Merge pull request 'Guard source gear namespaces and retain recoverable legacy records (#9)' (#13) from fix/9-game-gear-namespaces into main

Integrate tested gear namespace checkpoint; retain browser verification and native #124 remaining scope.

PLAYTEST_NOTES.md

@@ -5744,3 +5744,24 @@ unchanged; no commit, deployment or readiness promotion was performed.
   build; the actual prior dist has a separate exclusive backup.
 - Evidence: artifacts/playtest/rom-residual-review-20261006/; scope/limits and
   source/promotion/build proofs: docs/ROM_RESIDUAL_RENDERING_REVIEW_2026-10-06.md.
+
+## Gear namespace checkpoint — native #292 / shared #9 (2026-10-10)
+
+Character/class source category now governs item normalization, grants, equip
+and active stats independently from dungeon source. Shared profile schema 8
+migrates missing-category WoW records only for explicit WoW owners and retains
+foreign/unidentified/invalid RoM records plus assignments in recovery. Rejected
+updates leave stored bytes unchanged. Native ordinary loot stays disabled;
+boss cards and simulator reward policy retain their existing behavior.
+
+253 unique focused source tests, full-scope app typecheck and release hygiene
+pass. The composed native bundle builds, 21 selected native cases pass, and five
+public Ready WoW level-80 snapshots match the pre-change bundle with controlled
+clock/RNG. This does not certify overall balance or equipped Ready gear.
+
+No dungeon was entered for this checkpoint, so no new Cellblock Rush boss,
+GPU screenshot, browser roster/dungeon inspection, manual fight or listening
+result is claimed. The source browser build stops at missing ignored Manastorm
+assets; browser release/visual verification remains open. Native offline gear
+persistence, recovery presentation and authenticated RoM progression remain
+under #124. See docs/GAME_GEAR_NAMESPACES.md and gear-namespace-validation.json.

docs/GAME_GEAR_NAMESPACES.md

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+# Gear namespaces and recoverable legacy records
+
+The source runtime distinguishes an item's game namespace from the dungeon that
+produced its source row. `InventoryItem.contentCategory` is `wow`, `rom`, or
+`coa`; it stays optional in the TypeScript contract for legacy callers, while
+new WoW and Runewaker factories explicitly write their own source category.
+Saved character/class identity chooses the expected owner category. A dungeon
+selection cannot change it or relabel another game's gear.
+
+## Item and equipment boundaries
+
+`lootTypes.ts` exposes an explicit category match and a usability check.
+RoM usability additionally requires a nonempty payload accepted by the existing
+`normalizeRomNativeGearStats` normalizer. This is structural validation, not
+proof of an authenticated item association or authoritative stat ranges.
+Unidentified and foreign records cannot be equipped or contribute active gear.
+Contradictory owner-category hints cannot override the source class category.
+
+Owner-aware loot generation and combat grants filter foreign/unusable records.
+An unavailable same-game item pool yields no borrowed gear. Boss-card identity
+continues to use the boss/dungeon source. Native Godot still remaps both loot
+catalogs to its cards-only adapter; this change does not enable ordinary loot.
+The generic Runewaker item catalog has source-tagged records without native
+gear payloads and is not promoted into a playable equipment progression pool.
+
+Synthetic equipment scoring and internal training gear remain simulation
+scaffolding. They are not imported live loot. A private training-item identity
+can preserve existing simulator fallback calculations without authorizing a
+persisted or copied record as native RoM gear.
+
+## Profile migration and recovery
+
+`accountRepository.ts` reads local database versions 1–8 at the existing
+`healer-man.profile-database.v1` key and writes schema 8. A missing item category
+may migrate to `wow` only for an explicit WoW owner; the existing normalized
+numeric item fields and equipment references retain their prior values.
+Missing categories on RoM/CoA records are not guessed from names, IDs or dungeons.
+
+Normalized active inventories and assignments contain usable same-game items.
+Rejected legacy records remain in character-local `gearRecovery.items` with
+original item data and a reason (`missing-category`, `foreign-category`, or
+`invalid-native-payload`). `gearRecovery.equipment` retains former owner/slot/
+instance references. Repeated load/cloud normalization merges recovery without
+multiplying it, and ordinary gear updates preserve the existing recovery.
+This schema retains data for a later explicit recovery operation; it does not
+provide a recovery UI or invent a replacement item.
+
+Inventory/equipment mutations reject foreign or unusable incoming gear before
+writing. Rejected mutations leave stored bytes unchanged. Other profiles and
+owners retain separate inventories and recovery. Cloud serialization carries
+full profile rows, and hydration queues a save when namespace/recovery migration
+changes the roster; existing boss-card checkpoint and session-generation behavior
+remain separate.
+
+## Native integration and remaining scope
+
+Shared source issue [#9](https://git.whoagland.com/phenom/healer-man/issues/9)
+owns the source guards and profile schema. Native checkpoint
+[#292](https://git.whoagland.com/Codex/healer-man-godot/issues/292) owns reviewed
+source pins, bridge regressions and installation. Parent native
+[#124](https://git.whoagland.com/Codex/healer-man-godot/issues/124) remains open:
+native offline profiles currently store identity/appearance and do not persist
+runtime item inventory/loadout or expose recovery. RoM entry retains empty gear.
+Source-backed RoM progression and equipment presentation are not established by
+the source association catalog. CoA is Ascension Conquest of Azeroth, distinct
+from supplementary Chronicles of Arcadia references; no native CoA mode is added.
+
+RoM stat formulas, weights and allocations remain under the separate native
+[#123](https://git.whoagland.com/Codex/healer-man-godot/issues/123) claim. The
+existing possibility of non-finite native gear aggregates is tracked separately
+in shared [#10](https://git.whoagland.com/phenom/healer-man/issues/10); namespace
+metadata does not establish numeric bounds or source authenticity.
+
+## Verification
+
+Validation results and exact inputs are recorded with the owning issues. The
+focused item/equipment suites pass 39 tests; account/migration/cloud suites pass
+35; combat/stat regressions pass 120; selected training/slot checks pass three;
+and the avatar suite passes 56 with verified copied inputs and explicit
+AppleDouble exclusions. The native source-boundary suite passes seven tests,
+and the candidate native bundle builds from the composed, pinned source.
+
+The required browser production build currently stops at the missing
+`public/assets/game/manastorm` asset-audit input in the isolated review checkout.
+This is retained as an unmet browser build/visual verification limit; a passing
+native bundle does not certify the browser release. Source TypeScript and
+combined native/card/simulator checks are recorded separately. The repository
+release hygiene check passes. No new GPU capture, live browser roster/dungeon
+check, manual playthrough or listening is claimed.
+
+The full source app TypeScript check passes with the original `src` scope and
+task-local exclusions for AppleDouble companion files. All 21 selected native
+cases pass across the unchanged 20-case run and the exact missing-catalog case
+rerun. A serial public-runtime comparison matches all five Ready WoW profiles
+at level 80 with identical clock and random inputs. Those profiles have empty
+gear; equipped-item and migration behavior is covered by the focused source
+suites. Earlier varying mana results came from run-ID-seeded party identities,
+not a gear formula change; the superseded controls remain in the archive.
+
+See `gear-namespace-validation.json` for exact source and evidence identities.

docs/gear-namespace-validation.json

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+{
+  "schemaVersion": 1,
+  "date": "2026-10-10",
+  "coordinator": "/root",
+  "session": "01a11cd3-fa7c-7510-ba8f-bc7a3d0310a6",
+  "issues": {
+    "native": 292,
+    "nativeParent": 124,
+    "shared": 9
+  },
+  "status": "tested-native-checkpoint-browser-verification-incomplete",
+  "sourceFiles": {
+    "src/game/lootTypes.ts": "36b11682b214bc479267075c720cb4afcdbb5c8ba7ac18c199d706c3f1313baa",
+    "src/game/equipment.ts": "76a9757a9727cb7fa543695d8f77426ab1328688a65f4f2212b6c144afb16f92",
+    "src/game/lootCatalog.ts": "7027dadc2f7f90f6e7b65603b38873b3ad32e09fb4807ceea541caa39278a5f5",
+    "src/game/runewakerLootCatalog.ts": "113008a954c27611e4cc28576290fc721f254dee41427285a355f8e30ba70b9a",
+    "src/game/lootPolicy.ts": "bded57df5de902ba01c365ac021709f572aeb692a7cc8a6c0edfd6494d8cad9d",
+    "src/game/combatStore.ts": "f49b7af337af0fb6e69f6df68ec5ec9ab558cc88fe819ae30c4cf9ad823cd4e5",
+    "src/game/heirloomEquipment.ts": "057da9166c2a29086fc8ef59afc81fb985ee52926b6cf2f91212809c987d0ff8",
+    "src/app/accountRepository.ts": "32f6f63537db2312e553dee4c00cbb24ec04b1b0dc5d3079227a8e30d932f8e3",
+    "src/app/types.ts": "41bb6aac2fd03b7c8c4c4c8e6b475bec4df5d3422627a61489077feada34b628",
+    "src/app/onlineAccountClient.ts": "04eac8950a503ffccebf29f73f981c1d01a9e558e4712200aaf4ff534279acfe"
+  },
+  "composedNativeSourceFiles": {
+    "src/game/lootTypes.ts": "36b11682b214bc479267075c720cb4afcdbb5c8ba7ac18c199d706c3f1313baa",
+    "src/game/equipment.ts": "76a9757a9727cb7fa543695d8f77426ab1328688a65f4f2212b6c144afb16f92",
+    "src/game/lootCatalog.ts": "7027dadc2f7f90f6e7b65603b38873b3ad32e09fb4807ceea541caa39278a5f5",
+    "src/game/runewakerLootCatalog.ts": "113008a954c27611e4cc28576290fc721f254dee41427285a355f8e30ba70b9a",
+    "src/game/lootPolicy.ts": "bded57df5de902ba01c365ac021709f572aeb692a7cc8a6c0edfd6494d8cad9d",
+    "src/game/combatStore.ts": "5afefb58b9a02b564cf07140c19388163a8423d22695f3619d196a9d603eeb7d",
+    "src/game/heirloomEquipment.ts": "057da9166c2a29086fc8ef59afc81fb985ee52926b6cf2f91212809c987d0ff8",
+    "src/app/accountRepository.ts": "32f6f63537db2312e553dee4c00cbb24ec04b1b0dc5d3079227a8e30d932f8e3",
+    "src/app/types.ts": "41bb6aac2fd03b7c8c4c4c8e6b475bec4df5d3422627a61489077feada34b628",
+    "src/app/onlineAccountClient.ts": "04eac8950a503ffccebf29f73f981c1d01a9e558e4712200aaf4ff534279acfe"
+  },
+  "nativeEngineSha256": "6f9a06c8fb46dbc25b5ff7aa1fee77fcc950a8481e2beb8eb9ed69e33d51e15d",
+  "checks": {
+    "sourceFocusedUniqueTests": 253,
+    "sourceGroups": {
+      "itemEquipment": 39,
+      "profileCloud": 35,
+      "combatStats": 120,
+      "targetedTraining": 3,
+      "avatar": 56
+    },
+    "sourceAppTypecheck": "pass: full original src scope; task-local AppleDouble exclusions only",
+    "sourceReleaseHygiene": "pass",
+    "sourceBrowserBuild": "blocked: missing public/assets/game/manastorm in isolated review checkout",
+    "nativeBundleBuild": "pass",
+    "nativeFocusedCases": 21,
+    "nativeCoverageMethod": "20 unchanged cases pass in attempt-03; the one missing-catalog case passes in the exact-case rerun after copying and pinning the installed boss-card catalog",
+    "readyWowParity": "5/5 level-80 public Ready profiles match with fixed clock/RNG and one fresh process per profile; empty gear only",
+    "liveBrowserRosterAndDungeon": "not performed",
+    "newGodotGpuCapture": "not performed"
+  },
+  "artifacts": {
+    "diagnostics/source-worker/attempt-08/source-worker-receipt.json": "8bcae5d6e47e7e3547ac72d5f3d650fa2f7280993f96a77a3a597fd32e696a48",
+    "diagnostics/persistence-worker/final-receipt-attempt-04.json": "241b8423795b3596b3f77fcc93c0d50bf093f0dcfa6043ec9974c1c8050d1b2a",
+    "diagnostics/required-source-checks/combat-regressions-attempt-01/result.json": "8def574f70b9b19ff57f4413eb4382ecd1e29df126d1036173dd092974021e2d",
+    "diagnostics/required-source-checks/avatar-attempt-03/result.json": "74b511dc10bc233f4aaf49c3bf5a5eb6a626e5639b85332b1444a8d50ec08157",
+    "diagnostics/required-source-checks/typecheck-attempt-04/result.json": "cb2f6f49e3f8f2f3c3f44ce02e0a0f644bcb9d69dfe656ba04b78cfb2af517ca",
+    "diagnostics/required-source-checks/release-attempt-01/result.json": "1c0cd604233dfc3ed01ddca47b34770392e917cd5a589efee15a46d1ceb4c230",
+    "diagnostics/required-source-checks/build-attempt-02/result.json": "d068f38485c7a38af27586d1bbd1ad96db9630bf976092da0572fe0c3a7d5255",
+    "diagnostics/native-build/baseline-attempt-02/result.json": "92bf94d5b26fa99c502575d2fb9bd624518f9e5e21b362b697324efd6a6e6d63",
+    "diagnostics/native-build/candidate-attempt-01/result.json": "05bf46066a9429edb2405d4a60ca7937446f1cb978e71e504a1bf0a051b3dbfb",
+    "diagnostics/native-regressions/attempt-03/result.json": "7e31c04b48f9b01e1419c718023ad929a65cc0efdc3c4759e00a3b72e5d6775e",
+    "diagnostics/native-regressions/cards-catalog-rerun-attempt-01/result.json": "23b8d1b0216de53c462ca25ada0443aa9bdd62336dd554b10bc5f0b9dfa19fcf",
+    "diagnostics/persistence-worker/wow-preservation/attempt-10/acceptance-receipt.json": "8533744d44af288149572f7147c69961b50315101e3c7f86e90ee4d0bafc99ea",
+    "diagnostics/native-candidate-integration/attempt-02/result.json": "44d4672f6f1c174563e2524fffe38ab18f1d96b74486b7a0c198bad764990fbe",
+    "diagnostics/native-candidate-integration/attempt-02/hunk-preservation.json": "b2f6c6e236dc6484fd14ee9bada39fd60933b33320b927e721370feff8445e44",
+    "diagnostics/required-source-checks/release-attempt-02/result.json": "daf8d3a2bc4dd0d103127687d6fd44ba5ee30f7e2ff51f518fb88fe80004caa6"
+  },
+  "preservedScopes": [
+    "WoW rigs/animations/models/stats and installed short-GCD work",
+    "#123 RoM formulas/weights/allocation",
+    "native cards-only loot and simulator reward policy",
+    "character category independent from dungeon category"
+  ],
+  "remaining": [
+    "Full browser build and live roster/in-dungeon screenshots",
+    "#124 native offline item/loadout persistence and recovery UI",
+    "#124 authenticated RoM item progression and equipment presentation",
+    "Shared #10 non-finite aggregate follow-up"
+  ]
+}

