diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f1f46c5..16626d5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     "tui:legacy": "tsx tui/tui.tsx",
     "propose:apply": "node scripts/propose-apply.js",
     "stop": "bash scripts/stop.sh",
-    "test": "node --test runtime/skills/contract.test.js runtime/skills/groups.test.js runtime/skills/compat.test.js runtime/skills/recovery-tunnel-out.test.js runtime/skills/pillar-up.test.js runtime/curriculum.test.js runtime/social/social.test.js runtime/social/conversation.test.js runtime/social/chat-history.test.js runtime/social/reply-pi.test.js runtime/stuck-incident.test.js runtime/compat.test.js runtime/reflex.test.js runtime/base-site.test.js runtime/locations.test.js runtime/watch-filter.test.js runtime/world-journal.test.js runtime/scenario-memory.test.js runtime/critic.test.js runtime/skill-library.test.js runtime/skill-registry.test.js runtime/modes.test.js runtime/pathfinder-watchdog.test.js runtime/manifesto/needs.test.js runtime/manifesto/state.test.js runtime/goal/storyline.test.js runtime/awareness/events.test.js runtime/knowledge/knowledge.test.js runtime/llm/provider.test.js runtime/coach/postmortem.test.js runtime/coach/advice.test.js runtime/coach/reflect.test.js runtime/coach/fast-advisor.test.js runtime/coach/advisor-trigger.test.js runtime/coach/trigger-tuner.test.js runtime/persona/chatter.test.js scripts/edit-scope.test.js scripts/lint-patch.test.js"
+    "test": "node --test runtime/skills/contract.test.js runtime/skills/groups.test.js runtime/skills/compat.test.js runtime/skills/recovery-tunnel-out.test.js runtime/skills/pillar-up.test.js runtime/curriculum.test.js runtime/social/social.test.js runtime/social/conversation.test.js runtime/social/chat-history.test.js runtime/social/reply-pi.test.js runtime/stuck-incident.test.js runtime/compat.test.js runtime/reflex.test.js runtime/base-site.test.js runtime/locations.test.js runtime/watch-filter.test.js runtime/world-journal.test.js runtime/scenario-memory.test.js runtime/critic.test.js runtime/skill-library.test.js runtime/skill-registry.test.js runtime/modes.test.js runtime/pathfinder-watchdog.test.js runtime/manifesto/needs.test.js runtime/manifesto/state.test.js runtime/goal/storyline.test.js runtime/awareness/events.test.js runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.test.js runtime/biome-affordances.test.js runtime/knowledge/knowledge.test.js runtime/llm/provider.test.js runtime/coach/postmortem.test.js runtime/coach/advice.test.js runtime/coach/reflect.test.js runtime/coach/fast-advisor.test.js runtime/coach/advisor-trigger.test.js runtime/coach/trigger-tuner.test.js runtime/persona/chatter.test.js scripts/edit-scope.test.js scripts/lint-patch.test.js"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "better-sqlite3": "^11.10.0",
diff --git a/runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.js b/runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efdd1fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.js
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+// Wedge detector — rolling-10min position bounding box.
+//
+// Sits above the skill layer (per the v0.3.1 design research). The
+// reflex calls observe() with the latest position once per tick; on
+// every call we evict older entries and recompute the bbox over the
+// trailing window. If the bbox stays small for long enough AND a need
+// has been unmet for long enough AND the same skill cycled enough
+// times, isWedged() returns true and the reflex injects a `relocate`
+// task that supersedes the current need until the bot has displaced
+// ≥200 blocks from the wedge centre.
+//
+// This is intentionally NOT inside any single skill — every skill
+// resets its own counters when re-entered, so per-skill stuck checks
+// can't break a multi-skill cycle.
+
+const WINDOW_MS = 10 * 60 * 1000;          // 10 minutes
+const MIN_BBOX_FOR_WEDGE = 50;             // <50 blocks max-dim → wedge
+const MIN_UNMET_NEED_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;   // need unsatisfied for 5+ min
+const MIN_SKILL_CYCLES = 3;                // same need's skill restarted ≥3x
+
+let _samples = [];                          // { t, x, z }
+let _activeRelocation = null;               // { startedAt, fromCenter:{x,z}, headingName }
+let _needStartedAt = new Map();             // needId → t when first detected
+let _lastNeedId = null;
+
+export function _resetForTest() {
+	_samples = [];
+	_activeRelocation = null;
+	_needStartedAt = new Map();
+	_lastNeedId = null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * observe({ x, z, now, activeNeedId, recentSkillIds })
+ *
+ * Lightweight: called every reflex tick (~1-2s). Updates sliding
+ * window and need-duration accounting.
+ */
+export function observe({ x, z, now = Date.now(), activeNeedId = null, recentSkillIds = [] } = {}) {
+	if (typeof x !== "number" || typeof z !== "number") return;
+	_samples.push({ t: now, x, z });
+	// evict
+	const cutoff = now - WINDOW_MS;
+	while (_samples.length && _samples[0].t < cutoff) _samples.shift();
+
+	// Track need duration
+	if (activeNeedId !== _lastNeedId) {
+		_lastNeedId = activeNeedId;
+		if (activeNeedId && !_needStartedAt.has(activeNeedId)) {
+			_needStartedAt.set(activeNeedId, now);
+		}
+	}
+	if (activeNeedId && !_needStartedAt.has(activeNeedId)) {
+		_needStartedAt.set(activeNeedId, now);
+	}
+
+	// If a relocation is in progress, check whether we've travelled
+	// far enough to clear it.
+	if (_activeRelocation && typeof _activeRelocation.fromCenter?.x === "number") {
+		const dx = x - _activeRelocation.fromCenter.x;
+		const dz = z - _activeRelocation.fromCenter.z;
+		if (Math.hypot(dx, dz) >= 200) {
+			_activeRelocation = null;
+			// Reset all need-duration timers so the post-relocation env
+			// gets a fair shot at being labelled satisfied / unsatisfied.
+			_needStartedAt = new Map();
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * isWedged({ activeNeedId, recentSkillIds, now })
+ *   → { wedged: true, bboxDim, needAgeMs, skillCycles, centerX, centerZ } | { wedged: false }
+ */
+export function isWedged({ activeNeedId, recentSkillIds = [], now = Date.now() } = {}) {
+	if (_activeRelocation) return { wedged: false, reason: "relocating" };
+	if (_samples.length < 8) return { wedged: false, reason: "insufficient_samples" };
+
+	let xs = Infinity, xb = -Infinity, zs = Infinity, zb = -Infinity, cx = 0, cz = 0;
+	for (const s of _samples) {
+		if (s.x < xs) xs = s.x;
+		if (s.x > xb) xb = s.x;
+		if (s.z < zs) zs = s.z;
+		if (s.z > zb) zb = s.z;
+		cx += s.x; cz += s.z;
+	}
+	cx /= _samples.length; cz /= _samples.length;
+	const bboxDim = Math.max(xb - xs, zb - zs);
+	if (bboxDim >= MIN_BBOX_FOR_WEDGE) return { wedged: false, reason: "bbox_ok", bboxDim };
+
+	const needAgeMs = (activeNeedId && _needStartedAt.has(activeNeedId))
+		? now - _needStartedAt.get(activeNeedId)
+		: 0;
+	if (needAgeMs < MIN_UNMET_NEED_MS) return { wedged: false, reason: "need_recent", needAgeMs, bboxDim };
+
+	// Skill cycle count: how many distinct dispatches of the same skill
+	// appear in the recent rolling window.
