Age of Sigmar Tier List: All 25 Factions Ranked (November 2026)

Age of Sigmar has 25 current factions spread across four Grand Alliances: Order, Chaos, Death and Destruction. Each brings its own mechanics, aesthetics and playstyle to the Mortal Realms. But which ones are winning on the tabletop right now in 4th Edition?

This is a snapshot as of November 2026. It is based on tournament results collected by Listhammer since the first quarterly Battlescroll of the 2026–27 General’s Handbook season (23 September 2026), up to 10 November 2026. The data includes both Grand Tournaments and RTTs, which gives more than 13,600 faction results, with mirror matches left out. A smaller follow-up update in late October tweaked several factions, including Sons of Behemat, Nighthaunt, Ogors, Lumineth, Skaven and Sylvaneth. So the last couple of weeks of data reflect slightly different rules from the start of the window.

Read this first:

• It will change. Battlescrolls, Battle Profile points updates and new battletomes can shift faction power quickly. Treat this as a snapshot, not a verdict.
• Player skill matters more than faction choice. A practised player with a lower-tier army will beat a newcomer with the “best” faction most of the time.
• AoS is fairly tight. Most factions sit between 45% and 55%. Only the very bottom of the table is genuinely struggling.
• Sample sizes matter. Some factions have only a few hundred games. We give the game count next to each win rate so you can judge for yourself.

The Tier List at a Glance

Win rates are from Listhammer’s AoS meta stats, from 23 September to 10 November 2026, including RTTs. We grouped factions into tiers using those numbers, with some judgement where samples are small.

The Fyreslayers figure was recorded under their old battletome. Fyreslayers now sit inside Battletome: Khazalite Holds, so we haven’t placed that army in a tier yet. See the section below.

S-Tier — Dominant Forces

These five armies are winning well above 55% across the season so far. Notice that four of them are Order factions.

Sylvaneth

Grand Alliance: Order

The clear best army in Age of Sigmar right now. Sylvaneth got a new battletome in April 2026 and have been climbing ever since. Over the last four weeks of data they are above 60%, and they are well represented among event winners. Wyldwoods and the forest spirits’ ability to move through them give Sylvaneth unmatched control of where the fight happens, and their units are tougher than they look. A small change in the late-October update is unlikely to knock them far.

Key strengths: Board control through wyldwoods, redeployment tricks, resilient units, strong new battletome
Key weaknesses: Complex to play well, a prime target for the next Battlescroll

Idoneth Deepkin

Grand Alliance: Order

The aelves of the deep benefited from the September Battlescroll removing the movement penalty from Abyssal Dweller, and their win rate has stayed above 56% since. Fast eel cavalry and the round-by-round rhythm of the tides reward players who plan their big turn carefully.

Key strengths: Speed, hard-hitting cavalry, a predictable power spike you can plan around
Key weaknesses: Fragile infantry, punishing if the timing goes wrong, smaller player base

Kharadron Overlords

Grand Alliance: Order

The sky-duardin are one of the season’s quiet success stories. Skyvessels carry their crews wherever they’re needed, and the army’s long-ranged firepower punishes anyone who stands still. They aren’t played much, though, so this is a smaller sample than the other S-tier armies.

Key strengths: Mobile shooting, flexible deployment via skyvessels, good at picking off key targets
Key weaknesses: Weak in prolonged melee, losing a ship can collapse a plan

Disciples of Tzeentch

Grand Alliance: Chaos

The Changer of Ways’ army mixes strong spellcasting, ranged attacks and daemons that are hard to pin down. Tzeentch players have posted around 56% since the September Battlescroll, and the faction is clearly overrepresented in top finishes.

Key strengths: Magic and manifestations, ranged damage, slippery daemon units
Key weaknesses: Fragile mortal units, can be swarmed in melee

Daughters of Khaine

Grand Alliance: Order

Morathi’s murder-cult got a new battletome in April 2026 and has been one of the most consistent armies since. Witch Aelves, Melusai and strong heroes hit incredibly hard, and the army gets more dangerous as the battle goes on.

