Version 0.35 · eight final forms, sixteen retained path combinations.
Three additional Journey marks, then 3 Charge.After choosing a first path, earn three additional Journey marks, then pay 3 Charge to ascend once. Keep the chosen path, damage, readiness, Route and Journey marks. Gain +2 Force and +2 Guard; Insight is unchanged. Defeat preserves forms but removes all marks and restarts recovery. Before ascending, defeat resets the requirement to three fresh marks. No further stages.
Example: choose a first path at 3 marks, then ascend at 6. If the first upgrade is delayed until 4 marks, ascend at 7. Marks are not spent; Renown is not paid. Ascending does not heal or ready a character. Start a new match to enable these rules; older saves retain their rule edition.
Hearthbound · Brindle
Atlasheart
After this Companion Explores, heal every friendly character at its Route, including itself, by 1. Stacks with Hearthkeeper's chosen-target heal.
Hearthkeeper: 3 Force / 9 Guard / 2 Insight
Trailblazer: 5 Force / 7 Guard / 1 Insight
Hearthbound · Korr
Living Rampart
Other friendly characters at this Route take 1 less Challenge damage, minimum 1 for a positive hit. Does not stack with Sheltering Glow or another Living Rampart. Works while exhausted; does not protect itself.
Shellwarden: 4 Force / 9 Guard / 1 Insight
Bridgewright: 4 Force / 7 Guard / 2 Insight
Skyrunners · Vey
Horizon Regent
After this Companion's first Explore on each of its owner's turns, draw 1 card.
Windguide: 4 Force / 7 Guard / 2 Insight
Stormwing: 6 Force / 7 Guard / 1 Insight
Skyrunners · Nima
Starweave Sage
When making its normal move, you may pay 1 additional Charge to stay ready. Adjacency and the once-per-turn normal movement limit still apply.
Chartweaver: 3 Force / 7 Guard / 2 Insight
Stormdancer: 5 Force / 6 Guard / 2 Insight
Veilborn · Nyxara
Threshold Empress
Nyxara's Unseal costs 0 Charge. Its once-per-turn limit and the closed-Netherway requirement still apply.
Gate Sovereign: 3 Force / 8 Guard / 2 Insight
Curse Oracle: 5 Force / 7 Guard / 1 Insight
Veilborn · Morrow
Phantom Sovereign
After exploring the Netherway and emerging exhausted, deal 1 damage to every opposing Ally at the exit Route, before resolving the chosen path's optional effect. Does not damage Companions.
Riftstalker: 6 Force / 6 Guard / 1 Insight
Echo Pilgrim: 4 Force / 7 Guard / 2 Insight
Ironmaw · Rauk
Crown of Ruin
This Companion's own Challenges deal +1 damage against ready defenders. This is Challenge damage and can contribute to Cleave excess.
Siegebreaker: 6 Force / 8 Guard / 1 Insight
Pack Bastion: 4 Force / 9 Guard / 1 Insight
Ironmaw · Skara
Dreadfang Matriarch
The first time on each of its owner's turns that this Companion's own Challenge defeats an opposing Ally, regain 1 Charge, up to capacity. Companions, Tactics and Cleave spillover do not trigger it.
Eightfold Ravager: 6 Force / 6 Guard / 1 Insight
Fang Sovereign: 7 Force / 7 Guard / 1 Insight
Paired before/after ascension experiment; 768 matches per condition; fresh seeds 23000–23001, all six matchups, four Companion combinations, both seats and starts, all four policy pairings. Early means rounds 1–3. Guard 5, recovery and hostile Orchard enabled in both. Heuristic AI and only two seeds limit inference; not human balance validation. No tuning after results. Ascensions are late-game options; adoption counts are reported.
Ascension occurred in 14 of 768 enabled matches. This is a rare late-game option under these AI policies. Five Companions did not naturally ascend in this small-seed sample. Separately, all eight forms and both first paths completed 128 prepared late-game regression matches with per-action save round-trips; those prepared scenarios are not balance evidence. Dedicated ability and UI checks passed. Browser layout review remains pending.