Maggotkin of Nurgle
Nurgle is the Chaos God of plagues, whose power waxes strong when disease and despair ravage the Mortal Realms. Though he is a source of fear and revulsion to his enemies, Nurgle is a perversely paternal god, generous with his foul gifts and proud of his worshippers’ every disgusting achievement.
This page contains all of the rules you need to field your Maggotkin of Nurgle miniatures on the battlefields of the Mortal Realms, from a host of exciting faction rules to a range of warscrolls. The rules are split into the following sections:Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Last update | |
 Maggotkin of Nurgle | ||||
| Maggotkin of Nurgle | Faction Pack | 4 | October 2024 | |
 Battle Profiles & Rules updates | ||||
| Battle Profiles & Rules updates | Rulebook | 4 | September 2024 | |
 Miscellaneous Legends | ||||
| Miscellaneous Legends | Warscroll | 4 | August 2024 | |
 Warhammer Underworlds Legends | ||||
| Warhammer Underworlds Legends | Warscroll | 4 | August 2024 | |
Faction Rules
Battle Traits
Maggotkin of Nurgle armies can use the following abilities:
 Once Per Turn (Army), End of Any Turn |
BLESSED BY THE PLAGUEFATHER: Each of the Maggotkin is a walking vector of disease, a willing incubator for maladies that ravage the body and spirit with horrific virulence.
Effect: You cannot pick MANIFESTATIONS or terrain features to be the targets of this ability. Pick 1 of the following effects:
Infect: Pick an enemy unit that is in combat with a friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE unit to be the target. The target has the DISEASED keyword.
Spread: Pick a DISEASED enemy unit to be the target. Each other enemy unit within the target’s combat range has the DISEASED keyword.
Mutate: If all enemy units on the battlefield have the DISEASED keyword, inflict 1 mortal damage on each of them.
Infect: Pick an enemy unit that is in combat with a friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE unit to be the target. The target has the DISEASED keyword.
Spread: Pick a DISEASED enemy unit to be the target. Each other enemy unit within the target’s combat range has the DISEASED keyword.
Mutate: If all enemy units on the battlefield have the DISEASED keyword, inflict 1 mortal damage on each of them.
 Once Per Turn (Army), End of Any Turn |
WRACKED WITH DISEASE: The Maggotkin wage war with weeping wounds and pustulant boils as well as with rusted weapons.
Effect: Roll a D3 for each DISEASED enemy unit. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on that unit equal to the roll.
| Passive |
DESPERATE REMEDIES: When fighters are afflicted with the plagues of Nurgle, all efforts to recuperate must be focused entirely on stemming the spread of the disease.
Effect: If an ability would heal 1 or more damage points or return 1 or more slain models to a DISEASED enemy unit, that ability does not heal any damage points or return any slain models to it. Instead, it no longer has the DISEASED keyword.
| Passive |
BURST PUSTULES: As blighted flesh is pierced and hewn, quivering boils erupt, showering all with Nurgle’s glistening gifts.
Effect: Each time a DISEASED enemy unit would be destroyed, before the last model in the unit is removed from play, roll a dice. On a 3+, pick another enemy unit within 9" of that model to be DISEASED.
Battle Formations
You can pick 1 of the following battle formations for a Maggotkin of Nurgle army. Each battle formation grants a different ability you can use in the battle.
Tallyband of Nurgle
| Passive |
DISEASE AND PESTILENCE PERSONIFIED: The Tallyband is a trudging, lumbering, squirming mass of rancid daemonflesh that rolls across the battlefield like the inexorable approach of death itself.
Effect: From the second battle round onwards, add 1 to the amount of mortal damage inflicted, if any, by the ‘Wracked with Disease’ ability.
Plague Cyst
| Passive |
VECTORS OF CONTAGION: The bloated forms of these Nurglites are ever at bursting point, ready to shower attackers with contagious fluid.
Effect: Each time a model in a friendly ROTBRINGERS unit is slain by a combat attack and that model was in combat with the attacking unit, roll a number of dice equal to the slain model’s Health characteristic, to a maximum of 4. For each 5+, inflict 1 mortal damage on the attacking unit after the FIGHT ability has been resolved.
Nurgle’s Menagerie
| Passive |
TENDERS OF THE GARDEN GROTESQUE: The children of Grandfather Nurgle seek any opportunity to rot the veil and let the festering delights of his Garden spill into the realms.
