some fixes

backend/internal/game/engine.go

@@ -1582,6 +1582,7 @@ func (e *Engine) processCombatTickLocked(now time.Time) {
 			if hm, ok := e.movements[heroID]; ok {
 				hm.Die()
 			}
+			e.persistHeroDeathLocked(heroID, cs.Hero)
 			dctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
 			e.applyOfflineDigest(dctx, heroID, cs.Hero, now, storage.OfflineDigestDelta{Deaths: 1})
 			cancel()
@@ -1614,6 +1615,21 @@ func (e *Engine) processAttackEvent(evt *model.AttackEvent, cs *model.CombatStat
 	}
 }
 
+// persistHeroDeathLocked writes the dead hero snapshot immediately so DB state
+// never lags behind the live in-memory death state.
+// Caller must hold e.mu.
+func (e *Engine) persistHeroDeathLocked(heroID int64, hero *model.Hero) {
+	if e.heroStore == nil || hero == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	err := e.heroStore.Save(ctx, hero)
+	cancel()
+	if err != nil && e.logger != nil {
+		e.logger.Error("persist hero after death", "hero_id", heroID, "error", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // sendDebuffAppliedForString pushes debuff_applied when a debuff proc string is non-empty.
 func (e *Engine) sendDebuffAppliedForString(heroID int64, debuffTypeStr string, now time.Time) {
 	if e.sender == nil || debuffTypeStr == "" {
@@ -1748,6 +1764,7 @@ func (e *Engine) processEnemyAttack(cs *model.CombatState, now time.Time) {
 		if hm, ok := e.movements[cs.HeroID]; ok {
 			hm.Die()
 		}
+		e.persistHeroDeathLocked(cs.HeroID, cs.Hero)
 		dctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
 		e.applyOfflineDigest(dctx, cs.HeroID, cs.Hero, now, storage.OfflineDigestDelta{Deaths: 1})
 		cancel()

backend/internal/handler/admin.go

@@ -1289,6 +1289,16 @@ func (h *AdminHandler) ReviveHero(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Admin UI displays live in-engine state when the hero is online.
+	// Use that same authoritative snapshot for revive validation to avoid
+	// false "hero is not dead" when DB lagged behind live movement/combat.
+	if h.engine != nil {
+		if hm := h.engine.GetMovements(heroID); hm != nil && hm.Hero != nil {
+			live := *hm.Hero
+			hero = &live
+		}
+	}
+
 	if !game.IsEffectivelyDead(hero) {
 		writeJSON(w, http.StatusBadRequest, map[string]string{
 			"error": "hero is not dead",

backend/internal/storage/hero_store.go

@@ -659,8 +659,9 @@ func (s *HeroStore) ClearWsDisconnectedAt(ctx context.Context, heroID int64) err
 func (s *HeroStore) ListHeroesForEngineBootstrap(ctx context.Context) ([]*model.Hero, error) {
 
 	query := heroSelectQuery + `
-		WHERE h.hp > 0 AND h.ws_disconnected_at IS NOT NULL
+		WHERE h.ws_disconnected_at IS NOT NULL
-		ORDER BY h.updated_at ASC
+		ORDER BY id ASC
+		LIMIT 100
 	`
 
 	rows, err := s.pool.Query(ctx, query)