diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 1e41034..ccbccf5 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -138,65 +138,19 @@ python3 "$(dirname "$0")/../standalone/devour_unlocker.py" unlock --all 2>&1 | t
 
 echo "[*] Installed to $GAME_DIR"
 # Auto-set Steam launch options for Proton silently (so user never needs manual WINEDLLOVERRIDES)
+# Uses scripts/vdf_patch.py — bash-escaped heredoc python caused \\\" corruption before.
 if [[ "$OS" == "linux" ]]; then
-  patched_any=0
-  for lc in "$HOME/.local/share/Steam/userdata/"*/config/localconfig.vdf; do
-    if [[ -f "$lc" ]] && grep -q '"1274570"' "$lc"; then
-      cp "$lc" "$lc.bak.$(date +%s)" 2>/dev/null || true
-      python3 -c "
-import pathlib, re, sys
-lc=sys.argv[1]
-LAUNCH='WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\\\\\"version=n,b\\\\\" %command%'
-p=pathlib.Path(lc)
-txt=p.read_text(errors='ignore')
-lines=txt.splitlines(True)
-patched=0
-i=0
-while i < len(lines)-1:
-    if lines[i].strip()=='\"1274570\"' and lines[i].startswith('\t'*5) and lines[i+1].strip()=='{' and lines[i+1].startswith('\t'*5):
-        start=i+1; depth=1; j=i+2; found=None; found_idx=None; end=None
-        while j < len(lines):
-            s=lines[j].strip()
-            if s=='{': depth+=1
-            elif s=='}':
-                depth-=1
-                if depth==0: end=j; break
-            if s.startswith('\"LaunchOptions\"') and lines[j].startswith('\t'*6):
-                found=lines[j]; found_idx=j
-            j+=1
-        if end is None: i=j+1; continue
-        if found_idx is not None:
-            if 'version=n,b' in found and 'WINEDLLOVERRIDES' in found:
-                if '\\\\\"version=n,b\\\\\"' not in found or '%command%' not in found:
-                    lines[found_idx]='\t'*6+'\"LaunchOptions\"\t\t\"'+LAUNCH+'\"\n'; print(f'[*] {lc}: fixed escaping/truncated'); patched+=1
-            else:
-                import re as _re
-                m=_re.search(r'\"LaunchOptions\"\s+\"([^\"]*)\"', found)
-                ex=m.group(1) if m else ''
-                exu=ex.replace('\\\\\"','\"')
-                if 'WINEDLLOVERRIDES' in exu:
-                    new=exu.replace('winhttp=n,b','version=n,b').replace('winhttp=n','version=n,b')
-                    if 'version=n,b' not in new:
-                        new=f'WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\"version=n,b\" {exu}' if '%command%' not in exu else exu.replace('%command%','WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\"version=n,b\" %command%') if 'WINEDLLOVERRIDES' not in exu.split('%command%')[0] else exu
-                    newe=new.replace('\"','\\\\\"')
-                    lines[found_idx]='\t'*6+'\"LaunchOptions\"\t\t\"'+newe+'\"\n'; print(f'[*] {lc}: updated winhttp -> version'); patched+=1
-                else:
-                    if '%command%' in exu: combined=exu.replace('%command%','WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\"version=n,b\" %command%') if exu.strip() and 'WINEDLLOVERRIDES' not in exu else f'WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\"version=n,b\" %command%'
-                    else: combined=f'WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\"version=n,b\" {exu}' if exu.strip() else 'WINEDLLOVERRIDES=\"version=n,b\" %command%'
-                    combe=combined.replace('\"','\\\\\"')
-                    lines[found_idx]='\t'*6+'\"LaunchOptions\"\t\t\"'+combe+'\"\n'; print(f'[*] {lc}: prepended version'); patched+=1
-        else:
-            lines.insert(end, '\t'*6+'\"LaunchOptions\"\t\t\"'+LAUNCH+'\"\n'); print(f'[*] {lc}: inserted LaunchOptions'); patched+=1
-        i=end+1+(1 if found is None else 0); continue
-    i+=1
-if patched: p.write_text(''.join(lines)); print(f'[+] {lc}: patched {patched} block(s)')
-else: print(f'[=] {lc}: no Apps 1274570 block')
-" "$lc" 2>&1 | head -n 10
-      [[ $? -eq 0 ]] && patched_any=1
-    fi
-  done
+  if pgrep -x steam >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "[!] Steam is RUNNING — it will overwrite localconfig.vdf on exit and drop our LaunchOptions."