Effect: During army composition, you can include 2 Feculent Gnarlmaws in your army instead of 1.
Affliction Cyst
 Once Per Battle (Army), Deployment Phase |
FROM NOXIOUS SKIES: The air fills with the thunderous drone of membranous wings as the warriors of the Affliction Cyst ride their bloated Rot Flies into battle.
Declare: Pick up to 2 friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE units that have FLY.
Effect: Remove the targets from the battlefield and set them up again on the battlefield more than 9" from all enemy units.
Effect: Remove the targets from the battlefield and set them up again on the battlefield more than 9" from all enemy units.
Heroic Traits
Avatars of Corruption
HERO only| Passive |
GIFT OF FEBRILE FRENZY: This general can invigorate their usually sluggish minions by releasing a fever upon them that drives them into a wild delirium.
Effect: Add 1" to the Move characteristic of friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE units that do not have non-FLY if they are wholly within 12" of this unit at the start of the move.
 End of Any Turn |
GRANDFATHER’S BLESSING: This mighty Nurglite is so diseased that they are rejuvenated by decay and plague.
Effect: If this unit is in combat with a DISEASED enemy unit, Heal (D6) this unit.
| Reaction: Opponent declared a command for a unit in combat with this unit |
OVERPOWERING STENCH: This general exudes an odour so wretched that even Nurgle’s daemons cannot adequately describe it. Enemies recoil, choking on their own vomit at the slightest whiff and rendered speechless as their senses are overwhelmed.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 5+, that command has no effect. The command still counts as having been used and the command points spent to use the command are still lost.
Artefacts of Power
Boons of Nurgle
HERO only| Any Combat Phase |
THE WITHERSTAVE: Carved from the heartwood of a tormented Treelord, the Witherstave thrums with a soured mockery of the Sylvaneth spirit song. Those that hear it feel a terrible weakness shiver their limbs as a jarring dirge of despair clouds their minds.
Declare: Pick an enemy unit that charged this turn and is in combat with this unit to be the target.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 4+, the target has STRIKE-LAST for the rest of the turn.
Effect: Roll a dice. On a 4+, the target has STRIKE-LAST for the rest of the turn.
| Once Per Battle, Any Combat Phase |
RUSTFANG: Rustfang is a cursed battleaxe whose blade crawls with a thick layer of sentient corrosion. The slightest touch of this blade spreads its ferric blight, chewing away the foe’s armour in moments.
Declare: Pick an enemy HERO in combat with this unit to be the target.
Effect: Subtract 1 from save rolls for the target for the rest of the battle.
Effect: Subtract 1 from save rolls for the target for the rest of the battle.
 Once Per Battle, Any Hero Phase |
THE CARRION DIRGE: When blown, this filth-encrusted horn shrieks with the tongue of a thousand carrion crows. Those outside Nurgle’s favour who hear it are struck with a deep despondency. Why stand defiant? Why seek victory? Why do anything at all?
Declare: Pick up to 3 enemy units within 12" of this unit to be the targets.
Effect: Subtract 3 from each target’s control score for the rest of the turn.
Effect: Subtract 3 from each target’s control score for the rest of the turn.
Spell Lore
Lore of Malignance
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
FLESHY ABUNDANCE: The sorcerer generously bestows a growth spurt of the most repulsive kind upon their allies, causing their bodies to bloat with great wobbling mounds of grey-green fat.
Declare: Pick a friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE unit wholly within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: If the target unit is damaged, Heal (D3) the target. If the target is not damaged, subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks that target that unit until the start of your next turn.
Effect: If the target unit is damaged, Heal (D3) the target. If the target is not damaged, subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks that target that unit until the start of your next turn.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL, UNLIMITED |
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
CLOYING QUAGMIRE: The sorcerer thrusts their hands into the soil, causing the ground beneath their enemies to putrefy into a sucking, grasping quagmire.
Declare: Pick a friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy unit within 18" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Halve the target’s Move characteristic until the start of your next turn. If the target’s Save characteristic is 3+ or better, subtract 1 from run rolls and charge rolls for that unit until the start of your next turn.
