Today brings us the June 2025 Balance Dataslate, unleashing a host of changes and setting the stage for the next quarter of 40k. As always, we’re unpacking the changes and the impact across the game’s factions, and in this article we’ll be covering the Imperium factions, talking about what changed and what it means for your games.
The rest of our Dataslate coverage can be found at the links below:
Thanks to Games Workshop for providing us with a review copy of the Dataslate and associated material.
Important Note: When we rate a faction as winners or losers, we are considering that relative to their current position in the metagame. A top faction that’s a net loser in the dataslate can still be a cut above other factions once the dust settles, and a weaker faction can be a winner while perhaps still not picking up enough help to fix all their problems.
Edit: We did not receive a preview of the new servitor datasheet – please stand by for our thoughts on that.
Adepta Sororitas
The Adepta Sororitas have had a very rough time of it in the recent metagame, languishing at fairly low win rates, with their Grotmas detachment largely unusable due to being overly Miracle Dice hungry. Hallowed Martyrs builds could occasionally make something happen, but it was an uphill struggle. Luckily, their prayer’s have been answered…
Points Changes
- Castigator: -10
- Immolator: -10
- Junith Eruita: -10
- Paragon Warsuits: -10
- Retributor Squad: -10
- Seraphim Squad: -5/-10
- Triumph of St. Katherine: -15
(Note: Repentia squad costs are colored green with a cost change listed at -10/-10. The actual costs are the same as current value, but given the previous cost change was -5/-10 it seems unlikely this is a formatting mistake. We’ll update if we get clarity that the intent here was to cut the price to 75/160, at which point Repentia might see the table. Maybe.)
Rules Changes
- Champions of Faith detachment rule no longer requires expending Miracle Dice and allows selection of units in transports, bringing it in line with the other Grotmas detachments with similar mechanics and massively improving its viability.
- Zephyrim datasheet rule no longer requires expenditure of a miracle dice to activate both Lethal Hits and Sustained Hits 1 on the charge, and the buff now applies to all melee weapons in the unit rather than just Power Weapons.
- Retributor Squads now re-roll all Hit rolls of 1 in addition to all Wound rolls of 1. When targeting enemy units that have previously destroyed a Sororitas unit, add 1 to both the Hit roll and the Wound roll (this replaces the full wound rerolls previously available).
Impact
Winner
Thoughts
TwoHorse: The pendulum of Sisters balance swings hard once again, this time in their favor, with some internal balance improvements to help widen the roster.
Champions of Faith no longer has to trade the army rule for the detachment rule, and so enters serious consideration as more than a diversion for anyone getting bored with Hallowed Martrys. Access to both the detachment rule and Rhinos allows Sacresants to tool for output rather than attempting to cosplay durability on foot with hospitallers, and smaller units are more likely to be touched by the detachment rule without the associated Miracle cost for using it.
The datasheet changes are aimed at increasing build diversity. Zephyrim have been nigh-unplayable since the Codex dropped due to a combination of their cost, the need to spend miracle dice to get full use of their datasheet rule, and the Codex author’s precise wording to deny Sisters access to flying Herohammer. After an entire edition of watching various flavors of marine build their gameplan around “here is my cool character and his five ablative buddies with a sweet datasheet rule that makes him into a godkilling asshole”, Sisters players can finally share their toys with Celestine or a melee-focused Jump Pack Canonness. This has potential in multiple detachments, but I expect that critical effects and character buffs will continue to work best in Hallowed Martyrs, where access to full rerolls and Divine Intervention will remain irresistible.
The Retributor change is a welcome push to get them onto the table for the first time in 10th edition. Their average output was already fantastic, but they were highly susceptible to variance, and almost nothing feels worse than hopping out of a transport to blast some fools with eight multimelta shots and only hitting with two. Both hitting first and glorious retribution are far more reliable now, with a 17% and 55% increase in hit rate respectively, and a better wound conversion rate as well. The performance of the markedly superior new Fire Dragons has hopefully toned down some of the lingering fear of Retributors from 9th edition, but Fire Dragons have one key advantage. One thing that does feel worse than bravely heating the air adjacent to the Emperor’s enemies is piling out of a transport only to take a pathetic overwatch to the face and die anyway. At 25 points per model, Retributors with 3 Toughness and 1 Wound are juicy overwatch targets for basically anything with a gun, and that’ll still be true at 23 points per model. The massive improvement in performance means that Retributors may yet be worth the risk as a follow-up trade unit despite their fragility, but trading requires resources.
That brings us to the points changes, which are…significant. The common core of two Castigators, two Immolators, Vahl, and Junith nets 60 points of savings, with many lists seeing even more. The cuts to Seraphim and the Triumph put Sisters back close to pre-Grotmas prices. Three months ago these cuts might have been too much, but in the context of the rest of this dataslate and the recent codex releases Sisters are merely playing catchup with the meta.
The overall impact feels right on target for giving top Sisters players a fighting chance at big event wins while also making the game more fun and playable for those keeping the faith on the middle tables.
Adeptus Custodes
The Adeptus Custodes have been performing solidly in the prior quarter, mainly (but not exclusively) using the powerful new Lions of the Emperor detachment from the Q1 Dataslate. It is, however, notable that they’re a faction where the win rate has outstripped other metrics of success like TiWP and undefeated finishes, suggesting they’re more of a mid-table powerhouse than a truly top tier army.
