Warhammer Primarchs 40k Guide: Origins, Power Rankings, and Current Status

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Your guide to all 21 Warhammer 40k Primarchs created by the Emperor; from heroes to traitor legends, here’s their lore, and where they are now.

Warhammer 40k primarchs are central to the setting, shaping the Imperium and Chaos alike. From the golden-boy glory of Guilliman to the warp-drenched madness of Fulgrim, these demigods shaped the galaxy.

This guide runs through all 20 of them: where they came from, where they are now (dead, missing, plotting…), and the moments that made them legendary.

From the nine Loyalist primarchs to the nine Traitor ones, these are the names that built the Imperium, and then broke it.

All Primarchs 40k: Alive, Dead, Missing, and Daemon Prince

Updated on December 3rd, 2025, by Rob Baer with new information and links to relevant content.

The Warhammer 40k’s Primarchs are the Emperor of Mankind’s powerful, imperfect “sons” who left their mark on the Imperium, and often a messy trail of chaos.

This guide covers all primarchs in Warhammer 40k and their current status

Primarchs Warhammer 40k List: Which Are Alive Today

So, which primarchs are alive in Warhammer 40k? Here is the Primarch list of who is still doing what, and where.

• Roboute Guilliman – Alive and ruling as Lord Commander of the Imperium.
• Lion El’Jonson – Recently awakened and back in action.
• Magnus, Mortarion, Angron – All active as Daemon Princes of Chaos.
• Fulgrim – Just got a new model in 40k, so definitely alive. 
• Perturabo, Lorgar Aurelian – Daemon Princes, waiting for their time to shine. Perturabo is currently in the Eye of Terror. 
• Alpharius Omegon– Who knows? Dorn killed Alpharius, but they are the masters of deception, so you can never say 100%.
• Vulkan, Corvus Corax, Leman Russ, Jaghatai Khan – Missing but not confirmed dead.
• Ferrus Manus, Sanguinius, Horus, Konrad Curze, Rogal Dorn – Dead or believed dead. Well… Dorn might not be dead if GW really wants to pull a fast one. 

What Are Warhammer 40k Primarchs

The Primarchs Warhammer 40k lore centers on the Emperor’s grand experiment. Think of it this way: he wanted a squad of genetically perfect, larger-than-life commanders who could each lead a Space Marine Legion. 

The Chaos Gods didn’t like that and snatched these creations, scattering them across the galaxy, giving us twenty very different upbringings.

Each Primarch grew into a leader molded by their environment, carrying both brilliance and crippling flaws. When the Emperor finally reunited with them, they became generals, icons, and in some cases, walking disasters.

They weren’t just taller than average giants (though most stood 10-12 feet tall); they were built to inspire loyalty, fear, and sometimes awe. If you’ve ever wondered how many Primarchs are there in Warhammer 40k, the official answer is 20.

Add Constantin Valdor, the Emperor’s golden bodyguard who rivals their power, and some fans will tell you it’s really 21.

Why the Primarchs Matter in Warhammer 40k Lore

Each Primarch was designed to embody a specific trait, from Guilliman’s administrative genius to Sanguinius’ angelic compassion. The problem? Those same traits often became their downfall.

• Fulgrim’s obsession with perfection turned into an obsession with Slaanesh.
• Angron’s tragic implants, the Butcher’s Nails, made him little more than a fury machine.
• Horus, the Emperor’s favorite, ended up leading the galaxy’s greatest betrayal.

Whether loyalist or traitor, every Primarch left a stamp on their Legion that still defines Warhammer 40k today. Their impact is baked into the culture of each Chapter, even ten thousand years later.

The Lost Primarchs 40k Explained

The big mystery here is that two 40k Primarchs were erased from Imperial records completely. Known only as the “Forgotten” and the “Purged,” they’re the blank spots in the Emperor’s grand design.

Fan theories are endless. Some think they committed crimes too dark for even the Emperor to forgive. Others believe they’re hidden away, waiting for the Imperium’s darkest hour. Leman Russ even hinted that his Space Wolves may have been ordered to wipe one of them out, while the Lion dropped cryptic lines that his Legion almost suffered the same fate.

But it is more possible that it was the Lion who was behind it all, as detailed in the novel Fear to Tread:

‘I will not be responsible for the erasure of the Blood Angels from Imperial history. I will not have a third empty plinth beneath the roof of the Hegemon as my Legion’s only memorial!’

For fans, the Lost Primarchs 40k mystery is the galaxy’s favorite unsolved riddle.

