Worst Codex

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**RegalPhantom**

Regularly it seems that there is a thread on these forums asking for what the best codex is. This is not one of those threads. Instead, I'm curious in figuring out, of all currently supported codexes, is generally considered to be the worst. Also, if you could explain why you feel that it is the worst, I would be grateful. When making your choice, you can use whatever criteria you choose. You could think that a codex is the worst because it is too over-powered, or too under-powered. It could have not aged well, or it could have been completely unbalanced when it was released, even though it is fair now. It could only have a few units worth taking. It could have horrible fluff. The book could repeatedly give you paper cuts whenever you pick it up. I don't care, just what criteria you use, I'm just curious to find out what the answer is.

Also note that although the new CSM release is just around the corner, I still included it on the list. Just reference the old codex since the new information is not yet available, and it will be a couple of months after that until we are able to see everything clearly after all the hype (good and bad) dies down.

**Peregrine**

Dark Angels, since they shouldn't exist at all. Now that bike captains let you take bikes as troops the ONLY thing (other than some 4th edition relics that won't make it into a new codex) different between DA and C:SM is a single character that lets you take some special terminators as troops. You could add two pages to C:SM and nothing at all would be lost.

Black Templars take second place. They're almost as pointless as DA, but at least they have a couple differences here and there. However, they still don't have a purpose in the game (we're the really angry assault marines, just like BA and SW!) and you could just throw out the entire codex and nothing would be lost.

**Necroshea**

Easily Grey Knights. Codexes come and go, power levels rise and fall, and books get old so judging by power level is silly. However, it takes a truly terrible person to mangle the fluff of the Grey Knights. A person like ward. He went on to mangle the necrons too, but people took it better than GK.

inb4 bandwagon

**Dr. What**

Black Templars, sadly.

They are much more unique than most other chapters, thus deserving their own codex, but it's from 3rd edition...

**Peregrine**

Dr. What wrote:
They are much more unique than most other chapters, thus deserving their own codex, but it's from 3rd edition...

See, I really don't understand that. What exactly makes BT different? The fact that they really hate xenos and witches, just like every single other marine army? The fact that they really love close combat, just like SW and BA? The fact that they still have 4th edition rules for terminators, which won't last if they get a new codex? The only thing they have that's really different is the ability to mix "scouts" and "tacticals" in the same squad, but that's not even close to enough to build an army concept on.

(And yes, I know they have different fluff, but stuff like "more marines than a standard chapter" or "always crusading in space" doesn't translate to the tabletop. On the table they're less unique than a C:SM army with a special character.)

**Aun Tier**

...No, actually it's 4th Edition.

Also, as for Dark Angels, keep in mind that back in 4th the other SM codecies weren't all that different either.

I would pick Grey Knights as well. Not because of power, but fluff like Necroshea. There is just far too much Propaganda and 'Grey Knights are AWESOME!!!' held within its covers. It's meant to be the grim darkness of the far future, so why is Draigo waltzing around through the warp and carving his name on Mortarions heart. Yes, I know Draigo is meant to be badass, but come on! Mortarions was a Primarch for Crying out loud!

**Peregrine**

Aun Tier wrote:
Also, as for Dark Angels, keep in mind that back in 4th the other SM codecies weren't all that different either.

Yeah, but DA don't have a concept they can fit into. BA, for example, at least had the idea of speed (preferably with jump packs) and close combat that could be expanded into a full army, but the only thing DA really have is some fluff (which doesn't translate into gameplay) and their use of bikes and terminators as troops. Bikes are already done in C:SM, which leaves a single special character. There just isn't very much you can do with "can take terminators as troops", so the best thing to do is just abandon DA as a separate codex and put a Deathwing character in the next C:SM.

**d3m01iti0n**

Nothing wrong with our codex, apart from it being old. Nothing wrong with anybodys codex as long as you enjoy it. Only thing wrong is douchebags making "What you like sucks" threads over and over as if you thought of an original topic.

**Bloodfrenzy187**

Eldar could use some love.

**Hanith**

I vote Tau as I think they have more useless options and wargear available of any army. By worthless I mean things which pertain to old rues which no longer exists (Like ignoring target priority).

