Warhammer 40,000 RPG, providing detailed adversaries, including Tyranids, Tau, and Chaos forces, designed to challenge Space Marine Kill-teams. Originally published in 2011, the guide features extensive lore, stat blocks, and mechanics like the "Horde" rules for encounter management. Digital versions are available from Cubicle 7 Games
Mark of the Xenos is widely considered a necessary purchase for anyone running a Deathwatch campaign. While it does not feature every Xenos race in the galaxy (notably absent are the Eldar and Necrons, as they are not native to the Jericho Reach setting), it provides extensive coverage of the primary antagonists of the sector: the Tyranids, the Tau, and the Forces of Chaos.
Download the PDF for reference. Use it to inspire your Kill Team’s paint schemes. Steal its Stratagems for your homebrew Crusade. And always, always know your xenos.
The PDF introduces some of the most iconic Deathwatch relics that never made it into later codexes: Warhammer 40K - Deathwatch - Mark Of The Xenos.pdf
"The line between man and xenos is thin indeed. It is our duty to ensure it remains so."
Whether you are a veteran of Watch Fortresses or a new recruit just mustering your first Kill Team, understanding this document is essential. This article provides a complete breakdown of its contents, its historical context within the game, why it remains relevant in modern 10th Edition, and where its legacy endures.
In the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, the alien (or "xenos") is a constant threat. While other Imperial forces fight against heretics and daemons, the Deathwatch, the chamber militant of the Ordo Xenos, is specifically tasked with the eradication of extraterrestrial life. The Deathwatch core rulebook established players as members of this elite, but a key piece was missing: a dedicated "monster manual." Mark of the Xenos was published in 2011 by Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) to fill this gap. Serving as a crucial supplement, it provides a massive catalog of alien species, heretics, and chaotic entities that the Deathwatch faces within the Jericho Reach. While it does not feature every Xenos race
RPG, providing comprehensive profiles for Tyranid, Tau, Ork, and Chaos adversaries, alongside enhanced horde mechanics. While praised for its high-quality lore and utility in powering up combat, the book is noted for lacking Eldar and Necron entries, and for a challenging, dark-themed PDF layout. Read a detailed review at Strange Assembly Amazon.com.au AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos - Amazon
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Deathwatch – Mark of the Xenos is a comprehensive sourcebook by Fantasy Flight Games serving as a primary bestiary for the Deathwatch tabletop RPG. It provides detailed lore, tactical profiles, and rules for major xenos threats like Tyranids, Tau, and Orks, alongside human traitors in the Jericho Reach. Share public link
| Chapter & Page Count | Key Foes & Focus | | :--- | :--- | | | Detailed profiles for the Tau Empire (e.g., XV8 Crisis Battlesuit , Vespid Stingwings ), the Tyranid Hive Fleet Dagon (e.g., Carnifex , Lictor , Zoanthrope ), Ork forces (e.g., Warboss , Killa Kan ), and minor xenos species ( Lacrymole , Loxatl Mercenaries ). Also includes a selection of Kroot forms. | | 2. Radicals and Heretics (~22 pages) | Profiles for various renegade humans and their monstrous creations. Key examples include the Apostate Cardinal , the daemonic Irradial Cogitator , and the HereTek Magos Phayzarus , a magos who literally consumes Space Marine organs to gain their power. | | 3. The Forces of Chaos (~32 pages) | A bestiary of daemons and Chaos Space Marines. This chapter covers lesser and greater daemons of all four Ruinous Powers ( Bloodletters , Plaguebearers , etc.), corrupted Space Marines, and terrifying war machines like the Obliterator . | | 4. Advanced Adversaries (~12 pages) | Provides new, advanced rules for the GM. The centerpiece is the system for battling Hordes (massive formations of weaker enemies), along with new Horde Traits and optional rules for large-scale warfare to challenge a squad of Space Marines. | Steal its Stratagems for your homebrew Crusade
Keep the PDF as a historical artifact. For players : Always check with your tournament organizer before using rules from this document; it is best suited for casual, narrative, or open play.
It is important to address the elephant in the room. Games Workshop no longer sells Mark of the Xenos as a standalone PDF. The official store page redirects to the 9th Edition Deathwatch Codex. Because of this, the exists in a legal grey area. It is considered “Chapter Approved Legends” material—unofficial but beloved.
: Features detailed profiles for iconic enemies including the ravening Tyranids , the technologically advanced T'au , and brutal Ork hordes.
For the ordinary citizens of the Imperium, the alien is a nightmare to be fled. For the Astra Militarum, it is a foe to be outgunned. But for the Deathwatch, the alien is a target to be studied, understood, and executed with extreme prejudice.