40K Alignments

[Tawnis]

I got to thinking the other day when I was explaining the various 40k factions to my wife (she's finally considering dipping her toes into the hobby): There's the common trope of the 40k universe where "Everyone's a bad guy" and while that is more less correct, one of the reasons that 40k is so compelling is that within that structure, you have a wide variety of alignments split amongst all the various races and factions. So I figured that I'd post my take on them and see what everyone else thought. 

 

(Reminder: The subfactions are within their greater faction, so you can have good within an evil society as the good/evil scale is more a determination of selflessness to selfishness than what we would necessarily consider good or evil actions within our own society.)

 

The Imperium of Man: Lawful Evil
Not really much surprise here to anyone even remotely familiar with the setting. They are one of the quintessential Lawful Evil factions in fiction.

 

Astra Militarum: Lawful Good
Custodes: Lawful Neutral
Space Marines: Lawful Good-Evil (very much chapter dependent) 
Sororities: Lawful Good
Mechanicum: Lawful Neutral
Inquisition: Lawful Evil

 

Chaos: Chaotic Evil 
Again, no surprise there, however, the breakdown of the various gods was a lot more interesting the more I thought about it. 

 

Khorne: Neutral Evil (Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows.) 
Tzeentch: Chaotic Neutral (Tzeentch doesn't care about helping or hindering anyone as long as change continues.)
Slaanesh: Chaotic Evil 
Nurgle: Chaotic... Good (Okay, here me out here: Nurgle whole thing is it's belief that the plagues it provides give joy and bliss to others. You see all those smiling daemons and pox walkers and such. If it's true or not isn't the point as alignment is based on intent. The minions of Nurgle never hesitate to sacrifice themselves to spread their plagues, in fact, they often enjoy that too.) 

 

Craftworlds: Neutral Good 
Drukhari: Neutral Evil
Harlequins: True Neutral

 

Necrons: Lawful Evil

 

Orks: Neutral Evil

 

Tau: Lawful Good
Kroot: Lawful Neutral

 

Votaan: Lawful Neutral 

 

Tyranids: Neutral Evil

 

There were a few things that surprised me when I broke it all down. First, that there was a faction for each of the 9 alignments which I very much did not expect. Also that The Imperium, the Aeldari, and Chaos make up the trifecta of Lawful-Neutral-Chaotic regardless of sub faction (with the exception of Khorne which an argument could easily be made for Chaotic Evil as well). 

 

So what are your thoughts, anywhere I missed the mark? 
 

[W.A.Rorie]

I would say that is pretty spot on.

 

 

[kabaakaba]

I'm absolutely agreed for Nurgle cause so joyfull demons can't be evil!

And can't agree on Astra Militarum. They are true neutral. There's so much shades of this structure. Officio pPrefectus are Lawfull Evil, some regiments like The Savlars are chaotic evil. Some good. 

[Arikel]

I wouldn't put orks down as evil myself, Chaotic Neutral if they must be categorized, because they don't follow any real creed beyond the biggest ork is the boss, but they don't find seem to find joy from causing pain, it's just what they do. They're not out to torture, they simply find joy in the sport of war, it is in their nature to bludgeon, stab, and shoot. They do have some sense of self preservation, in that if the battle is clearly going against them they will retreat, regroup and come back bigger and harder and tougher than before, but you can't really call it fear so much either, it's more like eh well we started with 30, now we're 3, they had 10, and now they have 9. Common orky sense to realize that the battle is lost at that point.

 

I'm fairly certain that somewhere out there in the wide galaxy, some planet has tamed their ork infestation by introducing them to non(less) lethal weaponry that they can use to merrily smack each other into unconciousness, and the entire tribe remains to battle again the next day(barring the occasional accident or overzealousness of some combatants), not unlike the many tourneys and melees organized in the middle ages to give all those noble killers something to do besides take out their boredom on the peasantry when the kings and  overlords didn't have a war on. That unfortunate demon world the orks invaded where they continually rise fresh the next morning to fight anew is really their idea of heaven pretty much, and this would be pretty similar to that.

 

Orks are just following their nature, and what gives them joy, which is breaking things, and each other, and anyone else who happens to be standing nearby till they find out who's the toughest, the strongest, and the most cunning fighter around. That doesn't necessarily need to involve lethal force, and with the way orks are, I'm wondering if when they spore it's not completely new orks, but orks that retain some or all the memories of who they were in their previous incarnation. Makes sense to me to me that they wouldn't fear death so much in that case and maybe simply don't realize it's not the same for most other species, where even if they have reproduced, they are completely new beings, the self ends when the individual is killed.

 

Gork and Mork are eternal, and perhaps so are their children.

 

 

[TheMawr]

On 2/11/2026 at 6:19 PM, Tawnis said:

I got to thinking the other day when I was explaining the various 40k factions to my wife (she's finally considering dipping her toes into the hobby): There's the common trope of the 40k universe where "Everyone's a bad guy" and while that is more less correct, one of the reasons that 40k is so compelling is that within that structure, you have a wide variety of alignments split amongst all the various races and factions. So I figured that I'd post my take on them and see what everyone else thought. 

