codex: dynamic SII recipe selection + realized rates + validator crash fix (bounce fix attempt 3, owner guidance)

Owner decision (2026-08-28): Superheat Item uses a dynamic recipe table
governed by Smithing level — highest UNLOCKED recipe selected, primary ore
(target_input, never coal) is the spell target, fallback to the next lower
unlocked recipe, else skip SII and stay on LA.

- magic-alch-handoff: per-recipe target_input; selection block
  (mode highest-unlocked / eligible_rule / fallback); full-lifecycle
  actions (buy-staff, equip-staff w/ fire-rune failure path, buy-supplies,
  cast-alch, cast-superheat, bank-loop, take-break); deterministic restock
  (LA/HLA carried_batch 1,000 + threshold 100 -> 901-cast batches; SII
  24-cast bank cycles, bars >= 24); breaks [400,700] COMPLETED casts,
  independent of banking; worked example pinned (prep -> first restock @24
  -> break @550 -> resume -> restock @552); stop conditions + recovery block
- rates REALIZED incl. mandatory breaks + banking: LA 24,500 / SII 27,500 /
  HLA 51,400 xp/hr (formulas pinned; loop-only 837/hr and 305/hr regimes
  superseded); low-alch-f2p also switched (xp 24,500, gp -110,500..-74,000)
- validate.py: rows now collected ONLY after schema validation (schema-
  invalid MAPPINGS incl. 'economy: not-a-mapping' produce normal ERRORs,
  never AttributeError tracebacks — end-to-end subprocess regression added);
  new gates: recipe_model_errors (target_input in declared inputs, coal
  never targetable, unique smithing gates, selection block + SII/fallback
  transitions) and rate_errors (xp_per_hour must match the realized cadence,
  tolerance 2%); highest_unlocked_recipe helper + 6 eligibility fixtures
- entry.schema.json: optional selection block + per-recipe target_input
- Evidence: validate 2 entries 0 errors 0 warnings; --selftest 31 PASS;
  governor's exact direct repro supply_limit_conflicts([('bad.yaml',
  {'economy':'not-a-mapping'})]) -> [] no crash; synthetic 3-way merge of
  main 79cab78 (incl. issue-6 catalog) + head: clean, gate green; git
  diff --check clean

codex/economy/low-alch-f2p.yaml

@@ -3,58 +3,74 @@ title: Low-Level Alchemy (F2P)
 domain: economy
 tags: [alching, magic-training, f2p, loss-training]
 status: verified
-version: 1
+version: 2  # 2: bounce-fix 3 2026-08-28 (owner guidance) — realized rates incl. mandatory breaks + banking, break.every in CAST counts, numeric carried_batch/restock_threshold, pinned worked example
-updated: "2026-08-27"   # ISO dates must stay quoted — YAML 1.1 parses bare dates to datetime.date
+updated: "2026-08-28"   # ISO dates must stay quoted — YAML 1.1 parses bare dates to datetime.date
 
 summary: >
   Magic training from level 21 by low-alching F2P items with the highest
   lowalch-value among affordable, high-limit items. At current prices it is
   a LOSS activity (money in exchange for Magic XP); run it only for XP.
+  Model pin (owner guidance 2026-08-28): one iteration = one cast; breaks
+  every 400-700 COMPLETED CASTS (cast-count based, independent of bank
+  visits); restock when candidate or nature drops below the numeric
+  restock_threshold (100) against a carried_batch of 1,000/1,000 — worked
+  example pinned below; all rates are REALIZED (delays + breaks + banking).
 
 accounts:
   membership: f2p
   min_level: 21            # Magic 21 to cast Low Level Alchemy (wiki-verified)
   requires_quest: []
   requires_other:
-    - "Staff of Fire equipped (removes 3 fire runes from the cost)"
+    - "Staff of Fire equipped (removes 3 fire runes from the cost; NO level requirement documented on the OSRS wiki — verified 2026-08-28, see sources)"
-    - "A bank with GE access within reach"
+    - "A bank with GE access within reach (alch spot = the bank booth; restock trip 60-120s)"
+    - "Working capital >= 292,000 gp for one carried_batch (1,000 x 148 gp gold necklaces + 1,000 x 144 gp natures, live 2026-08-27)"
 
 best_practice:
   equipment:
     - item: staff of fire
-      why: "unlimited fire runes — LA rune cost drops from 3 fire + 1 nature to 1 nature per cast (~15gp/cycle saved)"
+      why: "unlimited fire runes — LA rune cost drops from 3 fire + 1 nature to 1 nature per cast (~15gp/cycle saved); equip requirement: none documented on the OSRS wiki (verified 2026-08-28)"
-      source: "OSRS wiki — Staff of Fire; Low Level Alchemy (Cost)"
+      source: "OSRS wiki — Staff of fire (id 1387: no requirements row in the infobox, none in the prose — contrast Battlestaff 'requires 30 Attack and 30 Magic'); Low Level Alchemy (Cost)"
   techniques:
     - name: cast on noted (stacked) items
-      why: "one inventory slot, minimal mouse travel between spell icon and item"
+      why: "one inventory slot, minimal mouse travel between spell icon and item; means an inventory does NOT define a batch size — batch sizes are the explicit numeric carried_batch below"
       source: "OSRS wiki — Low Level Alchemy (Usage: casting alchemy spells on noted items)"
     - name: bank at a GE-adjacent bank
-      why: "supply restock without a second travel leg — runes and alch items both come from the GE"
+      why: "supply restock without a second travel leg — runes and alch items both come from the GE; restock trip 60-120s"
       source: "OSRS wiki — Money making guide/High alching profitable free-to-play items (bulk alching via noted items; West Varrock Bank is the common F2P alch/trade hub); OSRS wiki — High Level Alchemy (buying GE items below alch value for break-even/profit; noted-item casting saves bank withdrawals)"
 
 economy:
   # Verified 2026-08-27 against prices.runescape.wiki (live 'latest')
   # + OSRS wiki Low_Level_Alchemy infobox.
+  # Bounce-fix 3 (2026-08-28, owner guidance): all rate fields are REALIZED
+  # figures — mandatory breaks + banking included, not just the cast loop.
   item: Gold necklace       # example anchor; rank by cheapest candidate live
   item_id: 1654
   cost_per_cycle: 292       # necklace buy 148 + nature rune 144 (staff of fire)
   income_per_cycle: 180     # lowalch of gold necklace (40% of value 450)
   net_per_cycle: -112
-  gp_per_hour_low: -119000  # -112 net/cast x rate endpoints: max burn at 1.6s delay
+  gp_per_hour_low: -110500  # realized (incl. restock + breaks), fastest cycle: 986.4 casts/hr x -112 = -110,477
-                            # (3.6/3.4s = 1,058 casts/hr) ~ -118,500; mid 4.3s/cast
+  gp_per_hour_high: -74000  # realized (incl. restock + breaks), slowest cycle: 660.6 casts/hr x -112 = -73,987
-                            # (837 casts/hr) ~ -93,800
+  xp_per_hour: 24500        # realized midpoint: 791.3 casts/hr x 31 xp = 24,530 (pin 24,500)
-  gp_per_hour_high: -78000  # min burn at 3.4s delay (3.6/5.2s = 692 casts/hr) ~ -77,500
+  # ---- realized-rate derivation (pinned; owner guidance 2026-08-28) ----
-  xp_per_hour: 25953        # 31 xp/cast (wiki) @ ~837 casts/hr — additive wall time:
+  # Cast: 1.8s (3 ticks x 0.6s) + anti_ban.delay [1.6, 3.4]s ADDITIVE after the
-                            # 3-tick cast = 1.8s PLUS anti_ban.delay 1.6-3.4s which is
+  # action (docs/action-grammar.md:135) = 3.4-5.2s, midpoint 4.3s.
-                            # sleep AFTER the action (action-grammar.md) = 3.4-5.2s/cast,
+  # BATCH model: carried_batch 1,000 candidate + 1,000 natures; restock_threshold
-                            # mid 4.3s -> 3,600/4.3 = ~837 casts/hr (midpoint rate).
+  # 100 -> 901-cast restock cadence (first restock after cast 901). Overhead per
-                            # The old 1,800 casts/hr (55,800 xp/hr) ignored the additive
+  # 901-cast batch: 90s restock trip (60-120s, GE-adjacent booth) + 135s breaks
-                            # delay and was not reachable under the entry's own pacing.
+  # (every [400, 700] casts, mid 550, for [45, 120]s -> 901/550 x 82.5s) = 225s.
+  # REALIZED casts/hr = 901 / ((901 x cycle_s + 225) / 3600):
+  #   fast 3.4s -> 986.4; midpoint 4.3s -> 791.3; slow 5.2s -> 660.6.
+  # xp_per_hour = 791.3 x 31 = 24,530 (pin 24,500).
+  # gp_per_hour = casts/hr x -112: fast -110,477 (low), slow -73,987 (high),
+  #   midpoint -88,626.
+  # Superseded figures (fail the realized gate on purpose): loop-only 837
+  # casts/hr (25,953 xp/hr) ignored breaks + banking; the 8-14-cast break
+  # regime (~305 casts/hr) and the 1,800-cast regime ignored the additive delay.
   supplies:
     - item: gold necklace
       qty_per_cycle: 1
       source: ge
-      ge_limit: 18000       # mapping 'limit', wiki-verified
+      ge_limit: 18000       # mapping 'limit', wiki-verified; one carried_batch of 1,000 fits the 4h window
     - item: nature rune
       qty_per_cycle: 1
       source: ge
@@ -63,24 +79,25 @@ economy:
   profit_drivers:
     - "NONE at current prices — XP is the product, not GP"
     - "Pick the candidate with the least-negative net each run (live rank)"
+    - "Batch-scale economics (worst case 1 nature/cast): carried_batch 1,000/1,000, restock every 901 casts — one batch = 901 x -112 = -100,912 gp, +27,931 xp"
 
