The clockwork wades, shelters, and honors pacts it can actually break

Game 6XDY's prisoners expose a nest of turn-burners. The pathfinder
treated pits, ooze, bushes, and slime as walls in transit, so bots stood
"trapped" in pockets any human would wade out of: the march now falls
back to a teeth-gritted hazard route when no clean road exists. Bots no
longer aim attacks into (or out of) a thornbush's shelter the engine
refuses; WIZARDBLADE learns it is a blade (same square only); a cursed
IDIOT skips every rung the curse would refuse instead of burning turns
on them; BUDDY's orientation is righted — whoever pacted YOU is
untouchable, your own pacts are merely precious — and a thief standing
underfoot no longer becomes a null destination that freezes two laden
wizards on the same square forever.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

packages/engine/src/automaton.ts

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ const ATTACKS: Record<string, { base: number; perNumber: boolean; needsNumber?:
   powerthrust: { base: 2, perNumber: true },
   waterbolt: { base: 0, perNumber: true, needsNumber: true },
   "lightning-blast": { base: 0, perNumber: true, needsNumber: true },
-  wizardblade: { base: 0, perNumber: true, needsNumber: true },
+  wizardblade: { base: 0, perNumber: true, needsNumber: true, sameSquare: true },
   "power-drain": { base: 0, perNumber: true, needsNumber: true },
   dagger: { base: 3, perNumber: false },
   "large-rock": { base: 2, perNumber: false },
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ function pathToward(
   view: GameView,
   from: Cell,
   goals: Set<string>,
-  opts: { avoidNearEnemies?: boolean; canUnlock?: boolean } = {},
+  opts: { avoidNearEnemies?: boolean; canUnlock?: boolean; throughHazards?: boolean } = {},
 ): PathResult | null {
   if (goals.size === 0 || goals.has(cellKey(from))) return null;
   const enemyCells = livingEnemies(view).map((p) => p.position);
@@ -593,9 +593,11 @@ function pathToward(
         seen.add(k);
         cameBy.set(k, { prev: cellKey(c), dir, viaDoor });
         if (goals.has(k)) { found = k; break; }
+        // Hazards end a clean path but are waded through when asked to.
         const hazard = view.squareContents[k]?.kind;
-        if (hazard === "pit" || hazard === "ooze" || hazard === "thornbush" ||
-            hazard === "rosebush" || hazard === "slime") continue;
+        if (!opts.throughHazards &&
+            (hazard === "pit" || hazard === "ooze" || hazard === "thornbush" ||
+             hazard === "rosebush" || hazard === "slime")) continue;
         if (opts.avoidNearEnemies && nearEnemy(to)) continue;
         next.push(to);
       }
@@ -635,6 +637,14 @@ function treasureGoals(view: GameView): Set<string> {
   return goals;
 }
 
+/** Bushes shelter both ways and mist can neither strike nor be struck —
+ * the engine refuses such attacks, and a refused choice burns the turn. */
+function bushOrMist(view: GameView, id: PlayerId): boolean {
+  const p = view.players.find((q) => q.id === id)!;
+  return view.squareContents[cellKey(p.position)]?.kind === "thornbush" ||
+    view.sustained.some((s) => s.cardId === "mist-body" && s.targetId === id);
+}
+
 /** The wizard making off with MY gold, if any. */
 function thiefOfMine(view: GameView) {
   const carriers = new Set(
@@ -1109,6 +1119,12 @@ export function automatonCommand(
 
   if (view.turn.actionsEnded) return endTurnDrawing(view, tier, style);
 
+  // IDIOT bars everything but counteractions, the march's aids, and the
+  // jailbreak drop below: any other choice burns the turn on a refusal.
+  const cursedIdiot = view.sustained.some((e) => e.cardId === "idiot" && e.targetId === view.you);
+  const thief = thiefOfMine(view);
+  if (!cursedIdiot) {
+
     // Deliver or grab treasure underfoot.
     if (self.carriedTreasureId && here === cellKey(self.home)) return { type: "dropTreasure" };
     if (!self.carriedTreasureId) {
@@ -1165,8 +1181,6 @@ export function automatonCommand(
       }
     }
 
