diff --git a/include/core/application.hpp b/include/core/application.hpp
index d6651361..a323df16 100644
--- a/include/core/application.hpp
+++ b/include/core/application.hpp
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ private:
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, FacialHairGeosets> facialHairGeosetMap_;
     std::unordered_map<uint64_t, uint32_t> creatureInstances_;  // guid → render instanceId
     std::unordered_map<uint64_t, uint32_t> creatureModelIds_;   // guid → loaded modelId
+    std::unordered_set<uint64_t> deadCreatureGuids_;            // GUIDs that should spawn in corpse/death pose
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, uint32_t> displayIdModelCache_; // displayId → modelId (model caching)
     uint32_t nextCreatureModelId_ = 5000;  // Model IDs for online creatures
     uint32_t gryphonDisplayId_ = 0;
diff --git a/src/core/application.cpp b/src/core/application.cpp
index 9b0d2b13..bc6878f2 100644
--- a/src/core/application.cpp
+++ b/src/core/application.cpp
@@ -1694,6 +1694,7 @@ void Application::setupUICallbacks() {
 
     // NPC death callback (online mode) - play death animation
     gameHandler->setNpcDeathCallback([this](uint64_t guid) {
+        deadCreatureGuids_.insert(guid);
         auto it = creatureInstances_.find(guid);
         if (it != creatureInstances_.end() && renderer && renderer->getCharacterRenderer()) {
             renderer->getCharacterRenderer()->playAnimation(it->second, 1, false); // Death
@@ -1702,6 +1703,7 @@ void Application::setupUICallbacks() {
 
     // NPC respawn callback (online mode) - reset to idle animation
     gameHandler->setNpcRespawnCallback([this](uint64_t guid) {
+        deadCreatureGuids_.erase(guid);
         auto it = creatureInstances_.find(guid);
         if (it != creatureInstances_.end() && renderer && renderer->getCharacterRenderer()) {
             renderer->getCharacterRenderer()->playAnimation(it->second, 0, true); // Idle
@@ -2777,6 +2779,7 @@ void Application::loadOnlineWorldTerrain(uint32_t mapId, float x, float y, float
         auto* app = this;
 
         gameHandler->setNpcDeathCallback([cr, app](uint64_t guid) {
+            app->deadCreatureGuids_.insert(guid);
             auto it = app->creatureInstances_.find(guid);
             if (it != app->creatureInstances_.end() && cr) {
                 cr->playAnimation(it->second, 1, false); // animation ID 1 = Death
@@ -2784,6 +2787,7 @@ void Application::loadOnlineWorldTerrain(uint32_t mapId, float x, float y, float
         });
 
         gameHandler->setNpcRespawnCallback([cr, app](uint64_t guid) {
+            app->deadCreatureGuids_.erase(guid);
             auto it = app->creatureInstances_.find(guid);
             if (it != app->creatureInstances_.end() && cr) {
                 cr->playAnimation(it->second, 0, true); // animation ID 0 = Idle
@@ -3802,8 +3806,13 @@ void Application::spawnOnlineCreature(uint64_t guid, uint32_t displayId, float x
         }
     }
 
-    // Play idle animation and fade in
-    charRenderer->playAnimation(instanceId, 0, true);
+    // Spawn in the correct pose. If the server marked this creature dead before
+    // the queued spawn was processed, start directly in death animation.
+    if (deadCreatureGuids_.count(guid)) {
+        charRenderer->playAnimation(instanceId, 1, false); // Death
+    } else {
+        charRenderer->playAnimation(instanceId, 0, true); // Idle
+    }
     charRenderer->startFadeIn(instanceId, 0.5f);
 
     // Track instance
@@ -4970,6 +4979,7 @@ void Application::despawnOnlineCreature(uint64_t guid) {
     pendingCreatureSpawnGuids_.erase(guid);
     creatureSpawnRetryCounts_.erase(guid);
     creaturePermanentFailureGuids_.erase(guid);
+    deadCreatureGuids_.erase(guid);
 
     auto it = creatureInstances_.find(guid);
     if (it == creatureInstances_.end()) return;
diff --git a/src/game/game_handler.cpp b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
index bc22b4c3..3c0a3758 100644
--- a/src/game/game_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
@@ -766,6 +766,19 @@ void GameHandler::update(float deltaTime) {
             }
         }
 
+        // Keep active melee attackers visually facing the player as positions change.
+        // Some servers don't stream frequent orientation updates during combat.
+        if (!hostileAttackers_.empty()) {
+            for (uint64_t attackerGuid : hostileAttackers_) {
+                auto attacker = entityManager.getEntity(attackerGuid);
+                if (!attacker) continue;
+                float dx = movementInfo.x - attacker->getX();
+                float dy = movementInfo.y - attacker->getY();
+                if (std::abs(dx) < 0.01f && std::abs(dy) < 0.01f) continue;
+                attacker->setOrientation(std::atan2(-dy, dx));
+            }
+        }
+
         // Close vendor/gossip/taxi window if player walks too far from NPC
         if (vendorWindowOpen && currentVendorItems.vendorGuid != 0) {
             auto npc = entityManager.getEntity(currentVendorItems.vendorGuid);