Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is an Upcoming ARPG Spinoff

Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is a hack-and-slash ARPG that’s currently running a Kickstarter campaign. The game will follow the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path and will have mechanics inspired by the 2E ruleset.

Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is a New ARPG Now on Kickstarter

Fans of the Pathfinder universe look like they have a new title to look forward to. They are introducing Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, a new ARPG being developed by BKOM Studios. The company is currently running a Kickstarter campaign with plenty of time to go (30 days as of writing).

Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults will follow the Adventure Path of the Abomination Vaults. Four different heroes will venture down through Gauntlight Keep and all the secrets below it. The ultimate goal? Defeat the evil sorceress Belcorra Haruvex. Quite a heroic feat, indeed!

Descent into Gauntlight

The stage is set in the province of Absalom, where the Gauntlight tower ominously rests. Belcorra Haruvex is a descendant of the Haruvex family, who was exiled over 500 years ago due to their practicing of forbidden magic. Fueled by revenge, Belcorra erected the lighthouse known as Gauntlight Keep in order to become her seat of power.

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults - Welcome to Gauntlight Keep — Welcome to Gauntlight Keep

However, a wrench was thrown into her plans as she was struck down by the Roseguard, a local group of heroes. Since then, Gauntlight Keep started deteriorating. However, this decay was only surface-deep.

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults - Who Would've Thought the Abomination Vaults Had Actual Abominations in Them? — Who Would’ve Thought the Abomination Vaults Had Actual Abominations in Them?

Unbeknownst to everyone else, a secret menagerie of horrors lurked in the passages beneath the keep. Loyal cultists and other monstrosities set these caverns as their home, biding their time for Belcorra’s return. Since the Gauntlight has suddenly sparked back to life, the hour of reckoning seems to not be too far away.

The Heroes of Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults

Players will select one of four distinct heroes to take up the sword (or wand) against Belcorra. Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults will be single-player but will allow coop with up to four people. It also looks like fans of couch coop will also be able to enjoy it, as this is one of the promised features.

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults - Spell Effects Look Pretty Menacing — Spell Effects Look Pretty Menacing

The first hero is Amiri, a Barbarian. As with most Barbarians, Amiri wields a massive two-handed sword and is quite strong, agile, and ferocious. Ezren is our resident wizard, complete with white flowing locks of hair. His wizarding powers allow him to make use of Arcane and Elemental magic. Kyra is our healer Cleric, who shines brightly in even the darkest of caves. Last is Harsk, the Ranger. He is quite a formidable fighter, both up close and at range and also brings a beastly companion with him wherever he goes.

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults - Barbarian Concept Art — Barbarian Concept Art

Each of the characters in Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults will have different customization options called “Feat Selection”. As expected, specializing in certain feats will allow a player to lean into a particular playstyle. While classes may determine a character’s overall “theme”, their role won’t be limited. The team cites an example wherein Kyra can become an excellent support or even a tanky bruiser if one wishes.

Teamwork is Dreamwork

One of the core tenets of the team is that Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults will support interesting teamwork and interaction. Another is that they will take much inspiration from the 2nd Edition of the Pathfinder ruleset. Aside from the flexible Feat system, combat is also being designed to be quite open.

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults - Spin to Win! — Spin to Win!

There is a built-in “Combo Effects System” being implemented into the game. This should allow players to create quite interesting effects which can sometimes be quite explosive. One such example is that wizards can create a firewall that the barbarian can then spin through. The resulting effect is a tornado of fire that spews out fireballs in multiple directions. Another example is that protective barriers can be electrified so that anything that gets too close will get shocked to a crisp. Nasty!

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults - Beneath the Gauntlight Keep — Beneath the Gauntlight Keep

Of course, combat won’t mean a thing if you don’t have any interesting critters to kill. The game will feature various monsters from the Pathfinder mythos, such as skittering kobolds and ghostly ghosts. Who knows, maybe we’ll even get to face off against a mighty Dragon?

Kickstart the Pathfinding

Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults’ Kickstarter is currently ongoing. Pledges run as low as $29 for the digital download and some minor goodies (like wallpaper and your name in the credits). They can go as high as $319 for an Ultimate Collector’s Box. This includes physical trinkets as well, such as artbooks, stickers, coins, and even private early access.

The more interesting bundles are the highest tiers, however. For $1000, players can create an item entirely designed by them that will appear in the game. $2500 will get an entire NPC inspired by the backer. The highest tier, $5000, will let you become a team member of BKOM for an entire day. Think of the havoc you can wreak!

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