The Lost Primarchs (II and XI)

Faction: Unknown
Key Traits: Mythic status, erased history
Combat Power: Their placement in the primarch list remains a mystery, but Imperial records suggest they met catastrophic ends.
Notable Event: Their removal from all Imperial archives is the deepest cut in Primarchs Warhammer 40k lore.

Constantin Valdor and the Warhammer Primarch Debate

Before the Primarchs 40k, there was Constantin Valdor, the Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes. He fought at the Emperor’s side long before the Great Crusade, and some argue he was even more perfect than the Primarchs themselves.

Rumors swirl that Valdor might be the Emperor’s “prototype,” a 21st Primarch in all but name. After the Heresy, he simply vanished. Now whispers in the lore suggest he may still be alive, cloaked in gold, operating in the shadows of the 41st Millennium.

Loyalist Primarchs List: All 9 Warhammer 40k Loyalists

Roboute Guilliman: The Blue Bureaucrat Who Actually Fights

The Ultramarine Primarch is back from stasis and running the Imperium like the world’s most stressed-out CEO (and who knows, maybe we’ll see a glimpse of him in the Cavill Amazon series). Thanks to a little Eldar magic and Belisarius Cawl’s tinkering, Guilliman was revived and now bears the title of Imperial Regent.

He enforces the Codex Astartes, fights in person when needed, and keeps the Imperium from completely imploding.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Strategic genius, political commander, disciplined tactician
Combat Power: Guilliman ranks as one of the strongest loyalist Warhammer 40k primarchs thanks to his balanced mix of martial skill and unmatched administrative mastery.
Notable Battle: His return during the Dark Imperium campaign, where he stabilized the entire Imperium on his own primarch-level workload.

Lion El’Jonson: The Brooding Strategist

Raised in the forests of Caliban, the Primarch of the Dark Angels embodies stoic discipline. After centuries of slumber inside The Rock, he’s returned to a galaxy gone mad.

Fans are already watching his uneasy dynamic with Guilliman, because nothing says family reunion like two brothers with wildly different leadership styles.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Stoic strategist, elite swordsman, relentless hunter
Combat Power: The Lion ranks high among all primarchs 40k due to his skill with blade combat and his tactical precision.
Notable Battle: His modern era duel against Chaos forces after awakening inside The Rock.

Vulkan: The Eternal Forgefather

The Salamanders’ Primarch Warhammer 40k is compassionate, unkillable, and known for his smithing skills. As a “Perpetual,” Vulkan always comes back. Though missing, many believe he’ll return when the Imperium needs him most, probably with a hammer big enough to break a planet.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Perpetual resilience, master craftsman, compassionate warrior
Combat Power: Nearly unkillable and physically overpowering, Vulkan remains one of the most durable primarchs Warhammer 40k has ever seen.
Notable Battle: His stand on Istvaan V, where he tanked damage that would pulp almost any other primarch.

Leman Russ: The Emperor’s Wolf

The Space Wolves Primarch 40k was fierce, loyal, and blunt to a fault. After vanishing on a mysterious “hunt,” legend says he’ll return in the Imperium’s darkest hour. Until then, his wolves keep his name alive with mead, claws, and chainswords.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Ferocious close combat fighter, unstoppable tracker
Combat Power: Among the 40k primarchs, Russ is a top-tier melee monster with primal instincts and weapon skill that terrifies foes.
Notable Battle: His legendary clashes with Magnus the Red and his brutal role in the Burning of Prospero.

Sanguinius: The Angel of Baal

The most beloved of the whole Warhammer 40k list, Sanguinius literally had angel wings. Noble and selfless, he died confronting Horus during the Siege of Terra, a sacrifice that left the Blood Angels permanently scarred with the Red Thirst and Black Rage.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Angelic perfection, unmatched aerial combat, inspiring presence
Combat Power: Sanguinius is consistently ranked in any primarch list as one of the deadliest loyalists, combining psychic grace with lethal efficiency.
Notable Battle: His final battle against Horus, where he wounded the Warmaster and cemented his status as a martyr.

Rogal Dorn: The Stone-Willed Defender

The Imperial Fists 40k Primarch built walls and stood on them until his last breath. Dorn’s iron will saved Terra during the Heresy, but his fate is hazy. Some say he died in a battle with Chaos, others that only his skeletal hand was ever found.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Defensive mastery, unbreakable discipline
Combat Power: Dorn shines in siege warfare and defensive engagements, making him one of the most strategically valuable Warhammer 40k primarchs.
Notable Battle: His defense of Terra during the Horus Heresy, where he held the walls against impossible odds.

