Adeptus Custodes

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==Summary==
:"Each one of the Ten Thousand represents genetic lore acquired over many lifetimes. Each one of you is unique, a work of art never to be repeated. I am miserly with your lives, where I would spend so many others without a thought."
:- The Emperor on his Custodes
The Adeptus Custodes, known as the Legio Custodes before the Horus Heresy, is the Imperial Adepta responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace and the physical body of the Emperor of Mankind. It is an elite cadre of genetically-engineered transhuman warriors who are even more potent in combat than the Adeptus Astartes. They are to the Space Marines as the Emperor is to His Primarchs, and it is rumoured that they were created using the Master of Mankind's own genecode.
Where Space Marines represent the mass-produced genetic soldiers of the Imperium, the Adeptus Custodes are a force of individual warriors, each a bastion in his own right. These warriors have stood in the presence of the immortal Emperor of Mankind since before the time of the Unification Wars. For ten thousand years and more, the Custodians have stood watch over their lord and master, serving as the Emperor's personal guardians and praetorian bodyguard. During the Great Crusade these resplendent warriors guarded the Emperor wherever He went and swore to give their lives to protect His.
After His incarceration in the Golden Throne following the Horus Heresy ten standard millennia ago, they have taken a far more limited role in the Imperium of Man. They almost never leave Terra and only very rarely leave the Imperial Palace as they watch over their recumbent master and patrol the precincts of the Emperor's Palace, ever vigilant of threats. It is only the Adeptus Custodes who decide who may enter the Sanctum Imperialis of the Emperor at the heart of the Inner Palace, and when they may do so.
==Powers and Stats==
Tier: At least , likely physically, from to with weaponry | At least , likely physically, from to with weaponry | At least physically, from to with weaponry
Key: Auramite Armor | Terminator Armor | Dreadnought
Name: Adeptus Custodes, the Brotherhood of Demigods, the Golden Legion, the Custodian Guard, Watchers of the Throne, the Ten Thousand, the Thousand Companions
Origin: Warhammer 40,000
Gender: Varies
Age: The oldest are over ten thousand years old
Classification: Elite genetically-engineered transhuman warriors, personal bodyguards of the Emperor of Mankind
Powers and Abilities:
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|-|Custodes=Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Large Size (Type 0; Custodes are stated to be ten feet tallThe Gate of Bones; Chapter Seventeen), Enhanced Senses (Each Custodian has his senses augmented to a degree far beyond an ordinary human being and even beyond a baseline Astartes warrior), Extrasensory Perception (Their extremely sophisticated armor contains highly sensitive proximity sensors that make it impossible for someone to catch its wearer by surpriseCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 16), Immortality (Types 1, 2, and 3; Custodes are stated to be unaging and functionally immortalCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 7. They can also fight while missing half of their face and a significant portion of their skull and brainThe Master of Mankind; Chapter Sixteen), Regeneration (At least High-Low; Superior to Astartes who can regenerate nearly pulverized bonesNight Lords: The Omnibus), Precognition (Can "reach into the Numerology of the near future"Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor's Legion to predict the attacks and motion of enemies before they occur), Aura (Possess a powerful aura which can cause people around them to kneel without them even intending toThe Gate of Bones; Chapter Nineteen), Holy Manipulation and Probability Manipulation (The Custodians are touched by a spark of the Emperor’s own power, which manifests as a supernatural warding, making it so that bullets and bolts are turned aside at the last moment, blades fail to strike home, and even the psychic powers of the foe can suddenly and inexplicably flicker away to nothingCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 88), Energy Projection, Weapon Mastery and Martial Arts (Custodians spend many centuries honing their crafts, mastering all the different weapons at their disposal with unmatched skill, to the point where they can face off against a dozen experienced combatants singlehandedlyCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 6. Their skill is stated to be little short of supernaturalCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 6), Technology Manipulation (They interface with their suits as a second skin, implying they have some kind of Black Carapace equivalent that could allow them to meld their nervous system with other equipment as wellSpace Marine Codex: 5th Edition; pg 11), Vehicular Mastery (All Custodes are trained in the use of vehicles, such as tanks, anti-gravity jetbikes, and more, many of which are the most