src/app/accountRepository.test.ts

@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ describe("local profile repository", () => {
       appearance: { skinColor: 0, face: 0, hairStyle: 0, hairColor: 0, feature: 0 },
     }, storage).character!;
     const item = {
+      contentCategory: "rom" as const,
       instanceId: "kept-item",
       itemId: 10412,
       itemKey: "belt-of-the-fang",
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ describe("local profile repository", () => {
       weaponType: null,
       itemLevel: 17,
       sourceItemLevel: 21,
-      stats: { ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS, agility: 4, stamina: 4, armor: 15 },
+      stats: { ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS, agility: 4, stamina: 4, armor: 15, romNative: { strength: 1 } },
       quantity: 1,
       sourceBossKey: "lady-anacondra",
       sourceBossName: "Lady Anacondra",
@@ -483,7 +484,7 @@ describe("local profile repository", () => {
       }));
       expect(loadCombatPresentationSettings("offline-roster", storage))
         .toEqual(DEFAULT_COMBAT_PRESENTATION_SETTINGS);
-      expect(JSON.parse(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)!).version).toBe(7);
+      expect(JSON.parse(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)!).version).toBe(8);
     }
 
     const legacyV3Storage = new MemoryStorage();
@@ -642,16 +643,176 @@ describe("local profile repository", () => {
       acquiredAt: 5_000,
     };
 
-    expect(updateCharacterInventory(offline.ownerId, character.id, [item], storage)?.inventory).toEqual([item]);
+    const normalizedItem = { ...item, contentCategory: "wow" as const };
+    expect(updateCharacterInventory(offline.ownerId, character.id, [item], storage)?.inventory).toEqual([normalizedItem]);
     expect(updateCharacterEquipment(offline.ownerId, character.id, {
       player: { waist: item.instanceId },
     }, storage)?.equipment).toEqual({ player: { waist: item.instanceId } });
-    expect(listCharacters(offline.ownerId, storage)[0]?.inventory).toEqual([item]);
+    expect(listCharacters(offline.ownerId, storage)[0]?.inventory).toEqual([normalizedItem]);
     expect(listCharacters(offline.ownerId, storage)[0]?.equipment).toEqual({
       player: { waist: item.instanceId },
     });
   });
 
+  it("migrates foreign and unresolved gear into character-scoped recovery without changing owner identity", () => {
+    const storage = new MemoryStorage();
+    const makeItem = (instanceId: string, contentCategory?: "wow" | "rom" | "coa", romNative?: Record<string, number>) => ({
+      ...(contentCategory ? { contentCategory } : {}),
+      instanceId,
+      itemId: 10412,
+      itemKey: `gear:${instanceId}`,
+      name: `Gear ${instanceId}`,
+      quality: "rare" as const,
+      inventorySlot: "waist",
+      armorType: "leather",
+      weaponType: null,
+      itemLevel: 17,
+      sourceItemLevel: 21,
+      stats: {
+        ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS,
+        agility: 4,
+        ...(romNative === undefined ? {} : { romNative }),
+      },
+      quantity: 1,
+      sourceBossKey: "source-boss",
+      sourceBossName: "Source Boss",
+      acquiredAt: 5_000,
+    });
+    const legacyProfile = (
+      id: string,
+      ownerId: string,
+      classId: string,
+      raceId: string,
+      inventory: unknown[],
+      equipment: unknown = {},
+    ) => ({
+      id, ownerId, name: id, classId, raceId, gender: "female", appearance: {},
+      inventory, equipment, location: "Dungeon Entrance", createdAt: 1, lastPlayedAt: 2,
+    });
+    const wowItem = makeItem("wow-legacy");
+    const romMissingCategory = makeItem("rom-missing-category");
+    const romForeign = makeItem("rom-foreign", "wow");
+    const romInvalidNative = makeItem("rom-invalid-native", "rom", {});
+    const coaMissingCategory = makeItem("coa-missing-category");
+    const untouchedWow = makeItem("other-owner-item", "wow");
+    const wowProfile = legacyProfile("wow-profile", "owner-one", "priest", "human", [wowItem], {
+      player: { waist: wowItem.instanceId },
+    });
+    const romProfile = legacyProfile("rom-profile", "owner-one", "rom-priest", "rom-human", [
+      romMissingCategory, romForeign, romInvalidNative,
+    ], {
+      player: { waist: romMissingCategory.instanceId },
+      companion: { waist: romForeign.instanceId },
+      reserve: { waist: romInvalidNative.instanceId },
+    });
+    const coaProfile = legacyProfile("coa-profile", "owner-one", "barbarian", "human", [coaMissingCategory]);
+    const otherOwnerProfile = legacyProfile("other-owner-profile", "owner-two", "priest", "human", [untouchedWow]);
+    storage.setItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database, JSON.stringify({
+      version: 7,
+      accounts: [],
+      rosters: { "owner-one": [wowProfile, romProfile, coaProfile], "owner-two": [otherOwnerProfile] },
+      bossCardsByOwner: {},
+      presentationSettingsByOwner: {},
+    }));
+
+    const ownerOne = listCharacters("owner-one", storage);
+    const wow = ownerOne.find((character) => character.id === "wow-profile")!;
+    const rom = ownerOne.find((character) => character.id === "rom-profile")!;
+    const coa = ownerOne.find((character) => character.id === "coa-profile")!;
+    expect(wow.inventory).toMatchObject([{ instanceId: "wow-legacy", contentCategory: "wow", stats: { agility: 4 } }]);
+    expect(wow.equipment).toEqual({ player: { waist: "wow-legacy" } });
+    expect(rom.inventory).toEqual([]);
+    expect(rom.equipment).toEqual({});
+    expect(rom.gearRecovery?.items).toEqual([
+      { item: romMissingCategory, reason: "missing-category" },
+      { item: romForeign, reason: "foreign-category" },
+      { item: romInvalidNative, reason: "invalid-native-payload" },
+    ]);
+    expect(rom.gearRecovery?.equipment).toEqual([
+      { ownerId: "player", slot: "waist", instanceId: "rom-missing-category", reason: "missing-category" },
+      { ownerId: "companion", slot: "waist", instanceId: "rom-foreign", reason: "foreign-category" },
+      { ownerId: "reserve", slot: "waist", instanceId: "rom-invalid-native", reason: "invalid-native-payload" },
+    ]);
+    expect(coa.inventory).toEqual([]);
+    expect(coa.gearRecovery?.items).toEqual([{ item: coaMissingCategory, reason: "missing-category" }]);
+    expect(listCharacters("owner-two", storage)[0]?.inventory).toMatchObject([
+      { instanceId: "other-owner-item", contentCategory: "wow" },
+    ]);
+    expect(JSON.parse(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)!).version).toBe(8);
+
+    const validRomReplacement = makeItem("valid-rom-replacement", "rom", { strength: 2 });
+    const ordinarySave = updateCharacterInventory("owner-one", rom.id, [validRomReplacement], storage)!;
+    expect(ordinarySave.inventory).toMatchObject([{ instanceId: "valid-rom-replacement", contentCategory: "rom" }]);
+    expect(ordinarySave.gearRecovery).toEqual(rom.gearRecovery);
+
+    const migratedBytes = storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database);
+    expect(listCharacters("owner-one", storage).find((character) => character.id === "rom-profile")?.gearRecovery)
+      .toEqual(rom.gearRecovery);
+    expect(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)).toBe(migratedBytes);
+
+    const withoutRemoteRecovery = { ...rom, gearRecovery: undefined };
+    const replaced = replaceCharactersForOwner("owner-one", [withoutRemoteRecovery], storage);
+    expect(replaced[0]?.gearRecovery).toEqual(rom.gearRecovery);
+    const repeated = replaceCharactersForOwner("owner-one", [withoutRemoteRecovery], storage);
+    expect(repeated[0]?.gearRecovery).toEqual(rom.gearRecovery);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects foreign, unresolved, and unusable RoM inventory updates without writing partial state", () => {
+    const storage = new MemoryStorage();
+    const rom = createCharacter({
+      ownerId: "offline-rom",
+      name: "Runesworn",
+      categoryId: "rom",
+      raceId: "rom-human",
+      classId: "rom-priest",
+      gender: "female",
+      appearance: { skinColor: 0, face: 0, hairStyle: 0, hairColor: 0, feature: 0 },
+    }, storage).character!;
+    const item = (instanceId: string, contentCategory?: "wow" | "rom" | "coa", romNative?: Record<string, number>) => ({
+      ...(contentCategory ? { contentCategory } : {}),
+      instanceId,
+      itemId: 10412,
+      itemKey: `gear:${instanceId}`,
+      name: `Gear ${instanceId}`,
+      quality: "rare" as const,
+      inventorySlot: "waist",
+      armorType: "leather",
+      weaponType: null,
+      itemLevel: 17,
+      sourceItemLevel: 21,
+      stats: {
+        ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS,
+        agility: 4,
+        ...(romNative === undefined ? {} : { romNative }),
+      },
+      quantity: 1,
+      sourceBossKey: "source-boss",
+      sourceBossName: "Source Boss",
+      acquiredAt: 5_000,
+    });
+    const foreign = item("foreign", "wow");
+    const unresolved = item("unresolved");
+    const invalidNative = item("invalid-native", "rom", {});
+
+    for (const candidate of [foreign, unresolved, invalidNative]) {
+      const before = storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database);
+      expect(updateCharacterInventory(rom.ownerId, rom.id, [candidate], storage)).toBeNull();
+      expect(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)).toBe(before);
+    }
+
+    const valid = item("valid-rom", "rom", { strength: 3 });
+    const updated = updateCharacterInventory(rom.ownerId, rom.id, [valid], storage)!;
+    expect(updated.inventory).toMatchObject([{ instanceId: "valid-rom", contentCategory: "rom" }]);
+    const beforeForeignEquipment = storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database);
+    expect(updateCharacterEquipment(rom.ownerId, rom.id, {
+      player: { waist: "foreign" },
+    }, storage)).toBeNull();
+    expect(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)).toBe(beforeForeignEquipment);
+    expect(updateCharacterEquipment(rom.ownerId, rom.id, {
+      player: { waist: "valid-rom" },
+    }, storage)?.equipment).toEqual({ player: { waist: "valid-rom" } });
+  });
+
   it("persists account card copies independently of character creation and deletion", () => {
     const storage = new MemoryStorage();
     const offline = createOfflineSession();
@@ -691,7 +852,7 @@ describe("local profile repository", () => {
     expect(loadAccountBossCards("one", storage)).toEqual(expected);
     expect(loadAccountBossCards("two", storage).counts.boss?.normal).toBe(4);
     const database = JSON.parse(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)!);
-    expect(database.version).toBe(7);
+    expect(database.version).toBe(8);
     expect(database.rosters.one.every((entry: { bossCards?: unknown }) => entry.bossCards === undefined)).toBe(true);
     // An old cloud roster can be downloaded again without repeating the migration.
     replaceCharactersForOwner("one", legacyCharacters, storage);

