Thousand Sons 10th Edition Competitive Playbook

Thousand Sons 10th Edition Competitive Playbook
Master the arcane arts of the Sons of Magnus with our comprehensive strategic guide for the 2025 competitive season.
Introduction
Welcome to the Thousand Sons playbook for the 2025 competitive season. With the recent release of Codex: Thousand Sons for 10th Edition, the Sons of Magnus have undergone significant changes that reshape how they play on the tabletop. This comprehensive guide analyzes all aspects of the new codex and provides strategic insights based on the latest competitive analysis from top players and content creators.
The Thousand Sons have transitioned from a mono-build army centered around Magnus and Cabal Points to a more diverse faction with multiple viable playstyles. This playbook will help you navigate these changes and develop winning strategies for the current meta.
Diverse Playstyles
Multiple viable army builds beyond the previous Magnus-centered approach
New Ritual System
Flexible psychic mechanics replacing the previous Cabal Points system
Competitive Analysis
Strategic insights from top players for the current tournament meta
Core Army Mechanics
Psychic Mastery
Ritual casting and warp manipulation
Arcane Resilience
Durable infantry with invulnerable saves
Devastating Firepower
High AP weapons and mortal wound output
The Thousand Sons excel at psychic warfare, combining devastating ritual effects with durable infantry and powerful ranged attacks. Their core mechanics revolve around strategic positioning of psykers, managing risk with ritual casting, and leveraging specialized detachment abilities.
Cabal of Sorcerers (Army Rule)
The army rule replaces the Cabal Points system with ritual casting mechanics that echo previous editions' psychic phase. This provides greater flexibility while maintaining the army's psychic identity.
Destiny's Ruin
(WC 5/10+) - Select an enemy unit within 24" and reroll 1s to hit against it (or all hits on 10+)
Temporal Surge
(WC 6/10+) - Move a friendly unit D6" (or 6" on 10+)
Doombolt
(WC 7/11+) - Deal D3 mortal wounds to an enemy unit (or D3+3 on 11+)
Twist of Fate
(WC 9/12+) - Improve AP by 1 (or 2 on 12+) against a target unit
Ritual Mechanics:
Each ritual can be attempted once per shooting phase
Roll 2D6 to attempt (you can see the result before deciding to channel)
Can "Channel the Warp" by adding a third D6, but risk D3 mortal wounds on doubles/triples
If one psyker fails to cast a ritual, another can attempt it
Magnus can attempt two rituals per phase and gets +2 to casting
Strategic Ritual Considerations
Magnus + Mutalith Synergy
Magnus near a Mutalith Vortex Beast gets +3 to cast (+2 base, +1 from Mutalith), making high-value rituals very reliable
Arcane Focus Safety Net
The Arcane Focus stratagem allows rerolling all dice when channeling, providing a safety net
Wound Distribution
The unit takes the mortal wounds from channeling, not just the psyker model, allowing you to distribute wounds across a squad
This system rewards strategic placement of psykers and risk management. While potentially less reliable than Cabal Points, it can provide more powerful damage boosts when successfully cast, especially with the boosted effects.
Detachment Options
The codex features five distinct detachments, each supporting different playstyles:
Each detachment offers unique abilities and stratagems that support specific unit types and playstyles, allowing for diverse army building options.
