Pantheon Community,
We've been calling this the “Ashbreather” update, but it’s ultimately bigger than the Ashbreathers. One of the reasons this content release was significant is because of its scope. In total, we built the Smoldering Trenches, the Ashbreather Enclave, and a small Explorer’s Camp, while also weaving these three areas together in regards to their setting and story. With this release, we've accomplished more than just additional gameplay. We've also opened the door to deeper connection with the living, breathing history of Terminus.
Ashes of the Past
The lore of Pantheon's history has always been anchored in the mysterious events that brought our playable races to this world. But few events shaped the face of Terminus after their arrival like the Deicide War.
The Smoldering Trenches exist as a haunting vestige of that terrible battle, giving us an opportunity to tell some of that story. We didn't want players to just run through the Trenches. Our goal was to help you feel the past you are standing on and within. To this end, we relied heavily on the Perception system, and based on the feedback we've gotten from players who have explored the area heavily, I think we've done a good job of piquing player interest in learning more about that period of Terminus' history.
The Enclave
Adjacent to the Smoldering Trenches is the Ashbreather Enclave, which is an important milestone for us, being our first slice of level 40+ content. When we began its development, or goal was to set an even higher standard of level design, immersion and challenging group gameplay than what our players had seen before. It was our opportunity to set the tone for what high level content in Pantheon can feel like.
We've made several practical steps forward in system integration as well. One example is that spell resistances have largely been an afterthought to players in thus far, because admittedly they haven't made much of difference. However, Fire Resistance really matters in this dungeon, with environmental lava pools and molten constructs ready to eat you alive if you aren't careful and protected.
Another example is with the Perception system. You have seen in part 1, and will see even more in part 2, the power of the system and all the cool ways we're starting to use it, not just as a vehicle for storytelling, but also as a mechanism for complex events and interactions with the environment.
And with the upcoming release of Part 2, players will finally have an opportunity to face our first multi-group encounter since Early Access began. This encounter is designed to push players at or approaching max level to their limit.
But there's more here than just a challenging fight and top tier loot. This is the culmination of a major storyline that begins at a humble, makeshift explorer's camp. We can't wait to see players uncover who our what is truly behind the living threat the Ashbreathers have become.
Why This Matters to Us
We're after something in the content we make. We want to see players engage with content not just for the rewards, but for the meaning behind it. The story. The sense of discovery.
Since the release of part 1, we’ve seen people discovering lore fragments in the Trenches and debating their implications on Discord. Others are trying to piece together the Ashbreathers’ rise from corrupted survivors to something more organized and threatening. This is the kind of engagement we’re building for. Some have said this content made the game “feel real” in a way it hadn’t before. That’s an incredible thing to hear and may be the best way to sum up our overall goal with the content we create.
At the same time, we're listening carefully to the criticisms and places where things still need to improve. For example, we’ve taken note of feedback around pacing and gear progression. Ashbreathers Part 2 will include tweaks to both Ashbreather itemization as well as adventuring itemization game-wide to reflect this feedback and create a better sense of item progression throughout the existing content (with updates to crafting itemization soon to follow).
Thank You
To each of you who has stepped foot in the Trenches or ventured into the Enclave: thank you. To each of you who continues to play and test: thank you. You are trailblazers in a world still being shaped and we could not do this without you.
Onward and upward, everyone. We will see you in Terminus!
Chris "Joppa" Perkins
The Ashbreather update part two arrives July 16, 2025. Join us in discovering the secrets within.