Developer Questline and publisher Awaken Realms revealed on December 7, 2025, that Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is getting its first major expansion. Sanctuary of Sarras launches December 15, 2025, at 1 PM EST for PC via Steam and GOG, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 4. The paid DLC introduces an entirely new underwater realm with approximately 15 hours of content, four epic bosses, over 20 hand-crafted dungeons, more than 100 equipment pieces, and a completely new progression system for around fifteen euros or dollars.
The expansion arrives alongside a free Patch 1.15 that brings important improvements to the base game and a free Bonus Content DLC #1 that adds five new armor sets as rewards for completing specific in-game achievements. This combination of paid expansion, substantial patch, and free bonus content represents Awaken Realms’ commitment to supporting Tainted Grail with meaningful post-launch updates rather than abandoning it after initial release.
What Is Sanctuary of Sarras
Sanctuary of Sarras takes players to an all-new underwater realm shaped by the sea where ancient powers dwell beneath the waves. The expansion features a unique branching storyline with fresh lore, new characters, and multiple side quests that expand Tainted Grail’s dark Arthurian mythology. This isn’t just a new zone tacked onto the existing map but a fully realized location that feels like a whole new act for the game according to developer statements.
The underwater setting distinguishes this expansion from the base game’s terrestrial environments. Exploring submerged ruins, navigating underwater passages, and discovering secrets hidden beneath Avalon’s cursed waters creates visual and mechanical variety that keeps the experience fresh for players who have exhausted the main campaign’s content. The environmental storytelling through abandoned underwater structures hints at civilizations that fell to the same corruption plaguing the surface world.
The Alternate Progression System
What makes Sanctuary of Sarras particularly interesting mechanically is the alternate progression system that fundamentally changes how character development works. Instead of following the base game’s standard leveling, the expansion introduces sacred shrines scattered throughout the underwater realm. Activating these shrines grants special skill points that players invest in three completely new, distinct skill trees.
The innovative twist is that you can level all three trees simultaneously and switch which one is active at any moment. This allows players to change builds on the fly, adapting quickly to different enemy types or combat situations without committing to a single playstyle for the entire expansion. Facing a boss weak to magic? Switch to your spellcasting tree. Need to tank through a difficult dungeon? Activate your defensive tree. This flexibility rewards experimentation and strategic thinking.
Enemy Scaling and Shrine Mechanics
The underwater enemies in Sanctuary of Sarras scale to the player’s level, keeping every encounter tense regardless of how much you’ve progressed in the base game. This addresses a common RPG problem where returning to previous areas makes them trivially easy, removing challenge and excitement. By maintaining relevant difficulty throughout the expansion, every battle demands attention and proper preparation.
The sacred shrines serve dual purposes: they weaken enemies in the surrounding area while simultaneously granting skill points for the new progression trees. This creates strategic decisions about which shrines to activate first and encourages thorough exploration to find all shrine locations. The weakening effect ensures that even scaled enemies don’t become impossibly difficult as you progress deeper into dangerous territories.
Boss Fights and Enemy Variety
Sanctuary of Sarras features four new epic bosses designed to challenge players who mastered the base game’s combat systems. While specific boss details remain under wraps to avoid spoilers, promotional materials emphasize these as centerpiece encounters worthy of preparation, strategy, and multiple attempts. Each boss presumably guards significant story progression or valuable rewards, making them gates to overcome rather than obstacles to avoid.
Beyond bosses, the expansion includes 12 unique regular enemies populating the underwater realm. This variety prevents combat from becoming repetitive during the 15-hour journey. Different enemy types require different tactical approaches, encouraging players to utilize the flexible skill tree system to adapt strategies. The combination of new enemy designs and underwater environmental hazards creates combat scenarios distinct from anything in the base game.
Loot and Equipment Bonanza
One of the most exciting aspects for completionists and fashion-conscious players is the promise of over 100 new equipment pieces. The developer specifically called out hashtag FashionGrail, acknowledging the community’s love for character customization and looking stylish while fighting eldritch horrors. The expansion includes new armor sets, melee weapons, bows, rings, amulets, spells, and relics that expand build variety significantly.
The sheer volume of equipment suggests multiple viable builds within the expansion’s progression system. Players can mix and match pieces to create synergies between gear stats and active skill tree bonuses. This depth encourages multiple playthroughs or New Game Plus runs to experiment with different equipment combinations and skill tree priorities.
Free Content Alongside Paid Expansion
Awaken Realms isn’t just asking players to pay for new content – they’re also delivering substantial free updates alongside the Sanctuary of Sarras expansion. Patch 1.15 brings important gameplay improvements that benefit all players regardless of whether they purchase the DLC. These include bug fixes, quality-of-life enhancements, and balance adjustments based on community feedback accumulated since the base game launched.
