Warhammer III Update 7.0 Power Rankings: The Ultimate Guide to the Biggest Winners & Losers of the New Meta
Update 7.0 has officially shaken the foundations of Total War: Warhammer III.
What should have been a routine balance pass instead landed like a tectonic shift — rewriting monster physics, redistributing economic power across multiple rosters, infusing long-ignored units with purpose, and even changing how the AI builds and fields its most elite armies.
This guide breaks down everything that matters right now, from the hardest-hitting buffs to the most punishing nerfs, all the way to the meta-defining changes that will decide who conquers Immortal Empires in the new era. Whether you’re a multiplayer duelist, a campaign grinder, or a returning player trying to understand why your dragons suddenly hit like falling moons, this is your full breakdown.
TL;DR — Update 7.0 in 15 Seconds
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Biggest Winners: Dark Elves, Kislev, Skaven
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Biggest Losers: Khorne, Ogres, Slaanesh
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Most Important Change: Massive rework of monster mass + reduced stagger → flying units commit harder and hit harder
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Campaign Impact: AI fields better late-game armies; doomstack snowballing slows
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Multiplayer Impact: Durable elites, cheaper swarm units, and slower cycle-charging reshape competitive list-building
⭐ The New Faction Power Rankings (Patch 7.0)
| Tier | Factions | Why They’re Here |
|---|---|---|
| S Tier | Dark Elves, Kislev | Monster mass buffs + elite durability + roster smoothing |
| A Tier | Lizardmen, Skaven | Better morale (Lizards) + cheaper cores (Skaven) = stable, strong starts |
| B Tier | Cathay, High Elves, Norsca | Indirect gains; consistent but not meta-defining |
| C Tier | Ogres, Slaanesh | Elite cost hikes slow down power spikes |
| D Tier | Khorne | Key nerfs weaken mainline army strategies |
The Biggest Winners of Update 7.0
🦂 Dark Elves — The Meta’s New Monster Masters
The Druchii walk away from Patch 7.0 with a clear identity:
fast, heavy, unstoppable monster pressure.
Black Dragons → Reborn as True Raid Bosses
The shift from 4000 → 5000 mass is one of the largest monster buffs in the patch.
What this means:
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They no longer get staggered by mid-tier missile fire.
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They land charges reliably into infantry blobs.
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Their dueling value skyrockets against other monsters and lords.
Combined with improved flight speed, Black Dragons are finally worth their slot.
Cold One Dread Knights → From Liability to Lethal
Once known for dying before delivering impact, now they:
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Hit harder
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Live longer
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Finally function as the premium hammer cavalry they were designed to be
Dark Elf players just gained a top-tier, low-micro monster-and-cav core.
🐻 Kislev — Resilience Perfected
Kislev always had identity; 7.0 finally gives it bite.
Elemental Bear → A Walking Late-Game Win Condition
Buffs to:
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HP
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Melee Attack
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Melee Defence
…transform the Bear into one of the best single-entity anchors in the game.
Cheaper Core Units → Better Early Economy
Kislevite Warriors were reduced in cost, allowing flexible, magic-supported midgame pushes.
Kislev goes from “solid but predictable” to “dangerously efficient.”
🐀 Skaven — The Horde That Scales Faster
The ratmen didn’t get stat buffs — they got economic accelerants.
Cheaper Stormvermin and Doomwheel Recruit Costs
Less cost = faster scaling = quicker access to:
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Weapons Teams
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Doom Flayers
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Plague magic
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End-game monsters
Skaven now hit their power spikes earlier without sacrificing bodies.
Strategic Winners: Lizardmen & Their Morale Revolution
The Dread Saurian class got a universal +5 leadership buff.
The impact is enormous:
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They stay in combat longer
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They don’t flee from artillery shock
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They duel better with fewer leadership breaks
This single change makes Lizardmen monster stacks a nightmare again.
Factions Adjusted by the Patch
Not every change is a nerf — but some require players to rethink their approach.
🔥 Khorne — Controlled Anger
Wrathmongers lost Melee Defence, reducing their role as an indestructible melee blender.
They’re still strong, but no longer “auto-include.”
🍖 Ogres — The Cost of Doing Business
Multiple elite units see increases to Recruitment Cost + Upkeep.