Points Changes
- Allarus Custodians -5pts/model
Rules Changes
None
Impact
Neutral
Thoughts
Wings: Allarus Custodians get slightly cheaper, which is reasonably nice – these had actually just started showing up in mid-sized units in lists, and two model squads have been good for a while, so free points is free points. That said, the Custodes probably needed a little bit more to help them challenge the very meanest stuff in the metagame, which feels like a weird thing to say when they’ve put up a solid clip of 4-1s with Lions, but they just haven’t been converting that into big wins at big events. There’s a definite ceiling on their power at the moment, and the advent of some overpushed armies hurts them more than most, so it wouldn’t totally shock me if they actually went down slightly in performance despite getting a buff on paper.
Adeptus Mechanicus
AdMech have been struggling in Q2, but that doesn’t really distinguish that period from the rest of 10th. On a win rate basis they’ve arguably been struggling a bit less, but that’s because anyone still maining them at this point is locked in. Haloscreed has proven pretty decent, and the best builds of it look plausible, but help is always going to be welcome.
Points Changes
- Ironstriders -5pts/model
- Sydonian Dragoons with Taser Lances -5pts/model
- Skorpius Disintegrator -10pts
- Transoracular Dyad Wafers (Haloscreed) -15pts
Rules Changes
- Kastelan Robots and Datasmiths now get Doctrina Imperatives.
- Since this used to be the Cohort Cybernetica Detachment rule, this now provides them with +2” movement and +1OC instead.
- Transoracular Dyad Wafers now only provide Halo Override, since Doctrina Imperatives are now always available.
Impact
Slight Winner
Thoughts
Wings: We are at the stage with AdMech of just throwing points cuts at some of the better units in the Codex to try and help, and sure, it will. Many good lists were already running triple Skorpy D, and -30pts on that plan can only help, particularly as 2-4 Ironstrider/Sydonian chassis also wasn’t uncommon.
You could now also consider the Cohort Cybernetica detachment for Robots, but you’re almost certainly still better off playing Haloscreed if you’re using them, or maybe even a fringe look-in for Explorator Maniple, since some of the Enhancements you can take on a Datasmith look pretty sweet now you can get Assault when required. In general, this is undeniably a decent boost, but as oft seems to be AdMech’s fate, other factions that needed it way less get similar or greater scales of improvement.
Agents of the Imperium
Agents of the Imperium do not meaningfully exist as a competitive force, though shout out to the person who went 4-1 with the Veiled Blade Elimination Force; real power move there.
Points Changes
None
Rules Changes
None
Impact
Loser
Thoughts
Wings: Could we not have just sprinkled some random 10pts drops around and seen what happens? Surely that would be better than doing nothing.
Curie: Especially since they have separate costing – why not do something crazy with the codex-only points?
Astra Militarum
The Astra Militarum are the opposite of Custodes, in that their win rate has been mediocre, but in the hands of faction masters they’ve been putting up a solid clip of top finishes and event wins, mostly using Combined Arms goodstuff builds fielding Dorn Commanders, Death Corps blocks, elite infantry in Transports, and various flavours of Russ.
Points Changes
- Bullgryn -10pts/3
- 20-model Death Korps +15pts
- Leman Russ Battle Tank +10pts
- Death Riders -10pts/5
- Taurox +10pts
- Tempestus Aquilons -10pts
- Ursula Creed +20pts
Rules Changes
- Lord Solar can order TITANIC units again.
Impact
Slight Loser
Thoughts
Wings: Astra Militarum needed fairly nuanced handling, and they honestly got it – this feels reasonably close to spot on. The reason nuance was needed is that the Militarum’s win rate almost never accurately reflects their actual quality, and their best builds in the hands of top players have been solidly performing, largely using the tools on show above. The changes here will force lists to mix up their selections a bit without killing them entirely, and provide a few extra options for fielding a bit of melee.
Lord Solar getting Big Tank Buffs back is nice too, as it’s important for people who want to play with the fanciest toys to have an avenue for it. This feels like one of the best executed sets of changes in this Dataslate, and it’s just a shame that some balance outliers slipping through is going to make it hurt more than it should.
Grey Knights
Grey Knights have been solidly middle-of-the-road, mostly running builds with lots of Dreadknights supported by some Infantry MSUs.
Points Changes
- Brotherhood Champion -10pts
- 10-model Brotherhood Terminator Squad -20pts
- 10-model Paladin Squad -20pts
Rules Changes
- The previous change to Hallowed Ground is tweaked so that it only needs a visible target for ranged attacks – you don’t get punished for meleeing through a wall.
Impact
Slight Winner
Thoughts
Wings: Encouraging diversity by supporting big Terminator Squads is great, but in the current environment they probably needed to cost less than 2×5 rather than just restoring that to parity to make them really sing. Love the theory, but probably needed a little more to properly displace Dreadknight spam. Still, I think this will result in people giving them a go again (especially with a Grand Master for modifier bypass), and the small drop on Brotherhood Champions is strong too; I already think more builds should be running one to make a Strike Squad a mid-field headache, this just improves that.
Imperial Knights
Imperial Knights have been one of the best factions of the last few months, almost always running Canis Rex and a bunch of Armigers, and optionally adding either or both of some Sisters Immolators for Ignore Cover or a second big Knight that’s usually an Atrapos.
Points Changes
- None
Rules Changes
- None
Impact
Winner
Thoughts
Wings: We have to really hope this is just because a new book is imminent, because Imperial Knights are not in a state where you can just leave them alone. No change makes them massive winners, since by any reasonable reading of recent results they needed +10pts on Armigers, and maybe +10-20pts on Canis and the Atrapos.
Wrap Up
Make sure to check out the rest of our Dataslate coverage by following the links at the top of the article.
Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.