Effect: Halve the target’s Move characteristic until the start of your next turn. If the target’s Save characteristic is 3+ or better, subtract 1 from run rolls and charge rolls for that unit until the start of your next turn.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
MAGNIFICENT BUBOES: With a gracious sweep of their hand, the sorcerer bestows upon their victim one of Nurgle’s prettiest afflictions – a clutch of debilitating pustules and boils.
Declare: Pick a friendly MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy HERO within 18" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Until the start of your next turn, subtract 1 from hit rolls for the target’s attacks and subtract 1 from casting rolls, chanting rolls, banishment rolls and unbinding rolls for the target.
Effect: Until the start of your next turn, subtract 1 from hit rolls for the target’s attacks and subtract 1 from casting rolls, chanting rolls, banishment rolls and unbinding rolls for the target.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
7.0 Manifestations
There are two types of manifestation: endless spells, which can be summoned by WIZARDS, and invocations, which can be summoned by PRIESTS. Each manifestation has its own warscroll, and the spell or prayer that allows that manifestation to be summoned will be found in the appropriate manifestation lore. No more than 1 friendly WIZARD or PRIEST can attempt to summon the same manifestation per turn, and a friendly WIZARD or PRIEST cannot attempt to summon a friendly manifestation that was removed from play in the same turn. Manifestations are not considered to be units, with the following exceptions:- They are treated as if they were units for the purposes of movement, combat range, being in combat and setting up other units. Units can finish a charge move within 1/2" of an enemy manifestation as if it were a unit.
- If they have any melee or ranged weapons, they can use the ‘Fight’ and ‘Shoot’ CORE abilities as if they were units.
- If they have a Move characteristic greater than 0" (‘-’), they can use CORE MOVE abilities as if they were units.
- They can be picked as targets of enemy abilities as if they were units. They are not affected by enemy abilities that do not involve picking targets.
- Damage points can be inflicted on them as if they were units and they can be destroyed.
- Manifestations that have a Move characteristic of 0" (‘-’) cannot move. For the purposes of movement, combat range, being in combat and setting up other units, they are only treated as if they were units in the combat phase. Units can finish a charge move within 1/2" of an enemy manifestation that has a Move characteristic of 0" (‘-’) instead of within 1/2" of an enemy unit.
- Models can move through manifestations but cannot end a move on them.
7.0 Combat Range
Each model has a combat range that extends 3" horizontally from its base and any distance vertically from that circle to form a cylinder. The combat range of a unit extends 3" horizontally and any distance vertically from every model in that unit. Units from opposing armies that are within each other’s combat range and that are visible to each other are in combat with each other. When a unit that is not in combat enters the combat range of a visible enemy unit, it moves into combat.
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17.2 Mortal Damage
Some abilities inflict mortal damage. If an ability inflicts mortal damage on a unit, add that number of damage points to the unit’s damage pool for that ability (see 18.2 Allocating Damage).
18.3 Slain Models
The commander of a unit must pick which model(s) in the unit are slain. However, after each slain model is removed, the unit must be in a single coherent group (see 15.1). If this is not possible, continue to remove models, one at a time, until the unit is in a single coherent group. You must remove the fewest models possible to make the unit a single coherent group.
| Once Per Turn (Army), End of Any Turn |
WRACKED WITH DISEASE: The Maggotkin wage war with weeping wounds and pustulant boils as well as with rusted weapons.
Effect: Roll a D3 for each DISEASED enemy unit. On a 2+, inflict an amount of mortal damage on that unit equal to the roll.
The ROTBRINGERS keyword is used in the following Maggotkin of Nurgle warscrolls:
13.1 Fight Abilities
Abilities with the FIGHT keyword follow a different sequence to other abilities. When the players are using Combat Phase
abilities as described in 13.0, they cannot use FIGHT abilities.After the players have finished using
Combat Phase
abilities that are not FIGHT abilities, they must alternate picking 1 eligible unit to use a FIGHT ability, starting with the active player. Each unit in combat must use a FIGHT ability if it is able to.Once a player has no more units that are eligible to use a FIGHT ability, the other player continues to pick units that are eligible to use a FIGHT ability, one after another, until there are no more units that are eligible to use a FIGHT ability.
| ||
15.4 Flying
Units with the FLY keyword have the following passive ability:| Passive |
FLY: Soaring above the battlefield, this unit can reach destinations that are inaccessible to other troops.
