All Necron Units Ranked: 11th Edition Tier List

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All Necron Units Ranked: 11th Edition Tier List

Necrons came into Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition as one of the strongest armies in the game, and the tournament results since June have mostly backed that up. They are still playing from their 10th Edition codex plus the official 11th Edition Necrons faction pack, so the datasheets are familiar. Some old favourites have dropped down the order, though, and the Lokhust Destroyers that most players ignored in 10th are now at the heart of the best builds.

Data window: these rankings reflect the game as of November 2026. They’re based on tournament data from Listhammer (majors of 5+ rounds and 16+ players, including the 5–10 November weekend), WAR FRONT’s winning-list breakdowns (data to 27 September), Lexmechanic’s winning-list feed (8 November), and Tabletop Battles’ 11th Edition faction pack, points and July/August/September balance reviews. Treat this as a snapshot. Every Munitorum Field Manual and balance update moves units up or down, and a new Necrons codex would reset the whole list.

Points are approximate (marked “~”) and taken from the current 11th Edition points as listed in November 2026. Several units cost more for a third copy, or for a second copy in some cases, and the figures here are the first-unit prices. Always confirm costs in the Warhammer 40,000 app or the latest Munitorum Field Manual before you build.

Read our full Necrons army overview here.

Where Necrons Stand in 11th Edition

• Win rate: WAR FRONT ranked Necrons 1st of 28 factions over the four weeks to 27 September, with a 55.8% win rate across 1,120 games (Listhammer data). On the 5–10 November weekend, Listhammer recorded a 51.7% win rate over 290 games, which is still above average but well down from the peak.
• Trend: on 8 November, Lexmechanic had Necrons 4th of 27 factions by share of winning lists (6.6%) and marked them as “fading”. The July, August and September balance updates all hit Necrons, and the September update was the heaviest.
• Top builds: the most common build by far is Cursed Legion + Skyshroud Spearhead, which made up 30.9% of Necron players on the November weekend (53.2% WR). Next come Awakened Dynasty (21.8%, 54.1% WR) and a small number of Canoptek Court + Hand of the Dynasty lists (62.5% WR from a small sample). Starshatter Arsenal is popular but went 37.1% that weekend.

Because the data favours one build so heavily, units that build relies on rank highly. A unit sitting lower on this list can still be very good in another detachment.

Tier Definitions

S-Tier: Core of the current top builds. Appears in most winning lists.
A-Tier: Strong and regularly seen in winning lists, or excellent in one popular build.
B-Tier: Solid but situational. Earns a place in specific detachments or matchups.
C-Tier: Hard to justify at current points, or outclassed by another unit doing the same job.

11th Edition no longer uses HQ, Troops, Elites, Fast Attack and Heavy Support slots, so units are grouped below by battlefield role. Named characters have their own short section near the end.

Characters

Lokhust Lord (~80 pts): S-Tier

The biggest climber since 10th. The Lokhust Lord leads Lokhust Destroyers and Lokhust Heavy Destroyers, and Lexmechanic’s 8 November feed has him in every readable Cursed Legion + Skyshroud Spearhead winning list (19 of 19). In 11th, Lokhust units are faster, deal better AP and hit harder against units on objectives, and the Lord makes the unit he joins far more dependable. The August update raised his cost by 10 points, and he’s still an automatic pick in that build.

Role: Leader for Lokhust units.
Why S-Tier: he appears in essentially every list from the faction’s most successful build.

Overlord (~90 pts): A-Tier

The Overlord leads Immortals, Lychguard or Warriors, and he’s a common pick to stand in front of a Lychguard brick. He appears in 11 of 19 of the top Cursed Legion lists, which makes him the most popular non-named leader for infantry. He’s reliable rather than flashy, and with the Lord moved to Legends he’s the standard noble for the job.

Role: Generalist infantry leader.
Why A-Tier: he’s a common, efficient choice to lead the army’s durable infantry.

