Highlights
- The Horus Heresy was a major event in Warhammer 40k that led to the Emperor's current place on the Golden Throne.
- The traitorous primarchs, including Horus Lupercal and Alpharius Omegon, played key roles in the conflict and split the Space Marine legions.
- Each primarch has unique strengths, such as Lorgar's influence and oratory skills, Magnus The Red's sorcery powers, and Angron's unstoppable combat prowess.
The Horus Heresy was the defining event of the Warhammer 40k setting. Because of the brutal actions of the traitorous primarchs, the Emperor has been forced to sit immobile on the Golden Throne for ten thousand years. Nothing more than a corpse, his soul is sustained by his enormous psychic will and the sacrifice of 1000 psykers a day.
Warhammer 40k: Strongest Chaos Space Marines Who Aren't Primarchs
Chaos Space Marines are some of Warhammer 40k's most feared characters, and not all of them are primarchs.
Horus Lupercal brought eight of his primarch brothers into the conflict, splitting the Space Marine legions in two. All the primarchs are superhuman demigods, created by the Emperor of Mankind to wage war in their own unique ways. All have their strengths and talents, some were just created a little stronger than others.
9 Alpharius Omegon
The mysterious Alpharius Omegon, primarch of the Alpha Legion, are a single being in two bodies, Alpharius and Omegon, who share the same soul. There is very little known about these enigmatic beings and their abilities. Their legion’s skill was in subterfuge, and they were said to have placed sleeper agents in all the legions.
They are unequaled in their powers of deception, it was even rumored Alpharius had the ability to clone himself. The twin primarchs were able to cause much destruction during the Heresy and their influence ran deep and far.
- Combat Skills: Good (One of the twins was killed by Rogal Dorn)
- Psyker Powers: Little (Able to conceal themself in plain site)
- Durability: Good (Higher than an average human)
- Influence: High (Sleeper agents in much of the Imperium)
8 Lorgar
Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided and Primarch of the Word Bearers was never known for his skill in combat, and was a potent psyker, although not as mighty as Magnus. His greater power came in influence and oratory.
Warhammer 40k: Weakest Factions In The Lore
Every faction in the Warhammer 40k universe is powerful, but some have struggle in their quest for domination.
He was the first primarch to turn to Chaos worship, and it was he who brought the corruption to the Warmaster, sowing the seeds of the rebellion. His influence stretches far, and he is the most zealous of all the primarchs.
- Combat Skill: Good (Compared to his primarch brothers he was one of the weaker)
- Psyker Powers: Expert (A deep knowledge of the Warp and potent sorcerer)
- Durability: Strong (Like all primarchs he is well above the average human)
- Influence: High (One of the main causes for chaos spreading through the legions)
7 Magnus The Red
Primarch of the Thousand Sons legion, Magnus The Red’s road to treachery was unintentional. He originally wanted to warn the Emperor of the rebellion, an act that resulted in disaster. Magnus would eventually fall to the chaos god Tzeentch and ascend to daemonhood.
Never renowned for his skill in arms, his power lay in the mysteries of the Warp, which would eventually lead to his corruption. In the current timeline he is also weakened, as his soul is shattered into multiple pieces, and he works to reunite himself.
- Combat Skill: Good (Skills lay in sorcery rather than combat)
- Psyker Powers: Master (A deep knowledge of the Warp and ancient magics)
- Durability: Strong (Like all primarchs he is well above the average human)
- Influence: Some (Often works for his own purposes)
6 Konrad Curze
The Primarch of the Night Lords, also known as the Night Haunter, was the very definition of terror. On his home world of Nocturne, he brutally took control of the planet from the criminal gangs and led through fear.
His strengths lay in his masterful close combat abilities. He once held his own against both Lion El'Jonson and Roboute Guilliman in a fight. Much of this was also due to his precognitive psyker abilities. He was able to see the future and had visions of death, including his own, a fact that drove him mad.