Corvus Corax: The Shadow in the Warp

The Raven Guard Primarch was a master of stealth and hit-and-run warfare. Haunted by his failures, Corax disappeared into the Warp, where he’s rumored to stalk Chaos itself.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Stealth expert, guerilla warfare master
Combat Power: Corax is deadly in hit-and-run operations, ranking him uniquely within all primarchs 40k thanks to his surgical strike capability.
Notable Battle: His shadow war on Istvaan V after the massacre.

Ferrus Manus: The Iron Gorgon

The Iron Hands Primarch was known for his metal arms and pursuit of strength. Tragically, he was killed by Fulgrim during the Heresy, a death that still defines the Iron Hands’ obsession with purging weakness.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Cybernetic resilience, brute strength, iron discipline
Combat Power: Ferrus sits high on early-era primarchs lists due to raw physical power and his mastery of both industry and warfare.
Notable Battle: His duel with Fulgrim on Istvaan V, one of the most iconic primarch showdowns.

Jaghatai Khan: The Warhawk of Chogoris

The White Scars Primarch 40k was a cavalry genius who vanished into the Webway chasing Dark Eldar. Rumors suggest he might one day return, riding out with speed unmatched.

Faction: Loyalist
Key Traits: Speed-focused tactics, elite mounted warfare
Combat Power: Khan dominates open-field combat among Warhammer primarchs due to unmatched agility and tactical speed.
Notable Battle: His lightning assaults during the Siege of Terra, where he outmaneuvered daemon engines and traitor elite.

Traitor Primarchs 40k List: All 9 Chaos Primarchs

Horus Lupercal: The Warmaster Who Broke the Galaxy

Once the Emperor’s favorite, Horus turned traitor after falling to Chaos. He led the Horus Heresy and nearly destroyed the Imperium. The Emperor obliterated him so completely that not even the Warhammer 40k primarch’s soul survived.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Chaos-enhanced power, supreme strategist, charismatic warlord
Combat Power: Horus sits at the top of many 40k primarch rankings because Chaos boosted him into a near-equal to the Emperor.
Notable Battle: His final confrontation with the Emperor aboard the Vengeful Spirit, the moment that split the galaxy.

Magnus the Red: The Crimson Sorcerer

The Thousand Sons Primarch 40k mastered psychic sorcery to save humanity, but ended up destroying Prospero. Betrayed and broken, Magnus joined Tzeentch and became a towering Daemon Prince.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Supreme psyker, unmatched Warp command
Combat Power: As one of the strongest psychic 40k primarchs, Magnus is capable of Warp feats that reshape reality.
Notable Battle: The razing of Prospero and his later battles as a Daemon Prince of Tzeentch.

Fulgrim: The Perfectionist Gone Wrong

The WH40k Primarch of the Emperor’s Children sought beauty in all things, but Slaanesh’s temptations twisted him into a serpentine Daemon Prince. His betrayal of Ferrus Manus is one of the Heresy’s darkest moments.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Deadly swordsman, perfection-driven, Slaanesh-enhanced
Combat Power: Fulgrim ranks extremely high among primarch combatants, combining superhuman skill with daemonic mutation.
Notable Battle: His duel with Ferrus Manus, a pivotal moment in the Horus Heresy.

Angron: Rage Made Flesh

The World Eaters Primarch was enslaved, tortured, and surgically mutilated. His implants left him consumed by rage, and he found his place as Khorne’s favorite blood-soaked Daemon Prince.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Berserker rage, Khorne-blessed strength, brutal melee force
Combat Power: Angron is one of the most feared 40k primarchs in close combat, especially after becoming a Daemon Prince.
Notable Battle: His apocalyptic rampage on Armageddon.

Perturabo: The Bitter Siege Master

The Iron Warriors Primarch grew resentful after being treated as the Imperium’s builder and breaker. Chaos gave him validation, and he’s now a Daemon Prince whose bitterness matches his tactical genius.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Siege mastery, tactical engineering, cold precision
Combat Power: Perturabo excels in large-scale destruction and fortified warfare, ranking him high among Warhammer 40k primarchs for strategic devastation.
Notable Battle: The Iron Cage incident, where he battered Dorn’s forces nearly to ruin.

