Grim Dawn patch 1.3.0 takes you to the peaks of Asterkarn. The upcoming expansion for the game introduces a new faction, the Kurn, along with a new area to explore. However, that’s not all. Along with new content, there are several quality-of-life improvements across the board for the game, many of which aren’t related to Fangs of Asterkarn.
Since the announcement, the developers have been sharing more details about the new expansion for Grim Dawn. It's releasing sometime in the first half of 2026, so let’s find out all the interesting changes coming to the game.
Note: The Fangs of Asterkarn expansion is in active development, so expect changes or additions before final release.
What’s coming with the Grim Dawn patch 1.3.0
Ascendant Mode and Affix Rerolling
Ascendant can only drop in Ascendant Mode (Image via Crate Entertainment)Ascension, or the Ascendant Mode, is a new in-game difficulty available only after reaching level 100. While playing in this difficulty, you’ll get Ascendant drops, which are items with powerful bonuses as a third affix. It can act as a damage conversion or further improve your stats in a way that may not be possible through regular means.
In addition to that, you also have new in-game mechanics like Tempest Totems, Marked by the Void, and Resplendent Troves. There’s also a secret boss, The Dread, which is attracted to destruction and will appear randomly. As per the devs, it’s not going to be an easy fight.
Affix rerolling will soon be a possibility (Image via Crate Entertainment)Apart from the new difficulty, there is also the individual Affix Rerolling feature in Grim Dawn Fangs of Asterkarn. It will allow you to craft the item you need without disrupting the perfect rolls, and yes, you can also reroll the special Ascendant affixes, meaning all you need is a good weapon with the third affix.
Also Read: Is Grim Dawn worth it for a solo player?
Item Awakening and New Items
Turn your Epics into Legendries (Image via Crate Entertainment)The Awakening process allows you to upgrade an Epic item and unlock its Legendary potential by using Ashes of Awakening. It adds new modifiers to the item, making it stronger while keeping the existing mods intact. The reason for this change is to make old items viable.
Fangs of Asterkarn is bringing over 200 new items to the game, but they won’t be accessible right away. Awakening allows you to improve your existing gear, so you’ll be able to jump into more challenging content without any issues.
New Class
The Berserker class is coming with patch 1.3.0 (Image via Crate Entertainment)Grim Dawn’s new expansion will add a new character class, Berserker, to the game. They allow you to shapeshift into two beast forms: the Werewolf and the Wereraven. We all know what the first one is, but Wereraven is something new. It’s a humanoid raven that is primarily a ranged fighter.
The transformations are temporary, but you can increase their duration or even make them permanent with modifiers. However, if you prefer traditional combat, the Berserker also features various mechanics like Warcires and an extensive skill tree. Like all other classes in Grim Dawn, you can combine Berserker with others to form a new class and choose the gameplay style you want.
Stash changes
The old (left) and the new (right) stash in Grim Dawn (Image via Crate Entertainment)At the moment, your stash is simply a storage to keep your items, but apart from auto-sorting to save space, there’s no dedicated tab to stack crafting materials and other items. With Grim Dawn’s patch 1.3.0, your smuggler will keep resources in their respective tabs.
The image above showcases the current stash on the left and the updated one coming in the Fangs of Asterkarn expansion. While a simple change, it’ll be much more convenient knowing all of your materials will transfer to a single location, so you don’t have to scurry through all of the stash tabs.
Alongside dedicated tabs for materials, patch 1.3.0 will also let you rename and add custom markers to individual stash tabs to help identify where you stashed an item. At the moment, they have an image of a treasure chest. Note that the stash changes are universal and do not require you to own the expansion.
UI changes
New main menu UI in Grim Dawn (Image via Crate Entertainment)Grim Dawn Fangs of Asterkarn expansion is also bringing a slight UI overhaul. While it’s nothing major, the devs are aiming to provide a cleaner look. The character selection from the main menu is on the left in patch 1.3.0, along with settings and the multiplayer section.
The Play and Difficult options are at the center bottom, while the community and guides also have better visuals to convey that they are hyperlinks. Additionally, there’s also a new DLC option if you’re planning to try the new Berserker class.
New Stash and health bar UI (Image via Crate Entertainment)Within the game, the first thing you’ll notice is the new orb display for life and mana. Originally, the game features flat displays for both of them, which, in my opinion, looks a lot better. There will be an option to swap between the old and new UI. Once again, the changes affect the entire game, so you’ll see them even if you don’t own any expansion.
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Edited by Mayank Singh Rathour

1 hour ago
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English (US)