Skorpekh Lord (~95 pts): A-Tier

The Skorpekh Lord leads Skorpekh Destroyers and turns them into one of the army’s main melee threats. He’s in 11 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. He went up 5 points in August, and a third copy costs more again, but most lists only want one or two anyway. Since July, Cursed Legion’s Murdermind enhancement keeps a Cryptek as a Support character, so it can double-attach alongside a Skorpekh Lord or Lokhust Lord, which opens up some strong Destroyer combos.

Role: Melee leader for Skorpekh Destroyers.
Why A-Tier: he’s a regular in winning lists and the natural partner for one of the best melee units.

Technomancer (~80 pts): A-Tier

The Technomancer is now a Support character, and in Canoptek-heavy lists he’s still one of the best value pieces. The 11th Edition points kept the first Technomancer at the same price, while a second costs more, so plan on one. WAR FRONT’s August breakdown had him in 40% of winning lists. He’s at his best with Canoptek Wraiths or as part of a double-attached Destroyer unit.

Role: Repair and reanimation support.
Why A-Tier: he’s cheap for what he adds, especially as your first copy.

Chronomancer (~70 pts): A-Tier

The Chronomancer joins Immortals or Warriors as a Support character. Since July, his Timesplinter Mantle gives the unit Stealth against shooting and -1 to be hit in melee, a defensive buff Tabletop Battles called “worth its weight in gold”. He took a big points increase at launch, though a 10-point cut in July softened it. He’s excellent at keeping a battleline unit alive on an objective. He’s not quite S-tier because the top Lokhust and Lychguard builds don’t need him.

Role: Defensive support for battleline infantry.
Why A-Tier: his defensive buff is one of the best Necrons have for objective holders.

Canoptek Reanimator (~75 pts): A-Tier

Strictly a walker rather than a character, but it does a support job, so it’s listed here. The Reanimator appears in 9 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists, propping up Lychguard and Destroyer units that have to survive in the midboard. It’s cheap and it reliably earns back its points.

Role: Reanimation support.
Why A-Tier: it shows up in about half of the top lists.

Plasmancer (~60 pts): B-Tier

The Plasmancer is a Support Cryptek for Immortals or Warriors, and he does good work in Hand of the Dynasty, where Assault on the unit’s guns helps his damage too. Tabletop Battles’ review highlights a full Immortal squad with a Plasmancer and Tomb Crawlers. He’s good, but he’s tied to a battleline plan that the top Cursed Legion builds don’t use.

Role: Damage support for battleline.
Why B-Tier: he’s strong in Immortal-focused lists and nowhere else.

Royal Warden (~50 pts): B-Tier

The Royal Warden is the cheap way to add a Leader to Immortals or Warriors. He’s useful, but he doesn’t change what the unit can do, so most lists take an Overlord, a Cryptek or a named character instead.

Role: Budget battleline leader.
Why B-Tier: he’s efficient but unexciting.

Hexmark Destroyer and Geomancer (~75 pts each): B-Tier

The Hexmark is a lone shooting character, and the Geomancer is a Support Cryptek for Immortals, Warriors or Canoptek Macrocytes. Both are playable, but neither shows up much in winning lists. We don’t have enough data to rank them higher, so treat them as solid options to test rather than proven picks.

Psychomancer (~65 pts): C-Tier

The biggest Necron loss in the faction pack. The Psychomancer can no longer be run on its own and has to join Immortals or Warriors, and it went up 10 points in September. Battle-shock matters more than ever in 11th, so the battle-shock pressure is still good, but paying 65 points for a Support character that doesn’t buff the unit it joins is hard to justify. See how morale works for the battle-shock rules.

Role: Battle-shock pressure.
Why C-Tier: it lost its best role and got more expensive.

Catacomb Command Barge (~120 pts): C-Tier

Since July the Command Barge has the Noble keyword, so it finally works with Obeisance Phalanx. It’s still a niche pick outside that detachment.

Battleline

Immortals (~65 pts for 5, ~130 for 10): A-Tier

Immortals are the best Necron battleline unit and got cheaper in September. Hand of the Dynasty, a 1 DP detachment, gives Warriors and Immortals Assault and lets them Advance and still perform Actions. Its Tools of Dominion upgrade gives Immortal guns Rapid Fire 1, and a stratagem lets the unit Secure an objective. Tabletop Battles called the detachment “really, really good”. A ten-man tesla unit with a Plasmancer is a strong pick for most Necron builds that play for objectives.

