diff --git a/server/web/src/components/Layout/Layout.tsx b/server/web/src/components/Layout/Layout.tsx
index b8a1853..269fd21 100644
--- a/server/web/src/components/Layout/Layout.tsx
+++ b/server/web/src/components/Layout/Layout.tsx
@@ -348,10 +348,10 @@ export default function Layout({ children }: LayoutProps) {
 
   return (
     <div
-      className={`layout${isMobile ? ' layout--mobile' : ''}${othersOnline ? ' layout--comrades-online' : ''}`}
+      className={`layout${isMobile ? ' layout--mobile' : ''}${othersOnline ? ' layout--comrades-online' : ''}${!isMobile && glowParticles ? ' layout--hacker-cursor' : ''}`}
       data-operator-deck={operatorDeckId(location.pathname)}
     >
-      {!isMobile && glowParticles && showDeckEffects && <CursorFire />}
+      {!isMobile && glowParticles && <CursorFire />}
       <AmbientBackground weather={pageWeather} />
       {glowParticles && <SacredGeometryLayer />}
       <nav className="sidebar sidebar--desktop desktop-only">
diff --git a/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.css b/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.css
index e4b7555..e817cd7 100644
--- a/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.css
+++ b/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.css
@@ -2,12 +2,31 @@
   position: fixed;
   inset: 0;
   pointer-events: none;
-  z-index: 9998;
+  z-index: 9999;
   mix-blend-mode: screen;
 }
 
+.layout--hacker-cursor {
+  cursor: crosshair;
+}
+
+.layout--hacker-cursor a,
+.layout--hacker-cursor button,
+.layout--hacker-cursor input,
+.layout--hacker-cursor select,
+.layout--hacker-cursor textarea,
+.layout--hacker-cursor label,
+.layout--hacker-cursor [role='button'],
+.layout--hacker-cursor .nav-item {
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
   .cursor-hacker-fx {
     display: none !important;
   }
+
+  .layout--hacker-cursor {
+    cursor: auto;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.tsx b/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.tsx
index 18cf116..153f8ec 100644
--- a/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.tsx
+++ b/server/web/src/components/Visual/CursorFire.tsx
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ import './CursorFire.css';
 
 const BIT_CHARS = '01';
 const HEX_CHARS = '0123456789ABCDEF';
-const MAX_PARTICLES = 280;
-const EMIT_PER_FRAME = 5;
-const EMIT_WINDOW_MS = 90;
+const MAX_PARTICLES = 480;
+const EMIT_PER_FRAME = 12;
+const EMIT_WINDOW_MS = 140;
 const FONT_STACK = '"JetBrains Mono", "Fira Code", "Cascadia Code", monospace';
 
 interface Particle {
@@ -21,18 +21,18 @@ interface Particle {
 }
 
 function pickChar(): string {
-  if (Math.random() < 0.72) return BIT_CHARS[Math.floor(Math.random() * 2)];
+  if (Math.random() < 0.88) return BIT_CHARS[Math.floor(Math.random() * 2)];
   return HEX_CHARS[Math.floor(Math.random() * HEX_CHARS.length)];
 }
 
 function colorForLife(life: number, tint: Particle['tint']): string {
-  const a = Math.min(1, life * 0.92);
+  const a = Math.min(1, life * 1.05);
   if (tint === 'cyan') {
-    if (life > 0.55) return `rgba(0, 232, 245, ${a})`;
-    return `rgba(0, 210, 170, ${a * 0.8})`;
+    if (life > 0.5) return `rgba(0, 255, 255, ${a})`;
+    return `rgba(0, 240, 200, ${a * 0.92})`;
   }
-  if (life > 0.55) return `rgba(0, 255, 136, ${a})`;
-  return `rgba(0, 190, 96, ${a * 0.75})`;
+  if (life > 0.5) return `rgba(80, 255, 160, ${a})`;
+  return `rgba(0, 255, 120, ${a * 0.9})`;
 }
 
 function glowForTint(tint: Particle['tint']): string {
@@ -90,17 +90,17 @@ export default function CursorFire() {
       const { x, y } = mouse.current;
 