Key strengths: Extreme melee damage, speed, power that scales through the game
Key weaknesses: Fragile, reliant on reaching combat, limited shooting

A-Tier — Strong Contenders

These factions sit above 50% with healthy samples. They are excellent competitive picks without any obvious weak spots.

Ogor Mawtribes

Grand Alliance: Destruction

Ogors got a new battletome in August 2026 and are now the most-played army near the top of the table, with more than 1,000 games at 53.5%. They also post the most undefeated runs of any faction in the data. Gutbusters and Beastclaw monsters give the army a heavy, simple-to-learn punch.

Key strengths: New battletome, big monsters, durable multi-wound infantry, simple game plan
Key weaknesses: Low model count for objectives, can be outmanoeuvred by fast armies

Helsmiths of Hashut

Grand Alliance: Chaos

The Chaos duardin are the big success story of the season. At launch they were at the bottom of the rankings, with Woehammer’s December 2025 review putting them 25th of 25 at 41%. The September 2026 Battlescroll improved their battle formations, and since then they have posted 52.3% from more than 450 games, with ten event wins. Daemon-bound war engines, artillery and heavily armoured infantry give them a solid, grinding style. Read our Helsmiths of Hashut Spearhead guide for a small-format introduction.

Key strengths: Artillery and war engines, durable infantry, improved battle formations
Key weaknesses: Still a smaller model range, slow

Blades of Khorne

Grand Alliance: Chaos

The Blood God’s army is as straightforward as it sounds: get into combat and kill everything. Bloodletters, Bloodthirsters and mortal warbands all bring heavy melee damage, and the army has sat comfortably above 50% all season.

Key strengths: Brutal melee, strong daemon units, aggressive and simple to pilot
Key weaknesses: Little shooting, can be kited and screened

Slaves to Darkness

Grand Alliance: Chaos

The mortal followers of Chaos are one of the most-played armies, and among the most consistent. Chaos Knights, Varanguard and elite Chosen give them a hard-hitting core, and their wide range lets them take on most matchups. The September Battlescroll stopped Ensorcelled Banner units swapping their Chaos mark, and they stayed just above 50% afterwards.

Key strengths: Durable elite infantry and cavalry, wide range, strong heroes
Key weaknesses: Expensive elite units, can be outnumbered on objectives

Cities of Sigmar

Grand Alliance: Order

The mortal armies of Order got a new battletome in May 2026 and now sit just above 50%. Combined arms is the theme: steady infantry, cavalry, artillery and war machines.

Key strengths: Combined arms flexibility, strong artillery, solid infantry
Key weaknesses: Individually fragile models, needs careful positioning

Maggotkin of Nurgle

Grand Alliance: Chaos

Nurgle’s army is still the attrition specialist of Age of Sigmar. Tough daemons and Rotbringers grind down opponents through disease and sheer resilience, and they sit right on 50% this season.

Key strengths: Excellent durability, strong attrition game, good at holding ground
Key weaknesses: Slow, can be outpaced by fast armies

B-Tier — Competitive with Effort

These factions sit between roughly 46% and 50%. They win events in skilled hands but have more difficult matchups or less margin for error.

Soulblight Gravelords

Grand Alliance: Death

The September Battlescroll toned down the Vengorian Lord, but Soulblight still sit right on 50%. Vampires lead hordes of undead that keep coming back, which makes them frustrating to grind through.

Key strengths: Raising fallen units, powerful vampire heroes, versatile list building
Key weaknesses: Heavily dependent on heroes, weak if the vampires go down

Seraphon

Grand Alliance: Order

The lizardmen combine dinosaur monsters with powerful Slann and daemonic Seraphon magic. Popular and steady, but they haven’t threatened the top tier this season.

Key strengths: Big monsters, strong magic, flexible deployment
Key weaknesses: Fragile Skinks, big monsters are expensive

Kruleboyz

Grand Alliance: Destruction

The sneaky orruks rely on dirty tricks, poisoned weapons and big swamp monsters. With RTTs included they’re close to 50%, but at Grand Tournament level they’ve been noticeably weaker this season.

