Warhammer Underworlds Buying Guide

This guide is meant to help new players get started with Warhammer Underworlds. With the new Rivals and Nemesis formats, there's never been a better time to start playing! By purchasing a single box ($60 - $95), you'll have everything you (and a friend/partner/enemy/total stranger) need to sit down and play!

The Rivals format of Warhammer Underworlds means that any warband you pick up has a complete deck that you can "open-shuffle-play" (read more here: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/10/21/conquer-the-gnarlwood-your-way-with-different-formats-for-warhammer-underworlds/).

The Guiding Principle here is that you can focus on what you want to play, without the obligation to buy everything (though many of us still do)!

First Purchase

Your first purchase should either be the current season's Core Box (our #1 recommendation and currently Warhammer Underworlds Gnarlwood) or the Warhammer Underworlds Starter Box. 

Why We Recommend the Core Box

The Core Box comes with the most up-to-date rulebook and all of the boards, dice, and tokens you need to play the game, plus two warbands and their Rivals decks. In addition, you'll get two more Rivals decks that can be used by any Warband AND that can be used to craft custom decks for the Nemesis (and Relic/Championship) format. You get all of that for just a little more than the cost of the Starter Box plus one Rivals Deck.

Warhammer Underworlds Gnarlwood: Look at all that stuff!

The less expensive option is the Starter Box, which comes with a standardized rule book, boards, token, dice, and two warbands and their Rivals decks. It's a great place to start on a budget and if you play with others in your local community (or remotely), you can always ask about any rules changes in the current season.

Subsequent Purchases

After you buy the Core Box, you can pretty much buy what you want. Is there a new Warband that interests you? Great! Buy it. Not struck by the latest release? Don't worry about it. Our only real recommendation here is that you take a long look at the Rivals decks that are released. They'll give you new ways to play your favorite Warbands and give you more flexibility when building Nemesis decks!

TL;DR Buying Order

1. Gnarlwood Core Box
2. An appealing warband (if not found in the Core Box)
3. The current season's Rivals Decks:
• Fearsome Fortress
• Beastbound Assault (coming soon)

After that, it's really up to you! You can buy the previous season's Core Box or the Starter Box to get two warbands and more boards. If you want more options for playing with the warbands you own, take a look at the previous season's Rivals deck(s).

And that's basically it! If you want more information on each of the warbands and Rivals decks, check out our Rivals review blogs & podcast episodes. If you want a place to start building a Nemesis Deck, check out our Nemesis Deck Library!