Part of our Adeptus Custodes hub: every Adeptus Custodes guide, lore page and painting tutorial in one place. Browse the 11th Edition hub.
The Emperor’s bodyguard just got a lot scarier. Codex: Adeptus Custodes is the third book of Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition, after Orks and Space Marines. It rebuilds the army around an expanded Martial Ka’tah, gives you thirteen detachments, and folds in every plastic Horus Heresy Custodes kit. Below is what changes, which detachments look strongest, and what it means for your collection.
Haven’t played Custodes before? Read our Adeptus Custodes army guide first, then come back for the 11th Edition changes.
Release date and editions
- Pre-orders: Saturday 3 October 2026
- Release: Saturday 17 October 2026
- Range: the standard codex, a Collector’s Edition, a Limited Edition, a Command Pack, Custodes dice and an updated Combat Patrol: Adeptus Custodes
At GW’s Big Autumn Preview Q&A, Custodes was confirmed as the last 40k codex of 2026. The next books won’t arrive until 2027. Our codex release order tracker has the full schedule.
What’s in the book
Roughly the first two thirds is background, a bestiary covering every unit, and a hobby section. The hobby section has three example armies, each with its model list and suggested detachments, plus Easy Metal painting tips for gold, gemstones, leather and cloaks. The last third is rules, with a step-by-step list-building walkthrough. If you’re planning to paint the new kits, our Adeptus Custodes painting guide and gemstone tutorial go well with the book.
Army rule: Martial Ka’tah, expanded
Ka’tah is still the army’s identity, but it now works differently. Each unit becomes “readied” at the start of your Command phase. A readied unit can use one of six stances once that turn:
| Stance | Effect |
|---|---|
| Conservai | Perform actions you normally couldn’t (e.g. while engaged or Battle-shocked); can shoot after performing an action |
| Calistus | Move through other models |
| Salvus | Ignore modifiers to BS, Hit and Wound rolls when shooting |
| Dacatarai | Re-roll Hit rolls of 1 in melee (not against Monsters or Vehicles) |
| Kaptaris | Melee attacks against this unit get -1 to Hit |
| Rendax | Lethal Hits against Monsters and Vehicles |
Instead of fixing one stance for each fight, you now pick the tool for each turn: Calistus to reach an objective, Kaptaris to survive a charge, Rendax to crack a tank.
Several other army-wide rules come with it:
- Aegis of the Emperor: a 5+ Feel No Pain against mortal wounds.
- Aquila Commander: your Warlord generates 1 CP at the start of each battle round.
- Daughters of the Abyss (Sisters of Silence): a 3+ Feel No Pain against Psychic attacks, and units within 6″ get 5+. Read more in our Sisters of Silence lore.
- Shock Disembark: a new special move. A unit that didn’t embark this turn can be set up within 3″ of its transport when it disembarks.
The 13 detachments
Each detachment has its own twist, and most “enhance” one Ka’tah stance:
- Guardians of the Throne: the generalist detachment, giving Sustained or Lethal Hits in melee. Its enhancements include Bane of Abominations (+1 to Wound against Characters, Monsters and Vehicles) and Eagle’s Eye (+1 Wound and a once-per-game 3+ invulnerable save). Its Stratagems let you re-ready a unit, impose -1 to Hit and Wound, or make a 3+D3″ move in the enemy turn.
- Aquilan Shield: while your units are within range of an objective, -1 to Wound against incoming shots whose Strength is higher than the target’s Toughness (not for Vehicles). Enhanced Salvus adds 6″ of range.
- Shadowkeepers: the same idea as Aquilan Shield, but against melee. Enhanced Kaptaris forces engaged enemies to take a Battle-shock test at -1.
- Dread Host: re-roll charge rolls. Enhanced Dacatarai cuts enemy pile-in by 2″.
- Emissaries Imperatus: army-wide Fights First. Enhanced Conservai lets units perform actions after Advancing or Falling Back.
- Emperor’s Chosen: re-roll one Hit and one Wound per fight. Enhanced Rendax deals 1–3 mortal wounds to engaged Monsters and Vehicles.
- Solar Watch: units can charge after Falling Back. Enhanced Calistus adds +2″ of Move.
- Auric Champions: a character-hunting detachment. You name a “dreadful foe”, and your Characters get +1 to Wound against it.
- Honoured Companions: built around Sentinels and objectives. Re-roll Wound rolls of 1 near objectives, plus a Stratagem that gives +2 Attacks to understrength units.
- Lions of the Emperor: for Terminators. Unengaged Terminators can return to Reserves at the end of the enemy’s Fight phase.
- Might of the Moritoi: for Dreadnoughts. Bonuses scale with damage taken: +2 OC at full strength, then re-roll Hit rolls of 1 below starting strength, then re-roll Hit and Wound rolls of 1 below half strength.