Role: Durable ranged objective holders.
Why A-Tier: cheaper than before, and they shine in Hand of the Dynasty and Canoptek Court.

Necron Warriors (~85 pts for 10, ~190 for 20): B-Tier

Warriors are cheaper than in 10th, and Hand of the Dynasty’s Scout 5″ enhancement can push a big block forward on turn one. They’re still slow, low-damage objective holders. Tabletop Battles also noted that the September changes to Space Marines, which brought more Strength 5 weapons and more Toughness 5 bodies, hurt both Warriors and Immortals. Take a 20-model block if your plan is to sit on objectives, not to kill things.

Role: Horde objective holders.
Why B-Tier: they hold ground well but rarely trade up.

Infantry

Lychguard (~80 pts for 5, ~160 for 10): S-Tier

Lychguard are the anchor of the best current Necron build, appearing in 17 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. Led by a character, a Lychguard unit is very hard to shift off a midboard objective, and the warscythe version still hits hard. They also got a small points cut at the start of the edition.

Role: Elite midboard bodyguard and objective holder.
Why S-Tier: they’re in nearly every winning list from the faction’s top build.

Ophydian Destroyers (~80 pts for 3, ~150 for 6): S-Tier

Ophydians are one of 11th Edition’s quiet winners. They can still use their tunnelling reposition in the first turn, now worded as an Ingress move that sets up more than 8″ from enemies. They appeared in 62% of winning Necron lists in WAR FRONT’s August sample and in 13 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. A 5-point rise for the six-model unit in August didn’t slow them down.

Role: Fast, repositioning melee and objective pressure.
Why S-Tier: they show up in most winning lists across two separate datasets.

See our Ophydian Destroyers guide for deployment tips.

Skorpekh Destroyers (~85 pts for 3, ~170 for 6): A-Tier

Skorpekh Destroyers are still the hardest-hitting Necron melee infantry, and they’re in 13 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. They usually run with a Skorpekh Lord, sometimes with a Cryptek as well. They’re a step behind Lychguard and Ophydians only because those two show up even more often.

Role: Elite melee damage.
Why A-Tier: they’re a frequent, proven part of winning builds.

Flayed Ones (~55 pts for 5, ~100 for 10): A-Tier

Flayed Ones are cheap, fast to get into position and great at punishing exposed objectives and scoring units. They’re in 55% of WAR FRONT’s August winning lists and 11 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. Remember that most reserves can’t arrive in the first battle round and have to set up more than 8″ from enemies, so the charge is never guaranteed. See Deep Strike in 11th Edition.

Role: Cheap reserve threat and objective harassment.
Why A-Tier: they’re low-cost and appear in more than half of winning lists.

Deathmarks (~60 pts for 5): B-Tier

Deathmarks are reserve snipers. In 11th they’re useful as a cheap unit to drop onto a backfield objective and to punish lone characters. They’re not a major damage source, but they’re fine as a scoring piece.

Role: Reserve scorer and character harassment.
Why B-Tier: useful filler, not a core unit.

Cryptothralls (~60 pts): B-Tier

Cryptothralls are bodyguards that join a Cryptek’s unit when you declare battle formations. They’re a sensible way to bulk up an exposed Cryptek, but you won’t build around them.

Triarch Praetorians (~80 pts for 5): C-Tier

Praetorians fly and are flexible, but in winning lists Lychguard, Ophydians and Lokhusts do each of their jobs better.

Canoptek Units

Canoptek Wraiths (~95 pts for 3, ~220 for 6): A-Tier

Your first Wraith unit kept its 10th Edition price, and Tabletop Battles was emphatic that Wraiths are “good in 11th”. WAR FRONT’s August data had them in 37% of winning lists. They’re fast, durable and a natural fit for a Technomancer. A second unit costs noticeably more (~115/~240), so most lists stop at one.

Role: Fast, durable melee and objective play.
Why A-Tier: they’re excellent value as your first unit, but the cost step limits how many you’ll take.