 state_machine:
   initial: idle
   terminal: [complete, failed]
   states:
     idle:
-      goal: reach the bank + have supplies in inventory
+      goal: "reach the bank, acquire + equip the staff of fire, GE-buy candidate + natures, build the starting inventory to carried_batch (1,000 candidate + 1,000 nature)"
-      next: [casting, bank_supplies]
+      next: [casting, complete, failed]
     casting:
-      goal: cast Low Level Alchemy on the current candidate item
+      goal: "cast Low Level Alchemy on the current candidate item — each cast consumes 1 candidate + 1 nature and pays 180 gp (lowalch), +31 xp, net -112 gp; take a break when the completed-cast counter hits run_control.break.every ([400, 700] casts)"
-      next: [bank_supplies, idle, complete, failed]
+      next: [bank_supplies, complete, failed]
     bank_supplies:
-      goal: bank the produced coins, withdraw fresh candidate + runes
+      goal: "deposit coins, withdraw candidate + natures back to carried_batch (1,000/1,000), resume casting"
-      next: [casting, idle]
+      next: [casting, failed]
     complete:
-      goal: reached the run's XP/level target
+      goal: "reached the run's XP/level target (default 54, hand off to HLA at 55)"
     failed:
-      goal: hard failure — stop, log ERROR sentinel, alert
+      goal: "hard failure — stop, log ERROR sentinel, alert"
   transitions:
     # Handoff (verified 2026-08-27 from the OSRS wiki): the LA page states
     # "Players with level 55 Magic are generally recommended to use High
@@ -89,12 +106,27 @@ state_machine:
     # ore-smelting margins justify it. Handoffs are soft efficiency choices,
     # not hard caps (all spells stay castable); see
     # codex/training/magic-alch-handoff.yaml.
-    - from: casting
+    - from: idle
-      when: "candidate item count < buffer OR nature rune count < buffer"
+      when: "staff equipped AND candidate == carried_batch AND nature == carried_batch (1,000 and 1,000)"
-      to: bank_supplies
+      to: casting
     - from: idle
       when: "magic level >= target (default 54, hand off to HLA at 55)"
       to: complete
+    - from: idle
+      when: "3 consecutive purchase/equip failures with no fallback available (recovery block)"
+      to: failed
+    - from: casting
+      when: "candidate count < restock_threshold (100) OR nature rune count < restock_threshold (100) — deterministic restock trigger, pinned numbers"
+      to: bank_supplies
+    - from: casting
+      when: "magic level >= target (default 54, hand off to HLA at 55)"
+      to: complete
+    - from: casting
+      when: "3 consecutive failed casts (client issue — do not loop)"
+      to: failed
+    - from: bank_supplies
+      when: "restocked to carried_batch (1,000 candidate + 1,000 nature)"
+      to: casting
 
 actions:
   - id: a1
@@ -102,7 +134,7 @@ actions:
     verb: move_to
     target: bank
     params:
-      location: "nearest bank with GE"
+      location: "GE-adjacent bank (alch spot = the bank booth, so restock is a single short leg)"
       method: [teleport, walk]
     on_fail: retry
     anti_ban:
@@ -113,10 +145,10 @@ actions:
     verb: ge_buy
     target: grand-exchange
     params:
-      item: "current candidate item"
+      item: "current least-loss live candidate (default: gold necklace)"
-      qty: "fill to buffer"
+      qty: "carried_batch = 1,000 (fits the 4h GE limit window of 18,000)"
       max_price: "live low + 5%"
-    on_fail: retry
+    on_fail: retry        # re-place at live low +5% with paced offers; 3 consecutive failures -> failed (recovery block)
     anti_ban:
       delay: [1200, 3000]
 
@@ -128,11 +160,10 @@ actions:
       spell: "Low Level Alchemy"
       item: "cheapest live candidate in inventory"
       on: "itself"
+      consumption: "1 candidate + 1 nature per cast (staff of fire default); pays 180 gp (lowalch) + 31 xp, net -112 gp"
     on_fail: retry
     anti_ban:
-      delay: [1600, 3400]    # sleep AFTER the action (action-grammar.md): 1.8s cast +
+      delay: [1600, 3400]    # MANDATORY post-action sleep, ADDITIVE to the 1.8s cast (3 ticks x 0.6s; action-grammar.md:135): cycle = 3.4-5.2s, mid 4.3s -> realized ~791 casts/hr incl. restock + breaks (pinned in economy)
-                             # 1.6-3.4s delay = 3.4-5.2s/cast, mid 4.3s -> ~837 casts/hr
-                             # mid; xp_per_hour pinned at that additive rate, humanised
 
   - id: a4
     step: bank-loop
@@ -140,32 +171,95 @@ actions:
     target: bank
     params:
       deposit: [all coins, all products]
-      withdraw: "candidate item + nature runes up to buffer"
+      withdraw: "candidate + nature runes up to carried_batch (1,000/1,000)"
     on_fail: alert
 
+  - id: a5
+    step: take-break
+    verb: take_break
+    target: "current location"
+    params:
+      duration: "[45, 120] seconds of idle AFK per break (matches run_control.break.for)"
+      note: "executed by the translator when the completed-cast counter reaches run_control.break.every — this IS run_control.break's executor, fired on CAST COUNTS, not on bank visits; the cast counter is not reset by restocking"
+    on_fail: skip
+
 run_control:
   iteration: "one cast"      # schema.md: break.every counts iterations, so every
-                             # value below is in casts (one iteration = one cast)
+                             # value below is in completed casts, NOT bank trips
+                             # (owner decision 2026-08-28)
   max_iterations: null
   break:
-    every: [8, 14]           # casts (one iteration = one cast); no bank-visit alignment assumed
+    every: [400, 700]        # COMPLETED CASTS between AFK breaks (midpoint 550 = ~39
+                             # min at the 4.3s midpoint cycle). Cast-count-based and
+                             # independent of bank visits; a restock trip NEVER counts
+                             # as a break and does not reset this counter
     for: [45, 120]           # seconds of idle AFK
   stop_conditions:
-    - "magic level >= target"
+    - "magic level >= target (default 54, hand off to HLA at 55)"
-    - "gp under floor"
+    - "gp under floor (working capital below one carried_batch = 292,000 gp)"
     - "3 consecutive failed casts (client issue — do not loop)"
+    - "3 consecutive failed GE purchases with no fallback candidate available"
+
+  # ================= WORKED EXAMPLE (pinned, deterministic — owner guidance 2026-08-28) =================
+  # Constants: carried_batch = 1,000 candidate + 1,000 nature; restock_threshold = 100;
+  # break.every = [400, 700] casts (midpoint 550); break.for = [45, 120] s;
+  # default staff-of-fire path consumes 1 candidate + 1 nature per cast (worst case 1:1).
+  #
+  # Step 0 — before the first inventory: account holds >= 292,000 gp working capital
+  #   (1,000 x 148 + 1,000 x 144). At the GE bank: GE-buy staff of fire, Wield it
+  #   (no documented requirement), GE-buy 1,000 gold necklaces (noted, stacked) +
+  #   1,000 nature runes, withdraw both -> loadout = carried_batch 1,000/1,000.
+  #   Cast counter := 0.
+  # Step 1 — casts #1..#550: each cast consumes 1 candidate + 1 nature (-292 gp) and
+  #   pays 180 gp (lowalch) + 31 xp -> net -112 gp. Cast counter 0 -> 550 (~39 min at
+  #   midpoint cadence).
+  # Step 2 — FIRST SCHEDULED BREAK at cast 550 (midpoint of break.every [400, 700]):
+  #   take-break for 45-120 s. Resume casting at cast 551. The break fired on the CAST
+  #   COUNT, not on any bank visit; the restock counter is untouched.
+  # Step 3 — casts #551..#901: candidate 1000-901 = 99 < 100 (restock_threshold) and
+  #   nature 1000-901 = 99 < 100 simultaneously (worst case 1:1) -> the transition
+  #   fires at the end of cast #901: FIRST RESTOCK/BANK EVENT at cast 901.
+  #   Coins deposited at this restock: 901 x 180 = 162,180 gp; batch net -100,912 gp;
+  #   batch xp 901 x 31 = 27,931.
+  # Step 4 — restock: deposit coins + products, withdraw 901 candidate + 901 nature ->
+  #   carried_batch restored to 1,000/1,000. Resume casting at cast 902 (the cast
+  #   counter continues; the break counter also continues — restocking never resets either).
+  # Step 5 — SECOND BREAK when the cast-count interval since break #1 completes
+  #   ([400, 700], midpoint: cast 902 + 550 = 1,452): take-break, resume at 1,453.
+  # Step 6 — restock #2 fires at cast 1,802 (901-cast batch cadence), and so on, until a
+  #   stop_condition fires (Magic 54+ -> hand off to HLA at 55; gp under floor; 3 failed casts).
+  # Bank visits and breaks are INDEPENDENT by construction: restock cadence = 901 casts;
+  # break cadence = 400-700 casts, and the two counters do not interact.
+  # ============================================================================================
 
 risk:
   ban_level: low
   notes:
-    - "High cast cadence is the main detection vector; keep anti_ban delays."
+    - "High cast cadence is the main detection vector; keep the mandatory anti_ban delays (cadence pin: additive post-cast sleep [1.6, 3.4]s; realized ~791 casts/hr at the 4.3s midpoint cycle incl. restock + breaks; loop-only 837)."
-    - "GE buy bursts: pace offers, respect the 4h limit window."
+    - "Breaks are CAST-COUNT-based (every [400, 700] completed casts, 45-120s AFK) and independent of bank visits — never treat a restock trip as a break."
+    - "GE buy bursts: pace offers, respect the 4h limit window (18,000 necklaces / 18,000 natures)."
+
+# --- recovery block (owner guidance 2026-08-28: every activity must cover its complete runnable lifecycle) ---
+# - Missing materials / depleted supplies: the restock_threshold transition (casting ->
+#   bank_supplies at candidate OR nature < 100) catches both mid-run depletions; restock
+#   action a4 rebuilds to carried_batch and the loop resumes (worked example steps 3-4).
+# - Failed GE purchases (offer unfilled): re-place at live low + 5% with paced offers (a2);
+#   after 3 consecutive failures, alert + stop (failed) unless a fallback candidate is
+#   switched in — never sit in an unfillable offer loop.
+# - Staff of fire cannot be equipped: fall back to fire runes (3 fire + 1 nature = +15 gp
+#   per cast rune cost), log WARN, continue; never loop on equip attempts.
+# - Invalid loadout (wrong item in hand / spell unavailable): re-run build-loadout (a2/a4);
+#   3 consecutive failed casts -> failed (stop, log ERROR sentinel, alert).
+# - Explicit completion/stop: stop_conditions above (Magic 54+ HLA handoff, gp floor,
+#   repeated failures).
 
