Total War: Warhammer 3 recently announced its latest DLC, Thrones of Decay, and many new things await the players within Patch 5.0. One of them is Malakai Makaisson, a Dwarfen Slayer who is searching for legendary battles and foes with his Malakai’s Adventures mechanic as well as bringing his latest and greatest invention, Spirit of Grungni, to help his faction win the battles. Today, we will discuss Malakai Makaisson Faction’s strengths and weaknesses in this Total War: Warhammer 3 guide. Let’s begin.
With the release of Thrones of Decay DLC for Total War: Warhammer 3, Creative Assembly now favors allowing players to choose which faction and Legendary Lord they want to play from the newest three Lords available inside the full bundle. For example, suppose you thoroughly enjoy how Dwarfs play. In that case, you can simply purchase Malakai Makaisson DLC and leave the other two Lords, Elspeth von Draken, and Tamurkhan alone until they are ready to venture out into those two factions. However, if you want to enjoy the full package, you can still purchase the Thrones of Decay DLC bundle.
Total War: Warhammer 3 is available on Steam for $54.99, while the Thrones of Decay – Malakai Makaisson DLC is available on Steam for $5.99. Meanwhile, the full Thrones of Decay DLC Bundle is available on Steam for $15.99.
Malakai Makaisson Lore Overview
Malakai Makaisson is the latest Dwarfen Legendary Lord in Total War: Warhammer 3. With a penchant for technology, he once belonged to the Engineer’s Guild. There, he constructed the Ironclad Unsinkable, which ironically met its demise by sinking, and the Airship Indestructible, which, despite its name, spectacularly exploded. These unfortunate mishaps resulted in the loss of many Dwarfen lives, leading to Makaisson’s expulsion in disgrace. In response, he embraced the Slayer’s Oath as a path of redemption.
Despite his checkered reputation, Malakai Makaisson remains undeterred. After his expulsion, he continued to innovate, tinker, and forge new tools of the trade. Among his successes were the Spirit of Grungni, a significantly more triumphant airship, and the Goblin-Hewer, a ferocious war machine that hurled axes with deadly precision.
Since he is an estranged Dwarfen engineer, now turned a Slayer, Malakai Makaisson starts his journey at the northern frontier from his trusty stronghold, Kraka Drak, which holds numerous resources such as silver and iron to supply his dangerous campaigns. However, he is not stupid, as he will readily face those legendary enemies with thorough preparations by utilizing his unique mechanic, Malakai’s Adventures.
Malakai Venturing Out as a Slayer.
Malakai Makaisson’s New Gameplay Mechanics
To ensure that he can safely fulfill his Slayer’s Oath, Malakai Makaisson brings forth two unique campaign mechanics that are dedicated to making his faction tough enough to fend off the encroaching Chaos armies in Total War: Warhammer 3, Malakai’s Adventures, which provides his faction with legendary enemies and battles that Malakai can defeat to earn some upgrades for his greatest creation, the Spirit of Grungni, a supermassive flying warship that can aid Malakai’s campaigns by following him everywhere and supporting his wars with recruitments and aiding in battles.
Malakai’s Adventures
The Masters of Invention’s Faction Lord, Malakai Makaisson, was a former Engineer and Inventor before switching his allegiance to a Slayer due to his past wrongdoings. To make up for his dreaded past, Malakai begins his Slayer’s Oath by targeting Legendary Battles that he can find throughout the map, preparing his army to a tee while also researching his enemies as thoroughly as he can through small skirmishes.
Once he completes one of his Adventures, Malakai Makaission can receive substantial rewards for his faction, and usually, those rewards come with something new for the Spirit of Grungni, either enhancing its weaponry or its defenses.
Malakai’s Adventures.
Spirit of Grungni
The second unique gameplay mechanic for Malakai Makaisson in Total War: Warhammer 3 is the Spirit of Grungni, a Dwarfen Thunderbarge that came from Malakai’s brilliant mind and Dwarfen’s marvel engineering, and fortunately for him, this time around, his warship lasts longer than his previous attempt.
The Spirit of Grungni was initially conceived as a desperate measure to evade the relentless Skaven forces that besieged Wissenland. It stands as a testament to Dwarfen’s ingenuity and engineering prowess. This airborne behemoth combines the best of both worlds: a formidable war machine and a logistical marvel. Armed with cannons, propellers, and reinforced hulls, this warship defies gravity and delivers death from above.
