diff --git a/core/include/vf/Pathfind.h b/core/include/vf/Pathfind.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3eb5c1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/include/vf/Pathfind.h
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <vector>
+#include "World.h"
+#include "Math.h"
+
+namespace vf {
+
+struct PathConfig {
+    int mobHeight = 2;       // vertical voxels the walker occupies
+    int maxStepUp = 1;       // how high a single step can climb
+    int maxDrop = 3;         // how far a single step can fall
+    int maxExpansions = 40000;   // A* node budget before giving up
+};
+
+// A cell is standable when the walker's body fits (non-solid) and there is solid
+// ground directly beneath it.
+bool isStandable(const World& world, const Vec3i& cell, const PathConfig& config = {});
+
+// A* over standable voxel cells. Returns the cell path from start to goal
+// inclusive, or an empty path when the goal is unreachable, not standable, or the
+// search exceeds the node budget. Deterministic: ties break on a fixed ordering.
+std::vector<Vec3i> findPath(const World& world, const Vec3i& start, const Vec3i& goal,
+                            const PathConfig& config = {});
+
+} // namespace vf
diff --git a/core/src/Pathfind.cpp b/core/src/Pathfind.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2de0b7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/Pathfind.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#include "vf/Pathfind.h"
+
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <queue>
+#include <unordered_map>
+
+namespace vf {
+
+bool isStandable(const World& world, const Vec3i& cell, const PathConfig& config) {
+    if (world.solidAt(cell.x, cell.y - 1, cell.z)) {
+        for (int h = 0; h < config.mobHeight; ++h)
+            if (world.solidAt(cell.x, cell.y + h, cell.z)) return false;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+namespace {
+
+const int horiz[4][2] = {{1, 0}, {-1, 0}, {0, 1}, {0, -1}};
+
+void successors(const World& world, const Vec3i& cell, const PathConfig& config,
+                std::vector<Vec3i>& out) {
+    for (auto& dir : horiz) {
+        int nx = cell.x + dir[0], nz = cell.z + dir[1];
+        for (int dy = config.maxStepUp; dy >= -config.maxDrop; --dy) {
+            Vec3i cand{nx, cell.y + dy, nz};
+            if (!isStandable(world, cand, config)) continue;
+            if (dy > 0 && world.solidAt(cell.x, cell.y + config.mobHeight, cell.z))
+                continue;   // ceiling blocks the step up
+            out.push_back(cand);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+int heuristic(const Vec3i& a, const Vec3i& b) {
+    return std::abs(a.x - b.x) + std::abs(a.z - b.z);
+}
+
+struct Frontier {
+    int f;
+    int order;
+    Vec3i cell;
+};
+
+struct FrontierGreater {
+    bool operator()(const Frontier& a, const Frontier& b) const {
+        if (a.f != b.f) return a.f > b.f;
+        return a.order > b.order;   // stable tie-break by insertion order
+    }
+};
+
+} // namespace
+
+std::vector<Vec3i> findPath(const World& world, const Vec3i& start, const Vec3i& goal,
+                            const PathConfig& config) {
+    if (!isStandable(world, start, config) || !isStandable(world, goal, config)) return {};
+    if (start == goal) return {start};
+
+    std::priority_queue<Frontier, std::vector<Frontier>, FrontierGreater> open;
+    std::unordered_map<Vec3i, int, Vec3iHash> gScore;
+    std::unordered_map<Vec3i, Vec3i, Vec3iHash> cameFrom;
+
+    gScore[start] = 0;
+    int order = 0;
+    open.push({heuristic(start, goal), order++, start});
+
+    int expansions = 0;
+    std::vector<Vec3i> neighbours;
+
+    while (!open.empty()) {
+        Frontier current = open.top();
+        open.pop();
+
+        auto known = gScore.find(current.cell);
+        if (known == gScore.end() || current.f - heuristic(current.cell, goal) > known->second)
+            continue;   // stale entry
+
+        if (current.cell == goal) {
+            std::vector<Vec3i> path;
+            Vec3i step = goal;
+            path.push_back(step);
+            while (step != start) {
+                step = cameFrom[step];
+                path.push_back(step);
+            }
+            std::reverse(path.begin(), path.end());
+            return path;
+        }
+
+        if (++expansions > config.maxExpansions) return {};
+
+        neighbours.clear();
+        successors(world, current.cell, config, neighbours);
+        int nextG = known->second + 1;
+        for (const Vec3i& next : neighbours) {
+            auto it = gScore.find(next);
+            if (it != gScore.end() && it->second <= nextG) continue;
+            gScore[next] = nextG;
+            cameFrom[next] = current.cell;
+            open.push({nextG + heuristic(next, goal), order++, next});
+        }
+    }
+    return {};
+}
+
+} // namespace vf