**Decio**

I voted Eldar for what looks like oldness, but the Tau one is also just as bad. Both are not organized like I expected and I had a weird time trying to find wargear rules in the Eldar 'dex. Fluff-wise, I guess it's fine, but the organization is weird.

**Genglash**

I voted Eldar because i hate that codex just try to read it the layout of it is horrible. The way they did the armory and powers its a very confusing codex and i dislike it.

**Ailaros**

Likewise, I also voted eldar.

Game-wise, take a regular codex and then increase the points cost of everything by a third (or more). Furthermore, because they're an older codex, they don't have the most possible options out there. Also, even at the best of times, eldar armies have suffered from integration problems (oh, so that was my one good CC unit and now it's dead?), which is sort of overlookable when the codex is new and powerful, but not at this age.

Fluff-wise, a lot of new stuff has been written since eldar came out. In a way, some of the better fluff for eldar comes from necron, or dark eldar. You know, not from the eldar codex itself. Plus, emo-elves haven't aged gracefully. It would be nice if they had a reason for living, rather than just a reason for not dying.

**Decio**

They actually do have a reason to die, but it's not that great. Apparently, if all Eldar (DE included?) die, then Ynnead pops out and is powerful. Would be pointless unless by death all of the Eldar turned into Wraithguard/lords and remained spirit stones. The other theory is that their spirits have to go kaput to join with Ynnead. That would suck. Especially because it only gives the 'Crons, 'Nids, IoM, Orks and Tau less to deal with.

**Harriticus**

Besides all the repetitive Red Space Marine/Green Space Marine/Black Space Marine stuff, Grey Knights is everything that is wrong with 40k. Overpowered and uninspired combined with god-awful fluff. It's a shame because GW also made one of their best codex's ever in the same edition with Dark Eldar, which is it's opposite.

**Kaldor**

Peregrine wrote:
Dark Angels, since they shouldn't exist at all. Now that bike captains let you take bikes as troops the ONLY thing (other than some 4th edition relics that won't make it into a new codex) different between DA and C:SM is a single character that lets you take some special terminators as troops. You could add two pages to C:SM and nothing at all would be lost.

Black Templars take second place. They're almost as pointless as DA, but at least they have a couple differences here and there. However, they still don't have a purpose in the game (we're the really angry assault marines, just like BA and SW!) and you could just throw out the entire codex and nothing would be lost.

Agreed 100%

**Mahtamori**

Ailaros wrote:
Likewise, I also voted eldar.

Game-wise, take a regular codex and then increase the points cost of everything by a third (or more). Furthermore, because they're an older codex, they don't have the most possible options out there. Also, even at the best of times, eldar armies have suffered from integration problems (oh, so that was my one good CC unit and now it's dead?), which is sort of overlookable when the codex is new and powerful, but not at this age.

Fluff-wise, a lot of new stuff has been written since eldar came out. In a way, some of the better fluff for eldar comes from necron, or dark eldar. You know, not from the eldar codex itself. Plus, emo-elves haven't aged gracefully. It would be nice if they had a reason for living, rather than just a reason for not dying.

Compare it to the 3rd edition codex. Yeah. Eldar 4th edition codex is, with the exception of the special characters and the Avatar, pretty much the 3rd edition codex. Oh, and nerfed Star Cannons.

**PhrycePhyre**

I voted tau in terms of actual rules because it is on of the two codices with only one real army option(the other being SoB) but at least SoB are doing well in tournies..

**Steelmage99**

Peregrine wrote:
Dark Angels, since they shouldn't exist at all. Now that bike captains let you take bikes as troops the ONLY thing (other than some 4th edition relics that won't make it into a new codex) different between DA and C:SM is a single character that lets you take some special terminators as troops. You could add two pages to C:SM and nothing at all would be lost.

A wise man once said;

When the subject of combining the various space marine codexes comes up, I always hear something along the lines of "Well, Dark Angels are practically vanilla, so they can be folded into C:SM easily".

Well, they bloody well are vanilla now, aren't they!?!

Proclaming Dark Angels as being vanilla just shows ones age.
Back in the day (apparently before this game was over-run with kids. Get of my lawn!) Dark Angels used to be unique.

