Owlcat Games has revealed the final major update coming to Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous: A big overhaul of the Gold Dragon endgame Mythic Path. Though WotR will continue to see minor updates and bug fixes in the near future, Owlcat has said this upcoming major patch will be the final content addition to the game.
If Baldur's Gate 3 is the CRPG of the 2020s, WotR is its crustier, zanier cousin for the real role playing sickos. Faithfully adapting Pathfinder 1E to an 80 (now easily over 100 with DLC) hour-long, level 1-20 adventure, Wrath of the Righteous has everything I want in a beefy boy, Baldur's Gate 2-style RPG: Memorable companions with their own quests and romances, dozens of classes and build options (including oddballs like praying mantis priests, axe-throwers, and multiple flavors of mounted cavalry), and a "Mythic Path" system for unlocking otherworldly divine powers according to your character alignment. You've got archetypes like butterfly freedom fighters and classico angels for good guys, while baddies can go undead, demonic, or even become a walking, sentient swarm of locusts.
This update concerns one of the least-loved Mythic Paths, the Gold Dragon. On paper it should be rad as hell: Embracing the power of ancient wyrms, including the ability to transform into one yourself. In practice though, Gold Dragons had little story content and were less powerful than other paths, while also only becoming available in the last act of the game.
Now Gold Dragons are going to get their due. For starters, they're getting a fancy new in-game model and spiffier spell effects when transformed, including a unique look for evil "corrupted" Gold Dragon players. They're also getting a host of buffs and new abilities:
- Mythic spells like the ability to summon a gaggle of helper dragons (dragons summoning dragons, what'll they think of next?)
- Augmented breath weapon attacks, like the ability to heal allies or add alternate damage types.
- Improved damage overall and earlier access to choice abilities.
Story-wise, Gold Dragons are getting improved reactivity, new story beats, and unique ending options exclusive to the path. Players can also pick from two new draconic religions at character creation, providing more story content that leads into the late-game Mythic Path.
Wrath of the Righteous already seemed like a game that had vastly improved since launch when I first played it in 2022, and Owlcat has only continued to build on the massive RPG in the time since. With it soon reaching its definitive, final form (hot on the heels of an extensive epilogue DLC no less), it might finally be time for me to dive in for another playthrough—at least once I find 100 hours to spare.
