enemies face south

Assets/_Project/Definitions/Enemies/10_Enemy_UndeadDrakeBone_Definition.asset

@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ MonoBehaviour:
   MaxHp: 800
   MoveSpeed: 4
   IsFlying: 1
+  FlightHeight: 3
   LivesCost: 1
   EnemyPrefab: {fileID: 1455822126534880203, guid: 738e5730a03623540aa1513639d0baf8, type: 3}

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Gameplay/EnemyDefinition.cs

@@ -27,12 +27,16 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
         [Tooltip("Movement speed in world units per second along the A* path.")]
         public float MoveSpeed = 3f;
 
-        [Tooltip("When true this enemy flies over tower footprints. " +
-                 "Towers with GroundedOnly=true will not target it. " +
-                 "Flying enemies follow the same A* path but are not physically " +
-                 "blocked by tower colliders (handled in EnemyMovement).")]
+        [Tooltip("When true this enemy flies: it paths on the baked terrain grid, ignoring " +
+                 "towers, so it soars directly over the maze instead of following it. " +
+                 "Towers with GroundedOnly=true will not target it.")]
         public bool IsFlying;
 
+        [Tooltip("Height (world units) above the ground a flying enemy hovers, so it " +
+                 "visually clears towers. Only used when IsFlying is true. Keep modest — " +
+                 "tower targeting uses 3D range, so large values eat into effective range.")]
+        public float FlightHeight = 3f;
+
         [Header("Costs")]
         [Tooltip("Number of lives deducted from the shared pool when this enemy " +
                  "reaches the Goal. Boss enemies might cost 2 or more lives.")]

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Gameplay/EnemyMovement.cs

@@ -53,11 +53,16 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
         private float      pendingMoveSpeed;
         private Vector2Int pendingSpawnerTile;
         private PlayerSlot pendingOwnerSlot;
+        private bool       pendingIsFlying;
         private bool       hasPendingInit;
 
         // ----- Server-local runtime state -------------------------------------
 
         private float             moveSpeed;
+        // When true this enemy flies: it paths on the baked terrain grid (ignoring
+        // towers) and never re-paths, since the baked grid doesn't change. Grounded
+        // enemies path on the runtime grid and re-path on every walkability change.
+        private bool              isFlying;
         private List<Vector2Int>  remainingPath = new List<Vector2Int>();
         private PlayerSlot        currentZone   = PlayerSlot.None;
         // Zone the enemy was spawned in — i.e., which player "owns" this enemy as part
@@ -107,11 +112,13 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
         /// tiles sit inside <c>SpawnerVolume</c>, not <c>PlayerZoneVolume</c>, so
         /// their owner-grid entry is <see cref="PlayerSlot.None"/>.
         /// </summary>
-        public void InitializeServer(float speed, Vector2Int spawnerTile, PlayerSlot ownerSlot)
+        public void InitializeServer(float speed, Vector2Int spawnerTile, PlayerSlot ownerSlot,
+                                     bool flying)
         {
             pendingMoveSpeed   = speed;
             pendingSpawnerTile = spawnerTile;
             pendingOwnerSlot   = ownerSlot;
+            pendingIsFlying    = flying;
             hasPendingInit     = true;
         }
 
@@ -139,6 +146,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
             }
 
             moveSpeed = pendingMoveSpeed;
+            isFlying  = pendingIsFlying;
 
             // Resolve starting zone from the spawner tile. This is what the enemy
             // observes as "the zone I am currently in." For SpawnerVolume tiles that
@@ -158,8 +166,10 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
             // Compute the initial path from the spawn tile to the nearest goal.
             ComputeAndStorePath(pendingSpawnerTile);
 
-            // Recompute when a tower is placed or sold.
-            if (PathfindingService.Instance != null)
+            // Recompute when a tower is placed or sold — grounded enemies only.
+            // Flyers path on the static baked grid, so tower changes can never affect
+            // their route; subscribing would just trigger needless recomputes.
+            if (!isFlying && PathfindingService.Instance != null)
                 PathfindingService.Instance.OnPathsInvalidated += RecomputePath;
         }
 
@@ -283,7 +293,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                 return;
             }
 
-            remainingPath = service.ComputePath(fromTile);
+            remainingPath = service.ComputePath(fromTile, ignoreTowers: isFlying);
 
             // Dedupe the "no path" log: only emit on the transition into stuck
             // state, not every frame a walkability change re-fires the recompute.

