Psykers are among the most powerful beings in Warhammer 40K, possessing psychic abilities that let them manipulate the Immaterium of the Warp to their whims. However, unlike traditional spellcasters, the alien nature of the Warp has the risk of corrupting its wielders. The weakest of Warhammer 40K Psykers either die in their attempts to cast their spells, or their bodies become conduits for the Ruinous Powers.

However, players wanting to dominate the Warhammer 40K tabletop competition should consider adding the lore’s most powerful Psykers in their armies. With their assistance, players may be able to turn the tide on a losing battle or further diversify their strategies.

Updated on November 17, 2023 by Rhenn Taguiam: Fans of Warhammer 40K eager to once again don their Power Armor and wreak havoc against Xenos scum in Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 may want to know the kind of allies and enemies they can come up against, especially those that can manipulate the Ruinous Powers. While most Psykers in Warhammer 40K often end up being consumed by their untrained power, those who take the time to gain mastery in their frightening craft eventually become incredible assets to their factions. With both mankind and Xenos having some access to Chaos Powers, fans of Warhammer 40K may be interested in the game’s most powerful Psykers - especially with how they make use of their abilities to achieve both impressive and horrifying feats.

10 Primaris Psykers (Imperial Guard)

Extreme Specializations In Specific Powers

Usually assigned to an Imperial Gard officer as an attaché, the Primaris Psykers and their control over the Warp’s powers often outweigh the sinful nature of their existence. In 9th Edition, the Primaris Psykers used Psykana Discipline abilities to complement the personnel-heavy Imperial Guard. The powers of the Primaris also work in tandem with the traditional Psyker Powers of the Astropath unit, the attaché that adds a Psyker component to Cadian Command Squads. Militarum Tempestus Command Squads and Platoon Command Squads also pair well with this unit.

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In 8th Edition, the Imperial Guards had multiple units such as the Wyrdvane Psykers, who could coordinate with the Primaris to boost casts (Strategem: Psychic Conclave). They had Inquisitors that can double-Smite. Finally, Aradia Madellan has access to Smite and an attack buff (Psychic Augment) on top of protecting allies should she die (It’s For Your Own Good).

*Most Notable Feats Of The Primaris Psyker (Imperial Guard)

Should a Psyker be elevated into a Primaris Psyker, this means they demonstrate not just a mastery over the Ruinous Powers but also the uncanny ability to mask its presence and avoid sudden corruption. However, a Primaris Psyker’s approach to training implies a focus on particular powers to meet their needs instead of specific disciplines. In turn, a Primaris Psyker has access to highly potent psychic abilities that release Warp lightning and fire (Stormwroth, Pyrokinesis), pave the way to Warp frenzies (Maelstrom of Destruction), fry the minds of others (Will Unleashed), banish demons (Daemonsbane), and even use the very Warp against rogue psychics (Witchesbane).

9 Weirdboyz (Orks)

Deadly When They Self-Destruct, Deadlier When They Don't

The Orks and their penchant for violence hide their innate psychic potentiality, with Weirdboyz working tirelessly to contain them. On the off-chance that the Weirdboyz can’t take it anymore, they ‘Eadbang and explode their heads in a messy death. Although generally shy and afraid of their powers, Warpheads enjoy activating their psychic abilities while the Wurrboyz among the Beast Snaggas can channel raw power to transform enemies into Squigs (Squiggly Curse).

In the gameplay of Orks, Weirdboyz adds variety in the chaos of their numbers-oriented gameplay. Their psychic powers enable them to use an additional psychic ability with Waaagh! Energy. They can also buff attacks (Warpath, Fists of Gork), teleport units (Da Jump), a fierce stomp (Da Krunch), and even cause temporary blindness (Jabbin’ Fingerz).

*Most Notable Feats Of The Weirdboyz (Orks)

Due to Weirdboyz having the uncanny tendency to explore the full capacity of the Warp to detonate themselves in creatively destructive ways, not all Weirdboyz manage to reach the full brunt of their psychic potential. Those who do, however, get elevated to the rank of the Warpheads - extremely dangerous foes who know how to use the Warp without necessarily having to explode. One such terrifying Warphead is Bigg Redd Da Warphead, capable of vomiting pure Warp energies that attracted “things” that started to follow him. Meanwhile, Weirdboy Greeneyes used Imperial Lorelei crystals to improve his psychic abilities, being one of the few (if not the only) Weirdboyz capable of destroying psykers through sheer thought, gathering intelligence at a distance, and developing an ambition to unite all Orks under his rule.

