realms-in-ruin-dev/Documentation/Archaeology/08-CharacterSystems.md

# 08 — Character Systems

**Status: Complete**

- **Scope:** Player character Blueprint hierarchy (Pass 3), shared base architecture (Pass 5), and per-character Ability 001–004 connected-path reconstruction (Pass 6).
- **Inspection method:** Read-only AssetTools + BlueprintTools + ObjectTools; connected subgraphs on all five playables + base correlation.
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-16
- **Current phase:** Phase 1 — Static Architecture (complete)
- **Last completed pass:** Pass 11 (Batch 5) — migration matrix correlates; static content through Pass 4/10
- **Next pass expected to contribute:** Phase 2C when authorized

## Completion notes

Static character-system archaeology is complete. Gunslinger design and weapon deep dive are **Defer pending design decision**. Runtime interrupt/select/attribute tests: doc `13`. Migration dispositions: doc `07`.

---

## Native player chain

`ACharacter` → `ARIRBaseCharacter` → `ARIRPlayerCharacter` → `BP_PlayerCharacterBase` → `Player_*`

**Observed Implementation:** ASC on `ARIRPlayerState`; character caches pointers in `InitAbilityActorInfo`. Native also calls `ARIRHUD::InitOverlay` (GAS attribute UI path).

**Pass 4 spawn path:** With `GM_Dungeoneer.DefaultPawnClass=None`, playable pawns come from `WBP_CharacterSelect` → `PC_Character.PlayerSelectScreenChoice` → `ServerSpawnCharacter` → `GM_Dungeoneer.GetSelectedClass` → `PlayerFirstSpawn` (SpawnActor + Possess). Selectable classes: Paladin, Wizard, Cleric, Amazonian. **Gunslinger not offered** on the select UI.

---

## Playable Blueprint paths

| Character | Asset path |
|-----------|------------|
| Base | `/Game/_Main/Blueprints/Characters/PlayerCharacters/BP_PlayerCharacterBase` |
| Paladin | `.../PlayerCharacterClasses/Paladin/Player_Paladin` |
| Amazonian | `.../Amazonian/Player_Amazonian` |
| Cleric | `.../Cleric/Player_Cleric` |
| Wizard | `.../Wizard/Player_Wizard` |
| Gunslinger | `.../Gunslinger/Player_Gunslinger` |

**Observed Runtime Behavior (project brief, not re-tested):** Amazonian melee works; most abilities inactive; Gunslinger incomplete — Existing Baseline Defects.

---

## BP_PlayerCharacterBase — shared architecture

Full ability/RPC inventory: [`05-LegacyAbilityArchitecture.md`](05-LegacyAbilityArchitecture.md).

### Components (Observed Implementation)

- Camera: TPSpringArm, ThirdPersonCamera, CameraPositionRef
- Footsteps: BP_FootstepComponent_Left / Right (EasyFootstepSystem)
- Native mesh / capsule / movement / arrow

### Shared vs child-owned behavior

| Concern | Shared on base | Child-specific |
|---------|----------------|----------------|
| Ability input IA_001–004 | Yes — calls Server_Ability_* | Bodies overridden |
| Camera zoom/pan | Yes | — |
| Multicast montage/SFX/VFX | Yes helpers | Children supply montage assets |
| Death / respawn | Yes | — |
| HUD via DEPRECATED floats | Yes | — |
| Charge / DivineCircle / Whirlwind | — | Paladin / Cleric / Amazonian |
| Hit checks | — | PlayerHitCheck on Paladin/Amazonian/Cleric |

### BeginPlay / Possessed (Observed Implementation)

- BeginPlay: Set `InitialSpawnLocation` = GetActorLocation only
- Possessed: Set `PlayerController` → Delay 0.4 → `Server_UpdateHUD`

### Ability flow (shared)

```
IA_Ability_N Started → Server_Ability_N_Begin
IA_Ability_N Completed/Canceled → Server_Ability_N_End
```

Base Begin stubs PrintString `"Override Ability N"`. Base End stubs empty.

**Paladin Ability 001 override (Observed Implementation):** Does **not** call parent. Gate `NOT CurrentlyAttacking AND NOT IsDead` → set CurrentlyAttacking → SetPlayerCanMove(true) → Multicast_PlayMontage(random Ability001Montages). **Pass 6:** UseAbility001 Authority BoxOverlap → ApplyDamage(`DEPRECATED_Ability001Damage`). Full tables → `05-LegacyAbilityArchitecture.md`.