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Gameplay/LevelLoader.cs

@@ -316,6 +316,23 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
             return runtimeWalkability[idx];
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// True if <paramref name="tile"/> is walkable in the BAKED terrain grid, ignoring
+        /// any runtime tower placement. Returns false for out-of-bounds tiles.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// Flying enemies path against this grid so they soar over towers (which only
+        /// affect <see cref="IsWalkable"/>'s runtime grid) while still respecting
+        /// impassable terrain and map bounds. Because the baked grid never changes at
+        /// runtime, flying paths are computed once and never need invalidation.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public bool IsBaseWalkable(Vector2Int tile)
+        {
+            if (level == null || level.WalkabilityGrid == null) return false;
+            if (!TryFlatIndex(tile, out int idx)) return false;
+            return level.WalkabilityGrid[idx];
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Placement state for <paramref name="tile"/>. Returns
         /// <see cref="PlacementState.Outside"/> for out-of-bounds tiles.

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Gameplay/PathfindingService.cs

@@ -125,7 +125,12 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
         /// is unavailable (should not occur — TowerPlacementManager guarantees a path
         /// always exists after any placement).
         /// </summary>
-        public List<Vector2Int> ComputePath(Vector2Int startTile)
+        /// <param name="ignoreTowers">
+        /// When true, pathing uses the baked terrain grid
+        /// (<see cref="LevelLoader.IsBaseWalkable"/>) instead of the runtime
+        /// tower-stamped grid, so the path soars over towers. Used by flying enemies.
+        /// </param>
+        public List<Vector2Int> ComputePath(Vector2Int startTile, bool ignoreTowers = false)
         {
             var loader = LevelLoader.Instance;
             if (loader == null || !loader.IsLoaded || goalTiles == null || goalTiles.Count == 0)
@@ -140,23 +145,31 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
             // that just became blocked). Nudge to the nearest walkable tile so
             // the enemy can resume routing instead of repeatedly failing.
             // Search outward in Chebyshev rings — closest 8-neighbor wins.
-            if (!loader.IsWalkable(startTile))
+            // (For flyers this nudge is effectively never needed — the baked grid
+            // doesn't change — but it's cheap and keeps the two paths uniform.)
+            if (!IsTileWalkable(loader, startTile, ignoreTowers))
             {
-                if (TryFindNearestWalkable(startTile, loader, maxRadius: 4, out var nudged))
+                if (TryFindNearestWalkable(startTile, loader, maxRadius: 4, ignoreTowers, out var nudged))
                     startTile = nudged;
                 else
                     return new List<Vector2Int>();
             }
 
-            return RunAStar(startTile, loader);
+            return RunAStar(startTile, loader, ignoreTowers);
         }
 
+        // Single seam for "is this tile traversable for this enemy kind": grounded
+        // enemies see the runtime grid (towers block them); flyers see only the baked
+        // terrain grid (towers are invisible to them).
+        private static bool IsTileWalkable(LevelLoader loader, Vector2Int tile, bool ignoreTowers)
+            => ignoreTowers ? loader.IsBaseWalkable(tile) : loader.IsWalkable(tile);
+
         // Expanding ring search (Chebyshev / 8-connected) for the nearest
         // walkable tile around <paramref name="origin"/>. Caps at maxRadius to
         // keep this O(maxRadius²) in the worst case. Used by ComputePath when
         // an enemy's start tile becomes non-walkable mid-flight.
         private static bool TryFindNearestWalkable(Vector2Int origin, LevelLoader loader,
-                                                   int maxRadius, out Vector2Int found)
+                                                   int maxRadius, bool ignoreTowers, out Vector2Int found)
         {
             for (int r = 1; r <= maxRadius; r++)
             {
@@ -167,7 +180,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                         // Only walk the OUTER ring at distance r (skip interior — already checked at smaller r).
                         if (Mathf.Abs(dx) != r && Mathf.Abs(dy) != r) continue;
                         var tile = new Vector2Int(origin.x + dx, origin.y + dy);
-                        if (loader.IsWalkable(tile))
+                        if (IsTileWalkable(loader, tile, ignoreTowers))
                         {
                             found = tile;
                             return true;
@@ -181,7 +194,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
 
         // ----- A* implementation ------------------------------------------
 
-        private List<Vector2Int> RunAStar(Vector2Int start, LevelLoader loader)
+        private List<Vector2Int> RunAStar(Vector2Int start, LevelLoader loader, bool ignoreTowers)
         {
             cameFrom.Clear();
             gScore.Clear();
@@ -197,14 +210,14 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                 if (goalTiles.Contains(current))
                 {
                     var tilePath = ReconstructPath(start, current);
-                    return SmoothPath(start, tilePath, loader);
+                    return SmoothPath(start, tilePath, loader, ignoreTowers);
                 }
 
                 float currentG = gScore.TryGetValue(current, out float g) ? g : float.MaxValue;
 
                 foreach (var neighbor in GridCoordinates.GetNeighbors8(current))
                 {
-                    if (!loader.IsWalkable(neighbor)) continue;
+                    if (!IsTileWalkable(loader, neighbor, ignoreTowers)) continue;
 
