diff --git a/scenes/player.tscn b/scenes/player.tscn
index 5a62e4a..68faebe 100644
--- a/scenes/player.tscn
+++ b/scenes/player.tscn
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ shape = SubResource("CapsuleShape1")
 mesh = SubResource("CapsuleMesh1")
 
 [node name="CameraPivot" type="Node3D" parent="."]
-transform = Transform3D(1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1.4, 0)
+transform = Transform3D(1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1.2, 0)
 
 [node name="SpringArm3D" type="SpringArm3D" parent="CameraPivot"]
-spring_length = 4.0
+spring_length = 3.5
 margin = 0.2
 
 [node name="Camera3D" type="Camera3D" parent="CameraPivot/SpringArm3D"]
diff --git a/scripts/avatar/avatar_system.gd b/scripts/avatar/avatar_system.gd
index a48ab68..cc6b65c 100644
--- a/scripts/avatar/avatar_system.gd
+++ b/scripts/avatar/avatar_system.gd
@@ -270,6 +270,53 @@ func set_loadout_from_dict(loadout_dict: Dictionary) -> bool:
 ## into a scene (e.g. onto the in-world player). Returns null if there's no
 ## loadout or the catalog isn't loaded or assembly failed.
 func build_current_avatar() -> Node3D:
-	if current_loadout == null or not is_catalog_loaded:
+	# Self-sufficient: load the catalog if needed, and fall back to a bare
+	# default loadout when login didn't prime one -- the player should always
+	# get *an* avatar, never a placeholder capsule, as long as the assets exist.
+	if not ensure_catalog():
+		push_warning("AvatarSystem: catalog unavailable; cannot build avatar")
 		return null
-	return load_avatar(current_loadout)
+	if current_loadout == null:
+		var bases := get_assets_for_slot("base_body")
+		if bases.is_empty():
+			return null
+		set_loadout_from_dict({"base_body": bases[0], "slots": {}})
+	return assemble_avatar(current_loadout)
+
+
+## Assemble a standalone avatar node from [param loadout] using a throwaway
+## loader -- unlike load_avatar(), this touches no shared state, so it's safe
+## to call many times (local player + one per remote peer). Returns null only
+## if the assets are genuinely missing.
+func assemble_avatar(loadout) -> Node3D:
+	if loadout == null or not is_catalog_loaded:
+		return null
+	var validation := catalog.validate_loadout(loadout)
+	if not validation.valid:
+		push_warning("AvatarSystem: invalid loadout, skipping: %s" % str(validation.errors))
+		return null
+
+	var l = AvatarLoader.new()
+	l.init_loader(catalog)
+	var base := l.load_base_body(loadout.base_body)
+	if base == null:
+		l.free()
+		return null
+
+	for slot_id in AvatarSlotRegistry.SLOT_IDS:
+		var v = loadout.slots.get(slot_id)
+		if slot_id == "accessory":
+			if v is Array:
+				for aid in v:
+					if aid is String and not (aid as String).is_empty():
+						l.load_attachment(slot_id, aid)
+		elif v is String and not (v as String).is_empty():
+			l.load_attachment(slot_id, v)
+
+	for slot_id in AvatarSlotRegistry.BODY_PART_SLOTS:
+		var v = loadout.slots.get(slot_id)
+		if v is String and not (v as String).is_empty():
+			l.set_base_mesh_visible(slot_id, false)
+
+	l.free()
+	return base
diff --git a/scripts/game.gd b/scripts/game.gd
index afe1de7..b120261 100644
--- a/scripts/game.gd
+++ b/scripts/game.gd
@@ -91,20 +91,36 @@ func _make_remote(pid: int) -> Node3D:
 	var root := Node3D.new()
 	root.name = "Remote_%d" % pid
 
