What changed for Adeptus Custodes in 11th edition
11th edition asked the Adeptus Custodes to relearn a little army-building rather than a whole collection. It is a small, tight roster, and the moves are modest: the core Custodian Guard crept up while several of the faction's characters dropped around 10 points, and three new characters joined the ranks. If you played the Golden Legion in 10th, almost everything you own does what it did before.
Summary
- 17 units repriced, 8 new, 1 unchanged
- Biggest drop: Aleya (-10)
- Biggest rise: Trajann Valoris (+125)
- Detachment Points: 2 / 3 / 3 at Incursion / Strike Force / Onslaught
Detachments
The Custodes now pay for their detachment in Detachment Points, a cost taken out of the army total before any unit is bought: 2 at Incursion, 3 at Strike Force and 4 at Onslaught. Every detachment on the shelf, old or new, costs the same to run. The shelf grew as well: Might of the Moritoi, Silent Hunters and Tharanatoi Hammerblow are new, and every 10th-edition option returns with none removed. Pick one, deduct its fee, and build the rest of the list from what remains.
New in 11th: Might of the Moritoi, Guardians of the Throne, Honoured Companions, Grav-Assault Force, Aquilan Shield, Dread Host, Emissaries Imperatus, Emperor's Chosen, Shadow Keepers, Solar Watch. Removed: Shield Host, Talons Of The Emperor, Solar Spearhead.
| Detachment | DP | |
|---|---|---|
| Null Maiden Vigil | 1 | |
| Auric Champions | 1 | |
| Lions of the Emperor | 1 | |
| Might of the Moritoi | 1 | New in 11th |
| Guardians of the Throne | 3 | New in 11th |
| Honoured Companions | 1 | New in 11th |
| Grav-Assault Force | 1 | New in 11th |
| Aquilan Shield | 1 | New in 11th |
| Dread Host | 1 | New in 11th |
| Emissaries Imperatus | 1 | New in 11th |
| Emperor's Chosen | 1 | New in 11th |
| Shadow Keepers | 1 | New in 11th |
| Solar Watch | 1 | New in 11th |
Points changes
The repricing is light-touch: nine units moved, four up and five down, with three new characters on top. The one increase that matters at scale is the Custodian Guard, up 10 points a squad, since you build most of the army around them. The other rises are 5-point nudges on the Sisters of Silence squads. Working the other way, most of the faction's characters got cheaper: the Blade Champion, Shield-Captain and Trajann Valoris all came down, which softens the cost of a leader-heavy list. Some units are priced per squad size, so read the row for the size you field.
| Unit | Role | 10th | 11th | Δ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trajann Valoris | Characters | 140 | 265 | +125 | |
| Custodian Guard Sodality | Battleline | 4: 160 5: 200 | 240 | +80 | |
| Allarus Custodians | Infantry | 2: 110 3: 165 5: 275 6: 330 | 2: 180 3: 270 | +70 +105 | |
| Vertus Praetors | Mounted & Beasts | 2: 150 3: 225 | 2: 220 3: 330 | +70 +105 | |
| Shield-Captain | Characters | 120 | 180 | +60 | |
| Blade Champion | Characters | 120 | 175 | +55 | |
| Shield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armour | Characters | 130 | 185 | +55 | |
| Shield-Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike | Characters | 150 | 205 | +55 | |
| Venerable Contemptor Dreadnought | Vehicles | 170 | 220 | +50 | |
| Valerian | Characters | 110 | 130 | +20 | |
| Aleya | Characters | 65 | 55 | -10 | |
| Custodian Wardens | Infantry | 4: 210 5: 260 | 2: 200 3: 295 | -10 +35 | |
| Venerable Land Raider | Vehicles | 220 | 230 | +10 | |
| Witchseeker Squad | Infantry | 4: 45 5: 55 9: 90 10: 100 | 4: 55 5: 60 9: 100 10: 110 | +10 +5 +10 +10 | |
| Anathema Psykana Rhino | Transports | 75 | 70 | -5 | |
| Prosecutor Squad | Infantry | 4: 40 5: 50 9: 75 10: 85 | 4: 45 5: 50 9: 80 10: 90 | +5 0 +5 +5 | |
| Vigilator Squad | Infantry | 4: 45 5: 55 9: 90 10: 100 | 4: 50 5: 55 9: 90 10: 100 | +5 0 0 0 | |
| Aquilon Terminators with Solarite Power Talons | Infantry | — | 275 | — | New in 11th |
| Caladius Annihilator Grav-tank | Vehicles | — | 250 | — | New in 11th |
| Custodian Guard Sodality with Pyrithite Spears | Infantry | — | 215 | — | New in 11th |
| Guardian of the Throne | Characters | — | 130 | — | New in 11th |
| Kataphraktoi Exemplar | Characters | — | 150 | — | New in 11th |
| Null Maiden | Characters | — | 65 | — | New in 11th |
| Sentinel Guard Sodality | Battleline | — | 240 | — | New in 11th |
| Venatari with Verutum Lances | Infantry | — | 3: 270 4: 300 | — | New in 11th |
| Knight-Centura | Characters | 55 | 55 | — |
Biggest increases
Are Trajann Valoris still worth it?
Up 125 points in 11th: 265 now, 140 in 10th.
Are Custodian Guard Sodality still worth it?
Up 80 points in 11th: 240 now, 160 in 10th.
Are Allarus Custodians still worth it?
Up 70 points in 11th: 180 now, 110 in 10th.
Frequently asked questions
Did the Adeptus Custodes get better in 11th edition?
Close to a wash, and you can count it. Three squads of Guard cost 30 more than they did; a Shield-Captain, a Blade Champion and a jetbike Captain claw all 30 back. Add Trajann and the list is 5 ahead, add a Sisters squad and it is level again. The three new characters widen the top of the list without touching the Guard tax, so the answer is set by how many leaders you field.
What got cheaper for Adeptus Custodes in 11th edition?
The character line-up did most of the falling. The Blade Champion and Shield-Captain each came down 10 points, the Shield-Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike dropped 10 as well, Trajann Valoris fell 5, and the Vertus Praetors shed 5 a unit. Lists that lean on named and generic leaders are a touch easier to fit than at the end of 10th.
How do Detachment Points work for Adeptus Custodes in 11th edition?
The detachment fee comes off the top of the list and rises with the game size, from 2 points in the smallest games to 4 in the largest. It is smaller than any single price move in this faction, the 5 on Vertus Praetors included, so it decides nothing about which units you take.
What are the new Adeptus Custodes characters in 11th edition?
Three characters that did not exist in 10th: the Guardian of the Throne at 130 points, the Kataphraktoi Exemplar at 150, and the Null Maiden at 65. They are the freshest reason to revisit list-building, with new leader options at three price points to slot alongside the returning cast.
Is now a good time to start an Adeptus Custodes army?
A fine one. The range is stable, the model count is famously low, and most of the characters you will want got cheaper; only the core Guard ticked up. That low model count makes the Custodes one of the quickest armies to paint and field. The Starting an Adeptus Custodes Army guide has a buying order.