The Daughters of Khaine are an Age of Sigmar army of fanatical aelf warrior-priestesses devoted to Khaine, the aelven god of murder, and to Morathi-Khaine, the Shadow Queen who leads their cult. They fight in near-naked frenzy with blades and whips, backed by serpentine Melusai, airborne Khinerai and towering bloodthirsty heroes.
On the tabletop they are a fast, aggressive melee army that trades durability for speed and killing power. This guide covers who they are, how the army plays in Age of Sigmar 4th Edition, where to start collecting and how to approach painting them.
Who Are the Daughters of Khaine?
The Daughters of Khaine are an Order faction in Age of Sigmar, dedicated to the worship of Khaine, the aelven god of murder.
Most of their warriors are aelves who channel their devotion into ritual bloodshed and deadly martial skill. Their temples are run by Hag Queens and Slaughter Queens, and their armies include the Witch Aelves, the gladiatorial Sisters of Slaughter and the half-serpent Melusai.
Behind it all stands Morathi, who rebuilt the cult of Khaine in the Mortal Realms and used it for centuries to further her own ambitions before ascending to godhood herself as Morathi-Khaine.
What Are the Daughters of Khaine Army Strengths?
The Daughters of Khaine army is defined by speed and striking power, excelling in close combat with fast units like Witch Aelves and Sisters of Slaughter.
They can reach the enemy quickly, put pressure on objectives early and punish opponents who leave units exposed.
Their heroes support the units around them, and the army’s signature Blood Rites ability makes them more dangerous as the game goes on.
The weaknesses: many units are fragile, with little armour, which makes them vulnerable to concentrated shooting and to tough enemy units that can absorb their charge.
Because they rely on melee, they need careful positioning and use of terrain to avoid being shot apart before they arrive.
Where Should Beginners Start?
If you’re starting your collection of Daughters of Khaine as a beginner, consider these key models:
- Witch Aelves: Fast, hard-hitting core infantry and the backbone of most armies.
- Sisters of Slaughter: The gladiatorial counterpart to the Witch Aelves, with longer-reaching weapons and shields or whips.
- Slaughter Queen on Cauldron of Blood: A powerful hero and centrepiece model that supports nearby units and fights well itself. The same kit can also be built as a Hag Queen on Cauldron of Blood.
- Khinerai Heartrenders or Blood Stalkers: Ranged options that give the army a way to deal damage before it gets into combat.
For exact unit roles, points and warscroll rules, check the current battletome and the Battle Profiles, which Games Workshop updates regularly. Our Daughters of Khaine army list shows worked 1,000 and 2,000 point lists.
How To Paint Daughters of Khaine
The ‘Eavy Metal scheme for the Daughters of Khaine pairs pale skin with deep red cloth, dark leathers and bright bronze or brass armour, with dark hair as a contrasting accent. It’s an easy scheme to recognise and it works well for a first army.
A practical order for a Witch Aelf or Sister of Slaughter:
- Prime with a light primer such as Grey Seer or Wraithbone, which helps the skin, which covers much of the model, stay bright.
- Skin: base with a pale flesh tone, shade it, then re-highlight the raised areas. Take your time here; skin is the biggest area on most of these models.
- Metals: bronze or brass for armour and blades, shaded with a brown wash and edge highlighted.
- Cloth and leather: deep red for cloth, dark brown or black for straps and boots.
- Hair: a strong contrasting colour (black, white or a vivid red) gives each unit an identity.
- Blood: a little gloss blood effect on blades finishes the look.
Many players change just one colour, such as the hair or cloth, to make their own temple scheme. For exact paint recipes, skin tones and Melusai scale techniques, see our Daughters of Khaine painting guide.
Daughters of Khaine Lore and History
The Daughters of Khaine are a faction of fanatical aelf warrior-priestesses who serve Morathi-Khaine, the Shadow Queen — one of the most ambitious and manipulative beings in the Mortal Realms. Originally devoted to Khaine, the aelven god of murder, the cult was secretly shaped by Morathi for centuries as she pursued her own apotheosis. Her eventual ascension to godhood as Morathi-Khaine shook the Mortal Realms.
The Daughters fight in a blood-fuelled frenzy that builds as a battle goes on, an idea reflected in the army’s Blood Rites ability. To them every kill is an offering to Khaine — or, in truth, to Morathi-Khaine.
The faction’s units are among the most iconic in Age of Sigmar. Witch Aelves and Sisters of Slaughter form frenzied melee hordes, while Melusai — half-aelf, half-serpent warriors favoured by Morathi — serve as elite shock troops, either as Blood Stalker archers or Blood Sisters in melee. The winged Khinerai swoop from the skies, and the bloody cauldrons of the Hag Queens and Slaughter Queens carry the army’s most sacred relics into battle.
Morathi’s ascension and her seizure of the city of Anvilgard, renamed Har Kuron, are among the most dramatic storylines in Age of Sigmar. The Daughters are part of the Order grand alliance but pursue their own dark agenda. For players who love fast, aggressive gameplay with a rich narrative of betrayal and ambition, the Daughters of Khaine are an excellent choice.
