diff --git a/client/scripts/player.gd b/client/scripts/player.gd
index bcf4e10..dae6c64 100644
--- a/client/scripts/player.gd
+++ b/client/scripts/player.gd
@@ -14,8 +14,13 @@ const VERT_ARRIVE_EPS: float = 0.055
 const DIRECT_APPROACH_RADIUS: float = 0.85
 const FLOOR_PROBE_DOWN: float = 4.0
 const STEP_OFF_FLOOR_MARGIN: float = 0.04
-const STEP_OFF_MAX_DROP: float = 0.55
-const STEP_OFF_MAX_HORIZ: float = 1.05
+## Only NS-19-sized step downs (not cliffs); allows a wider horiz cap without bee-lining big drops.
+const STEP_OFF_MIN_DROP: float = 0.055
+const STEP_OFF_MAX_DROP: float = 0.24
+const STEP_OFF_MAX_HORIZ: float = 3.0
+const FLOOR_PROBE_BODY_Y_OFFSET: float = -0.55
+## If next waypoint is within this xz of us, steer to goal (rim / underfoot waypoints).
+const NEXT_WAYPOINT_MIN_HORIZ_SQ: float = 0.01
 
 var _has_walk_goal: bool = false
 var _auth_walk_goal: Vector3 = Vector3.ZERO
@@ -46,20 +51,26 @@ func snap_to_server(world_pos: Vector3) -> void:
 	_nav_agent.set_target_position(world_pos)
 
 
-func _floor_y_under_body() -> float:
+func _ray_floor_y_at(from: Vector3) -> float:
 	var space: PhysicsDirectSpaceState3D = get_world_3d().direct_space_state
-	var from: Vector3 = global_position
 	var to: Vector3 = from + Vector3(0.0, -FLOOR_PROBE_DOWN, 0.0)
 	var q: PhysicsRayQueryParameters3D = PhysicsRayQueryParameters3D.create(from, to)
 	q.collision_mask = 1
 	q.exclude = [get_rid()]
 	var hit: Dictionary = space.intersect_ray(q)
 	if hit.is_empty():
-		return global_position.y
+		return from.y
 	var pv: Variant = hit.get("position")
 	if pv is Vector3:
 		return (pv as Vector3).y
-	return global_position.y
+	return from.y
+
+
+func _floor_y_under_body() -> float:
+	var y_center: float = _ray_floor_y_at(global_position)
+	var lower: Vector3 = global_position + Vector3(0.0, FLOOR_PROBE_BODY_Y_OFFSET, 0.0)
+	var y_lower: float = _ray_floor_y_at(lower)
+	return maxf(y_center, y_lower)
 
 
 func _nav_short_step_down_use_goal_direct() -> bool:
@@ -67,7 +78,7 @@ func _nav_short_step_down_use_goal_direct() -> bool:
 	if _auth_walk_goal.y >= floor_y - STEP_OFF_FLOOR_MARGIN:
 		return false
 	var drop: float = floor_y - _auth_walk_goal.y
-	if drop > STEP_OFF_MAX_DROP:
+	if drop < STEP_OFF_MIN_DROP or drop > STEP_OFF_MAX_DROP:
 		return false
 	var hd: float = Vector2(
 		_auth_walk_goal.x - global_position.x, _auth_walk_goal.z - global_position.z
@@ -120,8 +131,7 @@ func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
 		var to_next_h: Vector3 = Vector3(
 			next_path_position.x - global_position.x, 0.0, next_path_position.z - global_position.z
 		)
-		# “goal Y < body Y” skips nav wrongly: pick is floor height, body origin is higher.
-		if to_next_h.length_squared() > 0.0025:
+		if to_next_h.length_squared() > NEXT_WAYPOINT_MIN_HORIZ_SQ:
 			_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(next_path_position)
 		else:
 			_set_horizontal_velocity_toward(_auth_walk_goal)