+	const skillCycles = countCycles(recentSkillIds);
+	if (skillCycles < MIN_SKILL_CYCLES) return { wedged: false, reason: "few_cycles", skillCycles, bboxDim };
+
+	return { wedged: true, bboxDim, needAgeMs, skillCycles, centerX: cx, centerZ: cz };
+}
+
+/**
+ * markRelocationStarted({ x, z, heading })
+ *   The reflex calls this when it dispatches village.relocate. While
+ *   a relocation is in flight, isWedged() returns false (relocating)
+ *   so we don't fire a SECOND relocation on top.
+ */
+export function markRelocationStarted({ x, z, heading } = {}) {
+	_activeRelocation = {
+		startedAt: Date.now(),
+		fromCenter: { x, z },
+		headingName: heading?.name ?? "?",
+	};
+}
+
+export function activeRelocation() { return _activeRelocation; }
+
+function countCycles(ids) {
+	if (!Array.isArray(ids) || ids.length === 0) return 0;
+	// A "cycle" = a transition like A → B → A. Count those.
+	let cycles = 0;
+	for (let i = 2; i < ids.length; i++) {
+		if (ids[i] === ids[i - 2] && ids[i] !== ids[i - 1]) cycles++;
+		if (ids[i] === ids[i - 1] && ids[i - 1] === ids[i - 2]) cycles++;
+	}
+	return cycles;
+}
+
+// Test exports
+export const __testing = {
+	WINDOW_MS, MIN_BBOX_FOR_WEDGE, MIN_UNMET_NEED_MS, MIN_SKILL_CYCLES,
+	countCycles,
+};
diff --git a/runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.test.js b/runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c601f94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/awareness/wedge-detector.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import {
+	observe,
+	isWedged,
+	markRelocationStarted,
+	activeRelocation,
+	_resetForTest,
+	__testing,
+} from "./wedge-detector.js";
+
+const { WINDOW_MS, MIN_BBOX_FOR_WEDGE, MIN_UNMET_NEED_MS, MIN_SKILL_CYCLES, countCycles } = __testing;
+
+test("countCycles: empty / short → 0", () => {
+	assert.equal(countCycles([]), 0);
+	assert.equal(countCycles(["a"]), 0);
+	assert.equal(countCycles(["a", "b"]), 0);
+});
+
+test("countCycles: A→B→A counts as cycle", () => {
+	assert.equal(countCycles(["a", "b", "a"]), 1);
+	assert.equal(countCycles(["a", "b", "a", "b", "a"]), 3);
+});
+
+test("countCycles: same skill 3+ times in a row also counts", () => {
+	assert.equal(countCycles(["a", "a", "a"]), 1);
+	assert.equal(countCycles(["a", "a", "a", "a"]), 2);
+});
+
+test("isWedged: insufficient samples → not wedged", () => {
+	_resetForTest();
+	const r = isWedged({ activeNeedId: "food" });
+	assert.equal(r.wedged, false);
+	assert.equal(r.reason, "insufficient_samples");
+});
+
+test("isWedged: large bbox → not wedged", () => {
+	_resetForTest();
+	const t0 = 1_000_000_000_000;
+	// scatter across 200 blocks
+	for (let i = 0; i < 12; i++) {
+		observe({ x: i * 30, z: i * 25, now: t0 + i * 1000, activeNeedId: "food", recentSkillIds: [] });
+	}
+	const r = isWedged({ activeNeedId: "food", recentSkillIds: ["a", "b", "a", "b"], now: t0 + 13_000 });
+	assert.equal(r.wedged, false);
+	assert.equal(r.reason, "bbox_ok");
+});
+
+test("isWedged: tight bbox + old need + cycles → WEDGED", () => {
+	_resetForTest();
+	const t0 = 1_000_000_000_000;
+	// 12 samples within a 30-block bbox, spread across ~9 min so they
+	// stay inside the 10-min sliding window.
+	for (let i = 0; i < 12; i++) {
+		observe({
+			x: 500 + (i % 4) * 8,
+			z: 500 + Math.floor(i / 4) * 8,
+			now: t0 + i * 45_000,
+			activeNeedId: "food",
+			recentSkillIds: ["acquire-food", "explore.far", "acquire-food", "explore.far", "acquire-food"],
+		});
+	}
+	const r = isWedged({
+		activeNeedId: "food",
+		recentSkillIds: ["acquire-food", "explore.far", "acquire-food", "explore.far", "acquire-food", "explore.far"],
+		now: t0 + 12 * 45_000,
+	});
+	assert.equal(r.wedged, true, `expected wedged, got ${JSON.stringify(r)}`);
+	assert.ok(r.bboxDim < MIN_BBOX_FOR_WEDGE);
+	assert.ok(r.needAgeMs >= MIN_UNMET_NEED_MS);
+	assert.ok(r.skillCycles >= MIN_SKILL_CYCLES);
+});
+
+test("isWedged: recent need (under threshold) → not wedged", () => {
+	_resetForTest();
+	const t0 = 1_000_000_000_000;
+	for (let i = 0; i < 12; i++) {
+		observe({ x: 500, z: 500, now: t0 + i * 10_000, activeNeedId: "food" });
+	}
+	const r = isWedged({ activeNeedId: "food", recentSkillIds: ["a", "b", "a", "b"], now: t0 + 60_000 });
+	assert.equal(r.wedged, false);
+});
+
+test("markRelocationStarted blocks subsequent wedge for 200b", () => {
+	_resetForTest();
+	const t0 = 1_000_000_000_000;
+	markRelocationStarted({ x: 500, z: 500, heading: { name: "N" } });
+	assert.ok(activeRelocation());
+	// Stay tight bbox after relocation start
+	for (let i = 0; i < 12; i++) {
+		observe({ x: 510, z: 510, now: t0 + i * 60_000, activeNeedId: "food" });
+	}
+	const r = isWedged({ activeNeedId: "food", recentSkillIds: ["a", "b", "a", "b"] });
+	assert.equal(r.wedged, false);
+	assert.equal(r.reason, "relocating");
+});
+
+test("relocation clears after travelling ≥200 blocks", () => {
+	_resetForTest();
+	markRelocationStarted({ x: 0, z: 0, heading: { name: "N" } });
+	observe({ x: 250, z: 0, activeNeedId: "food" });
+	assert.equal(activeRelocation(), null, "relocation cleared after 250b displacement");
+});
diff --git a/runtime/biome-affordances.js b/runtime/biome-affordances.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa8ab1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/biome-affordances.js
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+// Static knowledge: what each Minecraft biome reliably affords the bot.
+//
+// Why: pre-v0.3.1 the bot's "find food" skill scanned a 32-block radius
+// for passive mobs and gave up. In a desert/ocean/snowy biome there's
+// nothing to scan — the bot looped local searches for hours. This
+// table lets skills check the *current* biome and pick a strategy
+// before reaching for `pathfinder` blindly.
+//
+// Coverage is informed by vanilla mob spawn rules
+// (https://minecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Spawn) — not exhaustive but
+// covers the biomes the bot is realistically going to land in on
+// 1.21.4 overworld spawn.
+//
+// Each entry is conservative: a `true` is "the bot has a real shot at
+// finding this here", a `false` is "almost never bother scanning".
