What changed for Emperor’s Children in 11th edition
11th edition was a mixed pass for the Emperor's Children. The Defiler and the big Slaanesh centrepieces, the Keeper of Secrets and Fulgrim himself, all climbed in points, while the Heldrake, Lucius the Eternal and the Daemon Princes came down. Three new characters joined the roster on top of that. If you played the perfect legion in 10th your models still do their job; the maths around them shifted in both directions.
Summary
- 20 units repriced, 3 new, 3 unchanged
- Biggest drop: Shalaxi Helbane (-25)
- Biggest rise: Defiler (+50)
- Detachment Points: 2 / 3 / 3 at Incursion / Strike Force / Onslaught
Detachments
Three detachments are new for the Emperor's Children: Elegant Brutes, Frenzied Host and Spectacle of Slaughter, joining the returning 10th-edition detachments with none removed. The habit to unlearn from 10th is treating any of them as free. Each now costs Detachment Points, 3 at Strike Force, 2 at Incursion, 4 at Onslaught, and that comes out of the same total you spend on units. Old or new, the rate is identical.
New in 11th: Elegant Brutes, Frenzied Host, Spectacle of Slaughter. None removed.
| Detachment | DP | |
|---|---|---|
| Slaanesh's Chosen | 1 | |
| Peerless Bladesmen | 2 | |
| Rapid Evisceration | 2 | |
| Coterie of the Conceited | 3 | |
| Mercurial Host | 2 | |
| Carnival of Excess | 3 | |
| Court of the Phoenician | 2 | |
| Elegant Brutes | 1 | New in 11th |
| Frenzied Host | 1 | New in 11th |
| Spectacle of Slaughter | 1 | New in 11th |
Points changes
The movement runs both ways: 11 datasheets were repriced, three up and seven down, with 12 left untouched and three new characters added. The clearest rise is the Defiler, up a hefty 40 points. Against that, the drops are what matter for most lists: the Heldrake and Lucius the Eternal each came down 20, the Daemon Prince of Slaanesh and its winged version dropped 10 apiece, and Fiends shed 5 a unit. Some picks are priced per squad size, so cost the size you field.
| Unit | Role | 10th | 11th | Δ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defiler | Vehicles | 250 | 300 | +50 | |
| Keeper of Secrets | Characters | 240 | 265 | +25 | |
| Shalaxi Helbane | Characters | 340 | 315 | -25 | |
| Heldrake | Vehicles | 195 | 175 | -20 | |
| Lucius the Eternal | Characters | 150 | 130 | -20 | |
| Daemon Prince of Slaanesh | Characters | 180 | 165 | -15 | |
| Lord Exultant | Characters | 80 | 95 | +15 | |
| Noise Marines | Infantry | 145 | 160 | +15 | |
| Chaos Land Raider | Vehicles | 220 | 210 | -10 | |
| Chaos Rhino | Transports | 80 | 70 | -10 | |
| Chaos Terminators | Infantry | 145 | 5: 155 6: 360 | +10 — | |
| Daemon Prince of Slaanesh with Wings | Characters | 215 | 205 | -10 | |
| Daemonettes | Battleline | 90 | 100 | +10 | |
| Infractors | Battleline | 5: 85 10: 160 | 5: 95 6: 175 | +10 +15 | |
| Maulerfiend | Vehicles | 130 | 120 | -10 | |
| Fiends | Mounted & Beasts | 3: 95 6: 190 | 3: 90 4: 190 | -5 0 | |
| Flawless Blades | Infantry | 3: 100 6: 200 | 3: 95 4: 190 | -5 -10 | |
| Seekers | Mounted & Beasts | 5: 80 10: 160 | 5: 85 6: 155 | +5 -5 | |
| Sorcerer | Characters | 60 | 55 | -5 | |
| Tormentors | Battleline | 5: 85 10: 160 | 5: 85 6: 170 | 0 +10 | |
| Champion of Excess | Characters | — | 80 | — | New in 11th |
| Excruciator | Characters | — | 60 | — | New in 11th |
| Flawless Champion | Characters | — | 100 | — | New in 11th |
| Chaos Spawn | Mounted & Beasts | 70 | 70 | — | |
| Fulgrim | Characters | 340 | 340 | — | |
| Lord Kakophonist | Characters | 70 | 70 | — |
Biggest increases
Are Defiler still worth it?
No unit in the faction rose more, up 40 points. That is a serious tax, and it lands on a heavy centrepiece rather than a filler unit, the kind of model you buy because you want that silhouette stomping across the table. If it earned a slot in your 10th-edition lists it can still hold one. At this price it needs to be pulling real weight, not soaking up spare points.
Are Keeper of Secrets still worth it?
Up 15 points, a middling bump on one of the army's marquee daemon profiles. This has always been a statement pick you field for its presence and threat rather than for efficiency, so the extra cost is not what makes or breaks it. If the Keeper was already your anchor, keep it. If it was a maybe, the higher price is a reason to look twice.
Are Lord Exultant still worth it?
Up 15 points in 11th: 95 now, 80 in 10th.
Frequently asked questions
Did the Emperor's Children get better in 11th edition?
Mixed, and the split is clean. The three rises total 65 points and all land on centrepieces: Defiler, Keeper of Secrets, Fulgrim. The seven drops are on the units you repeat, and a Heldrake with two Daemon Princes saves 40 on its own. Run one big centrepiece and the full set of discounted workhorses and the list comes out cheaper than it did at the end of 10th.
What got cheaper for Emperor's Children in 11th edition?
Several of the legion's workhorses dropped. The Heldrake and Lucius the Eternal each fell 20 points, the Daemon Prince of Slaanesh and the Daemon Prince of Slaanesh with Wings came down 10 apiece, and Fiends lost 5 a unit. Two more sheets fell by smaller amounts. If those pieces were already in your lists, they now leave you room for more.
How do Detachment Points work for Emperor's Children in 11th edition?
The cost is paid from your army total before the first unit goes in, and it doubles between the smallest game size and the largest. The three new detachments pay the same as the returning ones, so trying one of them costs nothing extra.
Why did the Defiler jump so much in 11th edition?
The Defiler's 40-point rise is the largest single change in the faction, and it reflects a centrepiece being re-costed rather than any list quirk. Three new characters arrive alongside it, the Champion of Excess, the Excruciator and the Flawless Champion, none of which existed in 10th. They give the legion fresh support options to build around even as the big engine gets pricier.
Is now a good time to start an Emperor's Children army?
A fair one. The centrepieces cost a bit more, but the units you will buy several of are cheaper, and the range is stable with three new characters and three new detachments to try. Leave the Defiler for later and a first force is cheaper than it was late in 10th. The Starting an Emperor's Children Army guide has a buying order.