Stats:
No. of players: 1-4
Amount of time to play: 90-120 min
Age requirements: 13+
Set-up time: 5 min

Wrath of the Righteous is the latest base set in the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game series. It follows the same formula as previous sets with a few new additions.

Wrath of the Righteous Rules Description:

Wrath of the Righteous is a stand-alone game and not just an expansion. If you have not played any of the games in this series read my overview and review of the Rise of the Runelords. This post is going to mainly focus on the new elements introduced in Wrath of the Righteous.

There are two major additions in this base set. One is cohorts. Cohorts are like powerful allies that are easier to get into your hand. If your character starts with a cohort they are set aside and you add them to your hand after your initial draw. Some scenarios let all players start with a cohort.

Other new elements are mythic paths and charges. Mythic paths are chosen after you finish adventure pack 1. Mythic charges are gained at the beginning of a scenario or when killing a foe with the mythic keyword. Depending on the mythic path you chose you get a bonus to different checks and may spend one charge to replace your highest die with a d20. You may also spend five mythic charges to use the unique special ability that is listed on your mythic path card.

Some items start the game corrupted, but you can redeem them. When corrupted the items may be used but with a penalty. And once redeemed that penalty is removed. Some of the new blessings in this set are corrupted. When corrupted blessings are played from your hand you must discard a card if the top card of the blessing deck is corrupted.

The demon henchmen you face change from adventure to adventure. Certain cards will summon a servitor demon. The servitor demon is a placeholder that represents a different demon based on which adventure deck you are playing.

Of course there are a few new classes to play and brand new cards to encounter and collect.

Quick Review of Wrath of the Righteous:

Wrath of the Righteous introduces a few new elements to the usual formula for this series. It pits the players against powerful demons and the difficulty ramps up fairly quickly.

The components in this game match those in the rest of the series. The cards look good and are durable. The rules are cleaned up and easier to follow too.

Cohorts are a fun addition and give players more interesting choices. Some can be discarded to gain a decent advantage, while some just being in your hand help you every turn. Combined with the new characters it keeps the classes you can play fresh and unique.

The mythic paths seem cool, but not having access to them until you buy a couple adventure packs is annoying. I understand why the cards and rules had to be in the base set, but it’d be nice if they were applicable right away.

If you are a veteran Pathfinder Adventure Card Game player and have a group to play with you should get the Wrath of the Righteous base set. If you have tried but did not like the other games in this series, this one isn’t going to change your mind. If you are new to the series, I suggest you start with Rise of the Runelords. The increased difficulty and more complex characters in this set seem better suited to experienced players.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 3 out of 6
Luck 4 out of 6
Player Interaction 4 out of 6
Replay Value 5 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6