Warhammer Survivors beginner guide: champions, squads, tips

Warhammer Survivors is a bullet-heaven roguelite where you pick one champion from Warhammer 40,000 or Age of Sigmar, let your weapons fire on their own, and try to outlast swarms that grow every minute. This Warhammer Survivors beginner guide covers what the game is, what it costs, how the demo helps you prepare, and the systems that matter most on your first runs: keywords and squads, status effects, pick-ups, faction traits and meta-progression.

The release date reveal trailer for Warhammer Survivors. Video: Auroch Digital.

What Warhammer Survivors is

The game is an officially licensed bullet-heaven title from Auroch Digital, the studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, made in partnership with Warhammer and poncle, the creators of Vampire Survivors. If you have never played that style of game, the Vampire Survivors article gives a good background on the genre. In short: you steer a character around an arena, weapons attack automatically, defeated enemies drop experience, and each level-up lets you pick a new weapon or passive upgrade.

What makes this version different is the licence. The Steam page lists over 40 playable champions from both universes, more than 75 weapons (from the Boltgun and the Astartes Chainsword to the Whirlwind Axes and the humble pot of Nuln Oil), passives and power-ups, and bosses such as Ghazghkull Thraka, Vizzik Skour and the Great Unclean One. The developers also describe "Extremis Bosses" as a challenge even for genre veterans, so expect the late game to push back.

Release date, price and platforms

According to Auroch Digital's announcement, Warhammer Survivors launches on 10 November 2026 at £6.39, $7.99 or €7.49, with prices possibly varying slightly by platform and region. The platforms named are Steam, GOG, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Android and iOS. The studio says Steam players get 10% off during the first week after launch and that it hopes to bring launch discounts to other platforms, with details to follow. The game is also listed as Steam Deck Verified, which the developers confirmed in a Steam post.

Play the demo before launch

The best preparation is the free demo on Steam. Auroch Digital says an earlier demo was played by over 190,000 people, and that more than half of them spent over an hour in it. The current demo, released on 6 October, adds two new champions: the Legend of Catachan and Lyssa Revenya. It also includes balance changes and quality-of-life fixes based on feedback from the first demo. One important warning from the developer: demo progress does not carry over to the full game, so treat it as practice, not a head start.

How to play your first runs

1. Pick a simple championStart with a character whose starting weapon is easy to read, such as Malum Caedo or Trooper Kozlowski (who begins with a Lasgun).
2. Keep movingWeapons attack automatically, so your job is positioning. Circle the arena edges and avoid getting boxed in.
3. Collect experience quicklyLevel-ups are your power curve. Do not leave gems behind during the early minutes.
4. Commit to a few weaponsUpgrading and evolving a small set of weapons beats spreading choices across everything.
5. Read the enemy factionEach stage has its own enemy faction and traits, so your build should answer them.
6. Spend gold between runsGold collected across runs strengthens you permanently, so even failed attempts move you forward.

Champions worth knowing

Every champion has their own stats and starting weapon, so the character you choose shapes the whole run. The official posts highlight several:

• Malum Caedo. The Ultramarine hero of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, a natural pick for newcomers.
• Trooper Kozlowski. A Cadian shock trooper who begins each run with a Lasgun.
• The Legend of Catachan. A fast guerrilla fighter who starts with Frag Grenades only and unlocks other weapons such as a modified Ripper Pistol.
• Neave Blacktalon. The Stormcast Eternal who leads the Age of Sigmar side of the demo.
• Ulgromthier. A Fyreslayer runemaster who starts with a larger health pool and fights with a Brazier Staff that fires arcing magma.
• Lyssa Revenya. A cunning, speedy fighter whose Rope and Grapnel hooks enemies and can instantly kill weaker foes.

As a rule of thumb, tankier champions like Ulgromthier forgive mistakes while fast champions like the Legend of Catachan reward good movement. Choose according to how comfortable you are dodging.

Keywords and squads

The Keyword System is the most distinctive mechanic and the one beginners most often misunderstand. Every character, weapon and some items carry one or more keywords. Some champions can only use certain weapons, for example Marneus Calgar's Gauntlets of Ultramar or Gotrek's Zangrom-thaz. If you pick up a weapon your keywords do not allow, an ally who can use it joins you as a follower.