Key strengths: Debuffs and tricks, strong monsters, solid Gutrippaz infantry
Key weaknesses: Lower damage than Ironjawz, tricky to use well

Ironjawz

Grand Alliance: Destruction

The heavily armoured orruks are still the easiest Destruction army to pick up. They charge, smash and rely on tough Brutes and Gore-gruntas. They’re slightly under 50% but they convert to event wins about as often as anyone in this tier.

Key strengths: Brute strength, durable armour, easy to learn
Key weaknesses: Limited ranged options, smaller unit range

Lumineth Realm-lords

Grand Alliance: Order

The aelf mages and warriors have recovered over the last four weeks and are back above 50% in that period. Strong magic and elite Vanari infantry let them control the board when everything lines up.

Key strengths: Powerful magic, elite infantry, board control
Key weaknesses: Fragile, expensive, punishing to misplay

Ossiarch Bonereapers

Grand Alliance: Death

Nagash’s bone constructs fell from the top tier this season. The September Battlescroll removed the extra Relentless Discipline cost on reinforced units, but other armies have simply caught up. Mortek Guard are still one of the most durable infantry units in the game.

Key strengths: Exceptional durability, solid core infantry, grinding power
Key weaknesses: Slow, limited mobility, outmanoeuvred by fast armies

Skaven

Grand Alliance: Chaos

The ratmen are one of the most popular armies, but they’re below 47% this season. Their numbers, warp-tech weapons and magic are still dangerous, and the late-October update tweaked several warscrolls. But the army hasn’t matched its post-Skaventide peak.

Key strengths: Mass numbers, devastating shooting potential, strong magic
Key weaknesses: Unreliable weapons, fragile models, complex to play well

Stormcast Eternals

Grand Alliance: Order

Sigmar’s flagship army has been one of the biggest fallers. They topped earlier versions of this list, but they sit around 46.6% this season from more than 800 games. Their units are still tough, and arriving from the heavens still lets them strike where the enemy is weakest, but they aren’t winning like they used to.

Key strengths: Flexible deployment, durability, versatile builds, strong heroes
Key weaknesses: Elite units are expensive, can be outnumbered on objectives

Nighthaunt

Grand Alliance: Death

The ghostly host got improvements in both the September and October updates. Over the last four weeks of data they are close to 50%, which is a clear step up from the start of the season. Ward saves and the ability to flit across the battlefield make them slippery.

Key strengths: Ward saves, speed, recent buffs
Key weaknesses: Low damage output, struggles against high-volume attacks

C-Tier — Playable but Struggling

These four factions are below 44% in the current data. They can still win games, but they’re working against the current.

Gloomspite Gitz

Grand Alliance: Destruction

The moon-worshipping grots bring huge numbers, squigs and troggoths, plus the Bad Moon’s chaotic swings. Fun to play, but they have struggled for consistency this season.

Key strengths: Mass numbers, unpredictable damage spikes, very fun to play
Key weaknesses: Unreliable, fragile, expensive to collect

Flesh-eater Courts

Grand Alliance: Death

The ghoul kings have very strong monsters in Terrorgheists and Zombie Dragons, and their ghoul hordes can keep the pressure on. But they remain near the bottom of the table, and they rarely post top finishes.

Key strengths: Strong monsters, horde-like numbers
Key weaknesses: Fragile infantry, struggles against elite armies

Hedonites of Slaanesh

Grand Alliance: Chaos

Slaanesh got a new battletome in July 2026, but it hasn’t translated into results. They’re on about 42.7% from a fairly small sample. The army is fast and hard-hitting in theory, but fragile in practice.

