diff --git a/backend/internal/game/rewards_apply_test.go b/backend/internal/game/rewards_apply_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81e256a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/game/rewards_apply_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/denisovdennis/autohero/internal/model"
+	"github.com/denisovdennis/autohero/internal/tuning"
+)
+
+// ApplyVictoryRewards + GenerateLoot: gold only if gold roll succeeds; force chance 1.0 so the test is deterministic.
+func TestApplyVictoryRewards_awardsGoldFromLoot(t *testing.T) {
+	v := tuning.DefaultValues()
+	v.GoldDropChance = 1.0
+	tuning.Set(v)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { tuning.Set(tuning.DefaultValues()) })
+
+	hero := &model.Hero{
+		ID: 1, Level: 1, Gold: 0, XP: 0,
+		State: model.StateFighting,
+	}
+	enemy := &model.Enemy{
+		Type: model.EnemyWolf, Name: "Wolf",
+		MinLevel: 1, MaxLevel: 5,
+		XPReward: 10,
+	}
+	beforeGold := hero.Gold
+	drops := ApplyVictoryRewards(hero, enemy, time.Now(), VictoryRewardDeps{})
+	if len(drops) < 1 {
+		t.Fatal("expected at least one loot drop")
+	}
+	var hasGold bool
+	for _, d := range drops {
+		if d.ItemType == "gold" && d.GoldAmount > 0 {
+			hasGold = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if !hasGold {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a gold entry in drops: %#v", drops)
+	}
+	if hero.Gold <= beforeGold {
+		t.Fatalf("hero gold should increase (loot gold); before=%d after=%d", beforeGold, hero.Gold)
+	}
+	if model.SumGoldFromLootDrops(drops) <= 0 {
+		t.Fatal("SumGoldFromLootDrops should be positive for victory drops")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/model/loot_chances_test.go b/backend/internal/model/loot_chances_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fccfe75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/model/loot_chances_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+package model
+
+import (
+	"math"
+	"math/rand"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/denisovdennis/autohero/internal/tuning"
+)
+
+// equipmentLootSlots must give every slot a positive share so that, with EquipmentDropBase > 0,
+// P(drop slot s | luck=1) = EquipmentDropBase * weight[s] > 0.
+func TestEquipmentLootSlotWeights_positiveAndSumToOne(t *testing.T) {
+	var sum float64
+	for _, row := range equipmentLootSlots {
+		if row.weight <= 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("slot %q: weight must be > 0", row.itemType)
+		}
+		sum += row.weight
+	}
+	if math.Abs(sum-1.0) > 1e-9 {
+		t.Fatalf("equipmentLootSlots weights sum to %g, want 1.0", sum)
+	}
+}
+
+// User-facing slots: weapon, armor, necklace, ring, boots, pants, bracers, gloves
+// map to main_hand, chest, neck, finger, feet, legs, wrist, hands — all must appear with positive weight.
+func TestEquipmentLootSlotWeights_coversCoreSlots(t *testing.T) {
+	want := []EquipmentSlot{
+		SlotMainHand, SlotChest, SlotNeck, SlotFinger, SlotFeet, SlotLegs, SlotWrist, SlotHands,
+	}
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(equipmentLootSlots))
+	for _, row := range equipmentLootSlots {
+		seen[row.itemType] = true
+	}
+	for _, s := range want {
+		if !seen[string(s)] {
+			t.Fatalf("missing slot %q in equipmentLootSlots", s)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// With default tuning and luck 1.0, marginal probability of rolling a specific equipment slot
+// (equip roll succeeds, then slot roll) is EquipmentDropBase * weight > 0.
+func TestMarginalEquipmentDropChancePerSlot_nonZeroWithDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := tuning.DefaultValues()
+	if cfg.EquipmentDropBase <= 0 {
+		t.Fatal("default EquipmentDropBase must be > 0")
+	}
+	for _, row := range equipmentLootSlots {
+		marginal := cfg.EquipmentDropBase * row.weight
+		if marginal <= 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("marginal chance for %q is %g", row.itemType, marginal)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateLoot_goldLineWhenChanceSucceeds(t *testing.T) {
+	v := tuning.DefaultValues()
+	v.GoldDropChance = 1.0
+	tuning.Set(v)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { tuning.Set(tuning.DefaultValues()) })
+
+	drops := GenerateLootWithRNG(EnemyWolf, 1.0, nil)
+	var gold *LootDrop
+	for i := range drops {
+		if drops[i].ItemType == "gold" {
+			gold = &drops[i]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if gold == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected a gold LootDrop line when GoldDropChance is 1")
+	}
+	if gold.GoldAmount < 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("gold amount should be >= 1, got %d", gold.GoldAmount)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateLoot_noGoldWhenChanceZero(t *testing.T) {
+	v := tuning.DefaultValues()
+	v.GoldDropChance = 0
+	tuning.Set(v)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { tuning.Set(tuning.DefaultValues()) })
+
+	drops := GenerateLootWithRNG(EnemyWolf, 1.0, nil)
+	for _, d := range drops {
+		if d.ItemType == "gold" {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected gold line: %#v", drops)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateLoot_goldOmittedWhenFirstRollFails(t *testing.T) {
+	v := tuning.DefaultValues()
+	v.GoldDropChance = 0.5
+	tuning.Set(v)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { tuning.Set(tuning.DefaultValues()) })
+
+	// rng returns 0.99, 0.1, ... — first roll fails gold (< 0.5), second is potion check, etc.