Grand Coven Detachment
Psychic Firepower Focus
Enhances the army's psychic weapons with powerful bonuses
Bonus Selection
Choose between +6" range, +1 to wound, or Devastating Wounds for psychic weapons
Once Per Battle
Each buff can only be used once per battle (unlike the index version)
Character Support
Strong for Magnus and character-heavy lists
Key Stratagems:
Egotistical Power (1CP to give a single unit one of the detachment buffs)
Arcane Focus (reroll ritual dice)
Desecration of Worlds (sticky objective)
Notable enhancement: Eldrich Vortex of Alatariel (+1 strength and damage to bearer's psychic weapons)
Rubricae Phalanx Detachment
All is Dust
+1 to armor saves against damage 1 attacks
Infantry Focus
Excellent defensive detachment for Rubrics and Terminators
Tactical Flexibility
Key stratagems enable fall back, shoot and charge capabilities
Key Stratagems:
Ardent Automata (fall back, shoot and charge)
Infernal Fusillade (S5 bolters with psychic keyword)
Implacable Guardians (-1 damage)
Best enhancement: Risen Rubricae (infiltrate two units of Rubrics or one unit of Scarabs)
Warpforged Cabal Detachment
Vehicle Focus
Supports Vehicles and Sekhetar Robots
Reroll Benefits
Vehicles can reroll one hit, wound, AND damage roll when within 6" of a psyker
Explosion Risk
Vehicles explode on 5+ instead of 6+ if near a psyker
Mobile Support
Consider mobile psykers on discs to support the vehicles
Key Stratagems:
Cyberspirit Machinations (fall back and shoot/charge)
Ensorcelled Infusion (+1 to wound and psychic keyword for vehicles)
Great for Predators, Defilers, and Forgefiends
Warpmeld Pact Detachment
Warpmeld Sacrifice
Take D3 mortal wounds for -1 to be wounded (defensive) or +1 to wound (offensive)
Tzaangors gain Battleline and OC2
Key Stratagems:
Twisted Mirage (deep strike mutants at 6")
Warped Vicissitude (4+ invulnerable save for Tzaangors)
Touched by Tzeentch (advance, shoot and charge)
Extremely powerful for creating durable, mobile mutant units
Great for Mutaliths and large Tzaangor blobs
Changehost of Deceit Detachment
Defensive Synergy
Thousand Sons psyker units gain 4+ invulnerable save vs ranged when near daemons
Ritual Sharing
Daemons gain Cabal of Sorcerers ability when near Thousand Sons
Disruption Focus
Offers interesting disruption options through specialized stratagems
Key Stratagems:
Sulfurous Veil (-1 to hit)
Fractal Disjunction (cannot be targeted beyond 18")
Glimmer Shift Portal (return to reserves)
Somewhat niche compared to other detachments but offers interesting disruption options
Key Units Analysis
Core Infantry
Rubric Marines and Scarab Occult Terminators form the backbone of most armies
HQ Options
Magnus, Ahriman, and other powerful sorcerers provide crucial support
Specialist Units
Mutalith Vortex Beasts, Sekhetar Robots, and other unique units offer specialized capabilities
Vehicles
Rhinos, Predators, and Daemon Engines provide firepower and transport
Understanding the strengths and optimal uses of each unit type is crucial for building effective Thousand Sons armies.
Core Units
Rubric Marines
The backbone infantry of the Thousand Sons, these dust-filled automata provide reliable objective control and screening while contributing significant firepower with their inferno bolters or warpflamers.
Scarab Occult Terminators
Elite terminators with exceptional durability and firepower, these units excel at holding key positions and delivering devastating attacks with their combi-bolters and psychic powers.
These core infantry units form the foundation of most Thousand Sons armies, providing reliable objective control and combat effectiveness.
Rubric Marines
Primary Tactical Roles:
Objective Control
Durable presence for holding key positions
Screening
Protect valuable units from enemy attacks
Ritual Casting
Aspiring Sorcerers provide psychic support
Loadout considerations: Bolter squads now much more viable with AP-2; flamers still strong in many matchups
Scarab Occult Terminators
Key Stats
Points: 180 pts/5, 375 pts/10
Always -1 to wound while containing a psyker
AP-2 combi-bolters
Tactical Considerations
Incredibly durable when stacked with detachment abilities
Best used with Terminator Sorcerer with Lord of the Rubricae enhancement
Excellent candidates for Risen Rubricae enhancement in Rubricae Phalanx
Scarab Occult Terminators represent the elite infantry of the Thousand Sons, combining exceptional durability with devastating firepower. Their improved AP-2 combi-bolters make them effective against a wide range of targets, while their inherent -1 to wound ability makes them incredibly resilient.
HQ Options
Magnus the Red
Primarch of the Thousand Sons, powerful psyker with devastating attacks and ritual casting abilities
Ahriman
Legendary sorcerer with redeployment abilities and enhanced psychic powers
Infernal Master
Specialist in manipulating dice rolls and providing sustained hits
Exalted Sorcerer
Versatile leader providing invulnerable saves and model revival abilities
Daemon Prince
Powerful combat character with devastating wounds and specialized abilities
The Thousand Sons feature a diverse array of HQ options, each providing unique abilities and synergies to support different playstyles and army compositions.
