# BRIEFING — 2026-10-04T12:18:45Z

## Mission
Investigate FreeExile codebase to map 12 Active Skills, 5 Support Sigils, current VFX/rendering mechanics, frame/timing requirements, and monster/exile 8-dir animation naming conventions.

## 🔒 My Identity
- Archetype: explorer
- Roles: investigator, surveyor
- Working directory: c:\Projects\FreeExile\.agents\teamwork\explorer_survey_1
- Original parent: 34037784-62e1-41f8-bfe6-912696fdec14
- Milestone: skills_and_vfx_survey

## 🔒 Key Constraints
- Read-only investigation — do NOT implement or modify source code
- Investigation only: write reports in your folder (.agents/teamwork/explorer_survey_1/)
- Ground all findings with exact file paths, line numbers, and evidence chains

## Current Parent
- Conversation ID: 34037784-62e1-41f8-bfe6-912696fdec14
- Updated: 2026-10-04T12:18:45Z

## Investigation State
- **Explored paths**:
  - `server/world/martial_catalog.py`, `server/world/skill_tag_catalog.py`, `server/world/skill_database_service.py`
  - `data/martial_database.db`, `data/game_design_matrix.db`
  - `client/cocos/assets/scripts/data/skill_catalog.ts`, `support_skill_catalog.ts`, `CombatController.ts`, `SpriteAtlasRenderer.ts`
  - `client/cocos/assets/resources/shaders/sprite_pbr.effect`
  - `client/webapp/js/engine/vfx_renderer.js`, `combat_skills.js`, `char_creation.js`, `sanctuary_props_catalog.js`
  - `tools/asset_pipeline/produce_all_missing_skills_vfx.py`, `savage_vfx_factory.py`
  - `docs/standards/ANIMATION_AND_VFX_PIPELINE_STANDARDS.md`, `docs/client/SAVAGE_PRIMAL_ART_AND_VFX_BIBLE.md`
- **Key findings**:
  - Exactly 12 Active Skills (IDs 1001-1012) + Dodge (1099) verified across server catalogs, Cocos TypeScript catalogs, and SQLite DBs.
  - 5 Core Support Sigils (IDs 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006) directly govern projectile count, AoE radius, blood cost, chaining lightning, and freeze mechanics.
  - WebApp legacy VFX relies on procedural Canvas 2D methods (`ctx.arc`, `ctx.lineTo`, `ctx.shadowBlur` in `vfx_renderer.js`), needing replacement by PoT Texture Atlases and Cocos PBR Shader `sprite_pbr.effect`.
  - Monster archetypes (100 variants across 10 Genus) and Exile Characters (6 classes with Dual Weapon pairs) have 8-directional layout requirements using bottom-center pivot `[0.5, 0.90]`.
- **Unexplored areas**: None for this survey milestone.

## Key Decisions Made
- Fully documented all 12 active skills and 5 support sigils in `analysis.md`
- Formulated extensible naming and animation structures for monsters and character weapon pairs
- Published self-contained `handoff.md` conforming to 5-component protocol

## Artifact Index
- DISPATCH.md — Incoming task dispatch record
- BRIEFING.md — Situational awareness
- progress.md — Liveness heartbeat
- analysis.md — Detailed survey analysis report
- handoff.md — 5-component handoff report