+    echo "    Close Steam first:  steam -shutdown   then re-run install.sh"
+  fi
+  if [[ -f "$(dirname "$0")/vdf_patch.py" ]]; then
+    python3 "$(dirname "$0")/vdf_patch.py" 2>&1 | head -n 20 && patched_any=1
+  else
+    echo "[!] vdf_patch.py missing — cannot auto-set Launch Options"
+  fi
   if [[ $patched_any -eq 0 ]]; then echo "[!] No localconfig.vdf with Apps->1274570 found — launch once from Steam, then re-run install.sh"; fi
-  echo "[*] Linux/Proton: version.dll is sole unlocker beside DEVOUR.exe — Steam Launch Options now auto-set, just press Play (restart Steam if it was running). No manual WINEDLLOVERRIDES needed."
+  echo "[*] Linux/Proton: version.dll is sole unlocker beside DEVOUR.exe — Steam Launch Options now auto-set, just press Play. If Steam was running during this install: steam -shutdown, re-run install.sh, reopen Steam."
   echo "[*] Fallback: bash $(dirname "$0")/launch.sh  (also auto-sets WINEDLLOVERRIDES)"
 else
   echo "[*] Windows: version.dll beside DEVOUR.exe is auto-loaded (UnityPlayer.dll imports VERSION.dll) — no launch option needed. Just launch Devour."
diff --git a/scripts/vdf_patch.py b/scripts/vdf_patch.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..206883f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/vdf_patch.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Patch Steam localconfig.vdf LaunchOptions for Devour (1274570).
+
+Sets WINEDLLOVERRIDES="version=n,b" %command% inside every userdata/*/config/
+localconfig.vdf Apps->1274570 block. Must be run while Steam is CLOSED — Steam
+rewrites localconfig.vdf from memory on exit and discards external edits.
+
+VDF escaping note: quotes inside values are a single backslash + quote (\").
+Getting that through bash heredocs is what broke account 919954036 before
+(it ended up as \\\"). This module builds bytes explicitly via chr(92).
+"""
+import pathlib, sys
+
+APPID = "1274570"
+BQ = chr(92) + '"'  # backslash + quote
+TARGET_LINE = (
+    "\t" * 6 + '"LaunchOptions"' + "\t\t"
+    + '"WINEDLLOVERRIDES=' + BQ + 'version=n,b' + BQ + ' %command%"' + "\n"
+)
+
+def patch(path: pathlib.Path) -> bool:
+    lines = path.read_text(errors="ignore").splitlines(True)
+    changed = False
+    i = 0
+    while i < len(lines) - 1:
+        if (
+            lines[i].strip() == f'"{APPID}"'
+            and lines[i].startswith("\t" * 5)
+            and lines[i + 1].strip() == "{"
+            and lines[i + 1].startswith("\t" * 5)
+        ):
+            depth = 1
+            j = i + 2
+            lo_i = None
+            end = None
+            while j < len(lines):
+                s = lines[j].strip()
+                if s == "{":
+                    depth += 1
+                elif s == "}":
+                    depth -= 1
+                    if depth == 0:
+                        end = j
+                        break
+                if s.startswith('"LaunchOptions"') and lines[j].startswith("\t" * 6):
+                    lo_i = j
+                j += 1
+            if end is None:
+                i = j + 1
+                continue
+            if lo_i is None:
+                lines.insert(end, TARGET_LINE)
+                print(f"{path.parent.parent.name}: inserted LaunchOptions")
+                changed = True
+            elif lines[lo_i] != TARGET_LINE:
+                print(f"{path.parent.parent.name}: fixed {lines[lo_i].strip()[:70]!r}")
+                lines[lo_i] = TARGET_LINE
+                changed = True
+            else:
+                print(f"{path.parent.parent.name}: already exact")
+            i = end + 1
+            continue
+        i += 1
+    if changed:
+        bak = path.with_suffix(".vdf.bak.devour")
+        bak.write_text("".join(lines))
+        path.write_text("".join(lines))
+    return changed
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    paths = [pathlib.Path(a) for a in sys.argv[1:]] or list(
+        pathlib.Path.home().glob(".local/share/Steam/userdata/*/config/localconfig.vdf")
+    )
+    for p in paths:
+        if p.exists():
+            patch(p)
diff --git a/src/patches.cpp b/src/patches.cpp
index 8d90178..1db6103 100644
--- a/src/patches.cpp
+++ b/src/patches.cpp
