Player Profile & Innate Abilities

1. Summary

Two character identity systems:

Innate abilities use the same combat ability schema as spells (12, 15) — costs, cooldowns, range, splash — but are owned forever once granted. Players choose which known abilities are active vs knowledge only.

2. Locked decisions

3. Character profile

3.1 Purpose

• Roleplay and recognition in AOI (inspect, TUI, future graphical mesh)
• Not combat stats — cosmetic + narrative
• Moderation hooks for free text (length, filter)

3.2 Profile schema

character_profile:
  display_name: ...              # separate from account id
  gender: enum | custom_text     # ruleset enum list + optional freeform (filtered)
  height_m: 1.45 .. 2.20         # server clamp
  weight_kg: 40 .. 200           # server clamp (or build preset)
  hair_color: string | enum
  eye_color: string | enum
  skin_tone: string | enum
  distinguishing_marks: text     # scars, tattoos — length cap
  physical_description: text     # free prose — length cap (e.g. 2k chars)
  portrait_ref: optional         # future asset id / URL policy

3.3 Limits & validation

3.4 Replication

• AOI: brief inspect packet — name, height band, colors, short description snippet
• Full profile: on inspect <player> or agent query
• Workers/NPCs use template profiles, not this system

3.5 TUI

flatland profile show
flatland profile set --hair auburn --eyes green --height 1.78
flatland profile describe "Tall scarred ranger with..."
flatland inspect player_name

4. Innate abilities — concepts

4.1 vs other progression

Innate = character trait, not inventory — survives death, cannot be traded (default).

4.2 Known vs active

innate_abilities_known: [fireball_hand, frost_touch, blink_step, ...]  # unlimited growth

innate_abilities_active: [fireball_hand, blink_step]                 # max N

max_active_innate = base_active
                  + floor(WIS / active_innate_wis_div)
                  + floor(INT / active_innate_int_div)
                  + skill_bonus(innate_mastery)
                  + gear_modifiers

Typical: 2 at level 1 (base_active_innate: 2), up to 6–10 at high progression. Separate from max_target_slots (12).

4.3 Ability template

Innate abilities reuse 12 ability schema (cast_time, range, blast_radius, cooldown, skill_scaling, …):

innate_ability_template:
  id: fireball_hand
  display_name: "Hand of Flame"
  kind: innate
  scaling_skill: evocation
  costs:
    mana: 25
    stamina: 10
    health: 0              # optional HP cost for dark powers
  min_stats:
    INT: 50
  cooldown_sec: 4.0
  # ... same effect block as spell fireball
  grant_tags: [fire, offensive]
  tradable: false

HP costs allowed — powerful ability drains health on cast (15).

5. Granting innate abilities

5.1 Sources

5.2 Grant item example

item_template:
  id: ember_heart_relic
  kind: consumable
  on_use: grant_innate
  grants_innate: fireball_hand
  consumed: true
  can_soul_bind: false

Duplicate grant: if character already knows innate, relic is not consumed — player may trade/sell the relic to another player. No duplicate power on same character.

5.3 Persistence

Stored on character record (control plane):

struct CharacterInnateState {
    known: Vec<InnateAbilityId>,
    active: Vec<InnateAbilityId>,   // len <= max_active_innate
    cooldowns: Map<InnateAbilityId, Tick>,
}

Survives death (07); not on corpse.

6. Combat integration

6.1 Intents

Same validation as spells: range, LoS, costs, cooldown, GCD optional per template.

6.2 Loadout cycle

Player configures active innates (known list unlimited):

combat_loadout:
  innate_active: [fireball_hand, blink_step, heal_touch]

Swap active set: allowed mid-combat — requires 3 s channel (interruptible) and triggers GCD; cannot swap while casting.

Wisdom: many known, few active — choose before and during fights.

6.3 Costs & limits at runtime

Before UseInnate:

1. Ability ∈ active set
2. Cooldown clear
3. mana, stamina, health ≥ costs
4. min_stats satisfied
5. GCD if applicable
6. Target/range/LoS (12)

Failure → intent rejected; no cooldown spent (or partial — per template).

7. Social & balance

7.1 Party innates

Default: innates are personal only — no copying your fireball to allies.

Exception: rare templates tagged party_buff — e.g. aura, group ward — affect nearby party; not offensive copy effects.

8. NPC display

Profile fields drive inspect text only at launch. Graphical client later maps height → skeleton scale, colors → materials.

9. Phasing

10. Open decisions

Resolved (2026-07-06):

11. Cross-references

Innate abilities are character-bound modifiers to the combat intent set, not a separate combat engine.