Top 5 most Influential Characters

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**dementedwombat**

Anybody I would nominate would be from the Tau empire, since that's who I know best, and let's face it, the most influential Tau leader has about as much power to shape the setting as your average governor of an Imperial sector.

Ads far as my serious answer, my spot for #1 would be one of the most powerful Necron Phaerons. They have doomsday tech like nobody else has ever seen, and have been manipulating the destinies of species since before Eldar crawled out of caves (let alone humans). I'd imagine they have a good fair number of "ace in the hole" contengency plans and favors to cash in by this point.

**dusara217**

Khonsu wrote:
Azrael truly commands a legion, More so than Calgar.

Azrael may command a Legion's worth of Astartes, but Calgar commands an Expeditionary Force's worth of guard, and has a Segmebtum's worth of ships, and can pretty much tell at least half of UM successors to do something and they will do it without question.

**Poly Ranger**

For the HH I would say:

1.) The Emperor... for obvious reasons.

2.) Lorgar... started the whole thing off.

3.) Horus... it is named after him after all.

4.) Erebus... helped turn both Lorgar and Horus as well as being instrumental in other DickDastardly schemes.

5.) Garro... his warning changed everything.

**NauticalKendall**

I'll have a throw of this,

1. Asdrubael Vect, lets be real, Dark Eldar are vastly underrated as a race, but if Vect say's he wants something, He'll get it. He's likely to be the most powerful character at m41.999 with the power to shape whatever happens around him even more so than Eldrad. He can capture STARS for petes sake. I'm sure if he wanted he could open a webway portal above Terra and just throw stars or open black holes and just end it.

2. idk I just firmly believe that no one as of the end of the timeline thus far has the capabilities that Vect has.

**Vulgar**

In order, top five :

1. Lorgar - from the lectio divinatus(sp, lazy) to the book or lorgar, this is what real influence looks like.
2. Magnus - There's a portal to hell in a mountain, in the Himalayas, he did that. All "golden throne", ten thousand psykers a day, dead god emperor, Magnus created the framework with that with one act.
3. Malcador - He seems to be responsible for the entirety of the administration of the empire, obviously creates the inquisition, assassins and the grey knights.
4. Guilliman - From his own mini empire, to his running the empire post emperor's death for some time, If you lived in the imperium, you'd rather live in ultramar.
5. M'Shen - Curze existing for any reasonable chunk of time could have led to some nasty consequences. He's among the most "mad dogs you can't put down" characters I've read. For some reason I have made up in my own mind he could have been en route to being a daemon with his own domain, fear and terror.

Horus was an errand boy sent by grocery clerks.

**Wyzilla**

Vulgar wrote:
In order, top five :

1. Lorgar - from the lectio divinatus(sp, lazy) to the book or lorgar, this is what real influence looks like.
2. Magnus - There's a portal to hell in a mountain, in the Himalayas, he did that. All "golden throne", ten thousand psykers a day, dead god emperor, Magnus created the framework with that with one act.
3. Malcador - He seems to be responsible for the entirety of the administration of the empire, obviously creates the inquisition, assassins and the grey knights.
4. Guilliman - From his own mini empire, to his running the empire post emperor's death for some time, If you lived in the imperium, you'd rather live in ultramar.
5. M'Shen - Curze existing for any reasonable chunk of time could have led to some nasty consequences. He's among the most "mad dogs you can't put down" characters I've read. For some reason I have made up in my own mind he could have been en route to being a daemon with his own domain, fear and terror.

Horus was an errand boy sent by grocery clerks.

M'Shen didn't kill Curze. Curze did.

**Vulgar**

I agree, but in a pawn takes queen type thing.

Since it's a lot of dune related stuff, I think of Curze's prescience in the dune sense.

**ALEXisAWESOME**

Once again, i don't feel any of the Primarch's belong to be up here. They might of had influence then, but now? In 40k? They are either dead or useless. All loyalist Primarchs are dead, dying or missing, while the Chaos Primarchs are lazy buggers who don't want to get off their own throne and do stuff. Also, their legions are in tatters, i'm sure a fair part of the legion wouldn't even respond when the Primarch asked. None of the Primarchs have much real influence in 40k, none of them.

**dusara217**

ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
Once again, i don't feel any of the Primarch's belong to be up here. They might of had influence then, but now? In 40k? They are either dead or useless. All loyalist Primarchs are dead, dying or missing, while the Chaos Primarchs are lazy buggers who don't want to get off their own throne and do stuff. Also, their legions are in tatters, i'm sure a fair part of the legion wouldn't even respond when the Primarch asked. None of the Primarchs have much real influence in 40k, none of them.