src/app/accountRepository.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-import type { CharacterProfile, PlayerSession } from "./types";
+import type {
+  CharacterGearRecovery,
+  CharacterProfile,
+  GearRecoveryEquipmentReference,
+  GearRecoveryItem,
+  GearRecoveryReason,
+  PlayerSession,
+} from "./types";
 import { mergeBossCardCollections, normalizeBossCardCollection, type BossCardCollection } from "../game/bossCards";
 import { normalizeUiPreferences, type UiPreferences } from "../game/uiLayout";
 import {
@@ -11,7 +18,12 @@ import {
   orderedClassLoadoutKey,
   ROM_SECONDARY_UNLOCK_LEVEL,
 } from "./romDualClass";
-import { normalizeInventory, type InventoryItem } from "../game/lootTypes";
+import {
+  inventoryItemMatchesCategory,
+  inventoryItemUsableForCategory,
+  normalizeInventory,
+  type InventoryItem,
+} from "../game/lootTypes";
 import { normalizeEquipment, type EquipmentAssignments } from "../game/equipment";
 import type { GameplaySettings } from "../game/combatStore";
 import {
@@ -70,7 +82,7 @@ interface LocalAccount {
 }
 
 interface ProfileDatabase {
-  version: 7;
+  version: 8;
   accounts: LocalAccount[];
   rosters: Record<string, CharacterProfile[]>;
   bossCardsByOwner: Record<string, BossCardCollection>;
@@ -114,7 +126,196 @@ function browserSessionStorage(): StorageLike | null {
 }
 
 function emptyDatabase(): ProfileDatabase {
-  return { version: 7, accounts: [], rosters: {}, bossCardsByOwner: {}, presentationSettingsByOwner: {} };
+  return { version: 8, accounts: [], rosters: {}, bossCardsByOwner: {}, presentationSettingsByOwner: {} };
+}
+
+const CONTENT_CATEGORY_IDS = new Set(["wow", "rom", "coa"]);
+
+function isGearRecoveryReason(value: unknown): value is GearRecoveryReason {
+  return value === "missing-category" || value === "foreign-category" || value === "invalid-native-payload";
+}
+
+function normalizeGearRecovery(value: unknown): CharacterGearRecovery {
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) return { items: [], equipment: [] };
+  const record = value as { items?: unknown; equipment?: unknown };
+  const items: GearRecoveryItem[] = Array.isArray(record.items)
+    ? record.items.flatMap((entry): GearRecoveryItem[] => {
+      if (!entry || typeof entry !== "object" || Array.isArray(entry)
+        || !Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(entry, "item")) return [];
+      const row = entry as { item: unknown; reason?: unknown };
+      return [{
+        item: row.item,
+        reason: isGearRecoveryReason(row.reason) ? row.reason : "missing-category",
+      }];
+    })
+    : [];
+  const equipment: GearRecoveryEquipmentReference[] = Array.isArray(record.equipment)
+    ? record.equipment.flatMap((entry): GearRecoveryEquipmentReference[] => {
+      if (!entry || typeof entry !== "object" || Array.isArray(entry)) return [];
+      const row = entry as Partial<GearRecoveryEquipmentReference>;
+      if (typeof row.ownerId !== "string" || typeof row.slot !== "string" || typeof row.instanceId !== "string") return [];
+      return [{
+        ownerId: row.ownerId,
+        slot: row.slot,
+        instanceId: row.instanceId,
+        reason: isGearRecoveryReason(row.reason) ? row.reason : "missing-category",
+      }];
+    })
+    : [];
+  return { items, equipment };
+}
+
+function jsonIdentity(value: unknown): string {
+  try { return JSON.stringify(value) ?? "undefined"; } catch { return "[unserializable]"; }
+}
+
+/** Merges repeat cloud/profile normalization without duplicating the same recovered source row. */
+function mergeGearRecovery(
+  ...values: readonly unknown[]
+): CharacterGearRecovery | undefined {
+  const mergedItems: GearRecoveryItem[] = [];
+  const mergedEquipment: GearRecoveryEquipmentReference[] = [];
+  const itemCounts = new Map<string, number>();
+  const equipmentCounts = new Map<string, number>();
+  for (const value of values) {
+    const recovery = normalizeGearRecovery(value);
+    const currentItemCounts = new Map<string, number>();
+    for (const entry of recovery.items) {
+      const key = `${entry.reason}\n${jsonIdentity(entry.item)}`;
+      const count = (currentItemCounts.get(key) ?? 0) + 1;
+      currentItemCounts.set(key, count);
+      if (count > (itemCounts.get(key) ?? 0)) mergedItems.push(entry);
+    }
+    for (const [key, count] of currentItemCounts) {
+      itemCounts.set(key, Math.max(itemCounts.get(key) ?? 0, count));
+    }
+    for (const entry of recovery.equipment) {
+      const key = jsonIdentity(entry);
+      if (equipmentCounts.has(key)) continue;
+      equipmentCounts.set(key, 1);
+      mergedEquipment.push(entry);
+    }
+  }
+  return mergedItems.length || mergedEquipment.length
+    ? { items: mergedItems, equipment: mergedEquipment }
+    : undefined;
+}
+
+function recoveryReasonForCategory(
+  category: unknown,
+  ownerCategory: CharacterProfile["categoryId"],
+  normalizedItem?: InventoryItem,
+): GearRecoveryReason {
+  if (CONTENT_CATEGORY_IDS.has(String(category)) && category !== ownerCategory) return "foreign-category";
+  if (category === "rom" && ownerCategory === "rom" && normalizedItem
+    && !inventoryItemUsableForCategory(normalizedItem, ownerCategory)) return "invalid-native-payload";
+  return "missing-category";
+}
+
+function incomingInventoryMatchesCategory(
+  inventory: readonly InventoryItem[],
+  ownerCategory: NonNullable<CharacterProfile["categoryId"]>,
+): boolean {
+  for (const candidate of inventory as readonly unknown[]) {
+    if (!candidate || typeof candidate !== "object" || Array.isArray(candidate)) return false;
+    const item = candidate as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const category = item.contentCategory;
+    if (!(category === undefined && ownerCategory === "wow")
+      && !inventoryItemMatchesCategory(item as Pick<InventoryItem, "contentCategory">, ownerCategory)) return false;
+    const normalized = normalizeInventory([candidate], { ownerCategory })[0];
+    if (!normalized || !inventoryItemUsableForCategory(normalized, ownerCategory)) return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+function equipmentReferencesRecoveredItem(
+  assignments: EquipmentAssignments,
+  recovery: CharacterGearRecovery | undefined,
+): boolean {
+  if (!assignments || typeof assignments !== "object" || Array.isArray(assignments)) return false;
+  if (!recovery?.items.length && !recovery?.equipment.length) return false;
+  const recoveredIds = new Set<string>();
+  for (const entry of recovery.items) {
+    if (entry.item && typeof entry.item === "object" && !Array.isArray(entry.item)) {
+      const instanceId = (entry.item as { instanceId?: unknown }).instanceId;
+      if (typeof instanceId === "string") recoveredIds.add(instanceId);
+    }
+  }
+  for (const entry of recovery.equipment) recoveredIds.add(entry.instanceId);
+  return Object.values(assignments).some((loadout) => (
+    loadout && typeof loadout === "object"
+      && Object.values(loadout).some((instanceId) => typeof instanceId === "string" && recoveredIds.has(instanceId))
+  ));
+}
+
+function equipmentReferencesUsableInventory(
+  assignments: EquipmentAssignments,
+  profile: CharacterProfile,
+): boolean {
+  if (!assignments || typeof assignments !== "object" || Array.isArray(assignments)) return false;
+  const itemById = new Map(profile.inventory.map((item) => [item.instanceId, item]));
+  for (const loadout of Object.values(assignments as Record<string, unknown>)) {
+    if (!loadout || typeof loadout !== "object" || Array.isArray(loadout)) return false;
+    for (const rawId of Object.values(loadout as Record<string, unknown>)) {
+      if (typeof rawId !== "string") continue;
+      const item = itemById.get(rawId);
+      if (!item || !inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, profile.categoryId)) return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+interface ProfileGearNormalization {
+  inventory: InventoryItem[];
+  equipment: EquipmentAssignments;
+  gearRecovery?: CharacterGearRecovery;
+}
+
+function normalizeProfileGear(
+  rawInventory: unknown,
+  rawEquipment: unknown,
+  ownerCategory: NonNullable<CharacterProfile["categoryId"]>,
+  existingRecovery: unknown,
+): ProfileGearNormalization {
+  const usableInventory: InventoryItem[] = [];
+  const recoveredItems: GearRecoveryItem[] = [];
+  const rejectedInstanceIds = new Map<string, GearRecoveryReason>();
+  const candidates = Array.isArray(rawInventory) ? rawInventory : [];
+  for (const candidate of candidates) {
+    if (!candidate || typeof candidate !== "object" || Array.isArray(candidate)) continue;
+    const normalized = normalizeInventory([candidate], { ownerCategory })[0];
+    if (normalized && inventoryItemUsableForCategory(normalized, ownerCategory)) {
+      usableInventory.push(normalized);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const raw = candidate as Record<string, unknown>;
+    // Keep the old invalid-row behavior for an item that already claims this
+    // profile's namespace but cannot be normalized as an InventoryItem.
+    if (!normalized && raw.contentCategory === ownerCategory) continue;
+    const reason = recoveryReasonForCategory(raw.contentCategory, ownerCategory, normalized);
+    recoveredItems.push({ item: candidate, reason });
+    if (typeof raw.instanceId === "string" && !rejectedInstanceIds.has(raw.instanceId)) {
+      rejectedInstanceIds.set(raw.instanceId, reason);
+    }
+  }
+
+  const recoveredEquipment: GearRecoveryEquipmentReference[] = [];
+  if (rawEquipment && typeof rawEquipment === "object" && !Array.isArray(rawEquipment)) {
+    for (const [ownerId, rawLoadout] of Object.entries(rawEquipment as Record<string, unknown>)) {
+      if (!ownerId || !rawLoadout || typeof rawLoadout !== "object" || Array.isArray(rawLoadout)) continue;
+      for (const [slot, rawInstanceId] of Object.entries(rawLoadout as Record<string, unknown>)) {
+        if (typeof rawInstanceId !== "string") continue;
+        const reason = rejectedInstanceIds.get(rawInstanceId);
+        if (reason) recoveredEquipment.push({ ownerId, slot, instanceId: rawInstanceId, reason });
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  const equipment = normalizeEquipment(rawEquipment, usableInventory, ownerCategory);
+  return {
+    inventory: usableInventory,
+    equipment,
+    gearRecovery: mergeGearRecovery(existingRecovery, { items: recoveredItems, equipment: recoveredEquipment }),
+  };
 }
 
 function isCharacterProfile(value: unknown): value is CharacterProfile {
@@ -147,6 +348,7 @@ function normalizeCharacterProfile(value: CharacterProfile): CharacterProfile {
     level?: unknown;
     inventory?: unknown;
     equipment?: unknown;
+    gearRecovery?: unknown;
     manastormProgress?: unknown;
     settings?: unknown;
     secondaryClassId?: unknown;
@@ -196,14 +398,19 @@ function normalizeCharacterProfile(value: CharacterProfile): CharacterProfile {
   })) as Record<string, Record<string, string | null>>;
   const activeLoadoutKey = orderedClassLoadoutKey(value.classId, secondaryClassId);
   actionLoadouts[activeLoadoutKey] = { ...(actionLoadouts[activeLoadoutKey] ?? actionBindings) };
-  const inventory = normalizeInventory(legacy.inventory);
-  const equipment = normalizeEquipment(legacy.equipment, inventory);
+  const normalizedGear = normalizeProfileGear(
+    legacy.inventory,
+    legacy.equipment,
+    categoryId,
+    legacy.gearRecovery,
+  );
+  const { inventory, equipment, gearRecovery } = normalizedGear;
   const manastormProgress = normalizeManastormProgress(legacy.manastormProgress);
   const settings = legacy.settings && typeof legacy.settings === "object" && !Array.isArray(legacy.settings)
     ? { ...(legacy.settings as Partial<GameplaySettings>) }
     : undefined;
   const dungeonRunCheckpoint = normalizeDungeonRunCheckpoint(legacy.dungeonRunCheckpoint);
-  return {
+  const normalizedProfile: CharacterProfile = {
     ...profile,
     level,
     experience,
@@ -220,9 +427,15 @@ function normalizeCharacterProfile(value: CharacterProfile): CharacterProfile {
     dungeonRunCheckpoint,
     settings,
   };
+  if (gearRecovery) normalizedProfile.gearRecovery = gearRecovery;
+  else delete normalizedProfile.gearRecovery;
+  return normalizedProfile;
 }
 
