Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Updates, $588,493 and Counting

The crowdfunding campaign for Owlcat Games’ CRPG Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is off to a great start. With $588,493 already pledged, it has managed to nearly double its initial goal in roughly three days. As a result, we get this update that announces a new companion stretch goal, this one that revolves around the cavalier class and the mounted combat goal, and this one that briefly talks about the dismemberment goal and then shares some details related to the highly-anticipated Lich mythic path.

Here’s the latter:

We’ve reached a new goal and how fast it happened! We galloped to it like we ride a wind! Thank you for the continuous support and spreading the word about Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.

Soon we will update our Kickstarter page and reveal the next Stretch Goal (spoiler: some of you’ve already guessed it – it is Dismemberment). And now – to the main part of this Update…

Forsaking the Prison of Flesh and Life — the Lich Mythic Path

The legendary undead, the pinnacle of necromancy, a horror unspeakable, and the undisputed lord of death — the one and only lich. Among the extensive bestiaries of undead creatures, few are as legendary as the lich. Necromancers dream of becoming one, and adventurers dread meeting one in a dungeon. Yet surprisingly, the number of games that allow you to play as one is very small. And that number is reduced even further if you want to become one during the game, plunging to nonexistent if you expect to feel the consequences and repercussions of such a grand and malevolent decision. We want to fix this.

As you might have already heard, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous includes a whole new level of depth to the already vast character progression by way of the Mythic Paths. Today, we will talk about one of those paths – the path of the lich. Don’t go thinking that you’ll get to forsake your flesh and your life right at the beginning of the game. Just like every journey begins with a single step, the road to lichdom begins by summoning a loyal skeletal champion, fleshcrafting wings of bone or something else upon your champion, or forging weapons from the souls and bones of fallen crusaders. In short, it is a journey filled with a plethora of horrific decisions and abilities that those of you who choose this path to evil are bound to relish.

By choosing lich as a Mythic Path, you elect to venture into unlife and to become the true master of necromancy. Liches are spellcasters independent of their primary class selection — their spellbook is filled with new unique spells, as well grim (and mostly necromantic) spells selected from the spell lists of other classes. It doesn’t matter what class you are as long as you choose lich — you will be able to cast those spells and will be as powerful (though not as versatile) as a necromancer wizard. But if you are a powerful spellcaster already, then instead your magical abilities will be augmented by your forbidden studies, extending your spellbook and both the level and number of spells you can cast.

The arsenal of unique spells should be to the liking of those aspiring to become a lich. Cast Repurpose on an enemy and then watch him die and then rise again to fight at your side. Wield (or let your allies wield) the Vampiric Blade — a weapon enchantment that heals the wielder as it cleaves through living flesh. Explode bones inside your enemy’s body — inflicting wounds so gruesome that anyone in the vicinity is showered with gore. Or flay your still-living opponent’s flesh and fashion his bones into a Bone Spear.

As you go down the path of the lich, you gain immunity to diseases, death effects, poisons, and other weaknesses common to those of flesh and blood. Few undead can resist your commands, and the ones already serving you will become stronger and stronger. And finish it by becoming a complete undead — forsaking the prison of flesh and life, and changing your appearance and portrait.

But your appearance won’t be the only thing to change — your abilities will too. You will become a complete undead, able to paralyze with a single touch, and will be able to gain even more attributes of the undead, such as energy-draining eyes, magical claws, wings of bone… At that point, you will also be able to reach even greater heights in your understanding of necromancy — 10th level spells will become available to you. Cataclysmically powerful, it is rare to find enemies that can stand against them, and impossible to find those that will emerge unscathed. Plunge your enemies into the Death Realm, from which only the most powerful can even hope to return alive.

Of course, the mechanics and gory visuals are not the only treat we have in store for those who dare to venture along this Mythic Path. But we won’t spoil the details of the story that liches will experience in Wrath of Righteous. Know only that there will be unique locations, quests, decisions and consequences, story paths, dialogue options, and even some “repurposed” NPCs available only to the lich.