Start From A Working State
Do not create child corrections before the reusable State is understandable on its own. A child should solve a smaller, clearly owned problem.
Use A Context When Gameplay Meaning Changes
Examples include crouching, injured locomotion, carrying a heavy object, or another gameplay condition represented by Context tags. A Context is selected inside an active State by Gameplay Tag Query.
Use An Animation Override When One Source Is The Problem
Examples include a mantle, vault, reload, or turn animation that needs a correction while the rest of the State remains correct.
Do Not Duplicate The Parent
Create the child, verify it initially matches the inherited parent, then author only the local difference. Copying the complete parent pose into every child defeats the inheritance model and makes later parent changes expensive.
Resolution Order
For each active State, Pose Overlay resolves the winning Context path, then source-specific Animation Override selection within the relevant branch. When no Animation Override matches, the resolved Context or State remains active.
Transitions
Context and Animation Override changes are substitutions inside one semantic State contribution. They can use inherited or local transition settings without flashing back to the unmodified source pose between branches.