They had Stubborn Terminators that could be Troops, they had Fearless Bikers that could be Troops, they had the Tornado Land Speeder, Land Speeder squadrons and they had unique access to heavy weapons such as Plasma Cannons outside of Devastator Squads.

The dreaded (pun intended) (psy)Rifleman Dreadnought used to be called a Mortis dread, and was Dark Angels only.

Not to mention Manstopper rounds (S4 on shotguns) and the precusor of the Relic Blade now available to vanilla Captains.

So who amongst the kids present would like to say; "Listen, old man, Space Wolves can get Terminators as Troops, Vanilla Marines have had biker Troops for a long time and everybody gets the Tornado and the Plasma Cannons!"?

Yes, they damn well do NOW!

You kids must realize that once those things were unique to Dark Angels. It was part of what made them special.

The Dark Angels codex is not a case of having been given no special things as such. It is a case of everybody else being granted access to all the things that used to be Dark Angels only.

The fate of Dark Angels is not to be made a codex-chapter. It is to be given new stuff and units, making them unique once again, just like the Space Wolves codex and the Blood Angels codex.

**Spetulhu**

Ailaros wrote:
Likewise, I also voted eldar.

How funny, so did I.

Horrible layout for one, as already mentioned. When my mate brings out his Eldar we can spend a good part of the game just on trying to find his stuff in the codex.

As for playing the army it too is frustrating. Units have high points costs and miss many options that any new codex gives out like candy. I'm sure the Eldar could afford grenades for everyone if they really tried.

**Peregrine**

Back in the day (apparently before this game was over-run with kids. Get of my lawn!) Dark Angels used to be unique.

Key point: used to be.

Now they aren't unique, and "give them more unique stuff" isn't a design concept. To do that you'd have to re-write the whole codex to the point that it isn't DA anymore, so why not just start over from scratch without all the DA baggage? Or just get rid of them entirely, since it's not like the game needs another new marine codex, and the only reason to keep them seems to be a few DA fanboys who can't stand the thought of being in the basic marine codex.

**Zweischneid**

Space Wolves easily

It's quite a feat to take an army described as aggressive, brawling hunter-types, led by monster-slaying heroes and to turn it into an army list of table-edge hogging gun-lines led by Wizard-spam.

It's the prime example of an Codex-designer who either doesn't give a flying grot about the fluff or doesn't have the slightest clue on how to match rules to fluff.

The book is failure incarnate.

The uninspired Venom-spam that Dark Eldar become is a close second. Some of the best 40K fluff ever died an ugly death when the new DE-book came out.

**Nitros14**

I doubt most people who voted Sisters of Battle have actually played against them. They're a middling list, not that weak.

They really really really suffer in the flavour department though.

**TheCrazyCryptek**

I voted Black Templars, but I also voted because I thought OP meant worse codex just rules wise, I forgot about lore. I actually like Black Templars fluff, but their rules are in serious need of a overhaul in the form of a new codex. Then again, so do Tau and Eldar.

**Kajon**

Zweischneid wrote:

The uninspired Venom-spam that Dark Eldar become is a close second. Some of the best 40K fluff ever died an ugly death when the new DE-book came out.

Enlighten me on how the DE codex is a fluff failure? I really like the current DE but I never read the old codex.

**TheCrazyCryptek**

Kajon wrote:
Zweischneid wrote:

The uninspired Venom-spam that Dark Eldar become is a close second. Some of the best 40K fluff ever died an ugly death when the new DE-book came out.

Enlighten me on how the DE codex is a fluff failure? I really like the current DE but I never read the old codex.

I would also like to know how you think DE fluff sucks. I think DE codex, fluff wise, is the best.

**Zweischneid**

Kajon wrote:
Zweischneid wrote:

The uninspired Venom-spam that Dark Eldar become is a close second. Some of the best 40K fluff ever died an ugly death when the new DE-book came out.

Enlighten me on how the DE codex is a fluff failure? I really like the current DE but I never read the old codex.

