Special challenge path

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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 Standard does not apply when a special challenge path is no longer current.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.	Id	Season	Path	Description	Reward	Aftercore differences	IotMs with interactions
45	52	Fall 2024 August 15, 2024 to November 14, 2024	Avant Guard	Everyone in the Kingdom has a bodyguard.	Thwaitgold shield bug statuette Factoids from rare/obscure bodyguards Burly Bodyguard familiar
44	51	Summer 2024 May 15, 2024 to August 14, 2024	11 Things I Hate About U	Is are good for you and I, but Us are bad for you.	Thwaitgold Illinigina illinoiensis model Factoids from ewes
43	50	Spring 2024 February 15, 2024 to May 14, 2024	WereProfessor	You are a kindly professor inflicted with a horrible curse.	Thwaitgold wolf spider statuette Factoids	Aftercore class choice
42	49	Fall 2023 August 15, 2023 to November 14, 2023	A Shrunken Adventurer Am I	You are so tiny.	Thwaitgold fairyfly statue Factoids residual chitin paste Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Breaking the prism gives you your stats back, and multiplies your fullness and drunkenness by 10 No major benefits to staying in-path You can equip anything you have access to before breaking prism
41	48	Summer 2023 May 15, 2023 to August 14, 2023	Legacy of Loathing	Play with replica items from the past 20 years of Mr. Store!	Thwaitgold splendor beetle statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Can acquire (and keep) otherwise unavailable skills and special items that are tied to old IoTMs Can do 100% runs with familiars you do not otherwise possess	Can remain in path for weird farming tricks or to have fun with replica IoTMs Some effects from replica IoTMs may linger into aftercore, like Little Geneticist DNA-Splicing Lab intrinsics	august scepter Patriotic Eagle 2002 Mr. Store Catalog Cincho de Mayo
40	47	Spring 2023 February 15, 2023 to May 14, 2023	Avatar of Shadows Over Loathing	Play as one of the classes from the recently-released smash hit video game Shadows Over Loathing, by Asymmetric Games! No access to permanent skills Play as one of three special classes	Thwaitgold anti-moth statuette Factoids 6 Tattoos Unique-to-path boss drops	There is no class choice after freeing King Ralph - you stay as the special class you chose Keep class skills and (un)cursed boss drops in aftercore
39	46	Fall 2022 August 15, 2022 to November 14, 2022	Fall of the Dinosaurs	There's been a theme park accident, and dinosaurs have eaten all of the monsters in the Kingdom!	Thwaitgold mosquito-in-amber statuette Factoids stuffed dinosaur (needs to be bought with path currency) Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Keep items from the The Dinostaur in aftercore	Jurassic Parka
38	45	Summer 2022 May 15, 2022 to August 14, 2022	Journeyman	Journey to out-of-the-way places to find your skills.	Thwaitgold harvestman statuette The Big Book of Every Skill Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Keep skills you learn during the path
37	44	Spring 2022 February 15, 2022 to May 14, 2022	Grey You	Resistance is goo-tile.	Thwaitgold protozoa statuette Class tattoo	Aftercore class choice Reset to level 1 after freeing King Ralph XI Organs will be set to full and adventures will be reduced to 40 if higher, although you can use those adventures before breaking the prism	Grey Goose
36	43	Fall 2021 August 15, 2021 to November 14, 2021	Wildfire	The Kingdom is burning! Help put out fires while also helping with everything you usually help with.	Thwaitgold fire beetle statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Keep FDKOL Auxiliary equipment in aftercore Can still use B. L. A. R. T. skills if you have it equipped, though you can no longer gather water	industrial fire extinguisher Our Daily Candles™ order form
35	42	Summer 2021 May 15, 2021 to August 14, 2021	Quantum Terrarium	A quantum event has collapsed all of the Kingdom's Terraria into one!	Thwaitgold quantum bug statuette quantum of familiar Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Returns to a normal run, with your terrarium restored.
