diff --git a/Assets/Scenes/Game.unity b/Assets/Scenes/Game.unity
index 0a958421e..3dbf13253 100644
--- a/Assets/Scenes/Game.unity
+++ b/Assets/Scenes/Game.unity
@@ -9476,14 +9476,15 @@ MonoBehaviour:
   m_EditorClassIdentifier: ProjectM.Client::ProjectM.Client.PrototypeCameraRig
   Pitch: 45
   Yaw: 0
-  Distance: 16
+  Distance: 13
   TargetHeight: 1
   Orthographic: 0
   FieldOfView: 55
   OrthoSize: 10
   FollowSharpness: 8
   FallbackTarget: {x: 3, y: 0, z: 4}
-  AimLeadDistance: 2.5
+  AimLeadDistance: 1
+  LeadSharpness: 3
 --- !u!1001 &331498972
 PrefabInstance:
   m_ObjectHideFlags: 0
diff --git a/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/PrototypeCameraRig.cs b/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/PrototypeCameraRig.cs
index 2bc218b2f..31088e62f 100644
--- a/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/PrototypeCameraRig.cs
+++ b/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/PrototypeCameraRig.cs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
         [Range(-180f, 180f)] public float Yaw = 0f;
 
         [Header("Framing")]
-        [Min(1f)] public float Distance = 16f;
+        [Min(1f)] public float Distance = 13f;
         [Tooltip("Raise the look-at point off the ground toward the character's centre of mass.")]
         public float TargetHeight = 1f;
 
@@ -79,11 +79,16 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
         public Vector3 FallbackTarget = new Vector3(3f, 0f, 4f);
 
         [Header("Movement look-ahead")]
-        [Tooltip("Shift the framed point this many world units toward where the player is aiming (0 = off). " +
-                 "Leads the camera toward the cursor / stick so aiming feels grounded. Smoothed by FollowSharpness.")]
-        [Range(0f, 8f)] public float AimLeadDistance = 2.5f;
+        [Tooltip("Lead the framed point this many world units toward the player's MOVEMENT direction " +
+                 "(0 = off, fully centred like Diablo / PoE). Kept subtle and eased in/out by LeadSharpness " +
+                 "so starting, stopping, or reversing glides instead of bumping the view.")]
+        [Range(0f, 8f)] public float AimLeadDistance = 1f;
+        [Tooltip("How fast the look-ahead offset eases toward its target (lower = smoother/slower). " +
+                 "Deliberately gentler than FollowSharpness so the lead glides instead of snapping with input.")]
+        [Min(0f)] public float LeadSharpness = 3f;
 
         Camera _cam;
+        Vector3 _leadOffset; // smoothed look-ahead offset (world units), eased toward the desired lead each frame
 
         void Awake() => _cam = GetComponent<Camera>();
 
@@ -102,14 +107,19 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
             Vector3 target = HasTarget ? (Vector3)TargetWorldPos : FallbackTarget;
             target.y += TargetHeight;
 
-            // Movement look-ahead: lead the framed point toward where the player is MOVING (not aiming).
-            // Leading toward AIM coupled the camera to the cursor: turning to face a near-cursor panned the cam,
-            // which re-projected the live mouse ray -> the aim swam (worst near the player). Smoothed by FollowSharpness.
+            // Movement look-ahead, smoothed INDEPENDENTLY of the follow. We lead toward MOVEMENT (not aim):
+            // leading toward AIM coupled the cam to the cursor and made the aim swim. The desired lead snaps
+            // with the raw input (full while held, zero when released); easing _leadOffset toward it at the
+            // gentle LeadSharpness rate is what removes the "bump" - start / stop / reverse glide, never pan.
+            Vector3 desiredLead = Vector3.zero;
             if (AimLeadDistance > 0f && HasTarget && math.lengthsq(TargetMoveDir) > 1e-6f)
             {
                 float2 f = math.normalize(TargetMoveDir);
-                target += new Vector3(f.x, 0f, f.y) * AimLeadDistance;
+                desiredLead = new Vector3(f.x, 0f, f.y) * AimLeadDistance;
             }
+            float leadK = LeadSharpness <= 0f ? 1f : 1f - Mathf.Exp(-LeadSharpness * Time.deltaTime);
+            _leadOffset = Vector3.Lerp(_leadOffset, desiredLead, leadK);
+            target += _leadOffset;
 
             var rot = Quaternion.Euler(Pitch, Yaw, 0f);
             Vector3 desired = target - (rot * Vector3.forward) * Distance;