 sources:
   - "OSRS wiki — Low Level Alchemy (level 21, 31 xp/cast, 3-tick, F2P; infobox 2026-08-27)"
   - "prices.runescape.wiki mapping (id 1654 gold necklace: members=false, limit 18000, lowalch 180, highalch 270, value 450; id 561 nature rune; id 554 fire rune)"
   - "prices.runescape.wiki latest 2026-08-27 (necklace buy 148, nature buy 144, fire buy 5)"
-verified: "2026-08-27"  # keep quoted (YAML 1.1 date parsing)
+  - "OSRS wiki — Staff of fire (page verified 2026-08-28 for the equip requirement: id 1387, F2P item, tradeable, options Wield — NO requirements row in the Infobox Item and NO requirement statement in the prose; contrast Battlestaff, whose prose states 'requires 30 Attack and 30 Magic to wield')"
+  - "docs/schema.md run_control (iteration unit; break.every counts iterations) + docs/action-grammar.md:135 (anti_ban.delay = additive post-action sleep) + verb take_break — the cadence + break + lifecycle model; owner guidance 2026-08-28 (realized rates incl. breaks + banking, worked example)"
+verified: "2026-08-27"  # keep quoted (YAML 1.1 date parsing); prices last re-fetched live 2026-08-27
 
 related:
   - magic-alch-handoff

codex/training/magic-alch-handoff.yaml

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ title: Magic training via alchemy (LA → SII → HLA handoff)
 domain: training
 tags: [magic-training, alching, f2p, xp-training]
 status: verified
-version: 1
+version: 2  # 2: bounce-fix 3 2026-08-28 (owner guidance) — dynamic recipe selection (highest-unlocked, target_input, fallback), realized rates incl. mandatory breaks + banking, full-lifecycle actions, worked example pinned
-updated: "2026-08-27"   # ISO dates must stay quoted — YAML 1.1 parses bare dates to datetime.date
+updated: "2026-08-28"   # ISO dates must stay quoted — YAML 1.1 parses bare dates to datetime.date
 
 summary: >
   The standard F2P alchemy training path: Low Level Alchemy from level 21
@@ -12,21 +12,29 @@ summary: >
   ore into bars), then High Level Alchemy from 55 (65 xp/cast, the wiki's
   recommended end-state). All three spells are F2P and stay castable after
   their unlock levels, so the handoffs are efficiency recommendations, not
-  hard caps.
+  hard caps. SII model (owner guidance 2026-08-28): the recipe table is
+  dynamic and governed by the account's Smithing level — the highest UNLOCKED
+  recipe with a positive complete-cost margin is selected, its primary ore
+  (target_input, never coal) is the spell target, and fallback is to the next
+  lower unlocked recipe, else skip SII and stay on LA. Rates are REALIZED:
+  mandatory additive delays PLUS breaks (every 400-700 completed casts) PLUS
+  banking (901-cast alch batches; 24-cast SII bank cycles) — pinned below.
 
 accounts:
   membership: f2p            # LA, SII and HLA are all members=No spells
   min_level: 21              # Magic 21 — Low Level Alchemy unlock
   requires_quest: []
   requires_other:
-    - "Staff of Fire equipped (drops LA/SII/HLA rune cost to 1 nature rune per cast)"
+    - "Staff of Fire equipped (drops LA/SII/HLA rune cost to 1 nature rune per cast; NO level requirement documented on the OSRS wiki — verified 2026-08-28, see sources)"
-    - "A bank with GE access within reach (runes + alch items come from the GE)"
+    - "SII tier requires the selected recipe's Smithing level (recipes table: bronze 1 / iron 15 / silver 20 / steel 30 / gold 40 / mithril 50 / adamantite 70 / runite 85) — the highest UNLOCKED recipe is selected and an unmet gate is NEVER selected (selection.mode)"
+    - "Working capital >= 150,000 gp for 1,000 nature runes plus the selected recipe's exact inputs (live GE buy; steel example: 1 iron ore 100 + 2 coal 150 each per cast at the 2026-08-27 snapshot)"
+    - "A bank with GE access within reach (alch spot = the bank booth; restock trips 60-120s)"
 
 best_practice:
   equipment:
     - item: staff of fire
-      why: "unlimited fire runes — the rune cost of every alchemy spell drops to a single nature rune per cast"
+      why: "unlimited fire runes — the rune cost of every alchemy spell drops to a single nature rune per cast; equip requirement: none documented on the OSRS wiki (verified 2026-08-28)"
-      source: "OSRS wiki — High Level Alchemy (rune cost table; Staff of fire)"
+      source: "OSRS wiki — High Level Alchemy (rune cost table); OSRS wiki — Staff of fire (id 1387: no requirements row in the infobox, none in the prose — contrast Battlestaff 'requires 30 Attack and 30 Magic')"
   techniques:
     - name: hand off LA -> HLA at level 55
       why: "LA page: 'Players with level 55 Magic are generally recommended to use High Level Alchemy instead, as it provides more coins and experience per cast' — 65 vs 31 xp/cast, 60% vs 40% of item value"
@@ -34,9 +42,9 @@ best_practice:
     - name: optional Superheat Item window 43-55
       why: "SII unlocks at 43 (53 xp/cast) and smelts ore into bars without a furnace — a training window that can profit when ore/bar margins are positive; it cannot be cast on noted ore, so it needs the exact recipe inputs in inventory rather than a note stack"
       source: "OSRS wiki — Superheat Item (43 Magic, 53 xp, F2P; 'smelt ore into bars without a furnace'; 'cannot be cast on noted ore')"
-    - name: select SII bars by complete recipe margin
+    - name: select the highest UNLOCKED SII recipe, never an unmet gate
-      why: "SII smelts a concrete bar from its exact inputs (see the recipes table below) — the bar's Smithing gate must be met and the complete input cost (all ores + coal + one nature rune, live GE buy) must stay under the bar's GE price; withdraw those exact inputs and bank the produced bar"
+      why: "the recipe table is dynamic: at each cast the active recipe = the recipes-table entry with the highest smithing_level <= current Smithing whose complete input cost (ALL inputs at live GE buy + one nature rune) stays under the bar's GE price; the spell targets that recipe's declared target_input (the primary ore — never coal); when the selected recipe's materials cannot be obtained, fall back to the next lower unlocked recipe; when none has a positive margin, skip SII and stay on LA"
-      source: "OSRS wiki — Superheat Item (requires the Smithing level and materials of the bar); Smithing (bar smelting table); prices.runescape.wiki (live GE prices)"
+      source: "OSRS wiki — Superheat Item (requires the Smithing level and materials of the bar); Smithing (bar smelting table); prices.runescape.wiki (live GE prices); owner guidance 2026-08-28 (selection.mode)"
     - name: buy GE items below alch value, cast on noted items at a bank
       why: "HLA page: 'Players who train this way can break even on the cost of runes, or even turn a profit, by buying items on the Grand Exchange for a lower cost than the item's High Alchemy value'; all alchemy spells work on noted items, saving bank withdrawals per cast"
       source: "OSRS wiki — High Level Alchemy (GE buying for break-even/profit; noted-item casting)"
@@ -56,38 +64,61 @@ economy:
   item: nature rune
   item_id: 561
   cost_per_cycle: 145        # one nature rune per cast (staff of fire), buy price 2026-08-27
-  xp_per_hour: 54419         # HLA tier: 65 xp/cast @ ~837 casts/hr — additive wall
+  xp_per_hour: 51400         # HLA tier, REALIZED (breaks + banking included), pinned below
-                             # time: 3-tick cast = 1.8s PLUS anti_ban.delay 1.6-3.4s
+  # ---- realized-rate derivation (owner guidance 2026-08-28: rates must
-                             # after the action (action-grammar.md) = 3.4-5.2s/cast,
+  # include the mandatory breaks and banking, not just the cast loop) ----
-                             # mid 4.3s -> 3,600/4.3 = ~837 casts/hr. Tiers pinned at
+  # Cast: 1.8s (3 ticks x 0.6s) + anti_ban.delay [1.6, 3.4]s ADDITIVE after
-                             # the midpoint rate: LA 25,953 (31 x 837)
+  # the action (docs/action-grammar.md:135) = 3.4-5.2s, midpoint 4.3s.
-                             # / SII 44,372 (53 x 837) / HLA 54,419 (65 x 837).
+  # ALCH tiers (LA/HLA): 901-cast restock batch (carried_batch 1,000 -
-                             # Old 1,400-1,800 casts/hr figures (43,400 / 74,200 /
+  # restock_threshold 100) + 225s overhead per batch (90s restock trip at a
-                             # 91,000) ignored the additive delay — unreachable.
+  # GE-adjacent booth + 135s breaks every [400, 700] casts, mid 550, for
+  # [45, 120]s): realized casts/hr = 901 / ((901 x 4.3 + 225) / 3600) = 791.3.
+  #   LA   24,500 xp/hr = 31 x 791.3 (pin 24,530 -> 24,500)
+  #   HLA  51,400 xp/hr = 65 x 791.3 (pin 51,435 -> 51,400)
+  # SII tier: bank cycle is INVENTORY-bound (bars are non-stackable): restock
+  # when bars_in_inventory >= 24, i.e. 24-cast cycles with a ~60s trip. Per
+  # 550-cast break window: 550 x 4.3 = 2,365s casting + 22.9 trips x 60s +
+  # 82.5s break = 3,822.5s -> realized casts/hr = 550 / (3,822.5/3600) = 518.0.
+  #   SII  27,500 xp/hr = 53 x 518.0 (pin 27,454 -> 27,500; range 24,300 by
+  #        slow cycle 458.6/hr .. 31,500 by fast cycle 595.0/hr)
+  # Superseded figures (fail the realized gate on purpose): loop-only 837
+  # casts/hr (54,419 HLA) ignored breaks+banking; the 8-14-cast break regime
+  # (~305 casts/hr, 19,830 HLA) and the 1,400/1,800-cast regimes ignored the
+  # additive delay.
   supplies:
     - item: nature rune
       qty_per_cycle: 1
       source: ge
       ge_limit: 18000        # mapping + Module:Exchange agree
   profit_drivers:
-    - "XP per cast by tier (wiki infoboxes): LA 31 (level 21) / SII 53 (level 43) / HLA 65 (level 55)"
+    - "XP per cast by tier (wiki infoboxes): LA 31 (level 21) / SII 53 (level 43) / HLA 65 (level 55); SII also grants the bar's Smithing XP (recipes table)"
     - "HLA can break even or profit on GE-bought items priced below their High Alchemy value (HLA page); LA is a loss at current prices (see low-alch-f2p)"
-    - "SII turns a profit only when the complete recipe cost (all inputs + nature rune) stays under the resulting bar's GE price — re-check margins per window (SII page; the recipes table)"
+    - "SII turns a profit only when the complete recipe cost (ALL inputs + one nature rune) stays under the resulting bar's GE price — re-check margins per window and select the highest UNLOCKED recipe with a positive margin (selection.mode); never a steel-only default"
+
+# Selection model (owner guidance 2026-08-28): the Superheat recipe is chosen
+# at runtime from the recipes table — never hardcoded to one bar, never above
+# the account's Smithing level, with a deterministic fallback chain.
+selection:
+  mode: highest-unlocked
+  eligible_rule: "at each cast, the active recipe = the recipes-table entry with the highest smithing_level <= current Smithing level whose complete input cost (ALL inputs at live GE buy) + one nature rune 145 < the bar's live GE price"
+  fallback: "when the selected recipe's materials cannot be obtained (3 consecutive failed GE purchases / unfillable offers), drop to the next lower unlocked recipe and re-check its margin; when no unlocked recipe has a positive margin, skip SII for this window and stay on LA — never select a recipe whose Smithing requirement is unmet, never cast on coal"
 
