Darkest Dungeon's The Crimson Court DLC will bring a vampire-hunting Fanatic

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He's maybe a little too dedicated to his job.

Way back in the eldritch mists of early October, Darkest Dungeon developer Red Hook Studios teased the game's first DLC release, The Crimson Court. Something vampire-related appeared to be en route, an assumption confirmed today by Kill Screen, which revealed that the DLC will include a new a vampire hunter character called the Fanatic. But he's not somebody you're going to want to have hanging around—because he'll be hunting you. 

The Fanatic will be another "wandering boss," like the Collector or the Shambler, and there's a chance he'll come after your party if anyone in it has contracted the Crimson Curse. He doesn't bear the usual stake-and-crossbow accouterments of conventional vampire hunters, however, but instead wields a massive warhammer engraved with a V, "so when it's heated up, every hit brands you as a vampire." 

Red Hook is experimenting with audio cues that could provide a heads-up when the Fanatic comes near, but it sounds like he'll be a tough one to shake if he's after you. “The Fanatic will attempt to burn party members at the stake, improving his resilience by reading holy verses as the flames sear his victim,” Red Hook creative director Chris Bourassa explained. “Damaging his pyre will fill the Fanatic with zealous rage, emboldening his attacks and imbuing his warhammer with holy light. So it’s a (literal) damned if you do, damned if you don’t encounter!”   

The Darkest Dungeon: Crimson Court DLC is expected to be out sometime early next year. 

Andy Chalk
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.