+
+/**
+ * Affordance shape:
+ *   has_passive_mobs  — cows / pigs / chickens / sheep spawn here
+ *   has_trees         — oak/birch/spruce/jungle logs grow naturally
+ *   has_water         — open surface water that can be fished
+ *   has_crops         — natural berries / pumpkins / melons / sweet_berry_bush
+ *   livable           — bot can stand on the surface (not in lava, not
+ *                       perpetually underwater)
+ */
+const DEFAULT = Object.freeze({
+	has_passive_mobs: true,
+	has_trees: false,
+	has_water: false,
+	has_crops: false,
+	livable: true,
+});
+
+const BIOMES = Object.freeze({
+	// Forest family — trees + cows/pigs/chickens
+	forest:            { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	birch_forest:      { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	dark_forest:       { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: true,  livable: true },
+	old_growth_birch_forest: { has_passive_mobs: true, has_trees: true, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	old_growth_pine_taiga:   { has_passive_mobs: true, has_trees: true, has_water: false, has_crops: true, livable: true },
+	old_growth_spruce_taiga: { has_passive_mobs: true, has_trees: true, has_water: false, has_crops: true, livable: true },
+	taiga:             { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: true,  livable: true },
+	snowy_taiga:       { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	flower_forest:     { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	pale_garden:       { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Plains family — open spawn, lots of mobs, scattered trees
+	plains:            { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	sunflower_plains:  { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	meadow:            { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	cherry_grove:      { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Savanna / jungle — passive mobs + trees
+	savanna:           { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	savanna_plateau:   { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	windswept_savanna: { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	jungle:            { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: true,  livable: true },
+	sparse_jungle:     { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	bamboo_jungle:     { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Swamp / mangrove — has water + berries
+	swamp:             { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	mangrove_swamp:    { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: true,  has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Desert / badlands — NO passive mobs, no trees, no surface water.
+	// Action plan when the bot is here: walk a cardinal until biome
+	// boundary is detected (sample bot.world.getBiome at radius 64).
+	desert:            { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	badlands:          { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	eroded_badlands:   { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	wooded_badlands:   { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Snowy biomes — no passive mobs (rabbits sometimes), strangled trees
+	snowy_plains:      { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	ice_spikes:        { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	frozen_river:      { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	frozen_ocean:      { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	deep_frozen_ocean: { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+
+	// Mountains — sparse trees, goats
+	stony_peaks:       { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	jagged_peaks:      { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	frozen_peaks:      { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	snowy_slopes:      { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	grove:             { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	windswept_hills:   { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	windswept_gravelly_hills: { has_passive_mobs: true, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	windswept_forest:  { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: true,  has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Beaches / ocean — passive mobs scarce, water everywhere
+	beach:             { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	stony_shore:       { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	snowy_beach:       { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+	ocean:             { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	cold_ocean:        { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	deep_ocean:        { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	deep_cold_ocean:   { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	lukewarm_ocean:    { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	deep_lukewarm_ocean: { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true, has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	warm_ocean:        { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	river:             { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: true,  has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Mushroom — mooshrooms only, no other passive mobs but they ARE food
+	mushroom_fields:   { has_passive_mobs: true,  has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: true },
+
+	// Caves / unsupported dimensions — bot should leave
+	dripstone_caves:   { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: false },
+	lush_caves:        { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: true,  livable: false },
+	deep_dark:         { has_passive_mobs: false, has_trees: false, has_water: false, has_crops: false, livable: false },
+});
+
+/**
+ * affordancesFor(biomeName) → affordance object
+ *
+ * Unknown / null / undefined names return the optimistic DEFAULT so
+ * skills don't get crippled when a new 1.x biome shows up; they just
+ * fall back to the existing local-scan behaviour.
+ */
+export function affordancesFor(biomeName) {
+	if (!biomeName || typeof biomeName !== "string") return DEFAULT;
+	return BIOMES[biomeName] ?? DEFAULT;
+}
+
+export function hasPassiveMobs(biomeName) {
+	return affordancesFor(biomeName).has_passive_mobs;
+}
+export function hasTrees(biomeName) {
+	return affordancesFor(biomeName).has_trees;
+}
+export function hasWater(biomeName) {
+	return affordancesFor(biomeName).has_water;
+}
+export function isLivable(biomeName) {
+	return affordancesFor(biomeName).livable;
+}
+
+// True if this biome is barren enough that the bot's priority should
+// be "leave biome" rather than "search local".
+export function isBarren(biomeName) {
+	const a = affordancesFor(biomeName);
+	return !a.has_passive_mobs && !a.has_trees && !a.has_crops;
+}
+
+// True if the biome can't be stood on (deep ocean, caves at y=Y).
+export function isUnlivable(biomeName) {
+	return !affordancesFor(biomeName).livable;
+}
+
+// Test exports
+export const __testing = { BIOMES, DEFAULT };
diff --git a/runtime/biome-affordances.test.js b/runtime/biome-affordances.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6dde51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/biome-affordances.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import {
+	affordancesFor,
+	hasPassiveMobs,
+	hasTrees,
+	hasWater,
+	isLivable,
+	isBarren,
+	isUnlivable,
+	__testing,
+} from "./biome-affordances.js";
+
+test("plains: full affordances (mobs + scattered trees)", () => {
+	const a = affordancesFor("plains");
+	assert.equal(a.has_passive_mobs, true);
+	assert.equal(a.has_trees, true);
+	assert.equal(a.livable, true);
+});
+
+test("desert: barren (no mobs, no trees, no water)", () => {
+	assert.equal(hasPassiveMobs("desert"), false);
+	assert.equal(hasTrees("desert"), false);
+	assert.equal(hasWater("desert"), false);
+	assert.equal(isBarren("desert"), true);
+	assert.equal(isLivable("desert"), true, "desert is walkable, just empty");
+});
+
+test("ocean / deep_ocean: unlivable + has water", () => {
+	assert.equal(isUnlivable("ocean"), true);
+	assert.equal(isUnlivable("deep_ocean"), true);
+	assert.equal(hasWater("ocean"), true);
+	assert.equal(hasPassiveMobs("ocean"), false);
+});
+
+test("mushroom_fields: passive mobs (mooshroom) even though no other animals", () => {
+	assert.equal(hasPassiveMobs("mushroom_fields"), true);
+	assert.equal(isBarren("mushroom_fields"), false);
+});
+
+test("forest variants: trees + mobs", () => {
+	for (const b of ["forest", "birch_forest", "dark_forest", "taiga", "snowy_taiga", "jungle", "swamp"]) {
+		assert.equal(hasTrees(b), true, `${b} should have trees`);
+		assert.equal(hasPassiveMobs(b), true, `${b} should have passive mobs`);
+	}
+});
+
+test("badlands variants: no mobs, no trees (except wooded_badlands)", () => {
+	assert.equal(hasPassiveMobs("badlands"), false);
+	assert.equal(hasTrees("badlands"), false);
+	assert.equal(hasTrees("wooded_badlands"), true, "wooded variant has trees");
+	assert.equal(isBarren("badlands"), true);
+});
+
+test("unknown biome: optimistic defaults (don't cripple skills)", () => {
+	const a = affordancesFor("not_a_real_biome_2026");
+	assert.equal(a.has_passive_mobs, true);
+	assert.equal(a.livable, true);
+});
+
+test("null / undefined: optimistic defaults", () => {
+	assert.deepEqual(affordancesFor(null), __testing.DEFAULT);
+	assert.deepEqual(affordancesFor(undefined), __testing.DEFAULT);
+	assert.deepEqual(affordancesFor(42), __testing.DEFAULT);
+});
diff --git a/runtime/bot.js b/runtime/bot.js
index ce06980..a48fee7 100644
--- a/runtime/bot.js
+++ b/runtime/bot.js
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ const ESCALATE_AFTER_NOOPS = 20;
 const ESCALATION_COOLDOWN_MS = 10 * 60 * 1000;
 
 let bot = null;
+let botSpawnedAt = 0;
 let pathWatchdog = null;
 let awarenessState = null;
 let reflexPaused = false;
@@ -677,6 +678,7 @@ function connect() {
 	reflexCtx.bot = bot;
 
 	bot.once("spawn", () => {
+		botSpawnedAt = Date.now();
 		info("mc", `spawned at ${JSON.stringify(bot.entity.position)}`);
 		appendDiary(`spawned at ${bot.entity.position.x.toFixed(0)},${bot.entity.position.y.toFixed(0)},${bot.entity.position.z.toFixed(0)}`);
 		ipc?.broadcast(EVENT_TYPES.STATUS, buildSnapshot(bot));
@@ -845,6 +847,9 @@ function tick() {
 		}
 		const curriculumEarly = nextCurriculumMilestone(lastSnapshot);
 		lastSnapshot.curriculum = curriculumEarly;
+		// Time since spawn — used by storyline orient_self to fall through
+		// when bot is in a barren biome that never produces "saw blocks".
