Deathshroud Terminators Guide — Mortarion's Bodyguard

What Are Deathshroud Terminators?

Deathshroud Terminators are the elite bodyguard of Mortarion, Daemon Primarch of the Death Guard, and the most feared close-combat unit in the entire XIV Legion. On the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop, Deathshroud function as a slow but devastatingly powerful melee unit that combines terrifying scythe attacks with the Death Guard’s signature resilience, making them one of the most durable assault units in the game.

What separates the Deathshroud from other Terminator units is their combination of extreme melee damage output and the bodyguard ability that lets them intercept attacks aimed at nearby Death Guard characters. This dual role — elite assault unit and character protector — makes them a cornerstone of virtually every competitive Death Guard army list.

The Deathshroud are not subtle. They do not outmanoeuvre the enemy, they do not engage at range, and they do not play clever objective games. They advance relentlessly through whatever fire the enemy can pour into them, close to scythe range, and butcher everything they touch. Their plodding, inevitable advance is one of the most intimidating sights on any Warhammer 40,000 table.

Deathshroud Lore and History

The Deathshroud Terminators trace their origins to the Great Crusade, when Mortarion personally selected two warriors from each of the Death Guard’s Great Companies to serve as his silent, hooded guardians. These chosen warriors abandoned their names, their identities, and their former company allegiances to become the Deathshroud — faceless sentinels who existed solely to protect the Primarch.

During the Great Crusade, the Deathshroud were a source of unease even among Mortarion’s own Legion. They never spoke, never removed their hoods, and shadowed the Primarch ceaselessly, appearing from nowhere whenever danger threatened. It was said that exactly two Deathshroud stood within forty-nine paces of Mortarion at all times, though no one — not even other senior Death Guard officers — ever knew which warriors held this sacred duty at any given moment.

When the Death Guard were trapped in the Warp during their journey to Terra and the entire Legion was ravaged by Nurgle’s Destroyer Plague, the Deathshroud suffered alongside their brothers. The plague rotted them inside their sealed Terminator plate, transforming their already formidable bodies into bloated, pestilent monstrosities. But where lesser warriors were broken by the plague, the Deathshroud endured — their devotion to Mortarion proving stronger even than the God of Plague’s most virulent diseases.

In the 41st Millennium, the Deathshroud continue to serve as Mortarion’s personal guard, now empowered by the blessings of Nurgle. Their Terminator armour is corroded and pitted, fused to their decaying flesh by ten thousand years of pestilent corruption. Their great scythes — manreapers, each a masterwork weapon modelled after Mortarion’s own blade, Silence — can bisect a Space Marine in full power armour with a single stroke. And their plaguespurt gauntlets vomit streams of toxic slurry that dissolves organic matter on contact.

Datasheet and Core Stats

Deathshroud Terminators share the Death Guard’s core defensive characteristics: high Toughness, Terminator-grade armour saves, Disgustingly Resilient damage reduction, and the characteristic slow Movement that defines the XIV Legion’s tabletop playstyle.

Their Toughness value is typically higher than standard Terminators, reflecting both their Terminator armour and the bloated, unnatural resilience that Nurgle’s blessings provide. Combined with Disgustingly Resilient (which reduces incoming damage or provides a Feel No Pain save, depending on the edition), Deathshroud are genuinely one of the hardest units in the game to remove. Opponents routinely underestimate the amount of firepower required to kill even a three-model squad of Deathshroud and find themselves committed to a grinding war of attrition they cannot win.

The bodyguard ability allows Deathshroud to intercept wounds allocated to nearby Death Guard characters, essentially transferring damage from your vulnerable (and valuable) HQ choices to the durable Deathshroud models. This makes it extremely difficult for your opponent to snipe out your support characters, as every shot aimed at your Lord of Contagion or Malignant Plaguecaster must chew through the Deathshroud first.

Note: Always verify the current datasheet on the official Warhammer Community site or your army’s codex, as points and abilities change with balance updates.

Weapons and Loadouts

The Deathshroud’s weapon loadout is straightforward but brutally effective, reflecting their single-minded purpose as close-combat killers.

Manreaper

The manreaper is the Deathshroud’s signature weapon — a massive, double-bladed scythe modelled after Mortarion’s own weapon, Silence. On the tabletop, the manreaper hits at high Strength with devastating AP and multi-damage, making it capable of cutting through virtually any target. Against infantry, each swing cleaves through armour and flesh alike. Against vehicles and monsters, the concentrated force of the scythe blade carves through hull plating and chitin with equal ease.

The manreaper typically offers a sweep profile as well, trading damage-per-hit for additional attacks. Use the sweep profile against hordes of light infantry where overkill damage is wasted, and the standard profile against multi-wound elites, vehicles, and monsters where every point of damage matters.

Plaguespurt Gauntlet

The plaguespurt gauntlet is a short-range shooting weapon integrated into the Deathshroud’s armour, spraying a torrent of infectious filth that auto-hits its targets. This weapon is perfect for softening up enemy units just before the Deathshroud charge into melee, stripping away a few models or wounds that might otherwise have survived the initial scythe attacks.