Daughters of Khaine on the Tabletop
The Daughters of Khaine are a fast, glass-cannon faction. Their Blood Rites ability makes the army more dangerous as the battle rounds go by, so the early game is about surviving and positioning and the later rounds are about tearing through the enemy. The exact Blood Rites bonuses have changed between battletomes, so check the current 4th Edition battletome and errata for what the army gains each round.
In 4th Edition matched play, games are usually won by holding objectives, which uses each model’s Control characteristic, so the army’s fast infantry blocks matter as much for scoring as for killing. Armies are built in regiments of one Hero plus up to three units. Lists often combine large blocks of Witch Aelves or Sisters of Slaughter with Melusai, Khinerai and a cauldron hero, while Morathi-Khaine is a powerful and very resilient centrepiece. For current standings, check our Age of Sigmar faction tier list.
Collecting Daughters of Khaine
The Daughters of Khaine Spearhead box is the natural starting point — check our Daughters of Khaine Spearhead guide for what you get and how to use it. Spearhead is also a great way to learn the faction before committing to a full 2,000-point army.
When expanding, focus on the units that define the faction: Witch Aelves and Sisters of Slaughter (the same kit builds either), Melusai for elite support, and a cauldron hero. Morathi-Khaine is one of the most impressive centrepiece models in the range.
Second-hand models and trading with other hobbyists can make collecting cheaper. Because unit performance shifts with each Battle Profiles update, check our Age of Sigmar faction tier list before buying expensive kits for competitive reasons.
Painting Daughters of Khaine
The Daughters of Khaine feature dynamic, flowing sculpts with lots of exposed skin, flowing hair and sharp weapons that look spectacular on the tabletop. Aelf skin tones can range from pale to dark depending on your preference, and the faction’s signature colours are deep reds and blacks with metallic bronze accents.
Melusai models require blending between aelf skin and serpentine scales, which is a rewarding challenge. The cauldron kits are excellent centrepieces, and Morathi-Khaine, sold with her monstrous Shadow Queen form, is one of the most impressive painting projects in Age of Sigmar. Check our guide on painting Daughters of Khaine for skin tone recipes and scale-painting techniques.
Related Armies
If you enjoy Daughters of Khaine, you might also like these armies:
- Hedonites of Slaanesh — The Daughters of Khaine’s history is deeply entwined with Slaanesh, who consumed the souls of the aelves of the world-that-was.
- Idoneth Deepkin — Both are Aelf factions with fast, aggressive playstyles and stunning model ranges.
- Lumineth Realm-Lords — Fellow Aelf faction offering a contrasting but complementary approach to Order gameplay.
Everything Daughters of Khaine on Warhammer Guild
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Daughters of Khaine?
The Daughters of Khaine are a faction of aelven warrior-priestesses who worship Khaine, the aelven god of murder, in Age of Sigmar. Led by the Shadow Queen Morathi-Khaine, they are swift and deadly combatants who power their abilities through ritual bloodshed.
Are Daughters of Khaine good for beginners?
Daughters of Khaine are moderately challenging for beginners. Their glass-cannon playstyle rewards aggression but punishes mistakes. Their Blood Rites ability, which makes them stronger as the battle goes on, is easy to track but rewards good timing.
What are the strengths of Daughters of Khaine?
Daughters of Khaine are fast and hit hard in melee, and their Blood Rites ability makes them more dangerous in the later battle rounds. Morathi-Khaine is a powerful centrepiece, and their Melusai and Witch Aelves are devastating in combat. Check the current battletome for the exact Blood Rites bonuses.
What are the weaknesses of Daughters of Khaine?
Daughters of Khaine are vulnerable early in the game, before Blood Rites builds up. They have limited ranged options, poor armour saves on basic troops, and rely heavily on Morathi and key heroes.
Who is Morathi?
Morathi-Khaine is the Shadow Queen who leads the Daughters of Khaine. Once an aelven sorceress and the mother of Malekith, she secretly built the cult of Khaine into a source of power for herself and eventually ascended to godhood. On the tabletop she is famously hard to kill thanks to rules that limit how much damage she can take in a turn; check her current warscroll for the details.
Are there male models in the Daughters of Khaine army?
Yes, a few. Doomfire Warlocks are male aelf cavalry sorcerers, and the Khainite Shadowstalkers are male aelf assassins. The rest of the army, including Witch Aelves, Sisters of Slaughter, Melusai and the Hag Queens and Slaughter Queens who lead them, is female.
Are Daughters of Khaine the same as Dark Elves?
They’re descended from them. In Warhammer Fantasy, the Dark Elves’ Witch Elves worshipped Khaine, and Morathi was the mother of Malekith, the Witch King. When Age of Sigmar began, Morathi rebuilt the Khainite cult in the Mortal Realms as the Daughters of Khaine, now its own Order army.
Where do the Daughters of Khaine live?
Their main home is Ulgu, the Realm of Shadow, where their greatest temple-city is Hagg Nar. Khainite temples and sects are spread across the Mortal Realms, though. In recent lore Morathi also seized the city of Anvilgard and renamed it Har Kuron.
Related Content
- Daughters of Khaine Spearhead — Box Review & Guide — Spearhead guide for this faction
- All Age of Sigmar Factions Ranked — Tier List — tier rankings of all Age of Sigmar factions
- How to Paint Daughters of Khaine — Colour Schemes Guide — painting guide for this faction