+		lastSnapshot._sessionMs = botSpawnedAt ? Date.now() - botSpawnedAt : 0;
 		// Storyline current step — surfaced in snapshot so chatter and
 		// other observers can react to step transitions without
 		// re-importing the picker.
diff --git a/runtime/coach/advisor-trigger.js b/runtime/coach/advisor-trigger.js
index e8caf65..5e1cbed 100644
--- a/runtime/coach/advisor-trigger.js
+++ b/runtime/coach/advisor-trigger.js
@@ -34,13 +34,27 @@ const PREEMPT_WINDOW_MS = 30_000;
 const EMERGENCY_HP = 6;
 const EMERGENCY_HOSTILE_DIST = 8;
 const EMERGENCY_COOLDOWN_MS = 20_000;
+// LLM outage backoff — if 3 consecutive advise() calls return
+// http_400 / network_error, suppress further calls for 10 minutes.
+const PROVIDER_OUTAGE_FAILS = 3;
+const PROVIDER_OUTAGE_BACKOFF_MS = 10 * 60 * 1000;
 
 let _lastTriggerAt = 0;
 let _inFlight = false;
+let _consecutiveFails = 0;
+let _providerOutageUntil = 0;
 
 export function _resetForTest() {
 	_lastTriggerAt = 0;
 	_inFlight = false;
+	_consecutiveFails = 0;
+	_providerOutageUntil = 0;
+}
+
+function isProviderError(code) {
+	return code === "network_error"
+		|| code === "timeout"
+		|| (typeof code === "string" && code.startsWith("http_"));
 }
 
 export function getTriggerState() {
@@ -63,6 +77,9 @@ export function tickAdvisor(ctx, { plannedSkillId } = {}) {
 	if (_inFlight) return { fired: false, reason: "in_flight" };
 
 	const now = Date.now();
+	if (_providerOutageUntil > now) {
+		return { fired: false, reason: "provider_outage", retryAt: _providerOutageUntil };
+	}
 
 	// Drop a recommendation that's already aged out.
 	if (ctx.advisorRecommendation && now - ctx.advisorRecommendation.at > RECOMMENDATION_TTL_MS) {
@@ -142,6 +159,15 @@ export function tickAdvisor(ctx, { plannedSkillId } = {}) {
 				info("advisor-trigger", `recommendation: ${result.action} (${result.latencyMs}ms)`);
 			} else if (!result.ok) {
 				warn("advisor-trigger", `advise failed: ${result.code} (${result.detail})`);
+				if (isProviderError(result.code)) {
+					_consecutiveFails += 1;
+					if (_consecutiveFails >= PROVIDER_OUTAGE_FAILS) {
+						_providerOutageUntil = Date.now() + PROVIDER_OUTAGE_BACKOFF_MS;
+						warn("advisor-trigger", `LLM provider outage (${_consecutiveFails} fails in a row); backing off ${Math.round(PROVIDER_OUTAGE_BACKOFF_MS / 60000)}min`);
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				_consecutiveFails = 0;
 			}
 		})
 		.catch((e) => {
diff --git a/runtime/goal/storyline.js b/runtime/goal/storyline.js
index ca70a8e..8eaf55a 100644
--- a/runtime/goal/storyline.js
+++ b/runtime/goal/storyline.js
@@ -113,16 +113,23 @@ export const STORYLINE = Object.freeze([
 		narration_ru: "Где я? Осмотрюсь и оценю место.",
 		completed(snap) {
 			if (!snap?.connected) return false;
-			// Considered done once HP is full and we've moved a bit (out of
-			// spawn confusion) or we know nearby blocks include something tangible.
 			const hp = snap.health ?? 20;
-			const moved = snap._sessionMs ? snap._sessionMs > 15_000 : true;
+			// Two completion paths: (a) classic — full HP + saw tangible
+			// blocks within 16 blocks. (b) timeout — HP=full + session
+			// >120s. Path (b) exists because in desert/ocean biomes the
+			// scan radius might never see logs/stone/crops/beds, and we
+			// were getting stuck on step 1 for hours.
+			if (hp < 18) return false;
 			const sawBlocks = (snap.nearbyBlocks?.logs ?? 0)
 				+ (snap.nearbyBlocks?.stone ?? 0)
 				+ (snap.nearbyBlocks?.crops ?? 0)
 				+ (snap.nearbyBlocks?.beds ?? 0)
 				> 0;
-			return hp >= 18 && moved && sawBlocks;
+			if (sawBlocks) return true;
+			// Fallback: settled for long enough → call orient done and let
+			// later steps drive forward into the biome.
+			const sessionMs = snap._sessionMs ?? 0;
+			return sessionMs > 120_000;
 		},
 		suggestSkill(snap) {
 			// Look around — wander a bit to get a snapshot of what's nearby.
@@ -141,7 +148,10 @@ export const STORYLINE = Object.freeze([
 		suggestSkill(snap) {
 			const trees = snap?.nearbyBlocks?.logs ?? 0;
 			if (trees > 0) return { skillId: "gather.logs" };
-			// No tree in sight — scout further.
+			// No tree in sight — scout further. In a biome with no trees
+			// (desert, ocean) the bot must commit to a long heading; the
+			// curriculum's wedge detector (v0.3.1+) elevates this to
+			// village.relocate after a few cycles.
 			return { skillId: "explore.far", args: { searchFor: "logs" } };
 		},
 		emergencyPause,
@@ -196,7 +206,16 @@ export const STORYLINE = Object.freeze([
 			return countAny(snap?.inventory, FOOD_ITEMS) >= 2;
 		},
 		suggestSkill(snap) {
-			return { skillId: "survive.acquire-food" };
+			// Two-tier strategy:
+			//  - If a passive food mob is visible nearby (≤24 blocks in
+			//    snapshot), kill it locally with acquire-food.
+			//  - Otherwise scout-food does long-range biome-aware search.
+			//    It commits to a cardinal for ~200 blocks, rescans, and
+			//    on biome boundary detection heads toward food-capable
+			//    terrain.
+			const hasPassiveNearby = (snap?.nearbyEntities?.passives?.length ?? 0) > 0;
+			if (hasPassiveNearby) return { skillId: "survive.acquire-food" };
+			return { skillId: "survive.scout-food" };
 		},
 		emergencyPause,
 	},
diff --git a/runtime/goal/storyline.test.js b/runtime/goal/storyline.test.js
index 24c3c40..b436b23 100644
--- a/runtime/goal/storyline.test.js
+++ b/runtime/goal/storyline.test.js
@@ -111,6 +111,16 @@ test("pickCurrentStep: fresh spawn → first non-completed step", () => {
 	assert.equal(r.index, 0);
 });
 
+test("orient_self: barren biome timeout fallback completes step after 120s", () => {
+	const n = getStep("orient_self");
+	// path (a): full HP + no visible blocks + short session → NOT done (would block).
+	assert.equal(n.completed(snap({ _sessionMs: 30_000, nearbyBlocks: {} })), false);
+	// path (b): full HP + no visible blocks + long session → done (timeout fallback).