While the plaguespurt gauntlet is not the primary reason you take Deathshroud, it adds meaningful output in the shooting phase and synergises perfectly with the unit’s aggressive playstyle. Auto-hitting weapons are particularly valuable against units with high defensive stats or negative hit modifiers.

How to Use Deathshroud on the Tabletop

Deathshroud Terminators reward patient, methodical play. They are not fast enough to rush across the board in a single turn, and charging them unsupported into the enemy’s strongest position is a waste of their considerable points cost. Instead, advance them steadily under the protection of your army’s support characters and let them do their work when they arrive.

Deployment and Advance

Deploy Deathshroud alongside the Death Guard character they are protecting — typically a Lord of Contagion, Malignant Plaguecaster, or Typhus. The bodyguard bubble should be active from turn one, making your character essentially immune to sniping. Advance the group together, using terrain to block line of sight from the enemy’s heaviest weapons during the approach.

If your edition allows Deathshroud to deep strike, consider whether arriving from reserves on turn two or three is more valuable than advancing from the deployment zone. Deep striking bypasses the slow advance entirely and puts the Deathshroud directly into charge range of priority targets. The trade-off is losing one or two turns of bodyguard protection for your characters.

Target Selection

In melee, point the Deathshroud at the most valuable target you can reach. Their damage output is too high and their points cost too significant to waste on screening chaff — use Plague Marines or Poxwalkers to clear screens, then send the Deathshroud into the enemy’s elite units, vehicles, or characters.

Deathshroud are particularly effective against other elite melee units, as their high Toughness and damage reduction means they absorb the enemy’s attacks far more efficiently than most units. Throwing Deathshroud into an enemy’s premier assault unit — Bladeguard Veterans, Skorpekh Destroyers, or Sanguinary Guard — typically results in the Deathshroud winning the exchange comfortably.

Character Bodyguard Duty

Never forget that the bodyguard role is as important as the assault role. Keep at least one model alive near your key character throughout the game, even if it means sacrificing offensive output. A protected Plaguecaster or Lord of Contagion provides far more value over a five-turn game than one additional scythe attack in a single combat phase.

Army Synergies

The Deathshroud work best within a Death Guard army that maximises contagion auras and debuffing effects.

Typhus

Typhus is the premier character to pair with Deathshroud. His aura abilities buff the Deathshroud’s offensive output while the Deathshroud protect him from sniping. This combination creates a nearly unkillable deathball that grinds through anything in its path.

Malignant Plaguecaster

The Plaguecaster provides psychic support that enhances the Deathshroud’s effectiveness — mortal wound output that softens targets before the charge, defensive buffs that make the already-durable Deathshroud even harder to kill, and offensive powers that boost their melee damage. Protect the Plaguecaster with Deathshroud bodyguard and reap the benefits of the psychic buffs every turn.

Contagion Range Synergies

The Death Guard’s contagion mechanic reduces the Toughness of nearby enemy units as the game progresses. Deathshroud benefit enormously from this, as their already-powerful scythe attacks become even more devastating against debuffed targets. By the mid-game, a Toughness reduction of one or two points can turn reliable wounds into automatic butchery.

Countering Deathshroud Terminators

The best counter to Deathshroud is speed and avoidance. They are slow — do not let them reach your valuable units. Use fast units to contest objectives on the opposite side of the board from the Deathshroud advance, and sacrifice cheap screening units to redirect or delay their charge.

If you must fight the Deathshroud, bring weapons that negate their Feel No Pain and bypass their high Toughness. Mortal wounds are effective, as they bypass armour and invulnerable saves. High-volume, multi-damage attacks overwhelm the damage reduction and force enough saves to chew through even the toughest Deathshroud squad.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Deathshroud should I run?

Most competitive Death Guard lists run a single squad of three Deathshroud as a bodyguard unit for their primary character. Some lists run two squads to protect multiple characters or to have a dedicated assault squad alongside a bodyguard squad. Running more than six Deathshroud is generally too points-intensive for competitive play.

Deathshroud vs Blightlord Terminators — which is better?

They serve different roles. Deathshroud are melee-focused bodyguards with devastating scythe attacks. Blightlord Terminators are more versatile, offering ranged weapon options and greater flexibility. Most competitive lists take both: Deathshroud for bodyguard duty and melee, Blightlords for ranged support and objective holding.

Can Deathshroud bodyguard any Death Guard character?

The bodyguard ability typically works with any Death Guard infantry character within a specified range. Check the exact wording in your codex, as the specifics vary by edition. The most common pairing is with a Lord of Contagion or Typhus.

Should I deep strike Deathshroud or deploy them on the table?

If your primary goal is bodyguard duty, deploy on the table so the protection is active from turn one. If your primary goal is a devastating melee alpha strike, deep strike to bypass the slow advance. Consider the mission and your opponent’s army when making this decision.

How do I paint Deathshroud Terminators?

Deathshroud look best with a heavily weathered, corroded scheme. Start with a base of Death Guard Green, apply heavy washes of Agrax Earthshade and Athonian Camoshade, then build up rust effects with Typhus Corrosion and Ryza Rust. The scythe blades benefit from an oxidised metal effect, and the hoods can be painted in a contrasting off-white or bone colour to draw the eye.

Deathshroud Terminators Guide — Mortarion’s Bodyguard