The free Bonus Content DLC #1 adds five completely new armor sets as achievement rewards. Players can earn the Fore-Dweller set by finishing the I See A Darkness quest, Champion set by killing the Wyrdstalker boss, Harbinger set by completing the Thing On The Doorstep quest, Weaver set by resolving mysterious Weaver encounters, and Unhallowed Divinity set by finishing the Menhir Rites quest. These sets give completionists new goals to chase in the base game.
Quality of Life Improvements
Patch 1.15 also addresses several specific issues that players reported. An old item, the Phantom Helmet, that was no longer available has been added back in a chest at Kings Road Bridge. Players can now access their stash at boosted fireplaces for convenience. Butterfly items are no longer consumable and can’t be placed in quick-use slots, preventing accidental use. New Game Plus experience gained from quests and enemies has been rebalanced.
Three items meant for patch 1.1 but somehow missing have been added: Sanguine Heart amulet in the secret cave at Corrupted Temple, Pendant of Endless Study amulet in Kingie’s room at Gates of Knowledge, and presumably a third item not specifically mentioned in available patch notes. These additions complete equipment sets and build options that were incomplete before.
Collaboration with Content Creators
Awaken Realms collaborated with content creator WolfheartFPS to create video overviews showcasing the expansion’s features. This partnership reflects smart marketing that leverages influencer audiences who already follow Tainted Grail content. WolfheartFPS’s reputation in the RPG community lends credibility to the expansion’s quality while providing detailed gameplay footage that static screenshots and text descriptions can’t match.
The developer actively promoting content creator partnerships suggests confidence in the expansion’s quality. Studios hesitant about their products often restrict early access or control messaging tightly. By encouraging detailed video breakdowns before launch, Awaken Realms signals they believe Sanctuary of Sarras will impress existing fans and attract new players when shown honestly.
Pricing and Availability
Sanctuary of Sarras will cost approximately fifteen euros or dollars, positioning it as a mid-tier expansion rather than a budget DLC or full-priced sequel. For 15 hours of new content plus all the equipment, bosses, dungeons, and systems, the price seems reasonable compared to industry standards. Games like The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine expansion charged similar amounts for comparable content volumes.
The expansion launches simultaneously across all platforms: PC via Steam and GOG, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 4. This day-and-date multiplatform release ensures no community segment feels left behind or forced to wait months while other platforms get early access. All players can explore Sanctuary of Sarras together from launch day.
FAQs
When does Sanctuary of Sarras release?
Sanctuary of Sarras launches December 15, 2025, at 1 PM EST for PC (Steam and GOG), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. All platforms receive the expansion simultaneously.
How much does the Tainted Grail expansion cost?
Sanctuary of Sarras will cost approximately fifteen euros or dollars, making it a mid-priced expansion. Exact regional pricing may vary slightly based on platform and local currency conversion.
How long is the Sanctuary of Sarras expansion?
The expansion offers approximately 15 hours of new content including the main storyline, side quests, dungeon exploration, and boss battles. Completionists seeking all equipment and achievements will spend longer.
Do I need to finish the base game first?
This hasn’t been explicitly stated, but since enemies scale to player level and the expansion features alternate progression systems, it’s likely accessible at various points in the main game rather than being strictly post-game content.
What is included in the free Patch 1.15?
Patch 1.15 includes bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, balance adjustments for New Game Plus, and various gameplay enhancements benefiting all players regardless of whether they purchase the expansion.
What are the five free armor sets?
The free Bonus Content DLC #1 adds Fore-Dweller, Champion, Harbinger, Weaver, and Unhallowed Divinity armor sets earned by completing specific quests and challenges in the base game.
What is Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon?
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a dark fantasy open-world action RPG developed by Questline and published by Awaken Realms. It features first-person combat, deep lore based on twisted Arthurian legends, and survival mechanics in a cursed version of Avalon.
Will there be more expansions after Sanctuary of Sarras?
Sanctuary of Sarras is described as the first full-fledged expansion, and the existence of Bonus Content #1 suggests more free DLC is planned. Whether additional paid expansions follow depends on Sanctuary of Sarras’s commercial and critical reception.
Conclusion
Sanctuary of Sarras represents exactly the kind of expansion players hope for when they fall in love with a game. Rather than recycling assets with minimal new content, Awaken Realms is delivering a fully realized underwater realm with unique mechanics, substantial playtime, and meaningful additions to character progression systems. The combination of paid expansion and simultaneous free updates shows respect for the player base, rewarding both those who purchase the DLC and those who stick with the base game. For Tainted Grail fans who exhausted the main campaign months ago, December 15 offers a compelling reason to return to Avalon’s dark fantasy world. The flexible skill tree system and level-scaled enemies ensure the expansion challenges veterans while the 100+ equipment pieces and four epic bosses provide goals worth pursuing. Whether Sanctuary of Sarras lives up to its ambitious promises will be known soon, but the scope and thoughtfulness evident in its design suggests Questline and Awaken Realms understand what made the base game special and are committed to expanding it meaningfully.