complex and advanced of their kind in the entire Imperium), Social Influencing (Custodes are skilled in diplomacy and know secrets and techniques that allow them to easily charm and manipulate othersCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 37), Stealth Mastery (Custodians constantly have to protect the Imperial Palace, a vast sprawling complex the size of countries, making them as much intelligence agents and spies as warriors. The Captain-General during the end of the Reign of Blood managed to easily sneak through the blockade of Vandire's heavily fortified palace manned by the superbly trainedCodex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition); pg 13 Brides of the Emperor straight to their leader), Matter Manipulation (Atomic) and Durability Negation (Power weapons disrupt the bonds of matterThe Devastation of Baal; Chapter Twenty One by surrounding themselves in an energy field, of which the Custodes possess some of the most potent examples ofDark Imperium: Godblight; Chapter Nine. Adrathic weapons can destroy matter on a molecular level, making it as if the target had never existedThe Horus Heresy Book Seven: Inferno; pg 245), Explosion Manipulation (Guardian Spears and other weapons utilized by the Custodies possess built in bolters, which fire bolts that explode on impactDark Heresy 2nd Edition Core Rulebook; pg 151), Limited Flight (Via Venatari Squads, which possess Jump PacksCodex: Space Marines (5th Edition); pg 100), Forcefield Creation (Via refractor fieldsCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 16, Iron HalosCodex: Space Marines (5th Edition); pg 52, and the like), Statistics Amplification (Via Vexilla Imperius, Imperial Standards that reinvigorate and even supercharge the power of nearby CustodesCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 97), Light Manipulation, Limited Biological Manipulation, Perception Manipulation, and Mind Manipulation (Those who stare upon the Magnifica have their very sight rebel against them, their optic nerves burned out, and as a final effect, those who gaze upon the Magnifica have their thoughts patterns destroyedCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 40), Genius Intelligence
|-|Terminator Armor=Nearly the same as before, with most abilities increased to higher level due to the better equipment available to Terminator veterans, along with Teleportation via Dimensional Travel (Can use the Warp for nigh-instantaneous teleportationCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 88)
|-|Dreadnought=Nearly the same as before, with most capabilities vastly improved by the massive Dreadnought walker, along with Large Size (Type 0), Cyborgization (Normal; The Custodian inside is usually reduced to several organs floating in an amniotic soup inside the cybernetic sarcophagusCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 42), Temperature Manipulation (Via Multi-MeltaDark Heresy 2nd Edition Core Rulebook; pg 155)
|-|Resistances=Resistance to Magic, Poison Manipulation, Disease Manipulation, Telepathy, Soul Manipulation, Radiation Manipulation, Heat Manipulation, Possession, Madness Manipulation, Corruption (Type 1 and 2), Pain Manipulation (Possess all the qualities of the Space Marines enhanced to an ever greater level. Almost completely immune to the temptations of the WarpWatchers of the Throne: The Emperor's Legion, with the Daemon Drach'nyen stating stars would die before he could even begin to corrupt oneThe Master of Mankind; Chapter Sixteen. Stated to possess blessings so strong that they can defend them from empyric attacksCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 14 and possess minds immune to invasionCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 8)
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Attack Potency: At least Building level (The Custodes are said to be to a Space Marine what a Space Marine is to an ordinary humanCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 8. One thousand Custodians were capable of destroying Gharkhul Blackfang's Ork WAAAGH which had overwhelmed three Space Marine armies, killing 100,000 Orks and losing only three of their ownHorus Heresy: Collected Visions), likely Large Building level (Capable of cracking Terminator armorWatchers of the Throne: The Emperor’s Legion and one-shotting OgrynThe Gate of Bones; Chapter Twenty Five who themselves can damage Terminator armorDark Apostle; Chapter Thirteen) physically, Varies from Building level to City Block level with weaponry (Stated to possess some of the most devastating weapons in the ImperiumCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 16, meaning their weapons should be stronger than those of the Adeptus Astartes). Several weapons ignore conventional durability | At least Building level, likely Large Building level physically, Varies from Building level to City Block level with weaponry (Should be comparable, if not superior to standard Custodes and far superior to standard Astartes Terminators) | At least Large Building level physically (Custodes' Dreadnoughts are likewise far superior to regular Dreadnoughts, and Custodian Terminators as well. They're stated to hold technology and weapons that the Imperium can no longer replicateCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 42), Varies from Building level to City Block level with weaponry (Possess stronger weaponry than before, such as autocannons, multi-meltas, lascannons, and plasma cannons)