34	41	Spring 2021 February 14, 2021 to May 14, 2021	You, Robot	Instead of being yourself, be a big rusty junk robot!	Thwaitgold listening bug statuette Factoids	Your organs will be filled up upon breaking the prism	backup camera potted power plant
33	40	Fall 2020 August 15, 2020 to November 14, 2020	Grey Goo	A self-replicating mass of grey goo has invaded the Kingdom from the furthest reaches of space. Destroy as much of it as you can in three days!	Thwaitgold slug statuette inert grey goo ring Factoids	True Aftercore doesn't exist for this path Many zones remain inaccessible
32	39	Summer 2020 May 15, 2020 to August 14, 2020	Low Key Summer	Travel to out-of-the-way locations. Variety is key!	Thwaitgold keyhole spider statuette Manual of Lock Picking (was supposed to drop up until Lock Picking became standard-restricted, but currently still dropping) Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No significant aftercore benefits
31	38	Spring 2020 February 15, 2020 to May 14, 2020	Path of the Plumber	Jump, Hammer and Fireball your way through the Kingdom. Just like a plumber! Play as a Plumber. No access to permanent skills.	Thwaitgold buzzy beetle statuette 2 Tattoos Factoids red coin (in-season reward only)	Aftercore class choice Liver remains open on final day	packet of mushroom spores Powerful Glove
30	37	Fall 2019 August 15, 2019 to November 14, 2019	Kingdom of Exploathing	The Kingdom has been blown to bits! All Council quests are immediately available at the start of the run. Most optional locations/shops are unavailable	Thwaitgold bombardier beetle statuette Factoids The Imploded World (in-season reward only) Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No signficant Aftercore benefits Many zones remain inaccessible
29	36	Summer 2019 May 15, 2019 to August 14, 2019	Two Crazy Random Summer	Items have random modifiers	Thwaitgold nymph statuette ring Additional random modifiers for your ring Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits All effects are lost upon prism break Can remain in path to access powerful effects and turngen, but still keeping the 1,000 meat drop cap
28	35	Spring 2019 February 15, 2019 to May 14, 2019	Dark Gyffte	Play as a Vampyre. No access to permanent skills. Skills cost HP and can be reconfigured throughout your run. Food and Booze are limited to those that can be crafted with blood bags.	Thwaitgold mosquito statuette Factoids 2 Tattoos Booke of Vampyric Knowledge (in-season reward only)	Aftercore class choice Organs remain open on final day Can remain in path as a powerful all-rounder class	vampyric cloake Lil' Doctor™ bag
27	34	Fall 2018 August 15, 2018 to November 14, 2018	Disguises Delimit	Wear a mask; swap masks with enemies wearing different masks.	Thwaitgold masked hunter statuette Masks for the public profile's avatar Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits	Neverending Party invitation envelope
26	33	Summer 2018 May 15, 2018 to August 14, 2018	G-Lover	Items, effects, skills, and familiars without the letter G in their name can not be used.	Thwaitgold chigger statuette Garland of Greatness A tattoo Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits
25	32	Spring 2018 Feb 15, 2018 to May 14, 2018	Pocket Familiars	Instead of fighting monsters, pit your team of familiars against theirs! No access to permanent skills.	Thwaitgold metabug statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Keep Pokefam caps in aftercore: +100% item drop hat +4 elemental resistance hat +30 ML hat -15% combat frequency hat	packet of tall grass seeds
24	31	Fall 2017 Aug 14, 2017 to Nov 14, 2017	Live. Ascend. Repeat.	Adventure encounters, item drops, and consumption results are deterministic rather than random.	Thwaitgold time fly statuette perfectly fair coin (in-season reward only) Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits Can remain in path to have predictable monsters indefinitely
