return {
    {
        name = "Cobalt Phantom",
        lives = 3,
        speed = 240,
        moves = {"teleportation", "quick_dashes", "smoke_screens", "strikes_from_the_shadows"},
        hit_strength = 15,
        asset_dir = "assets/characters/Cobalt Phantom",
        jump_strength = 925,  -- was 1419 → dropped ~35%
    },
    {
        name = "Emerald Venom",
        lives = 4,
        speed = 192,
        moves = {"snake_whip", "venom_bite", "poison_of_the_past"},
        hit_strength = 12,
        asset_dir = "assets/characters/Emerald Venom",
        jump_strength = 990,  -- was 1524
    },
    {
        name = "Golden Radiance",
        lives = 5,
        speed = 384,
        moves = {"solar_boom", "flashbang", "flare_frenzy"},
        hit_strength = 13,
        asset_dir = "assets/characters/Golden Radiance",
        jump_strength = 890,  -- was 1386
    },
    {
        name = "Crimson Reaper",
        lives = 2,
        speed = 96,
        moves = {"soul_slash", "deaths_reach", "phantom_step", "grim_harvest"},
        hit_strength = 17,
        asset_dir = "assets/characters/Crimson Reaper",
        jump_strength = 1050,  -- was 1662
    }
}