diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d34d2a2..11d83bd 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -55,3 +55,7 @@ logs/
.env
.env.local
*.local
+
+# Phase 4 — temporary asset sources (not committed)
+*.zip
+note
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/chain/ParticleTrail.java b/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/chain/ParticleTrail.java
index 99944a0..70815fa 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/chain/ParticleTrail.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/chain/ParticleTrail.java
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@ import java.util.List;
*/
public final class ParticleTrail {
- /** Default trail density in particles per block. */
- public static final double TRAIL_DENSITY = 4.0;
+ /** Default trail density in particles per block. Reduced from 4.0 (post 14:37 UAT) to keep
+ * total per-click emit count low enough that the client doesn't throttle at the particle
+ * budget. With 5-hop chain at 5 blocks each: 1.0 = ~25 arcs total instead of ~100. */
+ public static final double TRAIL_DENSITY = 1.0;
private ParticleTrail() {
// utility class — no instances
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/ChainLightningSceptreInteraction.java b/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/ChainLightningSceptreInteraction.java
index e621c4c..f491b6c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/ChainLightningSceptreInteraction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/ChainLightningSceptreInteraction.java
@@ -136,6 +136,17 @@ public final class ChainLightningSceptreInteraction extends SimpleInstantInterac
ChainDamageApplier.apply(hits, playerRef, commandBuffer, commandBuffer);
LOGGER.info("[ChainLightning][7/9] damage application returned");
+ // --- Étape 7.5 : émettre VFX/SFX (best-effort) ---
+ // CONTEXT failure-mode decision : damage déjà appliqué — si l'emit échoue, log + continue
+ // vers le cooldown. Pas de propagation : le tick serveur ne doit pas crash sur un bug VFX.
+ try {
+ LOGGER.info(String.format("[ChainLightning][7.5/9] vfx emit START hits=%d", hits.size()));
+ HytaleVfxEmitter.playChainEffects(hits, playerRef, commandBuffer);
+ LOGGER.info("[ChainLightning][7.5/9] vfx emit DONE");
+ } catch (Throwable t) {
+ LOGGER.log(Level.WARNING, "[ChainLightning][7.5/9] vfx emit failed (damage already applied)", t);
+ }
+
// --- Étape 8 : démarrer le cooldown APRÈS succès ---
cooldown.deductCharge();
LOGGER.info(String.format("[ChainLightning][8/9] cooldown deducted (next available in %.1fs)", COOLDOWN_TIME));
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/HytaleVfxEmitter.java b/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/HytaleVfxEmitter.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70cef6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/mythlane/chainlightning/sceptre/HytaleVfxEmitter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+package com.mythlane.chainlightning.sceptre;
+
+import com.hypixel.hytale.component.CommandBuffer;
+import com.hypixel.hytale.component.ComponentAccessor;
+import com.hypixel.hytale.component.Ref;
+import com.hypixel.hytale.server.core.asset.type.entityeffect.config.EntityEffect;
+import com.hypixel.hytale.server.core.entity.effect.EffectControllerComponent;
+import com.hypixel.hytale.server.core.universe.world.storage.EntityStore;
+import com.mythlane.chainlightning.chain.ChainHit;
+
+import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * Phase 4 — Adapter VFX/SFX qui applique un EntityEffect custom à chaque cible touchée.
+ *
+ * Pivot 14:52 (POC EntityEffect bridge) : les tentatives précédentes via
+ * {@code ParticleUtil.spawnParticleEffect("Splash", ...)} ne rendaient pas les particles côté
+ * client (asset sync plugin custom + budget client → 0/5 visible). On utilise maintenant le
+ * pattern canonique Cleric-Rod : on déclare un {@code EntityEffect} JSON (Server/Entity/Effects/
+ * Chain_Hit_Effect.json) qui contient des particles vanilla inline + EntityTopTint/BottomTint,
+ * et on applique cet effect à chaque target via {@link EffectControllerComponent#addEffect}.
+ *
+ *
Le rendu passe par la réplication ECS (le ECS state du target propage l'effet aux clients
+ * automatiquement), pas par un packet SpawnParticleSystem standalone. C'est le path éprouvé.
+ *
+ *
Fallback : si le lookup de l'EntityEffect échoue (asset pas chargé), on log et skip.
+ * Pas de propagation : damage déjà appliqué côté caller, l'emit failure ne doit pas crash.
+ *
+ *
Hop-index ignoré pour POC : l'EntityEffect est uniforme sur les 5 cibles. La courbe
+ * de volume (VFX-02) reste implémentée dans {@code VolumeCurve} mais n'est pas utilisée ici --
+ * une variante future pourrait définir 5 EntityEffects {@code Chain_Hit_Effect_0..4} avec des
+ * intensités décroissantes, ou patcher l'EntityEffect existant runtime (non supporté par l'API).
+ */
+public final class HytaleVfxEmitter {
+
+ private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(HytaleVfxEmitter.class.getName());
+
+ /** Asset id du EntityEffect appliqué à chaque target touchée par la chaîne. */
+ private static final String EFFECT_ID = "Chain_Hit_Effect";
+
+ private HytaleVfxEmitter() {}
+
+ /**
+ * Applique l'EntityEffect {@code Chain_Hit_Effect} à chaque hit de la chaîne.
