If you are choosing a campaign in Total War: Warhammer III’s Immortal Empires, this guide lets you compare the early-game difficulty of each Legendary Lord's starting position. You will be able to pick a forgiving or challenging campaign, see which factions handle pressure best, and avoid the common pitfalls that make some openings especially punishing.
Quick answer
| What | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hardest start | Boris Ursus |
| Easiest start | Changeling |
| Best beginner High Elf | Tyrion |
| Hardest Tzeentch start | Kairos Fateweaver |
| Hardest Tomb King start | Khalida |
| Hardest dwarf start | Belegar Ironhammer |
Choose a campaign that fits your tolerance for early pressure
This ranking focuses on how tough each Legendary Lord’s opening turns are in the Immortal Empires campaign. It does not measure faction strength or late-game power—some factions can grow terrifyingly strong, but their early game is still unforgiving and can punish mistakes harshly.
Starting positions surrounded by hostile enemies, weak early-game economies, or limited initial armies often lead to brutal campaigns. Even a faction with powerful units might be boxed in, forced to take tricky battles, or face multiple directions of attack before they stabilize.
The campaigns at the bottom end include Boris Ursus, Kairos Fateweaver, Khalida, and Belegar Ironhammer. These are considered the hardest, as their positions combine poor initial tools with heavy enemy pressure 0:53. The most forgiving openings include the Changeling, Archaon, Tyrion, and—in the context of Dwarfs—Grombrindal or Thorgrim, featuring strong starting positions and manageable nearby threats 26:28.
If you are new to the game or prefer a safer first campaign, the safest options are those with friendly neighbors, strong early rosters, and straightforward expansion paths. Avoid starts labelled 'brutal' unless you are comfortable with managing multiple fronts or aggressive maneuvers from turn one.
Use the safest openings for Wood Elves and Warriors of Chaos
Wood Elf campaigns are generally rated as easy or moderate, depending on defensibility and diplomacy. Sisters of Twilight get the 'easy' label due to their strong start, but Wood Elf settlements are inherently vulnerable. The lack of walls and weak garrisons mean that even smaller enemy armies pose a risk to isolated tree settlements, and borders will fragment as you expand. Going wide can easily mean stretched defense and punishing losses if you neglect a key tree.
Drycha and Durthu both sit in the moderate tier due to awkward diplomacy and limited resources. Both must fend off nearby dangerous legendary lords and manage vulnerable settlements, though their armies themselves are powerful. Orion also lands in moderate—his upkeep discount depends on maintaining many wars, a playstyle that can lead to pressure from several sides if not handled aggressively.
Among Warriors of Chaos, Belakor offers a flexible, forgiving start with several safe expansion routes; he gets the 'easy' ranking. Valkia and Festus are rated moderate and easy respectively, while Azazel is considered a hard start due to poor early economy and hostile neighbors. Vilitch is easier than Belakor because of his secure corner start, and Archaon is labelled 'too easy'—his campaign offers security and quick snowballing with little risk. When picking among Chaos lords, choose Belakor, Festus, or Archaon for the safest openings, and approach Azazel or Khorne with caution if you are new.
Know which Vampire and Skaven starts snowball early
Vampire Counts campaigns vary from forgiving to challenging, mostly depending on neighbors and economy. Vlad and Isabella start in Drakenhof with two settlements and manageable enemies, making this the easiest Vampire Counts opening. Helman Ghorst, Heinrich Kemmler, and Manfred are rated moderate, as their positions have grown tougher with recent patches and improved nearby factions. Ghorst in particular faces powerful Nurgle enemies, while Kemmler and Manfred must carefully manage diplomacy and economy.
The Vampire Coast ranks Aranessa, Cylostra and Noctilus as easy starts—especially Noctilus, whose Maelstrom settlement is rarely invaded. Luther Harkon is moderate due to powerful nearby enemies.
