As 2024 rolls in, Total War: Warhammer 3’s patch 4.2 delivers the first batch of new content for Creative Assembly’s grand strategy game. Its release date marks the arrival of a different kind of update, which sees the developer attempting to correct past mistakes by making the Shadows of Change DLC bigger for current and future owners.
In December 2023, the studio’s leadership admitted to failing to meet player expectations with said DLC, which offered less content for a higher price when compared to its predecessors.
Total War: Warhammer 3 Patch 4.2 Release Date
Total War: Warhammer III’s patch 4.2 release date is currently on track to occur at some point in February 2024. That’s a fairly short wait before the title’s newest legendary lords receive additional means of leaving their mark upon the world.
- Total War: Warhammer III's patch 4.2 release date: Second half of February 2024
On February 8, 2024, Game Director Rich Aldridge explained how exactly Shadows of Change will grow while also touching upon the structure of future DLC packs.
He began by confirming that all three races would receive additional units before explaining that not all of the fan requests would be fulfilled.
“All of the forces featured within the Shadows of Change DLC can look forward to a sizable collection of reinforcements, but we won’t be adding Hag Mothers as Generic Lords, as Mother Ostankya is the only Hag Mother of Kislev,” reads the first blog post dedicated to the update.
“Similarly, the relationship between Gospodars and Ungols is taking a back seat as we look less at the tensions of historic Kislevite culture, and more at what defines Kislev as a unified military force in the Era of Karl Franz.</b>
“Similarly, we won’t be adding beaks to Tzaangors, as while this avian characteristic occurs in other Warhammer settings, these elite Gors in the Old World represent those Beastmen who have drawn the eye of the Changer of Ways, rather than a totally separate offshoot breed. But as ever, we aim to ensure that whatever we do add to Total War: WARHAMMER III is as authentic an experience of the world of Warhammer as possible.”
He then outlined the structure of DLC content going forward. This includes Shadows of Change after the release of Warhammer III’s patch 4.2 as well as the upcoming Thrones of Decay. We can expect both to feature the below mixture of lords and units:
- 3 Legendary Lords – Each playable in the Realms of Chaos and Immortal Empires campaigns Unique gameplay mechanics for each legendary lord</li>
- 3 Legendary Heroes – One per race
- 3 Lords – One per race
- 3 Heroes – One per race
- 5 Units (Infantry/Cavalry/Monsters/etc…) per race
- 3 Regiments of Renown per race
- 1 FREELC Character (Aekold Helbrass for Shadows of Change and a Legendary Lord for Thrones of Decay)
Furthermore, some future packs may also introduce new spell lores, mounts, and additional free goodies, but these will be determined by the theming of each respective DLC and may not always be included.
Previously, the update was confirmed to also bring “changes and improvements to the base game itself,” which could translate to bugfixes alongside potential balance tweaks for units that might be too strong or too weak.
Total War: Warhammer 3 Patch 4.2 Grand Cathay Additions
Patch 4.2 sees Grand Cathay’s roster growing thanks to the addition of four new units.
- Saytang the Watcher, Sentinel of the Heavens (legendary hero)
- Gate Master of the Celestial Cities (hero)
- Great Moon Bird
- Celestial Lion
Leading the charge is Saytang the Watcher, Sentinel of the Heavens, the race’s first legendary hero. A colossal, heavily armored construct, he uses his wind bow to fire large projectiles at long range with extreme precision.
Although his wings do not allow him to fly, he can leap across large distances, and send the enemies into which he crashes flying.
Saytang is also a decent melee combatant who’s able to buff nearby Constructs. To emphasize this synergy, Cathay’s Terracotta Sentinel and both Guardian Lions will be considered Constructs, subject to the same rules as those part of the Tomb Kings roster.
The Gate Master of the Celestial Cities hero may lack the size advantage, but his hybrid weaponry makes him shine as a defensive unit able to keep foes at bay. Able to provide allies with protective buffs, he can also mount a warhorse for added mobility.
The Great Moon Bird then joins Cathay’s roster as both a monstrous flying unit and a mount option for characters like the Astromancer.
A powerful area of effect vortex ability complements its magical flaming attacks.
Lastly, the Celestial Lion enters the fray as a fast single-entity monster and a mount for the Celestial General. Able to traverse terrain on foot but also take to the skies, its Fearsome Roar ability and Terror attribute enable it to debuff foes.
Total War: Warhammer 3 Patch 4.2 Tzeentch Additions
Warhammer 3’s Patch 4.2 gives Tzeentch, a race primarily focused on magic and ranged warfare, more melee units to help balance out its roster.
- Chaos Lord of Tzeentch (Lord)
- Exalted Hero of Tzeentch (Hero)
- Centigors of Tzeentch
- Changebringers
Available for both Tzeentch and the Warriors of Chaos, the Chaos Lord of Tzeentch wields a halberd that allows him to more easily dispatch monsters and large creatures.
His Expert Charge Defence and Charge Reflection passive abilities fuel his defensive capabilities while the Mark of Tzeentch grants him magical attacks and the protective barrier the race is known for.
His abilities then allow him to boost the leadership and damage resistance as well as replenish the barrier of nearby units. In terms of mounts, he can access the Chaos Steed, Chaos Chariot, and the Disc of Tzeentch.
Another halberd wielder, the Exalted Hero of Tzeentch hero stands out thanks to his magical attacks and high weapon strength. His solid melee defence turns him into a lasting frontline fighter while the Expert Charge Defence and Charge Reflection passive abilities enable him to shrug off additional damage.
Should a lord be slain in battle, he takes command, bolstering the army’s leadership. Mount-wise, he gains access to the same picks as the Chaos Lord above.
The Centigors of Tzeentch round off this set of melee units, adding more Beastmen flavor to the race’s roster. Fast and hard-hitting, their great axes pierce through the armor of tougher foes.
As vanguard-deploying bestial cavalry, they not only boast the magical attacks and barrier granted by the Mark of Tzeentch but also standard Beastmen abilities such as Rowdy and Primal Fury.
They also synergize with the race’s spellcasters and can be recruited by both Tzeentch and the Beastmen. You could almost say that they’re the be(a)st of both worlds.
Wrapping things up for the Changer of Ways, the Changebringers are quite literally the result of taking Flamers and putting them on Discs of Tzeentch.
In addition to raining down devastating fire attacks from above, they benefit from greatly increased speed and maneuverability, albeit at the cost of some barrier when compared with their slower, ground-based counterparts.
This flying unit can join the rosters of both Tzeentch and the Daemons of Chaos.
As Creative Assembly works to right the wrongs of Shadows of Change, Aldrige also noted that Total War: Warhammer III will receive “many more” DLC in the future, addressing one major worry that spread throughout the community after Creative Assembly’s tumultuous past year.
You can see how Total War: Warhammer III’s future looks by reading our 2024 roadmap article.
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