The setting ofWarhammer 40khas been overrun with the forces of Chaos. The cicatrix maledictum has split the galaxy and weakened the veil between the warp and material world. There has never been a better time for chaos to spread destruction, fear, and death to the false Emperor throughout the Imperium.
Among all the enemies inWarhammer 40k, the Chaos Space Marines are some of the most feared.Genetically enhanced by the Emperorand corrupted by the Chaos Gods, these are demonic warriors from our worst nightmares. Yet even among these, some have risen above the others and become even more powerful, avatars of the ruinous powers they follow.
Updated on June 25, 2025, by Andy Chapman:Warhammer 40k continues to grow in popularity. As the tenth edition of the tabletop game continues, more models, books, and games are being released to its eager fanbase. In the lore, the forces of Chaos have been winning at every turn, with Abaddon and Vashtorr winning a decisive victory over the Dark Angels. With the upcoming release of the 10th edition Chaos Codex, even more lore, as well as new rules, will be released for the popular faction. This article has been updated with additional entries, to give readers a wider picture of some of the strongest characters in the Chaos faction.
15Haarken Worldclaimer
Abaddon’s Herald Of the Apocalypse
This feared Chaos Lord is one of the most prominent and important members of the Black Legion under Abaddon the Despoiler. Haarken acts as his Warmaster’s mouthpiece, heralding the doom of a planet upon his arrival. He acts as the vanguard of the Black Legion, causing mass destruction before the larger host arrives.
Haarken is a scholar of Chaos and has studied the words of the different traitor Primarchs. He uses this knowledge to bolster his message, instilling fear into all who hear his portents of destruction. Haarken Worldclaimer revels in the slaughter, using his deadly powerclaw and daemon-touched weapon, the Helspear. He descends on his enemies, leading hosts of raptors at his side, killing with lightning speed and aggression.
14Vorx
Siegemaster Of The Lords of Silence
Vorx is a powerful and extremely capable warband leader, loyal to his Primarch Mortarion. He hails from the Death Guard homeworld of Barbarus and was one of the first aspirants from the world to join the legion during the Great Crusade.
Vorx is an effective leader. He led his warriors into battle during Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade on Cadia and the Forge World Agripinaa. His greatest victory to date was on the planet Sabatine. This homeworld of the White Consuls chapter of Space Marines fell to the Lords of Silence, who transformed the once lush land into a diseased plague planet for Nurgle. The White Consuls Chapter Master, Cymar Xydias, was defeated by Lord Vorx in combat.
13Huron Blackheart
Leader Of The Red Corsairs
One of the most notorious Chaos Lords in the galaxy, Lufgt Huron was a member of the Astral Claw’s chapter of Space Marines, that formed during the 10th founding in the 35th millennium. Once loyal, the chapter’s history would move to the heretical once Huron was named its chapter master and he began his tireless pursuit of power.
He would lead his chapter into open rebellion against the Imperium Of Man during the Badab War. Critically wounded in the conflict, Huron Blackheart’s hate only grew. He now leads the feared Red Corsairs warband in an endless mission to burn the imperium to ash.
12Jago Sevatarion
First Captain Of The Night Lords
Sevatar the Condemned, also known as The Prince Of Crows was the first captain of the sadistic and traitorous Night Lords legion, under the mad primarch Konrad Curze. He was known for his tactical knowledge, fearsome appearance, and most of all hiscombat expertise.
He was arenowned warrior in a time of greatsand counted himself among the best. This was proved correct when he became the only person to ever bring the legendary Sigismund to a stalemate in a duel that lasted thirty hours. Sevatar ended the bout by headbutting his opponent, disqualifying himself, and ending Sigismund’s hundred-year winning streak.
11Lucius The Eternal
Champion of Slaanesh
Lucius The Eternal, a Lord Commander of the Emperor’s Children and a champion of the Chaos god Slaanesh.One of the most gifted swordsmenin the galaxy, Lucius became obsessed with perfection in combat.
