diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index abe251c..9a58353 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ test-results
 playwright-report
 .playwright-mcp/
 src/types/ocf.generated.ts
+screenshots/
diff --git a/scripts/shoot-fixture.mjs b/scripts/shoot-fixture.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4928bc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/shoot-fixture.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Dev-only screenshot helper: renders a fixture (optionally a specific frame)
+// to a PNG so we can eyeball the dribble/around-player output and iterate.
+// Usage: node scripts/shoot-fixture.mjs <fixture> [frame] [outPath]
+// Requires: npm run build (so dist/ + the browser bundle exist) first.
+import { createServer } from "node:http";
+import { readFileSync, existsSync } from "node:fs";
+import { extname, join, resolve, sep } from "node:path";
+import { chromium } from "playwright";
+
+const root = resolve(import.meta.dirname, "..");
+const [, , fixture, frameArg, outArg] = process.argv;
+if (!fixture) {
+  console.error("usage: node scripts/shoot-fixture.mjs <fixture> [frame] [outPath]");
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+const frame = frameArg ?? "0";
+const out = outArg ?? join(root, "screenshots", `${fixture}-f${frame}.png`);
+
+const MIME = {
+  ".html": "text/html", ".js": "text/javascript", ".mjs": "text/javascript",
+  ".json": "application/json", ".css": "text/css", ".png": "image/png",
+};
+
+const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+  const urlPath = decodeURIComponent(req.url.split("?")[0]);
+  // Resolve within root and confirm the result stays inside it, so a crafted
+  // `../` path can't escape the served directory (path-traversal guard).
+  const filePath = resolve(root, "." + urlPath);
+  const rootPrefix = root.endsWith(sep) ? root : root + sep;
+  if (filePath !== root && !filePath.startsWith(rootPrefix)) {
+    res.writeHead(403); res.end("forbidden"); return;
+  }
+  if (!existsSync(filePath)) { res.writeHead(404); res.end("not found"); return; }
+  res.writeHead(200, { "Content-Type": MIME[extname(filePath)] ?? "application/octet-stream" });
+  res.end(readFileSync(filePath));
+});
+
+await new Promise((r) => server.listen(4173, r));
+const browser = await chromium.launch();
+const page = await browser.newPage({ viewport: { width: 820, height: 620 } });
+const errors = [];
+page.on("pageerror", (e) => errors.push(e.message));
+await page.goto(`http://localhost:4173/examples/render-fixture.html?fixture=${fixture}&frame=${frame}`);
+try {
+  await page.waitForSelector("canvas[data-rendered='true']", { timeout: 8000 });
+} catch {
+  console.error("render failed:", errors.join("; ") || "(no page errors)");
+  await browser.close(); server.close(); process.exit(1);
+}
+await page.locator("canvas").screenshot({ path: out });
+console.log("wrote", out);
+await browser.close();
+server.close();
diff --git a/src/__fixtures__/around-player-arc.json b/src/__fixtures__/around-player-arc.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bde43c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__fixtures__/around-player-arc.json
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://opencoachingformat.org/schema/v1.json",
+  "sport": "basketball",
+  "meta": { "id": "3c9f7a2e-4b1d-4e6f-8a0c-2d5e9a1b3c7f", "title": "Curl around a screen (side + arc)", "description": "Shooter curls tight around a down-screen; the action-level defaults are overridden on the curl step.", "created": "2026-08-28T10:00:00Z", "source_format": "open" },
+  "court": { "ruleset": "fiba", "type": "half_court", "drill_focus": "offense" },
+  "entities": [
+    { "type": "offense", "nr": 2, "x": -6.75, "y": 13.98 },
+    { "type": "offense", "nr": 5, "x": -2.45, "y": 8.2 }
+  ],
+  "balls": [ { "id": "ball_1", "carried_by": "offense_2" } ],
+  "frames": [
+    {
+      "id": "f1",
+      "label": "Curl",
+      "description": "offense_2 curls tightly around offense_5's screen, passing on the right of the screener.",
+      "actions": [
+        { "player": "offense_2", "type": "cut", "variant": "curl", "side": "left", "arc": "normal",
+          "moves": [ { "to": { "named": "right_elbow" }, "around_player": "offense_5", "side": "right", "arc": "tight", "intensity": "fast" } ] }
+      ],
+      "end_state": { "offense_2": { "named": "right_elbow" } }
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/src/actions/resolve-action-path.test.ts b/src/actions/resolve-action-path.test.ts
index b138999..ab10a63 100644
--- a/src/actions/resolve-action-path.test.ts
+++ b/src/actions/resolve-action-path.test.ts
@@ -93,17 +93,25 @@ describe("resolveActionPath", () => {
       balls: {},
     };
 
