Special challenge path
Special challenge paths are types of ascension runs that add variant rules and restrictions to the base game.
A new special challenge path debuts in the Spring, Summer, and Fall of each year. A challenge path is considered to be current or "in season" during its first three months.
Completing a special challenge path awards an additional 50 Karma for a Normal run or an additional 100 Karma for a Hardcore run, if the run started while the path was current. A run started outside of the initial season will earn an additional 50 Karma if it is a first of that path for a player (normal or hardcore). Additionally, a Thwaitgold statuette will drop from The Naughty Sorceress' final form or the equivalent final boss.
Playing the current special challenge path has additional restrictions and benefits:
- You are under standard restrictions, not allowed to use limited-time content that is older than January of (path's starting date's year minus 2). For example, in the Spring 2018 challenge path which begins February 15, 2018, and ends May 14, 2018, you are not allowed to use limited-time content from before January 2016.
- Standard restrictions end when Ronin ends. Standard does not apply when a special challenge path is no longer current.
- For some paths, you will receive a special path-specific reward for completing a run (beating the final boss) while it is still current.
No. | Season | Path | Description | Reward | Aftercore differences |
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45 | Fall 2024
August 15, 2024 to |
Avant Guard |
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44 | Summer 2024
May 15, 2024 to |
11 Things I Hate About U |
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43 | Spring 2024
February 15, 2024 to |
WereProfessor |
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42 | Fall 2023
August 15, 2023 to |
A Shrunken Adventurer Am I |
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41 | Summer 2023
May 15, 2023 to |
Legacy of Loathing |
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40 | Spring 2023
February 15, 2023 to |
Avatar of Shadows Over Loathing |
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39 | Fall 2022
August 15, 2022 to |
Fall of the Dinosaurs |
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38 | Summer 2022
May 15, 2022 to |
Journeyman |
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37 | Spring 2022
February 15, 2022 to |
Grey You |
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36 | Fall 2021
August 15, 2021 to |
Wildfire |
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35 | Summer 2021
May 15, 2021 to |
Quantum Terrarium |
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34 | Spring 2021
February 14, 2021 to |
You, Robot |
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33 | Fall 2020
August 15, 2020 to |
Grey Goo |
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32 | Summer 2020
May 15, 2020 to |
Low Key Summer |
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31 | Spring 2020
February 15, 2020 to |
Path of the Plumber |
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30 | Fall 2019
August 15, 2019 to |
Kingdom of Exploathing |
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29 | Summer 2019
May 15, 2019 to |
Two Crazy Random Summer |
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28 | Spring 2019
February 15, 2019 to |
Dark Gyffte |
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27 | Fall 2018
August 15, 2018 to |
Disguises Delimit |
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26 | Summer 2018
May 15, 2018 to |
G-Lover |
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25 | Spring 2018
Feb 15, 2018 to |
Pocket Familiars |
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24 | Fall 2017
Aug 14, 2017 to |
Live. Ascend. Repeat. |
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23 | Summer 2017
May 15, 2017 to |
License to Adventure |
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22 | Spring 2017
Feb 15, 2017 to |
Gelatinous Noob |
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21 | Fall 2016
Aug 15, 2016 to |
Nuclear Autumn |
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20 | Summer 2016
May 15, 2016 to |
The Source |
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19 | Spring 2016
Feb 15, 2016 to |
Avatar of West of Loathing |
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18 | Fall 2015
Aug 15, 2015 to |
Community Service |
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17 | Summer 2015
May 15, 2015 to |
One Crazy Random Summer |
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16 | Spring 2015
Feb 15, 2015 to |
Actually Ed the Undying |
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15 | Winter 2014
Nov 15, 2014 to |
Picky |
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14 | Fall 2014
Aug 15, 2014 to |
Heavy Rains |
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13 | Summer 2014
May 15, 2014 to |
Slow and Steady |
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12 | Spring 2014
Feb 15, 2014 to |
Avatar of Sneaky Pete |
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11 | Winter 2013
Nov 15, 2013 to |
Class Act II: A Class For Pigs |
(Before May 14, 2014)
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10 | Fall 2013
Aug 15, 2013 to |
KOLHS |
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9 | Summer 2013
May 15, 2013 to |
BIG! |
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8 | Spring 2013
Feb 15, 2013 to |
Avatar of Jarlsberg |
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7 | Winter 2012
Nov 15, 2012 to |
Class Act |
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6 | Fall 2012
Aug 15, 2012 to |
Zombie Slayer |
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5 | Summer 2012
May 15, 2012 to |
Bugbear Invasion |
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4 | Spring 2012
Feb 15, 2012 to |
Avatar of Boris |
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3 | Winter 2011
Nov 15, 2011 to |
Trendy |
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2 | Fall 2011
Aug 15, 2011 to |
Way of the Surprising Fist |
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1 | Summer 2011
May 17, 2011 to |
Bees Hate You |
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In-Season Rewards
These are special rewards given to those who complete a special challenge path while it is in-season.
