Hail, Pathfinders!
Our friends at BKOM Studios are hard at work bringing Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, the first ever co-op hack-and-slash ARPG set in the Pathfinder universe, to life. In this special look behind the scenes, their team shares how they’re transforming one of Pathfinder’s most iconic Adventure Paths into an interactive dungeon crawl.From reimagining the tabletop maps into expansive 3D environments, to designing the rhythm of combat and exploration, here’s how the legendary Abomination Vaults are being built for exploration on-screen.
From Page to Playable Map
Every dungeon floor starts as words on a page. To get from there to a fully realized game map, the team begins by really digging into the chapter. We read it cover to cover, cross-check references, and even dive into GM-helper content online to better understand the vibe and details.
Once the story is fully absorbed, we break it down into the most important ingredients: key characters, artifacts, encounters, and plot moments. These act like anchors, shaping how the floor will flow from start to finish.
From there, we sketch a rough 2D layout. Nothing fancy, just a way to visualize the overall player path and how different spaces connect. That sketch then grows into a gray box map in the engine, which gives us our first sense of scale and pacing.
Artists jump in next with concept art, which guides the look of the environments, lighting, and VFX, while also inspiring the design team to push ideas further. Combat designers add encounters, narrative designers weave in dialogue and quests, and everything is tested and tweaked until it clicks. Over time, the rough gray box evolves into the vaults you’ll see (and fight through) in game.
Expanding from 2D to 3D
Here’s the thing about tabletop maps: they’re designed to fit on a single book page. That’s perfect for pen-and-paper play, but way too cramped for a hack-and-slash action RPG. So, when we bring them into the game, we reimagine each floor as more of a “biome” than a house-sized layout.
This gives us room to expand combat arenas, add hidden paths, and build a dungeon that feels big enough to get lost in. Going 3D also lets us layer in verticality: players can climb ruined walls, leap over massive chasms, or descend into lava-filled forges. Spaces that were once flat on paper suddenly feel massive, dangerous, and alive.
Finding the Right Pacing
Great dungeons aren’t just about what’s in them—they’re about the rhythm of how you move through them. That’s why we spend a lot of time thinking about pacing.
The rule of thumb? Don’t put two big combat arenas right next to each other. That risks overwhelming players (and sometimes accidentally pulling multiple fights at once). Instead, we alternate between combat and exploration, giving breathing room between battles.
Early on, players see more exploration spaces as they learn the layout and mechanics of a floor. As they push deeper, combat intensity ramps up, leading to bigger and more challenging fights near the end. It’s like music, quiet moments make the big ones hit harder.
Populating the Dungeon
With the layout and pacing in place, the next step is filling the dungeon with meaningful encounters. The goal is to make every room feel alive and interactive.
Combat areas are built to showcase environmental set pieces and give space for tactics, while exploration areas lean into puzzles, traversal challenges, narrative moments, or tricky terrain. Sprinkling these elements throughout keeps the dungeon dynamic and makes it feel like an environment you can master rather than just walk through.
Bringing It All Together
Rebuilding a legendary dungeon like the Abomination Vaults for an action RPG is no small task, but the result is worth it. Every corridor, chamber, and chasm is designed to immerse you in Belcorra’s dark legacy, whether you’re piecing together clues, avoiding traps, or battling horrors that lurk in the depths.
We can’t wait for you to explore Floor 8 and beyond when the game launches.
~ The Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults Team
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Tabletop to Hack and Slash - Level Design in BKOM’s Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults
Monday, October 20, 2025





























































