There is no better time to get in on the Total War: Warhammer hype than now especially with the Chaos Gods looming over the skies like an ill omen. The latest title in the series, Total War: Warhammer 3, is poised to be released in 2021 and it's high time to acquaint yourself with the Maximillian warfare of the Warhammer Fantasy world. The best way to do that right now is by firing up a copy of Total War: Warhammer 2 which is the most complete experience to date.
One concern for that is how Total War: Warhammer 2 seems bloated up with tons of updates, DLCs, and other add-ons. It can be a daunting experience trying to see which one do you need or want especially if you're on a budget. So here's how the best DLCs in the game stack up and if they're worth it or not. Take your pick.
10 Blood for the Blood God II
- Adds blood
- Also includes decapitation and dismemberment animation
Most Total War games really don't include gore or blood upon release in order to maintain a safe rating. That's kind of a bummer especially for a game that prides itself on the grim and dark brutality of warfare. That's why not having the Blood for the Blood God II DLC is an incomplete experience.
It's one of the most affordable paid DLCs in the game though the reception isn't exactly stellar based on Steam reviews due to the increased price compared to the previous blood packs in older games. Still, it's here because Total War: Warhammer II is a rather sterile and bland war game without it.
9 The Twisted and The Twilight
- Adds Sisters of Twilight for the Wood Elves
- Adds Throt the Unclean for the Skaven
The Twisted and The Twilight DLC adds some unique legendary lords to the game, one for the Skaven and one for the Wood Elves. The lord for the Wood Elves is notable since they're two individuals acting as one unit whereas most legendary lords are alone.
Meanwhile, Throt the Unclean for the Skaven, specifically Clan Moulder is not a bad Skaven lord. The lore behind him is spine-chillingly disgusting and he has some nasty abilities that make him a hybrid summoner/large unit killer.
8 The Prophet and The Warlock
- Adds Tehenhauin for the Lizardmen along with their own sub-faction
- Adds Ikit Claw for the Skaven along with their own sub-faction
The Lizardmen and the Skaven are two of the main available faction in the game without any DLC so having some upgrades for them is always welcome. This lord pack also makes Clan Skyre and Cult of Sotek available as playable factions.
The said two sub-factions also have their own mechanics which is a welcome change of scenery if you're tired of the usual Skaven or Lizardmen campaigns. As icing on the cake, new META-breaking units are also added for each of the two factions.
7 The Shadow and The Blade
- Adds Malus Darkblade for the Dark Elves along with their own sub-faction
- Adds Deathmaster Snikch for the Skaven along with their own sub-faction
If you love the Dark Elves more than anything, then The Shadow and The Blade DLC or lord pack is a must. It will give you a new Dark Elf sub-faction to play with along with that sub-faction's own legendary lord, Malus Darkblade.
The Skaven also gets more love in the form of Deathmaster Snikch which is a certified terror on the battlefield and can rival Queek Headtaker. Clan Eshin is also now playable along with their own campaign mechanic.
6 The Queen and The Crone
- Adds Alarielle the Radiant for the High Elves along with their own sub-faction
- Adds Crone Hellebron for the Dark Elves along with their own sub-faction
The Queen and The Crone is perfect for those looking for something lore-heavy. It focuses on Alarielle, one of the most prominent figureheads of Ulthuan, and her rivalry with Crone Hellebron, one of the most depraved leaders of the High Elves.
The two legendary lords are polar opposites of one another and serve to fuel the ever-raging hatred between the High Elves and the Dark Elves. Consequently, their respective factions are also now available for playing.
5 The Hunter and The Beast
- Adds Nakai the Wanderer for the Lizardmen along with their own sub-faction
- Adds Markus Wulfhart for The Empire along with their own sub-faction
For some lovely Empire tweaks, The Hunter and The Beast lord pack ought to add some spice to the rather vanilla Warhammer Faction. It involves The Empire more in the New World campaign for the second game by making their presence an expeditionary team.
Markus Wulfhart is at the forefront of this development. Too bad they stepped right into the Lizardmen's turf with their expansion so Nakai the Wanderer and his own Lizardmen sub-faction is pushing them back to where they came from.
4 The Warden and The Paunch
- Adds Eltharion for the High Elves along with their own sub-faction
- Adds Grom the Paunch for the Greenskins along with their own sub-faction
The Warden and The Paunch is quite the iconic lord pack for the game since it pits a far-flung sub-faction of the High Elves against the Greenskins. At the spotlight of that unlikely war is Eltharion or the Dragon Prince and his nemesis, Grom, a morbidly obese Greenskin.
Both also get their own special sub-faction that adds much variety to the game. There's also the fact that Eltharion and his Yvresse sub-faction is META-breaking both in the campaign and the battle map.
3 Rise of the Tomb Kings
- Adds the Tomb Kings faction
- New campaign mechanics
The Tomb Kings were one of the most popular factions in Warhammer Fantasy and they were given quite an honorary welcome in the game complete with a red carpet for Settra's eminence. While the DLC didn't include a mini-campaign, being able to play Tomb Kings in the Vortex was enough.
They have their own objectives and place on that map. Moreover, the Tomb Kings have plenty of interesting sub-factions and legendary lords each of whom doesn't necessarily agree or are friendly with the other.
2 Curse of the Vampire Coast
- Adds the Vampire Coast faction
- New campaign mechanics
As awesome as the Tomb Kings were, they were overshadowed by the wackiest and most unconventional faction in Total War: Warhammer 2 to date: vampire pirates or more formally, Vampire Coast. Even the trailer for this DLC is a banger.
The Vampire Coast also has their interesting and competing sub-factions and they also follow their own thing in the Vortex map. Moreover, their gameplay style both in the campaign and battle maps is refreshingly new.
1 Mortal Empires
- Adds the Mortal Empires Campaign
- Adds all the factions from the first game
Most of the paid and free DLCs in the game simply pale in comparison to what Mortal Empires brings to the table. It pretty much splices half of the first game and plops it on top of the second game. It's a grand culmination of Total War: Warhammer.
In a way, it makes the first game a bit obsolete since you can have everything in the second game. That's why you'll also need to purchase the first game to unlock this special DLC. It's by far the most complete Warhammer Fantasy experience on video game history, that is, until Total War: Warhammer 3 arrives.