Key strengths: Speed, strong melee heroes, new battletome
Key weaknesses: Fragile, inconsistent, few top finishes

Sons of Behemat

Grand Alliance: Destruction

The giants are clearly the weakest army in AoS right now, even after a new battletome at the end of September. They sit around 36%. The late-October update lets Matriarch’s Mob and Stomper Tribe field regiments led by Mancrusher Gargants, which should help a little, but they’ll need more than that. Their huge models and tiny model count still make them one of the simplest armies to collect and paint.

Key strengths: Huge individual models, very low model count, simple to collect
Key weaknesses: Few bodies for objectives, vulnerable to being swarmed, weakest current results

Not Yet Ranked: Khazalite Holds

The Khazalite Holds are the newest duardin faction, released in late October 2026. Their battletome brings the Fyreslayers range together with the new defensive Kromdron units. A pure Fyreslayer force is still possible through the Fyrd of Fyrepeak Army of Renown. Under the old rules, Fyreslayers sat at about 49.5% this season. That’s a reasonable starting point, but the new book will change things. We’ll place the Khazalite Holds once there is a few weeks of tournament data. Our Khazalite Holds battletome guide covers what’s in the book.

Choosing Your Faction

We can’t stress this enough: choose the army that excites you visually and thematically. You will spend far more time building, painting and admiring your army than playing games with it. A beautifully painted army of your favourite faction will bring you far more joy than a meta-chasing army you don’t love.

The competitive meta shifts constantly. Helsmiths went from last place to A-tier in under a year, and Stormcast fell from our top tier to below 47%. If you choose based on love rather than power, you’ll enjoy the ups and weather the downs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AoS more balanced than 40k?

Broadly, yes. In the current data most AoS factions sit between 45% and 57%, and only a handful are clearly struggling, with Sons of Behemat the main outlier. Individual factions still spike or crash with each Battlescroll and new battletome, but the overall spread is fairly tight.

What’s the best beginner faction in AoS?

Stormcast Eternals are designed as the introductory faction, with tough, forgiving units and plenty of starter set support. They aren’t top tier right now, but that matters little when you’re learning. Ironjawz are another great choice: their “charge and smash” playstyle is easy to learn. Ogor Mawtribes are a strong, simple option if you want a currently competitive army. See our beginner guide for more advice.

What’s the cheapest AoS faction to start?

Sons of Behemat need only a handful of models for a full army, which makes them affordable to collect, though the individual kits aren’t cheap. Stormcast Eternals are also cost-effective thanks to plentiful starter sets and second-hand availability. Horde armies like Skaven and Gloomspite Gitz tend to be the most expensive because they need many boxes.

How often does AoS balance change?

Games Workshop releases quarterly Battlescrolls and Battle Profile points updates, with smaller fixes in between. The September 2026 Battlescroll and the late-October update are the latest examples. Major shifts usually come with new battletomes and the annual General’s Handbook. Expect the meta to shift meaningfully every few months.

Can I mix factions within a Grand Alliance?

Not freely. In 4th Edition matched play your army is built from a single faction. The main way to include units from other factions is a Regiment of Renown, which bundles specific allied units into an army that is allowed to take them. Check the current General’s Handbook and Battle Profiles for which Regiments of Renown each faction can use.

How many factions are there in Age of Sigmar?

There are 25 current Age of Sigmar factions, split across the four Grand Alliances of Order, Chaos, Death and Destruction. Order is the largest, with nine armies including Stormcast Eternals, Cities of Sigmar and the new Khazalite Holds, which now include the Fyreslayers. Death is the smallest, with four factions. Older armies such as Beasts of Chaos have moved to Legends.

What are the most popular Age of Sigmar factions?

In this season’s tournament data the most-played armies are Ogor Mawtribes, Sylvaneth, Slaves to Darkness and Stormcast Eternals, followed by Skaven, Cities of Sigmar and Soulblight Gravelords. Stormcast remain the most widely collected army overall as the flagship of every starter set. Popularity and tournament strength are different things, so a popular army isn’t always top tier.

Ready to dive in? Check out our 40k vs AoS comparison guide if you’re still deciding between game systems, or head to our beginner collection guide to start building your army.