Lorgar Aurelian: The Faithful Heretic

The Word Bearers Primarch wanted to worship the Emperor as a god. When scolded for it, he turned his faith to Chaos instead. Now he spreads the dark gospel as a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Religious fanaticism, Chaos prophet, dark visionary
Combat Power: While not the strongest martial fighter, Lorgar is one of the most influential primarchs Warhammer 40k due to his role in spreading Chaos.
Notable Battle: His manipulation during the Shadow Crusade that cemented the Word Bearers’ dark legacy.

Konrad Curze: The Night Haunter

Raised on terror, the Night Lords Primarch believed fear was the only true form of justice. Murdered by an assassin (or was he?), his Legion still carries on his brutal legacy.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Terror tactics, precognition, brutal efficiency
Combat Power: Curze dominates psychological warfare, ranking uniquely on any primarch list for fear-based combat.
Notable Battle: His terror campaigns across Nostramo and later against loyalist forces.

Mortarion: The Lord of Decay

The Death Guard Primarch hated psykers, but his bitterness drove him into the arms of Nurgle. Now he spreads plague across the galaxy as a Daemon Prince, rotting worlds in the name of his new master.

Faction: Traitor
Key Traits: Toxic endurance, daemon resilience, attrition warfare
Combat Power: As a Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Mortarion is nearly impossible to kill and ranks high among primarchs 40k for attrition power.
Notable Battle: His confrontation with Guilliman in the Plague Wars.

Alpharius & Omegon: The Twins of Mystery

The Alpha Legion Primarchs thrive on secrecy and deception. Officially traitors, but maybe not? Their true motives remain one of the greatest mysteries in all of Warhammer 40k.

Faction: Traitor (officially) 
Key Traits: Espionage masters, deception specialists
Combat Power: The Alpha Legion primarchs rank differently depending on which version of the lore you read, but their strategic disruption is unmatched.
Notable Battle: Their secret campaigns that destabilized Imperial and Chaos forces alike.

Current Status of All Primarchs 40k

So where does that leave us now? In the 41st Millennium, two loyalists, Guilliman and the Lion, are confirmed active, while Chaos boasts four Daemon Prince Primarchs. All the rest of the Primarchs 40k? Dead, missing, or waiting for their grand reappearance.

Rumors keep the fandom buzzing: Vulkan’s resurrection, Leman Russ returning from his hunt, Jaghatai Khan riding back from the Webway, or even the Lost Primarchs stepping out of the shadows.

The tension between Guilliman’s pragmatic leadership and the Lion’s brooding independence is already setting up the next big storyline. And let’s be honest, the thought of a Primarch 40k reunion has fans foaming at the mouth.

Complete Warhammer 40k Primarch List

Frequently Asked Questions About the Warhammer 40k Primarchs

How many Primarchs are there?

There are twenty Primarchs in Warhammer 40k. Eighteen are known, and two are the Lost Primarchs who were erased from history.

Which Primarchs are still alive?

Guilliman and the Lion are active. Chaos has Magnus, Mortarion, Angron, and Fulgrim. The rest are dead or missing.

Who is the strongest Primarch?

Horus at his peak sits near the top. Magnus rules psychic power, and Angron dominates melee.

Who are the Lost Primarchs?

Primarch II and Primarch XI. Their records were deleted, and nobody talks about them, which keeps theories rolling.

Will more loyalist Primarchs return?

The top candidates are Vulkan, Leman Russ, and Jaghatai Khan. Each has a built-in return hook.

What happened to Sanguinius?

He died fighting Horus during the Siege of Terra and changed the Imperium forever.

Why are the Primarchs important?

They shaped the Imperium, shattered it, and still drive the major storylines in Warhammer 40k.

Is Constantin Valdor a Primarch?

Not officially, but power-wise he sits close. Many fans treat him like the unofficial twenty-first Primarch.

Which Traitor Primarch caused the most damage?

Horus by a mile. His rebellion almost ended the Imperium.

Will the Primarchs ever reunite?

It is possible. Guilliman and the Lion already returned, so more appearances would not be surprising.

Why the Primarchs Still Define Warhammer 40k

The Primarchs keep Warhammer 40k wild. Every one of them pushed the Imperium forward or blew a hole straight through it, and the setting is still riding the fallout ten thousand years later.

Guilliman and the Lion are holding the line, Chaos is busy wrecking planets, and the rest of the Primarch list is scattered across the galaxy waiting for their next moment to break the internet.

Fans will always argue about who was the strongest, who deserved better, and who might show up next. That debate is half the fun. As long as there are wars to fight and rumors to obsess over, the Warhammer 40k Primarchs will stay right at the center of the story.

A Complete Guide to Every Warhammer 40k Faction

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