Pathfinder lead designer Jason Bulmahn has launched his crowdfunding campaign for Hellfinder, a modern post-apocalyptic horror hack of Pathfinder 2e:
From the Backerkit Campaign Description: Welcome to Hellfinder, a Modern Horror Hack of Pathfinder Second Edition. This game takes the basic rules of Pathfinder, replacing specific mechanics to transform the experience from a high fantasy adventure game into one filled with mysteries, dread, and terror, a game where your agents might see things that can’t be unseen and face a fate far worse than death.
In Hellfinder, you will take on the role of an Agent, sent to work in the basement of the Bureau. After months of drudgery, you finally get your first field assignment, to close an abandoned Field Office in a sleepy town in the middle of the north woods of Wisconsin. But things are very much not what they seem and this tiny town might hold secrets darker than any found in the farthest reaches of the unending forest.
Hellfinder starts by focusing on one central story, created to introduce you to the world and the horrors it contains. That story is broken down into three chapters, each of which contains new rules and the next part of the story. At the start of play, you only open the first packet, containing character creation rules and the opening chapter of the tale. The other packets will only be opened when you reach a specific moment in the story… for better or for worse.
Hellfinder replaces the traditional class system with a more free-form Agent specialization and training system. Most of this is done through spending allotted points based on your choices and some free points to reflect your hobbies and interests. As you level up, you’ll get more of these free points to build out your Agent as you see fit. All options are open to you, if you are willing to pay the price.
Finally, Hellfinder adds a system for Stress, to measure how much your Agent can handle mentally before succumbing to the pressure and horror they are witnessing. It also includes a system for both Physical and Mental Trauma, which add lasting injuries and challenges to Agents who have pushed beyond the breaking point. Taken together, these systems will measure how much punishment your agent can take before succumbing to the darkness.
The game’s designed to live in a binder, so there’s little difference between a printed-off PDF and what would arrive in the mail if you bought the physical product. The campaign’s already reached its funding goals. It wraps up on 19 August.