The Spirit of Grungni serves as a strategic asset on the campaign map. It swiftly transports supplies, troops, and reinforcements across vast distances, bridging gaps between distant settlements. Malakai can rapidly muster fresh troops aboard the airship, bolstering his forces wherever they’re needed. Local settlements will also benefit from the Spirit of Grungni’s presence, gaining access to essential resources and repairs. Moreover, in case a battle you are currently fighting in is unfavorable for you, then you can call down the Spirit of Grungni to aid your troops momentarily, giving some firepower boosts to strengthen your ranks and push back the enemies.
Spirit of Grungni.
New Units for Malakai Makaisson in Total War: Warhammer 3
Being the Slayer-Engineer he is, Malakai Makaisson didn’t come to Total War: Warhammer 3 empty-handed, as he also gains several new units that are inherently unique to his faction, which includes Doomseekers, Slayer Pirates, Grudge Raker Thunderers, Goblin Hewer, and Thunderbarge, which I will explain in this part of the guide.
Doomseekers
The first unit within Kraka Drak that is raring to help Malakai Makaisson win his battles is the Doomseekers, a lone wolf unit that can tank magical damages thanks to their runes tattooed to their bodies as well as giving hell to those who are on the wrong side of their axes, which are chained to their wrists to ensure that they never lose that axe and continuously fights in any battle.
Though they are brave and capable of taking Magic damages like nothing, Doomseekers are not stupid, as they have a unique Skill to kill their foes, the Whirlwind of Death, which allows them to perform a spinning vortex and minces any enemy that unfortunately stays within their attacking range. Overall, the Doomseekers is a solid infantry unit that bolsters Malakai Makaisson’s infantry ranks, as these tough Dwarfs are resistant enough against Magic-heavy armies that you’ll find in your Total War: Warhammer 3 campaign.
Doomseekers.
Slayer Pirates
The next unit I’ll talk about in this Malakai Makaisson guide will be his Slayer Pirates, some of the toughest Dwarf you’ll come across as this unit is capable of both melee and ranged attacks. Dwarfen Sea Slayers, often referred to as the Slayer Pirates, were once traders who took to piracy on the high seas due to a calamitous mishap involving rare Dwarfen ale. The memory of that fateful event haunts even the most resolute Dwarf. Now, they operate as mercenaries, seeking lost treasures and restoring them to their rightful owners—for a suitable fee.
Armed with cutlasses and pistols, the Slayer Pirates epitomize the Dwarven missile infantry. Their arsenal of firearms keeps the forces of darkness at bay, ensuring that evil doesn’t gain the upper hand.
As for the fortunate RoR (Regiments of Renown) Slayer Pirates who have recovered some of their lost Dwarf Rum, they may discover that enemy melee attacks no longer strike with the same force, since they have better defense stat and… a way to negate those damages by drinking their bellies full.
Slayer Pirates.
Grudge Raker Thunderers
It won’t be a complete Dwarfen roster without spicing it up with another missile unit joining the fray, and Malakai Makaisson is more than happy to answer such a call, as he brings with him the Gurdge Raker Thunderers, a deadly troop that is capable of launching haymakers against the Dawi’s enemies.
The Grudge Raker Thunderers came from the brilliant mind of Master Engineer Grimm Burloksson, after analyzing the Dwarfs’ Chaos cousins, the Chaos Dwarfs’ blunderbusses, and their artilieries. Armed with a double-barrelled shotgun, as well as an axe and a shield as their backup weapons, the Grudge Raker Thunderers offer enough juices to help Malakai Makaisson on his Adventures since they can fill the bulk of your missile unit ranks while also offering some melee powers in case their bullets ran out before the battle can finish.
My first impression of this missile unit is that they are surprisingly tough and robust, as these Dwarfs can mow down even the biggest and meanest Chaos spawns that you might encounter during your campaign playthrough, oftentimes killing them in three or four shots. The lesser ones? Just a bullet to their skull is enough for these Grudge Raker Thunderers.
Grudge Raker Thunderers.
Goblin Hewers
I’m not going to say that Malakai Makaisson is a mad scientist, however, after getting to know about this creation of his, and how destructive it is on the battlefield, the more I feel that the title of mad scientist fits Malakai Makaisson like a pair of gloves.
This war machine terrifies every troop standing before it, as it flings axes across the battlefield with lethality, speed, and precision. What the Goblin-Hewer lacks in range, it makes up for in its ability to shred nearby targets, serving as a burst-damage artillery unit for the Dwarfs when up close and personal.