8 Mephiston, Lord of Death (Blood Angels)

Rage-Empowered Blood Psionics

Previously known as Calistarius, Chief Librarian Mephiston of the bloodthirsty Blood Angels had suffered the Chapter’s Black Rage twice, receiving a boost to his already-impressive Psyker powers. Mephiston’s Warhammer 40K performance grants him the ability to fight first (Warlord Trait: Speed of the Primarch), and damage mitigation (Lord of Death). He also enjoys standard Psyker Powers within the Sanguinary Discipline alongside protections from denials (Psychic Hood).

Mephiston works with other Blood Angels units and Psykers, such as the Primaris Librarians and standard Librarians (in Phobos, Terminator Armour). Despite Mephiston’s battle prowess, his psychic can’t make Blood Angels into a Psyker-focused army due to their lack of synergy with standard abilities.

*Most Notable Feats Of Mephiston, Lord of Death (Blood Angels)

Even when he was still known as Battle-Brother Calistarius, Mephiston was gifted with intense psychic powers and precognition deemed necessary in their company. However, the Librarian’s most notable feat was being the only Blood Angel to overcome the Black Rage, Sanguinius’s curse that didn’t kill Calistarius but instead “revived” him as the silent Mephiston. This rebirthed form seemed to increase his psychic abilities exponentially, granting him feats never before seen in other Psykers: induce madness and rage into capable psychic Eldars, split his essence into doppelgangers, and even stop and reverse time at the cost of his lifeforce.

7 Kaldor Draigo (Grey Knights)

Not Even A Curse Can Keep Him In The Warp

Although trapped in the Immaterium due to a curse, Grey Knights Chapter Master Kaldor Draigo can return to real space in times of duress, assisting his battle brothers. As byproducts of gene-seeds from the Emperor, all Grey Knights are both Space Marines and potent Psykers.

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Their Tides can enhance their weapons and psychic powers, while their Teleport Strike (Deployment Ability) can Deep Strike almost every turn. Kaldor can take advantage of this, thanks to his re-roll aura buffs (Rites of Battle, Supreme Grand Master). Kaldor’s training to fight forces in the Warp manifests in buffs (Daemon-slayer) that further enhance his abilities.

*Most Notable Feats Of Kaldor Draigo (Grey Knights)

While all Grey Knights are among the Space Marine’s most potent psykers, even Kaldor Draigo as a mere Battle-Brother proved capable enough of banishing the Daemon Prince M’kar the Reborn. However, perhaps Kaldor Draigo’s most notable feat is the way he overcomes M’kar’s “curse.” While the Ruinous Powers seemed to conspire to keep Kaldor Draigo inside the Warp, the Space Marine - now the Grey Knights’ Supreme Grand Master - possessed enough fortitude to resist corruption. Such is his psychic prowess that Kaldor Draigo can return to realspace to aid the Grey Knights in dire moments, even as he kills daemonic creatures in the Warp in each passing day.

6 Neurothrope (Tyranids)

Psychic Strength In Numbers

The Tyranids are synaptically linked to each other in their Hive Mind; thus, their species has the potential to manipulate the Warp through their biology. While the extra-galactic species already demonstrates psychic prowess through the Zoanthrope, their Nerothrope variant can also leech enemies' life force to empower psychic attacks.

Neurothropes in a Tyranid army can transform it into a threat in psychic phases, especially when paired with ordinary Zoanthropes. The race’s Synaptic Link allows Neurothropes to chain their Psychic Powers as long as a Tyranid is within range. They can constantly punish enemy Psykers (Shadow in the Warp) while they get buffs (Psychic Node), and lifesteal (Spirit Leech).

*Most Notable Feats Of The Neurothrope (Tyranid)

Among the Neurothropes in Warhammer 40K, it’s the Doom of Malan’tai that demonstrates the Tyranid unit’s most devastating potential. Beyond its traditional predisposition to survive at all costs, the Doom of Malan’tai has become an evolved Zoanthrope to such an extent that it surpasses the base abilities of the upgraded Neurothrope. Its back features a spinal growth and spikes protruding from its sides, giving it both an exoskeleton and a conduit for its powers. Moreover, the Doom of Malan’tai is capable of rending psychic energies and the very souls of its victims, feeding on their essence. The first Doom of Malan’tai grew in power after consuming the spirits of Craftworld Malan’tai’s Infinity Circuit, becoming a nigh-invulnerable threat that was only destroyed by purging the planet itself.

