Part of our Skaven hub: every Skaven guide, lore page and painting tutorial in one place. Browse all Age of Sigmar army lists.
Skaven are the army for players who love chaos, big numbers and a few dice that might blow up in your face. The ratmen swarm the board with cheap Clanrats, hit hard with mutant monsters and warp-powered weapons, and pop out of tunnels where your opponent least expects them.
They’re not the most forgiving army. Individual rats are fragile, and some of the best Skryre weapons can hurt you as well as the enemy. But the core plan is easy to learn: flood the objectives with bodies, then use your elite units and war machines to wreck whatever comes to take them back. At 1,000 points you’ll field around 50 models; at 2,000 points, around 100.
New to the ratmen? Our Skaven army guide covers every unit, and our Skaven lore deep dive explains the clans and their endless backstabbing. For their god, read about the Great Horned Rat.
A quick note on rules and points
Skaven use Battletome: Skaven (September 2024), released with Age of Sigmar 4th Edition, plus the free rules updates since. Matched play uses the General’s Handbook 2026–27, which started the current season in summer 2026.
Points come from Games Workshop’s official Battle Profiles, October 2026 document (published 28 October 2026), which covers every faction. For Skaven, that update only fixed a typo in the Verminlord Corruptor’s points. Every value below is points as of Battle Profiles, October 2026. Check the Warhammer Age of Sigmar app before you play.
How army building works at 1,000 and 2,000 points
The General’s Handbook 2026–27 is built for 1,000- or 2,000-point battles. That makes 1,000 points a recognised size, often played on a 30″ × 44″ board. 2,000 points is the standard size for events. Our Age of Sigmar points explained guide has the details, but here’s what matters for Skaven:
- Regiments. Build your army from 1 to 5 regiments. Each regiment is 1 Hero plus up to 3 non-Hero units, and the Hero’s battle profile says which units it can take. A Grey Seer can take any Skaven unit; a Clawlord can only take Verminus units; a Warlock Engineer can take Skryre units and one unit of Clanrats.
- Your general’s regiment can take up to 4 non-Hero units.
- Skryre war machines. A regiment led by a non-Skryre Hero, such as a Grey Seer, can’t include more than one Skryre war machine.
- Unit sizes. Clanrats come in units of 20, not 10. The Spearhead’s two units of 10 become one unit of 20 in a normal game.
- Auxiliary units sit outside regiments. The player with fewer auxiliaries gets an extra command point every battle round, and every auxiliary after the first costs an extra 20 points, then 40, and so on. Our lists don’t use any.
- Reinforced units have double the models and cost double the points.
- Enhancements. You get 1 heroic trait and 1 artefact of power. They can’t go on Unique heroes.
- One battle formation, which is free, plus 1 spell lore, 1 prayer lore and 1 manifestation lore.
- No unit can cost more than half your points.
List 1: Warpspark Clawpack (1,000 points)
This list is built on the Skaven Spearhead box (the Warpspark Clawpack): a Grey Seer, twenty Clanrats, three Stormfiends and a Warp Lightning Cannon. That’s 610 points. Add a Clawlord on Gnaw-beast, another twenty Clanrats and three Rat Ogors, all of which come in the Skaven half of the Skaventide launch box, and you have a full 1,000-point army.
| Regiment | Unit | Points |
|---|---|---|
| General’s regiment | Grey Seer (General) | 110 |
| General’s regiment | 3 Stormfiends | 230 |
| General’s regiment | Warp Lightning Cannon | 120 |
| General’s regiment | 20 Clanrats | 150 |
| General’s regiment | 3 Rat Ogors | 130 |
| Regiment 2 | Clawlord on Gnaw-beast | 90 |
| Regiment 2 | 20 Clanrats | 150 |
| Total | 980 / 1,000 |
Battle formation: Claw-horde. Up to three Verminus units that charged gain +1 Rend in combat. Both Clanrat units and the Clawlord benefit, which turns a mob of rats into a real threat on the charge.
