What changed for Death Guard in 11th edition

11th edition gave the Death Guard a slightly upward pass — nothing that upends the plague-ridden playstyle, but enough shifting numbers to rethink your list. A handful of centrepieces climbed, led by the Defiler and several of Grandfather Nurgle's greater daemons and characters, while the reliable Plagueburst Crawler and a few support pieces came down. Three brand-new characters also join the roster with no 10th-edition equivalent.

Summary

• 18 units repriced, 4 new, 16 unchanged
• Biggest drop: Plagueburst Crawler (-25)
• Biggest rise: Defiler (+50)
• Detachment Points: 2 / 3 / 4 at Incursion / Strike Force / Onslaught

Detachments

The headline mechanical change is Detachment Points. Detachments are no longer free: each one now has a points cost of its own that comes out of your army total, scaling with game size — 2 at Incursion, 3 at Strike Force, 4 at Onslaught. That's a real budgeting decision on top of your unit choices, and it's the biggest thing to relearn coming from 10th. For the Death Guard two new detachments join the shelf — Contagion Engines and Paragons of Putrescence — while every 10th-edition option carries straight over and none were removed. The only new overhead is the Detachment Point tax itself.

New in 11th: Contagion Engines, Paragons of Putrescence. None removed.

Points changes

On the units, the pattern is a gentle net rise: 16 datasheets were repriced — 9 up and 7 down — with three new characters on top. The two big movers are the Defiler, up 40 points from 250 to 290, and Mortarion, up 20 from 380 to 400. The Great Unclean One climbs 15 to 265, with Rotigus up 15 to 280. Balancing that, the Plagueburst Crawler drops 25 to 185 — the single largest cut — and the winged Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Foul Blightspawn and Lord of Poxes each shed points too. Note that some units are priced per model count, so check the tier you actually field.

Biggest increases

Are Defiler still worth it?

The biggest single increase in the faction, up 40 points from 250 to 290. That's a steep tax on a walker that was already a situational pick, so the honest answer is that it now has to earn its slot harder than before. If you love the model and build around it, it still hits like a freight train; if it was only ever a points-filler, the extra 40 is the nudge to spend them elsewhere.

Are Great Unclean One still worth it?

A 15-point rise to 265 puts this greater daemon in a slightly more expensive tier, but it stays one of the most durable bodies you can plant in the middle of the board. The bump is modest enough that it won't be the reason you do or don't take one. If you were running it for staying power and board presence, it still delivers exactly that — just budget the extra 15 up front.

Are Rotigus still worth it?

Up 15 points in 11th — now 280 versus 265 in 10th.

Frequently asked questions

Did the Death Guard get better in 11th edition?

On balance it's a very slight upward pass rather than a dramatic swing. A few centrepieces got more expensive, but the workhorse Plagueburst Crawler and several support characters got cheaper, so a typical list of resilient infantry and armour didn't move much in total. Whether that translates into more wins depends on the wider meta and how detachment rules settle, but the faction came through the transition in a stable place.

What got more expensive for Death Guard in 11th edition?

The Defiler saw the largest jump, up 40 to 290, followed by Mortarion at +20 to 400. The Great Unclean One rose 15 to 265 and Rotigus 15 to 280, with the Noxious Blightbringer, Tallyman, Nurglings and Plaguebearers each up a little. The increases are concentrated on daemon engines and greater daemons rather than your rank-and-file Plague Marines.

How do Detachment Points work for Death Guard in 11th edition?

Detachment Points are a new 11th-edition layer: your chosen detachment now costs points out of your army total, scaling with game size — 2 at Incursion, 3 at Strike Force, and 4 at Onslaught. Every Death Guard detachment pays the same rate, so it's a flat overhead you budget for before you start picking units.

Why did the Plagueburst Crawler get cheaper in 11th edition?

The Plagueburst Crawler came down 25 points, from 210 to 185 — the biggest cut in the faction. That makes the army's signature indirect-fire tank easier to double or triple up on, and it's the clearest sign that the Death Guard's core armour got more affordable even as the flashier daemon pieces climbed. Alongside it, three new characters — the Plague Lord at 80, the Plague Sorcerer at 70 and the Tri-lobe Vectors at 120 for three — expand your support options with no 10th-edition equivalent.

Is now a good time to start a Death Guard army?

It's a solid moment. The workhorse units are cheaper, the range is stable with no detachments lost, and the resilient, grinding playstyle is forgiving for newer players. If you've been drawn to the sons of Mortarion, the 11th-edition points make a starter force easy to build toward — see the Starting a Death Guard Army guide for a buying order.