-function readDatabase(storage: StorageLike | null = browserLocalStorage()): ProfileDatabase {
+function readDatabase(
+  storage: StorageLike | null = browserLocalStorage(),
+  persistMigrations = true,
+): ProfileDatabase {
   if (!storage) return emptyDatabase();
   try {
     const parsed = JSON.parse(storage.getItem(DATABASE_KEY) ?? "null") as ({
@@ -233,7 +446,7 @@ function readDatabase(storage: StorageLike | null = browserLocalStorage()): Prof
       presentationSettingsByOwner?: unknown;
       uiPreferencesByOwner?: unknown;
     }) | null;
-    if (!parsed || ![1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].includes(parsed.version ?? 0) || !Array.isArray(parsed.accounts) || !parsed.rosters || typeof parsed.rosters !== "object") {
+    if (!parsed || ![1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].includes(parsed.version ?? 0) || !Array.isArray(parsed.accounts) || !parsed.rosters || typeof parsed.rosters !== "object") {
       return emptyDatabase();
     }
     const accounts = parsed.accounts.filter((account): account is LocalAccount => Boolean(
@@ -296,8 +509,8 @@ function readDatabase(storage: StorageLike | null = browserLocalStorage()): Prof
     );
     const rawUi = parsed.uiPreferencesByOwner && typeof parsed.uiPreferencesByOwner === "object" ? parsed.uiPreferencesByOwner : {};
     const uiPreferencesByOwner = Object.fromEntries(Object.entries(rawUi).map(([owner, value]) => [owner, normalizeUiPreferences(value)]));
-    const database: ProfileDatabase = { version: 7, accounts, rosters, bossCardsByOwner, presentationSettingsByOwner, uiPreferencesByOwner };
-    if (parsed.version !== 7 || presentationSettingsMigrated || cardsMigrated || statRulesetsMigrated) {
+    const database: ProfileDatabase = { version: 8, accounts, rosters, bossCardsByOwner, presentationSettingsByOwner, uiPreferencesByOwner };
+    if (persistMigrations && (parsed.version !== 8 || presentationSettingsMigrated || cardsMigrated || statRulesetsMigrated)) {
       // A full or read-only device must still expose its existing roster.
       // Retry migration on the next read when persistence is available.
       try { writeDatabase(database, storage); } catch { /* Keep the normalized in-memory profiles. */ }
@@ -534,10 +747,20 @@ export function replaceCharactersForOwner(
     ? mergeBossCardCollections(roster.map((character) => character.bossCards), "sum")
     : normalizeBossCardCollection(accountBossCards);
   database.bossCardsByOwner[ownerId] = mergeBossCardCollections([database.bossCardsByOwner[ownerId], importedCards]);
-  database.rosters[ownerId] = roster.map((character) => normalizeCharacterProfile({
+  const existingRecoveryByCharacterId = new Map(
+    (database.rosters[ownerId] ?? []).map((character) => [character.id, character.gearRecovery]),
+  );
+  database.rosters[ownerId] = roster.map((character) => {
+    const gearRecovery = mergeGearRecovery(
+      existingRecoveryByCharacterId.get(character.id),
+      character.gearRecovery,
+    );
+    return normalizeCharacterProfile({
       ...character,
       ownerId,
-  }));
+      ...(gearRecovery ? { gearRecovery } : {}),
+    });
+  });
   writeDatabase(database, storage);
   return listCharacters(ownerId, storage);
 }
@@ -800,7 +1023,11 @@ export function updateCharacterInventory(
   storage: StorageLike | null = browserLocalStorage(),
 ): CharacterProfile | null {
   if (!storage) return null;
-  const database = readDatabase(storage);
+  // Do not persist a migration if this mutation is rejected. Existing profile
+  // bytes (including legacy gear and its quarantine state) remain untouched.
+  const database = readDatabase(storage, false);
+  const current = (database.rosters[ownerId] ?? []).find((character) => character.id === characterId);
+  if (!current?.categoryId || !incomingInventoryMatchesCategory(inventory, current.categoryId)) return null;
   let updated: CharacterProfile | null = null;
   database.rosters[ownerId] = (database.rosters[ownerId] ?? []).map((character) => {
     if (character.id !== characterId) return character;
@@ -821,7 +1048,15 @@ export function updateCharacterEquipment(
   storage: StorageLike | null = browserLocalStorage(),
 ): CharacterProfile | null {
   if (!storage) return null;
-  const database = readDatabase(storage);
+  // Equipment updates are all-or-nothing: never silently erase assignments to
+  // foreign or quarantined inventory during normalization.
+  const database = readDatabase(storage, false);
+  const current = (database.rosters[ownerId] ?? []).find((character) => character.id === characterId);
+  if (
+    !current
+    || equipmentReferencesRecoveredItem(equipment, current.gearRecovery)
+    || !equipmentReferencesUsableInventory(equipment, current)
+  ) return null;
   let updated: CharacterProfile | null = null;
   database.rosters[ownerId] = (database.rosters[ownerId] ?? []).map((character) => {
     if (character.id !== characterId) return character;

src/app/bossCardAccountSync.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { PlayerSession } from "./types";
+import { EMPTY_ITEM_STATS } from "../game/itemStats";
 
 function storage() {
   const values = new Map<string, string>();
@@ -101,4 +102,65 @@ describe("account boss card integration", () => {
     expect(repository.loadAccountBossCards(session.ownerId).counts["wow:lady anacondra"]?.normal).toBe(10);
     await client.logoutOnlineSession(session);
   });
+
+  it("uploads cloud gear namespace quarantine once without changing card synchronization", async () => {
+    const device = storage();
+    vi.stubGlobal("window", { localStorage: device });
+    const repository = await import("./accountRepository");
+    const character = repository.createCharacter(draft).character!;
+    const foreignItem = {
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      instanceId: "foreign-rom-item",
+      itemId: 10412,
+      itemKey: "rom:foreign-item",
+      name: "Foreign RoM item",
+      quality: "rare",
+      inventorySlot: "waist",
+      armorType: "leather",
+      weaponType: null,
+      itemLevel: 17,
+      sourceItemLevel: 21,
+      stats: { ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS, agility: 4 },
+      quantity: 1,
+      sourceBossKey: "rom:source-boss",
+      sourceBossName: "Source Boss",
+      acquiredAt: 5_000,
+    };
+    let cloudData: unknown = {
+      version: 2,
+      characters: [{
+        ...character,
+        inventory: [foreignItem],
+        equipment: { player: { waist: foreignItem.instanceId } },
+      }],
+      uiPreferences: {},
+      bossCards: { counts: {}, lastClaims: {} },
+    };
+    const fetchMock = vi.fn(async (_url: string, init: RequestInit) => {
+      if (init.method === "PUT") cloudData = JSON.parse(String(init.body)).data;
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify({ revision: 1, updatedAt: 1, data: cloudData }), { status: 200 });
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", fetchMock);
+    const client = await import("./onlineAccountClient");
+
+    const hydrated = await client.hydrateOnlineSession(session);
+    expect(hydrated[0]?.inventory).toEqual([]);
+    expect(hydrated[0]?.equipment).toEqual({});
+    expect(hydrated[0]?.gearRecovery).toMatchObject({
+      items: [{ item: foreignItem, reason: "foreign-category" }],
+      equipment: [{ ownerId: "player", slot: "waist", instanceId: foreignItem.instanceId, reason: "foreign-category" }],
+    });
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(501);
+    const firstPut = fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(([, init]) => init.method === "PUT");
+    expect(firstPut).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(cloudData).toMatchObject({
+      bossCards: { counts: {}, lastClaims: {} },
+      characters: [{ inventory: [], gearRecovery: { items: [{ reason: "foreign-category" }] } }],
+    });
+
+    await client.hydrateOnlineSession(session);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(501);
+    expect(fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(([, init]) => init.method === "PUT")).toHaveLength(1);
+    await client.logoutOnlineSession(session);
+  });
 });

src/app/onlineAccountClient.ts

@@ -150,6 +150,32 @@ export function retryCloudSave(): void {
   if (activeSession) queueCloudSave(activeSession.ownerId, listCharacters(activeSession.ownerId));
 }
 
+function gearNamespaceSnapshot(value: unknown): string {
+  if (!Array.isArray(value)) return "[]";
+  return JSON.stringify(value.map((candidate) => {
+    if (!candidate || typeof candidate !== "object" || Array.isArray(candidate)) return candidate;
+    const character = candidate as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const rawInventory = character.inventory;
+    const inventory = Array.isArray(rawInventory)
+      ? rawInventory.map((rawItem) => {
+        if (!rawItem || typeof rawItem !== "object" || Array.isArray(rawItem)) return rawItem;
+        const item = rawItem as Record<string, unknown>;
+        return {
+          instanceId: item.instanceId,
+          contentCategory: Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(item, "contentCategory")
+            ? item.contentCategory
+            : "[missing-content-category]",
+        };
+      })
+      : rawInventory == null ? [] : rawInventory;
+    return {
+      id: character.id,
+      inventory,
+      gearRecovery: character.gearRecovery ?? null,
+    };
+  }));
+}
+
 export async function hydrateOnlineSession(session: PlayerSession): Promise<CharacterProfile[]> {
   if (!session.accessToken) return listCharacters(session.ownerId);
   activateOnlineSession(session);
@@ -163,7 +189,12 @@ export async function hydrateOnlineSession(session: PlayerSession): Promise<Char
     suppressUpload = false;
   }
   // Publish migrated logs even if the player has not earned another card yet.
-  if (JSON.stringify(cloud.data?.bossCards) !== JSON.stringify(loadAccountBossCards(session.ownerId))) {
+  const gearNamespaceMigrated = gearNamespaceSnapshot(cloud.data?.characters)
+    !== gearNamespaceSnapshot(characters);
+  if (
+    gearNamespaceMigrated
+    || JSON.stringify(cloud.data?.bossCards) !== JSON.stringify(loadAccountBossCards(session.ownerId))
+  ) {
     queueCloudSave(session.ownerId, characters);
   }
   return characters;

src/app/romDualClassPersistence.test.ts

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ describe("RoM dual-class persistence", () => {
         "priest:none": { "primary:face-bottom": "priest-flash-heal" },
       },
     });
-    expect(JSON.parse(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)!).version).toBe(7);
+    expect(JSON.parse(storage.getItem(PROFILE_STORAGE_KEYS.database)!).version).toBe(8);
   });
 
   it("locks selection to level ten and preserves separate bars through atomic swaps", () => {

src/app/types.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,28 @@ export interface PlayerSession {
   accessToken?: string;
 }
 
+export type GearRecoveryReason = "missing-category" | "foreign-category" | "invalid-native-payload";
+
+/** Original rejected gear data kept with its character so migrations never erase it. */
+export interface GearRecoveryItem {
+  readonly item: unknown;
+  readonly reason: GearRecoveryReason;
+}
+
+/** A former loadout reference for an item that is quarantined from active gear. */
+export interface GearRecoveryEquipmentReference {
+  readonly ownerId: string;
+  readonly slot: string;
+  readonly instanceId: string;
+  readonly reason: GearRecoveryReason;
+}
+
+/** Character-scoped recovery for legacy or foreign-namespace gear. */
+export interface CharacterGearRecovery {
+  readonly items: readonly GearRecoveryItem[];
+  readonly equipment: readonly GearRecoveryEquipmentReference[];
+}
+
 export interface CharacterProfile {
   id: string;
   ownerId: string;
@@ -50,6 +72,8 @@ export interface CharacterProfile {
   actionLoadouts?: Record<string, Record<string, string | null>>;
   inventory: InventoryItem[];
   equipment: EquipmentAssignments;
+  /** Rejected gear remains recoverable here and is excluded from active inventory/loadouts. */
+  gearRecovery?: CharacterGearRecovery;
   /** Legacy character log, read only during migration to the account collection. */
   bossCards?: BossCardCollection;
   /** Present on normalized and newly created profiles; optional for legacy callers. */

src/game/combatStore.test.ts

@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ import { subscribeCombatPresentation, type CombatPresentationEvent } from "./com
 import { loadCanonicalBenchmarkBuilds } from "./benchmark/benchmarkBuilds";
 import { runtimePartyTalentRanksForLevel } from "./partyTalentRuntime";
 import { talentModifiersForRanks } from "./talentModifiers";
+import type { InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
+import { resolvedEquipmentStats } from "./heirloomEquipment";
 import {
   ROGUE_DEADLY_POISON_DOSE_TAG,
   ROGUE_ENVENOM_BUFF_TAG,
@@ -63,6 +65,31 @@ function stableUnit(seed: string): number {
   return (hash >>> 0) / 0x1_0000_0000;
 }
 