Enhancements (0 pts): Skilled Manipulator (heroic trait) on the Grey Seer, which gives him a 4+ ward while he’s near friendly infantry and pushes damage onto them instead. Foulhide (artefact) on the Clawlord on Gnaw-beast, so he heals at the end of every turn.
Spell lore: Lore of Ruin. The Grey Seer gets Wither for damage and Skitterleap to teleport.
How it plays
The two units of 20 Clanrats are your objective holders. Put one on your home objective and push the other forward with the Clawlord to grab the centre.
The Stormfiends are your best unit. They shoot well and fight well, so walk them towards the enemy’s toughest unit. The Rat Ogors go with them as extra muscle.
The Warp Lightning Cannon stays at the back and blasts enemy elites and monsters from long range. Keep a Clanrat unit between it and anything fast.
Use the Lurking Vermintide to hold one unit back in the tunnels, then bring it out through a Gnawhole. You can place up to three Gnawholes across the battle, one per round. A unit of Rat Ogors or Clanrats popping out next to an empty objective in round two can win you the game.
What to buy
The Spearhead box plus the Skaven models from Skaventide. That leaves you with a spare Grey Seer and Warlock Engineer, which you’ll use in List 2.
List 2: Grand Clawpack (2,000 points)
At 2,000 points we add a Warlock Engineer’s Skryre regiment full of guns, more Clanrats and two units of Stormvermin. It’s a proper Skaven horde, with nearly 100 models backed by plenty of firepower.
| Regiment | Unit | Points |
|---|---|---|
| General’s regiment | Grey Seer (General) | 110 |
| General’s regiment | 3 Stormfiends | 230 |
| General’s regiment | Warp Lightning Cannon | 120 |
| General’s regiment | 20 Clanrats | 150 |
| General’s regiment | 3 Rat Ogors | 130 |
| Regiment 2 | Clawlord on Gnaw-beast | 90 |
| Regiment 2 | 20 Clanrats | 150 |
| Regiment 2 | 20 Clanrats | 150 |
| Regiment 2 | 10 Stormvermin | 110 |
| Regiment 3 | Warlock Engineer | 100 |
| Regiment 3 | 3 Stormfiends | 230 |
| Regiment 3 | 3 Warplock Jezzails | 120 |
| Regiment 3 | Ratling Warpblaster | 110 |
| Regiment 4 | Clawlord | 70 |
| Regiment 4 | 10 Stormvermin | 110 |
| Total | 1,980 / 2,000 |
Battle formation: Claw-horde. You now have three Clanrat units, two Stormvermin units and two Clawlords, all Verminus, so there’s always a charging unit to pick for the extra Rend.
Enhancements (0 pts): Skilled Manipulator on the Grey Seer and Foulhide on the Clawlord on Gnaw-beast, as in List 1. If you want a tougher Clawlord on foot, give him Warpstone Charm instead, so a unit in combat with him may suffer -1 to its save rolls.
How it plays
Four regiments mean four Heroes and a lot of activations. If you have more regiments than your opponent, you can re-roll one priority roll during the game.
Think of the army as three layers. At the front are the Verminus regiments: 60 Clanrats and 20 Stormvermin with two Clawlords. They swamp the objectives and charge anything that gets close. In the middle are your elites: two units of Stormfiends and the Rat Ogors, who go after the enemy’s best units. At the back is the gunline: the Warp Lightning Cannon, Jezzails and Ratling Warpblaster, which thin out enemy elites before they reach your lines.
The Warlock Engineer leads the gun regiment because he’s a Skryre Hero, so the one-war-machine limit doesn’t apply to him. Keep him near the Jezzails and the Warpblaster.
What to buy
On top of List 1: a Warlock Engineer (or use the one from Skaventide), a second box of Stormfiends, another 20 Clanrats, two boxes of Stormvermin, a Clawlord, Warplock Jezzails and a Ratling Warpblaster.
General tactics
Numbers win objectives. A unit of 20 Clanrats has a big control score. You don’t need to kill the enemy, just outnumber them on the objective.
Use your tunnels. Gnawholes and the Lurking Vermintide let you threaten every corner of the board. Make your opponent guess where the next unit is coming from.
