diff --git a/boss/fight.cpp b/boss/fight.cpp
index d90b40b..7d75147 100644
--- a/boss/fight.cpp
+++ b/boss/fight.cpp
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ namespace boss {
         std::string player_move = Random::uniform(0, 1) == 0 ? "player1" : "player3";
         $ui.move_actor("player", player_move);
         if(result.player_did > 0) $ui.animate_actor("player");
-        $ui.damage("boss", result.player_did);
+        $ui.damage("player", result.player_did);
       } break;
       case BattleHostState::not_host: {
         std::string boss_move = Random::uniform(0, 1) == 0 ? "boss5" : "boss6";
 
         $ui.move_actor("boss", boss_move);
         if(result.enemy_did > 0) $ui.animate_actor("boss");
-        $ui.damage("player", result.enemy_did);
+        $ui.damage("boss", result.enemy_did);
       } break;
       case BattleHostState::out_of_ap:
         break;
diff --git a/boss/ui.cpp b/boss/ui.cpp
index ea26c91..9889665 100644
--- a/boss/ui.cpp
+++ b/boss/ui.cpp
@@ -109,11 +109,10 @@ namespace boss {
   }
 
   void UI::damage(const std::string& actor, int amount) {
-    // BUG: the $arena should really do this
-    if(amount == 0) {
-      $arena.attach_text(actor, "MISS!");
-    } else {
-      $arena.attach_text(actor, "HIT!");
+    $arena.attach_text(actor, fmt::format("{}", amount));
+
+    if(amount > 0) {
+      $arena.apply_effect(actor, "flame");
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/scene.cpp b/scene.cpp
index 09fc2f1..5489c54 100644
--- a/scene.cpp
+++ b/scene.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "scene.hpp"
 #include "animation.hpp"
 #include <ranges>
+#include "shaders.hpp"
 
 const bool DEBUG=false;
 
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ namespace scene {
 
       sf::Text text(*$ui.$font, "", 60);
 
-      return {name, st, anim, cell, scale_x, scale_y, x, y, at_mid, flipped, text};
+      return {name, st, anim, cell, scale_x, scale_y, x, y, at_mid, flipped, nullptr, text};
   }
 
   Engine::Engine(components::AnimatedScene& scene) :
@@ -70,6 +71,11 @@ namespace scene {
     }
   }
 
+  void Engine::apply_effect(const std::string& actor, const std::string& shader) {
+    auto& element = actor_config(actor);
+    element.effect = shaders::get(shader);
+  }
+
   void Engine::attach_text(const std::string& actor, const std::string& text) {
     auto& element = actor_config(actor);
     element.text.setPosition(element.pos);
@@ -88,15 +94,14 @@ namespace scene {
     $ui.render(window);
 
     for(auto& fixture : $fixtures) {
-      window.draw(*fixture.st.sprite);
+      window.draw(*fixture.st.sprite, fixture.effect.get());
     }
 
     for(auto& actor : $actors) {
-       window.draw(*actor.st.sprite);
+       window.draw(*actor.st.sprite, actor.effect.get());
        if(actor.anim.playing) window.draw(actor.text);
     }
 
-
     if(DEBUG) $ui.debug_layout(window);
   }
 
@@ -119,6 +124,8 @@ namespace scene {
     for(auto& fixture : $fixtures) {
       if(fixture.anim.playing) {
         fixture.anim.apply(*fixture.st.sprite, fixture.pos);
+      } else {
+        fixture.effect = nullptr;
       }
     }
 
@@ -126,6 +133,12 @@ namespace scene {
       if(actor.anim.playing) {
         actor.anim.apply(*actor.st.sprite, actor.pos);
         actor.anim.apply(actor.text, actor.pos);
+        if(actor.effect) {
+          actor.effect->setUniform("u_time", actor.anim.subframe);
+          actor.effect->setUniform("u_duration", 1000);
+        }
+      } else {
+        actor.effect = nullptr;
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/scene.hpp b/scene.hpp
index bc3d840..b23ebc0 100644
--- a/scene.hpp
+++ b/scene.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ namespace scene {
     float y = 0;
     bool at_mid=false;
     bool flipped=false;
+    std::shared_ptr<sf::Shader> effect = nullptr;
     sf::Text text;
     sf::Vector2f pos{0,0};
   };
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ namespace scene {
     void move_actor(const std::string& actor, const std::string& cell_name);
     void animate_actor(const std::string& actor);
     void play_animations();
+    void apply_effect(const std::string& actor, const std::string& shader);
     Element& actor_config(const std::string& actor);
   };
 }
diff --git a/tools/arena.cpp b/tools/arena.cpp
index ae6d0c1..3c5c5fc 100644
--- a/tools/arena.cpp
+++ b/tools/arena.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ void craft_weapon() {
 }
 
 int main(int, char*[]) {
+  shaders::init();
   components::init();
   sfml::Backend backend;
   guecs::init(&backend);