5 Ahzek Ahriman (Thousand Sons)

Rivals Tzeentch's Own Daemon Princes In Terms Of Knowledge

Formerly the second-in-command to Magnus the Red, Ahzek Ahriman of the Thousand Sons Legion, out of hatred of what the Chapter had become, attempted to remove their fatal mutations through a ritual known as the Rubric of Ahriman. Though the spell succeeded, it also killed all non-psychic Sons and trapped their souls in their Power Armors. Magnus almost killed Ahriman out of anger, but Tzeentch intervened.

Now an exiled Thousand Son, Ahriman makes a potent Psyker Thousand Sons army commander, thanks to his buffs. Reflecting on his lore as a Psyker, Ahriman can see visions of fate to avoid damage (Otherworldly Presence, Warlord Trait). He can manifest various psychic powers while blocking the enemy’s (Psyker Powers).

*Most Notable Feats Of Ahzek Ahriman (Thousand Sons)

Ahzek Ahriman’s capabilities as a psyker grew exponentially after his corruption, becoming one of the galaxy’s most powerful users of Warp energies. Such was his knowledge of the dark arts that Ahriman’s access to spells is rivaled only by the Lords of Change, the greater daemons serving his patron, Tzeentch the Chaos God of Change. Even without concentrating his powers into the Black Staff of Ahriman, the Sorcerer can use the most devastating of Chaos Psyker Powers that can hurl lightning that causes mutations (Bolt of Change), spontaneous combustion (Flickering Fire of Tzeentch), alter the minds of others (Twisting Path), and even transform enemies into Chaos Spawns (Tzeentch’s Firestorm).

4 Eldrad Ulthran (Aeldari)

Manipulates Fate Itself In His Favor

Among the Aeldari are Farseers that govern their Craftworlds with their immense psychic abilities. Eldrad Ulthran is the most ancient and powerful among this Warhammer 40K faction. Among his feats are an attempt to warn the Emperor of Mankind about Horus’s betrayal even before the Heresy began. He also partially awakened the God of the Dead, Ynnead, hoping he would free Aeldari from the clutches of Chaos God Slaanesh.

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Thanks to Eldrad’s psychic prowess, he can manifest three Powers instead of the usual two on top of force-fails (Armour of the Last Runes). He also offers rerolls (Runes of the Farseer, First of Ulthwe), and never suffers Perils of the Warp (Ghosthelm). The Farseer’s powers complement the fragile Aeldari’s fast-paced tactics. Instant-6’s from Strands of Fate augment strategies such as hits-and-runs (Battle Focus), two-Power Warlocks (Battle Psykers), shoot-in-advance (Forewarned), and warp storm generation (Eldritch Storm).

*Most Notable Feats Of Eldrad Ulthran (Aeldari)

Hailed as the most powerful psychic among the Eldar, Eldrad Ulthran demonstrated capabilities far more than his fellow Farseers. Aside from forecasting the future through wraithbone runes, Ulthran can undergo visionary trances to look at parts of the galaxy with little to no effort. Such is his natural gifts of precognition that he can even warn the Imperium of the upcoming Horus Heresy, which could’ve been avoided had Ulthran conversed with anyone other than the corrupted Fulgrim. Ulthran’s grasp of how the weaves of time flow that he can pinpoint moments he can manipulate to his favor, ensuring that the least number of deaths could provide the outcome he’s expecting. While Ulthran prefers less violent approaches, the Farseer is more than capable of molding psychic energies into displays of power capable of destroying warmachines.

3 Malcador The Sigillite (The Imperium)

The Only Other Man To Sit On The Golden Throne

A man of unknown origins, Malcador the Sigillite is best known as the Emperor of Mankind’s second-in-command. This is reflected not just in Malcador’s role as Imperial Regent in the Emperor’s absence, but his psychic prowess that rivals only a few others. Such was his psychic ability that Malcador psychically held back hordes of demons who hoped to invade Terra through the Imperial Palace’s Webway extension, a feat previously only done by the Emperor himself.