For Skaven, Ikit Claw is around 'easy' thanks to food economy and ambush tools, though some early enemies can be dangerous. Queek ranks easy because his enemies are manageable and his faction can farm food efficiently. Throt, Snikch, and Tretch range from moderate to hard, mainly due to vulnerable settlements, awkward diplomacy, and tough opponents like Chaos dwarfs and Greenskins. When looking for a safe undead or Skaven campaign, choose Vlad, Isabella, Ikit, or Queek; avoid Tretch unless you’re seeking a challenge.
Expect the roughest openings from Tzeentch, Nurgle, and Beastmen edge cases
The duality in Tzeentch campaigns is stark: Kairos Fateweaver is considered brutally hard due to a weak economy, bad early wars, and being outnumbered before he can stabilize. His opening position means he faces tough enemies like Teclis and Oxyotl almost immediately 24:03. By contrast, the Changeling is rated as the easiest campaign in the game, because cult mechanics are difficult to lose as long as discoverability remains low 26:28. Simply staying hidden and avoiding army wipes ensures prolonged stability.
Among Nurgle factions, Epidemius is hard: early Tzeentch enemies, poor economy, and momentum issues force awkward decisions. Tamurkhan is easy once you win the opening fight; Throgg is moderate after updates increased early pressure, and Wulfrik is easy. Malagor the Beastman is moderate, with a slow momentum build and an awkward starting position. Morghur, Taurox, and Khazrak are all easy, with Taurox’s start being singled out as one of the simplest Beastmen campaigns.
If you want a forgiving Chaos or Beastmen campaign, look for Changeling, Tamurkhan, Taurox, or Khazrak. Avoid Kairos, Epidemius, or Malagor unless you’re comfortable managing risky openings, poor recruiting, or awkward early wars.
Pick the safest Tomb King, Lizardmen, Cathay, and Bretonnian starts
Arkhan the Black is the safest Tomb King start: he begins with two armies and faces manageable threats. Khalida’s campaign is considered brutal—her position is poorly defended, surrounded by hostile factions, and vulnerable to early war declarations from multiple directions. Settra is moderate: despite strong faction tools, he is circled by legendary Lords and must expand carefully.
For Lizardmen, Oxyotl is easy, Gor-Rok is considered 'too easy', Tiktaq’to is moderate, Tehenhauin is easy, and Kroq-Gar is moderate. Oxyotl can teleport and avoid difficult conflicts, while Gor-Rok starts with powerful allies and easy early enemies. Tehenhauin and Kroq-Gar require more careful positioning and have less secure starting spots.
Cathay’s safest picks are Zhao Ming and Yuan Bo—both considered easy, with Yuan Bo rated 'too easy'. Miao Ying is moderate, primarily because Bastion settlements must be defended against repeated invasions from the north.
Bretonnian choices rank Repanse as easy, Louen as moderate, and the Fay Enchantress as hard. Repanse starts near allies and manageable enemies; Louen’s campaign can lead players to unintuitive early moves, but is otherwise forgiving. Fay Enchantress faces tough opponents on multiple sides and recruits slowly, making her opening far less forgiving.
When picking among these order-aligned races, Arkhan, Gor-Rok, Oxyotl, Yuan Bo, and Repanse are the safest starts. Khalida and Fay Enchantress are best left for experienced players comfortable with multiple hostile neighbors and spread-out early defenses.
Handle the Empire, Dwarfs, Greenskins, and Dark Elves by threat density
Empire campaigns vary sharply by threat density. Karl Franz is rated hard—he must deal with multiple immediate threats and cannot afford slow play. Early enemies pile on, and mismanagement can quickly lead to disaster. Markus Wulfhart is hard, Volkmar is moderate, Elspeth is easy, and Balthasar Gelt is easy thanks to overtuned mechanics and weak opponents.
Among Dwarfs, Thorgrim is easy and Grombrindal is moderate, while Belegar Ironhammer is considered borderline brutal due to a 50% upkeep penalty and constant pressure from Greenskins. Karak Kadrin and Azag are both hard; their starts demand careful response to strong nearby foes and make army management especially tricky.