-  const thief = thiefOfMine(view);
-
     // One attack per turn: the thief of my gold dies first, then the weakest.
     // ADRENALINE stretches that to two while it lasts.
     const adrenalized = view.sustained.some((s) => s.cardId === "adrenaline" && s.targetId === you);
@@ -1175,10 +1189,16 @@ export function automatonCommand(
       const sighted = sightedCellsFor(view);
       // A wizard under the clockwork's own BUDDY pact is off the target list:
       // attacking them would tear up the pact it just paid a card for.
-    const pacted = (id: PlayerId) =>
+      // Whoever cast BUDDY on you is safe from your first strike — the
+      // engine refuses the attack outright. Your OWN pacts are merely
+      // precious: striking someone you pacted tears up your protection.
+      const shieldedFromMe = (id: PlayerId) =>
+        view.sustained.some((s) => s.cardId === "buddy" && s.casterId === id && s.targetId === you);
+      const myPact = (id: PlayerId) =>
         view.sustained.some((s) => s.cardId === "buddy" && s.casterId === you && s.targetId === id);
-    const visible = livingEnemies(view)
-      .filter((p) => sighted.has(cellKey(p.position)) && !pacted(p.id));
+      const visible = bushOrMist(view, you) ? [] : livingEnemies(view)
+        .filter((p) => sighted.has(cellKey(p.position)) &&
+          !shieldedFromMe(p.id) && !myPact(p.id) && !bushOrMist(view, p.id));
       if (visible.length > 0) {
         const target = thief && visible.some((p) => p.id === thief.id)
           ? thief
@@ -1249,9 +1269,11 @@ export function automatonCommand(
           return { type: "punch", targetId: target.id };
         }
       }
-    // Only pacted wizards in sight? A pact is torn up for one thing: a kill.
+      // Only your own pacted wizards in sight? A pact you signed is torn
+      // up for one thing: a kill. (Pacts signed ON you cannot be broken.)
       const pactedVisible = livingEnemies(view)
-      .filter((p) => sighted.has(cellKey(p.position)) && pacted(p.id))
+        .filter((p) => sighted.has(cellKey(p.position)) && myPact(p.id) &&
+          !shieldedFromMe(p.id) && !bushOrMist(view, p.id))
         .sort((a, b) => a.life - b.life);
       for (const p of pactedVisible) {
         const spell = bestAttack(view, p.id, tier);
@@ -1262,7 +1284,7 @@ export function automatonCommand(
         const corner = inHand(view, "around-the-corner");
         if (corner) {
           for (const p of livingEnemies(view)) {
-          if (pacted(p.id)) continue;
+            if (shieldedFromMe(p.id) || myPact(p.id) || bushOrMist(view, p.id)) continue;
             if (!bentSightFor(view, self.position, p.position)) continue;
             const spell = bestAttack(view, p.id, tier);
             if (spell && spell.cmd.type === "cast") {
@@ -1324,11 +1346,12 @@ export function automatonCommand(
       }
     }
 
+  }
+
   // IDIOT's curse: the engine never forces the feet, so the clockwork
   // honors the march to its own gold itself — and when a thief carries
   // that gold, DROP OBJECT (the one attack the curse permits) shakes it
   // onto the floor where it can finally be stood upon.
-  const cursedIdiot = view.sustained.some((e) => e.cardId === "idiot" && e.targetId === view.you);
   if (cursedIdiot && view.turn.round > 1 && !view.turn.attackUsed) {
     const dropper = inHand(view, "drop-object");
     if (dropper) {
@@ -1354,17 +1377,25 @@ export function automatonCommand(
     const ownGoldCells = new Set(view.treasures
       .filter((t) => t.owner === view.you && t.position && !t.carriedBy)
       .map((t) => cellKey(t.position!)));
+    // A thief already underfoot is not a destination — with the chase
+    // moot, march on the real goals (deliver, grab) instead of standing
+    // on them forever.
+    const thiefAfar = thief && cellKey(thief.position) !== here ? thief : null;
     const objectives = cursedIdiot && ownGoldCells.size > 0
       ? ownGoldCells
-      : thief
-        ? new Set([cellKey(thief.position)])
+      : thiefAfar
+        ? new Set([cellKey(thiefAfar.position)])
         : style === "berserker" && !self.carriedTreasureId
           ? (enemyCells.size > 0 ? enemyCells : gold)
           : gold;
     const path =
-      pathToward(view, self.position, objectives, { avoidNearEnemies: style === "worrier" && !thief, canUnlock }) ??
+      pathToward(view, self.position, objectives, { avoidNearEnemies: style === "worrier" && !thiefAfar, canUnlock }) ??
       pathToward(view, self.position, objectives, { canUnlock }) ??
-      pathToward(view, self.position, enemyCells, { canUnlock });
+      pathToward(view, self.position, enemyCells, { canUnlock }) ??
+      // No clean road to anything: grit the teeth and wade the hazards,
+      // as any wizard would rather than stand in a pocket forever.
+      pathToward(view, self.position, objectives, { canUnlock, throughHazards: true }) ??
+      pathToward(view, self.position, enemyCells, { canUnlock, throughHazards: true });
     // A shimmering illusion on the best crossing costs nothing to doubt:
     // roll the free test before spending any card on that wall.
     const doubted = bestWallCrossing(view, self, objectives, canUnlock);