+	assert.equal(n.completed(snap({ _sessionMs: 150_000, nearbyBlocks: {} })), true);
+	// always: low HP → not done
+	assert.equal(n.completed(snap({ health: 8, _sessionMs: 150_000 })), false);
+});
+
 test("pickCurrentStep: bot with 8+ logs → first_wood done, picks crafting_basics", () => {
 	_resetForTest();
 	const r = pickCurrentStep(snap({
diff --git a/runtime/reflex.js b/runtime/reflex.js
index b8c4c39..bea47f2 100644
--- a/runtime/reflex.js
+++ b/runtime/reflex.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { tickAdvisor, consumeFreshRecommendation } from "./coach/advisor-trigger
 import { markRecommendationApplied, markRecommendationOutcome } from "./knowledge/index.js";
 import { pickActiveNeed } from "./manifesto/state.js";
 import { pickCurrentStep } from "./goal/state.js";
+import { observe as observeWedge, isWedged } from "./awareness/wedge-detector.js";
 import { situationHash } from "./scenario-memory.js";
 import { tickModes } from "./modes.js";
 
@@ -459,6 +460,29 @@ function curriculumReflex(ctx) {
 	}
 	const manifestoSkillId = activeNeed?.skillId ?? null;
 
+	// v0.3.1 — wedge detector. Feeds position into rolling-bbox tracker.
+	// When bot has been stuck in a <50-block bbox for 10 minutes with
+	// the same need cycling its skills, returns wedged=true and we
+	// short-circuit to village.relocate which walks 300 blocks in a
+	// fresh cardinal. Tests pass ctx.disableWedge=true to skip.
+	if (!ctx.disableWedge && s.position) {
+		observeWedge({
+			x: s.position.x, z: s.position.z,
+			activeNeedId: activeNeed?.need?.id ?? null,
+			recentSkillIds: ctx.recentSkillIds ?? [],
+		});
+		const wedge = isWedged({
+			activeNeedId: activeNeed?.need?.id ?? null,
+			recentSkillIds: ctx.recentSkillIds ?? [],
+		});
+		if (wedge.wedged) {
+			ctx.lastCurriculumAt = Date.now();
+			info(REFLEX_LOG, `wedged: bbox=${Math.round(wedge.bboxDim)}b need=${activeNeed?.need?.id} for ${Math.round(wedge.needAgeMs / 1000)}s → village.relocate`);
+			ctx.dispatch(() => runSkill("village.relocate", ctx), "village.relocate", {});
+			return { action: "dispatched", kind: "wedge-relocate", label: "village.relocate" };
+		}
+	}
+
 	// v0.3.1 — storyline: the canonical Minecraft survival quest. Gives
 	// the bot a concrete, narratable next-action ("collect 8 logs",
 	// "place crafting table"). Storyline yields to manifesto on L0
diff --git a/runtime/reflex.test.js b/runtime/reflex.test.js
index 321cc65..2102791 100644
--- a/runtime/reflex.test.js
+++ b/runtime/reflex.test.js
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ function makeCtx({
 	disableAdvisor = true,   // advisor-trigger fires real async LLM calls,
 	                          // tested directly in advisor-trigger.test.js.
 	disableStoryline = true, // storyline tested in goal/storyline.test.js
+	disableWedge = true,     // wedge tested in awareness/wedge-detector.test.js
 } = {}) {
 	const dispatches = [];
 	const ctx = {
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ function makeCtx({
 		disableManifesto,
 		disableAdvisor,
 		disableStoryline,
+		disableWedge,
 		dispatch(fn, label, opts = {}) {
 			dispatches.push({ fn, label, opts });
 		},
diff --git a/runtime/skills/escape-pit-safe.js b/runtime/skills/escape-pit-safe.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8426f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/skills/escape-pit-safe.js
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+// recovery.escape-pit-safe — multi-strategy escape from a hole / pit.
+//
+// Why this exists alongside recovery.tunnel-out and survive.pillar-up:
+//
+// tunnel-out tries to dig sideways through walls — fails on
+// unbreakable terrain or when there's no clear horizontal exit.
+// pillar-up places blocks under the bot and jumps — fails when
+// there's a ceiling block above the column.
+//
+// Both fail silently in a deep cave or 2×2 hole with a ceiling.
+// escape-pit-safe surveys options first, then commits:
+//
+//   1. Scan 4 cardinals at head height + foot height. Pick the one
+//      with the closest open path to surface (defined as: column
+//      with sky visibility above OR ≥3 air blocks horizontal followed
+//      by stairs / slope up).
+//   2. If a clear horizontal path exists → recovery.tunnel-out toward it.
+//   3. If no horizontal path BUT ceiling is open above us → pillar-up.
+//   4. If both blocked → return "stuck" and let the LLM-advisor flag a
+//      genuine improvement (e.g. "need water-bucket-MLG", "need to
+//      mine through stone").
+
+import { info, warn } from "../log.js";
+import { runSkill } from "./index.js";
+
+const SCAN_RADIUS = 6;
+const HEAD_OFFSET_Y = 1;
+
+function blockNameAt(bot, x, y, z) {
+	try {
+		const b = bot.blockAt?.({ x: Math.floor(x), y: Math.floor(y), z: Math.floor(z) });
+		return b?.name ?? null;
+	} catch { return null; }
+}
+
+function isAir(name) { return name === "air" || name === "cave_air" || name === "void_air"; }
+function isWater(name) { return name === "water" || name === "flowing_water"; }
+function isLava(name) { return name === "lava" || name === "flowing_lava"; }
+function isPassable(name) { return isAir(name) || (name && /carpet|button|torch|grass$/.test(name)); }
+
+// Look up to 32 blocks straight up from (x,y,z). Return distance to first
+// non-air block, or Infinity if open all the way (this is a sky-visible
+// column we could pillar-up out of).
+function ceilingDistance(bot, x, y, z) {
+	for (let dy = HEAD_OFFSET_Y + 1; dy <= 32; dy++) {
+		const n = blockNameAt(bot, x, y + dy, z);
+		if (!n) return dy; // unloaded chunk = no info; treat conservatively
+		if (!isAir(n)) return dy;
+	}
+	return Infinity;
+}
+
+// Scan SCAN_RADIUS blocks in each cardinal at head height. Return
+// summary per direction: open-block count, lava/water hits, first
+// non-air block name.
+function scanCardinals(bot) {
+	const pos = bot?.entity?.position;
+	if (!pos) return [];
+	const head = pos.offset?.(0, HEAD_OFFSET_Y, 0) ?? { x: pos.x, y: pos.y + HEAD_OFFSET_Y, z: pos.z };
+	const dirs = [
+		{ name: "N", dx: 0, dz: -1 },
+		{ name: "E", dx: 1, dz: 0 },
+		{ name: "S", dx: 0, dz: 1 },
+		{ name: "W", dx: -1, dz: 0 },
+	];
+	return dirs.map((d) => {
+		let openBlocks = 0;
+		let lavaAt = -1;
+		let waterAt = -1;
+		let firstBlock = null;
+		for (let r = 1; r <= SCAN_RADIUS; r++) {
+			const x = head.x + d.dx * r;
+			const z = head.z + d.dz * r;
+			const n = blockNameAt(bot, x, head.y, z);
+			if (isLava(n) && lavaAt < 0) lavaAt = r;
+			if (isWater(n) && waterAt < 0) waterAt = r;
+			if (isPassable(n)) {
+				openBlocks++;
+				if (firstBlock === null) firstBlock = "(air)";
+			} else {
+				if (firstBlock === null) firstBlock = n ?? "(unknown)";
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+		return { ...d, openBlocks, lavaAt, waterAt, firstBlock };
+	});
+}
+
+export const skill = Object.freeze({
+	id: "recovery.escape-pit-safe",
+	title: "Escape a pit — survey directions and pick the safest exit",
+	timeoutMs: 90_000,
+	preconditions(ctx) {
+		if (!ctx?.bot?.entity?.position) return { ok: false, code: "no_bot", detail: "bot missing" };
+		return { ok: true };
+	},
+	async execute(ctx) {
+		const bot = ctx.bot;
+		const pos = bot.entity.position;
+		const dirs = scanCardinals(bot);
+		const ceiling = ceilingDistance(bot, pos.x, pos.y, pos.z);
+
+		info(
+			"action",
+			`escape-pit-safe: cardinals=${dirs.map((d) => `${d.name}:${d.openBlocks}/${d.firstBlock}`).join(" ")} ceiling=${ceiling === Infinity ? "open" : ceiling + "b"}`,
+		);
+
+		// 1. Choose the direction with most open blocks (≥3) and no lava.