+function categoryGearFixture(
+  instanceId: string,
+  contentCategory: InventoryItem["contentCategory"],
+  romNative?: InventoryItem["stats"]["romNative"],
+): InventoryItem {
+  return {
+    contentCategory,
+    instanceId,
+    itemId: 900001,
+    itemKey: instanceId,
+    name: instanceId,
+    quality: "rare",
+    inventorySlot: "back",
+    armorType: null,
+    weaponType: null,
+    itemLevel: 40,
+    sourceItemLevel: 40,
+    stats: { ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS, stamina: 100, ...(romNative ? { romNative } : {}) },
+    quantity: 1,
+    sourceBossKey: "test-source",
+    sourceBossName: "Test Source",
+    acquiredAt: 1,
+  };
+}
+
 function paladinVindicationProcTime(
   sourceActorId: string,
   abilityId: string,
@@ -1215,6 +1242,52 @@ describe("combat store", () => {
     expect(useCombatStore.getState().bossCards.counts["wow:lady anacondra"]?.normal).toBe(1);
   });
 
+  it("derives the owner namespace from the source class and accepts only validated native gear rewards", () => {
+    const foreignWow = categoryGearFixture("foreign-wow", "wow");
+    const missingNative = categoryGearFixture("rom-without-native", "rom");
+    const missingCategory = categoryGearFixture("legacy-without-category", undefined);
+    const nullCategory = categoryGearFixture("explicit-null-category", null);
+    const nativeRom = categoryGearFixture("rom-native", "rom", { stamina: 4 });
+    const sourceProfile = {
+      classId: "rom-priest",
+      categoryId: "wow",
+      level: 40,
+      inventory: [foreignWow, missingNative, missingCategory, nullCategory, nativeRom],
+      equipment: { player: { back: foreignWow.instanceId, chest: missingNative.instanceId } },
+    } as const;
+    useCombatStore.getState().initializeCharacter(sourceProfile);
+
+    expect(useCombatStore.getState().contentCategoryId).toBe("rom");
+    expect(useCombatStore.getState().inventory.map((item) => item.instanceId)).toEqual([nativeRom.instanceId]);
+    expect(useCombatStore.getState().equipment).toEqual({});
+    expect(sourceProfile.inventory.map((item) => item.contentCategory)).toEqual(["wow", "rom", undefined, null, "rom"]);
+    const expectedTrainingOnlyStats = resolvedEquipmentStats({}, [], {
+      ownerId: "player",
+      ownerKind: "player",
+      classId: "rom-priest",
+      secondaryClassId: null,
+      specializationId: null,
+      role: "healer",
+      level: 40,
+    });
+    expect(useCombatStore.getState().gearStats).toEqual(expectedTrainingOnlyStats);
+
+    useCombatStore.getState().registerMob("gear-boundary", { name: "Gear Boundary", maxHealth: 1, hasLoot: true });
+    const nativeLoot = categoryGearFixture("rom-loot", "rom", { agility: 2 });
+    useCombatStore.setState((state) => {
+      const mob = state.mobs["gear-boundary"]!;
+      return { mobs: { ...state.mobs, "gear-boundary": {
+        ...mob,
+        dead: true,
+        health: 0,
+        pendingLoot: [foreignWow, missingNative, missingCategory, nullCategory, nativeLoot],
+      } } };
+    });
+    expect(useCombatStore.getState().lootMob("gear-boundary", 10_000)).toBe(true);
+    expect(useCombatStore.getState().inventory.map((item) => item.instanceId))
+      .toEqual([nativeRom.instanceId, nativeLoot.instanceId]);
+  });
+
   it("aggros every surviving packmate even when the pulled mob dies to the opening hit", () => {
     for (const [id, maxHealth] of [["one-shot:a", 1], ["one-shot:b", 100], ["outsider", 100]] as const) {
       useCombatStore.getState().registerMob(id, { name: id, maxHealth, xpReward: 0 });

src/game/combatStore.ts

@@ -64,11 +64,13 @@ import { useDungeonSimulationStore } from "./dungeonSimulationStore";
 import { useGameStore } from "./store";
 import {
   baseClassFor,
+  contentCategoryForClass,
   isRomClassId,
   type ClassId,
   type GenderId,
   type RaceId,
 } from "../app/characterCatalog";
+import type { ContentCategoryId } from "../app/contentCategories";
 import { normalizeCharacterStatRuleset, type CharacterStatRuleset } from "./characterStatRuleset";
 import { applyRomNativeStatModifiers, type RomNativeAdditiveChannel, type RomNativeAttributeKey,
   type RomNativeDerivedStats, type RomNativeRateChannel, type RomNativeStatModifiers } from "./romNativeStats";
@@ -455,7 +457,7 @@ import { bossCardForSource } from "./bossCardCatalog";
 import { collectBossCardDrop, emptyBossCardCollection, normalizeBossCardCollection, rollBossCards, type BossCardCollection, type BossCardDrop } from "./bossCards";
 import { adaptRunewakerEnemyDamage } from "./runewakerCombatFormula";
 import { channelAmountEffects, channelPulseAt, channelPulseCount } from "./combatChannelAmounts";
-import { normalizeInventory, type InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
+import { inventoryItemUsableForCategory, normalizeInventory, type InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
 import {
   PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID,
   activeEquipmentStatsForClass,
@@ -1405,6 +1407,7 @@ export interface ActorHealingRequest {
 
 export interface CharacterCombatSeed {
   readonly classId: ClassId;
+  readonly categoryId?: ContentCategoryId;
   readonly statRuleset?: CharacterStatRuleset;
   readonly hunterPetFamily?: Wow335HunterPetFamily;
   readonly specializationId?: string | null;
@@ -1570,6 +1573,7 @@ export interface EnemyPeriodicCombatEffect {
 export interface CombatState {
   classId: ClassId;
   statRuleset: CharacterStatRuleset;
+  contentCategoryId: ContentCategoryId;
   readonly romNativeRecoveryClock?: RomNativeRecoveryClock;
   hunterPetFamily: Wow335HunterPetFamily;
   specializationId: string | null;
@@ -7799,6 +7803,7 @@ function damageMobInWork(
   const testing = useGameStore.getState().gmTestMode;
   const canAward = killed && !mob.experienceGranted && !testing;
   const beforeLevel = work.progression.level;
+  const ownerCategory = useCombatStore.getState().contentCategoryId;
   const hasTreasureHunter = work.auras.some((aura) => (
     aura.targetId === PLAYER_AURA_ENTITY_ID
     && (aura.expiresAt === null || aura.expiresAt > now)
@@ -7807,9 +7812,10 @@ function damageMobInWork(
   const pendingLoot = testing ? [] : killed && mob.lootSourceId
     ? rollBossLoot(mob.lootSourceId, beforeLevel, {
       now,
+      ownerCategory,
       bonusItemChance: romRogueTreasureHunterLootChance(mob.bonusLootChance, hasTreasureHunter),
     })
-    : mob.pendingLoot;
+    : mob.pendingLoot.filter((item) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, ownerCategory));
   const card = killed && mob.boss && !testing
     ? bossCardForSource(mob.lootSourceId ?? mob.id, useGameStore.getState().activeDungeonId, mob.name)
     : null;
@@ -11786,6 +11792,7 @@ function combatActorSnapshots(state: CombatState): Readonly<Record<string, Comba
 function initialState() {
   const classId: ClassId = "priest";
   const statRuleset: CharacterStatRuleset = "wow";
+  const contentCategoryId: ContentCategoryId = "wow";
   const raceId: RaceId = "human";
   const gender: GenderId = "male";
   const level = 1;
@@ -11805,6 +11812,7 @@ function initialState() {
   return {
     classId,
     statRuleset,
+    contentCategoryId,
     hunterPetFamily: "wolf" as const,
     specializationId: null,
     gearRole: "healer" as PartyRole,
@@ -11893,9 +11901,13 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       : [];
     const talentModifiers = characterStatModifiers(classId, progression.level, talentRanks);
     const abilities = abilitiesForCharacter(classId, secondaryClassId);
-    const inventory = normalizeInventory(profile.inventory);
-    const equipment = normalizeEquipment(profile.equipment, inventory);
-    const gearStats = specializationId !== null || classId.startsWith("rom-") ? resolvedEquipmentStats(equipment, inventory, {
+    // The selected source class owns the character namespace; dungeon and
+    // untrusted seed metadata cannot change which game's items are usable.
+    const contentCategoryId = contentCategoryForClass(classId);
+    const inventory = normalizeInventory(profile.inventory, { ownerCategory: contentCategoryId });
+    const categoryInventory = inventory.filter((item) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, contentCategoryId));
+    const equipment = normalizeEquipment(profile.equipment, inventory, contentCategoryId);
+    const gearStats = specializationId !== null || classId.startsWith("rom-") ? resolvedEquipmentStats(equipment, categoryInventory, {
       ownerId: PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID,
       ownerKind: "player",
       classId,
@@ -11903,7 +11915,7 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       specializationId,
       role: gearRole,
       level: progression.level,
-    }) : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(equipment, inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, classId);
+    }) : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(equipment, inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, classId, contentCategoryId);
     const maxHealth = talentAdjustedMaxHealth(
       classId,
       progression.level,
@@ -11952,6 +11964,7 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       raceId,
       gender,
       statRuleset,
+      contentCategoryId,
       romNativeRecoveryClock: undefined,
       level: progression.level,
       xp: progression.xp,
@@ -11978,7 +11991,7 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
         abilities,
         talentRanks,
       ),
-      inventory,
+      inventory: categoryInventory,
       bossCards: normalizeBossCardCollection(profile.bossCards),
       equipment,
       gearStats,
@@ -11988,6 +12001,7 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
   },
 