When you play as Malakai Makaisson, you must bring at least one Goblin Hewer in your army due to how effective they are when pitted against the rank-and-file infantry lines encroaching on your position. However, don’t worry about this artillery’s vulnerability, because the Slayers are manning it, and once the Goblin-Hewer has expended all its ammunition, the crew charges headlong into battle to keep the blood flowing… Your enemy’s blood, of course.
Goblin Hewers.
Thunderbarge
Once you think that Malakai’s brilliance is depleted, he then proceeds to also build the Thunderbarge, a Dwarfen warship that can rain hell upon its enemies. This unique flying warship bristles with cannons, bomb racks, and Grudge Raker riders. It’s a mobile fortress raining down firepower, with a built-in beer hall to keep the crew in fighting spirits (and perhaps slightly oblivious to the danger).
However, this massive behemoth is not without its weakness: Once the enemies start targeting the Thunderbarge, therefore reducing its HP, then the crew aboard will have no other choice than to perform some dangerous experimental stuff that Malakai has prepared for them to use. By using the Bugman’s Ale that they have, the crew proceeds to trigger the Thunderburner ability, an ability that slowly tears the Thunderbarge apart in exchange for reaching some incredible speeds.
Thunderbarge.
Strengths and Weaknesses
After assessing Malakai Makaisson’s new gameplay mechanics and units in Total War: Warhammer 3, it’s time to take a look at the Masters of Innovation’s strengths and weaknesses in the final part of this guide. We have curated them in the table below:
| Malakai Makaisson’s Masters of Invention Overview | |
|---|---|
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Malakai Makaisson’s Adventures mechanic offers a new tool that will grant his faction bonus rewards and will also help improve his Spirit of Grungni. | There is still no definitive cavalry addition to the Dwarfen factions, as Malakai focuses on bringing more destructive powers through his missile and artillery units, though it’s understandable given the Dawi’s lore within the universe of Warhammer. |
| Spirit of Grungni will act as a second Main Base for Malakai Makaisson, enabling him to recruit fresh troops even when he is outside of his domains. | Spirit of Grungni is a decaying unit in a battle, meaning that you can’t enjoy its firepower throughout the battle and must use it sparingly or when you are stuck in a rut against your enemies. |
| Malakai Makaisson’s starting position is relatively favorable, as he can enact some diplomacies with the Kislevite factions near him, especially with Boris Ursus, and potentially the Tzarina Katarin herself. | Masters of Invention’s starting position makes this faction vulnerable to the enemies that might cross the river from the Chaos Wastes, especially when there are two powerful factions residing beyond Kraka Drak. |
| Malakai can also fulfill his duties of settling a portion of the Book of Grudges quite early on since he is surrounded by mortal enemies of the Dawi. | The Doomseekers have a small number of soldiers per unit, as they house only 24 Slayers per unit when setting the Unit Size at Large, meaning that their enemies can easily overrun them with numbers. |
Conclusion
Overall, Malakai Makaisson with his Masters of Invention faction is incredibly fun to play, not to mention that the new units he has are very unique and potent, though his starting position exposes him to the many dangers of the North, meaning that you will have to carefully tread his campaign if you ever decide to take control of him in Total War: Warhammer 3.
Is he worth the price tag? Definitely. Even as someone who rarely plays the Dwarfen factions in the Total War: Warhammer series, I find Malakai Makaisson to be extremely fun to play as, and with the tools he has, particularly how the Spirit of Grungni works in favor of his army, means that I can deploy him deep into enemy territories while still enjoying all benefits that one can get from a friendly territory, including recruitment and troops’ replenishment.
If that’s not enough of an incentive for you, then Malakai Makaisson, being the brilliant Slayer Engineer he is, also brings some refreshing changes for the overall Dwarfen faction, with the biggest change being that the Great Book of Grudges now counts every faction that has wronged the Dwarfs, and makes them fully visible on the campaign map, meaning that settling the long-standing Grudges against Greenskins or the Skavens more manageable and more rewarding for not only Malakai Makaisson but for the entire Dwarf culture.
This means that Throne of Decay DLC is the best starting point for you to jump into the Dwarfen ranks and slash and blast your enemies through to ensure that Dawi’s The Great Book of Grudges is fulfilled, and Malakai Makaisson is the perfect entry Dwarfen faction to play as in Total War: Warhammer 3.
