New SKAVEN Units, What You NEED to Recruit & WHEN? | Lords of the End Times DLC

Overview

The video reviews the new Skaven characters and units in Lords of the End Times, explaining their strengths and how to use them. Overall, the presenter sees the additions as strengthening an already well-rounded roster, from melee infantry and monstrous units to support machines and artillery.

Characters and Verminlords

Thanquol

Thanquol is a spellcaster with access to the Lores of Ruin and Plague. His support abilities include summoning a Skaven unit and rapidly replenishing Winds of Magic. He is vulnerable in melee without his mount, so the presenter recommends keeping him out of hand-to-hand combat until he rides Bone Ripper.

Bone Ripper has two versions: a melee-focused variant and one equipped with a Warpfire Projector. The presenter favors the Warpfire version for its powerful, armor-piercing ranged attack and its burn effect, which reduces enemy leadership.

Skreech Verminking

The DLC’s legendary hero, Skreech Verminking, combines strong melee combat with spells from the Lores of Ruin, Plague, and Stealth. He is fast, hits hard, and can threaten large enemies. He can also summon Assault Vermin, bolster nearby allies, and weaken enemies.

Verminlords

Verminlords can be unlocked through technology and summoned with a ritual. Each variant has a distinct role:

• Warbringer: The strongest melee-focused option, with heavy armor, a glaive, anti-large capability, spells, and combat buffs.
• Warpseer: Focused on destructive magic, especially the Lore of Ruin. It can damage enemies with spells while still fighting effectively.
• Corruptor: Specializes in the Lore of Plague and is suited to fighting infantry, with poison, damage abilities, and some regeneration.
• Deceiver: A stealth-oriented fighter with the highest melee attack among the Verminlords, a ranged attack, and abilities that can hinder or hide units. It can also protect itself from enemy spells.

Each Verminlord has a different skill tree, allowing further specialization.

Infantry and Stormfiends

Infantry

Pox Bags are expendable melee infantry positioned between Skaven Slaves and Clanrats in the roster hierarchy. Their poor combat stats are offset by their ability to explode when they die, so the presenter recommends using them as disposable troops rather than conventional fighters.

A new halberd-and-shield Vermin unit combines missile protection with an anti-large weapon. It also has Frenzy and an army-wide leadership-support ability that activates when the lord is defeated.

Stormfiends

Stormfiends are monstrous infantry available in several weapon configurations:

• Grinderfists: Best used to stop enemies from moving and demolish buildings during sieges. Their building damage makes them a powerful alternative to standard siege equipment, but the presenter advises against relying on them primarily as melee fighters.
• Doomfury Gauntlets: The preferred melee choice against ordinary forces without physical resistance, thanks to their high weapon strength and armor-piercing damage.
• Shock Gauntlets: A better choice against Daemons and Undead because their magic damage helps overcome physical resistance.
• Warpfire Projectors: Short-ranged anti-infantry weapons. Protect them from melee attacks and use them against tightly packed, lightly armored units. The presenter particularly likes pairing them with Thanquol to concentrate fire.
• Wind Launchers: Longer-ranged explosive weapons that can fire over obstacles and frontline troops. Their ammunition is limited, so use their shots carefully; afterward, they can support the infantry line.
• Machine Guns: Powerful armor-piercing weapons with suppressive effects. Stormfiends’ larger, tougher bodies make them harder to shut down in melee than conventional weapon teams. The regiment of renown, Dispersed Fire Team, is described as exceptionally strong, with additional missile damage and armor penetration.

Support and Artillery

Cauldron of a Thousand Poxes

The Cauldron of a Thousand Poxes is a slow support war machine and a mount for certain characters, including Lord Skrolk and the Plague Priest. Keep it protected and position it near allies. It can damage nearby enemies, improve allied melee defense and psychological resilience, and cast Plague spells.

It has costly recruitment requirements, but the presenter considers it worthwhile when positioned well.

Plagueclaw Catapult

A Plagueclaw Catapult variant adds poison and a special disease-like area effect that continues damaging enemies where it lands. Its poison also weakens enemy stats, including speed.

Warp Doom Magma Cannon

The Warp Doom Magma Cannon is powerful and accurate despite its limited ammunition. Its temporary projectile-strength ability can boost its shots, and its impact leaves damaging magma that slows or blocks enemy movement. The presenter compares it favorably with the game’s strongest artillery.

Key Tactical Takeaways

• Keep Thanquol out of melee unless he is riding Bone Ripper. Consider the ranged mount for its powerful Warpfire attack.
• Choose Verminlords according to their roles: Warbringer for melee, Warpseer for destructive magic, Corruptor for plague and anti-infantry effects, and Deceiver for stealth and disruption.
• Use Pox Bags as expendable troops whose deaths can damage nearby enemies, not as reliable frontline fighters.
• Match Stormfiend weapons to the enemy: use Doomfury Gauntlets against conventional forces and Shock Gauntlets against physically resistant Daemons or Undead.
• Protect ranged Stormfiends from melee pressure and take advantage of their range, firing arcs, or crowd-damage effects.
• Use Grinderfists for siege demolition and the Magma Cannon to damage and impede advancing enemies.
• Position the Cauldron carefully. It is slow and vulnerable, but its area effects and spells can support nearby troops.

Gamers and sources featured: Alberto of Total War Therapy (presenter); Creative Assembly (developer discussed in the video).