-	var body := MeshInstance3D.new()
-	var capsule := CapsuleMesh.new()
-	capsule.radius = 0.35
-	capsule.height = 1.7
-	body.mesh = capsule
-	body.position = Vector3(0, 0.85, 0)
-	var mat := StandardMaterial3D.new()
-	mat.albedo_color = Color.from_hsv(fmod(float(pid) * 0.61803, 1.0), 0.6, 0.9)
-	body.material_override = mat
-	root.add_child(body)
+	# Other players get the assembled avatar too (everyone shares the default
+	# look for now -- per-player loadout replication is the follow-up), tinted
+	# by peer id so they're still tellable apart, plus a name tag.
+	var tint := Color.from_hsv(fmod(float(pid) * 0.61803, 1.0), 0.55, 0.95)
+	var avatars := get_node_or_null("/root/AvatarSystem")
+	var visual: Node3D = null
+	if avatars and avatars.has_method("build_current_avatar"):
+		visual = avatars.build_current_avatar()
+	if visual != null:
+		visual.position = Vector3(0, -0.85, 0)  # feet -> ground (root is at hip height from server)
+		for mi in _all_mesh_instances(visual):
+			var m := StandardMaterial3D.new()
+			m.albedo_color = tint
+			mi.material_override = m
+		root.add_child(visual)
+	else:
+		var body := MeshInstance3D.new()
+		var capsule := CapsuleMesh.new()
+		capsule.radius = 0.35
+		capsule.height = 1.7
+		body.mesh = capsule
+		body.position = Vector3(0, 0.85, 0)
+		var mat := StandardMaterial3D.new()
+		mat.albedo_color = tint
+		body.material_override = mat
+		root.add_child(body)
 
 	var tag := Label3D.new()
 	tag.text = "Player %d" % pid
-	tag.position = Vector3(0, 2.0, 0)
+	tag.position = Vector3(0, 2.1, 0)
 	tag.billboard = BaseMaterial3D.BILLBOARD_ENABLED
 	tag.no_depth_test = true
 	tag.pixel_size = 0.004
@@ -113,6 +129,14 @@ func _make_remote(pid: int) -> Node3D:
 	return root
 
 
+func _all_mesh_instances(node: Node, out: Array = []) -> Array:
+	if node is MeshInstance3D:
+		out.append(node)
+	for c in node.get_children():
+		_all_mesh_instances(c, out)
+	return out
+
+
 func _on_server_lost() -> void:
 	_networked = false
 	_show_status("Disconnected from the server. Returning to worlds…")
diff --git a/scripts/player.gd b/scripts/player.gd
index ef7348a..cefcb2e 100644
--- a/scripts/player.gd
+++ b/scripts/player.gd
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const MOUSE_SENSITIVITY: float = 0.003
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 var _input_direction := Vector2.ZERO
-var _camera_pitch: float = -0.25
+var _camera_pitch: float = -0.12
 
 ## Vertical offset applied to the assembled avatar so its feet (origin y=0)
 ## line up with the bottom of the player's collision capsule.
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 		push_warning("player.gd: no PlayerSpawn marker found; spawning at origin")
 		global_position = Vector3(0, 1.0, 0)
 
+	# The spring arm must not collide with the player's own capsule (they're
+	# on the same layer), or the camera gets yanked right up against the
+	# player's head.
+	var arm := $CameraPivot/SpringArm3D as SpringArm3D
+	arm.add_excluded_object(self)
+
 	# Start the camera arm tilted down a little so the avatar is framed.
 	_camera_pivot.rotation.x = _camera_pitch
 
@@ -81,18 +87,17 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	_apply_avatar()
 
 
-## Replace the placeholder capsule with the player's assembled avatar, if the
-## AvatarSystem has a loadout primed (set at login by main_menu.gd). Falls back
-## to the capsule silently when there's no avatar to show -- e.g. running this
-## scene directly in a test, or an offline/failed catalog load.
-## TODO(PC3): a third-person camera so the local player actually sees this;
-## for now it's mainly for other players (Phase 2) and looking down.
+## Show the player's assembled avatar and hide the placeholder capsule.
+## AvatarSystem.build_current_avatar() is self-sufficient now (loads the
+## catalog + falls back to a default loadout), so this only no-ops if the
+## avatar assets themselves are missing.
 func _apply_avatar() -> void:
 	var avatars := get_node_or_null("/root/AvatarSystem")
 	if avatars == null or not avatars.has_method("build_current_avatar"):
 		return
 	var avatar: Node3D = avatars.build_current_avatar()
 	if avatar == null:
+		push_warning("player.gd: no avatar to show; keeping the placeholder capsule")
 		return
 	avatar.position = Vector3(0.0, AVATAR_FEET_OFFSET, 0.0)
 	add_child(avatar)