---
id: GROUND-WP-0005
type: workplan
title: "Difficulty tiers (threshold ratio) and optional Pressure dial"
domain: consumer
repo: ground-game
status: active
owner: bernd
topic_slug: whynot
created: "2026-08-04"
updated: "2026-08-04"
origin: residual
origin_ref: GROUND-WP-0004
state_hub_workstream_id: "e6a26af9-f58d-44b4-89fd-bcb5ecba3e0f"
---

# Optional difficulty control after GR-E01 arithmetic is settled

**Origin residual of GROUND-WP-0004.** Arithmetic winability is closed:
Surface + hidden `1..k` → available 6/9/12; Standard thresholds 5/7/9.
Design for a simple difficulty dial lives in
[`history/260804-threshold-reachability-and-difficulty.md`](../history/260804-threshold-reachability-and-difficulty.md).

Do **not** start this until playtest on the correct deal shows a need for
Learning / Mastery (or solo) tuning. Standard is already shippable.

## Task: decide whether to add named tiers

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0005-T01
status: wait
priority: low
state_hub_task_id: "95dcd233-8ebf-44de-95ee-f69b3d973d26"
```

After competent play on correct GR-S01 import: keep Standard only, or add
Learning / Mastery as **threshold ratios of available** (plus optional
Pressure dial: start Stress / Freedom). If yes, integrate as a third setup
axis (Difficulty card) without changing Mode scoring.

## Task: encode tiers in edition data (if T01 says yes)

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0005-T02
status: wait
priority: low
state_hub_task_id: "1e7202cf-01af-48e6-b71d-029de9ec61e2"
```

Rules_Text + scenario or difficulty-card data; clay-borg `threshold(seats,
difficulty)` and invariant `threshold ≤ available`.