- This reward is given only if the run is started while it is still current. That means as long as the path is current when started, you will receive the in-season reward.
- If your run exceeds 1000 turns in a normal ascension and breaks ronin you are released from standard restrictions, but you can still get the in-season reward.
Commendations
Challenge Path Commendations are special rewards given to players whose ascension is listed on an in-game challenge path leaderboard (either Normal or Hardcore) at the end of that path's season. These commendations appear on a player's profile, and are awarded based on placement within the leaderboard:
Leaderboard Position | Commendation |
---|---|
#1 (1 per season) |
Gold Star |
#2 - #12 (11 per season) |
Silver Moon |
#13 - #35 (23 per season) |
Bronze Button |
Commendations are accompanied by a message from the Leaderboard Robot (#3737):
Dear <playername>,
Your position on the final <pathname> <ascension type> leaderboard entitles to you to a <commendation type>.
Now everybody that looks at your profile will know how awesome you are. Or were, at the end of the <pathname> season.
Love,
The Magical Mystical Mighty Meritorious Misanthropic Masterful Magnanimous Masticating Muhahahahah-ing Leaderboard Robot
There is one new adjective on the last line each season, added onto the other ones. The earliest recorded was "Magical Mystical" when Avatar of Boris was the current path.
For either Sneaky Pete or Slow and Steady "Muhahahahah-ing" was removed and replaced with "Meddling." Also, line breaks were added to the format. As of Avatar of West of Loathing, "Maddening" has been replaced by "Maniacal Much-Loved".
Dear <playername>,
Your position on the final <pathname> <ascension type> leaderboard entitles to you to a <commendation type>.
Now everybody that looks at your profile will know how awesome you are. Or were, at the end of the <pathname> season.
Love,
The Magical Mystical Mighty Meritorious
Misanthropic Masterful Magnanimous
Masticating Meddling Marauding Maudlin
Malingering Metamorphic Maniacal
Much-Loved Mind-Bending Majestic
Masochistic Majesty's-Secret- Service-Serving Monotonous Monotonous Monotonous
Merry-Making Mechanical Merry-Crimboing Much-Belated
Machiavellian Marioesque Maurading Macrocephalous Morphing
Mellow Monday-loving Mentoring Mesozoic Matronly Miniature
Leaderboard Robot
Commendations may not be received immediately following the end of a path; some manual intervention by KoL's admins is required. A player can only earn 1 commendation for Normal and 1 for Hardcore. In challenge paths with multiple leaderboards for multiple classes (eg Class Act-types with 6 classes × 2 formats = 12 boards or subsequently Avatar of West of Loathing with 3 classes × 2 formats = 6 boards), being on multiple boards for the same ascension type will still only yield 1 commendation of the highest eligible type.
Having a commendation allows access to the /challenge chat channel.
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