23	30	Summer 2017 May 15, 2017 to August 13, 2017	License to Adventure	Gain new secret agent skills, in addition to your permanent skills. You must clear out a super villain lair each day or face being disavowed by your superiors. You cannot eat, and booze is limited to martinis. No familiars.	Thwaitgold bug statuette License To Kill (in-season reward only) Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits Stomach remains open on final day	Kremlin's Greatest Briefcase
22	29	Spring 2017 Feb 15, 2017 to May 14, 2017	Gelatinous Noob	Play as a new class, the Gelatinous Noob, a slime with aspirations of humanity. Absorb items instead of eating and drinking. Unique skills can be obtained when absorbing items.	Thwaitgold amoeba statuette 2 Tattoos Gelatinous Hubris Trophy	Organs remain open on final day Can remain in path for weird farming tricks	Robortender
21	28	Fall 2016 Aug 15, 2016 to Nov 14, 2016	Nuclear Autumn	The rest of the planet was very recently destroyed by nuclear war, and the Kingdom is experiencing the very early stages of the apocalypse. New path-specific skills. Permanent skills are not available. Your diet is highly restricted. No campground access.	Thwaitgold cockroach statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Adventurer bobblehead (in-season reward only)	Wrist-Boy holo-records can still be used, except The Pigs holo-record or Drunk Uncles holo-record.	Trick-or-Treating Tot protonic accelerator pack
20	27	Summer 2016 May 15, 2016 to Aug 14, 2016	The Source	New path-specific skills, in addition to your permanent skills. Most sources of stat gain are reduced. Fight wandering Source Agents to gain stats.	Thwaitgold moth statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Bowl of Tastee-Wheet™ (in-season reward only)	No Aftercore benefits	Source Terminal(?)
19	26	Spring 2016 Feb 15, 2016 to May 14, 2016	Avatar of West of Loathing	Play as one of three classes, Cow Puncher, Beanslinger or Snake Oiler. Each class has ten unique skills. New wandering monsters. Some dietary restrictions apply.	Thwaitgold scorpion statuette Factoids 6 Tattoos	Continue to be a Cow Puncher, Beanslinger, or Snake Oiler after breaking prism, keeping all of your AoWoL skills, as well as all of your permed skills.	LT&T telegraph office deed
18	25	Fall 2015 Aug 15, 2015 to Nov 15, 2015	Community Service	All council quests are gone Instead, 11 tasks of community service must be completed Each task takes 60 adventures, but that can be reduced by optimizing a related stat.	Thwaitgold termite statuette	Is extremely fast and can leave most organs available Many zones remain inaccessible
17	24	Summer 2015 May 15, 2015 to Aug 14, 2015	One Crazy Random Summer	Every monster has a Monster Modifier Dice gear is automatically free-pulled Runs are ranked by Fun instead of speed	Thwaitgold caterpillar statuette dice ring (for Seal Clubbers) dice belt buckle (for Turtle Tamers) dice-print pajama pants (for Pastamancers) dice-shaped backpack (for Saucerors) dice-print do-rag (for Disco Bandits) dice sunglasses (for Accordion Thieves)	No Aftercore benefits	Puck Man
16	23	Spring 2015 Feb 15, 2015 to May 14, 2015	Actually Ed the Undying	Play as Ed the Undying! Gain Skill Points as you level up, and use them to progress in three different skill trees. Instead of familiars, servants are unlocked at certain levels, gaining new effects every 7 levels. Losing a fight takes you to The Underworld, where you can upgrade your body and buy special items for Ka coins, dropped by certain phylum of monsters. Immune to most HP Restorers; only a trip to The Underworld can heal you. You can't consume food or booze without buying the required organ, and your Spleen starts out small. No campground access.	Thwaitgold scarab beetle statuette Factoids 2 Tattoos still-beating spleen (in-season reward only) Can perm Mild Curse	Aftercore class choice Organs remain open on final day Can remain in path as a powerful all-rounder class	The Crown of Ed the Undying bottle of lovebug pheromones