Exactly. The Primarchs can't do diddly squat in 40k. Their period of influence was during 30k, not 40k.
So shut up about the primarchs, make a list with actually alive and fighting characters.

**IHateNids**

Not sure if it's already been said, but my vote goes to Cypher.

No-one else has a whole legion chasing him down, running away from their responsibilities in the process, and still keeps his head, but then has the audacity to threaten the Warmaster of Chaos on his own battleship

**CREEEEEEEEED**

Me, duh.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
But if you want a real list, it would be:

1) A thought no one has considered, is that everything in the galaxy that has anything to the with the imperium had something to do with the Emprah, and that's basically everything.
2) ME
3) High lords
4) Eldrad
5) Vect

And somewhere below the lowliest Whiteshield under my command, is failbaddon, can't even conquer one world in his way. He's always
banging on about "That weakling Horus" when Horus gave the Emprah his mortal blow, but Failbaddobn simply crashes against Cadia like a wave against a cliff.

**Pilau Rice**

1. Alpharius
2. Alphairus
3. Alpharius
4. Alpharius
5. Alpharius

**dusara217**

*sigh*. I swear, you people need to learn how to read an OP. He said no 30k, no Gods - I'm talking to you, Creed. Putting yourself into the list like that, what part of no Gods do you not understand?

**CREEEEEEEEED**

dusara217 wrote:
*sigh*. I swear, you people need to learn how to read an OP. He said no 30k, no Gods - I'm talking to you, Creed. Putting yourself into the list like that, what part of no Gods do you not understand?

I love you.

**NoiseMarine with Tinnitus**

1) Trazyn and his collection of trinkets - he could probably pinch the celestial orary if he had a penchant for sniffing out suns;

2) Ahriman if he ever gets his library card;

3) Huron is pivotal to the 13th black crusade imho;

4) Failbaddon

5) High Lords

**CREEEEEEEEED**

NoiseMarine with Tinnitus wrote:

4) Failbaddon

NOOOOOOOO.

**Ignatius**

dusara217 wrote:
*sigh*. I swear, you people need to learn how to read an OP. He said no 30k, no Gods - I'm talking to you, Creed. Putting yourself into the list like that, what part of no Gods do you not understand?

Hey what's your problem guy? Notice how you're the only one maliciously attacking others posts? Be easy, sit back, and take a second to consider others thoughts. Instead of calling people stupid, ask for clarity about their opinion because you clearly aren't understanding them. You list is done so mostly on inference anyways, so cool your jets. Being polite and considerate is one of dakka's rules.

**King Pariah**

Ignatius wrote:
dusara217 wrote:
*sigh*. I swear, you people need to learn how to read an OP. He said no 30k, no Gods - I'm talking to you, Creed. Putting yourself into the list like that, what part of no Gods do you not understand?

Hey what's your problem guy? Notice how you're the only one maliciously attacking others posts? Be easy, sit back, and take a second to consider others thoughts. Instead of calling people stupid, ask for clarity about their opinion because you clearly aren't understanding them. You list is done so mostly on inference anyways, so cool your jets. Being polite and considerate is one of dakka's rules.

This one isn't a good example of a malicious attack... I think just about everyone else picked up on it being a joke...

**Ignatius**

King Pariah wrote:
Ignatius wrote:
dusara217 wrote:
*sigh*. I swear, you people need to learn how to read an OP. He said no 30k, no Gods - I'm talking to you, Creed. Putting yourself into the list like that, what part of no Gods do you not understand?

Hey what's your problem guy? Notice how you're the only one maliciously attacking others posts? Be easy, sit back, and take a second to consider others thoughts. Instead of calling people stupid, ask for clarity about their opinion because you clearly aren't understanding them. You list is done so mostly on inference anyways, so cool your jets. Being polite and considerate is one of dakka's rules.

This one isn't a good example of a malicious attack... I think just about everyone else picked up on it being a joke...

Eh picked the wrong one. Regardless it's unnecessary and a pretty lame joke.

**loyaltemplar**

1 eldrad (unless he's "dead", but even if he sort of is...)
2 vect
3 the high lords of terra. any ONE lord is little more than a target for assassination by one of the others

non discript people
4 who ever manages to finaly backstab abbaddon and take leadership himself
5 an inquisitor who makes all the right deals with all the right devils and kills all the right rivals could do as much or more damage than any space maybe chapter master out high lord

Why no necrons? They are one angry ctan regaining sentience from being eaten (well we all are, but still). They are vulnerable to the warp just like their slaves/ masters/ power source. They are likely delusional in their actual application of power (like many in the setting) and can still seemingly be manipulated by the likes of the eldar (again like many in the set but they fiddle with much more tech, and have no ability to fsee the future)

**CREEEEEEEEED**

Ignatius wrote:
King Pariah wrote:
Ignatius wrote:
dusara217 wrote:
*sigh*. I swear, you people need to learn how to read an OP. He said no 30k, no Gods - I'm talking to you, Creed. Putting yourself into the list like that, what part of no Gods do you not understand?

