The Hedonites of Slaanesh have dedicated their souls to the god of temptation and excess. These hedonites desire thrills and pleasures of every kind, pushing to excess and depravity as they assault the Mortal Realms.

In the new Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome for AOS 4th Edition, up for pre order today, players have a new and updated toolbox of desire, with mechanics and profiles changed across the board. In this full review of the 2026 Battletome we’ll be checking out all those changes, having a look at the updated profiles and exploring what temptations await us in the new book.

Massive thanks to Games Workshop for sending us these over to check out on the site. If you would like to support the site then why not order your Hedonites of Slaanesh goodies through our affiliate Element Games and save yourself some money too?

We have also got an unboxing covering the new Lord of Hysteria, Accursed Reflection box and Decadent Host Battleforce box which you can see just below or over on YouTube

We also have a full review of the new General’s Handbook up today, which you can find here!

So without further ado let’s dive into the new Battletome!

Hedonites of Slaanesh (2026) Battletome Review

We’ve not got many Battletomes left this edition, and one of the ones I’ve been looking forward to are the Hedonites of Slaanesh. I think it’s fair to say that Slaaneshi mechanics have been all over the place over the editions, with us seeing pretty big changes from book to book – and that’s true here too, the entire army mechanics have been overhauled here along with a load of profiles. Before we jump into the rules through, we also get a little bit of lore advancement here too – Slaanesh is shackled with 66 chains, but he has now broken 6 of them. The most recent chain was broken with the Great Horned Rat ascending to the Pantheon – Slaanesh still has a long way to go until he is free, but slowly and surely those chains are breaking and it feels that a seismic event will happen when it does!

So what about the rules? What’s changed in the book?

Well the Battle Traits have been completely redone with some new mechanics that revolve around Paragons and Temptations.

At the start of your turn if you have less than 3 paragons on the table (some units have the paragon keyword on their warscroll) you get to pick a unit and give it the paragon keyword. This keyword interacts with a number of rules in the book and usually gives you a better version of a special rule. The forces of Slaanesh though need to work hard to keep the attention of their dark master, and there are a few conditions that make a (non-unique) unit lose their Paragon keyword. For example this includes taking 3 damage from a non attack ability, making a charge roll of 5 or less or miscasting a spell – Thankfully your unique units are not subject to this rule – you have to be careful through, if you have more than 3 Paragons at any time you have to remove one from the battlefield.

There’s also a number of Temptation abilities in the book, these are rules that can be used by units that have not yet used a temptation this turn, meaning you’ll want to manage who is using what ability. There’s a temptation for every phase of the game, meaning you’ll want to keep track of what has been used by who.

Sensuous Aura is a core battle trait that gives friendly units +1 to cast when you successfully cast.

Cutting Barbs is one for the movement phase, and this has a hero use it on an enemy unit in combat – the enemy has to pick then if their unit has a max control core of 1, or if all Slaanesh units have +1 to hit against them. If your hero is a paragon then you get to pick yourself! This is pretty good way for giving you a big all out attack bubble or even shutting down the control of a big unit!

Beguiling Glance is used in the shooting phase and makes an enemy unit choose if they have to target a nominated hero when they charge, or alternatively subtract 2 from charges. Again if you use this on a paragon you get to pick

Chief of Revels allows a Paragon to give all Slaanesh units within 12″ +2 to charges

Enthralling Vanity is used in the Combat phase and makes the enemy choose between Slaanesh units getting crit 2 hits, or turning off all combat abilities for their unit. Again, Paragons get to pick.

Finally Excess of Agility is also used in the Combat Phase and this makes it -1 to hit nearby Slaanesh units within 12″

There’s a lot of abilities here and you’re going to be limited by heroes and paragons, so a lot of the skill in this army is going to be managing this correctly.

