Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon News

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We know we’ve been more on the quiet side lately, but that’s because we’ve been working VERY hard on Tainted Grail to bring you something REALLY amazing! This update will be quite hefty, but there’s a lot of big and important news coming your way. Many of you have been waiting for this, so stay tuned![/p][p][/p][p]Before going further, we’d like to once again THANK YOU SO MUCH for playing Tainted Grail and supporting us along the wavy and shaky development road :D With our biggest post-release update so far (version 1.1), we aimed to address most of your commonly reported issues and requests. Since then, we’ve seen tons of positive comments and reviews on Steam, so seriously, keep that feedback coming because you’re being heard! You can consider yourselves a vital part of Tainted Grail, Travelers![/p][p][/p][p]Okay, back to the juicy part![/p][p][/p][p]Today, we are extremely proud to announce 3 things! [/p]

• [p]> New Patch (1.15) with some important improvements [/p]
• [p]> Free DLC with some extra content [/p]
• [p]> New, fully fledged expansion - Sanctuary of Sarras! 
  [/p]

[p]We’ve yet again collaborated with the one and only WolfheartFPS to bring you a video overview of the contents of this update! Check it out right here:[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Or go directly to his channel! https://youtu.be/eLuIr9NTi-I[/p][p][/p][p]Let us start with….[/p][p][/p][p]Say hello to Patch 1.15, our new update that has just been released on Steam! Before listing all the patch notes, let’s start with what has been our #1 priority for this patch: optimization across all platforms.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve constantly been going through the game top to bottom, searching for things to optimize. With today’s patch, the biggest improvements should be seen on Xbox. Our internal testing shows a significant performance boost of around 20+ more FPS.[/p][p][/p][p]These optimizations should also help older or weaker PCs run the game better, although, as always with PC, it heavily depends on your hardware. Modern or high-end PCs probably won’t see much difference, but the game should run better overall. Our internal testing also shows an improvement of around 2–3 FPS on Steam Deck and PS5.[/p][p][/p][p]Now, regarding PlayStation 5: we’re working really hard on this platform, but the issues we’re facing mostly come from how Unity handles graphics on PS5 (which we can’t change) and, unfortunately, memory allocation as well. This makes fixes tricky, but we’re digging through systems and rewriting parts of the game to find any solutions.[/p][p][/p][p]Our internal testing shows that we’re getting closer to significantly reducing crashes, and we hope to push an update that should help with this when Sarras launches. This crash-fixing patch will, of course, be available to everyone, not only to people who decide to buy Sarras.[/p][p][/p][p]All in all, the struggle for better performance on PS5 continues, and we’re doing everything we can on our end to improve the situation. We hope to have more good news in February, but we can’t promise anything; it’s not entirely in our hands. Still, today’s patch should offer a small boost to performance and stability. We’re really sorry for all the trouble, and thank you for your patience.[/p][p][/p][p]Now, for the rest of the patch notes![/p][p][/p][p]Gameplay:[/p]

• [p]Three items that were meant to land in 1.1 were missing. They should now be available:[/p]
  • [p]Sanguine Heart amulet → Corrupted Temple (in the secret cave) [/p]
  • [p]Pendant of Endless Study amulet → Gates of Knowledge (in Kingie's room) [/p]
  • [p]Harness of Inverse Right → Tomb of a Knight [/p]
• [p]An old item that was no longer available has been added again: Phantom Helmet in a chest at Kings Road Bridge [/p]
• [p]You can now access your stash at the boosted fireplace[/p]
• [p]Butterfly items are no longer consumable and can’t be placed in the quick-use slot[/p]
• [p]NG+ experience gained from quests and enemies has been tweaked[/p]
• [p]Mana Shield effect is now calculated before kill-prevention checks[/p]
• [p]Wyrdspawns should no longer spawn during dialogues[/p]
• [p]Hero no longer slows down when reaching shallow water[/p]
• [p]Buff/Debuff strength and duration now affect more statuses[/p]
• [p]Updated selection of items sold by Hjarn[/p]
• [p]Lowered Tempest Alliance increase to Mana Shield: 1% -> 0.25% per Perception point[/p]
• [p]Druid Shrines in Cuanacht now increase Mana Regeneration and Stamina Regeneration by a flat amount instead of a percentage, fixing inconsistencies depending on your mana regen at shrine completion
  [/p]

[p]Quests:[/p]

• [p]In Price of Healing, Lord Yvain can now be convinced to fund the hospital once the Cuanacht main quest is complete[/p]
• [p]Improved and repaired objective tracking in Hollow Blessings: it now correctly tracks the amount of collected herbs[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where the player could start For the Silent after finishing the Úlfr tribe main storyline[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue in Gunnvaldr Stronghold where the player was sometimes forced into dialogue with Frode even if he was already dead[/p]
• [p]Fixed looping dialogue and quest markers for Ulick in Handy Business[/p]
• [p]Completed quests should no longer show quest markers in certain edge cases
  [/p]