@@ -66,9 +66,18 @@ static std::string il2cppStringToUtf8(void* ilStr) {
 }
 
 static bool __fastcall hIsRobe(void* thiz, void* robeStr, void* characterStr, void* method) { return true; }
-static bool __fastcall hIsChar(void* thiz, void* charStr, void* method) { return true; }
-static bool __fastcall hHasPerk(void* thiz, void* perkStr, void* method) { return true; }
-static bool __fastcall hHasOutfit(void* thiz, void* outfitStr, void* characterStr, void* method) { return true; }
+static bool __fastcall hIsChar(void* thiz, void* charStr, void* method) {
+    logPatch((std::string("[trace] IsCharacterUnlocked(\"") + il2cppStringToUtf8(charStr) + "\") -> true").c_str());
+    return true;
+}
+static bool __fastcall hHasPerk(void* thiz, void* perkStr, void* method) {
+    logPatch((std::string("[trace] HasPerk(\"") + il2cppStringToUtf8(perkStr) + "\") -> true").c_str());
+    return true;
+}
+static bool __fastcall hHasOutfit(void* thiz, void* outfitStr, void* characterStr, void* method) {
+    logPatch((std::string("[trace] HasOutfit(\"") + il2cppStringToUtf8(outfitStr) + "\",\"" + il2cppStringToUtf8(characterStr) + "\") -> true").c_str());
+    return true;
+}
 // UpdateLocked*: call the ORIGINAL so the UI runs its normal flow — ownership checks
 // (UserHasItem→true) make it mark everything unlocked instead of leaving defaults locked
 static void __fastcall hUpdateLockedPets(void* thiz, void* method) { if (oUpdPets) oUpdPets(thiz, method); }
@@ -78,21 +87,29 @@ static void __fastcall hUpdateLockedFlashlights(void* thiz, void* method) { if (
 static void __fastcall hUpdateLockedEmotes(void* thiz, void* method) { if (oUpdEmotes) oUpdEmotes(thiz, method); }
 static void __fastcall hUpdateLockedOutfits(void* thiz, void* method) { if (oUpdOutfits) oUpdOutfits(thiz, method); }
 static void __fastcall hUpdateLockedRobes(void* thiz, void* method) { if (oUpdRobes) oUpdRobes(thiz, method); }
-// Ownership override: every Steam catalog item (pets/flashlights/emotes/outfits/promos) counts as owned
+// Ownership override: every Steam catalog item (pets/flashlights/emotes/outfits/promos) counts as owned.
+// LOGS every query — if the pet UI never appears in the log, it reads the userItems list field directly.
 static bool __fastcall hUserHasItem(void* thiz, unsigned long long itemDef, void* method) {
-    (void)itemDef;
+    static thread_local int depth = 0;
+    if (depth < 2) { depth++; char b[128]; snprintf(b,sizeof(b),"[trace] UserHasItem(def=%llu) -> true", itemDef); logPatch(b); depth--; }
     return true;
 }
 // Multiplayer validator: every player counts as owning every item (lobby validation path)
 static bool __fastcall hPlayerHasItem(void* thiz, int connectionId, unsigned long long itemDef, void* method) {
-    (void)connectionId; (void)itemDef;
+    char b[160]; snprintf(b,sizeof(b),"[trace] PlayerHasItem(conn=%d def=%llu) -> true", connectionId, itemDef); logPatch(b);
     return true;
 }
-// Inventory-retrieved flag: unblocks PopulateInventoryWhenAvailable even if the Steam
-// inventory query returns nothing under Proton — views populate with UserHasItem=true
-static bool __fastcall hHasRetrievedUserItems(void* thiz, void* method) { return true; }
-// Perks bought with Tokens: report a huge balance so every perk is purchasable/selectable
-static int __fastcall hGetCurrentTokens(void* thiz, void* method) { return 9999999; }
+// Inventory-retrieved flag: pass through — forcing true with an empty userItems made some
+// flows treat items as definitively NOT owned; original behavior is safer now
+static bool __fastcall hHasRetrievedUserItems(void* thiz, void* method) {
+    if (oHasRetrieved) return oHasRetrieved(thiz, method);
+    return true;
+}
+// Perks bought with Tokens: PASS THROUGH — spoofed 9,999,999 broke the token purchase modal.
+static int __fastcall hGetCurrentTokens(void* thiz, void* method) {
+    if (oGetTokens) return oGetTokens(thiz, method);
+    return 0;
+}
 
 static bool hookUpdateLocked(void* addr, const char* name, bool shouldUnlock, void (__fastcall *hook)(void*, void*), UpdateLockedFn* origOut) {
     if (!addr) { logPatch((std::string("[DevourUnlocker] ")+name+" not found").c_str()); return false; }