diff --git a/brain-trails/components/dashboard/CharacterCard.tsx b/brain-trails/components/dashboard/CharacterCard.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3eb7559
--- /dev/null
+++ b/brain-trails/components/dashboard/CharacterCard.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { motion } from "framer-motion";
+import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { Flame, Star, Scroll, Timer, GraduationCap, Layers, PenTool, Coins } from "lucide-react";
+import { useAuth } from "@/context/AuthContext";
+import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
+import { useQuests } from "@/hooks/useQuests";
+import OwlCompanion from "@/components/ui/OwlCompanion";
+
+/**
+ * Habitica-style "character sheet" — the dashboard hero. Avatar + three vitality
+ * bars (streak / XP / today's quests) + the gold purse + the do-a-thing actions.
+ */
+function levelTitle(level: number): string {
+  if (level >= 40) return "Archmage of Study";
+  if (level >= 25) return "Grand Scholar";
+  if (level >= 15) return "Adept";
+  if (level >= 7) return "Scholar";
+  if (level >= 3) return "Apprentice";
+  return "Novice";
+}
+
+export default function CharacterCard() {
+  const { profile } = useAuth();
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
+  const router = useRouter();
+  const { quests } = useQuests();
+  const isSun = theme === "sun";
+
+  const name = profile?.display_name || profile?.username || "Traveler";
+  const level = profile?.level ?? 1;
+  const xp = profile?.xp ?? 0;
+  const streak = profile?.streak_days ?? 0;
+  const gold = profile?.gold ?? 0;
+
+  const xpIntoLevel = Math.max(0, xp - (level - 1) * 1000);
+  const xpPct = Math.min(xpIntoLevel / 1000, 1) * 100;
+
+  // Streak "vitality" — fills toward the next milestone (7 / 30 / 100).
+  const tiers = [7, 30, 100];
+  const nextTier = tiers.find((t) => streak < t) ?? 100;
+  const prevTier = [0, ...tiers].filter((t) => t <= streak).pop() ?? 0;
+  const streakPct = nextTier > prevTier ? ((streak - prevTier) / (nextTier - prevTier)) * 100 : 100;
+
+  const doneToday = quests.filter((q) => q.period === "daily" && q.is_completed).length;
+  const totalToday = quests.filter((q) => q.period === "daily").length;
+  const questPct = totalToday > 0 ? (doneToday / totalToday) * 100 : 0;
+
+  const card = isSun ? "bg-white border-slate-200" : "bg-slate-900/80 border-white/10";
+  const ink = isSun ? "text-slate-900" : "text-white";
+  const sub = isSun ? "text-slate-500" : "text-slate-400";
+  const track = isSun ? "bg-slate-100" : "bg-white/10";
+
+  const Bar = ({ icon, label, value, pct, from, to }: {
+    icon: React.ReactNode; label: string; value: string; pct: number; from: string; to: string;
+  }) => (
+    <div>
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between mb-1">
+        <span className={`flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide ${sub}`}>{icon}{label}</span>
+        <span className={`text-[11px] font-bold ${ink} tabular-nums`}>{value}</span>
+      </div>
+      <div className={`h-2.5 rounded-full overflow-hidden ${track}`}>
+        <motion.div
+          className={`h-full rounded-full bg-gradient-to-r ${from} ${to}`}
+          initial={{ width: 0 }}
+          animate={{ width: `${Math.max(pct, 3)}%` }}
+          transition={{ duration: 0.8, ease: "easeOut" }}
+        />
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+
+  const action = (label: string, icon: React.ReactNode, href: string, primary?: boolean) => (
+    <button
+      onClick={() => router.push(href)}
+      className={`flex flex-col items-center gap-1.5 py-3 rounded-2xl text-xs font-bold transition-colors ${