   refreshResolvedGear: () => set((state) => {
+    const categoryInventory = state.inventory.filter((item) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, state.contentCategoryId));
     const context: HeirloomContext = {
       ownerId: PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID,
       ownerKind: "player",
@@ -11998,8 +12012,8 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       level: state.level,
     };
     const gearStats = state.specializationId !== null || state.classId.startsWith("rom-")
-      ? resolvedEquipmentStats(state.equipment, state.inventory, context)
-      : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(state.equipment, state.inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, state.classId);
+      ? resolvedEquipmentStats(state.equipment, categoryInventory, context)
+      : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(state.equipment, state.inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, state.classId, state.contentCategoryId);
     const maxHealth = auraAdjustedPlayerMaxHealth(
       state.classId,
       state.level,
@@ -12259,9 +12273,11 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
   lootMob: (id, now = combatNow()) => {
     const mob = get().mobs[id];
     if (!mob || !mob.dead || !mob.hasLoot || mob.looted || mob.despawned) return false;
+    const ownerCategory = get().contentCategoryId;
+    const acceptedLoot = mob.pendingLoot.filter((item) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, ownerCategory));
     const corpseDespawnAt = Math.max(now, (mob.diedAt ?? now) + MINIMUM_CORPSE_VISIBLE_MS);
-    const lootMessage = mob.pendingLoot.length
-      ? `Looted ${mob.pendingLoot.map((item) => `${item.name}: ${itemStatSummary(item.stats)}`).join(", ")}.`
+    const lootMessage = acceptedLoot.length
+      ? `Looted ${acceptedLoot.map((item) => `${item.name}: ${itemStatSummary(item.stats)}`).join(", ")}.`
       : `Looted ${mob.name}.`;
     set((state) => {
       const bossReward = mob.boss
@@ -12269,13 +12285,13 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
           id: ++bossLootRewardSequence,
           bossId: id,
           bossName: mob.name,
-          items: mob.pendingLoot,
+          items: acceptedLoot,
           ...(mob.bossCardDrop ? { cards: mob.bossCardDrop } : {}),
           acquiredAt: now,
         } satisfies BossLootReward
         : null;
       return {
-        inventory: [...state.inventory, ...mob.pendingLoot],
+        inventory: [...state.inventory, ...acceptedLoot],
         bossCards: mob.bossCardDrop ? collectBossCardDrop(state.bossCards, mob.bossCardDrop) : state.bossCards,
         mobs: {
           ...state.mobs,
@@ -12332,6 +12348,9 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       {
         secondaryClassId: ownerId === PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID ? state.secondaryClassId : ownerMember?.secondaryClassId,
         level: ownerId === PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID ? state.level : ownerMember?.level,
+        ownerCategory: ownerId === PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID
+          ? state.contentCategoryId
+          : usePartyStore.getState().categoryId ?? contentCategoryForClass(ownerClassId),
       },
     );
     if (!change.ok) {
@@ -12342,7 +12361,11 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
     const ownerName = ownerId === PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID
       ? "You"
       : ownerMember?.name ?? "Companion";
-    const gearStats = state.specializationId !== null || state.classId.startsWith("rom-") ? resolvedEquipmentStats(change.assignments, state.inventory, {
+    const categoryInventory = state.inventory.filter((candidate) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(
+      candidate,
+      state.contentCategoryId,
+    ));
+    const gearStats = state.specializationId !== null || state.classId.startsWith("rom-") ? resolvedEquipmentStats(change.assignments, categoryInventory, {
       ownerId: PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID,
       ownerKind: "player",
       classId: state.classId,
@@ -12350,7 +12373,7 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       specializationId: state.specializationId,
       role: state.gearRole,
       level: state.level,
-    }) : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(change.assignments, state.inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, state.classId);
+    }) : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(change.assignments, state.inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, state.classId, state.contentCategoryId);
     const maxHealth = auraAdjustedPlayerMaxHealth(
       state.classId,
       state.level,
@@ -12403,7 +12426,11 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       ),
       feedback: nextFeedback("success", `${ownerName} equipped ${item?.name ?? "the item"}.`),
     });
-    usePartyStore.getState().syncEquipment(change.assignments, state.inventory);
+    const partyCategory = usePartyStore.getState().categoryId;
+    usePartyStore.getState().syncEquipment(
+      change.assignments,
+      state.inventory.filter((candidate) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(candidate, partyCategory)),
+    );
     return true;
   },
 
@@ -12411,7 +12438,11 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
     const state = get();
     const next = unequipInventorySlot(state.equipment, ownerId, slot);
     if (next === state.equipment) return false;
-    const gearStats = state.specializationId !== null || state.classId.startsWith("rom-") ? resolvedEquipmentStats(next, state.inventory, {
+    const categoryInventory = state.inventory.filter((candidate) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(
+      candidate,
+      state.contentCategoryId,
+    ));
+    const gearStats = state.specializationId !== null || state.classId.startsWith("rom-") ? resolvedEquipmentStats(next, categoryInventory, {
       ownerId: PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID,
       ownerKind: "player",
       classId: state.classId,
@@ -12419,7 +12450,7 @@ export const useCombatStore = create<CombatState>((set, get) => ({
       specializationId: state.specializationId,
       role: state.gearRole,
       level: state.level,
-    }) : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(next, state.inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, state.classId);
+    }) : activeEquipmentStatsForClass(next, state.inventory, PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID, state.classId, state.contentCategoryId);
     const maxHealth = auraAdjustedPlayerMaxHealth(
       state.classId,
       state.level,

src/game/equipment.test.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   equipInventoryItem,
   equipmentItemLevel,
   equipmentStats,
+  activeEquipmentStatsForClass,
   normalizeEquipment,
   unequipInventorySlot,
 } from "./equipment";
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ function item(
     itemId: 1,
     itemKey: instanceId,
     name: instanceId,
+    contentCategory: "wow",
     quality: "uncommon",
     inventorySlot,
     armorType: null,
@@ -66,6 +68,56 @@ describe("equipment assignments", () => {
     expect(classCanEquipItem("warlock", bow)).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("rejects foreign, unresolved, and non-native RoM gear before changing assignments", () => {
+    const wowDagger = item("wow-dagger", "one-hand", { weaponType: "dagger" });
+    const nativeRomDagger = item("rom-dagger", "one-hand", {
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      weaponType: "dagger",
+      stats: stats({ strength: 12, romNative: { strength: 12 } }),
+    });
+    const unresolvedRomDagger = item("unresolved-rom-dagger", "one-hand", {
+      contentCategory: null,
+      weaponType: "dagger",
+      stats: stats({ strength: 12 }),
+    });
+    const foreign = equipInventoryItem({ player: { back: "kept" } }, [wowDagger], "player", "rom-priest", wowDagger.instanceId);
+    expect(foreign).toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      assignments: { player: { back: "kept" } },
+      reason: "That item belongs to a different game category.",
+    });
+    expect(equipInventoryItem({}, [nativeRomDagger], "player", "rom-priest", nativeRomDagger.instanceId).ok).toBe(true);
+    expect(equipInventoryItem({}, [unresolvedRomDagger], "player", "rom-priest", unresolvedRomDagger.instanceId).ok).toBe(false);
+    expect(normalizeEquipment({ player: { "main-hand": wowDagger.instanceId } }, [wowDagger], "rom")).toEqual({});
+
+    const forgedCategory = equipInventoryItem(
+      { player: { back: "kept" } },
+      [wowDagger],
+      "player",
+      "rom-priest",
+      wowDagger.instanceId,
+      { ownerCategory: "wow" },
+    );
+    expect(forgedCategory.ok).toBe(false);
+    expect(forgedCategory.assignments).toEqual({ player: { back: "kept" } });
+    expect(classCanEquipItem("rom-priest", wowDagger, { ownerCategory: "wow" })).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("does not apply foreign or unresolved items in active equipment stat reads", () => {
+    const romItem = item("rom-native", "back", {
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      stats: stats({ stamina: 20, romNative: { stamina: 20 } }),
+    });
+    const wowItem = item("wow-foreign", "head", { stats: stats({ stamina: 90 }) });
+    const assignments = { player: { back: romItem.instanceId, head: wowItem.instanceId } };
+    expect(activeEquipmentStatsForClass(assignments, [romItem, wowItem], "player", "rom-priest", "rom"))
+      .toMatchObject({ stamina: 20 });
+    expect(activeEquipmentStatsForClass(assignments, [romItem, wowItem], "player", "rom-priest", "coa"))
+      .toMatchObject({ stamina: 0 });
+    expect(activeEquipmentStatsForClass(assignments, [romItem, wowItem], "player", "rom-priest", "wow"))
+      .toEqual(EMPTY_ITEM_STATS);
+  });
+
   it("handles two-handed conflicts, unequipping, normalization, and item level", () => {
     const staff = item("staff", "two-hand", { weaponType: "staff", itemLevel: 18 });
     const shield = item("shield", "off-hand", { armorType: "shield", itemLevel: 14 });
@@ -126,4 +178,21 @@ describe("equipment assignments", () => {
     expect(deriveRomNativeStats({ classId: "rom-warrior", level: 1, gear: unequipped.romNative }).health.max)
       .toBe(withoutGear.health.max);
   });
+
+  it("keeps CoA-tagged direct stats out of the RoM native projection", () => {
+    const coaGear = item("coa-gear", "chest", {
+      contentCategory: "coa",
+      armorType: "plate",
+      stats: stats({ stamina: 7, strength: 3 }),
+    });
+    const active = activeEquipmentStatsForClass(
+      { player: { chest: coaGear.instanceId } },
+      [coaGear],
+      "player",
+      "guardian",
+      "coa",
+    );
+    expect(active).toMatchObject({ stamina: 7, strength: 3 });
+    expect(active.romNative).toBeUndefined();
+  });
 });

src/game/equipment.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import {
   baseClassFor,
   classById,
+  contentCategoryForClass,
   type BaseClassId,
   type ClassId,
 } from "../app/characterCatalog";
+import type { ContentCategoryId } from "../app/contentCategories";
 import {
   EMPTY_ITEM_STATS,
   ITEM_STAT_KEYS,
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   type NumericItemStatKey,
   type WeaponStats,
 } from "./itemStats";
-import type { InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
+import { inventoryItemUsableForCategory, type InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
 import { romNativeGearFromSharedDirectStats, sumRomNativeGearStats } from "./romNativeStatsTypes";
 
 export const PLAYER_EQUIPMENT_OWNER_ID = "player";
@@ -48,6 +50,8 @@ export interface EquipmentChange {
 export interface EquipmentClassContext {
   readonly secondaryClassId?: ClassId | null;
   readonly level?: number;
+  /** Saved owner category; falls back to the owner's class category when absent. */
+  readonly ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId;
 }
 
 const equipmentSlotSet = new Set<string>(EQUIPMENT_SLOTS);
@@ -82,7 +86,15 @@ export function equipmentSlotForItem(item: InventoryItem): EquipmentSlot | null
   return equipmentSlotSet.has(slot) ? slot as EquipmentSlot : null;
 }
 
-export function classCanEquipItem(classId: ClassId, item: InventoryItem, context: EquipmentClassContext = {}): boolean {
+/**
+ * Internal shape-only predicate for synthetic catalog scoring. Callers must
+ * still use classCanEquipItem before assigning or applying an item.
+ */
+export function classItemShapeFitsEquipmentRules(
+  classId: ClassId,
+  item: InventoryItem,
+  context: EquipmentClassContext = {},
+): boolean {
   const slot = equipmentSlotForItem(item);
   if (!slot) return false;
   const level = context.level ?? Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
@@ -111,6 +123,13 @@ export function classCanEquipItem(classId: ClassId, item: InventoryItem, context
   return true;
 }
 
+export function classCanEquipItem(classId: ClassId, item: InventoryItem, context: EquipmentClassContext = {}): boolean {
+  const classCategory = contentCategoryForClass(classId);
+  if (context.ownerCategory !== undefined && context.ownerCategory !== classCategory) return false;
+  return inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, classCategory)
+    && classItemShapeFitsEquipmentRules(classId, item, context);
+}
+
 function mutableAssignments(assignments: EquipmentAssignments): Record<string, EquipmentLoadout> {
   return Object.fromEntries(
     Object.entries(assignments).map(([ownerId, loadout]) => [ownerId, { ...loadout }]),
@@ -141,6 +160,14 @@ export function equipInventoryItem(
 ): EquipmentChange {
   const item = inventory.find((candidate) => candidate.instanceId === instanceId);
   if (!item) return { ok: false, assignments, reason: "That item is no longer in your inventory." };
+  const ownerCategory = contentCategoryForClass(ownerClassId);
+  if ((classContext.ownerCategory !== undefined && classContext.ownerCategory !== ownerCategory)
+    || !inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, ownerCategory)) {
+    const reason = ownerCategory === "rom" && item.contentCategory === "rom"
+      ? "That item has no validated RuneWaker-native gear values."
+      : "That item belongs to a different game category.";
+    return { ok: false, assignments, reason };
+  }
   const slot = equipmentSlotForItem(item);
   if (!slot) return { ok: false, assignments, reason: `${item.name} does not use an equippable slot.` };
   if (!classCanEquipItem(ownerClassId, item, classContext)) {
@@ -206,6 +233,7 @@ export function equipmentItemsForOwner(
 export function normalizeEquipment(
   value: unknown,
   inventory: readonly InventoryItem[],
+  ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId,
 ): EquipmentAssignments {
   if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value)) return {};
   const itemById = new Map(inventory.map((item) => [item.instanceId, item]));
@@ -219,6 +247,7 @@ export function normalizeEquipment(
       if (!equipmentSlotSet.has(rawSlot) || typeof rawInstanceId !== "string" || assigned.has(rawInstanceId)) continue;
       const item = itemById.get(rawInstanceId);
       if (!item || equipmentSlotForItem(item) !== rawSlot) continue;
+      if (ownerCategory !== undefined && !inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, ownerCategory)) continue;
       loadout[rawSlot as EquipmentSlot] = rawInstanceId;
       assigned.add(rawInstanceId);
     }
@@ -260,7 +289,11 @@ export function equipmentStats(
     const stats = instanceId ? itemById.get(instanceId)?.stats : null;
     if (!stats) continue;
     for (const key of ITEM_STAT_KEYS) numeric[key] += stats[key];
-    const nativePayload = stats.romNative ?? romNativeGearFromSharedDirectStats(stats);
+    const contentCategory = itemById.get(instanceId)?.contentCategory;
+    const nativePayload = stats.romNative
+      ?? (contentCategory === "rom" || contentCategory === "coa"
+        ? undefined
+        : romNativeGearFromSharedDirectStats(stats));
     if (nativePayload) nativePayloads.push(nativePayload);
     if (stats.meleeWeapon) meleeWeapon = stats.meleeWeapon;
     if (stats.rangedWeapon) rangedWeapon = stats.rangedWeapon;
@@ -275,14 +308,19 @@ export function activeEquipmentStatsForClass(
   inventory: readonly InventoryItem[],
   ownerId: string,
   classId: ClassId,
+  ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId,
 ): ItemStats {
+  const classCategory = contentCategoryForClass(classId);
+  if (ownerCategory !== undefined && ownerCategory !== classCategory) return EMPTY_ITEM_STATS;
   const loadout = assignments[ownerId];
   if (!loadout) return EMPTY_ITEM_STATS;
   const itemById = new Map(inventory.map((item) => [item.instanceId, item]));
   const activeAssignments: EquipmentAssignments = {
     [ownerId]: Object.fromEntries(Object.entries(loadout).filter(([, instanceId]) => {
       const item = instanceId ? itemById.get(instanceId) : null;
-      return Boolean(item && classCanEquipItem(classId, item));
+      return Boolean(item
+        && inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, classCategory)
+        && classCanEquipItem(classId, item));
     })),
   };
   return equipmentStats(activeAssignments, inventory, ownerId);