Magnus the Red
420
Points Cost
Down from 465 in the previous index
S11
Gaze of Magnus
Increased from S9 previously
+2
Psychic Bonus
Bonus to psychic tests
Key Changes:
Lost +1 hit/wound aura, gained +2 to psychic tests and ability to cast two rituals
Gaze of Magnus increased to S11 (from S9), sweep attack now damage 2
Still incredibly potent but less of an auto-include than before
Best used in Grand Coven detachment with Mutalith Vortex Beast nearby
Ahriman
Key Stats
Points: 100 pts (down from 140)
Now only available on Disc of Tzeentch
Lost +1 wound aura from previous version
Current Abilities:
Can redeploy 3 units
+1 to psychic tests
Less essential than in the index version but still valuable for redeployment tricks
Pairs well with infiltrating units like Sekhetar Robots
Ahriman remains one of the most iconic characters in the Thousand Sons roster, offering powerful psychic abilities and strategic redeployment options. While his role has changed somewhat from the index version, his ability to redeploy three units provides exceptional tactical flexibility during deployment.
Infernal Master
Dice Manipulation
Can flip one dice to a 6 each turn
Sustained Hits
Provides sustained hits 1 for his unit
Value Proposition
Still excellent and commonly taken at 85 pts (down from 105)
Enhancement Synergy
Compatible with Eldrich Vortex of Alatariel enhancement for extra damage
The Infernal Master provides exceptional utility through his dice manipulation abilities, making him a valuable addition to most Thousand Sons armies. His ability to flip one dice to a 6 each turn can be crucial for ensuring successful ritual casts or key attack rolls.
Exalted Sorcerer
Key Stats
Points: 80 pts/100 pts on Disc (down from 110/125)
4+ invulnerable save to attached unit
Can revive Rubric Marine models on 2+
Disc Version Benefits:
Provides lone operative 18"
-2" move/charge penalty to nearby enemies
Can join Tzaangor Enlightened units
Exalted Sorcerers serve as versatile HQ options that can be tailored to different roles within your army. The standard version excels at supporting Rubric Marine units with its revival ability, while the Disc variant offers greater mobility and enemy disruption capabilities.
Daemon Prince
Foot Version (180 pts)
Stealth aura for infantry
Lone operative near infantry
Gained devastating wounds on melee attacks
Winged Version (170 pts)
Character hunting abilities
6" deep strike capability
Sustained D3 on shooting
Much more viable than before
Specialist Units
Mutalith Vortex Beast
Powerful support monster with psychic enhancement abilities
Sekhetar Robots
New infiltrating units with heavy firepower and board control
Tzaangor Enlightened
Mobile skirmishers with deadly precision attacks
Thousand Sons Rhino
Enhanced transport with powerful offensive buffs
Specialist units provide unique capabilities that complement the core infantry and HQ choices, offering additional tactical options and synergies for Thousand Sons armies.
Mutalith Vortex Beast
Key Stats
Points: 160 pts (down from 165)
Multiple ranged profiles, all improved
Warp beam extended to 36" range
Key Abilities:
+1 to psychic tests for nearby units when channeling the warp
Excellent combination with Warpmeld Pact detachment for -1 to be wounded
One of the most point-efficient units in the book
The Mutalith Vortex Beast has emerged as one of the standout units in the new codex, offering exceptional value for its points cost. Its ability to enhance nearby psykers' ritual casting makes it an excellent support piece for Magnus and other key psykers, while its improved ranged attacks allow it to contribute significant damage output.
Sekhetar Robots
New Unit
Points: 90 pts/2, 180 pts/4
Infiltrate and Stealth
Deploy forward and gain defensive benefits
Weapon Options
Heavy warp flamers (S5 AP-2 D1) and hellfire missile racks (S10 AP-2 D3)
Defensive Abilities
Free overwatch or heroic intervention once per battle round
Additional options include melta guns or power claws with projectors. They hit on 4s, limiting their offensive output, but excel at midboard control and screening. Their infiltrate ability makes them excellent for early objective control and zone denial.
Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows
Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows have received significant improvements in the new codex, making them excellent mobile skirmishers. Their reactive movement ability allows them to reposition in response to enemy movements, while their improved shooting attacks make them effective at picking off characters and other high-value targets.
Thousand Sons Rhino
Transport Capacity
Carries up to 10 infantry models, providing mobility and protection
Targeting Synergy
Units disembarking get +1 to hit and wound if targeting the same unit the Rhino shot at
Tactical Application
Extremely effective delivery system for bolter or flamer squads
At just 90 points, the Thousand Sons Rhino has become one of the best transports in the game. Its unique ability to grant +1 to hit and wound for disembarking units makes it an exceptional delivery system for Rubric Marines, allowing them to emerge from the transport and immediately apply devastating firepower to a designated target.
Tactical Approaches
Infantry-Focused
Rubricae Phalanx detachment with durable Rubrics and Terminators
Mutant-Focused
Warpmeld Pact detachment with Mutaliths and Tzaangors
Vehicle-Focused
Warpforged Cabal detachment with heavy tanks and daemon engines
The new codex supports multiple viable tactical approaches, each leveraging different detachment abilities and unit synergies. These approaches can be mixed and matched to create hybrid strategies that capitalize on the strengths of different unit types while addressing specific meta challenges.
Infantry-Focused Approach (Rubricae Phalanx)
Core Strategy:
1
Build Around Durability
Focus on durable Rubric Marines and Scarab Occult Terminators
Forward Deployment
Use Risen Rubricae to infiltrate a unit of Scarabs or two units of Rubrics into midfield positions
Psychic Support
Support with multiple sorcerers providing psychic rituals
Key Synergies:
Scarab Occult Terminators with Lord of the Rubricae enhancement hitting on 2+
Rhino transport with disembarking Rubrics gaining +1 to hit/wound
All is Dust combined with cover saves for 2+ saves against damage 1 weapons
Ardent Automata allowing fall back, shoot, and charge
Infantry-Focused Sample Core (750pts)
10x Scarab Occult Terminators
With Terminator Sorcerer (Lord of the Rubricae)
5x Scarab Occult Terminators
With Risen Rubricae enhancement
Sorcerer
With Stave Abominus
Exalted Sorcerer
For psychic support and invulnerable save aura
Rhino transport
For mobility and offensive buffs
This 750-point core forms the foundation of an infantry-focused Thousand Sons army, leveraging the durability and firepower of Scarab Occult Terminators supported by key HQ choices. The Risen Rubricae enhancement allows for forward deployment of a Terminator unit, while the Rhino provides mobility and offensive buffs for additional units.
Mutant-Focused Approach (Warpmeld Pact)
Core Strategy:
Mutalith Centerpieces
Utilize multiple Mutalith Vortex Beasts as centerpieces
Mobile Support
Support with Tzaangor Enlightened for mobility and sniping
Board Control
Use Tzaangors and Spawn for objective play and board control
4
Midboard Presence
Create an extremely resilient midboard presence
Key Synergies:
Mutalith Vortex Beasts with Warpmeld Sacrifice for -1 to wound
Tzaangors with Warped Vicissitude for 4+ invulnerable save, -1 to hit (Diamond of Distortion), and -1 to wound
Twisted Mirage for deep striking Tzaangors 6" from enemy lines, then using Temporal Surge
Gift of Change to convert dead characters into Spawn
Vehicle-Focused Approach (Warpforged Cabal)
Core Strategy:
Heavy Firepower
Field multiple heavy tanks and daemon engines with rerolls from nearby psykers
Use Ensorcelled Infusion for +1 to wound on vehicles
Deploy Sekhetar Robots for infiltration and objective play
Key Synergies:
Predator Annihilators with rerolls and Ensorcelled Infusion
Defilers with fall back and shoot/charge capability
Mobile psykers with Warp Syphon to enable safer ritual casting
Perplexing Cloak on a Terminator Sorcerer for lone operative
Sample 750pt Core:
2x Defilers
1x Predator Annihilator
1x Forgefiend
Terminator Sorcerer (Perplexing Cloak)
2x Tzaangor Shaman
2x Sekhetar Robots
Strategic Considerations
Secondary Objectives
Warp Ritual
Ideal for Thousand Sons given their abundance of psykers
Deploy Teleport Homers
Good for mobile units like Enlightened or Spawn
Investigate Signal
Great for Tzaangor units with Scout
Retrieve Nephilim Data
Suitable for mobile characters and infiltrators
Detachment-Specific Secondaries:
Rubricae Phalanx: Defend Stronghold, Storm the Stronghold (leverage durability)
Warpmeld Pact: Engage on All Fronts, Retrieve Nephilim Data (leverage mobility)
Warpforged Cabal: Storm the Stronghold, Direct Assault (leverage firepower)
Favorable Matchups
Space Marines
Your AP-2/AP-3 weapons cut through their armor, making Rubric Marines and Scarab Occult Terminators particularly effective. The high AP of your inferno bolters negates much of their armor save advantage, while your psychic powers can bypass their defensive abilities.
