Yesterday the knowledgeable folks from Season of War gave us their commentary and top tips for the new General’s Handbook 2025-26. Today they’re talking us through their favourite armies and how they will be adapting to the changes presented by the new season rules.
With sweeping updates to core mechanics, terrain, and battle tactics, every faction will feel the effects of this new season in a different way. Rather than trying to predict a still-developing meta, we've each chosen a faction we're familiar with to explore how these changes are likely to shape list creation, playstyle, and overall viability.
Jordan's pick: Idoneth Deepkin
Jordan: The Idoneth Deepkin have been my primary competitive army over the six years I've been playing Warhammer Age of Sigmar, and I think they may get a boost when moving into the new season.
Changes to commands
The changes to All-out Attack and All-out Defence are a net positive for Deepkin. The army already gets +1 to hit from the Akhelian Beastmasters formation, and with mostly 4+ or 5+ saves, I rarely used All-out Defence anyway.
More importantly, most lists rely on layering multiple damage sources at once, so the enemy getting +1 to save only against one unit really helps when focusing down key targets. In the end I feel the changes will hurt other armies much more.
Battleplans
The battleplans for this season are probably the most unique and dynamic set we've ever had, with several missions and mechanics that will benefit mobile forces capable of applying force with speed – something that is a big strength of the ldoneth. Between the fast cavalry, long-range harpoons, an unlimited teleport spell, and ambushing deep-strike potential, the Deepkin have many tools they'll be able to leverage to adapt to the new challenges.
Army identity and list composition
The ldoneth Deepkin thrive on speed and precision, and I feel the force is at its best with a balance of combat and shooting. Their streamlined but flexible roster rewards careful positioning and timing. With objectives more spread out this season, I expect fast units like Ishlaen Guard, Morrsarr Guard, and Akhelian Allopexes to remain staples – they're great at both applying pressure and scoring tactics like Scouting Forces.
While the Obscuring changes may reduce shooting-heavy builds overall, there's still value in keeping some ranged threat from Allopexes, Namarti Reavers, or an Akhelian Leviadon. With other armies trending toward higher drop counts, the Deepkin will benefit from staying a low drop army: going second early on can be key for setting up tides and avoiding early double turns.
Final thoughts
All told, I think the ldoneth Deepkin remain in a solid spot going into the new season. They're an army that requires finesse, but in the hands of a skilled general, their speed and precision can be devastating. With more armies going up in drops, Deepkin will have an easier time controlling turn order – something that's always been key to making the tides work in their favor.
Fabien's pick: Disciples of Tzeentch
Fabien: I've been playing Disciples of Tzeentch competitively and almost exclusively over the last season. It was a very powerful army with answers to most matchups, but one that demanded perfect play. Any mistake could cost you the game, and the army was especially vulnerable to shooting. Units like Kairos Fateweaver and the Lord of Change were essential to success, and so made for prime targets. Still, when played precisely, it was incredibly rewarding.
My commentary is mostly from the perspective of daemon-heavy lists, since that's what I've played competitively. Mortal builds have their strengths too – they were just generally a bit less dominant overall.
Impact of Obscuring Terrain
In my opinion, this is the most significant change for the Disciples of Tzeentch. Daemon lists apply control and deal most of their damage through magic and shooting, both of which can now be blocked by Obscuring Terrain. Since Places of Power can make terrain and objectives Obscuring, it's much easier for opponents to shut down both our damage output and our ability to apply control or debuff spells. Against experienced opponents who know how to leverage terrain, this will prove challenging.
Burning and healing
Burning both damages and debuffs enemy units, and the only way to remove burning is through healing or returning models. As Places of Power and certain battleplan twists now enable healing for multiple units at once, opponents gain an easy way to shake off that condition. This will hurt Daemon lists relying on debuffs.
