Fix it. Name it.
Dismantle.

Fix A — remove one stray 1

Explorer → ServerScriptService → Services → RespawnService

1. Open RespawnService (a ModuleScript).
2. Find print(player.Name, "spawn protection ended") (around line 54 in the version we checked).
3. There is an extra 1 immediately before that print. Delete only the extra 1. Keep the print line.

print(player.Name, "spawn protection ended")

Fix B — make the 1 key work

Explorer → StarterPlayer → StarterPlayerScripts → CombatClient

Two different starting files: Henry's CursedPandemonium_phase1.rbxl already has the Dismantle keypress code, but it's wrongly placed inside F/Block. The Qwerty reference file dcPhase1.rbxl has no Dismantle keypress code yet. They need different fixes.

1. Open CombatClient (a LocalScript). Find UserInputService.InputBegan:Connect(function(input, gameProcessed).
2. Find the F = Block section. Look for if input.KeyCode == Enum.KeyCode.One then anywhere in this same InputBegan function.
3. Henry: If the 1-key block is inside the F block, move that existing block below F's closing end. Don't make a second copy.
4. Reference file / other place with no 1 block: add only the four-line 1-key block from the example below, after F's closing end but before the existing InputBegan closing end).
5. If a 1-key block already exists after F and inside InputBegan, leave it alone. Do not paste duplicate code.

-- Hold F = Block
if input.KeyCode == Enum.KeyCode.F then
    combatAction:FireServer("BlockStart")
end

-- Press 1 = Dismantle
if input.KeyCode == Enum.KeyCode.One then
    print("Dismantle request sent")
    combatAction:FireServer("Dismantle")
end

Important: Both if blocks must stay inside the original InputBegan function, above its end). Keep your Q, R, M1 and F release code intact. If your current F section contains extra logic, keep it; just move the Dismantle branch outside it.

While comparing your project with the reference version, we noticed four objects all called SpawnLocation, plus other map objects with generic names like Part.

Why it matters: a team can't build or debug a game if everyone has to click through a pile of anonymous objects to find the right wall or spawn. Good names tell the next developer what each thing is and does. They also make your own scripts much easier to work with.

1. Open Explorer → Workspace. Click each spawn and see where it is in the arena.
2. Rename the four existing spawns Spawn1, Spawn2, Spawn3, Spawn4 — the convention in the reference project. Pick a consistent order you can explain.
3. Find the generic arena Parts. Rename each for its actual job and position. For example: Arena_NorthWall, Arena_SouthWall, Arena_EastWall, Arena_WestWall, or Arena_Floor if it's genuinely the floor.
4. There are five additional map parts in the version we compared. Make sure all five have useful, unique names, not just the walls.

Rename only. Don't delete, move, resize or change the object type. A SpawnLocation stays a SpawnLocation. Don't rename any scripts, RemoteEvents or service folders.

Stop any old playtest. Save your project. Choose Play (F5), not Run (F8). Run starts a simulation without your character, so pressing keys will not test the same thing.

1. In Studio, open Output (from the Window menu or Script tab). Clear old messages if useful. Make sure the Output text filter is empty.
2. Click inside the live game viewport to give it keyboard focus. Don't leave the cursor inside the code editor or chat.
3. Press 1 once. Look for Dismantle request sent, marked Client · CombatClient.
4. Try Q Dash, R Dodge and F Block (hold and release). Check HP/CE HUD. For a complete baseline, use a two-player Studio test for M1 damage and respawn.
5. Check Output for red errors from your game scripts.

First check the client. Only continue if Step 03 showed Dismantle request sent when you pressed 1. That message comes from CombatClient, not RespawnService.

A. Add one small server branch (if it is missing)

Explorer → ServerScriptService → CombatActionHandler · Script

1. Stop the playtest and open CombatActionHandler.
2. Find the existing combatAction.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(player, action) handler and its if action == "M1" then chain.
3. Look below BlockEnd. If you already added the Dismantle branch, don't add it again.
4. Otherwise insert only these two lines after the BlockEnd action, before the matching final end of the action chain.

elseif action == "Dismantle" then
    print("[Server] Received Dismantle from", player.Name)

Check the ending: the bottom of your existing handler should look like this. For comparison only—do not paste a second BlockEnd branch.

elseif action == "BlockEnd" then
    CombatService.SetBlocking(player, false)

elseif action == "Dismantle" then
    print("[Server] Received Dismantle from", player.Name)
end

end)

The first end closes the action chain; end) closes OnServerEvent:Connect(...). Keep all existing M1, Dash, Dodge and Block logic above these lines. No new RemoteEvent and no new listener.

B. Test the client and server, one press

1. Press Play (F5). Confirm your avatar appears. Stay in Client mode.
2. Open Output. Clear previous messages. Make sure there is no text or context filter hiding Client or Server messages.
3. Click in the live 3D game, then press 1 once.
4. Find both of the following messages. Roblox may add a timestamp, script name and line number.

Dismantle request sent

[Server] Received Dismantle from qwertykidsDC

The username will be your own if you're not logged in as qwertykidsDC. The [Server] inside the message is text from our print; Roblox also labels where that message came from.

Only start if you personally saw both Dismantle messages in Step 04. This is a visual-only preview: no damage, hitbox, CE cost or cooldown.