 

(Reminder: The subfactions are within their greater faction, so you can have good within an evil society as the good/evil scale is more a determination of selflessness to selfishness than what we would necessarily consider good or evil actions within our own society.)

 

The Imperium of Man: Lawful Evil
Not really much surprise here to anyone even remotely familiar with the setting. They are one of the quintessential Lawful Evil factions in fiction.

 

Astra Militarum: Lawful Good
Custodes: Lawful Neutral
Space Marines: Lawful Good-Evil (very much chapter dependent) 
Sororities: Lawful Good
Mechanicum: Lawful Neutral
Inquisition: Lawful Evil

 

Chaos: Chaotic Evil 
Again, no surprise there, however, the breakdown of the various gods was a lot more interesting the more I thought about it. 

 

Khorne: Neutral Evil (Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows.) 
Tzeentch: Chaotic Neutral (Tzeentch doesn't care about helping or hindering anyone as long as change continues.)
Slaanesh: Chaotic Evil 
Nurgle: Chaotic... Good (Okay, here me out here: Nurgle whole thing is it's belief that the plagues it provides give joy and bliss to others. You see all those smiling daemons and pox walkers and such. If it's true or not isn't the point as alignment is based on intent. The minions of Nurgle never hesitate to sacrifice themselves to spread their plagues, in fact, they often enjoy that too.) 

 

Craftworlds: Neutral Good 
Drukhari: Neutral Evil
Harlequins: True Neutral

 

Necrons: Lawful Evil

 

Orks: Neutral Evil

 

Tau: Lawful Good
Kroot: Lawful Neutral

 

Votaan: Lawful Neutral 

 

Tyranids: Neutral Evil

 

There were a few things that surprised me when I broke it all down. First, that there was a faction for each of the 9 alignments which I very much did not expect. Also that The Imperium, the Aeldari, and Chaos make up the trifecta of Lawful-Neutral-Chaotic regardless of sub faction (with the exception of Khorne which an argument could easily be made for Chaotic Evil as well). 

 

So what are your thoughts, anywhere I missed the mark? 
 

 

hmm

I agree with the Nurgle argument, but not with the conclusion.. it makes them more lawful neutral or neutral evil to me... honestly, I think it goed beyong good and evil and Id call them something weird like Lawful Chaotic... a paradox sure. But Nurgle is the definition of a paradox.

 

Asuryani (Craftworlds) - Lawful Good
-- as you say it is about intent, Neutral good would require a desire for it, but asuryani follow a rigid system leading their actions, not their desire or wishes. This strict denial of individuality system is the whole reason why so many chose the risky outcast lives, and why so many damning alternatives are so alluring. But this has been very badly represented in BL lore especially, not in the least that the characters whose pov we mostly get are all outcasts in one form or another of that same strict society. ( Eldrad, Illic, Yriel.) 

Drukhari - While in general Neutral Evil feels right ( they behave as only the most extreme slaanesh followers would, but there is some egocentric necessity for it, not necessarily the desire), I actually think they have their own evil trifecta ( Kabals - Lawful Evil, Wych cults - Neutral Evil, Covens - Chaotic Evil )

Harlequins - ???? (how fitting)
-- Interestingly I ponder, read and look at examples.. and the conclusion I have is, Harlequins fill the entire spectrum where there is no neutral, unless there is a double neutral. ( true neutral ) BUT, it doesnt make them true true neutral either.... its almost as if they wear different masks :D Perhaps this chaotic and unclear alignment just means they are Chaotic Neutral though. 
 

Ynnari - Chaotic Good
Probably even the most chaotic good fitting faction in the setting. What is funny is that when I see a lot of various characters from other franchises put in the Chaotic good slot, it are often very controversial/polarising ones, at least in-universe, but often also out-of-universe. And now I want to dedicate my life to the study of why that is. ( I will be distracted by something else as soon as I have hit send on this post though.)

Anrathe - Chaotic Neutral
A difficult one to finetune as in contrary to the others here ( and on your list.) there isnt really a culture, but rather an avoidance of the other cultures. Individual subfactions of the corsairs might have clearer alignment (they really dont from what we have read so far.. keep in mind the one we know most about is Yriel, and he is very close to Asuryani culturally) but the motivation is always freedom.

 

Exodites -  Neutral Good ( I think ? .. in 40k terms, in many stories they really put the good in good, wich is probably a prime reason GW hasnt gone there yet... but I think when developing them its better to lean into True Neutral)
 

 

Like above I think Orks are True Neutral as are Kroot, I think those driven by their nature like them ( animals usually ) always are close to or on the True Neutral position, as a society, individuals can differ ofcourse, I would put Tyranids here too, but I think there have been modern implications that the Hivemind itself does have morality ?.. the organisms are True Neutral though.

 

You didnt mention Genestealer Cults, and they are interesting... I think, in the total scheme.. they might be close to Chaotic good, they fight evil oppression after all.. but the same problem returns here as tyranids.. their mind is delusional because of the Hiveminds control.. so do you measure them, or the Hivemind.

 

Problem is.. its always very subjective both in universe and out of universe.

Im sure someone whose world is brought to ruin by orks would see them as pure pure evil ;)

Im also sure someone else disagrees with every single one I mentioned... imho the system is flawed and misses some elements. ( nonetheless a fascinating topic.)