Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — Secret ending guide

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Ascension secret ending guide – Pre-Threshold requirements

Let’s discuss the various requirements to get the Ascension secret ending in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. Also, again, be reminded that Legend and Swarm-That-Walks are unable to obtain this ending.

Midnight Bolts and Nahyndrian Crystals

Both Midnight Bolts and Nahyndrian Crystals are found throughout the campaign. The former is a special ammo used to hit specific Demon Lord targets, and their defeat will reward you with the latter. The number of people that can ascend later in Threshold will depend on how many Nahyndrian Crystals you’ve acquired:

• One crystal – Only the Commander.
• Two to four crystals – The Commander and Areelu.
• Five crystals – The Commander and all companions (assuming you did their companion quests).
• Six or more crystals – The Commander, all companions, and Areelu.

Areelu’s Lab and Iz

Getting to Areelu’s Lab tends to differ depending on the Mythic Paths you chose. However, it’s clear that you’ll be able to visit the location in Act 3. Make sure you do just that, completing the objectives outlined in our Areelu’s Lab guide.

Next, in Act 5, you’ll head to Iz, where you’re presented a choice between rescuing Crusaders/reclaiming the Sword of Valor banner or rushing to Galfrey and the Temple. You’ll need to head to the Temple so you can grab the Glass Key and Key Crystal. Both these items are required for the secret ending. Once you’re done with that, you’ll want to defeat Deskari (i.e., he’ll fall down the chasm instead of flying away).

In any case, you should then have an errand that sends you back to Areelu’s Lab in Act 5, whereupon you’ll be able to open a golden portal. In this secret area, you’ll find the necessary items and dialogue checks/flags.

Lexicon of Paradox

The Lexicon of Paradox is an important document:

• You can pick up the first page in Areelu’s Lab during Act 3.
• The second page is in Nocticula’s Palace/House of Silken Shadows in Act 4. It’s in the small library to the left once you enter.

As long as both pages are in your inventory (i.e., you never gave them away), you’ll be able to combine them by right-clicking on the items. However, be forewarned that this entails multiple skill checks (i.e., World 41, Arcana 40, Nature 38, Religion 40, and Perception 31). Should you fail, that’s that. One alternative is to gather all the Elven Notes for the Storyteller, as doing so allows you to bypass the skill checks to decipher the Lexicon’s message.

Suture

You’ll first encounter Suture in Areelu’s Lab in Act 3. Do not attack or kill him, as he needs to stay alive throughout the game. You’ll meet him again in various locations:

• Act 4: Nexus – You’ll find him at the bottom of the caves. He’ll run off and use one of the teleporter crystals, but there’s another one so you’ll still be able to make your way to the city.
• Act 4: Fleshmarkets – It looks like he got captured by the slavers. You can either pay them off or fight the baddies to rescue him.
• Act 4: Nocticula’s Palace – When you meet Areelu in Nocticula’s Palace, you’ll need to select specific replies:
  • “What are you doing here, Areelu? And with Suture in tow.”
  • “Why was that whole ploy with the lab necessary? You were ready to sacrifice your servant, Suture, for it.”
  • [Perception check] “Look at that, I actually provoked a reaction…”
• You’ll spot Suture again in Threshold, which we’ll discuss in the next part of our guide.

The Four Crusade Projects

There are four important Crusade Projects that need to be researched before heading to Threshold. You’ll find these projects in the Others tab:

• Act 3: Sword of Valor
• Act 5: Unusual Crystals – Becomes available if you manage to pick up a Nahyndrian Crystal from a Demon Lord (i.e., hit Baphomet with a Midnight Bolt at the end of Act 4).
• Act 5: Records of Pulura’s Stargazers – Acquired only if you attacked and killed Mutasafen in Pulura’s Fall.
• Act 5: Areelu Vorlesh’s Drafts – Obtained from the secret area in Areelu’s Lab. You might get two of these projects, which seems to be a bug. Research both of them just in case.

Important Moments

Apart from the above, there are also some crucial moments:

• Act 3: Midnight Fane – While exploring the dungeon, you’ll want to rescue Yaniel.
• Act 4: Mage Tower and Harem of Ardent Dreams – You’ll visit these locations during Act 4:
  • Talk to the Storyteller in the Mage Tower. Tell him about the Purple Stone Knife and he’ll reveal that it’s a Nahyndrian Crystal.
  • When speaking with Shamira of the Ardent Dream, do not mention the knife. Then, think to yourself regarding the true nature of the crystals.
• Act 4: Nocticula’s Palace – There are a couple of important conversations here:
  • Areelu and Suture conversation mentioned above. Remember to start with: “What are you doing here, Areelu? And with Suture in tow.”
  • Shortly thereafter, Areelu will offer you power. You’re given three options: Touch the essence, refuse the power, or “That’s not going to work. You need to tell me everything first.”
  • Do not accept this power yet. Instead, choose to ask more questions. Eventually, you’ll get a Perception check (i.e., “provoked a reaction…”).
  • Upon exhausting the replies, Areelu will say: “You are seeking answers, trying to understand the crux of the matter. That is good.”

• Act 5: Ineluctable Prison – At the start of Act 5, ask Iomedae about the Hand of the Inheritor so you receive a quest that takes place in the Ineluctable Prison. Make your way inside the dungeon, doing the puzzles as you go along, and take out the corrupted Hand of the Inheritor boss. After beating him, do not leave yet. Instead, head to the northwestern section that looks like a dark cavern. One path takes you to the Father of Worms boss, but the other one closer to the dungeon wall should have an Athletics check. Jump down to meet the ghost of Hepzamirah. Choose the second, third, and fourth dialogue options to learn about how Archpriestesses are able to summon Demon Lords.
• Act 5: Iz – Again, be aware of two integral tidbits in the Iz dungeon:
  • Temple – Prioritize going to the Temple before anything else. This allows you to pick up the Glass Key and Crystal Key. If you go elsewhere, Deskari’s locust swarms will destroy the Temple, and you won’t be able to grab these important items.
  • Deskari boss fight – When you fight Deskari in Iz, make sure you kill the Demon Lord. If you do it right, the Commander will blast him and he’ll fall down the crevice. If you take too long, Deskari will crack the floor open, but he’ll just fly down below.
• Act 5: Areelu’s Lab – After you get the Glass Key and Key Crystal in Iz, return to Areelu’s Lab to do the necessary steps in the secret area.

When to Head to Threshold

Last but not the least, check the calendar at the upper-right section of the world map. You should only go to Threshold during the month of Gozran (i.e., the fourth month) from Day 16 to 21. If it’s well past this point, then you’ll need to skip several days. Thankfully, the year doesn’t matter.

In any case, once you’re ready, it’s time to travel to the game’s final dungeon. There’s gonna be quite a conversation with Areelu and you need to make the right choices. We talk about these in the next part of our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous secret ending guide.

Screenshot by PC Invasion