary
  • Generates grimoires per turn.
• Repository
  • Generates more grimoires per turn but requires high winds of magic level.
• Sanctum 
  • Generates a decent amount of income but also requires high winds of magic level.
• Campus 
  • Destroys the cult but increases winds of magic here and in all adjacent to Tempestuous.

You probably don’t require the entire knowledge base of Tzeentch to understand the strategy here, but naturally it all depends on where your cults develop and what you’re in need of. Generating huge amounts of grimoires can be far more valuable than income, after all, particularly in the late game.

Teleportation

Unique to Tzeentch and unlocked through the tech tree, his armies can go into the Teleport stance. This costs Winds of Magic reserve power to adopt but is exceptionally powerful. Not only does it allow crossing of impassable terrain – say, mountain ranges, rivers, patrolled areas – but instantly triggers an ambush battle should you target an enemy army.

It’s a one-shot move, so you must re-adopt the stance if you wish to go again on the next turn but getting to ambush armies as you like can really swing a war your way. This level of power is why it is locked in the later game for Tzeentch, requiring various techs to unlock. Speaking of which…

Tech Tree for Tzeentch in Total War: Warhammer 3

Tzeentch’s tech tree is a bit more of a tech web, spreading out from a center point like the spider’s home. Nothing the Changer of Ways does is ever simple or straightforward. Each ‘area’ of the tree is unlocked by one of the central techs, and then has a couple of looping paths through it leading to a final tech. This means you’re rarely going to take the exact same path through the tree on two playthroughs unless you have an exact composition and plan in mind. It’s also worthy of study to find which pre-requisites might point you in specific directions.

It’s also worth noting that, along with the unique Changer of Ways techs you might unlock, there are several other areas that are uncommon or unique choices. Various techs will give spells to all your Lords of Change, letting you field an entire army of powerful, monstrous spellcasters even without filling your hero slots, and them becoming more powerful over the course of the game.

Finally, with knowledge so key to Tzeentch, he has an endless number of ways to increase research rate – including commandments, buildings, and more regular things like hero actions. With a dedicated plan you will blitz through the tech tree and be fielding cheap, effective, and devastating armies earlier than your opponents.

Tzeentch Magic in Total War Warhammer 3

Lets take a look at the few lores of magicka with the Tzeentch race in Total War Warhammer 3.

Lore of Tzeentch

• Blue Fire of Tzeentch (Magic Missiles)
  • With a twist of the hand, the spellcaster causes the bodies of their opponents to be consumed by coruscating blue flames.
  • Single-target magic-missile that applies the Warpflame! debuff, increasing fire damage received.
  • Overcast version deals increased armour-piercing damage.

• Pink Fire of Tzeentch (Breath)
  • A roiling tide of iridescent energy flows from the spellcaster, enveloping their enemies in a cone of searing magical flame.
  • Conal damage spell, inflicting the Warpflame! debuff.
  • Overcast version deals bonus damage.

• Treason of Tzeentch (Hex (Area))
  • The spellcaster whispers into the enemies’ minds, subtly stoking the fires of mistrust and treachery.
  • Lowers the leadership of all enemies affected in an area.
  • Overcast version also lowers melee attack.

• Glean Magic (Hex of the Winds)
  • Reaching into his enemy’s mind, the spellcaster steals their sorcery for his own diabolical use.
  • Increases your army’s power recharge speed and reserves pool, while decreasing the enemy’s.
  • Overcast version lasts longer.

• Tzeentch’s Firestorm (Vortex)
  • Blistering balls of scarlet flame emanate from the spellcaster to engulf the foe in deadly balefire.
  • Three pillars of flame move randomly around the target area, dealing damage and applying Warpflame!
  • Overcast version deals increased armour-piercing damage.

• Infernal Gateway (Vortex)
  • A portal to the Realm of Chaos opens, a magical tear in the mortal plane that sucks those nearby inside to face certain madness, if not their doom.
  • Massive, stationary area damage.
  • Overcast version deals increased armour-piercing damage.

Lore of Metal

Lets take a look at all the Lore of Metal spells.

• Final Transmutation
• Gehenna’s Golden Hounds
• Glittering Robe
• Plague of Rust
• Searing Doom
• Transmutation of Lead

Final Transmutation – Spell

The wizard unleashes a hail of magica energy, transmuting his foes into unliving golden statues.

• Direct Damage (Area)
• Causes damage to combatants
• Strong vs a single combatant
• 30 meter range
• 100 meter radius
• 8 seconds duration
• 54 seconds cooldown

Gehenna’s Golden Hounds – Spell

Blowing on a glimmering golden whistle, the Wizard summons the spirit of Gehenna’s metal bounds to hunt down his prey.

• Vortex
• 13 seconds duration
• 150 meter area, ground
• 45 seconds cooldown
• Causes major magical damage
• Medium, randomly moving area of effect
• Strong vs multiple units
• Weal vs a single combatant

Glittering Robe – Spell

The Alchemist conjures a guady cloak of shimmering scale to improve his allies defensive stance.

• Augment
• 44 seconds duration
• Target: Self or Ally
• 200 meter range
• Effect: +60 Armour

Plague of Rust – Spell

The enemy target’s armour begins to rust, disappearing in clouds of tiny flakes and weakening his defensive abilities.

• Hex
• 44 seconds duration
• Target: Enemy
• 200 meter range
• Effect: -30 Armour

Searing Doom – Spell

A spray of sizzling silver slivers rain from the sky to impale the caster’s enemy.

• Bombardement
• 9 seconds duration
• Ground target
• 200 meter range
• Causes moderate magical damage
• Medium strike area
• Strong vs a single unit
• Weak vs a single combatant

Transmutation of Lead – Spell

The enemies weapons become heavy, cumbersome, and almost impossible to wield in battle.

• Hex (Area)
• 38 seconds duration
• Ground enemey target
• 200 meters range
• 40 meter radius
• Effects: -30% Base Weapon Damage, -24 Melee Attack

Lore of Fire

Cascading Fire Cloak

A blazing aura surrounds the Pyromancer’s chosen ally, shielding them with protective flame and augmenting their abilities.

Fireball

The Wizard conjures a boiling ball of magical flame and hurls it at a nearby foe.

Flame Storm

Conjured by a Bright Wizard or Chaos Sorcerer, a column of churning fire erupts from the battlefield, causing much destruction!

Flaming Sword of Rhuin

The Wizard ensorcels allied weapons, making them burn with a savage fire. The targets of the spell are augmented with superior flaming blades.

Piercing Bolts of Burning

Focusing all his mystical might, the Pyromancer strikes the foe with a flurry of incandescent missiles.

The Burning Head

A cackling, flaming visage appears before the Wizard. With a gleeful screech, it swirls around the battlefield, immolating anything in its way.