                     // Corner-cut prevention: for a diagonal step, both cardinal
                     // shoulder tiles must also be walkable. Otherwise enemies could
@@ -214,7 +227,8 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                     {
                         GridCoordinates.GetCornerShoulders(current, neighbor,
                             out var shoulderA, out var shoulderB);
-                        if (!loader.IsWalkable(shoulderA) || !loader.IsWalkable(shoulderB))
+                        if (!IsTileWalkable(loader, shoulderA, ignoreTowers)
+                            || !IsTileWalkable(loader, shoulderB, ignoreTowers))
                             continue;
                     }
 
@@ -305,7 +319,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
         /// squeezes through a diagonal corner.
         /// </remarks>
         private List<Vector2Int> SmoothPath(Vector2Int start, List<Vector2Int> path,
-                                             LevelLoader loader)
+                                             LevelLoader loader, bool ignoreTowers)
         {
             if (path.Count <= 1) return path;
 
@@ -319,7 +333,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                 int farthest = i;
                 for (int j = path.Count - 1; j > i; j--)
                 {
-                    if (HasLineOfSight(anchor, path[j], loader))
+                    if (HasLineOfSight(anchor, path[j], loader, ignoreTowers))
                     {
                         farthest = j;
                         break;
@@ -340,7 +354,8 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
         /// crosses walkable tiles, with no diagonal corner-cuts. Used by
         /// <see cref="SmoothPath"/> to decide whether two waypoints can be collapsed.
         /// </summary>
-        private static bool HasLineOfSight(Vector2Int a, Vector2Int b, LevelLoader loader)
+        private static bool HasLineOfSight(Vector2Int a, Vector2Int b, LevelLoader loader,
+                                           bool ignoreTowers)
         {
             int x0 = a.x, y0 = a.y;
             int x1 = b.x, y1 = b.y;
@@ -374,11 +389,11 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                 // shoulder tiles (same rule A* uses).
                 if (steppedX && steppedY)
                 {
-                    if (!loader.IsWalkable(new Vector2Int(x - sx, y))) return false;
-                    if (!loader.IsWalkable(new Vector2Int(x, y - sy))) return false;
+                    if (!IsTileWalkable(loader, new Vector2Int(x - sx, y), ignoreTowers)) return false;
+                    if (!IsTileWalkable(loader, new Vector2Int(x, y - sy), ignoreTowers)) return false;
                 }
 
-                if (!loader.IsWalkable(new Vector2Int(x, y))) return false;
+                if (!IsTileWalkable(loader, new Vector2Int(x, y), ignoreTowers)) return false;
             }
 
             return true;

Assets/_Project/Scripts/Gameplay/WaveManager.cs

@@ -455,6 +455,12 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
             if (zHalfExtent > 0f)
                 spawnPos.z += Random.Range(-zHalfExtent, zHalfExtent);
 
+            // Flying enemies spawn elevated so they visually soar over towers. The
+            // movement code preserves Y per-frame, so this height persists for the
+            // enemy's whole flight. NetworkTransform replicates the raised position.
+            if (def.IsFlying)
+                spawnPos.y += def.FlightHeight;
+
             float yaw = facing switch
             {
                 Direction.North => 0f,
@@ -463,7 +469,11 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
                 Direction.West  => 270f,
                 _               => 0f,
             };
-            var go = Instantiate(def.EnemyPrefab, spawnPos, Quaternion.Euler(0f, yaw, 0f));
+
+            var go = Instantiate(
+                def.EnemyPrefab,
+                spawnPos,
+                Quaternion.Euler(0f, yaw, 0f));
 
             var health   = go.GetComponent<EnemyHealth>();
             var movement = go.GetComponent<EnemyMovement>();
@@ -477,7 +487,7 @@ namespace TD.Gameplay
             }
 
             health.InitializeServer(def.MaxHp, def.LivesCost, def.IsFlying, held);
-            movement.InitializeServer(def.MoveSpeed, spawnerTile, ownerSlot);
+            movement.InitializeServer(def.MoveSpeed, spawnerTile, ownerSlot, def.IsFlying);
             if (held) heldEnemies.Add(health);
 
             health.OnDied         += HandleEnemyKilled;