Move in their turn. Always Three Clawsteps Ahead lets one of your units make a move in your opponent’s hero phase. Use it to dodge a charge or step onto an empty objective.
Point the guns at elites. Clanrats deal with chaff. Save the Warp Lightning Cannon and Jezzails for heroes, monsters and heavily armoured units.
Accept losses. Clanrats are cheap. Throw them in front of enemy charges to protect the Stormfiends and war machines.
What to buy first
- Spearhead: Skaven: a Grey Seer, Clanrats, Stormfiends and a Warp Lightning Cannon. It’s the core of both lists.
- The Skaven half of Skaventide: a Clawlord on Gnaw-beast, a second Grey Seer, a Warlock Engineer, 20 Clanrats and Rat Ogors.
- Stormvermin: elite infantry for your Clawlords.
- A second box of Stormfiends: the best unit in both lists.
- Warplock Jezzails: long-range sniping for List 2.
If you’d rather start with sneaky Clans Eshin assassins, the City of Ash Spearhead’s Crixxit’s Kill-Pack is a very different way in; our Spearhead guide covers it. Ready to paint? See our Skaven painting guide.
Common mistakes
- Fielding Clanrats in tens. In normal games they come in units of 20. Two Spearhead units of 10 make one unit.
- Putting two war machines under a Grey Seer. A non-Skryre Hero can only lead one Skryre war machine. Give extra guns to a Warlock Engineer.
- Leaving the Grey Seer alone. He’s fragile. Skilled Manipulator only works while he’s near friendly infantry.
- Forgetting the tunnels. A unit waiting below is only useful if you remember to bring it up. Plan which round it arrives.
- Using Spearhead rules in a 1,000-point game. The Warpspark Clawpack’s battle trait, regiment abilities and enhancements are for Spearhead only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Skaven Spearhead box enough for 1,000 points?
No. It’s 610 points under the current Battle Profiles. Add a Clawlord on Gnaw-beast, 20 more Clanrats and Rat Ogors (all in Skaventide) to reach 980 points.
Is 1,000 points a real size in Age of Sigmar?
Yes. The General’s Handbook 2026–27 is designed for 1,000- or 2,000-point games. 2,000 points is the standard size for tournaments.
Are Skaven good for beginners?
They’re a fun but busy army. You’ll move a lot of models and some weapons can hurt you. If that sounds fun rather than stressful, they’re a great choice.
How many models do I need for a 2,000-point Skaven army?
List 2 has about 100 models, most of them Clanrats and Stormvermin. Lists with Hell Pit Abominations and other monsters need fewer.
What is the best Skaven battle formation for beginners?
Claw-horde is simple: Verminus units that charge get extra Rend. Once you know the army, Warpcog Convocation suits a Skryre gunline, but its random roll can damage your own units.
Is there a new Skaven battletome for 2026?
No. Skaven still use Battletome: Skaven, released in September 2024 alongside Age of Sigmar 4th Edition, plus the free rules updates since. Matched play uses the General’s Handbook 2026-27, and points come from the Battle Profiles, October 2026 document, which only fixed a typo in the Verminlord Corruptor’s points for Skaven.
What are the main Skaven clans?
There are five Great Clans plus the Masterclan. Clans Verminus are the warrior clan (Clanrats, Stormvermin, Clawlords), Skryre are the warp-engineers with Stormfiends and war machines, Pestilens are plague monks, Moulder breed mutant beasts such as Rat Ogors, and Eshin are assassins. The Masterclan’s Grey Seers serve the Great Horned Rat directly.
How do Skaven tunnels and Gnawholes work?
Skaven can hold units back underground with the Lurking Vermintide and bring them out through Gnawholes. You can place up to three Gnawholes across the battle, one per round, so a hidden unit can pop up next to an empty objective. Plan which round each unit arrives, or it does nothing for you.
Related guides
See every faction in our Age of Sigmar army lists hub. Want an army that’s tougher and easier to paint? Try our Stormcast Eternals army list. For help building your own list, see our Age of Sigmar army builder tools.