Read our full Canoptek Wraiths tactics guide.

Canoptek Scarab Swarms (~40 pts for 3): B-Tier

Scarabs are cheap screens and objective grabbers. Board control matters a lot in 11th, so they’re a handy filler, but you won’t see them in most top lists.

Canoptek Tomb Crawlers (~60 pts): B-Tier

Tomb Crawlers are a key part of Canoptek Court Immortal builds, but they went up 10 points in September. That rise largely cancels out the Immortal discount for anyone running both.

Canoptek Macrocytes (~70 pts) and Spyders (~65 pts): C-Tier

Both got cheaper at launch, and two-model Spyder units fell sharply. Neither does enough to push out the units above.

Mounted

Lokhust Destroyers (~80 pts for 3, ~190 for 6): S-Tier

The defining unit of early 11th Edition Necrons. At launch, Tabletop Battles said regular Lokhusts were “massively improved” by the new rules: they’re easier to move, AP-2 works better in 11th, and their re-rolls against units on objectives are worth more than ever. The data agrees. They’re in 18 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. After three rounds of points increases, including +15 for six models in September, they’re less of an outlier, but they’re still the strongest unit in the faction.

Role: Mobile, high-volume shooting that punishes objective holders.
Why S-Tier: almost every list in the faction’s top build takes them.

Lokhust Heavy Destroyers (~50 pts each): B-Tier

Heavy Destroyers are still the army’s best anti-tank guns on mobile bases, and Skyshroud Spearhead’s reactive move is ideal for a Heavy unit that pokes out, shoots and slips away. They went up in July and August, and the top lists usually spend those points on regular Lokhusts. Pick them when you need guaranteed anti-tank.

Role: Anti-tank shooting.
Why B-Tier: strong guns, but less popular than their lighter cousins in current builds.

Tomb Blades (~70 pts for 3): B-Tier

Skyshroud Spearhead gives Tomb Blades Deep Strike and +1 to hit on the turn they arrive. Tabletop Battles noted this works awkwardly with their datasheet, which already has Scout. They’re fast scorers, but the detachment is really taken for its Lokhust stratagems.

Monsters: the C’tan Shards

C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon (~345 pts): A-Tier

The best C’tan in 11th. Its AP-1 Sustained Hits ranged attack works better under the new cover rules, and it’s in 62% of WAR FRONT’s August winning lists and 11 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. Big Monsters with flight and an invulnerable save took points increases at launch, but the Void Dragon still earns its cost.

Role: Durable anti-vehicle centrepiece.
Why A-Tier: it’s the only C’tan showing up regularly in winning lists.

C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer (~360 pts): B-Tier

The Nightbringer is still a brutal melee monster, and Tabletop Battles said you “may still consider” it. In practice the Void Dragon gets the C’tan slot in most lists, and two C’tan is a big investment. It’s at its best in a top-heavy Starshatter Arsenal build.

Transcendent C’tan (~340 pts): B-Tier

Since July its teleport works as an unlimited-distance Advance that passes through enemies and must end more than 8″ away. That makes it a reliable, if expensive, way to reach a target, but it doesn’t appear often in the data we found.

C’tan Shard of the Deceiver (~330 pts): C-Tier

Tabletop Battles called the Deceiver “a definite loser” in 11th: the new cover rules don’t help it, its small base matters less under the new engagement rules, and its lower speed gets less out of flying. Grand Illusion is still a fun trick, but the cost is hard to justify.

Vehicles and Titanic Units

Annihilation Barge (~100 pts): B-Tier

The Annihilation Barge is cheap, fast and reasonably tough. It went up 5 points in September, but it’s still a handy positional piece that thins out infantry while it holds space.

Canoptek Doomstalker (~130 pts): B-Tier

The Doomstalker got a 10-point cut in September, which Tabletop Battles called overdue since its Overwatch threat is weaker in 11th. It’s decent long-range anti-tank in Canoptek Court.

Doomsday Ark (~200 pts): B-Tier

The Doomsday Ark went up in July and back down in September. It’s a solid gun platform, but a third copy costs more and it competes with Lokhust Heavy Destroyers for the anti-tank role.