+        primary
+          ? "bg-violet-600 text-white hover:bg-violet-700"
+          : isSun ? "bg-slate-50 text-slate-700 hover:bg-slate-100" : "bg-white/5 text-slate-200 hover:bg-white/10"
+      }`}
+    >
+      <span className={primary ? "text-white" : "text-violet-500"}>{icon}</span>
+      {label}
+    </button>
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <motion.div
+      initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 16 }}
+      animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
+      transition={{ duration: 0.5 }}
+      className={`w-full rounded-3xl border ${card} p-5 sm:p-6 shadow-sm`}
+    >
+      {/* Identity row */}
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-4">
+        <div className={`relative w-20 h-20 rounded-2xl flex items-center justify-center shrink-0 ${isSun ? "bg-violet-50" : "bg-violet-500/10"}`}>
+          <OwlCompanion mood={streak > 0 ? "celebrating" : "idle"} showName={false} className="w-[78px] h-[78px]" />
+          <span className="absolute -bottom-2 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-violet-600 text-white text-[10px] font-bold shadow">
+            Lv {level}
+          </span>
+        </div>
+        <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
+          <h2 className={`text-xl font-bold font-[family-name:var(--font-nunito)] truncate ${ink}`}>{name}</h2>
+          <p className={`text-xs font-semibold ${sub}`}>{levelTitle(level)}</p>
+        </div>
+        <div className={`flex items-center gap-1.5 px-3 py-2 rounded-xl shrink-0 ${isSun ? "bg-amber-50" : "bg-amber-500/10"}`}>
+          <Coins className="w-4 h-4 text-amber-500" />
+          <span className="text-sm font-bold text-amber-500 tabular-nums">{gold.toLocaleString()}</span>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Vitality bars */}
+      <div className="grid sm:grid-cols-3 gap-3 mt-5">
+        <Bar icon={<Flame className="w-3.5 h-3.5 text-rose-500" />} label="Streak" value={`${streak}d`} pct={streakPct} from="from-rose-500" to="to-orange-500" />
+        <Bar icon={<Star className="w-3.5 h-3.5 text-amber-500" />} label="Level" value={`${xpIntoLevel}/1000`} pct={xpPct} from="from-amber-400" to="to-yellow-500" />
+        <Bar icon={<Scroll className="w-3.5 h-3.5 text-violet-500" />} label="Dailies" value={`${doneToday}/${totalToday}`} pct={questPct} from="from-violet-500" to="to-fuchsia-500" />
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Do-a-thing actions */}
+      <div className="grid grid-cols-4 gap-2 mt-5">
+        {action("Focus", <Timer className="w-5 h-5" />, "/focus", true)}
+        {action("Trial", <GraduationCap className="w-5 h-5" />, "/quiz")}
+        {action("Review", <Layers className="w-5 h-5" />, "/flashcards")}
+        {action("Write", <PenTool className="w-5 h-5" />, "/notes")}
+      </div>
+    </motion.div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/brain-trails/components/dashboard/Dashboard.tsx b/brain-trails/components/dashboard/Dashboard.tsx
index ca2898f..a2928a3 100644
--- a/brain-trails/components/dashboard/Dashboard.tsx
+++ b/brain-trails/components/dashboard/Dashboard.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import { motion } from "framer-motion";
 import QuestLog from "./QuestLog";
-import StudyRoom from "./StudyRoom";
+import CharacterCard from "./CharacterCard";
 import TopStatsBar from "./TopStatsBar";
 import LeaderboardPodium from "./LeaderboardPodium";
 import ActivityFeed from "./ActivityFeed";
@@ -13,90 +13,61 @@ import AmbientPlayer from "../ui/AmbientPlayer";
 import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
 
