High Elf Politics Guide (Patch 7.0): Influence, Patronage & Power in Total War: Warhammer III

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High Elf campaigns in Total War: Warhammer III have always been about elegance, precision, and a touch of smug superiority — but Patch 7.0 has pushed their political mastery to a new level. While Greenskins Waaagh with brute force and Chaos consumes the world in flame, the Asur win through carefully placed influence, perfectly timed diplomacy, and a court filled with impeccably bred leaders.

With the upgraded Influence system and the brand-new Patronage mechanic reshaping how Ulthuan functions, High Elf politics have transformed from a supporting feature into the core of a dominant campaign. This guide breaks down everything—from early political snowballing to Ulthuan unification—so you can build an empire that wins wars before the first arrow is loosed.

⭐ Quick-Glance Cheatsheet 

High Elf Politics Summary (Patch 7.0)

  • Best Early Influence Spend: Entrepreneur Noble + Resistant Lord

  • Best Patronage Provinces: Saphery → Magic / Caledor → Dragons / Tiranoc → Growth & Economy

  • Fastest Confederation Path: Patronage → Influence dumps → Join defensive wars

  • Late-Game Power Core: Court trait optimization + strategic governors

  • Campaign Goal: Become Supreme Patron of Ulthuan without a civil war

Chapter 1: The Twin Pillars of Power — Influence & Patronage Decoded

➤ Influence: Your Political Currency

Influence is the High Elf version of raw political muscle: reputation, diplomatic leverage, and aristocratic clout rolled into one. Generated through missions, diplomacy, successful battles, rites, and certain traits, Influence is the most valuable resource in your entire campaign.

Top 3 Uses of Influence (Ranked)

🥇 1. Recruiting Perfect Lords & Heroes (The Court Crafting Meta)

High Elf Politics Guide (Patch 7.0): Total War: Warhammer III

The real High Elf power spike comes from stacking elite traits:

  • Entrepreneur (Noble) → Massive economic acceleration

  • Fecund (Mage/Lord) → Province-wide growth boost

  • Resistant (Lords) → Physical resistance + tank builds

  • Incorruptible (Late-game Lords) → Chaos corruption counter

  • Martial Master / Martial Prowess Traits → Combat-focused generals

These traits are not random luck — Influence lets you force optimal rolls every time.

🥈 2. Influence-Weighted Diplomacy

Influence lets you reshape the diplomatic map:

  • Turn neutral High Elves into loyal allies

  • Prevent Dark Elves from rallying against you

  • Secure safe borders early

  • Push empire/dwarf allies into tighter coalitions

  • Force weaker neighbors to accept treaties

Used well, this collapses your warfront to a single direction.

🥉 3. Permanent Trait Imprints

Certain events, dilemmas, and court actions allow Influence to permanently upgrade characters. It’s expensive but extremely powerful in the late game.

➤ Patronage: Patch 7.0’s New Political Powerhouse

Patch 7.0’s Patronage system officially turns Ulthuan into a political battleground.

How Patronage Works (Simplified)

  • Spend a large amount of Influence

  • Become Patron of a High Elf province

  • Province must be owned by another High Elf faction

  • You gain unique province bonuses

  • You massively improve relations with the owner

Why Patronage is Meta-Defining

✔ 1. You Get Huge Bonuses Without Owning the Territory

Examples:

  • Caledor: Dragon upkeep/recruitment buffs

  • Saphery: Spellcasting, magic economy, Wizard cost reduction

  • Tiranoc: Growth, movement, and economic benefits

✔ 2. Safe, Bloodless Path to Confederation

Influence + Patronage =
You absorb entire factions without fighting them.

✔ 3. Diaspora Factions Can Finally Play “High Elf Politics”

Teclis in Lustria, Imrik in the Dark Lands, or Alarielle fighting Daemons can all meaningfully interact with Ulthuan.

⭐ Best Patronage Provinces (Ranked by Value)

  1. Saphery – Best for magic-focused factions; Archmage-dominant play

  2. Caledor – Monster recruitment powerhouse

  3. Tiranoc – Early-game economic snowballing

  4. Eataine – Diplomatic dominance + trade power

  5. Cothique – Mobility and naval advantages

  6. Avelorn – Anti-Chaos synergy, best for Alarielle campaigns

Chapter 2: The Phased Path to Political Dominance

Phase 1 – Establishing Your Base (Turns 1–30)

Key Priorities:

  • Full control of your starting province

  • Recruit an Entrepreneur Noble ASAP

  • Begin your Influence snowball

  • Secure NAPs with neighbors

  • Expand trade routes

NEW TIP (High Impact):

Use a “Diplomatic Cone” Strategy
Secure your inner circle (High Elves) → then humans/dwarfs → ignore/prepare for Dark Elves.

Phase 2 – Expanding Political Reach (Turns 30–80)

Goals:

  • First Patronage claim

  • Trait-minmaxed generals

  • First major alliance

  • Start shaping the world stage

NEW ADDITION:

Which Patronage to Take First?

  • Magic faction? Take Saphery.

  • Monster/Dragon focus? Caledor.

  • Wealth scaling / wide empire? Tiranoc.

Phase 3 – Unification & Domination (Turn 80+)

At this stage, you're not just playing the campaign… you're playing the High Elf endgame fantasy.

Objectives:

  • Become Patron of multiple provinces

  • Confederation snowball using diplomacy bonuses

  • Plug optimized heroes into every province

  • Build elite, trait-perfect armies

NEW SUBSECTION: The Supreme Court Setup (Endgame Optimization)

  • Every army leader = Resistant or Martial Mastery

  • Every growth province = Fecund mage governor

  • Every port city = Entrepreneur Noble

  • Every corruption-exposed front = Incorruptible Lord

This creates unstoppable stability even in Chaos realms.

Chapter 3: Master-Level Strategies & Pitfalls to Avoid

✔ Use a Schemer Noble for Infinite Influence Farming

A max-rank Schemer can produce 5–10 Influence per turn.

✔ Patronage ≠ Ownership

Let the AI level their province for you — then confederate and claim it instantly.

✔ Know the Trait Hierarchy

Not all traits matter—prioritize the ones with long-term impact.

✔ Dark Elves are Diplomatically Hopeless

Do not waste Influence on them. Ever. Not even on Malekith.

Conclusion: Political Victory, Asur Style

High Elf politics in Patch 7.0 turn Influence and Patronage into weapons more decisive than dragons or Everqueen magic. Master them, and your campaign becomes a carefully orchestrated symphony of alliances, confederations, and elite character builds.

Your empire will stand not because your armies are largest—but because your political web is unbreakable.

The Asur don’t win by force.

They win because they control the board before anyone realizes the game even started.   

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