 # Concrete F2P bar recipes for Superheat Item. SII requires the bar's
 # Smithing level and its exact materials, so every selectable bar is modelled
 # with ALL inputs and quantities (id 453 coal appears in steel/mithril/
 # adamantite/runite). Levels, xp and item ids from the OSRS wiki (Smithing
 # smelting table; Superheat Item grants the bar's Smithing XP per cast).
+# target_input = the PRIMARY ORE the spell is cast on (a declared input,
+# never coal — the validator enforces both).
 # econ 2026-08-27: bar margin = bar GE price - (all inputs at live GE buy +
-# one nature rune 145); the client selects the highest-margin recipe whose
+# one nature rune 145); the client selects via selection.mode.
-# smithing_level <= current Smithing level and withdraws its exact inputs.
 recipes:
   bronze-bar:
     bar: Bronze bar
     bar_item_id: 2349
     smithing_level: 1
     smithing_xp: 6.2
+    target_input: Copper ore
     inputs:
       - item: Copper ore
         item_id: 436
@@ -102,6 +133,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2351
     smithing_level: 15
     smithing_xp: 12.5
+    target_input: Iron ore
     inputs:
       - item: Iron ore
         item_id: 440
@@ -112,6 +144,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2355
     smithing_level: 20
     smithing_xp: 13.7
+    target_input: Silver ore
     inputs:
       - item: Silver ore
         item_id: 442
@@ -122,6 +155,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2353
     smithing_level: 30
     smithing_xp: 17.5
+    target_input: Iron ore
     inputs:
       - item: Iron ore
         item_id: 440
@@ -136,6 +170,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2357
     smithing_level: 40
     smithing_xp: 22.5
+    target_input: Gold ore
     inputs:
       - item: Gold ore
         item_id: 444
@@ -146,6 +181,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2359
     smithing_level: 50
     smithing_xp: 30
+    target_input: Mithril ore
     inputs:
       - item: Mithril ore
         item_id: 447
@@ -160,6 +196,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2361
     smithing_level: 70
     smithing_xp: 37.5
+    target_input: Adamantite ore
     inputs:
       - item: Adamantite ore
         item_id: 449
@@ -174,6 +211,7 @@ recipes:
     bar_item_id: 2363
     smithing_level: 85
     smithing_xp: 50
+    target_input: Runite ore
     inputs:
       - item: Runite ore
         item_id: 451
@@ -189,40 +227,55 @@ state_machine:
   terminal: [complete, failed]
   states:
     idle:
-      goal: be at a bank with GE access, staff of fire equipped, nature runes in stock
+      goal: "acquire + equip the staff of fire, GE-buy nature runes and the tier supplies (alch candidates, or the selected recipe's exact inputs), build the starting inventory to its carried_batch"
-      next: [cast, bank_supplies, complete, failed]
+      next: [cast, complete, failed]
     cast:
-      goal: cast the active tier spell with the tier-correct target — LA < 43 on a
+      goal: "cast the active tier spell with the tier-correct target — LA (< 43) or HLA (>= 55) on a noted alch candidate; SII (43-55) on the selected recipe's declared target_input (primary ore, never coal; exact inputs withdrawn, margin positive); a break fires on the completed-cast counter, NOT on bank visits"
-            noted alch candidate; SII 43-55 on an unnoted input of the selected
-            recipe (all exact inputs withdrawn; see the recipes table); HLA >= 55
-            on a noted alch candidate
       next: [cast, bank_supplies, complete, failed]
     bank_supplies:
-      goal: deposit coins and smelted bars, restock nature runes (+ the exact recipe inputs during the SII window)
+      goal: "deposit coins and smelted bars; restock to the tier's carried_batch (LA/HLA: candidate + natures to 1,000/1,000; SII: one 24-cast input pack of the selected recipe) and resume casting"
-      next: [cast, idle]
+      next: [cast, failed]
     complete:
-      goal: magic level target reached
+      goal: "magic level target reached (default 55 -> HLA is the end-state)"
     failed:
-      goal: hard failure — stop, log ERROR sentinel, alert
+      goal: "hard failure — stop, log ERROR sentinel, alert"
   transitions:
+    - from: idle
+      when: "staff equipped AND tier supplies at carried_batch (LA/HLA: 1,000 candidate + 1,000 natures; SII: 24 iron-or-primary + 48 coal + 24 natures for the selected recipe)"
+      to: cast
+    - from: idle
+      when: "magic level >= target (55 -> HLA end-state)"
+      to: complete
+    - from: idle
+      when: "3 consecutive purchase/equip failures with no fallback available (recovery block)"
+      to: failed
     - from: cast
-      when: "nature rune count < buffer (or a selected recipe's inputs < buffer in SII window)"
+      when: "LA/HLA tier: nature count < restock_threshold (100) OR candidate count < restock_threshold (100); SII tier: bars_in_inventory >= 24 (non-stackable bars fill the inventory) OR any selected-recipe input count < 1 — deterministic restock triggers, pinned numbers"
       to: bank_supplies
     - from: cast
       when: "level < 43 and LA tier active (cast on the cheapest alch candidate)"
       to: cast
     - from: cast
-      when: "level 43-55 and the SII window is chosen (a recipes-table entry has smithing_level <= current Smithing and a positive complete-cost margin)"
+      when: "level 43-55 and the SII window is chosen — selection.mode picks the recipes-table entry with the highest smithing_level <= current Smithing and a positive complete-cost margin; cast on its target_input"
       to: cast
     - from: cast
-      when: "level 43-55 and the SII window is skipped (no recipes-table entry has a positive margin this window) — stay on LA"
+      when: "level 43-55 — SII fallback: the selected recipe's materials cannot be obtained, so drop to the next lower unlocked recipe (never an unmet Smithing gate) and continue SII if its margin is positive"
+      to: cast
+    - from: cast
+      when: "level 43-55 and no unlocked recipe has a positive margin this window — skip SII and stay on LA"
       to: cast
     - from: cast
       when: "level >= 55 and HLA tier active (cast on the cheapest alch candidate)"
       to: cast
-    - from: idle
+    - from: cast
-      when: "magic level >= target"
+      when: "magic level >= target (55 -> HLA end-state)"
       to: complete
+    - from: cast
+      when: "3 consecutive failed casts (client issue — do not loop)"
+      to: failed
+    - from: bank_supplies
+      when: "restocked to the tier's carried_batch (see bank_supplies goal)"
+      to: cast
 
 actions:
   - id: a1
@@ -230,25 +283,48 @@ actions:
     verb: move_to
     target: bank
     params:
-      location: "nearest bank with GE"
+      location: "GE-adjacent bank (alch spot = the bank booth, so restock is a single short leg, 60-120s)"
       method: [teleport, walk]
     on_fail: retry
     anti_ban:
       delay: [400, 1600]
 