-    it("inserts an obstacle-clearing waypoint for around_player", () => {
+    it("inserts a three-point clearing arc around around_player", () => {
       const action: Action = {
         type: "cut",
         player: "offense_1",
         moves: [{ to: { x: 0, y: 11 }, around_player: "defense_1" }],
       };
       const path = resolveActionPath(action, aroundState, transformer)!;
-      expect(path.length).toBe(3);
+      // start, approach, apex, exit, destination
+      expect(path.length).toBe(5);
       expect(path[0].equals(transformer.resolveToWorld({ x: 0, y: 5 }))).toBe(true);
-      expect(path[2].equals(transformer.resolveToWorld({ x: 0, y: 11 }))).toBe(true);
-      expect(path[1].x).not.toBeCloseTo(0, 5);
+      expect(path[path.length - 1].equals(transformer.resolveToWorld({ x: 0, y: 11 }))).toBe(true);
+      // Every interior waypoint is pushed off the (x = 0) travel line to one side.
+      for (let i = 1; i < path.length - 1; i++) expect(path[i].x).not.toBeCloseTo(0, 5);
+      const sign = Math.sign(path[1].x);
+      for (let i = 1; i < path.length - 1; i++) expect(Math.sign(path[i].x)).toBe(sign);
+      // The apex (middle) clears the obstacle by more than the player symbol radius.
+      const obstacle = transformer.resolveToWorld({ x: 0, y: 8 });
+      const apex = path[2];
+      expect(Math.abs(apex.x - obstacle.x)).toBeGreaterThan(0.5);
     });
 
     it("routes around the obstacle on a deterministic side for collinear points", () => {
@@ -171,7 +179,10 @@ describe("resolveActionPath", () => {
       const custom = resolveActionPath(action, aroundState, transformer, {
         arcDistances: { tight: 0.2, normal: 2.0, wide: 3.0 },
       })!;
-      expect(custom[1].distanceTo(obstacleWorld)).toBeCloseTo(2.0, 5);
+      // For a head-on obstacle (collinear), the apex (middle point) sits exactly
+      // `distance` to the side of the obstacle centre.
+      const apex = custom[2];
+      expect(Math.abs(apex.x - obstacleWorld.x)).toBeCloseTo(2.0, 5);
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/actions/resolve-action-path.ts b/src/actions/resolve-action-path.ts
index 5a4ba21..65ab8c3 100644
--- a/src/actions/resolve-action-path.ts
+++ b/src/actions/resolve-action-path.ts
@@ -2,21 +2,25 @@ import * as THREE from "three";
 import type { Action } from "../types/ocf";
 import type { ResolvedFrameState } from "../parser/resolve-frame-state";
 import { CoordinateTransformer } from "../court/coordinate-transformer";
+import { OFFENSE_SYMBOL_RADIUS_M } from "../entities/offense-symbol";
 
 /** How far (court units) the around_player detour waypoint sits from the
- *  obstacle, per `arc` value. The renderer owns this enum→distance mapping
- *  (RFC 0004); `normal` keeps the historical 0.6 so absent/`normal` arcs are
- *  unchanged. Overridable via {@link ResolveActionPathOptions.arcDistances}. */
+ *  obstacle's CENTER, per `arc` value. The renderer owns this enum→distance
+ *  mapping (RFC 0004). Values must clear the player symbol (radius
+ *  {@link OFFENSE_SYMBOL_RADIUS_M} = 0.5 court units) with a visible margin, so
+ *  the detour actually arcs *around* the player instead of cutting through the
+ *  symbol. Overridable via {@link ResolveActionPathOptions.arcDistances}. */
 export interface ArcDistances {
   tight: number;
   normal: number;
   wide: number;
 }
 
