And then there was a Grim Misadventure. We are still in awe of just how many of you have returned for Grim Dawn’s third expansion. What a wild ride! But as you all hopefully know by now, there was always going to be MOAR.
We have been diligently reading your feedback. Fangs of Asterkarn has already had 8 updates to address your biggest pain points, and this support will continue as we get into our post-release content. Today, we’d like to give you a peek at what’s in store for the first major update, v1.3.1.0.
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The first Fangs of Asterkarn content update is right around the corner and will feature new areas to explore, loads of new items, and of course balance changes and bug fixes.
Those that explore every corner will find that a new cave entrance has been revealed within the Frostveil Highlands. The mysteries contained within may not mean much to a lowlander such a yourself, but there are Kurn skalds that have insight into what you discover within. This seed will send you on a new adventure through the lands of the Kurn as you seek to restore what was broken, a legend that perhaps should have remained forgotten. But if you see this perilous journey to its end, you will learn of the Obsidian Swordsman, and acquire his legendary weapon and armor!
“His true name was lost to time.
Only what he became remains in the words passed down through generations.
The swordsman was said to have been one of the greatest sons of Mogdrogen, a wolf among men. While it was not written in the stars that he ever be chieftain, his prowess with a sword was without equal. The swordsman stood vanguard against the Great Annihilator’s corruption wherever it festered, but though he always returned to his beloved Kurnhold bearing few visible scars, his spirit was marred by wounds none could see until it was too late.
The legends say that, in his final days, the swordsman ventured into a great wound in reality, a hungering maw of darkness from which no light escaped. Inside, he said, dwelled a great evil which would devour all life should it ever reach the valley. The swordsman entered, alone, and for five nights the Kurn awaited his return, until at last something emerged from the rift. But the wolf that returned was changed. He had become tainted, his armor blackened by the ichor of death. And with a mighty swing of an obsidian blade, the now black wolf declared war upon his people.
Dozens of Asterkarn’s sons and daughters lost their lives in laying low the creature, but he would not stay down. The Great Annihilator had filled his veins with unholy purpose, which would not be quelled by mere death.
Legends say that the Obsidian Swordsman was ultimately bound by our runekeepers and sealed away, so that his stain upon our legacy could be forgotten.”
We have seen your feedback that the early zones of Asterkarn feel a bit stretched, so we have been working to address that. In addition to the Obsidian Swordsman questline, you will find numerous new points of interest in the Frostveil Highlands to spice up your journey north and make the frozen wastes feel a little less barren.
With v1.3.1, those that seek out Resplendent Troves will have a chance to uncover a new legendary set: Igirron’s Arsenal. This chaos-themed collection will have you wield two pistols to shred your foes with a relentless barrage of bullets.
In addition to the above unique loot, you can look forward to 29 additional Epics receiving the Awakening treatment, including two sets: Bloodreaper’s Butcher and the Desecrator Covenant.
This is a long-term ongoing effort that will continue for many updates to come as we breathe new life into old Epic items!
Fangs of Asterkarn has redefined the endgame, with powerful new mechanics and of course Ascended affixes. In v1.3.1, we will be performing our first major tuning pass, which means buffs to underperforming builds and items, and nerfs where things have fallen too far out of line. As always, we welcome feedback on where things are and where they are headed, and everyone will be able to participate in the upcoming public playtest. This is only the first step, so even if we do not get to something this time, there are many updates still to come.
In particular, Ascendant Mode and waves 170-200 of the Crucible will have their monster damage reduced a bit so that more builds can find success in this dangerous new content.
You have asked, and our artists have answered. Launching with v1.3.1 will be our 4th, and likely final, Loyalist pack. This one is teeming with 4 grim dark new sets, 26 pieces in all, to terrorize your foes with.
As we did in updates for our last two expansions, Fangs of Asterkarn will feature a roguelike dungeon. However, this time around we will be adding two! The first of these, coming in v1.3.2, is Drang’Gal Fortress.
The insidious Bloodbound have united disparate dranghoul tribes with promises of power and bloody slaughter. The Great Annihilator’s dark gifts now spread throughout the dranghoul ancestral lands. The stones of Drang’Gal Fortress weep black ichor and old bones stir with forbidden magics.
A time will soon arrive when your dranghoul allies demand that the Kurn honor their alliance and march upon the fortress. Your assistance will be of great value in the battles to come.
We will be ready to talk more in depth about the features and content within Drang’Gal Fortress in our next dev update. So stay tuned!
V1.3.1 is nearly ready for you. We plan to start the public playtest this Friday, September 18th, and run it for about 3 weeks. Your feedback and any bug reports will be greatly appreciated!
Like knowing what is coming up next for Grim Dawn? Check back on 11/02/2026 for the next Grim Misadventure.
but seriously good news I love the game
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