Speed: At least Subsonic movement speed (Much faster than Astartes), with at least Hypersonic, likely higher combat and reaction speed (Even the weakest Custodes have reactions far faster than that of Marines. Custodes have been shown capable of blocking lasfireThe Master of Mankind; Chapter Eighteen) and FTL perception speed (Average Custodes can process information in less than a microsecondWatchers of the Throne: The Emperor's Legion. Skilled Custodes should undoubtedly have faster reactions than experienced Marines who can process information in a nanosecondBattle for the Abyss; Chapter Five) | Subsonic (A Custodes in Terminator Armor is generally as fast as an Astartes in regular power armor) with at least Hypersonic, likely higher combat and reaction speed and FTL perception speed (As far more experienced veterans, they should be superior to most other Custodes) | Below Average Human movement speed (Likely comparable to Astartes Dreadnoughts which move at a speed of 10 kmphImperial Armour Volume Two: Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition; Imperial Armour pg 133) with at least Hypersonic, likely higher combat and reaction speed and FTL perception speed (Only the most skilled and exceptional warriors of the Custodes are placed in Dreadnoughts)
Lifting Strength: At least Class 25, likely far higher (They should be far more powerful than Astartes Terminators) | At least Class 25, likely far higher | At least Class 100 (Are essentially walking tanks, far stronger than regular Castraferrum and Contemptor pattern Dreadnoughts, and should be able to flip vehicles as big if not far bigger than themselves)
Striking Strength: At least Building level, likely far higher | At least Building level, likely far higher | At least Large Building level
Durability: At least Large Building level (Custodes' Auramite armor is far more durable than Astartes' Terminator armor and can survive plasma weapons entirely unharmedThe Gate of Bones; Chapter Twenty Six. The armor of a Custodes can rebound autocannon shotsThe Gate of Bones; Chapter Twenty Five) | At least Large Building level (As above their Auramite armor as regular Terminator plate is above Astartes' power armor. Capable of no-selling blasts from macro-cannonsCodex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition); pg 39) | At least Large Building level (Superior to regular Dreadnoughts which can shrug off the strongest plasma weapons, as well as Custodian Terminators)
Stamina: Superhuman (Custodians can fight for weeks on end with many debilitating injures, some which would kill regular humans several times over. They can still fight with half of their face missing as well as a portion of their skull removed entirelyThe Master of Mankind; Chapter Sixteen, and hardly anything less than a killing shot can put them down. Custodians towards the end of the Webway War had been fighting a weeks long campaign with no sleep and barely any rest at all)
Range: Several Meters physically, Kilometers with Bolters and other long-range weaponry (Bolters can accurately hit targets from 2.5 kilometers awaySiege of Castellax; Chapter Eighteen) | Several Meters physically, Kilometers with Bolters and other long-range Weaponry | Several Meters through sheer size, Kilometers with Long-range Weaponry
Standard Equipment: Auramite Power Armor, Guardian Spear, Sentinel Blade, Lastrum Storm Bolter, Praesidium Shield,
Solerite Power Gauntlets & Power Talons, Adrastus Bolt Caliver, Adrathic Weaponry, Arae-Shrike, Custodes Vexilla, etc.
Intelligence: Genius (The Adeptus Custodes have an intellect enhanced far beyond that of the Astartes, combined with millennia of knowledge, combat training and experience. Their training and education renders them masters in the tenets of warfare in all its forms, as well as every method of assassination, counter-espionage, threat recognition and death dealing known to Mankind, but also in far more esoteric disciplines such as diplomacy and statecraft, astrogation and interstellar geography, history, philosophy, theosophy, artistry and countless other subjects, all of which they become masters ofCodex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition); pg 8)
Weaknesses: None notable
Note: This profile only contains stats for the average/baseline Custodian. Individual characters can possess much greater feats and subsequently rank far higher.
==Gallery==
CustodesMoM.jpeg|The Legio Custodes accompanied by the Sisters of Silence, fighting alongside The Emperor in the Webway War
AdeptusCustodesArt1.jpg
AdeptusCustodesArt2.jpg
Custodian Dreadnought.png|Custodian Dreadnought rushing through enemies.
Adeptus Custodes advancing.jpg
==Notable Matchups==
Victories:
Losses:
Inconclusive:
==References==
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