15	21	Winter 2014 Nov 15, 2014 to Feb 14, 2015	Picky	Pick only 3 familiars and 11 permanent skills.	Thwaitgold nit statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only) picky tweezers (in-season reward only)	No Aftercore benefits
14	19	Fall 2014 Aug 15, 2014 to Nov 14, 2014	Heavy Rains	The Kingdom is flooded! Each water level (up to 6) adds +10 ML, +5% chance of dropped items washing away, and various other difficulties New wandering monsters, varying by water level and zone type New path-specific skills cast with new resources Rain, Lightning, and Thunder (100 max, regained through various sources, filled to 100 each rollover) and learned with the items dropped from the wanderers at water level 6 Most ascension-relevant bosses are replaced with dangerous new watery versions of their old selves	Thwaitgold spider statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only) beautiful rainbow (in-season reward only)	No Aftercore benefits Can remain in path to keep powerful Thunder, Rain, and Lightning skills at cost of Heavy Rains washing away items	Thor's Pliers
13	18	Summer 2014 May 15, 2014 to Aug 14, 2014	Slow and Steady	100 adventures each rollover, no adventure gains from other sources	Thwaitgold wheel bug statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Bottled day (in-season reward only)	No Aftercore benefits
12	17	Spring 2014 Feb 15, 2014 to May 14, 2014	Avatar of Sneaky Pete	Play as a new class, The Avatar of Sneaky Pete. Gain Skill Points with each level up, and use them in three different skill trees. In place of a familiar, you have a talking motorcycle that can be upgraded. Your stomach is small, but your liver is legendary.	Thwaitgold dragonfly statuette Factoids 2 Tattoos Cool Guy Trophy	Can fill Sneaky Pete's liver and be reduced to 14 drunk upon prism break Aftercore class choice Stomach remains open on final day	Sneaky Pete's leather jacket
11	16	Winter 2013 Nov 15, 2013 to Feb 14, 2014	Class Act II: A Class For Pigs	You cannot use other classes' Guild skills or any Traveling Trader skills. You start with all Guild skills for your class. (Before May 14, 2014) Double stat gain from monsters, but most noncombat stat gains are halved. Monsters gain additional powers at higher +ML.	Thwaitgold ant statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits
10	15	Fall 2013 Aug 15, 2013 to Nov 14, 2013	KOLHS	You must spend the first 40 Adventures of each day in high school. You may only drink illicit booze.	Thwaitgold bookworm statuette Factoids Upgradable Yearbook Club Camera Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Trophies: Purity of Essence, Ansel Adams Jr., Eleven Down, None to Go	No Aftercore benefits Can remain in path to create powerful after-school items at the cost of effective liver	Steam-Powered Cheerleader over-the-shoulder Folder Holder
9	14	Summer 2013 May 15, 2013 to August 14, 2013	BIG!	You start off at level 15, with 200 points in your mainstat, and 150 in each of your offstats. All the monsters have 150 additional attack, defense, and HP. All free runaways are non-free	Thwaitgold Goliath beetle statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	Finishes ascension with at least 200 mainstat and 150 offstats for aftercore purposes
8	12	Spring 2013 Feb 15, 2013 to May 14, 2013	Avatar of Jarlsberg	Play as a new class, The Avatar of Jarlsberg. Gain Skill Points with each level up, and use them to gain skills in four different skill trees. In place of a familiar, you may summon one of four Food Companions. Use your Cosmic Kitchen to cook up special food and weapons depending on the skills you unlocked. Your diet is restricted to food and drink from your Cosmic Kitchen.	Thwaitgold firefly statuette Factoids 2 Tattoos Cosmic Thing Trophy	Aftercore class choice	Jarlsberg's pan