1. The writing is atrocious, expositionary drivel (e.g. "Vect is the most intelligent Dark Eldar" "Vect always felt underestimated in his youth", etc..). Great, don't tell me, show me through storytelling. It's like the book's been written by a 5-year old

2. The shift from sadistic, homicidal Dark Eldar to the apologetic "damned-to-evil-because-our-poor-souls-are-bleeding" was grating and carried way to many Twilight-vibes for me.

3. Poor naming and characterization. A guy called "Decapitator" who "decapitates" people with his "decapitator"? Really? I am surprised Kelly's new Chaos Codex doesn't have a SC named "Spiky" or something of this sort.

4. Too much goth-emo characterization (e.g. Vect example above). Yeah, you've had a tough childhood. We get it. Get on with it.

5. Too much "it's kinda-like-magic" ex machina. The sign of lazy writing

6. Black-holes-from-a-box to ruin a party and kill a single guy? Really? You know what a goddamn black hole heavy enough to "suck in" people would do not only to the people, but the entire building, the entire continent, the entire planet, the entire planetary system that planet was in? Clearly someone wanted to put in a Loony-Toon-Style joke (for reasons I cannot fathom) and didn't bother at least going to Wikipedia or something to get some basics.

7. And, like Space Wolves, clear disdain for the broader 40K universe. The Decapitator will end the Universe? Really? What about Tyranids? Chaos? C'Tan? Old Ones? Just wanted to flip the entire rest of 40K fluff I guess. And why exactly do we need "another" alternative dimension with yet "another" set of Dark Gods besides Chaos/Warp, just for one lousy SC?

**SoloFalcon1138**

Tau. It was invented simply to bring the annoying, Pocky-fueled anime/mechanfans into the game.

**Kajon**

Zweischneid wrote:
Kajon wrote:
Zweischneid wrote:

The uninspired Venom-spam that Dark Eldar become is a close second. Some of the best 40K fluff ever died an ugly death when the new DE-book came out.

Enlighten me on how the DE codex is a fluff failure? I really like the current DE but I never read the old codex.

1. The writing is atrocious, expositionary drivel (e.g. "Vect is the most intelligent Dark Eldar" "Vect always felt underestimated in his youth", etc..). Great, don't tell me, show me through storytelling. It's like the book's been written by a 5-year old

2. The shift from sadistic, homicidal Dark Eldar to the apologetic "damned-to-evil-because-our-poor-souls-are-bleeding" was grating and carried way to many Twilight-vibes for me.

3. Poor naming and characterization. A guy called "Decapitator" who "decapitates" people with his "decapitator"? Really? I am surprised Kelly's new Chaos Codex doesn't have a SC named "Spiky" or something of this sort.

4. Too much goth-emo characterization (e.g. Vect example above). Yeah, you've had a tough childhood. We get it. Get on with it.

5. Too much "it's kinda-like-magic" ex machina. The sign of lazy writing

6. Black-holes-from-a-box to ruin a party and kill a single guy? Really? You know what a goddamn black hole heavy enough to "suck in" people would do not only to the people, but the entire building, the entire continent, the entire planet, the entire planetary system that planet was in? Clearly someone wanted to put in a Loony-Toon-Style joke (for reasons I cannot fathom) and didn't bother at least going to Wikipedia or something to get some basics.

7. And, like Space Wolves, clear disdain for the broader 40K universe. The Decapitator will end the Universe? Really? What about Tyranids? Chaos? C'Tan? Old Ones? Just wanted to flip the entire rest of 40K fluff I guess. And why exactly do we need "another" alternative dimension with yet "another" set of Dark Gods besides Chaos/Warp, just for one lousy SC?

Hehe. Well you got some points, its 40k after all. Stupid names and "kind of like magic" stuff are everywhere. I don't think it's any worse written than the other codices I've read. And didn't the webway exist even before this codex?

I personally like the background as it gives a reason for them being evil and sadistic without making them into victims. They really enjoy their way of life and look down upon all other races. I don't see whats so "twilight" about it.

**Zweischneid**

Kajon wrote:

Hehe. Well you got some points, its 40k after all. Stupid names and "kind of like magic" stuff are everywhere. I don't think it's any worse written than the other codices I've read. And didn't the webway exist even before this codex?

Of course the webway existed before the Codex. I don't have any issues with the webway. It's not in any of the points I made either I believe.