Character Pipeline

All CrimsonCore characters share a common init-state machine driven by UCrimsonPawnExtensionComponent. No actor hardcodes attribute sets in its constructor — they are always granted dynamically via UCrimsonAbilitySet data assets.

Init-state machine

State	Gate condition	What triggers it
`Spawned`	Always — set immediately on spawn	Actor is created and components initialize
`DataAvailable`	PawnData is set (replicated from PlayerState or injected by GameMode)	`UCrimsonPawnExtensionComponent::SetPawnData()` called
`DataInitialized`	All sibling components have also reached DataAvailable	Each component calls `CheckDefaultInitialization()`
`GameplayReady`	ASC is initialized and the pawn is possessed	`UCrimsonHeroComponent` or NPC controller completes setup

Attribute set grant order

Attribute sets must be granted before any component that reads from them is initialized. The rule is strict: grant first, initialize health component second.

Actor	When sets are granted	When health component initializes
`ACrimsonPlayerState`	`SetPawnData()` — after experience loads	N/A — PlayerState has no health component; the pawn's health component reads this ASC
`ACrimsonNPCBase`	`SetNPCData()` — called by spawner after spawn	End of `SetNPCData()`
`ACrimsonSummonBase`	`InitializeSummon()` — on possession by summon controller	End of `InitializeSummon()`
`ACrimsonCharacter` (player pawn)	`UCrimsonHeroComponent::InitializeAbilitySystem()`	Inside `UCrimsonHeroComponent`

UCrimsonHealthSet must be in the ability set

Every UCrimsonAbilitySet used by NPCs or summons must include UCrimsonHealthSet under Granted Attributes. Without it, UCrimsonHealthComponent will log an error and skip initialization — the actor will be unkillable.

NPC object pool

When ACrimsonNPCBase::DeactivateForPooling() is called, the health component is uninitialized before ability set handles are torn down. This prevents stale delegate callbacks from firing on a pooled actor. On reactivation, SetNPCData() re-grants the sets and re-initializes the health component.

Per-actor attribute defaults

To give a specific NPC different starting health without a separate Gameplay Effect, use the DefaultValues array on FCrimsonAbilitySet_AttributeSet in CrimsonCommon:

text

DA_AbilitySet_Goblin_Boss
  GrantedAttributes[0].AttributeSet  = UCrimsonHealthSet
  GrantedAttributes[0].DefaultValues[0].Attribute = UCrimsonHealthSet.MaxHealth
  GrantedAttributes[0].DefaultValues[0].Value     = 500
  GrantedAttributes[0].DefaultValues[1].Attribute = UCrimsonHealthSet.Health
  GrantedAttributes[0].DefaultValues[1].Value     = 500

Order matters

Set MaxHealth before Health in the DefaultValues array so the health component reads the correct cap when it initializes immediately after the grant.