---

## Per-character structural sheets

### Paladin

| Field | Value |
|-------|--------|
| Graphs | UCS, EventGraph, GetPlayerPaladinREF, PlayerHitCheck |
| Local vars | Ability001Montages, ChargeStartLoc, ChargeFinishLoc, IsCharging, IsBlocking |
| AnimBP | ABP_Paladin (`.../Paladin/ABP_Paladin`) — Locomotion: Idle/WalkRun/Charge/Block/Death |
| Ability events | Server_001 Begin; 002 Begin+End; 003 Begin; 004 Begin; UseAbility001/004; Charge; Client_Charge |
| Parent Call on Ability overrides | **No** |
| Pass 6 status | 001 Implemented; 002 Partial (block); 003 Implemented (charge+damage); 004 Implemented (empty particle template) |
| Pass 8 | AN_Ability_001/004 + AN_AttackComplete on montages; IsBlocking drives Block state |

### Amazonian

| Field | Value |
|-------|--------|
| Graphs | UCS, EventGraph, GetPlayerAmazonREF, PlayerHitCheck |
| Local vars | DynamicMaterials, Ability001Montage, PerformingWhirlwind |
| AnimBP (deps) | ABP_Amazon — Locomotion Idle/WalkRun/Death only |
| Ability events | Server_001 Begin; UseAbility001; ReceiveAnyDamage |
| Pass 6 status | 001 Implemented (= known working melee); 002–004 inherited stubs; PerformingWhirlwind never Set |
| Pass 8 | AN_Ability_001 + AN_AttackComplete on all four attack montages; whirlwind not in AnimBP |

### Cleric

| Field | Value |
|-------|--------|
| Graphs | UCS, EventGraph, GetPlayerClericREF, PlayerHitCheck |
| Local vars | Ability001Montages, DivineCircleActive, DivineCircleTimerHandle, IsBlocking, EnemyFound, ClosestEnemy |
| Ability events | Server_001–004 Begin; Server_003 End; UseAbility002/004; ConcentrateHandle; EndConcentrate |
| Parent Call on Ability overrides | **No** |
| Pass 6 status | 001 Partial (montage only); 002 Partial heal (empty particle); 003 Implemented DivineCircle; 004 Broken spawn + mana bypass |
| Pass 8 | AN_Ability_001/003 dead (UseAbility unimplemented); 002/004 notify-live; ABP Divine Circle state; AN_AttackComplete on all ability montages |

### Wizard

| Field | Value |
|-------|--------|
| Graphs | UCS, EventGraph, GetPlayerWizardREF |
| Local vars | EnemyFound, IsBlocking, ClosestEnemy (unused in EventGraph) |
| Ability events | **None** implemented (BeginPlay/Tick/Overlap only) |
| BeginPlay Parent | **No** (skips base InitialSpawnLocation set) |
| Pass 6 status | 001–004 inherited PrintString stubs; NS_Wizard_Ability001 / GE_Wizard_DefaultAttributes / BP_PlayerProjectile unwired |
| Pass 8 | ABP_Wizard locomotion+death only; **no** Wizard montages in class folder |

### Gunslinger

| Field | Value |
|-------|--------|
| IsDataOnly | True |
| Graphs | UCS, EventGraph |
| Local vars | [] |
| Dependencies | Only BP_PlayerCharacterBase |
| BeginPlay/Tick/Overlap | Call Parent |
| Pass 6 status | 001–004 inherited PrintString stubs; no weapon/projectile/AnimBP/GE |
| Pass 8 | Confirmed: no AnimBP dependency; no shared attack montage path |

---

## Interfaces

`BP_PlayerCharacterBase` implements `BPI_PlayerCharacter`. Class REF getters on base return self-cast nulls for wrong class; children override own REF.

`BPI_PlayerController` used heavily for SetPlayerCanMove, UpdatePlayerHUD, PlayerRespawn, AddKill.

---

## GAS interaction findings (character side)

| Finding | Classification |
|---------|----------------|
| No GA grant/activate on base or child ability EventGraphs | Observed Implementation |
| Server_UpdateHUD uses DEPRECATED floats, not ASC | Observed Implementation |
| Native InitOverlay still runs from C++ possession | Observed Implementation (Batch 1) |
| Dual UI attribute paths | Incomplete Refactor |
| Character DefaultAttributes GE assets orphaned (0 referencers); BP_PlayerState = None | Present but Unreferenced / Scaffolding Only (Pass 7) |
| Amazon GE naming folder `Amazon` vs Blueprint `Amazonian` | Technical Debt (Pass 7) |
| No GE_Gunslinger | Missing (Pass 7) |
| Consumable GEs modify ASC Health/Mana independently of ability DEPRECATED state | Partially Integrated (Pass 7) |

---

## Networking summary

See `05` RPC inventory. Replicated: IsDead, CurrentlyAttacking, DEPRECATED resource floats. Ability activation: client Enhanced Input → Server custom events → optional Multicast FX. Reliability: Unknown — MCP property visibility limitation.