Changes to battle tactics
In my experience, Tzeentch was excellent at denying battle tactics thanks to control spells like teleporting friendly units or summoning a Spawn to lock enemy units. This made it hard for my opponents to select or achieve their tactic, while I could react and shut it down. Now, tactics are chosen at list building and can be scored over multiple turns. That means they're no longer telegraphed each round, making them harder to deny. On top of that, the new tactics cards are much tougher for Daemon-based lists to complete, so Tzeentch players can no longer rely on superior tactic scoring to make up for falling slightly behind on primaries – the army will require a new approach to win games.
Army identity and list composition
With all these changes, I believe there will be a shift toward lists including mortals, with a stronger focus on melee. These lists rely less on magic and burning and include fast cavalry units, making them better suited to the new season's demands. I'm also leaning towards higher drop counts to take advantage of the new Regimented Forces rules, which gives you a priority re-roll once per battle if you have more drops than your opponent. As for units, the one I'm most excited to try this season is the new Scourge of Ghyran Kairic Acolytes. They’re cheap melee glass cannons that can screen early or punch above their weight when buffed. A few units of Tzaangor Enlightened on Discs also look great for scoring tactics and snatching objectives. There's lots to experiment with, but one thing's clear: Tzeentch lists will need to evolve.
Final thoughts
I expect Disciples of Tzeentch to be less powerful out of the gate. The new season hits our biggest strengths (magic, shooting, and burning) quite hard. But the faction still has deep tools and flexibility. Players who are willing to adapt their lists and playstyle can absolutely make it work. It will still be a complex and rewarding army that thrives in the hands of a skilled general.
Ridge's pick: Skaven
Ridge: Skaven have been my favourite army since the beginning of Warhammer Age of Sigmar. I've played them extensively both competitively and casually over the past decade. They're a very fun and competitive faction, full of tricks and opportunities to take risks. Skaven reward skillful play but can be brutal if mistakes are made. Whether it's hurting your opponent or yourself, they always bring exciting moments to the table.
Playstyle and list composition
There are many ways to build a Skaven army. You can swarm the board with Clanrats and Stormvermin, field heavily boosted Stormfiends, Hell Pit Abominations, and Rat Ogors, or blast opponents from afar with weapon teams and artillery. Because of the variety of options, I don't expect list building to shift drastically in the new General’s Handbook. Players will still be able to mix and match units to fit their strategy. The main difference is that battle tactics are now tied to your list, so having a clear plan when building your army is more important. Personally, I'm excited to try the new Scourge of Ghyran Screaming Bell. The miniature has always been a staple in Skaven lists and now feels more reliable with its updated Bell Tolls ability and the fun option to turn it into a Gnawhole.
Impact of Obscuring Terrain
I think one of the biggest changes in this GHB that affects Skaven is the update to Obscuring Terrain. Many Skaven units rely heavily on shooting for damage output, so this change will reduce the effectiveness of units like Ratling Guns, Warp Lightning Cannons, and Jezzails.
Changes to battle tactics
Skaven are naturally versatile, and I believe they will always find a way to complete battle tactics. They boast a solid mix of skirmishers, hordes, monsters, and heavy hitters, which allows them to excel in many facets of the game. Whether it's focusing on objectives, destroying their opponent, or flooding the board to score tactics, they will always have something up their sleeve. Their strong mobility and recursion through Gnawholes remain powerful tools, as well – and make them very tricky to deal with on high objective maps. While tactic denial is tougher this edition, spells like Skitterleap, abilities such as Three Clawsteps Ahead, and units like the Verminlord Deceiver still offer excellent disruption options.
Final thoughts
Overall, I think Skaven will play much as they always have: highly entertaining but demanding to master, with numerous viable builds. Competitively, I expect them to be mid-tier, with the changes to Obscuring Terrain likely hitting their shooting units hardest. No matter what, I'm looking forward to having a blast playing them!
Thanks for that, guys. Hopefully that’s given you some idea of how the changes impact a variety of armies, and potentially your own. You can pre-order the Generals Handbook 2025-26 now, and prepare for a whole new year of Matched Play battles with your factions of choice.