Ghost Ark (~100 pts): B-Tier

The Ghost Ark is a transport and repair piece for Warriors. Take it when you build around Warrior blocks and skip it otherwise.

Triarch Stalker (~110 pts): C-Tier

The Triarch Stalker is a fine walker, but it rarely makes the cut over the units above.

Monolith (~420 pts): C-Tier

The Monolith went up in 11th, and a second one costs ~440. Tabletop Battles found the increase “genuinely baffling”, given that Monoliths haven’t been competitive for a long time. The Phaeron’s Armoury gives Titanic flyers +6″ movement, but the cost is still too high.

Obelisk (~280 pts) and Tesseract Vault (~465 pts): C-Tier

The Phaeron’s Armoury makes the Obelisk semi-playable for the first time in years. The Tesseract Vault got hit in July and again for a second copy in September. Both are fun to field but not competitive picks right now.

Transports and Aircraft

Night Scythe (~125 pts): B-Tier

The Night Scythe was reworked for 11th. It’s no longer an Aircraft but a fast hovering vehicle that keeps its first-turn delivery trick, and its points dropped. For a few weeks it looked like one of the best units in the army. The July update removed the ability to re-embark a unit that disembarked from it the same turn (the Warhammer app lagged behind for a while, so check the current wording). It’s still a scary delivery tool for Immortals, but no longer a must-take.

Doom Scythe (~200 pts): C-Tier

The Doom Scythe is a true Aircraft with all of 11th’s aircraft restrictions. It’s expensive for what it does.

Named Characters

Named characters weren’t ranked in earlier versions of this list, but two of them are central to the current data, so here’s a quick summary:

• Nekrosor Ammentar (~195 pts): the most-included Necron unit in winning lists. He was in 73% of WAR FRONT’s August sample and 16 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. He’s gone up 10 points in July and another 10 in September, and he’s still the first name on the sheet for that build.
• Imotekh the Stormlord (~100 pts): he appears in 57% of WAR FRONT’s August winning lists and 9 of 19 top Cursed Legion lists. He’s a cheap, efficient Leader.
• Illuminor Szeras (~175 pts): he went up 10 points at launch, and Tabletop Battles still rates him “super good”. He’s at his best with Immortals.
• The Silent King (~420 pts): he appears mostly in top-heavy Starshatter Arsenal lists.

Units Moved to Legends

The 11th Edition Necron datasheets mark these units as Warhammer Legends. They’re not for standard matched play and most tournaments won’t allow them:

• Lord (the basic non-Overlord noble)
• Anrakyr the Traveller, Nemesor Zahndrekh and Vargard Obyron
• Canoptek Acanthrites, Canoptek Tomb Sentinel and Canoptek Tomb Stalker
• Night Shroud and Tesseract Ark
• Gauss Pylon, Sentry Pylon and the Legends version of the Tomb Citadel Walls

The Seraptek Heavy Construct is a Forge World datasheet with points (~540), but it’s not a realistic competitive pick. None of the units ranked above have moved to Legends.

Complete Tier List Summary

Points are approximate first-unit costs as of November 2026. Confirm them in the Warhammer 40,000 app or the latest Munitorum Field Manual.

Building a Competitive Necron List

At 2,000 points (Strike Force) you have 3 Detachment Points. The current Necron builds spend them like this:

• Cursed Legion (2 DP) + Skyshroud Spearhead (1 DP): the dominant build. Its core is Nekrosor Ammentar, a Lokhust Lord with Lokhust Destroyers, Lychguard, and a mix of Ophydians, Skorpekh Destroyers, Flayed Ones and often a Void Dragon. Skyshroud’s stratagems, including Fall Back and Shoot, a reactive move and -1 to wound against big guns, are what make the Lokhusts so slippery.
• Awakened Dynasty (3 DP): the classic all-rounder. It gained Priority Assets as a second Force Disposition option in September, which makes it more flexible.
• Canoptek Court (now 2 DP) + Hand of the Dynasty (1 DP): the September drop to 2 DP made this an exciting combination. Big Immortal units with Tomb Crawlers and Crypteks benefit from both detachments.

