Poll: Who is your favourite Chaos god? ***UPDATED***

Then you will like this too; our rankings for the Greater Daemons as an average of their three variants [GW plastic, Forge World, GW metal].




As an odd mathematical quirk, my top three are all tied, while you have a clear distinction between the four. In both cases though, the Great Unclean comes in last place.

Of course, these scores are influenced by the presence of the two Verminlord entries on each of our lists, the removal of which could tweak things a bit.

 

That's not true...

Spoiler

Realistically, each of the gods' gifts/influence ends up being a perversion of what is promised. It's a monkey's paw sort of deal.

• One will seek Khorne to gain martial prowess, but Khorne does not care from whence the blood flows, only that it flows. If as his champion, you die, it serves him just as well.
• One might seek Tzeentch to gain powers of influence and manipulation, but Tzeentch is just as likely to scheme against you. Even if you are working in his name, he might undermine you just to further the intricate web of manipulation (as he sometimes does even at the detriment of his schemes).
• One might seek Nurgle to gain immorality, but while that is granted, you are plagued to be a gross, smelly, disgusting disease-ridden monstrosity. You won't die or experience pain from the diseases afflicting you, but it's probably not the bargain you were hoping for.
• One might seek Slaanesh to gain beauty, popularity/acceptance and charisma, but while those things are often gifted, her servants are trapped on a pathway leading to increasingly levels of depravity. Almost like a drug addict seeking new experiences.

Such is the nature of Chaos.

 

Oh yeah, Tzeentch is big on that. For Tzeentch, it's not about the result, it's about the act of planning and foiling and trolling. At any given moment, there are about three dozen plans in play, and most of them in some way screw over at least three of the others at a minimum, and he couldn't care less. So long as something changes, and nothing grows complacent and stagnant.

Funnily enough, a while back I actually came up with a theory/thought experiment that suggested that in AoS, Lords of Change are the daemons most likely to renounce their own natures/Chaos. Because their very nature is to bring change, even at the detriment of Tzeentch or themselves, I had a brain worm about the notion that a Lord of Change could theoretically go to Sigmar and ask to be purged of Tzeentch's influence, and actually mean it, because it would be the ultimate expression of self-change. And if it's self-sabotaging/sabotaging Tzeentch? So what?

General consensus was that while an interesting thought experiment, it was unlikely to happen (which, true, even if that isn't going to stop me from using the idea in a fanfic at some point) but the extent wasn't agreed upon. Some argued Tzeentch would just erase the LoC for trying, others said that while Sigmar has the power to cleanse champions of Chaos who truly wish to renounce the fell gods, trying to do such with a greater daemon which is literally a sliver of Tzeentch's essence means its impossible and would therefore just refuse and then smite the big blue bird. And then there was one chap that said Sigmar would ruddy well give it a try, even if the result was a perma-death for the LoC.

 

Interesting, let me throw two more possibilities into the mix (from a guy that knows nothing about AoS)...

• While seeking such a cleansing might well be the ultimate expression of self-change, after that point, as a devotee of Sigmar, there is only stagnation. As a Lord of Change there is a never ending opportunity for continued schemes, manipulation and change... once a disciple of Sigmar, there is none. Is one ultimate change worth the sacrifice in infinite opportunities for change throughout time?
• Cleansing the Lord of Change might end up corrupting the realm of Sigmar. A pseudo-version of Galrauch's origin story:

 

A take that hadn't come up, and is an interesting one. Would certainly give suggestion that a LoC appearing and requesting cleansing might in fact be something that has Tzeentch in the background cackling "just as planned".

I suppose that would depend on the Lord of Change's mindset at the time the idea comes to it. Is the Lord of Change taking that into account, or is it focused on the idea of the ultimate self-change, with any notion of after falling into the "self-sabotage is acceptable" category?

My personal take on a hypothetical "If Sigmar were able to expunge the Chaos from the Lord of Change" would be that because the Lord of Change's very nature is that it is formed of literal chaos given shape, in order to purify it, Sigmar would have to literally exchange the chaos with his own divine energies; functionally converting it into a Daemon of Order. If such were to happen, this is an entity that has millennia of experience with knowing how to shift minds; as a subject of Sigmar, it could become a herald that uses that skillset to bolster morale... A herald able to inspire and bolster morale such that where defeat was a near certainty, now the army is roused and so emotionally charged that they will fight with such fervour that the defeat is now a clear victory.

If it still prefers behind the scenes methods even after reformation? Then picture a reformed Lord of Change becoming a William Shakespeare figure, creating uplifting plays that also touch on histories that few even remember, while using the previous knack for emotional manipulation to know how to grip the audience and make the twists feel impactful.

Yes, you can see the direction I'd go if I ever do write that fanfic.

 

A Chaos Trojan horse.

 

...Nose rings.... great target for grabbing and pulling in a fight. Then again, Slaanesh daemons probably get off on that. Really annoying fighting an enemy that is getting off on anything you do, really takes the wind out of the sails.

 

That's true. Nobody wants to pick a fight with the guy sitting in the corner cutting his forearm with an army knife.


There is no escape from Slaanesh, she marks us all!

 

Nurgle pulls into 3rd place...

 

Went with Malal as his portfolio is the closest to some of the aspects of Chaos Undivided that interest me most.