Hey what's your problem guy? Notice how you're the only one maliciously attacking others posts? Be easy, sit back, and take a second to consider others thoughts. Instead of calling people stupid, ask for clarity about their opinion because you clearly aren't understanding them. You list is done so mostly on inference anyways, so cool your jets. Being polite and considerate is one of dakka's rules.

This one isn't a good example of a malicious attack... I think just about everyone else picked up on it being a joke...

Eh picked the wrong one. Regardless it's unnecessary and a pretty lame joke.

As the butt of the joke, I loved it, so if you cannot appreciate other peoples humor, don't interject. (Also, he is right, the OP asked for people not to put in the Emprah or any other gods, but I did)

**Lady_Mournival**

My list would go something like:

1) Erebus. If it wasn't for Erebus things would not have ended up anywhere near as bad as they have. Lorgar might not have fallen/been so lost to reason (I doubt it, but the
possibility is there), most legions probably wouldn't have been corrupted (maybe one or two.... MAYBE), Horus would never have fallen to chaos!

2) Horus. He was the best of us..... the best of us..... and he fell. He tore an empire into shreds, killed one of his brothers (was overall responsible for the death of a few), and put
his father into a coma & on life support. He also showed the other primarchs, and the rest of humanity, that humanity is ultimately flawed.

you Erebus..... I did mention
this is Erebus' fault right?

3) Roboute Guilliman. Shaming the Word Bearers (forever sending them into a downward spiral), building a second Imperium, putting the codex astartes into effect, practically
starting a second civil war, and setting his chapters on the path of legion building...... he always has been, and will be a traitor in my books..... but an influential traitor.

you Roboute!!!

4) Malcador The Sigillite.

Spoiler:

One of the most powerful psychers in the galaxy, and just an insanely manipulative and powerful perosn.

5) Hrm....... I'm just gonna phone it in at this point and say Ezekyle Abaddon like everyone else.

My more 40k list would be:

1) Ezekyle Abaddon.

2) Marneus Calgar.

3) The Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum.

4) The Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus/

5) The Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum.

That about sums it.

**NoiseMarine with Tinnitus**

CREEEEEEEEED, you may want to delve into why Failbaddon is called that. It doesn't appear to be what you think.

**CREEEEEEEEED**

NoiseMarine with Tinnitus wrote:
CREEEEEEEEED, you may want to delve into why Failbaddon is called that. It doesn't appear to be what you think.

In a desperate attempt to restore Abaddon's long gone credibility, the latest edition of the 40K rule book describes Abaddon's Black Crusades as
"repeated blows to gradually weaken the Imperium as part of a greater plan" and "Definitely not 13 separate failed attempts to march on Terra, you would be mad to think that".

**Wyzilla**

CREEEEEEEEED wrote:
NoiseMarine with Tinnitus wrote:
CREEEEEEEEED, you may want to delve into why Failbaddon is called that. It doesn't appear to be what you think.

In a desperate attempt to restore Abaddon's long gone credibility, the latest edition of the 40K rule book describes Abaddon's Black Crusades as
"repeated blows to gradually weaken the Imperium as part of a greater plan" and "Definitely not 13 separate failed attempts to march on Terra, you would be mad to think that".

-looks at year started wargaming-

No, this is probably due to you not even understanding the joke, and probably either getting most of your information on 40k (or even learning about it) from 1d4chan and their gakky jokes that probably went over your head.

**CREEEEEEEEED**

Wyzilla wrote:
CREEEEEEEEED wrote:
NoiseMarine with Tinnitus wrote:
CREEEEEEEEED, you may want to delve into why Failbaddon is called that. It doesn't appear to be what you think.

In a desperate attempt to restore Abaddon's long gone credibility, the latest edition of the 40K rule book describes Abaddon's Black Crusades as
"repeated blows to gradually weaken the Imperium as part of a greater plan" and "Definitely not 13 separate failed attempts to march on Terra, you would be mad to think that".

-looks at year started wargaming-

No, this is probably due to you not even understanding the joke, and probably either getting most of your information on 40k (or even learning about it) from 1d4chan and their gakky jokes that probably went over your head.

What you say is probably true, so please, enlighten me. (Do the arms come into it?)