       for (let i = 0; i < EMIT_PER_FRAME; i++) {
-        const spread = 10;
+        const spread = 14;
         particles.current.push({
           x: x + (Math.random() - 0.5) * spread,
-          y: y + (Math.random() - 0.5) * (spread * 0.4),
-          vx: (Math.random() - 0.5) * 1.4,
-          vy: -(Math.random() * 2.6 + 1.6),
+          y: y + (Math.random() - 0.5) * (spread * 0.45),
+          vx: (Math.random() - 0.5) * 1.8,
+          vy: -(Math.random() * 3.2 + 2.1),
           life: 1,
-          decay: Math.random() * 0.024 + 0.018,
+          decay: Math.random() * 0.016 + 0.012,
           char: pickChar(),
-          fontSize: Math.random() * 10 + 9,
-          tint: Math.random() < 0.55 ? 'cyan' : 'green',
+          fontSize: Math.random() * 16 + 16,
+          tint: Math.random() < 0.5 ? 'cyan' : 'green',
         });
       }
 
@@ -124,10 +124,10 @@ export default function CursorFire() {
         p.life -= p.decay;
         p.fontSize *= 0.985;
 
-        if (p.life <= 0 || p.fontSize < 6) continue;
+        if (p.life <= 0 || p.fontSize < 8) continue;
         alive.push(p);
 
-        const glow = 6 + p.life * 10;
+        const glow = 10 + p.life * 18;
         ctx.shadowBlur = glow;
         ctx.shadowColor = glowForTint(p.tint);
         ctx.font = `600 ${p.fontSize}px ${FONT_STACK}`;
diff --git a/server/web/src/components/components.test.tsx b/server/web/src/components/components.test.tsx
index b6be40d..81a7452 100644
--- a/server/web/src/components/components.test.tsx
+++ b/server/web/src/components/components.test.tsx
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ describe('Layout', () => {
     expect(screen.getByRole('link', { name: /Onion/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it('mounts MatrixRain and CursorFire on Command Deck only', async () => {
+  it('mounts MatrixRain on Command Deck only and CursorFire on all desktop deck pages', async () => {
     const { container: deck } = render(
       <MemoryRouter initialEntries={['/dashboard']} future={routerFuture}>
         <Layout>
@@ -1015,6 +1015,7 @@ describe('Layout', () => {
       expect(screen.getByText('crucible')).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
     expect(crucible.querySelector('.matrix-rain-canvas')).toBeNull();
-    expect(crucible.querySelector('.cursor-hacker-fx')).toBeNull();
+    expect(crucible.querySelector('.cursor-hacker-fx')).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(crucible.querySelector('.layout--hacker-cursor')).toBeTruthy();
   });
 });
diff --git a/server/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx b/server/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
index 885fee0..c63936b 100644
--- a/server/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/server/web/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -580,8 +580,8 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
         <NeonCard accent="cyan" className="settings-section operator-deck-card operator-interactive">
           <h2 className="font-display">Deck Atmosphere</h2>
           <p className="section-desc">
-            Background glow particles and sparkles sit behind the UI (pointer-events off). Turn off on
-            low-power devices if you want a calmer deck.
+            Rising 0/1 and hex glyphs follow your pointer on desktop deck pages. Background glow
+            particles sit behind the UI. Turn off on low-power devices for a calmer deck.
           </p>
           <div className="form-group checkbox-group">
             <label className="checkbox-label">
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
                 checked={glowParticles}
                 onChange={(e) => setGlowParticles(e.target.checked)}
               />
-              <span>Glow particles &amp; sparkles</span>
+              <span>Hacker cursor trail</span>
             </label>
           </div>
           <div className="form-group" style={{ marginTop: '1.25rem' }}>
diff --git a/server/web/src/visual/visualPrefs.test.ts b/server/web/src/visual/visualPrefs.test.ts
index 93f0ff9..dfaf94a 100644
--- a/server/web/src/visual/visualPrefs.test.ts
+++ b/server/web/src/visual/visualPrefs.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe('visualPrefs', () => {
     localStorage.clear();
   });
 
-  it('defaults glow particles to on', () => {
+  it('defaults hacker cursor trail to on', () => {
     expect(loadGlowParticlesEnabled()).toBe(true);
   });