1. Stop the playtest. Open ServerScriptService → CombatActionHandler.
2. Find the elseif action == "Dismantle" then branch you just tested.
3. Add the following inside this branch, directly under print("[Server] Received Dismantle from", player.Name) and before the action chain's closing end.
4. Keep that original server print. Don't replace the entire handler or create a new script.

local character = player.Character
local humanoid = character and character:FindFirstChildOfClass("Humanoid")
local root = character and character:FindFirstChild("HumanoidRootPart")

if humanoid and humanoid.Health > 0 and root then
    local slash = Instance.new("Part")
    slash.Name = "DismantlePreview"
    slash.Anchored = true
    slash.CanCollide = false
    slash.CanTouch = false
    slash.CanQuery = false
    slash.Material = Enum.Material.Neon
    slash.Color = Color3.fromRGB(245, 245, 255)
    slash.Size = Vector3.new(6, 2, 0.2)
    slash.CFrame = root.CFrame
        * CFrame.new(0, 1, -5)
        * CFrame.Angles(0, 0, math.rad(25))
    slash.Parent = workspace
    print("[Server] DismantlePreview created")
    game:GetService("Debris"):AddItem(slash, 1)
end

Don't miss this: The code has one end closing its own if humanoid ... then. Keep the original end and end) below it. It is not a replacement for either of them.

Test the visible result

1. Press Play (F5), click inside the live game and face an open area.
2. Press 1 once. Look in front of your character for a pale angled part that appears for one second.
3. Output should show the Client message, the Server received message, and [Server] DismantlePreview created. No red script errors.
4. Check Q, R and F still work. Save the Roblox place when finished.

Start here only if Step 05 worked: pressing 1 produced [Server] DismantlePreview created and you saw the pale slash. Save your working Roblox place before changing anything.

Right now, the slash appears like a sign and vanishes. Let's make it grow and fade. Roblox's TweenService animates properties for us.

WORKING DEFAULT: the 0.45 seconds in TweenInfo is how long the visual animation lasts. Try 0.25 for a snappier slash or 0.7 for a slower one. This is not the 0.6-second ability windup Henry specified; that comes later.

1. Stop the playtest. Open ServerScriptService → CombatActionHandler (a Script).
2. Find elseif action == "Dismantle" then. Inside that branch, find these two existing lines near its bottom:

print("[Server] DismantlePreview created")
game:GetService("Debris"):AddItem(slash, 1)

3. Insert this entire snippet between those two lines. Do not replace either one. Keep it inside if humanoid and humanoid.Health > 0 and root then.

game:GetService("TweenService"):Create(
    slash,
    TweenInfo.new(0.45, Enum.EasingStyle.Quad),
    {
        Size = Vector3.new(9, 3, 0.2),
        Transparency = 1
    }
):Play()

No other changes. In particular, keep game:GetService("Debris"):AddItem(slash, 1); it still cleans up the Part.

Test 06 · One growing slash

1. Press Play (F5), click the live game viewport, face some empty space and press 1 once.
2. The pale slash should now expand and fade instead of staying still for a full second. Cleanup still happens automatically.
3. Output should still show Dismantle request sent, [Server] Received Dismantle from ... and [Server] DismantlePreview created. There should be no new red script errors.

Let's make the visual more distinctive: one bright slash and one black crossing stroke. This changes only the appearance, not the attack rules. HENRY'S SPEC: a white-and-black slash. WORKING DEFAULT: the second stroke's angle, width and animation timing. Change those and see how the effect feels.

1. Stop the playtest. Open the same CombatActionHandler Script.
2. Find the Step 06 animation, which ends with ):Play().
3. Directly after that ):Play() but before game:GetService("Debris"):AddItem(slash, 1), paste the snippet below. Keep the original pale slash and its cleanup.

local darkSlash = slash:Clone()
darkSlash.Name = "DismantleDarkPreview"
darkSlash.Color = Color3.fromRGB(16, 16, 22)
darkSlash.Transparency = 0.1
darkSlash.Size = Vector3.new(5, 1.5, 0.2)
darkSlash.CFrame = slash.CFrame
    * CFrame.Angles(0, 0, math.rad(-55))
    * CFrame.new(0, 0, -0.35)
darkSlash.Parent = workspace

game:GetService("TweenService"):Create(
    darkSlash,
    TweenInfo.new(0.45, Enum.EasingStyle.Quad),
    {
        Size = Vector3.new(7, 2.2, 0.2),
        Transparency = 1
    }
):Play()

game:GetService("Debris"):AddItem(darkSlash, 1)
print("[Server] DismantleDarkPreview created")

Important: The darkSlash block still belongs inside the same if humanoid ... then. Do not paste below its closing end, and don't duplicate any elseif or event handler.

Test 07 · Two visible strokes

1. Press Play (F5), click inside the playing game, face open space and press 1 once.
2. You should see two crossing strokes expand and fade. Both clean up automatically.
3. Output should include the previous three messages plus [Server] DismantleDarkPreview created. Check for new red script errors.

No more new code in this step. Roblox is multiplayer: a visual that works for one client isn't yet a tested multiplayer effect.

HENRY'S GAME RULE: the server validates actions. A shared visual created by the server should be visible to both players. WORKING DEFAULT: two players for this quick test; the game can be tested with larger groups later.

1. Stop the solo playtest. In Studio's testing mode dropdown select Server & Clients, choose 2 clients and press Play (or F7).
2. In Client 1, click the game viewport and press 1 once. Watch both client windows. The slash should appear in front of Player 1 for both clients.
3. In Client 2, click the game viewport and press 1. Again, watch both client windows. The slash should now appear in front of Player 2 for both clients.
4. Check that Q, R, F, health/CE UI and existing combat still work. Look for new red script errors in the Output of any session.
5. Use End Session. Save a new copy of the Roblox place with your working visual prototype intact.

The next separate build should move ability visuals into a modular service and implement Henry's confirmed damage, CE, cooldown, windup and hit validation rules. Those are not part of this visual prototype.