Pathos
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Pathos, also known as Pathos: Nethack Codex, is a free, open-source roguelike dungeon crawler developed by Australian programmer Callan Hodgskin and published by his company, Contrary Games. It is directly inspired by the mechanics and ruleset of NetHack. First released in September 5, 2015, it is primarily designed for mobile play on Android and iOS devices, with additional support for Windows (desktop and store), Linux, and web browsers.
As of February 18, 2026, it is currently in Version 7.4.
Features
Pathos has many features of Nethack that are mostly intact, in addition to many new features. Some of them taken directly from many variants and patches.
- New Races: Angel, Changeling, Demon, Dracon, Echo, Fairy, Giant, Halfling, Kobold, Lizardman, Minotaur, Plasmoid, Robot, Satyr, Tortle and Troll.
- New Roles: Bard, Convict, Druid, Gladiator, Gunslinger, Hunter, Jester, Miner, Mystic, Necromancer, Ninja, Paladin, Pirate, Reaver, Shaman, Templar and Tinker.
- Premade Characters: Players can start their game with the base 13 characters based on the original roles.
- Custom Characters: Players can make up to 13 custom characters, with specials that can help or hinder their playthrough. They can optionally use custom protraits to represent them and their pets.
- Firearms: Taken directly from SLASH'EM. The Gunslinger and Hunter are made around this feature and a new artifact pistol called the Deagle. There is a option to abolish firearms from the world.
- AI Controlled Adventurers: Players can play with computer controlled characters in their playthrough by clicking/tapping 'Add New Adventurer'. They act as secondary pets that are intelligent enough to fend for themselves (like using potions and spells to heal allies/kill monsters or using comestibles to cure their hunger). Players can switch from one adventurer to another if they are trapped, unresponsive or have died.
- Audio: Unlike Nethack or any variants, players can hear actual audio from the speakers of their device that they use to play the game. It is also crucial to gameplay as the You hear messages are not present.
- Modules: The game is structured around multiple modules, with the primary one being Nethack Codex, alongside Kaloi Opus, Pixel Sojourn, and Dhak Legacy.
- Nethack Codex: Descend through procedurally generated dungeons and caverns, much like real Nethack. The only difference being there is no Wizard of Yendor to defeat or Amulet to retrieve for a deity nor there are multiple quests for different roles to complete for an legendary weapon. The aim of Pathos is to survive all the way to level 40 before escaping back at level 1.
- Kaloi Opus: Explore a procedurally generated overland map containing side dungeons and set pieces.
- Pixel Sojourn: Similar to Nethack Codex but based on the map generation from Shattered Pixel Dungeon.
- Dhak Legacy: Overland maps created by the developers.
- Multiplayer: Multiplayer is based on the 'graphical telnet' technology from the Invention platform. This means the game is executed on the server and the user interface is projected to each of the clients. Players can play over WIFI/LAN and the internet because the communications is based on TCP/IP. This technology only works well with low latency (less than 30ms ping should be playable). One player needs to be the server and HOST the game while all other players are clients and JOIN the game. The server player will need to look up their IP address in device network settings and share with the client players. Firewall settings and port forwarding may be required when playing over the internet.