[p]UI:[/p]

• [p]Added vignette and chromatic aberration toggles in the settings[/p]
• [p]Added an option to change the game’s font[/p]
• [p]Relic level now displays on items, and descriptions reflect the correct relic level[/p]
• [p]Fixed magic item tooltip separator visibility when only Mana Cost is displayed[/p]
• [p]UI asset rendering and structure optimized to boost performance, visuals, and load speed while minimizing memory usage[/p]
• [p]Equipped items and tools are no longer affected by bulk options in stash and shops[/p]
• [p]Fixed incorrectly cropped or wrong journal entries
  [/p]

[p]Audio:[/p]

• [p]Voiceovers re-post-production should now fix loudness inconsistencies for dialogue lines: Osbryht, Cillian, Dicun, Drest, Imram, Vidar, Sir Vast, Self, Orlaith, Alma, Foxglove, Vorick, Gavrel, Ailei, SickBeggar, Pravda, Endrik, Briar, Neante, Asgall, Therrov, Ughwe, Berg, Betrys, Huardoc, Heber, Cinnamonsage, Rhys[/p]

[p]Controllers:[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where DualSense controllers were sometimes detected incorrectly, breaking integration[/p][p][/p]

[p]Modding:[/p]

• [p]\[Will be implemented tomorrow due to a delay] The mono modding branch requiring a password has been removed; you now have access to a public branch called "mono" without a password[/p][p][/p]

[p]Minor / Misc:[/p]

• [p]Added visual effect indicators to the HP bar; Bleed, Poison, and Burn now trigger unique graphic overlays[/p]
• [p]Armour weight modifiers in the Equipment UI now account for proficiency bonuses[/p]
• [p]Crimson Cave now has a new discovery marker[/p]
• [p]Improved visuals and concept for the FireRune spell[/p]
• [p]Some bandits should no longer drop 0-stack arrows[/p]
• [p]Fixed pixelated snow in the Forlorn Swords area[/p]
• [p]Debug Console QoL: toggle.debug-shortcuts is now saved between game sessions
  [/p]

[p]Now, let's move to the big one![/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p]We’re super excited to announce Sanctuary of Sarras, the first full-fledged expansion for Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon![/p][p][/p][p]And it’s coming closer than you think; watch our announcement trailer to know more:[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Sanctuary of Sarras expansion* launches December 15, 2025, at 1 PM EST / 7 PM CET on Steam and consoles! That’s right, just one week left! Let that sink in.[/p][p][/p][p]*We are calling it expansion instead of DLC, as we feel a new, fresh adventure for 15 USD should not be in the same category as a few cosmetic skins :D [/p][p][/p][p]Okay, cool, but what is the Sanctuary of Sarras about?
[/p][p]The journey will take you into the titular sanctuary, a realm shaped by the deep sea. Ancient structures rise from the ever-shifting currents, and forgotten paths pulse with the life of a submerged world. But try not to get charmed, as when you begin to explore the unknown, the true nature of Sarras starts to surface.[/p][p][/p][p]For six centuries, the fate of Sarras and its rebel crew has been shrouded in myth. Now, a hidden passage reveals a path into the past. In a completely new storyline, follow the trail of Nimue and the deserters who challenged King Arthur. Piece together the truth behind their disappearance and Merlin’s horrible retribution.[/p][p][/p][p]So yeah! This will be practically like a whole new act for the game, with 10-15 hours of gameplay, a new storyline, interesting characters, and multiple side quests! As mentioned before, there are TONS of new content coming. Not to spoil everything, but some of them are:[/p]

• [p]4 new epic bosses,[/p]
• [p]12 unique regular enemies,[/p]
• [p]more than 20 hand-crafted dungeons & interiors,[/p]
• [p]over 100 equipment pieces, including armor (#FashionGrail), melee weapons, bows, rings, amulets, spells, relics… [/p]

[p][/p][p]The expansion will also feature an alternate progression system! Activate sacred shrines to gain special skill points to spend within three new, distinct skill trees. You can level them all up at the same time, and choose which one is active at any moment. This will allow you to change your build on the fly and adapt quickly![/p][p][/p][p]For those interested, you don’t need to finish the game to enter the expansion zone! To access the Sanctuary of Sarras, you’ll only need to have Cuanacht (act 2) unlocked.[/p][p][/p][p]You know screen-dumping is our tradition, so we have to preserve it this time, too :D Enjoy this never-before-shown set of Sanctuary of Sarras screenshots:[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]How much will the expansion cost?[/p][p][/p][p]Sanctuary of Sarras will be available for 14,99 USD on Steam (or your regional equivalent).[/p][p][/p][p]More info about the expansion coming soon, so stay tuned![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][p]We have also decided to add some extra content for free to the core game! We hope that you will enjoy this free addition ;) 
[/p][p]Take a peek at the screenshots below, or check all of that (along with patch 1.15 highlights) in our trailer: [/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]You will get 5 completely new armor sets, serving as rewards for your in-game achievements.[/p]