   - id: a2
-    step: buy-supplies
+    step: buy-staff
     verb: ge_buy
     target: grand-exchange
     params:
-      item: "nature rune + the exact SII recipe inputs (unnoted) of the selected recipe — every input and quantity from the recipes table (e.g. steel-bar = 1 iron ore + 2 coal), only while its complete-cost margin is positive"
+      item: "staff of fire"
-      qty: "fill to buffer"
+      qty: 1
-      max_price: "live low + 5%"
+      max_price: "live low + 25% (wiki value 1,500; hard cap 5,000)"
-    on_fail: retry
+    on_fail: retry        # retry once; on a second failure use the fire-rune fallback (see a3 note / recovery block)
     anti_ban:
       delay: [1200, 3000]
 
   - id: a3
+    step: equip-staff
+    verb: menu_option
+    target: "staff of fire in inventory"
+    params:
+      option: "Wield"
+      note: "Equip requirement is NONE documented on the OSRS wiki Staff of fire page (no requirements row in the infobox, none in the prose; compare Battlestaff 'requires 30 Attack and 30 Magic'; verified 2026-08-28). FAILURE PATH — if Wield is unavailable or the staff cannot be equipped, fall back to buying fire runes per cast (LA/HLA: 3 fire + 1 nature = 155 gp vs 140; SII: 4 fire + 1 nature = 160 gp vs 140 — the recipe margin rule compares against the FULL rune cost), log WARN and continue; never loop on equip attempts."
+    on_fail: retry
+    anti_ban:
+      delay: [600, 1800]
+
+  - id: a4
+    step: buy-supplies
+    verb: ge_buy
+    target: grand-exchange
+    params:
+      item: "nature rune + the tier's supplies — LA/HLA: the current least-loss alch candidate; SII: the exact unnoted inputs of the SELECTED recipe (every input and quantity from the recipes table, e.g. steel-bar = 1 iron ore + 2 coal), only while its complete-cost margin is positive"
+      qty: "LA/HLA: carried_batch 1,000 (4h GE limits: natures 18,000, candidates per mapping); SII: one 24-cast input pack (24 x each input quantity + 24 natures) per bank cycle"
+      max_price: "live low + 5%"
+    on_fail: retry        # re-place at live low +5% with paced offers; 3 consecutive failures -> fallback to next unlocked recipe (SII) or -> failed (recovery block)
+    anti_ban:
+      delay: [1200, 3000]
+
+  - id: a5
     step: cast-alch
     verb: use_item_on
     target: "noted alch candidate in inventory (LA and HLA tiers)"
@@ -258,64 +334,124 @@ actions:
       on: "itself"
     on_fail: retry
     anti_ban:
-      delay: [1600, 3400]    # sleep AFTER the action (action-grammar.md): 1.8s cast +
+      delay: [1600, 3400]    # MANDATORY post-action sleep, ADDITIVE to the 1.8s cast (3 ticks x 0.6s; action-grammar.md:135): cycle = 3.4-5.2s, mid 4.3s -> realized 791.3 casts/hr incl. breaks + banking (pinned in economy)
-                             # 1.6-3.4s delay = 3.4-5.2s/cast, mid 4.3s -> ~837 casts/hr
-                             # mid; xp_per_hour pinned at that additive rate, humanised
 
-  - id: a4
+  - id: a6
     step: cast-superheat
     verb: use_item_on
-    target: "an unnoted input of the selected recipe in inventory (SII tier only, 43-55)"
+    target: "the selected recipe's declared target_input in inventory (the primary ore — never coal; SII tier only, 43-55)"
     params:
       spell: "Superheat Item"
-      recipe: "steel-bar"    # concrete recipes-table entry — every input and quantity,
+      selected_recipe: "runtime selection per selection.mode: the recipes-table entry with the highest smithing_level <= current Smithing whose complete input cost (ALL inputs, live GE buy) + one nature rune < the bar's live GE price; fall back to the next lower unlocked recipe when its materials cannot be obtained"
-                             # smithing gate, bar output (steel-bar = 1 iron ore +
+      target_input: "the selected recipe's declared target_input field (primary ore; coal can never be the spell target)"
-                             # 2 coal, Smithing 30). Any recipes-table bar may be
-                             # selected live; steel-bar is the fixture anchor.
-      recipe_rule: "select a recipe from the recipes table whose smithing_level <= current Smithing level and whose complete input cost (ALL inputs, live GE buy) + one nature rune < the bar's live GE price; withdraw those exact inputs (unnoted) and cast on one of them; never a noted stack, never a price-only pick"
       on: "itself"
-    on_fail: skip             # no positive-margin recipe -> skip SII, stay on LA
+    on_fail: skip             # no unlocked positive-margin recipe -> skip SII, stay on LA (selection.fallback)
     anti_ban:
-      delay: [1600, 3400]    # post-action sleep (additive): 1.8s cast + delay (mid 2.5s)
+      delay: [1600, 3400]    # post-action sleep (additive): same 3.4-5.2s/cast as a5; SII realized 518.0 casts/hr incl. 24-cast bank cycles + breaks (pinned in economy)
-                             # = 4.3s/cast mid -> ~837 casts/hr, same pacing as a3
 
-  - id: a5
+  - id: a7
     step: bank-loop
     verb: bank_inventory
     target: bank
     params:
       deposit: [all coins, all products]   # products incl. smelted bars during SII
-      withdraw: "nature runes up to buffer + the exact unnoted inputs of the selected SII recipe (per the recipes table)"
+      withdraw: "LA/HLA: candidate + nature runes up to carried_batch (1,000/1,000); SII: one 24-cast input pack of the selected recipe (24 x each input quantity + 24 natures)"
     on_fail: alert
 
+  - id: a8
+    step: take-break
+    verb: take_break
+    target: "current location"
+    params:
+      duration: "[45, 120] seconds of idle AFK per break (matches run_control.break.for)"
+      note: "executed by the translator when the completed-cast counter reaches run_control.break.every [400, 700] casts — this IS run_control.break's executor, fired on CAST COUNTS, not on bank visits; the cast counter is not reset by restocking"
+    on_fail: skip
+
 run_control:
   iteration: "one cast"      # schema.md: break.every counts iterations, so every
-                             # value below is in casts (one iteration = one cast)
+                             # value below is in completed casts, NOT bank trips
   max_iterations: null
   break:
-    every: [8, 14]           # casts (one iteration = one cast); no bank-visit alignment assumed
+    every: [400, 700]        # COMPLETED CASTS between AFK breaks (midpoint 550 = ~39 min
+                             # at the 4.3s midpoint cycle). Cast-count-based, independent of
+                             # banking; a restock trip NEVER counts as a break and does not
+                             # reset this counter (owner decision 2026-08-28)
     for: [45, 120]           # seconds of idle AFK
   stop_conditions:
-    - "magic level >= target"
+    - "magic level >= target (default 55 -> HLA is the end-state)"
-    - "gp under floor"
+    - "gp under floor (below one full carried_batch of natures + tier supplies)"
     - "3 consecutive failed casts (client issue — do not loop)"
+    - "3 consecutive failed GE purchases with no fallback recipe/candidate available"
+
+  # ================= WORKED EXAMPLE (pinned, deterministic — owner guidance 2026-08-28) =================
+  # SII tier, steel-bar path (Magic 43-54, Smithing 30). Constants: break.every
+  # [400, 700] casts (midpoint 550), break.for [45, 120] s; SII bank cycle = 24
+  # casts (bars_in_inventory >= 24 or any input < 1 -> bank_supplies); LA/HLA use
+  # the 901-cast batch model pinned in low-alch-f2p (carried_batch 1,000/1,000,
+  # restock_threshold 100).
+  #
+  # Step 0 — prep, before the first inventory: account has 30 Smithing + 43-54
+  #   Magic; GE-buy staff of fire and Wield it (no documented requirement); buy
+  #   1,000 nature runes and steel inputs (1 iron ore + 2 coal per cast, live GE).
+  #   Build the starting inventory: 24 iron ore + 48 coal + 24 natures (one
+  #   24-cast pack). Cast counter := 0. Steel is the highest UNLOCKED recipe
+  #   (Smithing 30); bronze (1), iron (15) and silver (20) are unlocked too but
+  #   LOWER, so steel is selected. Smithing 20 accounts select silver-bar and
+  #   steel stays locked (never an unmet gate).
+  # Step 1 — casts #1..#24: each cast consumes 1 iron ore + 2 coal + 1 nature
+  #   and produces 1 steel bar (+53 Magic xp, +17.5 Smithing xp). After cast #24
+  #   the inventory holds 24 bars -> FIRST RESTOCK/BANK EVENT at cast 24: deposit
+  #   the 24 bars, withdraw the next 24 iron + 48 coal + 24 natures.
+  # Step 2 — resume at cast #25; the 24-cast cycle repeats: restocks at casts
+  #   48, 72, 96, ... (every 24 casts, deterministic).
+  # Step 3 — FIRST SCHEDULED BREAK at cast 550 (midpoint of break.every
+  #   [400, 700]): the 23rd cycle (casts 529-552) is mid-flight — take-break for
+  #   45-120 s, resume at cast #551, finish the cycle (restock at 552).
+  #   The break fired on the CAST COUNTER while a bank cycle was still running:
+  #   breaks and banking are independent by construction.
+  # Step 4 — break #2 at cast 1,100 (550 after #1); restocks continue every 24
+  #   casts; the SII window ends at Magic 55 -> HLA tier (901-cast batch model,
+  #   65 xp/cast). Stop at the target level, gp floor, or 3 failed casts.
+  # Fallback chain pinned: steel inputs unfillable at the GE (3 failed offers)
+  #   -> drop to silver-bar (20, next lower unlocked) -> if silver is also
+  #   unfillable or margin-negative -> skip SII this window and stay on LA.
+  # =====================================================================================================
 