His face and body transformed into a labyrinth of battle scars that he wore proudly. He remained undefeated until the infamous duel with Lord Commander Cyrius where finally Lucius was killed, but this was only the beginning. Over the next few weeks, Cyrius’s armor and appearance would slowly morph and distort, until one day Lucius emerged once again and his foe was nothing more than a screaming image on his armor.
10Iskandar Khayon
Powerful Sorcerer and Influential Member of the Black Legion
Born on Prospero, Iskandar Khayon was once a member of the Thousand Sons legion. He is now one of themost powerful sorcerersin the galaxy and one of Abaddon The Despoiler’s most feared lieutenants. He is also a member of the elite brotherhood, the Ezekarion, within the hierarchy of the Black Legion.
He is known as the Kingbreaker after becoming the only sorcerer in history to bring the Daemon Primarch Magnus The Red to his knees with his immense psychic powers. In doing so, he helped elevate his new lord Abaddon to the title of Warmaster.
9Fabius Bile
The Clone Lord
The once Chief Apothecary of the Emperor’s Children legion, Fabius Bile has become one of the most infamous and feared Chaos Lords in the galaxy. Selling his considerable skills to the highest bidder. Unlike his brothers within the traitor legion, Fabius never fell to the worship of Slaanesh and instead pushed his intellect in the pursuit of dark sciences.
A master in genetics and cloning, Fabius even managed to clone his former lord primarch Fulgrim, who’d risen to daemonhood. The clone was a perfect copy of Fulgrim as he once was, before the corrupting nature of chaos.
8Honsou
The Half-Breed Warsmith
One of the greatest champions of the Iron Warriors legion, Honsou rose through the ranks to become Warsmith of a Grand Company, after his predecessor ascended to Daemonhood. Honsou was mocked by many within his legion, as his gene-seed was created in part with Imperial Fist stock, who are the Iron Warrior’s greatest rivals.
Despite this, Honsou has proven himself a destructive warrior and powerful leader. His greatest and most horrific creation is the Daemonculaba, a method of using genetically modified female slaves to create new Iron Warrior Astartes. This depraved machine would eventually be destroyed by the exiled Ultramarine, Uriel Ventris. As revenge for this, Honsou would lead 17,000 Chaos Marines to war against Ultramar.
7Eidolon
Leads The Largest Emperor’s Children Warband
Also known as The Exemplar, Eidolon stands as one of the most prominent and skilled warriors within the Emperor’s Children Legion. More than any other member of his legion, he embodies the ideals of his Primarch, to find perfection. He is one of Fulgrim’s most loyal and ambitious followers, ready to take up his Primarch’s call at a moment’s notice.
After the Horus Heresy, Eidolon became known as Lord Commander Primus and founded the Phoenix Conclave, after supposedly receiving a dream from his Primarch. This warband is dedicated to bringing greatness back to the Emperor’s Children and awaiting the return of Fulgrim. Eidolon has also worked closely with Abaddon the Despoiler and is responsible for maybe thousands of raids. Among all the warriors of the Emperor’s Children, Eidolon is the most capable of uniting his brothers once again, ready for Fulgrim’s inevitable return.
6Luther
The Arch-Traitor
The once father figure and second-in-command to Lion El’Jonson was never a true Astartes. Due to his age, he was unable to fully go through the process that would make him one of the Emperor’s elite warriors. Despite this, Luther proved his strength and skill countless times during the great crusade. However, living in the shadow of a Primarch is never easy. Luther’s resentment grew.
Slowly corrupted by the powers of chaos, Luther turned many of his Dark Angel brothers to the ruinous powers. This all culminated when the Lion returned to his homeworld and was fired upon by his sons. Enraged, the Lion and his loyal Dark Angels stormed Caliban and an all-out war overtook the planet. Luther, having been empowered by chaos, mortally wounded the Lion in single combat and sent him into a ten thousand-year recovery. This colossal battle ended up destroying the planet and sent the Fallen Dark Angels tumbling through the warp. Now, Luther is again at large in the galaxy and is said to be re-gathering his Fallen.
