feedback3: a prep-end item may sit unmerged through the fight, and bonds.json matches the offline build

server/match/PlayerState.js

@@ -721,6 +721,9 @@ export class PlayerState {
     const rec = this.gd.item(itemId);
     if (!rec) return null;
     let piece = this.newPiece('item', itemId);
+    // A prep-end grant may sit beside an identical copy until the next prep. The invariant counts only copies
+    // without this mark, so the fight that is about to start is not reported as a missed merge.
+    if (deferMerge) piece.deferMerge = true;
     if (!deferMerge && this.completesItemMerge(itemId)) {
       piece = this._mergeItem(itemId, piece);
       if (!piece) return null;

server/match/invariants.js

@@ -72,7 +72,9 @@ export function collectViolations(m, { limit = 25 } = {}) {
     const boardChessUids = new Set();
     for (const p of ps.board.values()) if (p.kind === 'chess') boardChessUids.add(p.uid);
     const itemCounts = new Map();
-    const countItem = (it) => itemCounts.set(it.id, (itemCounts.get(it.id) || 0) + 1);
+    // A copy gained as the previous prep ended (PlayerState.acquireItem deferMerge) waits until the next prep.
+    // It does not count toward "merges are immediate" until that prep's checkItemMerges consumes it.
+    const countItem = (it) => { if (it.deferMerge) return; itemCounts.set(it.id, (itemCounts.get(it.id) || 0) + 1); };
     for (const p of all) {
       note(ps, p);
       if (p.kind === 'chess') {