Tyranids
Your army offers a good mixture of anti-horde and anti-monster capabilities. Warpflamers excel against Tyranid swarms, while your high-strength weapons from Mutaliths and vehicles can effectively target their monsters. Mortal wound output from psychic rituals bypasses their toughness.
Aeldari
Your durable infantry can weather their damage output, while your AP-2 weapons cut through their armor saves. The Aeldari's reliance on mobility is countered by your ability to control the board with durable units and forward deployment options. Their relatively low toughness makes them vulnerable to your firepower.
Challenging Matchups
Death Guard
Can weather mortal wounds and -1 damage hurts your efficiency. Their high toughness and damage reduction abilities make them resilient against your attacks, while their disease mechanics can threaten your expensive units.
Adeptus Mechanicus
Mass invulnerable saves limit your AP advantage. Their ability to ignore AP with invulnerable saves negates much of your weapons' strength, while their high volume of fire can threaten your expensive units.
Grey Knights
Strong anti-psyker abilities can disrupt your game plan. Their ability to deny psychic powers and deal additional damage to psykers directly counters your army's strengths, making ritual casting more difficult.
When facing these challenging matchups, focus on leveraging your mobility and board control to secure objectives rather than trying to directly outfight their strengths. Adapt your secondary objective selections to maximize scoring potential against these specific armies.
Command Point Management
Thousand Sons lack CP generation beyond Kairos Fateweaver in the Changehost detachment, so careful CP management is essential:
Prioritize stratagems that provide the most consistent value, such as Arcane Focus for reliable ritual casting and sticky objective stratagems for scoring. Save CP for emergency situations like Destined by Fate to protect key characters.
Priority Stratagems
Arcane Focus (1 CP)
Reroll a psychic test including the channeled die. Essential for ensuring critical rituals succeed, particularly high-value ones like Twist of Fate or Doombolt when you need the enhanced effect.
Desecration of Worlds/Mutate Landscape (1 CP)
Sticky objectives are always valuable for securing scoring positions. These stratagems allow you to maintain control of objectives even when outnumbered, which is crucial for primary scoring.
Warped Vicissitude (1 CP)
4+ invulnerable save for Tzaangors transforms them from fragile chaff into surprisingly durable objective holders, especially when combined with other defensive buffs from the Warpmeld Pact.
Ensorcelled Infusion (1 CP)
+1 to wound for a vehicle significantly increases damage output, particularly for high-strength weapons targeting tough enemies. Essential for vehicle-focused lists.
Ardent Automata (1 CP)
Fall back, shoot and charge for Rubricae units provides exceptional tactical flexibility, allowing your durable infantry to escape combat and still contribute offensively.
Key Combos and Synergies
Magnus Optimization
Position near Mutalith for +3 casting
2
2
Terminator Death Star
10 Scarabs with Lord of the Rubricae
Tzaangor Alpha Strike
Scout + Temporal Surge + Twisted Mirage
Jail Strategy
Create impenetrable Tzaangor screens
The Thousand Sons excel when their units work in concert, creating powerful synergistic combinations that amplify their individual strengths. Understanding and executing these key combos is essential for maximizing the army's potential on the battlefield.