Hand of the Dynasty and Awakened Dynasty share the Dynasty tag, so you can’t take both. Read Detachment Points explained for how the Unique Tag rule works. At 1,000 points (Incursion) you get 2 DP, and you can also take a single 3 DP detachment such as Awakened Dynasty as your only detachment. Our Necrons 1000 point army list covers smaller builds.

Necron Ranks in the Lore

Many units on this list map directly onto the Necron hierarchy. The Silent King rules the whole race; Phaerons rule dynasties; Overlords and Lords command tomb worlds and armies; Crypteks such as Chronomancers, Plasmancers, Psychomancers and Technomancers form a separate caste of techno-sorcerers; Lychguard and Immortals are the elite soldiery; and Warriors are the mindless rank and file. Triarch Praetorians stand apart as enforcers of ancient law, while the Destroyer Cult (Lokhust, Skorpekh and Ophydian Destroyers) are nobles and soldiers whose minds have broken into a nihilistic urge to kill all life.

Learn about Necron Dynasties and their lore here.
Read about the Silent King — supreme ruler of the Necrons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Necron unit in 11th Edition?

As of November 2026, Lokhust Destroyers are the standout unit. They’re in 18 of 19 top Cursed Legion + Skyshroud Spearhead winning lists on Lexmechanic’s feed, usually led by a Lokhust Lord. Nekrosor Ammentar, Lychguard and Ophydian Destroyers are close behind. Balance updates have been trimming Lokhusts since July, so check recent results.

Are C’tan Shards worth their points?

The Void Dragon is, at ~345 points. It’s the C’tan that shows up regularly in winning lists, helped by its AP-1 Sustained Hits shooting. The Nightbringer is playable but usually loses out to the Void Dragon, and the Deceiver is a clear loser under the 11th Edition rules.

Should I take Warriors or Immortals?

Immortals, in most lists. They got cheaper in September and work brilliantly with Hand of the Dynasty and Canoptek Court. Warriors are cheaper than in 10th and fine for sitting on objectives in big blocks, but they rarely trade up.

Is the Monolith competitive?

Not at ~420 points. It went up in 11th, and a second one costs more again. The Phaeron’s Armoury detachment makes Titanic Necron flyers much faster, which is fun, but the Monolith still struggles to earn back its cost.

What’s the best Necron dynasty?

On the tabletop there isn’t one. Dynasty-specific rules are gone, and your rules come from the detachments you buy with Detachment Points. Some detachments carry a “Dynasty” Unique tag, but that’s a rules label, not a dynasty choice. Check our Necron Dynasties guide for the lore behind each one.

Which Necron units are now Legends?

The basic Lord, Anrakyr the Traveller, Nemesor Zahndrekh, Vargard Obyron, Canoptek Acanthrites, Canoptek Tomb Sentinel, Canoptek Tomb Stalker, Night Shroud, Tesseract Ark, Gauss Pylon and Sentry Pylon are all Legends in the 11th Edition datasheets. The Psychomancer hasn’t moved to Legends, but it can no longer be fielded on its own and must join Immortals or Warriors.

What are the Necron ranks?

From top to bottom, the Necron hierarchy runs from the Silent King, through Phaerons who rule whole dynasties, to Overlords and Lords who govern tomb worlds and lead armies. Crypteks form a separate caste of techno-sorcerers serving the nobility, and Triarch Praetorians enforce ancient law. Below them come elite Lychguard and Immortals, then the rank-and-file Necron Warriors, whose minds were largely lost to biotransference.

What are the best Necron anti-tank units?

The C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon is the most popular anti-vehicle choice in winning lists. Lokhust Heavy Destroyers are the best dedicated anti-tank guns, and the Doomsday Ark and Canoptek Doomstalker both got 10-point cuts in September, which makes them better long-range options than they were at launch.

What are the best Necron melee units?

Lychguard and Ophydian Destroyers are the most popular melee units in winning lists right now, followed by Skorpekh Destroyers with a Skorpekh Lord and Flayed Ones. The Nightbringer is still the hardest-hitting single model, and Canoptek Wraiths are excellent as your first unit.

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