diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts b/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts
index 1147078..490ec00 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/cybersigil.ts
@@ -198,6 +198,20 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 	}
 	emit(spline(spinePts), 'cs-sig-main');
 
+	// ── Terminal spike crown: long, straight, downward-converging needles
+	// off the spine tail — the dripping barbed point that ends the growth.
+	const tip = spinePts[spinePts.length - 1];
+	const fan = 5 + Math.floor(rng() * 4); // 5–8
+	for (let s = 0; s < fan; s++) {
+		const spread = (s / (fan - 1) - 0.5) * 1.5; // ~±0.75 rad around straight-down
+		const a = Math.PI / 2 + spread; // π/2 = +y (down)
+		const len = rnd(46, 78) * (1 - Math.abs(spread) * 0.35); // center longest
+		const base: Pt = [tip[0], tip[1] - rnd(0, 8)];
+		const tt: Pt = [base[0] + Math.cos(a) * len, base[1] + Math.sin(a) * len];
+		emit(`M${n(base[0])} ${n(base[1])}L${n(tt[0])} ${n(tt[1])}`, 'cs-sig-barb');
+		track(tt[0]);
+	}
+
 	// ── Branch nodes ride the spine and throw limbs outward. Nodes are
 	// inset from the very ends and spread the full height so growth flows
 	// down the whole trunk rather than clumping at the top.
@@ -212,13 +226,15 @@ export function buildCybersigil(opts: SigilOptions = {}): string {
 		const node: Pt = [a[0] + (b[0] - a[0]) * sf, a[1] + (b[1] - a[1]) * sf];
 		// later nodes lean downward so the lower trunk fills out
 		const bias = -0.25 + tc * 0.7;
+		// spike gradient: lower trunk grows longer, sharper barbs
+		const spike = 1 + tc * 1.4; // 1× top → ~2.3× bottom
 		const limbs = 1 + Math.floor(rng() * 2);
 		for (let l = 0; l < limbs; l++) {
 			const ang = bias + rnd(-0.55, 0.55);
-			limb(node[0], node[1], ang, rnd(0.65, 1.05), 1);
+			limb(node[0], node[1], ang, rnd(0.65, 1.05) * (0.8 + tc * 0.5), 1);
 		}
 		// the odd bare barb straight off the spine keeps the trunk prickly
-		if (rng() < 0.55) barb(node, bias + rnd(-0.3, 0.3), rnd(7, 14));
+		if (rng() < 0.55) barb(node, bias + rnd(-0.3, 0.3), rnd(7, 14) * spike);
 	}
 
 	const half = parts.join('');