Your guide to the best (top winning lists) and worst Warhammer 40k armies in the tournaments meta, according to the data from GW’s Metawatch.
Updated on August 5th, 2025, by Rob Baer with the latest best and worst Warhammer 40k armies, which are currently overpowered in the meta right now.
GW’s been keeping a close eye on the meta lately, trying to keep every Warhammer 40k army at that sweet 50% win rate with their Balance Dataslates, Points updates, Rules Commentary, and FAQs.
According to the wider Warhammer Community, here’s the scoop on the best and worst 40k armies in the tournament meta (along with the most OP army).
40k Metawatch & Best Armies:
In Warhammer 40k, the meta can be as unpredictable as a Chaos Spawn on a good day! We’ve sifted through the latest numbers to uncover the top contenders and the not-so-glorious underdogs.
We’ll look at win rates, event wins, and the occasional crisis of faith as we break down the best and worst armies, reshaping the 40k landscape. So, whether you’re gearing up for a tournament or just trying to figure out what to paint next, this is the scoop you don’t want to miss!
Which Warhammer Armies Are Currently Overpowered: Tier List
Which Warhammer armies are currently overpowered? Well, that’s pretty easy, Death Guard!
S-Tier is a bloodbath for the best 40k army. Just like the data shows, Death Guard reigns supreme at the top. With 18 event wins and a 9% player share, they’ve gone from smelly meme to nightmare fuel. Imperial Knights and Chaos Knights are both up here too, matching each other with 10 event wins and over a 55% win rate.
That’s some big stompy consistency. Genestealer Cults make the cut as well, though they “only” pulled four wins, that 55%+ win rate keeps them high enough to justify an S-tier spot.
Warhammer 40k A-Tier:
A-Tier is where things get more competitive. Leagues of Votann and World Eaters (only a 50% win rate but seven event wins) are hanging tough despite not making big headlines in win counts. Thousand Sons land here too with a solid 53% win rate, right in that sweet spot.
What’s exciting is Sisters of Battle making it to A-tier after their recent buffs, they’re now holding 51% (and three event wins), which is a big leap from where they were. And Blood Angels? They’ve got that loyalist swagger and clearly just enough gas in the tank to stay competitive (and five wins).
B-Tier is the land of balance for 40k win rates. Everything here is sitting in the 45%-50% win rate range, which is basically where GW wants the game to live. Tyranids, Drukhari (Dark Eldar), and Custodes are all in a good-but-not-gamebreaking spot. Even Aeldari, formerly public enemy number one, have settled into this tier with no tears.
C & D Tiers:
C-Tier is… rough. Tau, Astra Militarum, and several Marine flavors are all underperforming. Not hard enough to be bad-bad, but they’re clearly struggling to punch up. If you’re running AdMech or Black Templars, you’re probably feeling it.
D-Tier is the pain zone. Imperial Agents barely exist, and the rest, Dark Angels, Orks, Deathwatch, and Grey Knights, are stuck at the bottom with 44%-45% win rates. There’s power armor, and then there’s power disappointment.
Short version? If you’re playing anything in S-tier, you’re likely doing just fine. If you’re rocking D-tier… start praying to the dice gods.
40k Armies, Faction Win Rates: (July 23rd, 2025)
Stat Check shared their latest Warhammer 40k tier list with win rates for the best armies, ones that need buffs, and those that are currently overpowered.
Let’s not sugarcoat it, the Warhammer 40k meta right now has some clear power players, and a few factions that need a serious glow-up. Right at the top, Imperial Knights and Chaos Knights are stomping their way to dominance with 10 event wins each and win rates comfortably over 55%. That’s no small feat for giant walking tanks that solve most problems by stepping on them.
But the real power player? Death Guard. Yeah, those bloated bags of rot just won 18 events. That’s not just impressive, it’s ridiculous, especially considering they made up 9% of total players.
That level of performance with that level of popularity? That’s meta-defining.
Genestealer Cults are still putting in work, sitting above 55% win rate too. But with only four event wins, they’re not quite keeping pace with the titanic trio ahead of them. Still strong, just not stealing the show this month.
In the squishy middle, we’ve got Thousand Sons rocking a 53% win rate, and Tau Empire holding it down at 47%. Somewhere in that mix, Drukhari and Adepta Sororitas are clawing their way back into relevance. The Sisters now boast a 51% win rate post-buffs, and Drukhari are back over the 50% mark.
Then there’s the bottom. Grey Knights, Dark Angels, and generic Space Marines are all limping along at 45%. Worse yet, Orks and Deathwatch are scraping by at 44%.
And Imperial Agents? Almost nonexistent, maybe a few players total. Not enough data to roast them properly, but let’s just say they’re not shaking up the meta any time soon.
Final Thoughts on The Best & Worst Warhammer 40k Armies
And there you have it—another twist in the 40k soap opera. Death Guard’s out here stomping around like they paid extra for plot armor, while poor Deathwatch is just trying to remember what winning feels like.
The meta’s doing its usual thing: flipping tables, shuffling power rankings, and making sure no army gets too comfortable. If you’re planning your next list, maybe don’t base it on last month’s hot takes. Today’s OP is tomorrow’s patch note on the Warhammer 40k tier list.
If you are looking for more on the top Warhammer 40k armies in the meta right now. Read our in-depth breakdowns of the latest top army finishers at major events, in these recent 40k Meta Monday articles:
Also, be sure to check out the latest Warhammer 40000 Best Army resources below.
- Weekly Warhammer 40k Tournament Coverage & Top Tier Army Lists
- Latest Balance Dataslate
- 40k Points Update & Changes
- Upcoming Warhammer Tournaments & Events
- Latest Warhammer 40k Rumors
- New Release Roadmap For Warhammer 40k
- Warhammer 40k 10th Edition Balance Dataslate Updates
- Warhammer 40k Codex Release Date Guide
- 40k Base Sizes Resource Guide
- How to Paint Miniatures: Warhammer & Other Tabletop Games
A Complete Guide to Every Warhammer 40k Army
What do you think about the best and worst lists in the metawatch right now, the current Warhammer 40k meta tier lists, and which Warhammer 40k armies are currently overpowered?
Not sure why high player base is considered more impressive. Death Guard have the most wins and the highest playrate, which is statistically expected, and is less impressive than having most wins and a low playrate. Someone needs a stats lesson
Simply put, one is indicative of skill, and the other indicates a faction may be a little overpowered if “anyone” can do it, lol. Hope that clears it up for you.