This act unfortunately led to Malcador’s death, but none managed to replicate the Sigillite’s feats. On top of having lived centuries, Malcador possesses extraordinary levels of telepathy and telekinesis. Even after fending off the demon horde, Malcador of the Imperium provided psychic life support to the Emperor as he delivered his final orders to Primarch Rogal Dorn, crumbling to ash after the Emperor was safely transferred inside the Golden Throne.

*Most Notable Feats Of Malcador The Sigillite (The Imperium)

Malcador the Sigillite humbles the eyes with an appearance of that of an elderly man, hiding the Imperium’s most powerful Psyker who has lived for more than 6,700 years. Such was his psychic capabilities that he withstood a full smashing from Primarch Lorgar, leaving him with only a few broken bones. Malcador can even resist the psychic fury of Magnus the Red, perhaps the only Psyker more powerful than him before the Emperor. Malcador has easily overwhelmed Horus with his psychic abilities, incapacitating him before he can utter the names of the Lost Primarchs. Most importantly, Malcador is powerful enough to become a temporary substitute for the Emperor on his Golden Throne, sustaining the Webway and the Emperor’s insurmountable psychic responsibilities successfully, albeit at the cost of his life.

2 Magnus The Red (Thousand Sons)

Perhaps The Most Powerful Psyker Among The Emperor's Primarchs

In his stint as a Primarch, Magnus the Red and his tainted seed cursed his marines in the Thousand Sons Legion with a flesh mutation. This mutation killls most, but imbues survivors with potent psychic abilities. In an unfortunate course of events, Magnus made a deal with Tzeentch out of survival, transforming Magnus into a Daemon Primarch and his Chapter into a Traitor Legion.

The human Magnus was already one of the most powerful Psykers ever to exist. His current winged Daemon Primarch form gives him psychic powers that border reality warping. As a Warhammer 40K unit, Magnus can enhance the already-potent psychic abilities of the Thousand Sons, courtesy of Warlord Traits that give free re-rolls (Arrogance of Aeons), damage mitigation (Undying Form), and access to all disciplines (Lord of Forbidden Lore).

*Most Notable Feats Of Magnus The Red (Thousand Sons)

Even during his corruption, Magnus has potent enough psychic abilities to “feel” Horus’s corruption. Magnus also possesses enough psychic energy to “breach” the Emperor’s secret Webway project to warn him of Horus’s betrayal. This breach was so massive that daemonic hordes started to swarm into the palace, forcing the Emperor to send Leman Russ to fight Magnus. Even though Russ “destroyed” Magnus’s physical form, his grasp in the Warp is so potent that he can scatter himself into Shards that eventually reunited. While Vulkan eventually banished Magnus into the Warp, the Daemon Prince could contend with his former Primarch Brother on equal ground while weakening the Emperor with a spell.

1 The Emperor (The Imperium)

A Galactic Psychic Phenom Even In Near-Death

Born out of the union of the souls of shamans who were once Earth’s greatest Psykers, the Emperor of Mankind is a Perpetual who lived for thousands of years before eventually uniting humanity under his rule. Aside from having millennia’s worth of scientific knowledge, the Emperor’s psychic abilities allowed him to guide humanity.

Even when the Emperor suffered grave injuries in the Horus Heresy, his body’s transfer to the Golden Throne didn’t hamper his psychic prowess. His presence in the Immaterium allowed him to use the Astronomican to guide fleets thousands of lightyears across the Warp. In contrast, the Emperor’s Tarot allowed his Psykers to glimpse his divine premonitions. Such was the scope of his powers that others think the Emperor’s death may even cause the appearance of the Star Child, his reincarnation and humankind's salvation.

*Most Notable Feats Of The Emperor (The Imperium)

On top of military feats such as uniting mankind under the heel of the Imperium, the Emperor of Mankind’s psychic prowess is so incomprehensible that Chaos calls him the Anathema. Born as a reincarnation of the Earth’s last shamans, the Emperor grew to become potentially the most powerful Psyker in the galaxy. Even in his near-death state, the Emperor cannot only project the Astronomicon to guide Imperial ships throughout the Imperium, but he can also create warp storms spanning lightyears and even exert his influence on loyal subjects. In his prime, the Emperor can force legions to bow down to him, summon ghosts of Space Marines, and even stop time itself.

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