+	r := rand.New(rand.NewSource(1))
+	drops := GenerateLootWithRNG(EnemyWolf, 1.0, r)
+	for _, d := range drops {
+		if d.ItemType == "gold" {
+			t.Fatal("expected no gold when first float is high and chance is 0.5")
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/model/loot_payload_test.go b/backend/internal/model/loot_payload_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c7edb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/model/loot_payload_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package model
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestSumGoldFromLootDrops(t *testing.T) {
+	drops := []LootDrop{
+		{ItemType: "gold", GoldAmount: 30, Rarity: RarityCommon},
+		{ItemType: "gold", GoldAmount: 12, Rarity: RarityCommon},
+		{ItemType: "main_hand", ItemName: "Blade", Rarity: RarityRare},
+	}
+	if g := SumGoldFromLootDrops(drops); g != 42 {
+		t.Fatalf("SumGoldFromLootDrops: want 42, got %d", g)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLootDropsToLootItems_skipsGold_includesGearAndPotion(t *testing.T) {
+	drops := []LootDrop{
+		{ItemType: "gold", GoldAmount: 99, Rarity: RarityCommon},
+		{ItemType: "potion", Rarity: RarityCommon},
+		{ItemType: "chest", ItemName: "Chainmail", Rarity: RarityUncommon},
+		{ItemType: "head", ItemName: "", Rarity: RarityCommon}, // no name → omitted
+	}
+	items := LootDropsToLootItems(drops)
+	if len(items) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("want 2 loot lines (potion + chest), got %d: %+v", len(items), items)
+	}
+	if items[0].ItemType != "potion" || items[1].ItemType != "chest" || items[1].Name != "Chainmail" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected items: %+v", items)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/tuning/loot_defaults_test.go b/backend/internal/tuning/loot_defaults_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..288db69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/tuning/loot_defaults_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package tuning
+
+import "testing"
+
+// Defaults must keep equipment drop and gold scaling positive so marginal per-slot
+// equipment chances (EquipmentDropBase × slot weight) stay non-zero.
+func TestDefaultLootTuning_nonZeroEquipmentAndGoldScale(t *testing.T) {
+	d := DefaultValues()
+	if d.EquipmentDropBase <= 0 {
+		t.Fatal("default EquipmentDropBase must be > 0 so equipment can drop")
+	}
+	if d.EquipmentDropBase > 1 {
+		t.Fatal("default EquipmentDropBase should be a probability in (0,1]")
+	}
+	if d.GoldLootScale <= 0 {
+		t.Fatal("default GoldLootScale must be > 0")
+	}
+	if d.GoldDropChance <= 0 || d.GoldDropChance > 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("default GoldDropChance must be in (0,1], got %v", d.GoldDropChance)
+	}
+	// Potion is independent; allow 0 only if explicitly intended (currently 0.05).
+	if d.PotionDropChance < 0 || d.PotionDropChance > 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("PotionDropChance out of range: %v", d.PotionDropChance)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/migrations/000036_runtime_config_merchant_encounter_weights.sql b/backend/migrations/000036_runtime_config_merchant_encounter_weights.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2dfa4c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/migrations/000036_runtime_config_merchant_encounter_weights.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+-- Lower wandering merchant encounter weights (relative to monster weight).
+UPDATE runtime_config
+SET
+    payload = payload || '{
+        "merchantEncounterWeightBase": 0.02,
+        "merchantEncounterWeightRoadBonus": 0.05
+    }'::jsonb,
+    updated_at = now()
+WHERE id = TRUE;
diff --git a/frontend/src/game/types.ts b/frontend/src/game/types.ts
index 7312ac6..97e6e75 100644
--- a/frontend/src/game/types.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/game/types.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,21 @@ export enum ArmorType {
 
 // ---- Loot ----
 
+/** Server `EquipmentSlot` strings + legacy weapon/armor labels for popup copy. */
+export type LootBonusItemSlot =
+  | 'main_hand'
+  | 'chest'
+  | 'head'
+  | 'feet'
+  | 'neck'
+  | 'hands'
+  | 'legs'
+  | 'cloak'
+  | 'finger'
+  | 'wrist'
+  | 'weapon'
+  | 'armor';
+
 export interface LootDrop {
   itemType: 'weapon' | 'armor' | 'gold';
   itemName?: string;
@@ -99,7 +114,7 @@ export interface LootDrop {
   goldAmount: number;
   /** Optional equipment drop shown together with gold (backend may return gold + item). */
   bonusItem?: {
-    itemType: 'weapon' | 'armor';
+    itemType: LootBonusItemSlot;
     rarity: Rarity;
     itemName?: string;
   };
diff --git a/frontend/src/game/ws-handler.ts b/frontend/src/game/ws-handler.ts
index 34da80d..db340b9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/game/ws-handler.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/game/ws-handler.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import type {
   ServerErrorPayload,
   EnemyState,
   LootDrop,
+  LootBonusItemSlot,
   MerchantLootPayload,
   DebuffAppliedPayload,
 } from './types';
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ export function buildLootFromCombatEnd(p: CombatEndPayload): LootDrop | null {
     itemName: equip?.name,
     bonusItem: equip
       ? {
-          itemType: equip.itemType as 'weapon' | 'armor',
+          itemType: equip.itemType as LootBonusItemSlot,
           rarity: (equip.rarity?.toLowerCase() ?? 'common') as Rarity,
           itemName: equip.name,
         }