Total War: Warhammer 3 – Karanak revealed as free Legendary Hero

Creative Assembly is letting the dog out

Creative Assembly / Sega

Fans of Total War: Warhammer 3 continue to eat well as Creative Assembly has announced that a free Legendary Hero will join the game soon: Karanak, the Hound of Vengeance.

Based on the three-headed guard dog Cerberus from Greek mythology, Karanak is the guardian of Khorne’s Throne of Brass and the Blood God’s most favored hound. Each of his three heads possesses a different way of tracking prey, making it the ultimate hunting companion.

Anyone unfortunate enough to incur Khorne’s wrath will be marked as prey for Karanak, who will mercilessly hunt them down, no matter in which daemonic realm or dimension of reality they try to hide in. Khorne being Khorne and basically always being irritated by someone or something, Karanak is kept pretty busy when it comes to hunting. In his rare time off he lies below the Throne of Brass, snacking on anything and anyone coming too close to the Blood God’s seat.

Karanak hunts alongside Khorne's legions. / Creative Assembly / Sega

Karanak shares the magical resistance typical for followers of Khorne and can cross the field of battle at enormous speed – once he’s located his prey, he’s pretty much unstoppable. Nothing escapes his senses, which means he can easily detect any hidden units on the battlefield. This hound is a perfect anti-magic weapon with his Brass Collar of Bloody Vengeance silence nearby casters and negating magic attacks. Once Karanak has closed with a target, he drains its fatigue and then goes in for the kill.

Aside from Skarbrand, Karanak will likely be available for Legendary Lords from the Warriors of Chaos, as has been the case for previously released Legendary Heroes with a similar status.

Creative Assembly announced Karanak during the Warhammer Skulls 2024 showcase, where it also debuted a new accolades trailer celebrating Thrones of Decay, the latest expansion for Total War: Warhammer 3. 

Adding Tamurkhan, Elspeth von Draken, and Malakai Makaisson with their respective factions as well as bringing massive overhauls to Nurgle, the Empire, and the Dwarfs to the table as part of the free Update 5.0, Thrones of Decay marked a major turning point for Creative Assembly, allowing the studio to rebuild its relationship with the Total War community in the wake of several disastrous decisions made last year.

Recent rumors indicate that a Total War: Star Wars game may be in development at the British company.