Effect: As this unit moves, it ignores other models, terrain features and the combat ranges of enemy units. It cannot end its move in combat unless specified in the ability that allowed it to move. Ignore any vertical distance moved for this unit.
| When moving flying units, move them horizontally in any direction, ignoring intervening models and terrain, and place them where you wish, so long as they are allowed to end their move on that spot. Note that some units have the FLY keyword even if that unit can’t really fly. This often represents units that bounce, bound or skitter across the battlefield so adeptly that they might as well be flying! | ||
The FLY keyword is used in the following Maggotkin of Nurgle warscrolls:
The HERO keyword is used in the following Maggotkin of Nurgle warscrolls:
• Rotigus
The non-FLY MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE keyword is used in the following Maggotkin of Nurgle warscrolls:
• Rotigus
21.0 Healing
Some abilities allow you to heal a unit. To heal a unit, remove a number of damage points from the unit equal to the number in brackets after ‘Heal’, e.g. Heal (2).
15.3 Pile-in Moves
Some abilities, such as FIGHT abilities, allow a unit to make a short move called a pile-in move to get into a better position for combat. To do so:If your unit is in combat: Pick an enemy unit your unit is in combat with to be the target of the pile-in move. Each model in your unit can move up to 3". That move can pass through the combat ranges of any enemy units, but each model must end that move no further from the target unit. At the end of the move, your unit must still be in combat with all units that it was in combat with at the start of the move.
If your unit is not in combat: Each model in your unit can move 3" in any direction. That move can pass through and end within the combat ranges of any enemy units.
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19.0 Strike-first and Strike-last
If there are any STRIKE-FIRST units in combat at the start of the phase, other units cannot be picked to use a FIGHT ability until those units have been picked to use a FIGHT ability. After all those STRIKE-FIRST units have fought, the active player picks the next unit to fight.If there are any STRIKE-LAST units in combat, they cannot be picked to use a FIGHT ability if there are any units in combat that do not have STRIKE-LAST and have not yet used a FIGHT ability.
If a unit has STRIKE-FIRST and STRIKE-LAST, treat it as if it had neither.
| There may be situations when a unit that has STRIKE-FIRST is not in combat at the start of the phase, but because of moves such as pile-in moves, it is ‘pulled into combat’ later in the phase. In such cases, STRIKE-FIRST has no effect on that unit because it was not in combat at the start of the phase. Abilities that allow a unit to use a FIGHT ability immediately after another unit do not override the STRIKE-FIRST or STRIKE-LAST constraints, so you could not pick a unit with STRIKE-LAST to fight immediately after a unit with STRIKE-FIRST. | ||
Save Roll
The commander of the target unit rolls a dice, subtracting the attacking weapon’s Rend characteristic from the roll. Unmodified save rolls of 1 always fail. If the roll equals or exceeds the Save characteristic of the target unit, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. If not, it is a successful attack: move on to the next step.32.2 Objective Control
At the start of the first battle round and at the end of each turn, follow this sequence for each objective in an order chosen by the active player:- Starting with the active player, each player determines the control score of each of their units that is contesting that objective. A unit’s control score is the combined Control characteristics of all the models in that unit that are contesting the objective. Some abilities modify a unit’s control score, but it cannot be reduced to less than 1.
- Each player adds up the control scores of all of their units contesting that objective. This is their army control score for that objective.
- The players compare their army control scores for that objective. If one player’s score is higher, that player gains control of that objective. Once a player gains control of an objective, it remains under their control until their opponent gains control of it.
| Sometimes objective markers get accidentally nudged while you are moving models around. This is perfectly fine - just remember to put them back in their proper positions when determining objective control. | ||
1.0 Wizards and Priests
WIZARDS are special units that can cast spells, and PRIESTS are special units that can chant prayers. Spells and prayers are powerful abilities that can have a dramatic impact on the battle.
The MAGGOTKIN OF NURGLE and WIZARD keywords are used in the following Maggotkin of Nurgle warscrolls:
6.0 Visibility
A target model is visible to another model (which we’ll call the ‘observing model’) if you can draw a straight line through the air (whether horizontal, diagonal or vertical) from any point on the observing model to any point on the target model that does not intersect any objects except for other models in the observing model’s unit. A target unit is visible to an observing unit if at least 1 model in the target unit is visible to at least 1 model in the observing unit. A model is always considered to be visible to itself.