 /**
- * Dashboard - Glassmorphism Layout
- * Centerpiece owl, left study profile, right community hub, bottom adventures
+ * Dashboard — an "adventurer's board" (Habitica-flavoured): character sheet on
+ * top, today's dailies front-and-centre, party + subjects to the side.
  */
 export default function Dashboard() {
   const { theme } = useTheme();
   const isSun = theme === "sun";
 
+  const panel = isSun
+    ? "bg-white/70 border-white/60 backdrop-blur-xl"
+    : "bg-white/[0.04] border-white/[0.08] backdrop-blur-xl";
+
   return (
     <div className={`min-h-screen relative overflow-hidden bg-transparent ${isSun ? "text-slate-800" : "text-white"}`}>
       <BackgroundLayer />
       <DashboardTour />
 
-      <div className="relative min-h-screen flex flex-col z-10 pt-3 pb-24 px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-10 max-w-[1440px] mx-auto">
-        {/* Minimal Top Nav */}
-        <header className="w-full mb-2 relative">
+      <div className="relative min-h-screen flex flex-col z-10 pt-3 pb-24 px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-10 max-w-[1280px] mx-auto">
+        <header className="w-full mb-4">
           <TopStatsBar />
         </header>
 
-        {/* MAIN CONTENT */}
-        <main className="flex-1 flex flex-col items-center w-full gap-4 lg:gap-5">
-          
-          {/* Top Row: Left Panel | Centerpiece Owl | Right Panel */}
-          <div className="w-full flex flex-col lg:flex-row items-center lg:items-start justify-center gap-4 lg:gap-6 relative">
-            
-            {/* Left Side - My Study Profile */}
-            <motion.aside
-              initial={{ opacity: 0, x: -30 }}
-              animate={{ opacity: 1, x: 0 }}
-              transition={{ delay: 0.1, duration: 0.6 }}
-              className="w-full lg:w-[280px] xl:w-[300px] order-2 lg:order-1 flex-shrink-0"
-            >
-              <SyllabusWidget />
-            </motion.aside>
+        {/* Character sheet hero */}
+        <CharacterCard />
 
-            {/* Centerpiece - Owl Mascot & Floating Stats */}
+        {/* Board: dailies (main) + party/subjects (side) */}
+        <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-5 mt-5">
+          <div className="lg:col-span-2 flex flex-col gap-5">
             <motion.section
-              initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.95 }}
-              animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1 }}
-              transition={{ delay: 0.15, duration: 0.7 }}
-              className="order-1 lg:order-2 flex-1 flex flex-col items-center justify-start relative z-20 min-h-[340px] lg:min-h-[400px]"
+              initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }}
+              animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
+              transition={{ delay: 0.1 }}
+              className={`rounded-3xl border p-5 sm:p-6 ${panel}`}
             >
-              <StudyRoom />
+              <QuestLog />
             </motion.section>
 
-            {/* Right Side - Community Hub */}
-            <motion.aside
-              initial={{ opacity: 0, x: 30 }}
-              animate={{ opacity: 1, x: 0 }}
-              transition={{ delay: 0.1, duration: 0.6 }}
-              className="w-full lg:w-[280px] xl:w-[300px] order-3 lg:order-3 flex-shrink-0"
+            <motion.section
+              initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }}
+              animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
+              transition={{ delay: 0.18 }}
+              className={`rounded-3xl border p-5 sm:p-6 ${panel}`}
             >
+              <ActivityFeed />
+            </motion.section>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="flex flex-col gap-5">
+            <motion.aside initial={{ opacity: 0, x: 24 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, x: 0 }} transition={{ delay: 0.12 }}>
+              <SyllabusWidget />
+            </motion.aside>
+            <motion.aside initial={{ opacity: 0, x: 24 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, x: 0 }} transition={{ delay: 0.2 }}>
               <LeaderboardPodium />
             </motion.aside>
           </div>
-
-          {/* Bottom Center - Adventures & Activity */}
-          <motion.div
-            initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 30 }}
-            animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
-            transition={{ delay: 0.25, duration: 0.6 }}
-            className="w-full max-w-4xl order-4 z-20"
-          >
-            <div className={`rounded-[28px] p-5 sm:p-7 flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-6 border backdrop-blur-xl ${
-              isSun 
-                ? "bg-white/30 border-white/50 shadow-[0_8px_32px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)]" 
-                : "bg-white/[0.04] border-white/[0.08] shadow-[0_8px_32px_rgba(0,0,0,0.3)]"
-            }`}
-            style={{
-              boxShadow: isSun 
-                ? "0 8px 32px rgba(0,0,0,0.06), inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.6)" 
-                : "0 8px 32px rgba(0,0,0,0.3), inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.05), 0 0 0 1px rgba(255,255,255,0.03)"
-            }}
-            >
-              <div className={`flex-1 border-b md:border-b-0 md:border-r pb-5 md:pb-0 md:pr-6 ${
-                isSun ? "border-slate-200/50" : "border-white/[0.06]"
-              }`}>
-                <QuestLog />
-              </div>
-              <div className="flex-1">
-                <ActivityFeed />
-              </div>
-            </div>
-          </motion.div>
-        </main>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       <AmbientPlayer />