Magnus Optimization
Positioning
Position within 6" of a Mutalith for +3 casting (+2 base, +1 from Mutalith)
Detachment Bonus
Use the Grand Coven's Kindred Sorcery rule for +1 to wound or devastating wounds
Ritual Application
Apply Twist of Fate to a target before firing his powerful psychic weapons
Magnus the Red remains one of the most powerful units in the Thousand Sons arsenal, but requires careful positioning and support to maximize his effectiveness. By positioning him near a Mutalith Vortex Beast, you can achieve a +3 bonus to his psychic tests, making even the most challenging rituals highly reliable.
The Grand Coven detachment allows you to enhance his already formidable psychic weapons with additional bonuses, while the Twist of Fate ritual can further improve his damage output against high-value targets.
Terminator Death Star
Core Formation
10 Scarab Occult Terminators + Terminator Sorcerer with Lord of the Rubricae
Positioning
Apply Temporal Surge to position optimally
Weapon Enhancement
Use Infernal Fusillade to make bolters S5 psychic weapons
Transport Synergy
Pair with a Rhino for +1 to hit/wound after disembarking
5
Defensive Layering
Apply All is Dust and Implacable Guardians for maximum durability
This powerful combination creates an incredibly durable and offensively potent unit that can anchor your battle line while delivering devastating firepower. The Lord of the Rubricae enhancement ensures consistent hitting power, while multiple defensive layers make the unit extremely difficult to remove from the battlefield.
Tzaangor Alpha Strike
Scout Movement
20 Tzaangors with Scout 6" followed by Temporal Surge
Deep Strike
Deep strike a second unit using Twisted Mirage at 6" away
3
Defensive Buffs
Apply Warped Vicissitude for 4+ invulnerable saves
Damage Reduction
Use Warpmeld Sacrifice for -1 to be wounded
Additional enhancements:
Apply Diamond of Distortion for -1 to hit
Use 6" pile in and consolidate with Deranged Ferocity
This aggressive strategy allows you to rapidly project force across the battlefield, threatening enemy positions from the first turn. The combination of multiple defensive buffs makes your Tzaangors surprisingly resilient, while their mobility and combat potential make them a serious threat that opponents cannot ignore.
Jail Strategy (Warpmeld Pact)
Forward Movement
Scout Tzaangors 6" forward
Reinforcement
Deep strike another unit 6" from enemy lines using Twisted Mirage
Additional Movement
Cast Temporal Surge for additional 6" movement
Defensive Screen
Create a 20-man screen with -1 to hit, -1 to wound, and 4+ invulnerable save
This strategy creates an extremely difficult-to-remove screen that can effectively "jail" enemy units, preventing them from accessing objectives or threatening your key units. The combination of multiple defensive buffs makes your Tzaangors surprisingly resilient, requiring a significant commitment of resources to remove.
The screen is extremely difficult to remove and can tie up enemy forces for multiple turns, buying time for your more powerful units to secure objectives and apply pressure elsewhere on the battlefield.
Tournament List Examples
Rubricae Phalanx
Infantry-focused list leveraging the durability of Rubric Marines and Scarab Occult Terminators with psychic support.
Warpmeld Pact
Mutant-focused list centered around Mutalith Vortex Beasts and Tzaangors for board control and resilience.
Warpforged Cabal
Vehicle-focused list utilizing heavy tanks and daemon engines with psychic support for maximum firepower.
These example lists demonstrate different approaches to building competitive Thousand Sons armies, each leveraging the unique strengths of their respective detachments and unit combinations.