+		const horizontal = dirs
+			.filter((d) => d.openBlocks >= 3 && d.lavaAt < 0)
+			.sort((a, b) => b.openBlocks - a.openBlocks)[0];
+
+		if (horizontal) {
+			info("action", `escape-pit-safe: walking out via ${horizontal.name} (${horizontal.openBlocks}b clear)`);
+			// Delegate to wander step or simple controlled walk. Easier:
+			// invoke recovery.tunnel-out with a hint of the chosen direction.
+			const res = await runSkill("recovery.tunnel-out", ctx, { preferredDir: horizontal.name });
+			return {
+				ok: !!res?.ok,
+				code: res?.code ?? (res?.ok ? "done" : "tunnel_failed"),
+				detail: { strategy: "horizontal_walk", direction: horizontal.name, tunnelResult: res?.detail },
+				worldDelta: res?.worldDelta ?? { strategy: "horizontal_walk", direction: horizontal.name },
+			};
+		}
+
+		// 2. No horizontal exit — try pillar-up only if ceiling is open
+		// for the bot's height (≥3 blocks: head + 1 build + 1 ceiling slack).
+		if (ceiling >= 4) {
+			info("action", `escape-pit-safe: ceiling clear (${ceiling}b), trying pillar-up`);
+			const res = await runSkill("survive.pillar-up", ctx);
+			return {
+				ok: !!res?.ok,
+				code: res?.code ?? (res?.ok ? "done" : "pillar_failed"),
+				detail: { strategy: "pillar_up", ceiling, pillarResult: res?.detail },
+				worldDelta: res?.worldDelta ?? { strategy: "pillar_up" },
+			};
+		}
+
+		// 3. Both blocked — surrender. The LLM-advisor will see this in
+		// recent dispatches and can suggest village.relocate or flag a
+		// new skill request.
+		warn("action", `escape-pit-safe: no viable strategy (horizontal blocked + ceiling ${ceiling}b)`);
+		return {
+			ok: false,
+			code: "no_strategy",
+			detail: { horizontal: dirs.map((d) => ({ d: d.name, open: d.openBlocks, lava: d.lavaAt })), ceiling },
+			worldDelta: null,
+		};
+	},
+	recover(ctx, result) {
+		if (result.code === "no_strategy") {
+			return { hint: "wander", reason: "no viable pit-escape; let curriculum try a different action" };
+		}
+		return null;
+	},
+});
+
+// Test exports
+export const __testing = { scanCardinals, ceilingDistance, isAir, isPassable, SCAN_RADIUS };
diff --git a/runtime/skills/index.js b/runtime/skills/index.js
index 5440028..a00a414 100644
--- a/runtime/skills/index.js
+++ b/runtime/skills/index.js
@@ -30,11 +30,14 @@ import { skill as flee } from "./flee.js";
 import { skill as sleep } from "./sleep.js";
 import { skill as tunnelOut } from "./recovery-tunnel-out.js";
 import { skill as pillarUp } from "./pillar-up.js";
+import { skill as escapePitSafe } from "./escape-pit-safe.js";
 import { skill as diagPhysics } from "./diagnose-physics.js";
 import { skill as diagScan, matchSkill as diagMatch } from "./diagnose-scan.js";
 import { skill as gatherStone } from "./gather-stone.js";
 import { skill as gatherWool } from "./gather-wool.js";
 import { skill as acquireFood } from "./acquire-food.js";
+import { skill as scoutFood } from "./scout-food.js";
+import { skill as relocate } from "./relocate.js";
 import { skill as chooseBase } from "./choose-base.js";
 import { skill as buildShelter } from "./build-shelter.js";
 import { skill as placeChest } from "./place-chest.js";
@@ -74,12 +77,15 @@ register(flee);
 register(sleep);
 register(tunnelOut);
 register(pillarUp);
+register(escapePitSafe);
 register(diagPhysics);
 register(diagScan);
 register(diagMatch);
 register(gatherStone);
 register(gatherWool);
 register(acquireFood);
+register(scoutFood);
+register(relocate);
 register(chooseBase);
 register(buildShelter);
 register(placeChest);
diff --git a/runtime/skills/relocate.js b/runtime/skills/relocate.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e751946
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/skills/relocate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+// village.relocate — commit-and-walk skill that breaks the bot out of
+// "I've been wandering the same 50×50 area for 2 hours" failure mode.
+//
+// Heuristic: when the wedge-detector says we're stuck, this skill is
+// dispatched with no biome preference; it picks the least-recently-
+// visited cardinal (or any cardinal if no history) and walks ~300
+// blocks toward it, with a hard time budget. While it runs, the
+// reflex's wedge-detector knows a relocation is in flight and won't
+// fire another one on top.
+//
+// The skill ignores the active need entirely for its duration — its
+// only job is to displace the bot far enough that the surrounding
+// biome is fresh and skills like survive.acquire-food / gather.logs
+// have new local context to work with.
+
+import pathfinderPkg from "mineflayer-pathfinder";
+const { pathfinder, goals, Movements } = pathfinderPkg;
+
+import { info } from "../log.js";
+import { markRelocationStarted } from "../awareness/wedge-detector.js";
+
+const CARDINALS = [
+	{ name: "N", dx: 0, dz: -1 },
+	{ name: "E", dx: 1, dz: 0 },
+	{ name: "S", dx: 0, dz: 1 },
+	{ name: "W", dx: -1, dz: 0 },
+];
+const DEFAULT_DISTANCE = 300;
+const STEP_BLOCKS = 32;            // re-path every N blocks for liveness
+const STEP_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000;
+
+let pluginLoaded = new WeakSet();
+function ensurePathfinder(bot) {
+	if (pluginLoaded.has(bot)) return;
+	bot.loadPlugin(pathfinder);
+	pluginLoaded.add(bot);
+}
+function setMovementsForTravel(bot) {
+	const m = new Movements(bot);
+	m.canDig = false;
+	m.allow1by1towers = false;
+	bot.pathfinder.setMovements(m);
+}
+
+function pickCardinal(ctx, args) {
+	// Explicit override wins
+	if (args?.heading) {
+		const found = CARDINALS.find((c) => c.name === args.heading);
+		if (found) return found;
+	}
+	// Otherwise pick a cardinal not recently used. ctx may carry a
+	// recentRelocations array {name, ts}; default = N.
