You're wandering through the sun-drenched, hallucination-filled woods of Wintersun. Between the creepy "fake" crusaders and the very real Vrocks, you stumble upon a quest involving a missing scout named Morveg. Eventually, you find him. He’s clutching a massive hunk of iron known as the Fang of Malice WotR. If you’re playing a Barbarian or a Bloodrager, your eyes probably lit up. If you’re a Paladin, you probably felt a bit of magical nausea.
Honestly, the Fang of Malice is one of those items in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous that sparks endless debates on Reddit and Discord. Is it a top-tier weapon? Is it a cursed trap? Or is it just a really big paperweight for your stash in Drezen?
The reality is a bit of all three.
What the Fang of Malice Actually Does
Let's look at the hard numbers first. No fluff.
The Fang of Malice is a +3 Furyborn Greatsword. For those who aren't deep into the Pathfinder math, "Furyborn" means that every time you hit an enemy, the weapon's enhancement bonus increases by +1 against that specific target, up to a maximum of +5. It's essentially a boss-killer weapon. The longer the fight goes, the more accurate and deadly you become.
But the real "secret sauce" is the unique enchantment: While the wielder is under a rage effect, they do not suffer the usual -2 penalty to AC.
For a class like the Instinctual Warrior or a standard Barbarian, this is huge. Rage is a double-edged sword. You get more HP and more damage, but you become easier to hit. This sword basically deletes that downside.
The Abyssal Bloodrage Interaction
Here’s where it gets complicated.
If you’re running an Abyssal Bloodrager, your rage doesn't just give you a -2 penalty; it scales up to a -4 penalty as you grow in size and power. Does the Fang of Malice wipe out the whole -4?
Sadly, no.
Under the hood, the game treats the "nullified penalty" as a flat +2 untyped bonus to AC while raging. So, if you have a -4 penalty from Abyssal Bloodrage, you’ll still end up with a -2 net penalty. It's still a buff, but it's not the "invincibility" some players hope for.
How to Get the Fang of Malice WotR
You can't just buy this at a shop in Act 2. You have to earn it through the "Vengeance of Sarkoris" questline in Act 3.
- Find Morveg: He’s located in the Wintersun area, usually found after dealing with the initial "shrine" drama.
- The Confrontation: You’ll find him near the center-west part of the map. He’s gone a bit... well, let's just say the sword has a personality, and Morveg didn't have a strong enough one to resist it.
- The Choice: You have to defeat him. Once he’s down, you have to decide what to do with the blade.
This is where your Roleplay (RP) meets your Crusade mechanics.
To Destroy or Not to Destroy?
When you return to Ciar (the grumpy old leader of the Everbright Crusaders in Drezen) with the sword, you have choices. If you give him the sword, he’ll want to destroy it.
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If you destroy the sword, you please the "Good" gods and Ciar. You lose the weapon forever.
If you keep the sword, you can use it as a weapon. But more importantly, it unlocks a specific Crusade Decree: The Swords of Gorum.
This decree is controversial. It gives your crusade units a +2 bonus to attack and a 10% bonus to damage. The catch? It slaps them with a -2 penalty to AC and Initiative. In the high-stakes world of Crusade mode, losing Initiative can mean getting your marksmen wiped out before they even take a turn. Most veteran players think the decree is "meh" at best, but the greatsword itself is the real prize.
Why People Think it's "Lackluster"
I'll be blunt: Greatswords have a lot of competition in WotR.
By the time you get the Fang of Malice, you might already have Finnean at a decent level, or you're looking forward to the Gravesinger Greataxe (which is arguably the best crit-fishing weapon in the game).
The Fang is a "consistency" weapon. It doesn't have the insane 15-20 crit range that makes some weapons feel broken. It just hits hard and keeps you alive. In a game where "rocket tag" (whoever hits first wins) is the meta, sometimes a steady +3 or +5 weapon that protects your AC feels a bit slow.
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The Verdict: Is it Worth It?
If you are playing a Demon Mythic Path or a Bloodrager, the Fang of Malice WotR is practically a flavor requirement. It fits the "angry, blood-soaked warrior" aesthetic perfectly.
However, if you're a min-maxer looking for the highest possible DPR (Damage Per Round), you might find yourself selling it to Wilcer Garms for the gold. Or, if you're playing a Lawful Good Paladin, you'll probably feel better just letting Ciar melt it down.
Actionable Tips for Using the Fang
- Pair with "Limitless Rage": Don't use this sword without the Limitless Rage mythic ability. You want that AC bonus active 100% of the time.
- Boss Killer: Switch to this sword specifically for long fights. The Furyborn stacks make a noticeable difference against enemies with high Natural Armor.
- Check your AC: Always look at your character sheet while rages are active. Make sure the "untyped bonus" is applying correctly, as some patches have been known to bug this interaction.
The Fang of Malice isn't going to break the game like a late-game legendary, but for Act 3? It’s a solid, reliable piece of cursed iron that can carry a Barbarian through some of the toughest fights in the Worldwound. Just don't let it talk you into doing anything stupid—Morveg already tried that, and it didn't end well for him.