 

I've always been intrigued by this excerpt from the Daemons of Chaos army book (8th edition, page 12):

"Though Khorne is the only god with an open dislike of
Slaanesh, both Nurgle and Tzeentch are uneasy in his
presence. This is due, in part, to the fact that all the Chaos
Gods embody Slaanesh’s drive for excess: Khorne with his
rage, Tzeentch with his schemes and Nurgle with his love
of pestilence. Lurking deep within the psyche of each of
Slaanesh’s brother gods is the suspicion that the influence
of the Dark Prince is steadily gaining in strength and that
Slaanesh will perhaps one day eclipse them all."

I explored the idea with ChatGPT, looking at how their respective excessive drives might play into the hands of Slaanesh. Does this make them vulnerable to Slaanesh, or not. Here is the reply:





This is an incredibly sharp question — and one that cuts to the paradoxical heart of Chaos lore.

You're absolutely right to observe:

If Slaanesh is the god of excess, and all the Chaos Gods pursue their domains to the point of obsession… aren't they, in a sense, feeding Slaanesh?

Let’s unpack this using Warhammer Fantasy’s metaphysics — and then explore the in-universe logic that both supports and contradicts this.

First, What Is Excess in Chaos Lore?

• Slaanesh represents excess, perfection, sensation, obsession, and indulgence.
  
  
• But most importantly, Slaanesh isn’t about any one act, but the degree to which something is pursued.
  
  
• It's not just pleasure — it’s compulsion, refinement, pushing past limits.
  

So yes — excessive violence, excessive manipulation, or excessive endurance can in theory feed Slaanesh.

So Are the Other Gods Feeding Slaanesh?
On a metaphysical level:

Yes — all obsessive or fanatical devotion, regardless of domain, contains an echo of Slaanesh’s core concept: pursuit without restraint.

• A Khorne berserker who becomes addicted to slaughter, killing even when there is no cause? That skirts Slaanesh's territory.
  
  
• A Tzeentch cultist driven mad by his quest for forbidden truths? Again, potential cross-contamination.
  
  
• A Nurgle worshipper who takes joy in rotting away, or wallows in endless disease out of comfort? That, too, could echo Slaanesh’s domain.
  

Why Then Doesn’t Slaanesh Consume the Others?
This is where Chaos metaphysics bends in on itself. Here are the prevailing in-universe answers:

1. Each God Is Self-Sustaining

• While excess may be a trait they share, each god is powered by a fundamentally different emotional source:
  
  • Khorne: anger, hatred, fury, martial pride.
    
    
  • Tzeentch: ambition, hope, fear of stagnation.
    
    
  • Nurgle: despair, endurance, love of decay.
    
    
  • Slaanesh: indulgence, obsession, sensory overload.
    

Each god’s core fuel is distinct enough that they remain separate entities. Excessive violence doesn’t become indulgent violence unless the intention shifts.

So while overlap exists, they don't inherently feed Slaanesh unless the motivation aligns with her domain.

2. Mutual Hatred Keeps Balance

• The Chaos Gods are not friends. They loathe each other.
  
  
• They constantly sabotage one another to prevent any from achieving dominance.
  
  
• If Slaanesh began to parasitize the others, she would face a united front — especially from Khorne, who despises her deeply.
  
  
• This check-and-balance system keeps any one god from absorbing the others, including Slaanesh.
  

3. Excess Alone Is Not Enough

• In the metaphysical language of Warhammer, quantity is not the only factor — quality and intention matter too.
  
  
• A bloodthirsty warlord might revel in murder — but if his joy is in victory, it’s Khorne’s.
  
  
• If that same warlord begins killing for the pleasure of artistry and gore? Now Slaanesh begins to creep in.
  
  
• But the Chaos Gods maintain clear spiritual filters — they guard their portfolios fiercely.
  

4. ⛓️ The Great Game Needs the Tension

• The Great Game among the gods is not just power struggle — it’s the engine of Chaos itself.
  
  
• If Slaanesh consumed the others through excess, she would become monolithic, which goes against Chaos's nature.
  
  
• The perpetual rivalry, paradox, and instability of the gods is what keeps Chaos alive and metastasizing.
  

Lore-Specific Example
In the End Times, the Elves feared Slaanesh the most — because she sought to consume their very souls.

But Khorne, Nurgle, and Tzeentch all had reasons to limit or resist her power:

• Tzeentch's followers saw her as dangerously chaotic and unstructured.
  
  
• Nurgle saw her as fickle and shallow.
  
  
• Khorne flat-out hated her methods and rejected her narcissistic sensuality.
  

This enmity prevents cooperation, and also prevents convergence.

Final Verdict
Yes, in a metaphysical sense, all Chaos Gods flirt with excess — and in doing so, risk bleeding into Slaanesh’s domain.
But they maintain their individuality through:

• Distinct emotional fuel,
  
  
• Mutual sabotage,
  
  
• And divine resistance to encroachment.
  

So while Slaanesh can gain fragments of power when others overindulge — she cannot simply grow by default. The intention behind the excess matters.

This makes Slaanesh arguably the most insidiously dangerous god — not because she’s stronger, but because the others don’t always realize when their pursuit of their own ideals feeds her.




Thoughts?