Idoneth Deepkin – Warhammer Age of Sigmar Guide

Idoneth Deepkin – Warhammer Age of Sigmar Guide

The Idoneth Deepkin are aelf sea-raiders who ride eels, sharks and giant turtles through a magical ethersea, striking at coastal settlements to steal the souls they need to survive. They are one of the fastest armies in Age of Sigmar, built around hard-hitting cavalry that crashes into the enemy, pulls back and crashes in again. This guide covers who they are, how the army plays in 4th Edition, where to start collecting and how to paint them.

Who Are the Idoneth Deepkin?

The Idoneth Deepkin are aelves who dwell in the deepest oceans of the Mortal Realms. They were created by Teclis, the aelven god of light and knowledge, from souls he rescued from the god Slaanesh. They were born flawed, and when Teclis judged them a failed creation and moved to destroy them, the survivors fled into the depths and have hidden there ever since.

They are known for their eerie, elegant look: pale skin, flowing robes, ornate armour and deep-sea beasts as mounts. They fight as raiders, using the ethersea and their speed to strike from unexpected directions, take what they came for and vanish.

What Are the Idoneth Deepkin Army Strengths?

The Idoneth Deepkin are a fast, elite, melee-focused army. Their strength is Akhelian cavalry: Morrsarr Guard and Ishlaen Guard (two builds of the same eel-riding kit), led by Akhelian Kings and backed by monsters like the Allopex shark and the colossal Leviadon. They hit hardest on the charge and are quick enough to choose their fights.

They do have some ranged support. Namarti Reavers carry bows, and a few other units have ranged attacks, but this is not a shooting army. Isharann heroes such as the Tidecaster bring spells and support, and the army rule lets you choose how your tides develop through the game (see below).

The weaknesses: Idoneth have relatively few models, and Namarti infantry are fragile. Cavalry that gets stuck in a long fight will be ground down, so the army relies on timing and positioning. Lose your key units or charge at the wrong moment, and it can fall apart quickly.

Where Should Beginners Start?

The best starting point is the Akhelian Tide Guard Spearhead box: an Akhelian King, three Morrsarr Guard, three Ishlaen Guard and ten Namarti Reavers. Our Idoneth Deepkin Spearhead guide covers the box in detail, and Spearhead is a great way to learn the faction before building a full army. When you expand, consider:

• More Akhelian Guard: a second box of Morrsarr or Ishlaen Guard (the kit builds either). Morrsarr Guard are your big charge; Ishlaen Guard are tougher defensive cavalry for holding what you take.
• Isharann Tidecaster: a Wizard hero who adds spells and support.
• Namarti Thralls or Reavers: one kit builds either. Thralls are melee infantry, Reavers are fast infantry with bows.
• Allopex, Leviadon or Eidolon of Mathlann: big centrepiece models once your core is in place.

For ready-made 1,000 and 2,000-point lists using current points, see our Idoneth Deepkin army list.

Idoneth Deepkin Lore and History

The Idoneth Deepkin are a mysterious race of aelves who emerge from the oceans only to raid. Created by Teclis from souls reclaimed from Slaanesh, they were meant to be the first of a reborn aelven people. Instead they were born flawed. Most Idoneth are Namarti, whose souls are so withered that they would wither and die unless sustained by souls taken from others.

That flaw defines their civilisation. It is built around soul-raids: expeditions to the surface world to harvest the souls of the living to sustain the Namarti. The Akhelian nobility lead these raids astride sea beasts such as Fangmora eels, the Allopex and the Leviadon. The Isharann, the Deepkin’s priestly and magical caste, command the ethersea, a supernatural ocean the Idoneth bring with them onto land.

The ethersea is the most evocative part of the faction. When the Idoneth attack, they bring their ocean with them, and their riders swim through the air as if through water while enemies stumble through a phantasmal sea. On the tabletop this is reflected in the army’s tides rule.

The Idoneth’s isolation means they are distrusted by most other factions, including other Order armies. Volturnos, High King of the Deep, is their most famous leader. Their raids make them a morally complicated faction: a people who commit terrible acts out of desperate necessity.

Idoneth Deepkin in the Current Meta

Idoneth Deepkin use Battletome: Idoneth Deepkin, released in July 2025, plus Games Workshop’s free rules updates. Competitive standings change with every balance update, so check our Age of Sigmar faction tier list for the current picture.

The heart of the army is the tides. Instead of the old fixed-round Tides of Death, the current battletome gives you two columns of abilities: the Tides of the Sea and the Tides of the Storm. Each battle round you unlock the next ability in the column of your choice:

• Tides of the Sea is the defensive track: it starts by making your units that didn’t charge harder to hit, then lets units run and still charge, and finishes with strike-first.
• Tides of the Storm is the aggressive track: it starts by letting you redeploy a unit to a battlefield edge, then reduces the Rend of attacks against you, and finishes with your melee weapons dealing mortal damage on critical hits.

Switching columns resets your progress, so the key to playing Idoneth well is picking a plan and committing to it, then timing your big cavalry charge for the round your chosen tide peaks. Check the battletome for the exact wording of each ability.