Greenskin lords are spread across moderate, easy, and hard tiers: Grom the Paunch and Wurrzag are moderate, Grimgor Ironhide and Skarsnik are easy. Grimgor benefits from manageable fronts, while Skarsnik’s easy start comes from reliable early army options.
For the Dark Elves, Malekith and Hellebron are hard, Morathi is moderate, Rakarth is easy, Lokhir Fellheart is easy, and Malus Darkblade is hard. Difficulty generally rises with ambiguous expansion directions and multiple dangerous neighbors. Moderately isolated starts, like Rakarth’s or Lokhir’s, provide forgiving openings that don’t force immediate decisions.
Pick Elspeth, Gelt, Thorgrim, Grimgor, Skarsnik, Rakarth, or Lokhir for the safest campaigns. Avoid Belegar, Karl Franz, Malekith, Hellebron, or Malus if you want to avoid multiple-front wars and harsh economy penalties.
Account for the late additions differently from the main roster
Late or newly released Legendary Lords are separated in this tier list, as their difficulty rankings are more provisional and based on limited play or observed gameplay.
Gorbad Ironclaw is placed as easy—the opening looks similar to Skarsnik's and can snowball rapidly. However, some players find Gorbad’s campaign difficult because his region is crowded, and constant enemy pressure can quickly shift the campaign into hard territory.
Skulltaker and Arbaal the Undefeated are placed with provisional guesswork rather than in the main ranking, since their campaigns had not been played directly during the creation of the list. Skulltaker is judged likely to be powerful, and Arbaal is expected to offer a strong opening hampered mainly by mobility-based campaign risks.
These placements are meant as initial estimates. As patches and new factions arrive or more players run these campaigns, the rankings may shift to reflect practical difficulty more accurately. Always treat the newly released Lords as more dynamic entries, and check for updated guides when new content lands.
Also worth knowing
- Settra was confused with Khatep during faction placements. This mix-up became especially memorable for viewers, but the rankings should be interpreted as if Settra is correctly placed in moderate, while Khatep’s actual position is harder.
- Malakai’s campaign is not universally ‘easy’. Despite strong mechanics, many players find Malakai difficult due to territory spread and simultaneous attacks from multiple directions. Expect threats from north, west, east, and south, with slow response times to border emergencies.
- Gorbad’s campaign can be harder than labelled. Some players consider Gorbad’s opening difficult because he is surrounded by major threats and crowded regions, calling into question his placement in the easy tier.
- The prologue steers new players toward Kislev, a tough start for beginners. If you are new, be aware that Kislev’s campaigns (like Boris Ursus and Katarin) are significantly more punishing early on than most recommendations.
- Kairos Fateweaver’s opening can be made safer by rushing forced peace. This tactic lets you choose wars and lessen pressure, making the campaign less brutal than described if used effectively.
- This tier list is especially timely. A major patch and the launch of new factions may shift rankings soon, so treat these placements as current but expect future guides and updates.
Frequently asked
Which campaigns are easiest for a new player?
Tyrion, the Changeling, and Archaon are the safest starting points. They all begin with strong positions, weak nearby enemies, or both, so mistakes are less punishing in the opening turns. If you want something straightforward without constant border emergencies, those are the names to look at first.
Which campaigns are the most punishing early on?
Boris Ursus, Kairos Fateweaver, and Khalida are among the roughest openings. They are surrounded by hostile factions, have poor early tools, or face multiple directions of attack before the campaign can stabilize. Those starts punish slow expansion and bad early army placement.
Is a strong faction always an easy campaign?
No. Some factions are powerful but still difficult because their start position, economy, or nearby enemies force awkward early decisions. Scarbrand and Manfred are good examples of factions that can become terrifying later while still requiring careful early play.
Which lords are good first picks for each race?
Tyrion for High Elves, Archaon for Warriors of Chaos, Arkhan the Black for Tomb Kings, and Grombrindal or Thorgrim for Dwarfs are all solid choices. They combine strong faction tools with comparatively forgiving openings. For a tougher but still manageable pick, Katarin and Malakai sit in the middle rather than the bottom.
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