According to the developers, followers use weapons on your behalf and unleash strong attacks, but they cannot take damage or collect items. In practice, they extend your area of effect without adding risk. Several followers can join at once, so a squad can grow large. The developers shared two combos worth trying:

• Bastian Carthalos and Lorai, Child of the Abyss. Bastian's Uskavar the Sunderer hits in close-range patterns, while Lorai's Nebulous Sea Fog draws enemies in, so they feed foes into his damage zones.
• The Castellan and Trooper Kozlowski. The Castellan's attack power and skill grow with every follower gained, and an upgraded Kozlowski Lasgun brings in extra Cadian Shocktroopers.

Status effects

Status effects are how you beat bosses and tough enemies. Burning and Poisoned both chip away at health but behave differently: burning enemies move faster, while poisoned enemies slow down. That makes poison a good control tool and burning a risky one against enemies that already rush you.

The Oiled status, applied by the Nuln Oil weapon, increases damage from fire weapons, so Nuln Oil plus a burning weapon is an intended combination. Champions can be affected too. The Death Guard poison you with auras and weapon attacks, while the Frenzon pick-up gives you the Berserk status and raises how often your weapons attack. Some enemies are immune to certain effects, so do not rely on a single status for every fight.

Pick-ups to grab

Pick-ups spawn around faction-themed light sources and differ by universe. The developers detailed several:

Enemies and faction traits

Enemies are not just health bars. Factions have traits inspired by the tabletop game. Tyranids use Synapse: critical bioforms such as the Hive Tyrant drive nearby Termagants and Hormagaunts into Berserk, raising their speed and damage, and killing the Synapse creature briefly stuns the swarm. The advice is clear: take out Synapse enemies first. Orks have the Waaagh!, and when the screen turns red they spawn in greater numbers and become frenzied, so prepare to move and clear space.

Individual enemies have skills too. The Von Ryan's Leaper, a Tyranid bioform seen in the demo, pounces over enemies to hit you. Blades of Khorne Bloodcrushers use telegraphed charges that you can dodge. Among the Skaven, Ratling Gunners fire bullet volleys that create damage zones, Bell of Doom conjures a spell that gives nearby Skaven the Warded status, and Acolyte Globadiers throw toxic globes that poison you. Learn the telegraphs and you will survive far longer than by raw damage alone.

Stages and what to expect

Stages range from the open ashen plains of Aqshy to the cramped corridors of an abandoned Space Hulk. The developers have shown Hammerhal, a besieged city between Aqshy and Ghyran with Skaven on one side and Blades of Khorne on the other; the Gallowdark, a derelict space hulk where the Death Guard stomp through tight corridors; and the Hobby Table, a playful stage set among paint pots and cutting mats. Tight stages like the Gallowdark make dodging harder, so favour area-of-effect and followers there. Open plains reward mobile champions.

Meta-progression and unlocks

Between runs you spend gold to grow stronger for future attempts, and Warhammer paint pots unlock new forms of characters and secrets. The developers also note that meta-progression in one universe has a slight impact on the other, so time spent in either side is not wasted. The full game also promises collectables and esoteric secrets to uncover, which is a good reason to keep experimenting rather than repeat a single build.

FAQ

When does Warhammer Survivors come out?

It launches on 10 November 2026 on Steam, GOG, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, Android and iOS.

How much does Warhammer Survivors cost?

Auroch Digital lists £6.39, $7.99 and €7.49, noting prices may vary slightly by platform and region. Steam players get 10% off in the first week.

Is there a demo, and does progress carry over?

Yes, a free demo is on Steam with the Legend of Catachan and Lyssa Revenya added. Demo progress does not transfer to the full game.

Does Warhammer Survivors work on Steam Deck?

Yes. Auroch Digital confirmed the game is Steam Deck Verified.

What is the best champion for beginners?

The developers do not rank champions. Malum Caedo, Trooper Kozlowski and Ulgromthier (with extra starting health) are sensible starting picks because they are simple to read and forgiving.

More on the game lives on the Warhammer Survivors hub, and you can browse every game guide on the site. For sources, see the official release date post and the game's Steam news feed.

Jules Rivera Souls specialist

Has finished every FromSoftware game at level 1. Writes the boss guides and checks them on every patch.