• [p]Fore-Dweller: finish the I See A Darkness quest.[/p]
• [p]Champion: kill the Wyrdstalker.[/p]
• [p]Harbinger: finish the Thing On The Doorstep quest.[/p]
• [p]Weaver: resolve the mysterious encounters with the Weaver.[/p]
• [p]Unhallowed Divinity: finish the Menhir Rites quest.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Along with that, the DLC includes alternative looks for Qrko (your cute little pet), King Arthur and Caradoc.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You can try them out RIGHT NOW! :D[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]This free DLC is now available, and you should be able to see & download it in the DLC section on our Steam page![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Let’s quickly summarize all of this up:[/p]

1. [p]Our first expansion, Sanctuary of Sarras, is launching in a week from today: December 15, at 1 PM EST / 7 PM CET.[/p]
2. [p]Our first FREE Bonus Content DLC #1 is out now…[/p]
3. [p]… and so is the patch 1.15 for the game![/p]

[p][/p][p]Even for us, sleep-deprived indie gamedevs, this is quite a lot for one update! :D But at the same time, this is a result of our passion for Tainted Grail, and RPGs in general, and we’re honestly quite proud of it![/p][p][/p][p]We hope you’ll like all the new stuff as much as we do. Feel free to share your thoughts regarding Sanctuary of Sarras, as well as the new armor sets, alternative looks for characters, and patch 1.15 contents! We’re excited to hear your thoughts![/p][p][/p][p]This is going to be a crazy week! Talk to you soon, and see you in the Sanctuary![/p][p][/p][p]All the best,
Awaken Realms / Questline[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p][/p][p]Hey everyone! [/p][p][/p][p]The Steam Awards 2025 nominations have recently started. We've already received numerous nominations and new positive Steam reviews related to the process, and we're very grateful for them! [/p][p][/p][p]If you feel like Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon deserves your votes, we encourage you to cast them! There are several categories to choose from, but if we were to suggest only one, it would be the "Outstanding Story-Rich Game". But obviously, it's totally up to you which category to choose! [/p][p][/p][p]Once again, thank you so much for all the nominations and positive reviews. Your support means the world to us. Stay tuned for more, as this is not the end of our journey with Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon! [/p][p][/p][p]Stay safe, [/p][p]Awaken Realms & Questline[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Major[/h2]

• [p]\[41%] Added a shader preloading timeout after 25s per shader collection for players having issues with getting stuck at 41%[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with Triskelion Core killing the player on save load[/p]
• [p]Fixed a stack overflow crash caused by Frozen Seer's Vestment and a specific talent when leveling up/changing a stat. Other similar items likely could also cause this crash and should be patched as well[/p]
• [p]Fixed an edge case when spam selling/moving to stash that could hang the game[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where items that modified damage type could leak the bonus increasing/decreasing for every next instance. The most visible case was enemies healing when dealt melee retaliation by the player[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with blind and boots of roots that could cause the player to be unable to move[/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]Minor[/h2]

• [p]Priestess Cape, Sirja’s cape and spellgorger will have their upgrade level reset and resources returned to you for the nerfs in previous versions[/p]
• [p]Fixed Absorption spell Heavy Cast[/p]
• [p]Updated Thorn Helmet to scale with Item Levels and NG+[/p]
• [p]Fixed an harmless error in Tranquility talent[/p]
• [p]Changed Ice Weaver projectile VFX to better fit the theme[/p]
• [p]Nerfed Druid's Talisman Mana Cost NG+ scaling 50%>5%[/p]
• [p]Fixed an error sometimes occuring when using Flamegorged or Frostwoven Breastplates[/p]
• [p]Fixed an error with a transmogrified Thunderous Greatbow[/p]
• [p]Fixed an error with Tiresome Weave talent occurring when critically hitting non-living targets[/p]
• [p]Fixed flame heart amulet (project name: fire starter) modified damage not being taken into account for elemental damage armor and having possible side effects of healing the enemy[/p]

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is one of the more surprising successes of 2025. Questline's open-world RPG gives Arthurian legend the Elder Scrolls treatment, letting players explore a decaying, war-torn version of Avalon while guided by the ghost of King Arthur...
Read more.