Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin factions – best unique traits explained

Want to learn about all the factions in Realms of Ruin? The rebooted Mortal Realms setting in the Warhammer universe is home to all kinds of heroes and monsters.

Developer Frontier Developments did a great job of translating this lore into the video game format. With a rich livery editor, you can customize these units as you see fit as well. Read our Realms of Ruin review for a better understanding of the game’s mechanics. And if you want to play it with friends across platforms, read up on Realms of Ruin crossplay support options.

Meet the factions in Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin

There are four factions in Realms of Ruin: the Stormcast Eternals, Orruk Kruleboyz, Nighthaunt, and the Disciples Of Tzeentch. Each of them has a different approach to combat, complete with unique units and abilities. Despite that, these characters all fall into one of four categories: melee, shield, ranged, and hero. Melee beats armor, armor beats ranged, and ranged beats melee.

Each of them has their backstory and motivations for conflict. While the Stormcast Eternals are celestial warriors from heaven and are reborn repeatedly, the devious Orruk Kruleboyz and their underhand tactics couldn’t be any more different. While the campaign doesn’t give a lot of attention to the spectral procession of phantoms that is the Nighthaunt, they’re easily my favorite faction visually. The Disciples of Tzeentch are essentially a cult that devotes themselves to change through sorcerous rites. This grants them all sorts of magical powers.

Read on to learn more about each faction and what to expect from them.

The Stormcast Eternals are a balanced starting point in Warhammer Realms of Ruin

The game’s campaign kicks off by placing you in charge of these golden warriors. With solid offensive and defensive options, they fall squarely in the middle of the pack. But that doesn’t mean that their abilities are limited. Their hero unit, the Knight-Vexillor, bears a banner that can be used to heal and bolster troops on the frontlines. Remember to keep track of the combat triangle though. 

Sending a lone squad about is a certain way to lose them. Considering that Stormcast units are expensive, this can quickly tip the scales of battle against you. Rely on a mixture of units to ensure their survival. As for their elite units, flying Prosecutors and the flame-belching Stormdrake Guard can help you clear enemy forces.

Orruk Kruleboyz pack sneaky grunts and grisly Troggoths in Realms of Ruin

Built on treachery and deception, the Orruk Kruleboyz thrive on guerrilla warfare. The hero Killaboss has some solid offensive options, including an ability that knocks nearby units away. This works wonders when paired with their melee combatants who can raise their attack and lower that of their enemies. Their ranged options also bolster this effort, particularly the Beast-skewer Killbow that harpoons foes from a great distance.

While the Orruks aren’t exactly scrawny, they rely on large numbers more than the gold-clad Stormcast Eternals. But with the right abilities used at the right time, they are a menacing threat to anyone in the realm of Ghur. With surprise attacks and monstrous allies, their tactics are well worth mastering. It’s a good faction in Realms of Ruin for players who like to lure enemies into traps.

Disciples of Tzeentch command abominations and arcane spellcasters in Realms of Ruin

While the Flamers of Tzeentch can wipe out entire squads at will, there’s a lot more going on with this esoteric faction. With a primary focus on spellcasters and ranged units, weaken enemy forces before knocking them out with your glass cannons. Remember to keep a strong frontline of melee and shield units, though. The Horrors of Tzeentch are perhaps my favorite of this bizarre bunch. A decent ranged unit, these pink creatures split in two as they die, letting them keep up their barrage of unnatural fire. 

The flying Tzaangor Skyfires is another lethal option worth considering. With artillery-like range and the ability to sniff out invisible units, keep a couple of these flying demons by your side. The massive Lord of Change demon shimmers with raw magic and can summon an all-consuming gateway to Chaos. If you like throwing fireballs before a sword guts you, this is the faction to pick. Just remember that ranged units are terrible once they engage a melee squad in direct combat.

The Nighthaunt is a fog of armor, clothes, and hatred in Realms of Ruin

The Nighthaunt hit fast with their frail bodies and lowered squad costs. That’s probably because they’re just husks powered by regenerating ethereal bonds. This grants these weak units a regenerating shield that protects them from withering away too quickly. A second health bar makes them perfect for hit-and-run tactics and short skirmishes. But when things don’t look great, your units will fall like flies. While your squads may look bigger thanks to having more units, they’re weaker than those of the other factions. 

Your heroes are also built to enhance this endless crusade. With powerful healing options that keep your hordes up for longer, they’re crucial to win matches. Banshee units have an insatiable hunger for magic, letting them disable the abilities of enemy units. Awlrach the Drowner is a hero who perfectly encapsulates the run-and-gun tactics of the Nighthaunt. With a teleport ability, they can swiftly bolster your frontlines or flank enemies right in front of them.

✓ Antony’s annotation

In Realms of Ruin, the combat triangle is key

Keep units of all three types on the battlefield when you fight. While the traditional archers and sword/shield combo works, using an enemy’s weakness is the best way to succeed in Realms of Ruin.

Which faction is the best in Realms of Ruin

While all factions have been fairly balanced while retaining their unique flavour, the Stormcast Eternals are a good starting point for beginners. This is because their abilities tend to be straightforward. And with decent health pools, they won’t succumb easily like the Nighthaunt’s wraiths. Their heroes are also pretty capable of supporting the frontline, letting you take capture points to bolster your war effort.

That covers all the factions in Realms of Ruin. To learn if Realms of Ruin is on the PS5, check out our handy guide. With plenty of strategies to devise across its four factions, Realms of Ruin is a good entry point into the seemingly endless lore of the Warhammer universe.

FAQ

How many factions are there in Realms of Ruin?

There are four factions in Realms of Ruin.

Will there be more factions in Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin?

Expect new factions to arrive in future expansions.