- Grav-Assault Force: for Vehicles. Grav vehicles get a 4+ invulnerable save against ranged attacks, and a Stratagem lets a destroyed vehicle claim an uncontested objective.
- Null Maiden Vigil: a Sisters of Silence army. Prosecutors become Battleline, a Sister can be your Warlord, and an aura gives -1 to Battle-shock tests within 12″.
Early picks: Emissaries Imperatus (army-wide Fights First is brutal on elite melee bodies) and Shadowkeepers (melee durability for an army that wants to be in combat) look like the standouts. Guardians of the Throne is the safe all-rounder for newer players. For how detachments are costed in 11th, see our detachment points explainer.
Unit changes: bigger, tougher, smaller squads
Across the board, Custodes have more Toughness, more Wounds, faster movement and harder hits. Squads are now capped at 2 or 3 models. Some highlights:
- Trajann Valoris: T7, 10 Wounds. His axe is S12 AP-3 D4 with 6 Attacks and Cleave, and once per game he gets +3 Attacks and a 3+ invulnerable save.
- Shield Captain: T7, 8 W. Once per battle round he can give a unit a second Ka’tah.
- Shield Captain in Terminator Armour: T8, 9 W. Once per battle he can drop into Strategic Reserves and arrive the same turn.
- Shield Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike: T8, 10 W, 8 S8 AP-2 D2 lance attacks.
- Custodian Guard and Sentinel Guard: Battleline, T7, 5 W, about 250 points for three. Custodians get Sustained Hits, and Sentinels get Lethal Hits on or against objectives.
- Custodian Wardens: axes are now S10 D4, in units of 2–3.
- Allarus Custodians: similar weapon upgrades, plus +1 to Wound against higher-Toughness targets.
- Vertus Praetors: 7 W, with the Captain’s lance and Sustained Hits on the charge.
- Telemon Heavy Dreadnought: T11, 14 W, 4+ invulnerable save, and -1 Damage against incoming shots.
- Coronus Grav-Carrier: T12, 16 W, carries 8 models. It moves D6″ when it loses a wound in the Shooting phase, and passengers can use Shock Disembark after it Advances.
- Caladius Grav-Tank: T11, 14 W. The Illastus version hunts non-vehicle targets, and the Annihilator version is the anti-tank option.
Every plastic Heresy kit is in
This is the big collector win. Aquilon Terminators, Venatari, both Contemptor variants (Galatus and Achillus), Gyrfalcon Jetbikes, Pallas Grav-Attack, Coronus, Caladius and the Telemon all have 40k rules. If you bought the Custodes Support Battle Group box, everything in it is now legal in 40k. Our Custodes Dreadnought guide covers the walkers in more detail.
The Sisters of Silence get a Knight-Centura character, Witchseekers (Anti-Psyker 4+ flamers that force Battle-shock tests), Prosecutors, Vigilators and their own Rhino with Shock Disembark.
Points: up across the board
Points have gone up almost everywhere, so expect an even smaller model count than before. If you’re short on models, Custodes are still one of the cheapest armies to collect. Our model count by army guide shows how few you need.
Verdict
Custodes come out of 11th Edition feeling like their lore: tougher, deadlier and more tactical, thanks to the turn-by-turn Ka’tah choice. The cost is fewer models and higher points. The main worry is balance. Next to these new books, some 10th Edition indexes could look weak until 2027. Wondering how they stack up against the Astartes? See Space Marines vs Custodes.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Codex: Adeptus Custodes release?
Pre-orders opened 3 October 2026, and the book released on 17 October 2026.
How does Martial Ka’tah work in 11th Edition?
Each unit is readied at the start of your Command phase and can use one of six stances that turn: Conservai, Calistus, Salvus, Dacatarai, Kaptaris or Rendax.
How many detachments does the Custodes codex have?
Thirteen, from the all-rounder Guardians of the Throne to specialist Terminator, Dreadnought, Vehicle and Sisters of Silence detachments.
Are Horus Heresy Custodes models legal in 40k now?
Yes. Every plastic Heresy Custodes kit, including the Contemptor Galatus and Achillus, Aquilon Terminators, Venatari and the grav-tanks, has rules in the codex.
Is Custodes the last codex of 2026?
Yes. GW confirmed no further 40k codexes until 2027.
Can you play a Sisters of Silence army in the new Custodes codex?
Yes. The Null Maiden Vigil detachment is built around the Sisters of Silence. It makes Prosecutors Battleline, lets a Sister be your Warlord and gives an aura of -1 to Battle-shock tests within 12″. The codex also adds a Knight-Centura character, Witchseekers, Vigilators and a Sisters of Silence Rhino.
Which Custodes detachment should a new player start with?
Guardians of the Throne. It’s the generalist detachment, giving Sustained or Lethal Hits in melee, with flexible enhancements and Stratagems that work with any collection. Emissaries Imperatus and Shadowkeepers look stronger at the top end, but they reward more experience with the turn-by-turn Ka’tah choices.