20% off RRPAdeptus Custodes · 14 models · 4 kits
1× Blade Champion · 3× Allarus Custodians · 5× Custodian Guard · 5× Custodian Wardens
Adeptus Custodes Paint Scheme
A full Adeptus Custodes paint scheme, generated and ready to test: the armour ramp from basecoat to edge highlight plus metals, skin, lenses and basing — every colour matched to real paints from Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter and 35+ more ranges, with live prices. Use it as a planner, tweak any colour, or take it into the full generator.
Your scheme
Only paints we can link you to a shop for. Pick a brand to build the whole recipe from one range.
Adeptus Custodes boxes to start with
Compare Adeptus Custodes boxesThe Adeptus Custodes boxes we can price in your market, cheapest first.
20% off RRPPaint sets that cover this scheme
All paint setsOne box of paints instead of 12 pots. Each card says how many of this scheme's colours it holds.
50 paints
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
16 paints
Covers 6 of 12 colours in this scheme
16 paints
Covers 6 of 12 colours in this scheme
10 paints
Covers 4 of 12 colours in this scheme
16 paints
Covers 4 of 12 colours in this scheme
10 paints
Covers 3 of 12 colours in this scheme
Or cover 83% of this scheme with 2 paint sets, A$409.98 together: Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set + Vallejo Model Color - Basic Colors USA Set
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Tap a colour to change its paint.
- Base coatTallarn SandCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951332View paint
- ShadeGolden ArmourArmy Painter · Speedpaint Set 2.0 WP2069PView paint
- LayerPeanut ButterScale75 · Fantasy & Games RangeView paint
- HighlightAverland SunsetCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950265View paint
- Edge highlightInner LightArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic WP3102PView paint
Additional details
- TrimBright GoldArmy Painter · WarpaintsView paint
- WeaponsJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy MetalArmy Painter · Warpaints FanaticView paint
- LeatherBeasty BrownVallejo · Game Color 72.043View paint
- SkinBestigor FleshCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243View paint
- LensesCaledor SkyCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950273View paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
- Red plume & clothGemstone RedArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic WP3198View paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
Suggested
★ Our pick for base coat
Close
CloseDiscontinued
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
Suggested
★ Our pick for shade
Close
Snakebite Leather
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Contrast 99189960113
Similar
Similar
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Suggested
Very CloseDiscontinued
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Zamesi Desert
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951342
fromA$5.40· compare 3 shops· priced 5 Jul
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
Suggested
Averland Sunset
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950265
fromA$5.40· compare 2 shops· priced 5 Jul
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Close
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
Suggested
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Close
Close
Details & accent colours
Change scheme ↑Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Aquilas, rims and ornament. Basecoat gold, wash with a brown shade, then edge a brighter gold.
Suggested
Bright Gold
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Close
Balthasar Gold
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950310
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
Suggested
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
Suggested
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Suggested
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
fromA$5.45· compare 2 shops· priced 5 Jul
★ Our pick for skin & flesh
Very Close
Barbarian Flesh
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
Eyes & lenses
Lenses, eyes and energy. A bright spot colour that pops against the armour - dot it on and add a white glint.
Suggested
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Very Close
Close
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Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
Suggested
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
XV-88
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950285
Red plume & cloth
Crests and tabards - deep red shaded black, highlighted orange-red.
Suggested
★ Our pick for red plume & cloth
Very Close
Very Close
Close
Your paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
12 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
12 paintspostage per seller
- not stocked: Peanut Butter, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Tallarn Sand, Golden Armour, Peanut Butter, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, English Uniform
- not stocked: Tallarn Sand, Golden Armour, Peanut Butter, Inner Light, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bestigor Flesh, English Uniform, Gemstone Red
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Averland Sunset
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950265
fromA$5.40· compare 2 shops· priced 5 Jul
Bright Gold
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
fromA$5.45· compare 2 shops· priced 5 Jul
Compare every Adeptus Custodes box
Want the codex too? At Loaded Dice (UK):save £23.01 vs RRP
Shopping from the US?save $25.50 vs RRP(out of stock)
Every Adeptus Custodes kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
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Want the recipes written out, with the pots priced? What paints do you need for 40k?.
Is Adeptus Custodes a big job? See how every faction rates for difficulty — model size, detail and what the scheme demands — or work out what an army costs per point.
Common questions
Is there a full list of Adeptus Custodes paint schemes?
This page has the generated recipe for the classic Adeptus Custodes scheme — armour ramp, metals, skin and basing, matched across 35+ paint ranges — plus every other Warhammer 40,000 faction's paint schemes below, or set your own colour in the full generator.