What is Rise of the Tomb Kings?

Rise of the Tomb Kings is a Campaign Pack DLC for Total War: WARHAMMER II that introduces a brand-new race to the fold from the Warhammer Fantasy Battles world: The Tomb Kings.

Across the arid deserts of Nehekhara, vast legions of skeletal warriors rise from beneath the baking sands to slaughter those who trespass into their domain. It is a lifeless realm of endless dunes, stained red from the blood of savages and barbarians. This is the Land of the Dead, where mummified kings are cursed to rule in perpetual unlife. But it was not always thus.

There was a time when the ancient kingdom of Nehekhara stood as a crown of human civilisation; a golden age when its cities shone with majestic splendour, its armies conquered entire nations and its kings ruled as gods among men. But this realm was razed millennia ago by the treacherous sorcery of the reviled Nagash: in a stroke, the living perished and the dead rose from their tombs.

Death is no barrier to glory for the Tomb Kings however. In unlife, they will see the empire of Nehekhara restored to greatness!

Rise of the Tomb Kings introduces four new playable factions, each with their own Legendary Lord and a bunch of new campaign mechanics. Rise of the Tomb Kings will also bring a comprehensive roster full of unique and exciting new units.

Is Rise of the Tomb Kings a Campaign Pack?

In response to player feedback, Rise of the Tomb Kings does not contain a supplementary story campaign, but instead 2 additional Legendary Lords for a total of four, with their own skills, traits, quest-chains, legendary wargear and situational challenges.

Which Legendary Lords come with Rise of the Tomb Kings?

Settra The Imperishable

Settra is the king of all Tomb Kings. He is a ruthless leader whose thirst for conquest knows no bounds. Unlike other Tomb Kings, his unyielding will is such that he never needs to return to his sarcophagus to rest. The immortality he so desired in life is now his, and the civilisations that flourished in his absence now feel his wrath.

Settra is a great leader, bringing bonuses to growth and public order, while reducing construction time. He also confers bonus armour to Skeleton Chariot and Tomb Guard units, and has a selection of unlockable mounts, including the Khemrian Warsphinx and the flame-wreathed Chariot of the Gods.

High Queen Khalida

The Warrior-Queen of Lybaras was famed for her intelligence, honour and bravery. Her reign was cut tragically short by her cousin Neferata, who had attempted to create the Elixir of Life. Instead of true immortality though, Neferata’s flawed potion granted the twisted form known as Vampirism, and as the first Vampire slew her cousin in combat, she granted her the Blood Kiss. With her last breath, Khalida cried out to Asaph, the serpent goddess, who purified her of the taint. She is now the Goddess’ chosen, with Asaph’s divine venom coursing through her veins.

Khalida reduces all forms of corruption, enjoys a diplomatic relations bonus with other Tomb Kings factions and grants a hefty bonus to ammunition for all ranged units across her faction She also confers poison attacks on all units in her army and suffers considerably less from attrition effects.

Grand Hierophant Khatep

The head of the Mortuary Cult’s Hierophantic Council, Khatep is the oldest and wisest of the Liche Priests, and the first of them to deny death’s embrace. It was Khatep who awoke Settra to unlife after Nagash’s Great Ritual levelled Nehekhara, but Settra’s distrust of the Mortuary Cult led him to exile Khatep. Now he roams the Land of the Dead, assisting the Tomb Kings where he can and seeking a way to restore himself in the eyes of Settra.

Khatep grants a bonus to Dynasty research rate, and improves casualty replenishment and army movement factionwide. He can also recruit a higher number of Liche Priest Heroes, and recruits them at a higher rank.

Arkhan the Black

Nagash’s principle lieutenant, Arkhan helped lead the coup which brought the hated arch-necromancer to initial power. He led many armies against Nagash’s enemies, and was finally slain in a suicidal counter-attack against the Priest King’s soldiers that enabled Nagash to escape. He was raised again by his master to become the Liche King, and for countless generations since Nagash’s death at the hands of King Alcadizaar, he has vented his wrath on the lands of the living.   

Arkhan enjoys bonus diplomatic relations with Vampire Counts factions, and his regions never suffer public order penalties from Vampiric corruption. Heroes embedded in his army gain melee attack and melee defence bonuses, and all his armies factionwide gain a boost to their Winds of Magic Power Reserve.

Will the Tomb Kings factions be available in both the Eye of the Vortex campaign and Mortal Empires?

Yes, the Rise of the Tomb Kings campaign pack will be available to play in both the Eye of the Vortex campaign and Mortal Empires from Launch.

Will the Tomb Kings be fighting for control of the Vortex?

While the Tomb Kings can be played in the Eye of the Vortex campaign, they do not seek to influence the Vortex itself, and therefore do not engage in the race for control of it. Instead, they seek the nine cursed Books of Nagash, a search culminating in an epic battle at the Black Pyramid of Nagash. Each of these books grants a unique campaign bonus, and puts the player a step further along the road to victory.

What Campaign Mechanics will the Tomb Kings bring to Total War: WARHAMMER II?

The Tomb Kings will have access to a host of new game-changing new campaign mechanics, inspired by their lore. Players will be scouring the map for the legendary Books of Nagash as the driving central narrative of the Tomb Kings campaign. Along the way they will be able to research and uncover the mysteries of ancient Nehekharan Dynasties to further expand their armies, combine exotic trade goods and Canopic Jars – the Tomb Kings’ unique resource – to craft magic items and raise fabled Legions of Legend at the Mortuary Cult, and unlock the power of their unique rites to turn the tide of conflicts with powerful abilities like shrouding their territory in deadly sandstorms.

As Nehekharan warriors fall in battle, their essences flow to the realm of souls. As certain thresholds are reached, mass-healing and resurrection waves are triggered, reinvigorating the Tomb Kings’ armies.

For more information about how the Tomb Kings play, have a look at the Rise of the Tomb Kings Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/617870

When will Rise of the Tomb Kings be available to purchase?

Total War: WARHAMMER II – Rise of the Tomb Kings will be released on the 23^rd of January 2018 but you can pre-order the campaign pack on Steam now to receive a 10% discount on your purchase.

To claim the Rise of the Tomb Kings DLC now, head over to the Steam page here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/617870