+// Clearance = symbol radius + a per-arc gap (tight brushes past, wide swings out).
 export const DEFAULT_ARC_DISTANCES: ArcDistances = {
-  tight: 0.35,
-  normal: 0.6,
-  wide: 0.9,
+  tight: OFFENSE_SYMBOL_RADIUS_M + 0.35, // ~0.85
+  normal: OFFENSE_SYMBOL_RADIUS_M + 0.7, // ~1.2
+  wide: OFFENSE_SYMBOL_RADIUS_M + 1.2, // ~1.7
 };
 
 export interface ResolveActionPathOptions {
@@ -71,8 +75,25 @@ function expandMoveSteps(
       }
       const arc = move.arc ?? "normal";
       const distance = arcDistances[arc];
-      const waypoint = obstacle.clone().addScaledVector(side, distance);
-      points.push(waypoint);
+
+      // The apex sits right next to the obstacle, pushed `distance` to the chosen
+      // side of the player's centre — this is the "wrap around the player" point.
+      const apex = obstacle.clone().addScaledVector(side, distance);
+
+      // Round the corner: place an approach point between current→apex and an
+      // exit point between apex→destination, each nudged toward the apex side so
+      // the smoothing spline eases in and out instead of kinking at the apex.
+      // The nudge is a fraction of the clearance, capped so it can't overshoot
+      // short legs.
+      const easeSide = distance * 0.4;
+      const approachT = 0.5; // midpoint of the current→apex leg
+      const exitT = 0.5; // midpoint of the apex→destination leg
+      const approach = current.clone().lerp(apex, approachT).addScaledVector(side, easeSide);
+      const exit = apex.clone().lerp(destination, exitT).addScaledVector(side, easeSide);
+
+      points.push(approach);
+      points.push(apex);
+      points.push(exit);
     }
     points.push(destination);
     current = destination;
diff --git a/src/actions/wavy-line.ts b/src/actions/wavy-line.ts
index 592a12d..316a498 100644
--- a/src/actions/wavy-line.ts
+++ b/src/actions/wavy-line.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ import * as THREE from "three";
 import { tangentBetween, perpendicularOf } from "../paths/tangent";
 import { smoothPath, resamplePath } from "../paths/smooth-path";
 
-// Tuned toward the values measured off TheHoopsGeek's dribble line (a calm,
-// broad serpentine rather than a tight ripple). Court-unit scale.
-const WAVELENGTH = 1.8; // broad waves (measured ~2.28)
-const AMPLITUDE = 0.4; // (measured ~0.55); visibly waved but not cartoonish
+// An even zig-zag texture *along* the dribble path — matching how coaching tools
+// (see the reference drill PDFs) draw dribbles: regular, clearly-visible waves
+// that read as "dribbling" without becoming a giant serpentine. Court-unit scale.
+const WAVELENGTH = 0.9; // tight, regular waves — several crests over a typical dribble
+const AMPLITUDE = 0.3; // clearly visible, matching the reference drills' zig-zag
 // Resolution of the emitted curve — dense enough to read as a true curve.
 const SAMPLES_PER_UNIT = 24;
 const MIN_SAMPLES = 64;
diff --git a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-0-chromium-darwin.png b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-0-chromium-darwin.png
index d0e3a93..1284a74 100644
Binary files a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-0-chromium-darwin.png and b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-0-chromium-darwin.png differ
diff --git a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-1-chromium-darwin.png b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-1-chromium-darwin.png
index 9632ef5..4699b9d 100644
Binary files a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-1-chromium-darwin.png and b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-1-chromium-darwin.png differ
diff --git a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-2-chromium-darwin.png b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-2-chromium-darwin.png
index ed64467..ef64876 100644
Binary files a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-2-chromium-darwin.png and b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/pick-and-roll-2-chromium-darwin.png differ
diff --git a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/source-four-frame-ball-screen-4-chromium-darwin.png b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/source-four-frame-ball-screen-4-chromium-darwin.png
index 91c80f7..7da385b 100644
Binary files a/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/source-four-frame-ball-screen-4-chromium-darwin.png and b/tests/visual/tactical-print.spec.ts-snapshots/source-four-frame-ball-screen-4-chromium-darwin.png differ