This delays the snowball and makes mid-tier Ogres feel weaker until their expensive top end arrives.
💜 Slaanesh — Elite But Expensive
Heartseekers and other high-tier cavalry now cost more to field.
This:
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Slows early snowballing
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Punishes all-cav doomstack builds
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Makes losses more expensive to replace
🔥 The Hidden Mega-Change: The Total Monster Mass Rework
The most powerful effect of Patch 7.0 isn’t even a damage number — it’s physics.
What Changed?
Flying monsters, mounted characters, and large single entities received huge mass buffs.
Practical Effects
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More Stable Charges: They can’t be knocked off course by arrows or small units.
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Reliable Impact: They break lines consistently.
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Less Cycle-Charging: Reduced turn speed makes “hover → turn → charge → repeat” harder.
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More Commitment: Monsters need decisive engagements, not skirmish behavior.
Example Mass Changes
| Unit | Old Mass | New Mass | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Dragon | 4000 | 5000 | Hard to stagger; perfect charge landings |
| Terrorgheist | ~3500 | ~4600 | Dangerous anti-infantry and monster duelist |
| Frost Wyrm | ~4000 | ~5200 | Smoother landings, more stable frostbite application |
| Star Dragon | 4500 | 5600 | Near-immune to stagger |
This is a meta-reshaping shift for all airborne factions.
🎯 Meta Predictions for Campaign & Multiplayer
Multiplayer
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Durable Elites Rise: Monsters stay longer in fights, rewarding commitment.
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Hybrid Cores Strengthen: Darkshards, Shades, and hybrid Skaven teams gain value.
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Cheap Rats & Soldiers Thrive: Cost cuts increase fieldable unit variety.
Campaign
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AI Armies Become More Dangerous: Better recruitment of elite units → better late-game battles.
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Early/Mid Game Smoother: Buffed mid-tiers prevent painful slow starts.
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Elite Doomstack Steamroll Slows: Cost hikes help balance campaign power curves.
⚔️ Sample Army Builds for Patch 7.0
Dark Elves (Multiplayer Core)
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1× Supreme Sorceress (Shadows)
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2× Black Dragons
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2× Cold One Dread Knights
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4× Darkshards
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2× Shades
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4× Dreadspears
Why it works: Heavy monster pressure + cost-efficient ranged + strong cav impact.
Kislev (Campaign Midgame Push)
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Elemental Bear
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2× Streltsi
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2× Winged Lancers
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4× Armored Kossars
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1× Frost Maiden (Ice)
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1× Patriarch
Why it works: Durable frontline + monstrous anchor + hybrid ranged/melee.
Skaven (Early Scaling Build)
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3–4× Clanrats
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2× Stormvermin (Cheaper now!)
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1× Doomwheel
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2× Jezzails
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1× Plague Priest
Why it works: Cheap bodies, fast scaling, early access to high-lethality units.
🗣️ Community Reactions at a Glance
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“Black Dragons finally feel like monsters.”
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“AI Lizardmen armies are suddenly terrifying.”
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“Flying units hit like trucks but turn like buses.”
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“Skaven economy is insane now.”
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“Khorne’s deathball isn’t as brainless anymore.”
These match the most upvoted threads across major community hubs.
❓ FAQ — What Players Are Searching For Right Now
Q: Is the flying monster meta dead?
A: Not dead — evolved. Flying monsters are now bruisers, not skirmishers.
Q: What’s the strongest faction after 7.0?
A: Dark Elves and Kislev are the top overall winners.
Q: Should I restart my campaign?
A: Yes for Dark Elves, Skaven, Kislev. Maybe for Lizardmen. Less necessary for Ogres/Slaanesh.
Q: Does AI actually use elite units now?
A: Yes — late-game armies are significantly stronger.
🧭 Final Verdict: Update 7.0 Is a Full Meta Reset
Patch 7.0 doesn’t elevate one faction above all others — it reshapes the fundamental physics of the game and gives long-ignored units a new lease on life.
This is a meta of:
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heavier monsters
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more dangerous AI armies
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cost-efficient cores
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slower doomstack snowballs
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more strategic decision-making
If you want to dominate multiplayer, crush Immortal Empires, or simply return to the game with a fresh perspective, understanding the changes of 7.0 is your new path to victory.
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