There’s 4 new Battle Formations in the new Hedonites of Slaanesh book – Depraved Carnival is nice and allows 3 infantry units to move D6 inches at the end of every turn, which is nice for some of the new battle tactics in the GHB 26. Godseeker Cavalcade is a pretty good one that allows Slaanesh units to run and charge while they are within 9″ of a board edge – you’re so fast that this is pretty good for slingshotting units around the board. Artisans of Torment costs a command point, but it forces Enemy units to target a specific unit, and your unit gets +1 attacks when it fights itself. Finally Lurid Dreamers is very good – you pick a unit in the shooting phase that has been allocated damage, remove it from the board and pop it down again anywhere outside of 9 of enemy models!

As ever we get a trio of new Heroic Traits and Artefacts of Power – Centre of Attention is pretty fun – while your model is in the centre of the battlefield on a 3+ enemy units are -1 to hit your models and your models are +1 to hit. I love this for army wide synergy and there’s some nasty stuff that can be done with this. Dilettante is pretty boring, a once per battle “up and down” ability to teleport in the movement phase. Finally for Traits we get Unseemly Vitality which heals the bearer D3 ever turn – For me, the first one is the best!

As for Artefacts we get Bashful Visage, which makes enemy units unable to see nearby units to the bearer when they are 12″ away from the enemy, the Crown of Ur-Slaanesh gives you a unit recycling ability that costs 1cp and finally the Rod of Misrule allows a friendly unit to use Power Through, even if they have a lower health characteristic than what they are fighting, which again is pretty good in the new GHB.

Spells also get a refresh, Hysterical Frenzy is now an Unlimited spell that gives units +1 to wound – given how easy it is to give your units +1 to hit this makes Slaanesh units very very accurate in combat! Last Ecstacy allows your units to deal mortal wounds when they die, and finally Overwhelming Acquiescence gives the target Crit 2 on all their weapons including companions!

A lot of units in the book have had updated profiles, so we’ll run through the big changes here:

Shalaxi Helbane is a tad slower now at 12″ and her abilities have been reworked. She now can retreat and charge with no penalty, and her spell now gives a target unit Strikes First, which is pretty handy. She now has an ability that lets you get crit 2 hits ( that trigger on 5s) when she is fighting a hero or monster, and if she kills the target then every friendly Slaanesh unit in 12″ gets +1 attacks. And yes, she can sill do her scary counter charge move.

Keeper of Secrets loses an attack, but has more damage on her main weapon to make up for it. Like Shalaxi they can fall back and charge with no penalty and still has cacophonic choir, but can now target as many enemy units a she wants within 12″ which is ace! The Locus of Slaanesh is still there, but now costs a command point – BUT it always goes off, no more rolling! Finally her rampage is interesting – you can choose to give yourself crit 2 hits but make it +1 to hit you, or drop the wound roll of a target unit in exchange for dropping your rend.

Dexcessa has had a bit of a glow up, she now has 8 attacks and has Charge +1 damage for some really scary damage output given her ability to gain an extra attack every turn. Pair her up with another Paragon and she can also make them fight immediately after her. She also has an ace Rampage now too – you roll 2D6 at the end of the turn (adding 2 if you charged) and if you beat the health of whatever you are in combat with a model is slain, making them amazing at taking out characters!

Synessa is now a support piece who can reduce the casting and chanting rolls of enemy units, drop a units attacks with her spell and reduce the wound rolls of enemy models with her rampage.

The Masque has had quite a rework, she now stops enemy units from retreating and has a trio of different dances she can use. One makes enemy attacks fail on a 1-4, one allows her to move 2D3 into combat and the vial one turns off commands, which is always handy.

Syll’esske is also quite different in the new book, she now has a really good passive ability that lets you to pick to fight with a non-hero daemon unit and then fight with a non-hero sybarite unit. There’s no range restrictions here, making her a really good support piece. She also increases her power level by 1 every time she kills a Wizard, Priest or Artefact carrier.

Thricefold Discord is a new unit in the new Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome – this is an interesting unit that can increase the movement of friendly units, or deal out mortals with it’s unique spell, and also has the choice of 3 different abilities it can trigger – one increases it’s power level, the next makes it crit on 5s and the final and most powerful gives nearby units 3 extra rally points when they rally – note this is points rather than dice, so you’re guaranteed at least 3!