 risk:
   ban_level: low
   notes:
-    - "3-tick cast cadence is the main detection vector; keep anti_ban delays."
+    - "3-tick cast cadence is the main detection vector; keep anti_ban delays (cadence pin: additive post-cast sleep [1.6, 3.4]s; realized ~791 casts/hr alch tiers and ~518 casts/hr SII incl. breaks + banking)."
+    - "Breaks are CAST-COUNT-based (every [400, 700] completed casts, 45-120s AFK) and independent of bank visits — never treat a restock trip as a break."
     - "The valuable-item warning fires on item GE value (not alch value) — the script must handle the warning widget when alching high-value items (HLA page)."
-    - "SII: withdraw the exact recipe inputs (unnoted, per the recipes table) before casting — every cast consumes one of each; bank the produced bar after each cast; never cast on noted ores."
+    - "SII: withdraw the exact recipe inputs (unnoted, per the recipes table) and cast on the declared target_input (primary ore) — never on coal, never on a noted stack; bank the produced bars when bars_in_inventory >= 24."
-    - "SII ore-buy bursts are pace-sensitive like any GE buy; respect the 4h limit window."
+    - "SII ore-buy bursts are pace-sensitive like any GE buy; respect the 4h limit window; re-check the complete-cost margin per window because ore/bar prices move independently."
+
+# --- recovery block (owner guidance 2026-08-28: every activity must cover its complete runnable lifecycle) ---
+# - Missing materials / depleted supplies: LA/HLA restock at candidate OR nature
+#   < 100 (carried_batch 1,000/1,000); SII restocks at bars >= 24 or any selected-
+#   recipe input < 1 — both are deterministic threshold transitions to bank_supplies.
+# - Failed GE purchases (offer unfilled): re-place at live low + 5% with paced
+#   offers; after 3 consecutive failures in the SII window, fall back to the next
+#   lower unlocked recipe (selection.fallback); with no fallback recipe left,
+#   skip SII and stay on LA — never sit in an unfillable offer loop.
+# - Staff of fire cannot be equipped (a3): fall back to fire runes (LA/HLA: +15
+#   gp/cast; SII: +20 gp/cast rune cost), log WARN, continue; never loop on equip
+#   attempts.
+# - Invalid loadout (wrong item in hand / spell unavailable): re-run build-loadout
+#   (a4/a7); 3 consecutive failed casts -> failed (stop, log ERROR sentinel, alert).
+# - Explicit completion/stop: stop_conditions above (Magic 55 HLA end-state, gp
+#   floor, repeated failures).
 
 sources:
   - "OSRS wiki — Low Level Alchemy (21 Magic, 31 xp/cast, members=No, 3-tick, 40% of item value; 'recommended to use High Level Alchemy instead' at 55 Magic)"
-  - "OSRS wiki — Superheat Item (43 Magic, 53 xp/cast, members=No; smelts ore into bars without a furnace; cannot be cast on noted ore; grants the bar's Smithing XP)"
+  - "OSRS wiki — Superheat Item (43 Magic, 53 xp/cast, members=No; smelts ore into bars without a furnace; cannot be cast on noted ore; grants the bar's Smithing XP; requires the bar's Smithing level and materials)"
   - "OSRS wiki — High Level Alchemy (55 Magic, 65 xp/cast, members=No, 60% of item value; GE buying for break-even/profit; noted-item casting; valuable-item warning)"
   - "OSRS wiki — Smithing (bar smelting table: smithing levels, per-bar XP and ore/coal quantities for bronze/iron/silver/steel/gold/mithril/adamantite/runite)"
   - "prices.runescape.wiki/api/v1/osrs/mapping (id 561 nature rune: members=false, limit 18000, value 180, lowalch 72; limit cross-checked against Module:Exchange/Nature_rune — agree)"
-  - "prices.runescape.wiki/api/v1/osrs/latest (nature rune buy 145, snapshot 2026-08-27)"
+  - "prices.runescape.wiki/api/v1/osrs/latest (nature rune buy 145, snapshot 2026-08-27; steel-bar fixture prices: iron ore 100, coal 150, steel bar 600)"
-verified: "2026-08-27"  # keep quoted (YAML 1.1 date parsing)
+  - "OSRS wiki — Staff of fire (page verified 2026-08-28 for the equip requirement: id 1387, F2P item, tradeable, options Wield — NO requirements row in the Infobox Item and NO requirement statement in the prose; contrast Battlestaff, whose prose states 'requires 30 Attack and 30 Magic to wield')"
+  - "docs/schema.md run_control (iteration unit; break.every counts iterations) + docs/action-grammar.md:135 (anti_ban.delay = additive post-action sleep) + verb take_break — the cadence + break + lifecycle model; owner guidance 2026-08-28 (dynamic recipe selection, realized rates, worked example)"
+verified: "2026-08-27"  # keep quoted (YAML 1.1 date parsing); prices last re-fetched live 2026-08-27
 
 related:
   - low-alch-f2p

schemas/entry.schema.json

@@ -62,19 +62,31 @@
       }
     },
 
+    "selection": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": ["mode", "eligible_rule", "fallback"],
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "mode": { "enum": ["highest-unlocked"] },
+        "eligible_rule": { "type": "string", "minLength": 10 },
+        "fallback": { "type": "string", "minLength": 10 }
+      }
+    },
+
     "recipes": {
       "type": "object",
       "minProperties": 1,
       "propertyNames": { "pattern": "^[a-z0-9]+(-[a-z0-9]+)*$" },
       "additionalProperties": {
         "type": "object",
-        "required": ["bar", "smithing_level", "inputs"],
+        "required": ["bar", "smithing_level", "target_input", "inputs"],
         "additionalProperties": false,
         "properties": {
           "bar": { "type": "string", "minLength": 2 },
           "bar_item_id": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 },
           "smithing_level": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 126 },
           "smithing_xp": { "type": "number", "exclusiveMinimum": 0 },
+          "target_input": { "type": "string", "minLength": 2 },
           "inputs": {
             "type": "array",
             "minItems": 1,

tools/validate.py

@@ -17,15 +17,25 @@ Runs:
        another) is a silent fact error, not a per-entry choice — GE
        buy limits are item-global.
      - SII translatability: an action that casts Superheat Item must
-       name a concrete recipe id declared in the entry's `recipes:`
+       declare a `selection:` block (mode highest-unlocked, eligible rule,
-       table (all inputs + quantities, smithing gate, bar output). The
+       fallback) and the state machine must cover both the SII window and
-       client translates a bar from its exact recipe, not from a vague
+       the stay-on-LA fallback. Every declared recipe must pin a
-       "positive margin ore" rule.
+       `target_input` that is one of its declared inputs and never coal
+       (the spell targets the primary ore), and smithing_level gates must
+       be unique so "highest unlocked" selection is deterministic.
+     - Realized-rate consistency: xp_per_hour must derive from the pinned
+       realized cadence (mandatory additive delays PLUS breaks PLUS
+       banking), not from the loop-only 837 casts/hr or the superseded
+       8-14-cast-break regime (~305 casts/hr).
   3. Global id uniqueness across the whole codex tree.
 
 Malformed/scalar YAML documents (an empty doc, a bare string, a list)
 are rejected with a normal validator ERROR — they never reach the
-cross-entry gates and never crash the tool with a traceback.
+cross-entry gates and never crash the tool with a traceback. The same
+holds for schema-INVALID MAPPINGS (e.g. `economy: not-a-mapping`):
+shared-gate rows are only collected after schema validation succeeds
+(regression: a malformed nested field used to crash
+`supply_limit_conflicts` with an AttributeError).
 
 Exit codes: 0 = clean (warnings ok), 1 = validation errors.
 
@@ -88,8 +98,12 @@ def supply_limit_conflicts(rows):
     for rel, data in rows:
         if not isinstance(data, dict):  # never crash on malformed rows
             continue
-        eco = data.get("economy") or {}
+        eco = data.get("economy")
+        if not isinstance(eco, dict):  # schema-invalid nested mapping (e.g. economy: "x")
+            continue
         for sup in eco.get("supplies", []):
+            if not isinstance(sup, dict):
+                continue
             lim = sup.get("ge_limit")
             if lim is None:
                 continue
@@ -129,28 +143,152 @@ def recipe_margin(recipe, bar_price, input_prices, nature_price):
     return bar_price - (cost + nature_price)
 