src/game/heirloomEquipment.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import type { ClassId } from "../app/characterCatalog";
+import { contentCategoryForClass, type ClassId } from "../app/characterCatalog";
 import { classCanEquipItem, equipmentSlotForItem } from "./equipment";
 import {
   compareEquipmentUpgrade,
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   resolvedAverageItemLevel,
   resolvedEquipmentItems,
   resolvedEquipmentLoadout,
+  resolvedEquipmentStats,
   type HeirloomContext,
 } from "./heirloomEquipment";
 import { EMPTY_ITEM_STATS, itemStatsFor } from "./itemStats";
@@ -33,8 +34,14 @@ function context(profile: SpecializationDefinition, level: number, ownerKind: "p
   };
 }
 
-function catalogItem(template: LootCatalogItem, itemLevel: number, suffix = "test"): InventoryItem {
+function catalogItem(
+  template: LootCatalogItem,
+  itemLevel: number,
+  suffix = "test",
+  overrides: Partial<InventoryItem> = {},
+): InventoryItem {
   return {
+    contentCategory: "wow",
     instanceId: `${template.itemId}:${itemLevel}:${suffix}`,
     itemId: template.itemId,
     itemKey: template.itemKey,
@@ -50,6 +57,7 @@ function catalogItem(template: LootCatalogItem, itemLevel: number, suffix = "tes
     sourceBossKey: "test-boss",
     sourceBossName: "Test Boss",
     acquiredAt: 1,
+    ...overrides,
   };
 }
 
@@ -77,6 +85,59 @@ describe("specialization-aware heirlooms", () => {
     expect(loadout["off-hand"]?.armorType).toBe("shield");
   });
 
+  it("keeps RoM training defaults when foreign, unresolved, or non-native assigned items are present", () => {
+    const romContext: HeirloomContext = {
+      ownerId: "rom-owner",
+      ownerKind: "player",
+      classId: "rom-priest",
+      specializationId: null,
+      role: "healer",
+      level: 40,
+    };
+    const chestTemplate = templates.find((template) => template.inventorySlot === "chest" && template.armorType === "cloth")!;
+    const training = resolvedEquipmentLoadout({}, [], romContext).chest!;
+    expect(training).toMatchObject({
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      quality: "heirloom",
+      sourceBossKey: "heirloom",
+      sourceBossName: "Training Armory",
+    });
+    expect(training.stats.romNative).toBeDefined();
+
+    const trainingSlotWithoutReference = resolvedEquipmentLoadout({}, [], romContext)["off-hand"]!;
+    expect(trainingSlotWithoutReference.stats.romNative).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(equipmentStatsForItems([trainingSlotWithoutReference]).romNative).toBeDefined();
+    const copiedTraining = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(trainingSlotWithoutReference)) as InventoryItem;
+    expect(copiedTraining).toMatchObject({
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      instanceId: trainingSlotWithoutReference.instanceId,
+      sourceBossName: "Training Armory",
+    });
+    expect(equipmentStatsForItems([copiedTraining]).romNative).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(classCanEquipItem("rom-priest", copiedTraining)).toBe(false);
+
+    const badAssignedItems = [
+      catalogItem(chestTemplate, 40, "foreign-wow"),
+      catalogItem(chestTemplate, 40, "unresolved", { contentCategory: null }),
+      catalogItem(chestTemplate, 40, "rom-without-native", { contentCategory: "rom" }),
+    ];
+    for (const item of badAssignedItems) {
+      expect(classCanEquipItem("rom-priest", item)).toBe(false);
+      const loadout = resolvedEquipmentLoadout({ [romContext.ownerId]: { chest: item.instanceId } }, [item], romContext);
+      expect(loadout.chest).toMatchObject({ sourceBossName: "Training Armory", contentCategory: "rom" });
+      expect(resolvedEquipmentStats({ [romContext.ownerId]: { chest: item.instanceId } }, [item], romContext))
+        .toEqual(resolvedEquipmentStats({}, [], romContext));
+    }
+
+    const nativeItem = catalogItem(chestTemplate, 40, "rom-native", {
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      stats: itemStatsFor({ ...chestTemplate, itemLevel: 40, romNative: { stamina: 3 } }),
+    });
+    expect(classCanEquipItem("rom-priest", nativeItem)).toBe(true);
+    expect(resolvedEquipmentLoadout({ [romContext.ownerId]: { chest: nativeItem.instanceId } }, [nativeItem], romContext).chest)
+      .toBe(nativeItem);
+  });
+
   it("allocates only useful archetype stats", () => {
     const protection = SPECIALIZATION_DEFINITIONS.find((definition) => definition.id === "warrior:protection")!;
     const holy = SPECIALIZATION_DEFINITIONS.find((definition) => definition.id === "priest:holy")!;
@@ -118,10 +179,10 @@ describe("specialization-aware heirlooms", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("opens a real item-level-85 upgrade path for every gear profile at level 80", () => {
+  it("opens an item-level-85 catalog upgrade path for every WoW gear profile at level 80", () => {
     expect(scaledLootItemLevel(79)).toBe(79);
     expect(scaledLootItemLevel(80)).toBe(85);
-    for (const profile of SPECIALIZATION_DEFINITIONS) {
+    for (const profile of SPECIALIZATION_DEFINITIONS.filter((candidate) => contentCategoryForClass(candidate.classId) === "wow")) {
       const loadout = resolvedEquipmentLoadout({}, [], context(profile, 80));
       const upgrades = compatibleItems(profile.classId, 85)
         .filter((item) => compareEquipmentUpgrade(item, loadout, profile, context(profile, 80)).isUpgrade);

src/game/heirloomEquipment.ts

@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 import {
+  contentCategoryForClass,
   classById,
   isRomClassId,
   type ClassId,
 } from "../app/characterCatalog";
 import {
   classCanEquipItem,
+  classItemShapeFitsEquipmentRules,
   EQUIPMENT_SLOTS,
   equipmentSlotForItem,
   type EquipmentAssignments,
@@ -94,6 +96,11 @@ const ARMOR_SLOTS = new Set<EquipmentSlot>([
 
 const CATALOG_ITEMS = LOOT_CATALOG.bosses.flatMap((boss) => boss.items);
 const itemCache = new Map<string, InventoryItem>();
+// Training placeholders are generated internally and are never serialized as
+// earned inventory. Keep their legacy simulator projection private so it can
+// preserve the existing RoM training profile without making direct WoW stats
+// valid on a caller-supplied RoM item.
+const romTrainingItems = new WeakSet<InventoryItem>();
 
 function effectiveLevel(context: HeirloomContext): number {
   const cap = context.ownerKind === "party" ? PARTY_HEIRLOOM_LEVEL_CAP : PLAYER_HEIRLOOM_LEVEL_CAP;
@@ -181,6 +188,7 @@ function weaponStats(slot: EquipmentSlot, inventorySlot: string, weaponType: str
 
 function syntheticCatalogItem(template: LootCatalogItem, itemLevel: number): InventoryItem {
   return {
+    contentCategory: "wow",
     instanceId: `catalog:${template.itemId}`,
     itemId: template.itemId,
     itemKey: template.itemKey,
@@ -203,7 +211,9 @@ function highestCatalogScore(classId: ClassId, slot: EquipmentSlot, level: numbe
   let highest = 0;
   for (const template of CATALOG_ITEMS) {
     const candidate = syntheticCatalogItem(template, level);
-    if (equipmentSlotForItem(candidate) !== slot || !classCanEquipItem(classId, candidate)) continue;
+    // Catalog comparison is an internal shape-only specialization baseline.
+    // These WoW templates never enter inventory or an equipment assignment.
+    if (equipmentSlotForItem(candidate) !== slot || !classItemShapeFitsEquipmentRules(classId, candidate)) continue;
     highest = Math.max(highest, specializationScore(candidate.stats, profile));
   }
   return highest;
@@ -286,6 +296,7 @@ function heirloomItem(
   // internal quality so this label change cannot alter saved builds or budgets.
   const romTrainingGear = isRomClassId(context.classId);
   const result: InventoryItem = Object.freeze({
+    contentCategory: contentCategoryForClass(context.classId),
     instanceId: `heirloom:${context.ownerId}:${profile.id}:${slot}`,
     itemId: 9_000_000 + stableNumber % 900_000,
     itemKey: `heirloom-${profile.id.replace(/:/g, "-")}-${slot}`,
@@ -302,6 +313,7 @@ function heirloomItem(
     sourceBossName: romTrainingGear ? "Training Armory" : "Heirloom Armory",
     acquiredAt: 0,
   });
+  if (romTrainingGear) romTrainingItems.add(result);
   itemCache.set(cacheKey, result);
   return result;
 }
@@ -348,7 +360,12 @@ export function equipmentStatsForItems(items: readonly InventoryItem[]): ItemSta
   const nativePayloads = [] as NonNullable<ItemStats["romNative"]>[];
   for (const item of items) {
     for (const key of ITEM_STAT_KEYS) numeric[key] += item.stats[key];
-    const nativePayload = item.stats.romNative ?? romNativeGearFromSharedDirectStats(item.stats);
+    const nativePayload = item.stats.romNative
+      ?? (romTrainingItems.has(item)
+        || item.contentCategory === undefined
+        || item.contentCategory === "wow"
+        ? romNativeGearFromSharedDirectStats(item.stats)
+        : undefined);
     if (nativePayload) nativePayloads.push(nativePayload);
     if (item.stats.meleeWeapon) meleeWeapon = item.stats.meleeWeapon;
     if (item.stats.rangedWeapon) rangedWeapon = item.stats.rangedWeapon;

src/game/lootCatalog.test.ts

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ describe("SQL-generated boss loot catalog", () => {
 
     expect(first).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(first[0]).toMatchObject({
+      contentCategory: "wow",
       itemId: 5404,
       name: "Serpent's Shoulders",
       itemLevel: 85,
@@ -61,6 +62,13 @@ describe("SQL-generated boss loot catalog", () => {
     expect(rollBossLoot("not-a-boss", 20)).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it("selects source-tagged WoW drops only for a WoW-owned character", () => {
+    expect(rollBossLoot("lady-anacondra", 80, { random: () => 0, ownerCategory: "wow" })[0].contentCategory)
+      .toBe("wow");
+    expect(rollBossLoot("lady-anacondra", 80, { random: () => 0, ownerCategory: "rom" })).toEqual([]);
+    expect(rollBossLoot("lady-anacondra", 80, { random: () => 0, ownerCategory: "coa" })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("adds at most one bonus weighted item without changing normal rolls", () => {
     const normal = rollBossLoot("lady-anacondra", 80, {
       random: () => 0,

src/game/lootCatalog.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import generatedLootCatalog from "./generated/lootCatalog.json";
+import type { ContentCategoryId } from "../app/contentCategories";
 import {
   itemStatsFor,
   type SourceItemStats,
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ export interface LootRollOptions {
   readonly now?: number;
   /** A single additional weighted item roll after the authored boss rolls. */
   readonly bonusItemChance?: number;
+  /** Saved character/party category; source identity is never inferred from dungeon. */
+  readonly ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId;
 }
 
 export const LOOT_CATALOG = generatedLootCatalog as LootCatalog;
@@ -104,6 +107,7 @@ export function rollBossLoot(
   if (!table?.items.length) {
     return rollRunewakerBossLoot(bossKey, playerLevel, options);
   }
+  if (options.ownerCategory !== undefined && options.ownerCategory !== "wow") return [];
   const random = options.random ?? Math.random;
   const acquiredAt = options.now ?? Date.now();
   const rolls = randomInteger(table.rollsMin, table.rollsMax, random);
@@ -117,6 +121,7 @@ export function rollBossLoot(
     itemInstanceSequence += 1;
     const scaledItemLevel = template.scalable ? itemLevel : template.sourceItemLevel;
     drops.push({
+      contentCategory: "wow",
       instanceId: `${bossKey}:${acquiredAt}:${itemInstanceSequence}`,
       itemId: template.itemId,
       itemKey: template.itemKey,
@@ -154,5 +159,5 @@ export function rollBossLoot(
     addWeightedDrop();
   }
 