Lists are usually built around Akhelian cavalry: Morrsarr Guard for big charges, Ishlaen Guard to hold ground, an Akhelian King or Volturnos to lead them, and support from Isharann heroes, Namarti and monsters such as the Allopex or an Eidolon of Mathlann. The Idoneth reward players who enjoy planning several turns ahead and striking at the right moment.

Collecting Idoneth Deepkin

The Akhelian Tide Guard Spearhead box is the most accessible entry point, and the Spearhead format is a good way to learn the faction’s mechanics before committing to a full 2,000-point army.

When expanding, focus on the units that define the army: more Akhelian Guard, an Isharann Tidecaster and more Namarti. An Eidolon of Mathlann, Allopex or Akhelian Leviadon makes a spectacular centrepiece. Check the Warhammer Age of Sigmar app or our army list page for current points before buying expensive kits.

Second-hand models and trades can make collecting cheaper, and many local stores run loyalty schemes or starter deals.

Painting Idoneth Deepkin

Painting Idoneth Deepkin is one of the most rewarding parts of collecting them. Their underwater look combines pale, slightly otherworldly aelf skin, deep sea blues and greens, ornate armour and coral-encrusted bases. Citadel’s Deepkin Flesh layer, named for the faction, is a good pale skin highlight, or use traditional pale tones with a blue-tinted wash. Their armour suits turquoise, teal and dark blue-green metallics.

A few approaches work well:

• Classic ocean: turquoise or teal armour, pale skin and silver or bronze metals, with a dark blue wash in the recesses.
• Deep and dark: navy or indigo armour with pale grey skin and glowing turquoise or green details for a bioluminescent feel.
• Enclave colours: pick one of the official enclave schemes from the battletome or Warhammer website, or invent your own enclave.

Contrast paints are great for large areas like robes and eel skin, and drybrushing and edge highlighting bring out the intricate armour. The sea creatures, Fangmora eels, Allopexes and the Leviadon, are painting highlights, with room for bold colours inspired by real marine life. Basing matters too: sand, shells and coral sell the underwater theme. Our guide on painting Idoneth Deepkin covers bioluminescent effects and ocean basing step by step.

Related Armies

If you enjoy Idoneth Deepkin, you might also like these armies:

• Daughters of Khaine — Both are aggressive Aelf factions with fast-moving, hard-hitting combat units.
• Lumineth Realm-Lords — Fellow Aelf faction with elegant aesthetics and a focus on magical synergies.
• Sylvaneth — Another Order faction that draws its power from the natural world, the forest rather than the sea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the Idoneth Deepkin?

The Idoneth Deepkin are mysterious aelven sea-dwellers who ride into battle through a magical ethersea in Age of Sigmar. Created by Teclis from souls taken from Slaanesh, they were born with withered souls and must raid the surface world to steal the souls of others.

Are Idoneth Deepkin good for beginners?

Idoneth Deepkin are moderately challenging for beginners. Their cavalry and monsters are straightforward to use, but the army has few models, punishes badly timed charges, and asks you to plan which tide column to follow. The Akhelian Tide Guard Spearhead is a gentle way to learn them.

What are the strengths of Idoneth Deepkin?

Idoneth Deepkin have fast, devastating Akhelian cavalry, powerful monsters like the Allopex and Leviadon, and flexible tides that let you choose between a defensive and an aggressive power curve. Eidolons of Mathlann are powerful, versatile heroes.

What are the weaknesses of Idoneth Deepkin?

Namarti infantry are fragile, the army has a low model count, and cavalry that gets bogged down in a long fight will be ground down. Committing to a tide column also means your opponent can see your plan coming and play around your peak round.

How do the Idoneth tides work?

The old Tides of Death, which gave set bonuses in set battle rounds, has been replaced. Under the July 2025 battletome, each battle round you unlock the next ability in either the Tides of the Sea column (defensive: harder to hit, then run-and-charge, then strike-first) or the Tides of the Storm column (aggressive: redeploy a unit to a battlefield edge, then reduced Rend against you, then mortal damage on critical hits in melee). Switching columns resets your progress.

Who is the god of the Idoneth Deepkin?

The Idoneth revere Mathlann, an ancient aelven god of the sea who is believed to be dead. They don’t worship Teclis, who created them, and they fear and hide from him. Their Eidolons of Mathlann are seen as manifestations of the sea god’s lingering will, called up by the Isharann in times of great need.

Why do the Idoneth Deepkin hide from Teclis?

Teclis created the Idoneth from souls he took from Slaanesh, but they were born flawed, with withered souls. Seeing them as a failed experiment, he decided to destroy them. The survivors fled into the deepest oceans of the Mortal Realms and have hidden there ever since, rarely trusting other Order factions.

What are the Idoneth Deepkin enclaves?

Enclaves are the separate city-states of the Idoneth, each with its own culture and way of war. The best-known include Ionrach, Volturnos’s enclave; Fuethán, ferocious raiders; Mor’phann, gloomy and secretive; Nautilar, known for its many Leviadons; plus Dhom-hain and Briomdar. Many players pick an enclave colour scheme for their army.

Related Content

• Idoneth Deepkin 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 Idoneth Deepkin — Colour Schemes Guide — painting guide for this faction
• Age of Sigmar Rules Explained — beginner guide to Age of Sigmar 4th Edition