+	const recent = new Set((ctx?.recentRelocations ?? []).map((r) => r.name));
+	const untried = CARDINALS.filter((c) => !recent.has(c.name));
+	return untried[0] ?? CARDINALS[Math.floor(Math.random() * CARDINALS.length)];
+}
+
+export const skill = Object.freeze({
+	id: "village.relocate",
+	title: "Walk 300 blocks in a fresh cardinal to break a wedge",
+	timeoutMs: 180_000,
+	preconditions(ctx) {
+		if (!ctx?.bot?.entity?.position) {
+			return { ok: false, code: "no_bot", detail: "bot or entity missing" };
+		}
+		return { ok: true };
+	},
+	async execute(ctx, args = {}) {
+		const bot = ctx.bot;
+		const distance = Math.max(64, Math.min(args?.distance ?? DEFAULT_DISTANCE, 600));
+		const cardinal = pickCardinal(ctx, args);
+		const start = { x: bot.entity.position.x, z: bot.entity.position.z };
+		markRelocationStarted({ x: start.x, z: start.z, heading: cardinal });
+		ctx.recentRelocations = (ctx.recentRelocations ?? []).slice(-3);
+		ctx.recentRelocations.push({ name: cardinal.name, ts: Date.now() });
+
+		ensurePathfinder(bot);
+		setMovementsForTravel(bot);
+		info("action", `relocate: heading ${cardinal.name} for ${distance}b from (${Math.round(start.x)}, ${Math.round(start.z)})`);
+
+		let travelled = 0;
+		const errors = [];
+		while (travelled < distance) {
+			if (ctx?.abortSignal?.aborted) {
+				return {
+					ok: travelled >= distance / 2, // partial counts if we got at least half
+					code: travelled >= distance / 2 ? "partial" : "preempted",
+					detail: { travelled: Math.round(travelled), heading: cardinal.name },
+					worldDelta: { moved: Math.round(travelled), heading: cardinal.name },
+				};
+			}
+			const stepDist = Math.min(STEP_BLOCKS, distance - travelled);
+			const targetX = start.x + cardinal.dx * (travelled + stepDist);
+			const targetZ = start.z + cardinal.dz * (travelled + stepDist);
+			const targetY = Math.floor(bot.entity.position.y);
+			try {
+				await Promise.race([
+					bot.pathfinder.goto(new goals.GoalNear(Math.floor(targetX), targetY, Math.floor(targetZ), 4)),
+					new Promise((_, rej) => setTimeout(() => rej(new Error("step timeout")), STEP_TIMEOUT_MS)),
+				]);
+			} catch (e) {
+				errors.push(e?.message ?? String(e));
+				if (errors.length >= 3) break;
+				// brief pause then keep trying
+				await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 500));
+			}
+			// Measure actual progress (pathfinder might have routed around)
+			const dx = bot.entity.position.x - start.x;
+			const dz = bot.entity.position.z - start.z;
+			travelled = Math.hypot(dx, dz);
+		}
+
+		const endPos = bot.entity.position;
+		const finalDist = Math.hypot(endPos.x - start.x, endPos.z - start.z);
+		if (finalDist < 50) {
+			return {
+				ok: false,
+				code: "stuck_in_place",
+				detail: { travelled: Math.round(finalDist), heading: cardinal.name, errors: errors.slice(0, 3) },
+				worldDelta: { moved: Math.round(finalDist) },
+			};
+		}
+		return {
+			ok: true,
+			code: "done",
+			detail: { travelled: Math.round(finalDist), heading: cardinal.name },
+			worldDelta: { moved: Math.round(finalDist), heading: cardinal.name, mode: "relocate" },
+		};
+	},
+	recover(ctx, result) {
+		if (result.code === "stuck_in_place") {
+			return { hint: "wander", reason: "relocate could not gain ground; let wander try a new tactic" };
+		}
+		return null;
+	},
+});
+
+// Test exports
+export const __testing = { CARDINALS, DEFAULT_DISTANCE, pickCardinal };
diff --git a/runtime/skills/scout-food.js b/runtime/skills/scout-food.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b27fa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/skills/scout-food.js
@@ -0,0 +1,276 @@
+// survive.scout-food — longer-range, biome-aware food search.
+//
+// Why this exists alongside survive.acquire-food:
+//
+// acquire-food is the "I see a cow, hunt it" skill. Its precondition
+// requires a passive food mob within ~32 blocks; if there isn't one,
+// the skill bails immediately. In v0.3.0 that produced two failure
+// modes that kept the bot looping for hours:
+//
+//   1. Biome with NO passive mobs (desert, ocean, snowy peaks, deep
+//      caves). acquire-food can never succeed there — the bot just
+//      kept scanning the same 32-block sphere.
+//
+//   2. Biome WITH passive mobs but the immediate area is empty. The
+//      bot wandered 1-8 blocks at a time around the same 50×50 patch
+//      and never committed to a direction long enough to leave it.
+//
+// scout-food applies the "commit-to-cardinal" pattern (per the v0.3.1
+// design research): scan(32) → patrol(64, time-budget) → if still
+// nothing, walk a chosen cardinal for ~200 blocks, rescanning every
+// 16 blocks. On exhaustion of all 4 cardinals it surrenders to the
+// curriculum so the operator-driven `village.relocate` or LLM advisor
+// can pick up.
+//
+// Biome-awareness:
+// - If current biome's affordance table has has_passive_mobs=false
+//   AND has_water=false, skip the local scan entirely and pick the
+//   most plausible "leave biome" heading: sample neighbour biomes at
+//   radius 64 in 8 directions, pick the first one whose affordances
+//   say has_passive_mobs=true.
+// - In water-bearing barren biomes (ocean shores, frozen rivers)
+//   fishing isn't implemented yet — operator-facing improvement.
+
+import pathfinderPkg from "mineflayer-pathfinder";
+const { pathfinder, goals, Movements } = pathfinderPkg;
+
+import { info, warn } from "../log.js";
+import { foods } from "./groups.js";
+import { affordancesFor, hasPassiveMobs, isBarren } from "../biome-affordances.js";
+
+const PASSIVE_FOOD_MOBS = new Set(["cow", "pig", "chicken", "sheep", "rabbit", "mooshroom"]);
+const CARDINALS = [
+	{ name: "N", dx: 0, dz: -1 },
+	{ name: "E", dx: 1, dz: 0 },
+	{ name: "S", dx: 0, dz: 1 },
+	{ name: "W", dx: -1, dz: 0 },
+];
+const PATROL_TICK_DISTANCE = 16;
+const DEFAULT_COMMIT_DISTANCE = 200;
+
+let pluginLoaded = new WeakSet();
+function ensurePathfinder(bot) {
+	if (pluginLoaded.has(bot)) return;
+	bot.loadPlugin(pathfinder);
+	pluginLoaded.add(bot);
+}
+
+function setMovementsForTravel(bot) {
+	const m = new Movements(bot);
+	m.canDig = false;
+	m.allow1by1towers = false;
+	bot.pathfinder.setMovements(m);
+}
+
+function foodCount(bot) {
+	const allowed = foods(bot);
+	return bot.inventory.items().reduce((sum, item) => allowed.has(item.name) ? sum + item.count : sum, 0);
+}
+
+function nearestPassiveFoodMob(bot, maxDistance) {
+	const here = bot?.entity?.position;
+	if (!here) return null;
+	let best = null;
+	for (const e of Object.values(bot.entities ?? {})) {
+		if (!e?.position || !PASSIVE_FOOD_MOBS.has(e.name)) continue;
+		const d = e.position.distanceTo(here);
+		if (d > maxDistance) continue;
+		if (!best || d < best.distance) best = { entity: e, distance: d };
+	}
+	return best;
+}
+
+function currentBiomeName(bot) {
+	try {
+		const block = bot.blockAt?.(bot.entity?.position);
+		const b = block?.biome;
+		if (typeof b === "string") return b;
+		if (b?.name) return b.name;
+		return null;
+	} catch { return null; }
+}
+
+function biomeNameAt(bot, x, y, z) {
+	try {
+		const block = bot.blockAt?.({ x: Math.floor(x), y: Math.floor(y), z: Math.floor(z) });
+		const b = block?.biome;
+		if (typeof b === "string") return b;
+		if (b?.name) return b.name;
+		return null;
+	} catch { return null; }
+}
+
+// Sample biomes in 8 compass directions at the given radius; return
+// the heading whose biome has passive mobs.