+ *
+ * @param hits liste résolue par ChainResolver, ordre BFS
+ * @param playerRef ref du caster (présent pour symétrie d'API future, non utilisé ici --
+ * l'EntityEffect rend automatiquement à tous les viewers en range)
+ * @param commandBuffer le CommandBuffer du tick courant (sert pour {@code getComponent} et
+ * pour propager les changes d'état ECS au tick end)
+ */
+ public static void playChainEffects(@Nonnull List hits,
+ @Nonnull Ref playerRef,
+ @Nonnull CommandBuffer commandBuffer) {
+ if (hits.isEmpty()) return;
+
+ EntityEffect entityEffect = EntityEffect.getAssetMap().getAsset(EFFECT_ID);
+ if (entityEffect == null) {
+ LOGGER.warning(String.format(
+ "[ChainLightning][Vfx] EntityEffect '%s' not registered -- VFX skipped (damage already applied)",
+ EFFECT_ID));
+ return;
+ }
+
+ ComponentAccessor accessor = commandBuffer;
+ int applied = 0;
+ int skipped = 0;
+ for (int i = 0; i < hits.size(); i++) {
+ Ref targetRef = ((HytaleEntityAdapter) hits.get(i).target()).ref();
+ if (targetRef == null || !targetRef.isValid()) {
+ skipped++;
+ continue;
+ }
+ EffectControllerComponent ecc = accessor.getComponent(targetRef, EffectControllerComponent.getComponentType());
+ if (ecc == null) {
+ skipped++;
+ continue;
+ }
+ boolean ok = ecc.addEffect(targetRef, entityEffect, accessor);
+ if (ok) {
+ applied++;
+ } else {
+ skipped++;
+ }
+ }
+
+ LOGGER.info(String.format(
+ "[ChainLightning][Vfx] EntityEffect '%s' applied to %d/%d targets (skipped=%d, caster=%s)",
+ EFFECT_ID, applied, hits.size(), skipped, playerRef));
+ }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/resources/Common/Particles/Chain_Spark.png b/src/main/resources/Common/Particles/Chain_Spark.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 28e5c8a..0000000
Binary files a/src/main/resources/Common/Particles/Chain_Spark.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/src/main/resources/Server/Entity/Effects/Chain_Hit_Effect.json b/src/main/resources/Server/Entity/Effects/Chain_Hit_Effect.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2fc21d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/resources/Server/Entity/Effects/Chain_Hit_Effect.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+ "Name": "entity_effect.chain_lightning.hit",
+ "Duration": 0.6,
+ "OverlapBehavior": "Overwrite",
+ "Debuff": true,
+ "ApplicationEffects": {
+ "EntityTopTint": "#B0DCFF",
+ "EntityBottomTint": "#66B3FF",
+ "Particles": [
+ {
+ "SystemId": "Splash",
+ "TargetEntityPart": "Entity",
+ "Scale": 4.0,
+ "Color": "#B0DCFF",
+ "DetachedFromModel": false
+ }
+ ]
+ }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/resources/Server/Particles/Chain_Spark.particlespawner b/src/main/resources/Server/Particles/Chain_Spark.particlespawner
deleted file mode 100644
index 276dcab..0000000
--- a/src/main/resources/Server/Particles/Chain_Spark.particlespawner
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-{
- "Shape": "Sphere",
- "ParticleRotationInfluence": "Billboard",
- "RenderMode": "BlendAdd",
- "TotalParticles": { "Min": 1, "Max": 1 },
- "LifeSpan": 0.5,
- "MaxConcurrentParticles": 16,
- "ParticleLifeSpan": { "Min": 0.3, "Max": 0.5 },
- "SpawnRate": { "Min": 50.0, "Max": 50.0 },
- "Particle": {
- "Texture": "Particles/Chain_Spark.png",
- "FrameSize": { "Width": 4, "Height": 4 },
- "SoftParticles": "Enable",
- "SoftParticlesFadeFactor": 1.0,
- "UVOption": "None",
- "ScaleRatioConstraint": "OneToOne",
- "Animation": {
- "0": {
- "FrameIndex": { "Min": 0, "Max": 0 },
- "Scale": { "X": { "Min": 0.3, "Max": 0.3 }, "Y": { "Min": 0.3, "Max": 0.3 } },
- "Color": "#B0DCFF",
- "Opacity": 1.0
- },
- "100": {
- "FrameIndex": { "Min": 0, "Max": 0 },
- "Scale": { "X": { "Min": 0.0, "Max": 0.0 }, "Y": { "Min": 0.0, "Max": 0.0 } },
- "Color": "#B0DCFF",
- "Opacity": 0.0
- }
- }
- }
-}
diff --git a/src/main/resources/Server/Particles/Chain_Spark.particlesystem b/src/main/resources/Server/Particles/Chain_Spark.particlesystem
deleted file mode 100644
index 58e414c..0000000
--- a/src/main/resources/Server/Particles/Chain_Spark.particlesystem
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
- "LifeSpan": 0.5,
- "CullDistance": 64.0,
- "BoundingRadius": 1.0,
- "Spawners": [
- {
- "SpawnerId": "Chain_Spark"
- }
- ]
-}