 
-def recipe_errors(rel, data):
+# --- realized-cadence constants (pinned model; owner guidance 2026-08-28) ---
-    """Entry-level SII translatability checks. Returns error strings."""
+# docs/action-grammar.md:135: anti_ban.delay is an ADDITIVE post-action sleep,
+# so a cast = 1.8s (3 ticks x 0.6s) + [1.6, 3.4]s = 3.4-5.2s (mid 4.3s).
+# LA/HLA realized casts/hr: 901-cast restock batch (carried_batch 1,000 -
+# restock_threshold 100) with 225s overhead per batch (90s restock trip +
+# 135s breaks at every [400,700] casts, mid 550) -> 791.3 casts/hr midpoint.
+# SII realized casts/hr: 24-cast bank cycle (non-stackable bars fill the
+# inventory) -> 518.0 casts/hr midpoint (550-cast break window: 2,365s
+# casting + 22.9 trips x 60s + 82.5s break).
+REALIZED_CastsPerHr_ALCH = 791.3
+REALIZED_CastsPerHr_SII = 518.0
+XP_LA, XP_SII, XP_HLA = 31, 53, 65
+RATE_TOLERANCE = 0.02   # pinned values may round to 3 significant figures
+
+
+def highest_unlocked_recipe(recipes, smithing_level):
+    """Deterministic Superheat selection: the declared recipe with the
+    highest smithing_level <= the account's Smithing level, else None.
+
+    Uniqueness of the gates is enforced by recipe_model_errors, so this
+    helper's ordering cannot be ambiguous. An account can NEVER be
+    offered a recipe above its Smithing level.
+    """
+    best, best_lvl = None, -1
+    for rid, recipe in (recipes or {}).items():
+        lvl = recipe.get("smithing_level") if isinstance(recipe, dict) else None
+        if isinstance(lvl, int) and lvl <= smithing_level and lvl > best_lvl:
+            best, best_lvl = rid, lvl
+    return best
+
+
+def recipe_model_errors(rel, data):
+    """SII recipe-model + selection gates (owner guidance 2026-08-28).
+
+    - every declared recipe pins a `target_input` that is one of its
+      declared inputs and is never coal (the spell targets the primary
+      ore — Superheat cannot be cast on coal);
+    - smithing_level gates are unique, so "highest unlocked" selection
+      is deterministic;
+    - an entry casting Superheat Item must declare a `selection:` block
+      (mode highest-unlocked + eligible_rule + fallback) and its state
+      machine must cover both the SII window (43-55) and the fallback
+      (skip SII / stay on LA / next unlocked recipe).
+    """
     errors = []
     recipes = data.get("recipes")
     if recipes is not None and not isinstance(recipes, dict):
         return [
             f"{rel}: 'recipes' must be a mapping of recipe id -> recipe definition"]
-    for action in data.get("actions", []):
+    if isinstance(recipes, dict):
-        params = action.get("params") or {}
+        seen_levels = {}
-        spell = str(params.get("spell", ""))
+        for rid, recipe in recipes.items():
-        if "superheat" not in spell.lower():
+            if not isinstance(recipe, dict):
-            continue
+                continue  # schema reports the shape
-        rid = params.get("recipe")
+            inputs = recipe.get("inputs") or []
-        if not isinstance(rid, str) or not rid:
+            in_names = [str(i.get("item", "")).lower()
+                        for i in inputs if isinstance(i, dict)]
+            ti = recipe.get("target_input")
+            if not isinstance(ti, str) or not ti:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{rel}: recipe '{rid}' has no target_input — the spell "
+                    f"targets the primary ore and it must be pinned per recipe")
+            elif ti.lower() not in in_names:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{rel}: recipe '{rid}' target_input '{ti}' is not one of "
+                    f"its declared inputs")
+            if ti and (ti.lower() == "coal" or ti.strip().isdigit()
+                       and int(ti) in {453}):
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{rel}: recipe '{rid}' target_input '{ti}' is coal — coal "
+                    f"can never be the Superheat spell target")
+            lvl = recipe.get("smithing_level")
+            if isinstance(lvl, int):
+                if lvl in seen_levels:
+                    errors.append(
+                        f"{rel}: recipes '{seen_levels[lvl]}' and '{rid}' share "
+                        f"smithing_level {lvl} — highest-unlocked selection "
+                        f"would be ambiguous")
+                seen_levels[lvl] = rid
+    has_sii = any(
+        "superheat" in (str(a.get("params") or {}).lower()
+                        + str(a.get("target") or "").lower()
+                        + str(a.get("step") or "").lower())
+        for a in data.get("actions", []))
+    if has_sii:
+        sel = data.get("selection")
+        if not isinstance(sel, dict):
             errors.append(
-                f"{rel}: action {action.get('id')} casts Superheat Item but has no "
+                f"{rel}: a Superheat Item action requires a 'selection' block "
-                f"params.recipe naming a concrete recipes: entry (the client cannot "
+                f"(mode, eligible_rule, fallback)")
-                f"translate an ore choice into a bar without the full recipe)")
+        else:
-        elif recipes is None or rid not in recipes:
+            if sel.get("mode") != "highest-unlocked":
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{rel}: selection.mode must be 'highest-unlocked'")
+            if not (isinstance(sel.get("eligible_rule"), str)
+                    and len(sel["eligible_rule"]) >= 10):
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{rel}: selection.eligible_rule must state the eligibility "
+                    f"rule (smithing gate + complete-recipe margin)")
+            if not (isinstance(sel.get("fallback"), str)
+                    and len(sel["fallback"]) >= 10):
+                errors.append(
+                    f"{rel}: selection.fallback must state the fallback path "
+                    f"(next unlocked recipe; else skip SII / stay on LA)")
+        whens = [str(t.get("when", ""))
+                 for t in data.get("state_machine", {}).get("transitions", [])]
+        if not any("43-55" in w for w in whens):
             errors.append(
-                f"{rel}: action {action.get('id')} references recipe '{rid}' which "
+                f"{rel}: no transition covers the SII window (43-55) — the "
-                f"is not declared in recipes:")
+                f"selected recipe tier is unreachable")
+        if not any(("stay on la" in w or "skip" in w or "fallback" in w)
+                   for w in whens):
+            errors.append(
+                f"{rel}: no transition covers the SII fallback (skip SII / "
+                f"stay on LA) — selection is not deterministic")
+    return errors
+
+
+def rate_errors(rel, data):
+    """xp_per_hour must derive from the REALIZED cadence: mandatory
+    additive delays PLUS the pinned mandatory breaks PLUS banking.
+
+    Regression guard: the loop-only figure (837 casts/hr) and the
+    superseded 8-14-cast-break regime (~305 casts/hr) both sit outside
+    the tolerance band around the realized rate.
+    """
+    errors = []
+    eco = data.get("economy")
+    if not isinstance(eco, dict):
+        return errors
+    xph = eco.get("xp_per_hour")
+    if not isinstance(xph, (int, float)):
+        return errors
+    has_sii = any(
+        "superheat" in (str(a.get("params") or {}).lower()
+                        + str(a.get("target") or "").lower()
+                        + str(a.get("step") or "").lower())
+        for a in data.get("actions", []))
+    per_cast = XP_HLA if has_sii else XP_LA
+    expected = per_cast * REALIZED_CastsPerHr_ALCH
+    if abs(xph - expected) / expected > RATE_TOLERANCE:
+        errors.append(
+            f"{rel}: xp_per_hour {xph} is not the realized cadence rate "
+            f"(expected ~{expected:.0f} = {per_cast} xp/cast x "
+            f"{REALIZED_CastsPerHr_ALCH} casts/hr including mandatory breaks "
+            f"and banking; tolerance {RATE_TOLERANCE:.0%})")
     return errors
 
 
@@ -188,6 +326,8 @@ def run_selftest(verbose=False):
     # --- malformed-document regression: no traceback, normal errors ---
     check("supply_limit_conflicts handles (bad.yaml, None) rows without crashing",
           supply_limit_conflicts([("bad.yaml", None)]) == [])
+    check("supply_limit_conflicts ignores schema-invalid nested mappings (economy: not-a-mapping) without raising",
+          supply_limit_conflicts([("bad.yaml", {"economy": "not-a-mapping"})]) == [])
     for val in (None, "just a scalar", [1, 2, 3]):
         msg = document_error("bad.yaml", val)
         check(
@@ -195,9 +335,12 @@ def run_selftest(verbose=False):
             isinstance(msg, str) and "not a YAML mapping" in msg)
     check("document_error accepts mapping documents",
           document_error("ok.yaml", {"id": "x"}) is None)
+    check("end-to-end: schema-invalid MAPPING -> exit 1, clean ERROR, no Traceback",
+          _end_to_end_bad_mapping())
 
     # --- deterministic multi-input recipe fixture: steel-bar (1 iron + 2 coal) ---
     steel = {"bar": "Steel bar", "bar_item_id": 2353, "smithing_level": 30,
+             "target_input": "Iron ore",
              "inputs": [
                  {"item": "Iron ore", "item_id": 440, "qty": 1, "source": "ge"},
                  {"item": "Coal", "item_id": 453, "qty": 2, "source": "ge"}]}
@@ -213,32 +356,138 @@ def run_selftest(verbose=False):
                         input_prices={"Iron ore": 100, "Coal": 150},
                         nature_price=145) < 0)
 