Infernal Enrapturess has been reworked again, losing her ranged attack and instead gets to cause mortal wounds to a target unit and then use that to either heal herself or return models to a friendly unit. Use this on a big unit of something like clanrats to heal up some friendly units if you get lucky.

Contorted Epitome returns to it’s rules from a previous edition – it can be used to make a unit have to move closer to the mirror and turns off their ability to leave the battlefield – very powerful now, but only triggers on a 3+. She can also eat manifestations, and give you an extra dice when casting yours.

Daemonettes are quite a bit different now, they no longer get extra attacks, but instead have anti infantry +1 rend and get to move D3+3 in the combat phase if they have charged that turn (allowing them to creep up the battlefield or tag a more squishy target as they can even move through enemy models doing this)

Seekers are pretty amazing now, boasting a movement of 14″ and the ability to make a normal move at the end of a turn on as long as they have charged! Use a counter charge to get the benefit of this in the enemy turn too for some really good board coverage for Battle Tactics.

Fiends have had a bit of a tweak in the new book, they now do Mortal Damage to nearby units that have not charged, letting them chip at units behind screens.

Sadly all of the Chariot units have been removed from the Hedonites of Slaanesh book!

Moving onto the mortal side of the Hedonites of Slaanesh, Glutos is now a very different unit. His profile has now been completely reworked, he can still heal a target unit every turn, but now gets to also return slain models. He now has a selection of different abilities you can pick from rather than having set ones on each turn – for example he can make non monsters invisible while the enemy is outside 12″, or make all units run a minimum of 4 inches.

Sigvald has had a bit of a refresh, but he’s still really good! He now starts with 6 attacks and has crit 2 hits by default, In addition to Strikes First and extra attacks when he charges he also gives Friendly Slaanesh units Crit 2 Hits too when he charges! I feel him and Dexcessa working in tandem could be really nasty…

He also has a Temptation ability that makes your opponent have to direct all their attacks against him, or otherwise suffer D3+3 mortals (which then heal him up!)

Sadly he no longer ignores wards, but instead reduces them by 1

The Lord of Hysteria is the new kid on the block in the Slaanesh book, it’s got a pretty good combat profile , makes friendly infantry get Anti Charge +1 rend and also has a Temptation to give a friendly unit +1 attack

Up next is the Shardspeaker – he doesn’t have a ranged attack any more, and his ability to reduce saves is now a spell – sadly he can only use it if he is a paragon too making this a bit expensive to use (though it triggers all the time now). He can boost his cast rolls at the risk of taking Mortal Damage – Not sure on this guy now, I think there’s other units that want to be Paragons more than him

Lord of Pain is now a bit of a masochist. You can inflict damage point to him to give another unit the ability to charge after running or retreating – With only 5 health I’m not sure if it’s worth it, but does give your units some frightening fighting range.

Lord of Hubris has tweaked a little in the new Hedonites of Slaanesh book – his You First… rule now has the enemy pick between being -1 to hit and only striking the Lord, or instead get strikes last and increase the lords damage by 1. He can also make a friendly unit fight after him with +1 to hit (potential for some nice chaining here fighting with Dexcessa, then the Lord of Hubris and then your target unit – only works on Sybarite non heroes though.

The Slaangors get yet another change to their rules!They are much faster at 8″ now and also have Anti Infantry +1 rend. In addition they can start off the board and set up on a battlefield edge. On top of that when the enemy uses a command they can move 3″ too!

Painbringers have now inherited a lot of the rules the Twinsouls used to have. When they dont charge they get a 5+ ward, and in the combat phase they deal a mortal damage for each 1 the enemy rolls. They are heavily armoured with a shield, so makes more sense as a defensive unit now.