- Combat Skill: Master (One of the most skilled of the primarchs)
- Psyker Powers: High (Could see the future)
- Durability: High (Swam in lava as a child)
- Influence: Little (Currently dead)
5 Perturabo
The Primarch of the Iron Warriors and Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided is a master in the art of war. During the Siege of Terra, Perturabo primarily led the bulk of the forces to near victory. His true skills lay in siege warfare and the understanding of technology.
Never a true worshiper of Chaos, Perturabo has often come into conflict with his traitor primarch brothers. He succumbed to the decay of Mortarion during a battle with the Death Guard.
- Combat Skill: Expert (A dangerous opponent, but not famed for his skill)
- Psyker Powers: Little (A genius mind with a deep understanding of how things work)
- Durability: High (Iron Within, Iron Without)
- Influence: High (Supplies war engines to Abaddon)
4 Angron
As a Champion and Daemon Prince of the Chaos God Khorne, Angron is a near-unstoppable maelstrom of devastation. Enslaved at a young age and forced into gladiatorial combat, he was inflicted with the Butcher's ails, a device surgically implanted into his brain that causes extreme pain unless enraged.
Warhammer 40K: 5 Strongest Chaos Gods
Warhammer 40K's deep lore features the powerful Gods of Chaos, but who among them is considered the strongest?
With his twin axes, little can stop him, barring another primarch. He can also never be truly banished back to the Warp. Upon death, precisely eight weeks, eight days, and eight hours later, he will return.
- Combat Skill: Master (Trained as a gladiator, extreme strength as a daemon)
- Psyker Powers: Little to none (Is very resistant to psychic effects)
- Durability: Very High (Can take high amounts of damage and not be slowed)
- Influence: Little (Used as an instrument of war)
3 Fulgrim
Known as the Phoenician, Fulgrim is the Primarch of the Emperor’s Children and a Daemon Prince of Slaanesh. Renowned as a master duelist, Fulgrim and his legion aimed for perfection in all things. The Emperor’s Children would fall to chaotic depravity as Fulgrim was slowly corrupted.
It was Fulgrim who killed the Primarch of the Iron Hands, Ferrus Manus, as well as defeated Roboute Guilliman, wounding him and forcing him into the Ten Thousand-Year Sleep.
- Combat Skill: Master (Famed for his skill at one-on-one combat)
- Psyker Powers: Potent (Not overly skilled, more of a raw power)
- Durability: High (Withstood a direct hit from a world-ending virus bomb)
- Influence: Some. (Mainly concerned with himself)
2 Mortarion
Mortarion is the Lord of the Death Guard and Daemon Prince of Nurgle. Renowned for his superhuman resilience - acquired through his worship of Chaos - he was gifted with an even higher level of durability than he had previously known.
During the Plague Wars, he easily defeated Roboute Guilliman, with only the Emperor’s direct intervention saving the Ultramarine's Primarch. Unlike many of the current traitor legions, the Death Guard is still a relatively unified force, which Mortarion still actively leads from his plague planet.
- Combat Skills: Expert (Relies more on his durability than actual skill)
- Psyker Powers: Potent (Able to call forth disease and decay to weaken his foes)
- Durability: Unrivaled (Resilience acquired from Chaos itself)
- Influence: High (Retains a tactical mind and a unified legion)
1 Horus
The Warmaster Horus Lupercal was the most feared and respected of all the primarchs. Filled with the power of all four Chaos Gods, it was only when the broken and dying Emperor let loose his full psychic might that Horus could be stopped. He was considered by his primarch brothers to be the best among them, with his supreme martial prowess, a brilliant tactical mind, and an innate ability for politics.
Warhammer 40,000: Explaining the Chaos Faction
The Warhammer 40,000 universe is packed to the brim with grim-dark creatures and factions, and the forces of Chaos are some of the most important.
Humanity came very close to complete destruction at the hands of Horus, and the effects of the Heresy are still being felt throughout the imperium ten thousand years later.
- Combat Skill: Master (Only the Lion and Sanguinius are possibly better)
- Psyker Powers: Some (Gifted powerful Warp magic by Chaos)
- Durability: Almost unrivaled (His skill in combat and tactical mind make him very difficult to defeat)
- Influence: Highly skilled (Turned half of humanity to rebellion)