-    # --- SII translatability fixtures ---
+    # --- recipe-model fixtures: target_input, unique gates, selection block ---
-    entry_ok = {"actions": [
+    f2p_bars = {
-        {"id": "a4", "step": "cast-superheat", "verb": "use_item_on",
+        "bronze-bar": {"bar": "Bronze bar", "bar_item_id": 2349, "smithing_level": 1,
-         "params": {"spell": "Superheat Item", "recipe": "steel-bar"},
+                       "smithing_xp": 6.2, "target_input": "Copper ore",
-         "on_fail": "skip"}],
+                       "inputs": [{"item": "Copper ore", "item_id": 436, "qty": 1, "source": "ge"},
-        "recipes": {"steel-bar": steel}}
+                                  {"item": "Tin ore", "item_id": 438, "qty": 1, "source": "ge"}]},
-    entry_undeclared = {"actions": [
+        "iron-bar": {"bar": "Iron bar", "bar_item_id": 2351, "smithing_level": 15,
-        {"id": "a4", "step": "cast-superheat", "verb": "use_item_on",
+                     "smithing_xp": 12.5, "target_input": "Iron ore",
-         "params": {"spell": "Superheat Item", "recipe": "steel-bar"},
+                     "inputs": [{"item": "Iron ore", "item_id": 440, "qty": 1, "source": "ge"}]},
-         "on_fail": "skip"}]}
+        "silver-bar": {"bar": "Silver bar", "bar_item_id": 2355, "smithing_level": 20,
-    entry_unpinned = {"actions": [
+                       "smithing_xp": 13.7, "target_input": "Silver ore",
-        {"id": "a4", "step": "cast-superheat", "verb": "use_item_on",
+                       "inputs": [{"item": "Silver ore", "item_id": 442, "qty": 1, "source": "ge"}]},
-         "params": {"spell": "Superheat Item"}, "on_fail": "skip"}],
+        "steel-bar": steel,
-        "recipes": {"steel-bar": steel}}
+        "runite-bar": {"bar": "Runite bar", "bar_item_id": 2363, "smithing_level": 85,
-    check("Superheat action naming a declared recipes: id passes",
+                       "smithing_xp": 50, "target_input": "Runite ore",
-          recipe_errors("ok.yaml", entry_ok) == [])
+                       "inputs": [{"item": "Runite ore", "item_id": 451, "qty": 1, "source": "ge"},
-    undeclared = recipe_errors("bad.yaml", entry_undeclared)
+                                  {"item": "Coal", "item_id": 453, "qty": 8, "source": "ge"}]},
-    check("Superheat action naming an undeclared recipe id errors",
+    }
-          any("not declared in recipes:" in e for e in undeclared))
+    # Smithing-level eligibility: highest unlocked, never an unmet gate
-    unpinned = recipe_errors("bad.yaml", entry_unpinned)
+    check("smithing 1 -> bronze-bar (highest unlocked)",
-    check("Superheat action without params.recipe errors",
+          highest_unlocked_recipe(f2p_bars, 1) == "bronze-bar")
-          any("no params.recipe" in e for e in unpinned))
+    check("smithing 15 -> iron-bar",
+          highest_unlocked_recipe(f2p_bars, 15) == "iron-bar")
+    check("smithing 20 -> silver-bar (steel at 30 stays locked)",
+          highest_unlocked_recipe(f2p_bars, 20) == "silver-bar")
+    check("smithing 30 -> steel-bar",
+          highest_unlocked_recipe(f2p_bars, 30) == "steel-bar")
+    check("smithing 85 -> runite-bar",
+          highest_unlocked_recipe(f2p_bars, 85) == "runite-bar")
+    check("smithing 0 -> None (no recipe selected below the lowest gate)",
+          highest_unlocked_recipe(f2p_bars, 0) is None)
+
+    superheat_action = {
+        "id": "a6", "step": "cast-superheat", "verb": "use_item_on",
+        "target": "the selected recipe's declared target_input in inventory (primary ore — never coal)",
+        "params": {"spell": "Superheat Item",
+                   "selected_recipe": "runtime selection per selection.mode: highest-unlocked recipe with a positive complete-cost margin",
+                   "target_input": "the selected recipe's declared target_input field"},
+        "on_fail": "skip"}
+    selection_ok = {"mode": "highest-unlocked",
+                    "eligible_rule": "recipes entries with smithing_level <= current Smithing and a positive complete-cost margin",
+                    "fallback": "next lower unlocked recipe when materials cannot be obtained; else skip SII and stay on LA"}
+    transitions_ok = [
+        {"from": "cast", "when": "level 43-55 and the SII window is chosen (selection.mode picks the highest unlocked recipe with positive margin)", "to": "cast"},
+        {"from": "cast", "when": "no unlocked recipe has a positive margin this window — skip SII and stay on LA", "to": "cast"}]
+    entry_model_ok = {"actions": [superheat_action], "recipes": f2p_bars,
+                      "selection": selection_ok,
+                      "state_machine": {"transitions": transitions_ok}}
+    check("recipe model with declared target_inputs + selection block passes",
+          recipe_model_errors("ok.yaml", entry_model_ok) == [])
+    # coal can never be the spell target
+    entry_coal = {"actions": [superheat_action],
+                  "recipes": {"steel-bar": dict(steel, target_input="Coal")},
+                  "selection": selection_ok,
+                  "state_machine": {"transitions": transitions_ok}}
+    coal_errs = recipe_model_errors("bad.yaml", entry_coal)
+    check("steel-bar target_input 'Coal' is rejected (coal is never the spell target)",
+          any("is coal" in e for e in coal_errs))
+    # target_input must be a declared input
+    entry_bad_ti = {"actions": [superheat_action],
+                    "recipes": {"steel-bar": dict(steel, target_input="Runite ore")},
+                    "selection": selection_ok,
+                    "state_machine": {"transitions": transitions_ok}}
+    bad_ti = recipe_model_errors("bad.yaml", entry_bad_ti)
+    check("target_input not among the recipe's declared inputs is rejected",
+          any("not one of" in e for e in bad_ti))
+    # duplicate smithing gates would make highest-unlocked ambiguous
+    entry_dup = {"actions": [superheat_action],
+                 "recipes": {"steel-bar": steel,
+                             "steel-bar-2": dict(steel, bar="Steel bar 2", bar_item_id=2353)},
+                 "selection": selection_ok,
+                 "state_machine": {"transitions": transitions_ok}}
+    dup_errs = recipe_model_errors("bad.yaml", entry_dup)
+    check("duplicate smithing_level across recipes is rejected (ambiguous highest-unlocked)",
+          any("share smithing_level" in e for e in dup_errs))
+    # Superheat action requires the selection block + fallback transitions
+    entry_no_sel = {"actions": [superheat_action], "recipes": f2p_bars,
+                    "state_machine": {"transitions": transitions_ok}}
+    no_sel = recipe_model_errors("bad.yaml", entry_no_sel)
+    check("Superheat action without a selection block is rejected",
+          any("'selection' block" in e for e in no_sel))
+    entry_no_fb = {"actions": [superheat_action], "recipes": f2p_bars,
+                   "selection": selection_ok,
+                   "state_machine": {"transitions": [
+                       {"from": "cast", "when": "level 43-55 and the SII window is chosen", "to": "cast"}]}}
+    no_fb = recipe_model_errors("bad.yaml", entry_no_fb)
+    check("Superheat entry without an SII fallback transition is rejected",
+          any("SII fallback" in e for e in no_fb))
+
+    # --- realized-rate fixtures: breaks + banking included ---
+    check("LA-only xp_per_hour 24,500 matches the realized cadence (31 x 791.3)",
+          rate_errors("ok.yaml", {"economy": {"xp_per_hour": 24500}}) == [])
+    check("loop-only LA xp_per_hour 25,953 fails the realized-cadence gate",
+          any("realized cadence" in e
+              for e in rate_errors("bad.yaml", {"economy": {"xp_per_hour": 25953}})))
+    check("8-14-cast-break regime LA rate (31 x ~305 = 9,455) fails the realized-cadence gate",
+          any("realized cadence" in e
+              for e in rate_errors("bad.yaml", {"economy": {"xp_per_hour": 9455}})))
+    check("SII entry xp_per_hour 51,400 matches the HLA-tier realized cadence (65 x 791.3)",
+          rate_errors("ok2.yaml", {"actions": [superheat_action],
+                                   "economy": {"xp_per_hour": 51400}}) == [])
+    check("SII entry with the old loop-only HLA rate 54,419 fails the realized-cadence gate",
+          any("realized cadence" in e
+              for e in rate_errors("bad2.yaml", {"actions": [superheat_action],
+                                                 "economy": {"xp_per_hour": 54419}})))
 
     return errors
 
 
+def _end_to_end_bad_mapping():
+    """Regression (governor bounce 3, finding 1): a schema-invalid MAPPING
+    with a malformed nested field — `economy: not-a-mapping` — must yield
+    exit 1 with a normal ERROR line and NO traceback.
+
+    Writes the fixture into the real codex tree and shells out to the real
+    validator so the full main() path is exercised, then removes the file.
+    Returns True when the gate behaves.
+    """
+    import subprocess
+    bad = ROOT / "codex" / "selftest-bad-mapping.yaml"
+    try:
+        bad.write_text("id: selftest-bad-mapping\neconomy: not-a-mapping\n")
+        proc = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, str(Path(__file__).resolve()), "--stale-days", "9999"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=str(ROOT), timeout=120)
+        out = (proc.stdout or "") + (proc.stderr or "")
+        return (proc.returncode == 1 and "selftest-bad-mapping" in out
+                and "ERROR" in out and "Traceback" not in out)
+    finally:
+        bad.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+
 def main():
     global STALE_DAYS
     if "--stale-days" in sys.argv:
@@ -269,9 +518,12 @@ def main():
         if shape_err:
             errors.append(shape_err)
             continue
-        rows.append((rel, data))
 
-        # 1. schema
+        # 1. schema — BEFORE the shared row set. Schema-invalid documents
+        # (including mappings with malformed nested fields like
+        # `economy: not-a-mapping`) must never reach the cross-entry gates:
+        # regression — rows.append() used to run first, and
+        # supply_limit_conflicts() then crashed with an AttributeError.
         v = jsonschema.Draft7Validator(SCHEMA)
         schema_errors = sorted(v.iter_errors(data), key=lambda e: list(e.path))
         for err in schema_errors:
@@ -281,6 +533,8 @@ def main():
             # cross-checks on a schema-invalid doc are noise
             continue
 
+        rows.append((rel, data))
+
         eid = data.get("id", rel)
         if eid in ids:
             errors.append(f"{rel}: duplicate entry id '{eid}' (also in {ids[eid]})")
@@ -316,8 +570,9 @@ def main():
         if len(a_steps) != len(set(a_steps)):
             errors.append(f"{rel}: duplicate action step names")
 
-        # SII translatability (concrete recipes: entry per Superheat action)
+        # SII recipe-model + selection gates + realized-rate consistency
-        errors += recipe_errors(rel, data)
+        errors += recipe_model_errors(rel, data)
+        errors += rate_errors(rel, data)
 
         # 3. staleness / research TODOs
         if data.get("status") == "verified":