diff --git a/src/__tests__/observer.test.ts b/src/__tests__/observer.test.ts
index 98d28e9..62bdf50 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/observer.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/observer.test.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ const mockCompanion: Companion = {
   level: 1,
   xp: 0,
   mood: 'happy',
+  availablePoints: 0,
   hatchedAt: Date.now(),
 };
 
diff --git a/src/__tests__/reasoning/observer-integration.test.ts b/src/__tests__/reasoning/observer-integration.test.ts
index 2c3352a..9577204 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/reasoning/observer-integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/reasoning/observer-integration.test.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const mockCompanion: Companion = {
   level: 1,
   xp: 0,
   mood: 'happy',
+  availablePoints: 0,
   hatchedAt: Date.now(),
 };
 
diff --git a/src/__tests__/reasoning/scrub-wiring.test.ts b/src/__tests__/reasoning/scrub-wiring.test.ts
index c718ef7..0feea71 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/reasoning/scrub-wiring.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/reasoning/scrub-wiring.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ const mock: Companion = {
   level: 1,
   xp: 0,
   mood: 'happy',
+  availablePoints: 0,
   hatchedAt: Date.now(),
 };
 
diff --git a/src/db/schema.ts b/src/db/schema.ts
index 4c1fa62..e1466ed 100644
--- a/src/db/schema.ts
+++ b/src/db/schema.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ export function initDb() {
       mood TEXT DEFAULT 'happy',
       personality_bio TEXT DEFAULT '',
       user_id TEXT,
+      stat_debugging INTEGER,
+      stat_patience INTEGER,
+      stat_chaos INTEGER,
+      stat_wisdom INTEGER,
+      stat_snark INTEGER,
+      stat_points_available INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
       created_at DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
     );
 
@@ -79,6 +85,14 @@ export function initDb() {
     db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN cc_rescue INTEGER DEFAULT 0`);
   } catch { /* column already exists */ }
 
+  // Migration: add stat columns for growth
+  try { db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN stat_debugging INTEGER`); } catch {}
+  try { db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN stat_patience INTEGER`); } catch {}
+  try { db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN stat_chaos INTEGER`); } catch {}
+  try { db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN stat_wisdom INTEGER`); } catch {}
+  try { db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN stat_snark INTEGER`); } catch {}
+  try { db.exec(`ALTER TABLE companions ADD COLUMN stat_points_available INTEGER DEFAULT 0`); } catch {}
+
   // Reasoning-layer migration (claims/edges tables + guard_mode column).
   initReasoningSchema(db);
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/companion.ts b/src/lib/companion.ts
index 22396a3..b3835b1 100644
--- a/src/lib/companion.ts
+++ b/src/lib/companion.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ export function loadCompanion(row: any, userIdOverride?: string): Companion | nu
   const xp = row.xp || 0;
   const derivedLevel = levelFromXp(xp);
 
+  // Stats priority: DB values > bones fallback
+  const stats = {
+    DEBUGGING: row.stat_debugging ?? bones.stats.DEBUGGING,
+    PATIENCE: row.stat_patience ?? bones.stats.PATIENCE,
+    CHAOS: row.stat_chaos ?? bones.stats.CHAOS,
+    WISDOM: row.stat_wisdom ?? bones.stats.WISDOM,
+    SNARK: row.stat_snark ?? bones.stats.SNARK,
+  };
+
   // Self-healing: if DB level drifted from XP-derived level, fix it
   if (row.id && row.level !== derivedLevel) {
     db.prepare('UPDATE companions SET level = ? WHERE id = ?').run(derivedLevel, row.id);
@@ -46,12 +55,14 @@ export function loadCompanion(row: any, userIdOverride?: string): Companion | nu
 
   return {
     ...bones,
+    stats,
     species: row.species,
     name: row.name,
     personalityBio: row.personality_bio || '',
     level: derivedLevel,
     xp,
     mood: row.mood,
+    availablePoints: row.stat_points_available || 0,
     hatchedAt: new Date(row.created_at).getTime(),
   };
 }
@@ -76,6 +87,7 @@ export function writeBuddyStatus(companion: Companion, reaction?: { state: strin
       eye: companion.eye,
       hat: companion.hat,
       stats: companion.stats,
+      available_points: companion.availablePoints,
       rarity_stars: RARITY_STARS[companion.rarity],
       personality_bio: companion.personalityBio,
       ...(reaction ? {
@@ -113,8 +125,14 @@ export function createCompanion(opts: {
   const bio = generateBio({ ...bones, species: finalSpecies });
 
   db.prepare(
-    'INSERT INTO companions (id, name, species, user_id, personality_bio) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)'
-  ).run(id, finalName, finalSpecies, userId, bio);
+    `INSERT INTO companions (
+      id, name, species, user_id, personality_bio,
+      stat_debugging, stat_patience, stat_chaos, stat_wisdom, stat_snark
+    ) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`
+  ).run(
+    id, finalName, finalSpecies, userId, bio,
+    bones.stats.DEBUGGING, bones.stats.PATIENCE, bones.stats.CHAOS, bones.stats.WISDOM, bones.stats.SNARK
+  );
 
   const companion: Companion = {
     ...bones,
@@ -124,6 +142,7 @@ export function createCompanion(opts: {
     level: 1,
     xp: 0,
     mood: 'happy',
+    availablePoints: 0,
     hatchedAt: Date.now(),
   };
 
@@ -196,6 +215,7 @@ export function rescueCompanion(importResult: {
     level: 1,
     xp: 0,
     mood: 'happy',
+    availablePoints: 0,
     hatchedAt,
   };
 
diff --git a/src/lib/types.ts b/src/lib/types.ts
index ec97015..399641a 100644
--- a/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export type Companion = CompanionBones & CompanionSoul & {
   level: number;
   xp: number;
   mood: string;
+  availablePoints: number;
   hatchedAt: number;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/server/index.ts b/src/server/index.ts
index 611f470..f24c065 100644
--- a/src/server/index.ts
+++ b/src/server/index.ts
@@ -65,12 +65,19 @@ function awardXp(companionId: string, eventType: string): { newXp: number; newLe
   db.prepare("INSERT INTO xp_events (id, companion_id, event_type, xp_gained) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)").run(id, companionId, eventType, xp);
 
   // Get current total XP
-  const row = db.prepare("SELECT xp, level FROM companions WHERE id = ?").get(companionId) as any;
+  const row = db.prepare("SELECT xp, level, stat_points_available FROM companions WHERE id = ?").get(companionId) as any;
   const newXp = (row?.xp || 0) + xp;
   const newLevel = levelFromXp(newXp);
   const leveledUp = newLevel > (row?.level || 1);
 
-  db.prepare("UPDATE companions SET xp = ?, level = ? WHERE id = ?").run(newXp, newLevel, companionId);
+  // Award +2 stat points per level gained
+  if (leveledUp) {
+    const levelsGained = newLevel - (row?.level || 1);
+    const newPoints = (row?.stat_points_available || 0) + (levelsGained * 2);
+    db.prepare("UPDATE companions SET xp = ?, level = ?, stat_points_available = ? WHERE id = ?").run(newXp, newLevel, newPoints, companionId);
+  } else {
+    db.prepare("UPDATE companions SET xp = ?, level = ? WHERE id = ?").run(newXp, newLevel, companionId);
+  }
 
   return { newXp, newLevel, leveledUp };
 }