Epic: FTK2 ports, capability-first (passive traits, status effects, party procs, summons)

[jarlbrak]

Vision

Port For The King II class and ability ideas back into FTK1 as data-driven content through the framework. Capability-first: build each missing framework capability (passive class traits, combat status effects, party-reinterpreted procs, transient summons) and prove each with one or two showcase FTK2-inspired ports, so the full catalog can grow later through the public Content API.

Motivation

Phase 6 of the roadmap. FTK2 expresses its abilities as discrete named passives (proc trigger + chance stat + effect), which maps almost 1:1 onto the framework's clone-and-register model; the port recreates FTK2's ability shapes in FTK1's native vocabulary. The framework has already proven classes (Thief), items, proficiencies, enemies (Cutpurse), and adventure injection (Smuggler's Run); passives, statuses, and summons are the remaining capability gaps. Building them in that order tracks increasing engine intrusion (data-only, then FTK_hitEffect plumbing, then new combat entities) so each phase de-risks the next.

Scope

In scope

• Group A passive-trait capability, shown by Steadfast (shield-negate) and Iron Belly (debuff-negate) style ports
• Combat status effects riding the existing FTK_hitEffect plumbing (Frozen, Fear, Taunt, Pierce, Acid), gated behind a duration-encoding decompile trace
• Group B procs reinterpreted from FTK2's grid to FTK1's party (adjacent/tile becomes whole-party or random-ally), shown by Discipline and Fortune style ports
• Group C transient combat-ally summons (spawn, act per turn, despawn), shown by a Scarecrow taunting-decoy style port
• All art recreated originally

Out of scope

• Group D grid-bound abilities (no FTK1 positioning analogue; a broken half-port otherwise)
• Persistent collectible summons (Toymaker doll collection); follow-on epic if the follower framework proves capable
• Porting the full FTK2 catalog; the catalog grows after the capabilities are proven
• Per-port co-op re-verification; determinism stays a cross-cutting invariant, not a per-port gate
• Any redistribution of FTK2 art, models, icons, or JSON (reference-only, non-negotiable)

Success Criteria

• Each of the four capabilities is demonstrated by at least one showcase port with SELF-TEST PASS and solo in-game verification
• Status-effect duration encoding is confirmed via decompile trace before any status-effect numbers are committed
• Every shipped proc resolves randomness host-side and broadcasts the outcome; no client-local rolls
• Every showcase port has a named player-facing feedback surface (battle-log line, status icon, or roll visual) observed in-game
• No FTK2 assets anywhere in the repo; all art recreated originally
• Auto-success ports (Steadfast-style negation) carry a hard cost gate (once-per-combat, cooldown, or Focus spend)

Child Specs

• Spec: Passive Class Traits (data-driven passive proficiencies); showcases Steadfast and Iron Belly
• Spec: Combat Status Effects on FTK_hitEffect (Frozen, Fear, Taunt, Pierce, Acid); showcases Frozen and Taunt
• Spec: Party-Reinterpreted Focus and Fortune Procs; showcases Discipline and Fortune
• Spec: Follower-Framework Summons (transient combat allies); showcase Scarecrow decoy

Dependency Graph

graph TD
    A[Spec: Passive Class Traits] --> B[Spec: Combat Status Effects]
    A --> C[Spec: Focus and Fortune Procs]
    B --> D[Spec: Follower-Framework Summons]

Loading

Passive traits establish the base proc capability. Status effects need the FTK_hitEffect duration trace and build on the proc capability. The Scarecrow showcase rides on the Taunt status, so summons follow status effects.

Open Questions

• Where does FTK_hitEffect encode status duration and stacking? (Decompile trace required before the status-effect spec is written; roadmap risk 2.)
• Can FTK1's follower framework host persistent collectible summons without engine changes, or does that stay a follow-on epic?
• What cost gates the auto-success passives: once-per-combat, cooldown, or Focus spend?
• Are showcase passives bound to new showcase classes, or attachable to existing vanilla classes? (Power-creep guard: FTK1's 13 classes are deliberately close in power.)
• How do Group B procs surface feedback in the slot-roll UI: a reroll visual, a battle-log line, or both?

[var-varitas]

Child spec 1 created: #78 (Spec: Passive Class Traits, Content.AddPassive + Innkeeper showcase). Note one deviation from this epic's child-spec list: the Steadfast showcase is renamed Stonewall because vanilla FTK already has a CharacterSkills.m_SteadFast skill (shield-gated, physical-only, probabilistic partial block) with different semantics; the framework trait never touches that flag. Architect review verdict: APPROVED_WITH_CHANGES, all changes incorporated before filing.