Rubricae Phalanx - 2000pts
HQ
Sorcerer in Terminator Armor (100pts) - Lord of the Rubricae
Sorcerer in Terminator Armor (115pts) - Risen Rubricae
Infernal Master (85pts)
Exalted Sorcerer (80pts)
Exalted Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch (100pts)
Troops
5x Rubric Marines (100pts) - Warpflame Pistol, Icon of Flame, Soulreaper Cannon, 3x Inferno Bolter
5x Rubric Marines (100pts) - Warpflame Pistol, Icon of Flame, Soulreaper Cannon, 3x Inferno Bolter
10x Rubric Marines (190pts) - Warpflame Pistol, Icon of Flame, Soulreaper Cannon, 8x Warpflamer
Transport
Chaos Rhino (90pts)
Elite/Heavy Support
10x Scarab Occult Terminators (375pts)
5x Scarab Occult Terminators (180pts)
5x Scarab Occult Terminators (180pts)
6x Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (80pts)
Mutalith Vortex Beast (160pts)
2x Chaos Spawn (65pts)
Warpmeld Pact - 2000pts
HQ
Magnus the Red (420pts)
Tzaangor Shaman (55pts) - Diamond of Distortion
Tzaangor Shaman (55pts) - Warpmeld Dagger
Tzaangor Shaman (55pts) - Flowing Flesh
Exalted Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch (100pts)
Troops
20x Tzaangors (160pts)
10x Tzaangors (70pts)
10x Tzaangors (70pts)
Elite/Fast Attack/Heavy Support
3x Mutalith Vortex Beast (480pts)
6x Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (80pts)
6x Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (80pts)
6x Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (80pts)
2x Chaos Spawn (65pts)
2x Chaos Spawn (65pts)
2x Chaos Spawn (65pts)
Warpforged Cabal - 2000pts
HQ
Exalted Sorcerer on Disc (110pts) - Warp-cursed Runemaster
Sorcerer in Terminator Armor (105pts) - Perplexing Cloak
Tzaangor Shaman (60pts) - Warp Syphon
Tzaangor Shaman (55pts)
Tzaangor Shaman (55pts)
Infernal Master (85pts)
Infernal Master (85pts)
Elite/Fast Attack/Heavy Support
Chaos Rhino (90pts)
3x Forgefiend (420pts)
3x Defiler (495pts) - Scourge, Twin Lascannon
1x Chaos Vindicator (185pts)
3x Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (150pts)
2x Sekhetar Robots (90pts)
1x 10 Tzaangors (70pts)
Conclusion
The 10th Edition Thousand Sons codex offers significantly more diversity in playstyle than its predecessor. While no longer reliant on Magnus and Cabal points, the army retains its psychic identity while adding significant tactical flexibility. The multiple viable detachments encourage experimentation, and point decreases across many units enable more diverse list building.
Warpmeld Pact Strength
The new Warpmeld Pact has emerged as potentially one of the strongest detachments in the codex, offering incredible board control and durability through its mutant units.
Rubricae Durability
The Rubricae Phalanx provides excellent durability for your core infantry, while the Warpforged Cabal offers a surprisingly effective vehicle-focused approach.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Your strengths lie in durable infantry, reliable damage output through multiple avenues, and exceptional board control. Weaknesses include CP management, vulnerability to anti-psyker tech, and some reliance on successful ritual casting.
Just as planned.
Expert Analysis
Competitive Positioning
According to top players and content creators, the Thousand Sons codex is positioned as a strong A-tier or potentially S-tier army in the current meta. The removal of Cabal points has freed the army from its previous mono-build approach, while the new ritual system maintains its psychic identity.
Detachment Evaluation
Several content creators have highlighted the Warpmeld Pact detachment as potentially the strongest option, offering incredible durability and board control through its mutant units, particularly when using the "jail" strategy with Tzaangors and the Twisted Mirage stratagem.
Playstyle Options
The Rubricae Phalanx is seen as an excellent option for more traditional Thousand Sons players, while the Warpforged Cabal offers a surprisingly effective vehicle-focused approach that wasn't viable in previous editions.
Unit Highlights
The reduced reliance on Magnus is seen as a positive change, making him a strong option rather than an auto-include, while the improved Mutalith Vortex Beast has become one of the most efficient units in the army.
Additional Resources
Codex: Thousand Sons
The official rulebook containing all unit profiles, detachment rules, and stratagems
Battle Reports
Watch top players demonstrate Thousand Sons strategies in competitive games
Painting Guides
Learn how to paint your Thousand Sons with various color schemes and techniques
Community Forums
Join discussions with other Thousand Sons players to share tactics and list ideas
Continue your journey with the Sons of Magnus by exploring these additional resources. Stay updated on the latest tournament results and meta shifts to adapt your strategies accordingly. Remember that the true power of the Thousand Sons lies in adaptation and surprise—fitting for followers of Tzeentch.