Total War: Warhammer 3 Shadows of Change update – all Cathay content additions

More lords, heroes, units, and magic is coming

Creative Assembly has finally detailed the free content additions players can expect for the Total War: Warhammer 3 Shadows of Change DLC with the upcoming Update 4.2. Overall, 14 pieces of content will be added to the expansion pack to make it worth its price tag.

Shadows of Change will be expanded with two generic lord types, two generic hero types, two Legendary Heroes, six additional units, a brand-new Lore of Magic, and a piece of free content everyone gets access to, regardless of purchasing the DLC or not.

This means that Kislev, Cathay, and Tzeentch will each have gained the same amount of new pieces to play with in Shadows of Change. Thrones of Decay, the next planned DLC, will then have a similar amount of content.

Total War: Warhammer 3 Shadows of Change update – new Cathay units

Cathay will gain its first Legendary Hero, a powerful and ancient Terracotta Sentinel called Saytang the Watcher, Sentinel of the Heavens. This automaton is armed with a powerful bow that can pierce entire ranks of enemy units with a single shot. Unlike other Terracotta Sentinels, Saytang sprouts elegant wings, though they are not enough to allow the construct to fly. Still, their power is enough to help Saytang leap over long distances. Think of it as an equivalent to the Tomb Kings’ Bone Giant – only with the additional abilities a Legendary Hero brings to the table.

A work-in-progress screenshot of Saytang in battle / Creative Assembly

The Gate Master of the Celestial Cities will be a new generic hero type for Cathay, finally closing a gap in the faction’s roster by providing some melee power. Alongside sword and shield, these combatants wield a crossbow for some versatility.

The Great Moon Bird will add to Cathay’s aerial capabilities. It’s a monstrous flying unit that also doubles as a new mount option for some characters. It can conjure a powerful vortex ability and deals fire plus magical damage, similar to the High Elves’ Arcane Phoenixes.

A work-in-progress screenshot of the Great Moon Bird / Creative Assembly

The Celestial Lion is another monstrous flying reinforcement for Cathay. A winged lion that can act as a mount for certain characters, this unit fills a similar role to Griffons and Manticores – that of a mid-tier air unit able to disrupt backlines or fight for air superiority.

A work-in-progress screenshot of the Celestial Lion / Creative Assembly

For those left disappointed by the lack of an elite infantry unit, game director Richard Aldridge left a pretty direct hint towards future DLC: “Before I end today, I wanted to cover an omission that you may have been hoping for in Grand Cathay’s roster update; an Elite Core Infantry unit. There is a very good reason for this and trust me we aren’t monkeying about.” That Monkey King DLC is definitely on the table.

A release date for Update 4.2 and the Shadows of Change content will be available next week, which is also when we’ll get to know more about the additions coming to Tzeentch. For Kislev, we already know that the Lore of Hags is coming as a new Lore of Magic, while the Tzarina finally gets an Ice Court Sled as a mount option as the included free DLC – the rest of the information will presumably come in two weeks time.

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