-  return allowedLootDrops(drops, playerLevel);
+  return allowedLootDrops(drops, playerLevel, options.ownerCategory);
 }

src/game/lootPolicy.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
-import type { InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
+import type { ContentCategoryId } from "../app/contentCategories";
+import { inventoryItemUsableForCategory, type InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
 
 /** Leveling dungeon bosses award cards through the separate boss-card path. */
-export function allowedLootDrops(drops: readonly InventoryItem[], playerLevel: number): readonly InventoryItem[] {
-  return Number.isFinite(playerLevel) && playerLevel >= 80
+export function allowedLootDrops(
+  drops: readonly InventoryItem[],
+  playerLevel: number,
+  ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId,
+): readonly InventoryItem[] {
+  if (!Number.isFinite(playerLevel) || playerLevel < 80) return [];
+  return ownerCategory === undefined
     ? drops
-    : [];
+    : drops.filter((item) => inventoryItemUsableForCategory(item, ownerCategory));
 }

src/game/lootTypes.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { EMPTY_ITEM_STATS } from "./itemStats";
+import { inventoryItemMatchesCategory, inventoryItemUsableForCategory, normalizeInventory } from "./lootTypes";
+
+function savedItem(overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}): Record<string, unknown> {
+  return {
+    instanceId: "gear:1",
+    itemId: 1,
+    itemKey: "gear-1",
+    name: "Saved Gear",
+    quality: "rare",
+    inventorySlot: "back",
+    armorType: null,
+    weaponType: null,
+    itemLevel: 20,
+    sourceItemLevel: 20,
+    stats: EMPTY_ITEM_STATS,
+    quantity: 1,
+    sourceBossKey: "source-boss",
+    sourceBossName: "Source Boss",
+    acquiredAt: 1,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("inventory item game-category metadata", () => {
+  it("migrates only category-less WoW-owned legacy records", () => {
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem()], { ownerCategory: "wow" })[0].contentCategory).toBe("wow");
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem()], { ownerCategory: "rom" })[0].contentCategory).toBeNull();
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem()], { ownerCategory: "coa" })[0].contentCategory).toBeNull();
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem()])[0].contentCategory).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("preserves explicit category identity, including mismatches and unresolved null", () => {
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem({ contentCategory: "rom" })], { ownerCategory: "wow" })[0].contentCategory)
+      .toBe("rom");
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem({ contentCategory: "coa" })], { ownerCategory: "rom" })[0].contentCategory)
+      .toBe("coa");
+    expect(normalizeInventory([savedItem({ contentCategory: null })], { ownerCategory: "wow" })[0].contentCategory)
+      .toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("requires an explicit category and validated native payload for usable RoM gear", () => {
+    const romNative = normalizeInventory([savedItem({
+      contentCategory: "rom",
+      stats: { ...EMPTY_ITEM_STATS, romNative: { strength: 7 } },
+    })])[0];
+    const romWithoutNative = normalizeInventory([savedItem({ contentCategory: "rom" })])[0];
+    expect(inventoryItemMatchesCategory(romNative, "rom")).toBe(true);
+    expect(inventoryItemMatchesCategory(romNative, undefined)).toBe(false);
+    expect(inventoryItemUsableForCategory(romNative, "rom")).toBe(true);
+    expect(inventoryItemUsableForCategory(romWithoutNative, "rom")).toBe(false);
+    expect(inventoryItemUsableForCategory(romNative, "wow")).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

src/game/lootTypes.ts

@@ -4,11 +4,15 @@ import {
   type ItemQuality,
   type ItemStats,
 } from "./itemStats";
+import { normalizeRomNativeGearStats } from "./romNativeStatsTypes";
+import type { ContentCategoryId } from "../app/contentCategories";
 
 export type { ItemQuality, ItemStats } from "./itemStats";
 
 /** A concrete item owned by a character, distinct from its SQL item template. */
 export interface InventoryItem {
+  /** Source-game namespace. Missing legacy metadata is normalized with the owning profile. */
+  readonly contentCategory?: ContentCategoryId | null;
   readonly instanceId: string;
   readonly itemId: number;
   readonly itemKey: string;
@@ -31,8 +35,37 @@ export interface InventoryItem {
 
 const ITEM_QUALITIES = new Set<ItemQuality>(["common", "uncommon", "rare", "epic", "legendary"]);
 
+export interface NormalizeInventoryOptions {
+  /** Saved character/party owner; dungeon and loot-source identities are not owner categories. */
+  readonly ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId;
+}
+
+const CONTENT_CATEGORIES = new Set<ContentCategoryId>(["wow", "rom", "coa"]);
+
+/** Returns true only for an explicit item/owner namespace match. */
+export function inventoryItemMatchesCategory(
+  item: Pick<InventoryItem, "contentCategory">,
+  expectedCategory: ContentCategoryId | undefined,
+): boolean {
+  return expectedCategory !== undefined && item.contentCategory === expectedCategory;
+}
+
+/** A RoM item is usable only when it carries nonempty validated native values. */
+export function inventoryItemUsableForCategory(
+  item: Pick<InventoryItem, "contentCategory" | "stats">,
+  expectedCategory: ContentCategoryId | undefined,
+): boolean {
+  if (!inventoryItemMatchesCategory(item, expectedCategory)) return false;
+  if (expectedCategory !== "rom") return true;
+  const native = normalizeRomNativeGearStats(item.stats?.romNative);
+  return Boolean(native && Object.keys(native).length > 0);
+}
+
 /** Safely migrates persisted profiles created before inventory existed. */
-export function normalizeInventory(value: unknown): InventoryItem[] {
+export function normalizeInventory(
+  value: unknown,
+  options: NormalizeInventoryOptions = {},
+): InventoryItem[] {
   if (!Array.isArray(value)) return [];
   const normalized: InventoryItem[] = [];
   for (const candidate of value) {
@@ -53,7 +86,13 @@ export function normalizeInventory(value: unknown): InventoryItem[] {
       || !Number.isFinite(item.acquiredAt)
     ) continue;
     const itemLevel = Math.max(1, Math.min(MAX_PERSISTED_ITEM_LEVEL, Math.trunc(item.itemLevel!)));
+    const contentCategory = CONTENT_CATEGORIES.has(item.contentCategory as ContentCategoryId)
+      ? item.contentCategory as ContentCategoryId
+      : item.contentCategory === undefined && options.ownerCategory === "wow"
+        ? "wow"
+        : null;
     normalized.push({
+      contentCategory,
       instanceId: item.instanceId,
       itemId: Math.max(1, Math.trunc(item.itemId!)),
       itemKey: item.itemKey,

src/game/romFiveValidation.test.ts

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ describe("RoM five class validation scope", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("equips the role defining weapons in the manual cohort", () => {
+  it("keeps role-defined training slots separate from earned RoM gear", () => {
     for (const { classId, role, layout } of CASES) {
       expect(romGearProfile(classId, role).weaponLayout).toBe(layout);
       const loadout = resolvedEquipmentLoadout({}, [], {
@@ -184,14 +184,18 @@ describe("RoM five class validation scope", () => {
         expect(loadout.ranged).toBeUndefined();
       }
       expect(loadout.wrist).toBeUndefined();
-      for (const item of Object.values(loadout)) expect(classCanEquipItem(classId, item!, {
+      for (const item of Object.values(loadout)) {
+        expect(item!.contentCategory).toBe("rom");
+        const hasNativePayload = Boolean(item!.stats.romNative && Object.keys(item!.stats.romNative).length > 0);
+        expect(classCanEquipItem(classId, item!, {
           secondaryClassId: ROM_FIVE_IDENTITIES.find((identity) => identity.classId === classId)?.secondaryClassId,
           level: 60,
-      })).toBe(true);
+        })).toBe(hasNativePayload);
+      }
     }
   });
 
-  it("opens the independent ranged and off-hand positions at the source training levels", () => {
+  it("opens training weapon slots without making placeholders equippable inventory", () => {
     const loadout = (classId: "rom-knight" | "rom-scout" | "rom-rogue", secondaryClassId: "rom-scout" | "rom-rogue" | "rom-warrior", level: number) =>
       resolvedEquipmentLoadout({}, [], {
         ownerId: `rom-slots:${classId}`,
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@ describe("RoM five class validation scope", () => {
     const knightBow = loadout("rom-knight", "rom-scout", 60).ranged!;
     expect(classCanEquipItem("rom-knight", knightBow, { level: 60 })).toBe(false);
     expect(equipInventoryItem({}, [knightBow], "knight", "rom-knight", knightBow.instanceId,
-      { secondaryClassId: "rom-scout", level: 60 }).ok).toBe(true);
+      { secondaryClassId: "rom-scout", level: 60 }).ok).toBe(false);
     expect(equipInventoryItem({}, [knightBow], "knight", "rom-knight", knightBow.instanceId,
       { secondaryClassId: "rom-priest", level: 60 }).ok).toBe(false);
   });

src/game/runewakerLootCatalog.test.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe("RuneWaker source loot catalog", () => {
       now: 12_345,
     });
     expect(drops[0]).toMatchObject({
+      contentCategory: "rom",
       itemId: 200004,
       name: "Healing Sigil",
       quantity: 1,
@@ -28,11 +29,18 @@ describe("RuneWaker source loot catalog", () => {
       inventorySlot: "misc",
     });
     expect(drops[0].stats).toMatchObject({ stamina: 0, armor: 0, meleeWeapon: null });
+    expect(drops[0].stats.romNative).toBeUndefined();
     expect(rollRunewakerBossLoot("rw-barren-caves-101462", 37, {
       random: () => 0,
     })).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it("keeps source-tagged generic outcomes out of gear when an owner category is supplied", () => {
+    const options = { random: () => 0, now: 12_346, ownerCategory: "rom" as const };
+    expect(rollRunewakerBossLoot("rw-barren-caves-101462", 80, options)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(rollRunewakerBossLoot("rw-barren-caves-101462", 80, { ...options, ownerCategory: "wow" })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("keeps no-source tables and unknown bosses fail closed", () => {
     const noDrops = RUNEWAKER_LOOT_CATALOG.bosses.find((boss) => boss.status === "no-source-drops")!;
     expect(runewakerBossHasLoot(noDrops.bossKey)).toBe(false);

src/game/runewakerLootCatalog.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import generatedCatalog from "./generated/runewakerLootCatalog.json";
+import type { ContentCategoryId } from "../app/contentCategories";
 import { allowedLootDrops } from "./lootPolicy";
 import { EMPTY_ITEM_STATS } from "./itemStats";
 import type { InventoryItem } from "./lootTypes";
@@ -51,6 +52,8 @@ export interface RunewakerLootRollOptions {
   readonly levelDelta?: number;
   /** HealerMan gameplay modifier: one extra authored slot roll may be attempted. */
   readonly bonusItemChance?: number;
+  /** Saved character/party category; dungeon category is not used as owner identity. */
+  readonly ownerCategory?: ContentCategoryId;
 }
 
 export const RUNEWAKER_LOOT_CATALOG = generatedCatalog as RunewakerLootCatalog;
@@ -101,6 +104,7 @@ function rollSourceSlot(
   const itemLevel = Math.max(1, Math.min(255, Math.trunc(playerLevel)));
   itemInstanceSequence += 1;
   return Object.freeze({
+    contentCategory: "rom",
     instanceId: `${boss.bossKey}:rw:${acquiredAt}:${itemInstanceSequence}`,
     itemId: outcome.objectId,
     itemKey: `runewaker-${outcome.objectId}`,
@@ -143,5 +147,5 @@ export function rollRunewakerBossLoot(
     const item = rollSourceSlot(boss, bonusRoll, playerLevel, levelDelta, acquiredAt, random);
     if (item) drops.push(item);
   }
-  return allowedLootDrops(drops, playerLevel);
+  return allowedLootDrops(drops, playerLevel, options.ownerCategory);
 }