packages/engine/test/automaton.test.ts

@@ -283,6 +283,81 @@ describe("the clockwork honors IDIOT's march", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("the clockwork wades hazards rather than surrender", () => {
+  it("takes the slime road when no clean path to anything exists", () => {
+    let { state } = createGame({ playerIds: ["bot", "foe"], seed: 7, sets: ["basic", "expansion1"] });
+    while (actingSeat(state) !== "bot") {
+      const r = applyCommand(state, actingSeat(state), { type: "endTurn", draw: 0 });
+      if (!r.ok) throw new Error(r.error);
+      state = r.state;
+    }
+    const bot = state.players.find((p) => p.id === "bot")!;
+    bot.hand = [];
+    // Wall the bot into its square except one side; slime that one exit.
+    const sides = ["N", "S", "E", "W"] as const;
+    const board = state.board;
+    const open = sides.filter((s) => {
+      const n = { x: bot.position.x + (s === "E" ? 1 : s === "W" ? -1 : 0),
+                  y: bot.position.y + (s === "S" ? 1 : s === "N" ? -1 : 0) };
+      return board.cells[cellKey(n)] !== undefined;
+    });
+    const exit = open[0]!;
+    for (const s2 of sides) {
+      if (s2 !== exit) state.edgeOverrides[edgeKey(bot.position, s2)] = "wall";
+      else state.edgeOverrides[edgeKey(bot.position, s2)] = "open";
+    }
+    const beyond = { x: bot.position.x + (exit === "E" ? 1 : exit === "W" ? -1 : 0),
+                     y: bot.position.y + (exit === "S" ? 1 : exit === "N" ? -1 : 0) };
+    state.squareContents[cellKey(beyond)] = { kind: "slime", damage: 0, createdBy: "foe" };
+    const cmd = automatonCommand(viewFor(state, "bot"), "hunter", "archmage");
+    expect(cmd).toEqual({ type: "move", direction: exit });
+    expect(applyCommand(state, "bot", cmd!).ok).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("the clockwork respects the bush's shelter", () => {
+  function faceOffWithFireball() {
+    let { state } = createGame({ playerIds: ["bot", "foe"], seed: 7, sets: ["basic", "expansion1"] });
+    for (let i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+      const r = applyCommand(state, actingSeat(state), { type: "endTurn", draw: 0 });
+      if (!r.ok) throw new Error(r.error);
+      state = r.state;
+    }
+    while (actingSeat(state) !== "bot") {
+      const r = applyCommand(state, actingSeat(state), { type: "endTurn", draw: 0 });
+      if (!r.ok) throw new Error(r.error);
+      state = r.state;
+    }
+    const bot = state.players.find((p) => p.id === "bot")!;
+    const foe = state.players.find((p) => p.id === "foe")!;
+    foe.position = { ...bot.position };
+    bot.hand = [{ instanceId: "fireball#T", cardId: "fireball" }];
+    return { state, bot, foe };
+  }
+
+  it("never aims at a wizard sheltered in a thornbush", () => {
+    const { state, foe } = faceOffWithFireball();
+    state.squareContents[cellKey(foe.position)] = { kind: "thornbush", damage: 0, createdBy: "foe" };
+    const cmd = automatonCommand(viewFor(state, "bot"), "hunter", "archmage")
+      ?? automatonFallback(viewFor(state, "bot"), "archmage");
+    // Whatever it picks, the engine must accept it — and it must not be
+    // the refused fireball that would burn the whole turn.
+    expect(cmd).not.toMatchObject({ type: "cast", instanceId: "fireball#T" });
+    expect(applyCommand(state, "bot", cmd).ok).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("never attacks out of its own bush", () => {
+    const { state, bot, foe } = faceOffWithFireball();
+    foe.position = { x: bot.position.x, y: bot.position.y };
+    state.squareContents[cellKey(bot.position)] = { kind: "thornbush", damage: 0, createdBy: "foe" };
+    foe.position = { ...bot.position };
+    const cmd = automatonCommand(viewFor(state, "bot"), "hunter", "archmage")
+      ?? automatonFallback(viewFor(state, "bot"), "archmage");
+    expect(cmd).not.toMatchObject({ type: "cast", instanceId: "fireball#T" });
+    expect(applyCommand(state, "bot", cmd).ok).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("a clogged hand gets shed, not hoarded", () => {
   it("the bot discards dead weight so the end-of-turn draw has room", () => {
     let { state } = createGame({ playerIds: ["bot", "other"], seed: 42, sets: ["basic"] });