7	11	Winter 2012 Nov 15, 2012 to Feb 14, 2013	Class Act	You cannot use permed skills except those from your own character class.	Thwaitgold praying mantis statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits	Summon Geeky Gifts
6	10	Fall 2012 Aug 15, 2012 to Nov 14, 2012	Zombie Slayer	Play as a new class, The Zombie Master. Unique skills can be obtained when defeating special monsters. Only unliving familiars can accompany you. Instead of MP, you have a Zombie Horde. Your liver is limited, and you can eat only brains.	Thwaitgold maggot statuette Factoids 2 Tattoos Talkative skull Familiar	Aftercore class choice Liver remains open on final day	box of bear arms
5	9	Summer 2012 May 15, 2012 to Aug 14, 2012	Bugbear Invasion	The Lair of The Naughty Sorceress is replaced by the Bugbear Mothership. Bugbears appear in many locations in the kingdom.	Thwaitgold woollybear statuette Factoids	No Aftercore benefits	Artistic Goth Kid
4	8	Spring 2012 Feb 15, 2012 to May 14, 2012	Avatar of Boris	Play as a new class, The Avatar of Boris. Unique skills can be obtained for free when you level up. Your faithful minstrel Clancy accompanies you in place of familiars. The only weapon allowed is your trusty axe Trusty. Your liver is limited, but your appetite is legendary.	Thwaitgold stag beetle statuette Factoids 2 Tattoos Request Sandwich, from note from Clancy after getting 30 skills during a run And My Axe Trophy	Aftercore class choice Liver remains open on final day	Boris's Helm
3	7	Winter 2011 Nov 15, 2011 to Feb 14, 2012	Trendy	Cannot use any limited-time content that has been unavailable for more than one year. Skills, items, and familiars are all subject to being non-trendy.	Thwaitgold butterfly statuette Stainless equipment (hardcore only)	No Aftercore benefits
2	6	Fall 2011 Aug 15, 2011 to Nov 14, 2011	Way of the Surprising Fist	Weapons and off-hand items may not be equipped. Meat gains from monsters, quests, and items are significantly reduced or non-existent. Items may not be auto-sold for meat, and meat cannot be pulled from Hagnk's. Special combat skills may be learned from certain zones.	Thwaitgold grasshopper statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Can perm Master of the Surprising Fist Trophies: Mixed Martial Arts, Hadouken!, Good Will Punching	Keep potentially powerful skills in Aftercore
1	4	Summer 2011 May 17, 2011 to Aug 14, 2011	Bees Hate You	Cannot use any items or familiars that have the letter "b" in them. Equipment with the letter "b" will cause you damage in combat. Bees attack you every 15-20 turns.	Thwaitgold bee statuette Factoids Stainless equipment (hardcore only) Reconstituted crow Familiar Buzzkill Trophy	No Aftercore benefits

Number is the running number of all challenge paths whereas id is the number used in api.php (see Paths by number).

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.

See Also

• IotM and Challenge Path Interactions

Ascension Paths
Boozetafarian	Teetotaler	Oxygenarian
Special Challenge Paths
Spring Summer Fall Winter 2011 None Bees Hate You Way of the Surprising Fist Trendy 2012 Avatar of Boris Bugbear Invasion Zombie Slayer Class Act 2013 Avatar of Jarlsberg BIG! KOLHS Class Act II: A Class For Pigs 2014 Avatar of Sneaky Pete Slow and Steady Heavy Rains Picky 2015 Actually Ed the Undying One Crazy Random Summer Community Service None 2016 Avatar of West of Loathing The Source Nuclear Autumn None 2017 Gelatinous Noob License to Adventure Live. Ascend. Repeat. None 2018 Pocket Familiars G-Lover Disguises Delimit None 2019 Dark Gyffte Two Crazy Random Summer Kingdom of Exploathing None 2020 Path of the Plumber Low Key Summer Grey Goo None 2021 You, Robot Quantum Terrarium Wildfire None 2022 Grey You Journeyman Fall of the Dinosaurs None 2023 Avatar of Shadows Over Loathing Legacy of Loathing A Shrunken Adventurer am I None 2024 WereProfessor 11 Things I Hate About U Avant Guard None 2025 Z is for Zootomist Hat Trick 11,037 Leagues Under the Sea None