Twinsouls are now an odd offensive unit that gets better as they take more damage. They have lost an attack off their profile, but now get +1 rend if they are damaged. On top of this if they are fighting something high higher control they are +1 damage too. Thankfully they now have a 3+ save

Blissbarbs have lost some range on their bows in the new Hedonites of Slaanesh book and no longer have -1 to hit, but instead gain a 6+ ward and the ability to shoot in combat with crit 2 hits. A unit of Blissbarbs in combat is probably dead anyway, but this could help them finish off a unit that has charged them but not killed them.

Slickblade Seekers are a little faster at 14″ but otherwise are pretty much the same as they were.

Likewise Blissbarb Seekers are a little faster and now can shoot after retreating, and take no damage from retreating. Sadly they no longer get the bonus rend on their bows.

Hellstriders, like the Chariots are removed from the book…

The manifestations also get a bit of a rework in the new Hedonites of Slaanesh Book.

The Wheels of Excruiation now have a flat 6 attacks that hit pretty hard with 2 rend and -1 damage on the charge, in addition they do D6 mortals to anyone they are in combat with at the end of a turn!

The Mesmirising Mirror now deals D6 mortals to a unit that does not end closer to the mirror in the movement phase

The Dreadful Visage has now changed too, it stops a unit within 12 from running, and also increases the mortal damage you take when you retreat. A bit meh, but it does have crit 2 hits on its attacks now.

Finally the Fane of Slaanesh has also changed again! It now gives a target enemy unit’s weapons the Companion keyword, basically making them not able to use a lot of army abilities – Not quite as good as the old abilities that let you take damage in return for buffs.

Armies and Regiments of Renown

The first of two Armies of Renown in the new book is centered around Sigvald, and he really is the star of the show here. He has an ability that allows him to do D3 mortals to any unit within 3″ (friend or foe) and for each model he kills he gains +1 attack! Every time he dies he comes back to life next to the Controted Epitome (or a unit with the Heroic Trait that allows this too) He can also cause D6 mortals to another friendly unit in order to teleport (potentially knocking him into combat or onto an objective.

If he wasn’t already hard enough to kill he gains a 2+ ward while near another Sybarite unit, and at the end of every turn if he’s not on an objective he can move 2D6 towards an objective. Yes, this is putting all your eggs in one immortal Sigvald shaped basket, but looks like it would be pretty fun to play!

Games Workshop have also released a pretty decent box to get started on this Army of Renown too! Check out our video for a full unboxing!

Court of the Godlings is very similar but based around the twins Dexcessa and Synessa – they both have different abilities that trigger off the other representing their fierce rivalry! If one detroys a unit, the other gets _1 to hit, if one is on an objective the other gets extra control, if one is damaged the one with the fewest damage points gains a 4+ ward etc, this is really cool and really captures the two bickering twins trying to outdo each other!

The Heroic Trait also let’s you return a dead twin to the table, which is cool. There’s some ace spells here too – such as selcting a twin and making the enemy half their movement while they can see it, or making charges on only one dice if they can see both twins!

I really like this one and plan of running it soon!

Finally the new Hedonites of Slaanesh book also has two Regiments of Renown. Mist-Clad Revellers has a Shardspeaker and a unit of Blissbarbs that can be set up on the edge of the battlefield in the movement phase, while the Accursed Reflection gives you a Contorted Epitome who is able to summon the Slaanesh manifestions.

Again, there’s a nice set that gives players access to all these models.

Summary

So what do I think of the new Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome? Well there’s been a lot of changes here and players are going to have to do quite a bit of adapting to the new rules – but I do feel this is a new and fresh way to play Slaanesh. There’s some cool synergies and abilities that lean really nicely into the new GHB but I do think this is an army that’s going to need a skilled commander to get the most out of them. There’s lots of fun to be had here though, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they handle on the battlefield – We’ll be filming a battle report featuring them against the Maggotkin of Nurgle very soon…

The new Slaanesh releases are up for pre order today and are released Saturday 4th July

Games Workshop provided Sprues & Brews with free copies for review purposes.