+function scanForFoodCapableNeighbourBiome(bot, radius = 64) {
+	const here = bot?.entity?.position;
+	if (!here) return null;
+	const dirs = [
+		{ name: "N",  dx: 0,    dz: -1   },
+		{ name: "NE", dx: 0.71, dz: -0.71 },
+		{ name: "E",  dx: 1,    dz: 0    },
+		{ name: "SE", dx: 0.71, dz: 0.71 },
+		{ name: "S",  dx: 0,    dz: 1    },
+		{ name: "SW", dx: -0.71, dz: 0.71 },
+		{ name: "W",  dx: -1,   dz: 0    },
+		{ name: "NW", dx: -0.71, dz: -0.71 },
+	];
+	for (const d of dirs) {
+		const b = biomeNameAt(bot, here.x + d.dx * radius, here.y, here.z + d.dz * radius);
+		if (b && hasPassiveMobs(b)) return { heading: d, biome: b };
+	}
+	return null;
+}
+
+async function patrolCardinal(bot, cardinal, distance, ctx) {
+	ensurePathfinder(bot);
+	setMovementsForTravel(bot);
+	const start = bot.entity.position.clone?.() ?? { ...bot.entity.position };
+	let travelled = 0;
+	while (travelled < distance) {
+		if (ctx?.abortSignal?.aborted) return { aborted: true, travelled };
+		const tx = start.x + cardinal.dx * (travelled + PATROL_TICK_DISTANCE);
+		const tz = start.z + cardinal.dz * (travelled + PATROL_TICK_DISTANCE);
+		const goal = new goals.GoalNear(Math.floor(tx), Math.floor(bot.entity.position.y), Math.floor(tz), 2);
+		try {
+			await Promise.race([
+				bot.pathfinder.goto(goal),
+				new Promise((_, rej) => setTimeout(() => rej(new Error("patrol step timeout")), 30_000)),
+			]);
+		} catch (e) {
+			return { aborted: false, travelled, error: e?.message ?? String(e) };
+		}
+		travelled += PATROL_TICK_DISTANCE;
+		// Rescan after every step.
+		const target = nearestPassiveFoodMob(bot, 32);
+		if (target) return { aborted: false, travelled, target };
+	}
+	return { aborted: false, travelled };
+}
+
+export const skill = Object.freeze({
+	id: "survive.scout-food",
+	title: "Scout for food at long range (biome-aware)",
+	timeoutMs: 240_000,
+	preconditions(ctx) {
+		if (!ctx?.bot) return { ok: false, code: "no_bot", detail: "bot missing" };
+		if (foodCount(ctx.bot) > 0) {
+			return { ok: false, code: "already_have", detail: "already carrying edible food" };
+		}
+		return { ok: true };
+	},
+	async execute(ctx, args = {}) {
+		const bot = ctx.bot;
+		const before = foodCount(bot);
+		const triedCardinals = new Set(args?._triedCardinals ?? []);
+
+		// Step 0: biome check. If barren, head toward a food-capable neighbour.
+		const biome = currentBiomeName(bot);
+		const aff = affordancesFor(biome);
+		info("action", `scout-food: biome=${biome ?? "?"} mobs=${aff.has_passive_mobs} barren=${isBarren(biome)}`);
+
+		if (!aff.has_passive_mobs) {
+			const next = scanForFoodCapableNeighbourBiome(bot, 64);
+			if (next) {
+				info("action", `scout-food: leaving barren biome ${biome} → ${next.biome} via ${next.heading.name}`);
+				const result = await patrolCardinal(bot, next.heading, DEFAULT_COMMIT_DISTANCE, ctx);
+				if (result.aborted) return { ok: false, code: "preempted", worldDelta: null };
+				if (result.target) {
+					return await tryHunt(bot, result.target, before);
+				}
+				return {
+					ok: false,
+					code: "no_target",
+					detail: `walked ${Math.round(result.travelled)}b ${next.heading.name} toward ${next.biome}, still no food`,
+					worldDelta: { moved: Math.round(result.travelled), heading: next.heading.name, from_biome: biome, to_biome: next.biome },
+				};
+			}
+			// Ringed by barren biomes; pick the first cardinal not yet tried.
+		}
+
+		// Step 1: scan radius 32 (cheap).
+		let target = nearestPassiveFoodMob(bot, 32);
+		if (target) return await tryHunt(bot, target, before);
+
+		// Step 2: scan radius 64 — entities frequently spawn just outside
+		// our local horizon.
+		target = nearestPassiveFoodMob(bot, 64);
+		if (target) return await tryHunt(bot, target, before);
+
+		// Step 3: commit to a cardinal we haven't tried in this incident.
+		const untried = CARDINALS.filter((c) => !triedCardinals.has(c.name));
+		if (untried.length === 0) {
+			return {
+				ok: false,
+				code: "exhausted",
+				detail: "tried all 4 cardinals without finding a food mob — switch to village.relocate",
+				worldDelta: null,
+			};
+		}
+		const cardinal = untried[0];
+		info("action", `scout-food: commit cardinal ${cardinal.name} for ${DEFAULT_COMMIT_DISTANCE}b`);
+		const result = await patrolCardinal(bot, cardinal, DEFAULT_COMMIT_DISTANCE, ctx);
+		if (result.aborted) return { ok: false, code: "preempted", worldDelta: null };
+		if (result.target) return await tryHunt(bot, result.target, before);
+		return {
+			ok: false,
+			code: "no_target",
+			detail: { tried: cardinal.name, travelled: Math.round(result.travelled), error: result.error ?? null },
+			worldDelta: { moved: Math.round(result.travelled), heading: cardinal.name, from_biome: biome },
+		};
+	},
+	recover(ctx, result) {
+		if (result.code === "exhausted") {
+			return { hint: "relocate", reason: "scout-food exhausted all 4 cardinals; needs a long jump" };
+		}
+		if (result.code === "no_target") {
+			return { hint: "wander", reason: "scout completed leg without finding mob; try another cardinal" };
+		}
+		return null;
+	},
+});
+
+async function tryHunt(bot, target, before) {
+	ensurePathfinder(bot);
+	setMovementsForTravel(bot);
+	try {
+		await Promise.race([
+			bot.pathfinder.goto(new goals.GoalFollow(target.entity, 2)),
+			new Promise((_, rej) => setTimeout(() => rej(new Error("path-to-mob timeout")), 30_000)),
+		]);
+	} catch (e) {
+		return { ok: false, code: "no_path", detail: e?.message ?? "path failed", worldDelta: null };
+	}
+	info("action", `scout-food: engaging ${target.entity.name}@${target.distance.toFixed(1)}b`);
+	for (let i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
+		const current = Object.values(bot.entities ?? {}).find((e) => e.id === target.entity.id);
+		if (!current) break;
+		if (current.position.distanceTo(bot.entity.position) > 4) {
+			try {
+				await Promise.race([
+					bot.pathfinder.goto(new goals.GoalFollow(current, 2)),
+					new Promise((_, rej) => setTimeout(() => rej(new Error("repath timeout")), 8_000)),
+				]);
+			} catch {}
+		}
+		bot.attack(current);
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 700));
+	}
+	await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 1_000));
+	const after = foodCount(bot);
+	if (after <= before) {
+		return { ok: false, code: "no_drop", detail: `hunted ${target.entity.name} but no edible drop`, worldDelta: null };
+	}
+	return {
+		ok: true,
+		code: "done",
+		detail: { source: "hunt", mob: target.entity.name, gained: after - before },
+		worldDelta: { acquiredFood: after - before, source: "hunt", mob: target.entity.name },
+	};
+}
+
+// Test exports
+export const __testing = {
+	CARDINALS, PATROL_TICK_DISTANCE, DEFAULT_COMMIT_DISTANCE,
+	nearestPassiveFoodMob, currentBiomeName, scanForFoodCapableNeighbourBiome,
+};