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Embracing chaos is the best way to play Total War Warhammer 3, and it’s about to get even better. With new DLC Omens of Destruction right around the corner and a corresponding patch to match, we’re about to have a total of four more legendary lords join the masterful Warhammer strategy game in December. Two of those are allied to the side of Khorne, and developer Creative Assembly gives us a look at just what makes its mighty Skulltaker tick in an extensive new gameplay preview (here’s a hint: it’s skulls).
The Omens of Destruction release date has been confirmed for Thursday December 12, and it introduces three new legendary lords to one of the best Warhammer games, along with a range of additional units and upgrades for their respective factions. The Ogre Kingdoms get Golgfag Maneater. Gorbad Ironclaw joins the Orcs and Goblins. But 2024 has truly been the year of everyone’s favorite Blood God, Khorne, with his loyal hound already joining the strategy game for free and now being followed by his mighty champion – U’Zhul the Skulltaker.
As you might expect, Skulltaker’s play style in Total War Warhammer 3 revolves around the collection of craniums, with the strongest foes that fall by his sword added to his cloak, giving him extra power. In battle, he’s a powerful melee fighter, and on the campaign map he gets additional movement and double the line of sight – if Skulltaker wants to find you, he will. You’ll want to claim skulls to boost his ability, and to spend on your Skull Throne – a new tree offering ways to empower your other forces, replenish your troops, or even summon a Blood Host army.
As part of Khorne’s faction, Skulltaker adopts all his core tenets – expand, take over settlements, and sacrifice and raise its inhabitants in the name of the Blood God. Defeating lords – and legendary lords in particular – will earn U’zhul Champion Essence. As a duelist, he will stand alone before enemy fortresses, demanding someone face him one-on-one. After defeating them, he uses their skulls to unlock and upgrade bonuses on his ever-growing cloak.
When he gets strong enough, he can even teleport to enemy lords directly to give them a nasty surprise, or use the Blood God’s Shackles to lock down your unfortunate target. It promises to be a particularly satisfying way to approach your next Immortal Empires campaign. Rather than more generally expanding, Skulltaker is constantly on the hunt for particularly juicy-looking enemy champions, going out of his way to claim their heads for himself. To help him comes a range of new units.
The Bloodbeasts of Khorne are giant, ape-like creatures with armor-piercing melee attacks, the ability to charge in and roll over enemy troops with their sheer might, or to induce fear with their presence. The Khornegors are already fearsome warriors, but they can frenzy after taking enough damage to become even more terrifying. Assisting them further is the Blood Speaker, a buff-spreading unit capable of mounting to get around the battlefield quickly.
Perhaps the best new addition is the Slaughterbrute – a colossal, terror-inflicting monster “that has very little that can stop it in combat.” The Wrathmongers are also poised to be a fan favorite, with their signature Wrathflails that deal devastating sweeps of armor-piercing damage across wide swaths of enemy infantry. Skullreapers might have less armor than typical Chaos Warriors, but they’re devastating against infantry at a cost-effective price point.
Then you have Scyla Anfingrimm; this legendary hero only knows one thing – “Kill for Khorne!” – but he’s very good at it. Rounding out the list, for now, is Scarr Bloodwrath, a frontline melee expert pulled from the End Times lore who’s “very difficult to take down” thanks to his abilities in self-revival and healing.
That’s not even all that’s coming to Khorne with the next big update. Alongside the Omens of Destruction release, a free patch will introduce another free legendary lord, as Arbaal the Undefeated joins Total War Warhammer 3, bringing with him his chaotic crusade to fight the mightiest foes on the battlefield. Blood for the Blood God indeed.
U’Zhul the Skulltaker joins Total War Warhammer 3 as part of the Omens of Destruction DLC available from Thursday December 12. You’ll find it right here.
If you’d like something a little less skull-centric, take your tactical nous elsewhere with more of the best grand strategy games on PC right now, or perhaps the best turn-based strategy games instead.
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