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| In some cases, it might not be immediately clear whether a model is visible. If so, stoop down to get a look from behind the observing model. If any part of the other model is visible, even if it is just the tip of a spear, then that model is visible for rules purposes. | ||
18.1 Ward Saves
Units with the WARD keyword have the ‘Ward Save’ passive ability. The number after the WARD keyword indicates the ward value for the ward save. If a unit had WARD (5+), for example, its ward value would be 5. If a unit has more than one ward save, only the ward save with the lowest value applies to it; the other has no effect.| Passive |
WARD SAVE: Whether through their uncanny reflexes, unnatural toughness or a source of mystical protection, these warriors can avoid otherwise lethal attacks.
Effect: In step 1 of the damage sequence (see 18.0), make a ward roll of D6 for each damage point in this unit’s damage pool. If the roll equals or exceeds this unit’s ward value, remove that damage point from the damage pool.
2.0 Spells
The declare step of each spell will tell you to make a casting roll of 2D6. If the roll does not equal or exceed the spell’s casting value (at the top-right corner of the spell), the spell fails and its effect is not resolved.If the unmodified casting roll includes 2 or more rolls of 1, the spell is miscast: the spell fails, its effect is not resolved, D3 mortal damage is inflicted on the WIZARD that used it, and that WIZARD cannot use any more spells in that phase.
Enemy reactions can only be used if the casting roll equals or exceeds the spell’s casting value. So long as the spell is not unbound (see 4.0), then it is successfully cast: resolve its effect.
EXAMPLE SPELL
| Your Hero Phase | 6 |
MYSTIC SHIELD: The caster's allies are bathed in an unearthly glow that protects them from harm.
Declare: Pick a visible friendly unit wholly within 12" of this WIZARD to be the target. Then, make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: The target has WARD (6+) this turn.
Effect: The target has WARD (6+) this turn.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
Wound Roll
Roll a dice. If the roll equals or exceeds the attacking weapon’s Wound characteristic, the attack successfully wounds: move on to the next step. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. Unmodified wound rolls of 1 always fail.| Your Movement Phase |
RUN: The unit rushes into position.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat to use this ability.
Effect: Make a run roll of D6. That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic added to the run roll. That unit cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
Effect: Make a run roll of D6. That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic added to the run roll. That unit cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE, RUN |
14.3 Charge Phase
| Your Charge Phase |
CHARGE: With a mighty battle cry, the warriors charge into combat with the enemy.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat and has not used a RUN or RETREAT ability this turn to use this ability. Then, make a charge roll of 2D6.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to the value of the charge roll. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units and must end that move within 1/2" of a visible enemy unit. If it does so, the unit using this ability has charged.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to the value of the charge roll. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units and must end that move within 1/2" of a visible enemy unit. If it does so, the unit using this ability has charged.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE, CHARGE |
Hit Roll
Roll a dice. If the roll equals or exceeds the attacking weapon’s Hit characteristic, the attack scores a successful hit: move on to the next step. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. Unmodified hit rolls of 1 always fail. If an unmodified hit roll for an attack made with a weapon is a 6, that attack is a critical hit.| Critical hits have no effect on their own but often trigger additional effects (see 20.0 Weapon Abilities). | ||
3.0 Prayers
The declare step of each prayer will tell you to make a chanting roll of D6. On an unmodified chanting roll of 1, the prayer fails, its effect is not resolved and you must remove D3 ritual points from the PRIEST using the prayer.On a chanting roll of 2 or more, pick one of the following:
- Give a number of ritual points to the PRIEST equal to the chanting roll (ritual points can be accumulated over multiple turns).
- Add the PRIEST’s ritual points to the chanting roll. If the chanting roll equals or exceeds the prayer’s chanting value (at the top-right corner of the prayer), it is answered: resolve the effect of the prayer, then reset the PRIEST’s ritual points total to 0.
EXAMPLE PRAYER
 Once Per Battle, Your Hero Phase | 7 |
RESURRECTION: A fallen hero is brought back from death, their vitality fully restored.
Declare: Make a chanting roll of D6.
Effect: Pick a friendly INFANTRY HERO that has been slain and return them to the battlefield. Set up that HERO wholly within 3" of this PRIEST.
Effect: Pick a friendly INFANTRY HERO that has been slain and return them to the battlefield. Set up that HERO wholly within 3" of this PRIEST.
| KEYWORDS | PRAYER |
Army List
Warscrolls collated