**SYKOJAK**

My top 5 are as follows:

#1: The Highlords of Terra, as the governing body of the Imperium, collectively they hold more political power than the top 100 individuals.

#2: Marneus Calgar, the ruler of the entire Ultima Segmentum.

#3: Abbaddon the Despoiler, who knows how much force is going to spew from the Eye of Terror, but I will bet it will be no less than just shy of Segmentum's worth.

#4: Asdrubal Vect, since he is the Undisputed master of Commoraugh, and with his planet's mastery of the webways, his forces could run unchecked if he chose to launch a dark crusade of his own.

#5: Thrakka Ghazskull, no other orc can seem to maintain and sustain a WAAHHH, the way he has been able to do.

**TWilkins**

My top five, a few that nobody else has used yet...

#5 This one is tricky, tempted to give it to someone from the imperium, but if they all answer and obey the emperor then they have no power themselves?
Anyway I'm going to go for the Aun Va. He's the Tau equivalent for the emperor, his word is law to the Tau and all of their companion species, and although compared to the imperium they are tiny... The Aun Va is the 'god-emperor' of the quickest developing race in the galaxy. Tau evolved quickly and expanded quickly considering they are the youngest race in the universe, and the Aun Va controls that all. He's the one who gets to say what it 'The greater good' We can even see how far his influence spreads when we watch 'Hot Fuzz'

#4 Vect. Of course, he is great. He gets what he wants almost all of the time (When he doesn't get it it's because of the Lady below) He can steal a sun, destroy a solar system. Look at a rival archon with a raised eyebrow, destroy a solar system. Poison some poor girl in a grim-dark brothel and destroy a solar system. This guy just has a habit of getting stuff done without much effort really. He is definately the most intelligent guy in the Galaxy (Not counting anyone who has some sort of ethereal/psychic help)

#3 Orikan the Diviner. Yeah the poor guy messes up occasionally and although it's 'just as planned' he then gets loads of side effects that he didn't see. But even so, this guy can divine the future which makes him almost unstoppable. He knew about every major event before it happened, and as such knows probably about as much about the galaxy as one can without seeing the black library. But as his codex entry finishes, 'A thousand millennia of planning and preparation are about to come to fruition...' I know it really means 'I'm about to get better stars' but it's a spooky little thought that this guy has planned something superbig? Maybe he is the only one who knows that there is a canoptek scarab hidden in the Emperor's place that is going to eat him or something. Or maybe A hive fleet is about to make a beeline for the eye of terror. Or maybe he's just getting a new pair of slippers for Christmas. The point is, this guy knows more than most people, and as they say, knowledge is power.

#2 Eldrad Ulthran. He's just the best at doing things really. And even if he is dead, he still has his 'essence' in some of those waystones he placed all over the galaxy and probably is still putting plans in motion through them. He knows what he's doing, he's started some of the biggest wars in the galaxy just in case his craftworld gets hurt. He's the best seer of the race of best seers. He's just a beast really.

#1 Lady Malys. People are giving Vect all the credit. She has risen up from being Vect's concubine, to being probably his biggest rival in the black city, in MUCH less time than it took Vect to get to the top (He was pretty much their the whole time anyway). She also did all this with Vect trying to take her out. Plus, she has some super creepy alien heart thing that has to link with the Laughing god somehow right? But anyway, I bet this girl is probably going to have more power than Vect because she may be the only person in the galaxy to have outsmarted him numerous times. She's outsmarted Vect and made a big point about being his rival since day one. She also won that weird riddle thing with that thing she encountered deep in the webway, so hats off to this girl. I think she is smarter than Vect, and she will soon completely outsmart him and she'll rule the dark city 100% 'better' than he did. (Possibly at the request of whatever thing is inside her chest)
Also, she is completely immune to psychic powers and stuff right? I'm going out on a limb here but is it so crazy to assume that the energies of the warp would also have little effect on her?
She's smarter than the smartest...
Possibly resistant to the powers of Chaos...
And has the heart of some weird webway beast in her.
(She also was able to cut her own heart out and survive. That takes skill...)

Slightly ranted towards the end there... But Malys is a babe when it comes to this. Only time that she really fethed up was when she and Vect both thought that the other was trying to destroy Kaines gate.
Idiots.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
BTW just to let you know, I'm not calling any of you Idiots, I'm calling Vect and Malys idiots...

**NauticalKendall**

I personally believe Lady Malys may have something to do with the forgotten Chaos god Malal. Shes been painted as quite fishy in the new codex, something's not natural about her. Still powerful none the less

**Khonsu**

The Failbaddon joke has gone stale since like 2008 guys.