Factions
Malediction factions: choosing your first warband
Malediction has four factions, and your choice shapes how every game feels: how fast you commit, how much echo you spend on cards versus bodies, and how you score mastery.
There is no single best faction. There is a best faction for how you like to play — here is how each one behaves at the table.
Updated July 2026
How factions work in Malediction
A faction defines the units you can field and the cards that reward them. Faction identity shows up in echo curve, activation count and how a warband converts a good round into mastery. Most Seekers commit to one faction while learning, then branch out once the core rules are second nature.
Which faction is best for beginners?
Primal Blood is the most forgiving first pick: its plan is direct and its mistakes are easy to see. Order of the Shattered Throne is the next friendliest, because holding ground punishes fewer errors than chasing kills. Legion of the Fallen and Conclave of the Spheres both reward experience — Legion through activation management, Conclave through deck construction.
Switching factions later
Nothing is locked in. Many Seekers set a favourite faction on their profile for rankings and rivalry tracking, then build a second warband once they know which part of the game they enjoy most. Faction win rates and popularity shift each season, so the meta page is worth checking before a tournament.
The four factions of Malediction
Primal Blood
Blood, instinct and the old hunger.
Aggressive, board-first pressure. Primal Blood warbands want early deployments, short distances and brutal melee trades.
For new Seekers: The friendliest first faction. Your plan is legible — get in, hit hard, and let the dice tell the story.
Order of the Shattered Throne
Discipline held against the dark.
Defensive positioning and objective control. Order rewards patient play, terrain use and holding husks longer than your rival can.
For new Seekers: Great for players who like reacting rather than committing. Slower to master, but very forgiving of a bad opening.
Legion of the Fallen
Numbers without end, will without mercy.
Swarming and attrition. Legion floods the battlefield with cheap units and converts losses into echo and tempo.
For new Seekers: Best if you enjoy activation advantage and grinding a rival down over many rounds rather than one big swing.
Conclave of the Spheres
Knowledge bent into a weapon.
Card manipulation and combo. Conclave spends echo on effects rather than bodies, rewriting the board at the right moment.
For new Seekers: The highest ceiling and the steepest climb. Pick it if you love deck building more than dice rolling.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the four Malediction factions?
- Primal Blood, Order of the Shattered Throne, Legion of the Fallen and Conclave of the Spheres.
- What is the best Malediction faction for beginners?
- Primal Blood is the easiest starting faction because its aggressive plan is straightforward. Conclave of the Spheres is the most demanding, since it relies on card combinations rather than raw board presence.
- Can you play more than one faction in Malediction?
- Yes. Players commonly own several warbands and pick a faction per event, though most learn the game faster by sticking with one faction for their first season.