chore: Release trueskill-tt version 0.3.0

Drift was a property of the History, so every competitor drifted at the
same rate and a fixed reference point could not share a graph with moving
competitors. A bot at a known strength, a rating floor, a course
difficulty — all of them drifted along with the players.

Member::with_drift_scale(s) multiplies the drift *variance* a competitor
accumulates, so s is in the same units as gamma: ConstantDrift(g) at
scale s behaves exactly as ConstantDrift(g * s) would for that competitor.
A scalar rather than a per-competitor Drift keeps History's single D type
parameter untouched and stays Copy. 0.0 pins a competitor still.

The scale lives on Rating, beside the drift it scales, and is applied
only through Rating::drift_variance_delta / drift_variance_for_elapsed.
Making those the sole entry points means a caller cannot reach the raw
drift and silently skip a competitor's scale — the filtered pass was
exactly that bug during development, caught because its test was written
before the wiring.

Like with_prior, the scale is competitor configuration captured at first
appearance rather than a per-event override; a competitor that is static
is static, and a scale that changed between events would make the skill
trajectory hard to interpret. Member's docs claimed prior was a per-event
override, which the code has never done — corrected here.

A negative scale is rejected rather than squared into its absolute value,
and a non-finite one rejected outright, both as InvalidParameter.

None means 1.0, so no existing call site changes and no existing fit
moves. Adding a public field to Member does break struct-literal
construction downstream.

Closes #34

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_014b6wy2q8rnFK8U8GPJVQNU

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,39 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
+## 0.3.0 - 2026-09-01
+
+### Breaking Changes
+
+- refactor!: make Competitor::message an Option, and compute_elapsed loud
+- refactor!: replace emptiness-as-sentinel with Option for results and weights
+- refactor!: remove ConvergenceReport::slices_skipped
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- fix: enforce EventBuilder weight/team length in release
+
+### Documentation
+
+- docs: complete the public API documentation contract
+
+### Features
+
+- feat: allow drift to vary per competitor via Member::with_drift_scale
+
+### Miscellaneous Tasks
+
+- chore: ignore proptest regression seed files
+
+### Performance
+
+- perf: stop cloning inference inputs in OwnedGame and ingestion
+- perf: make the per-slice SkillStore compact instead of dense
+
+### Testing
+
+- test: add property-based tests, a shared finiteness helper, and boundary inputs
+
 ## 0.2.0 - 2026-08-27
 
 ### Breaking Changes
@@ -36,6 +69,7 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 - chore: target releases at the private kellnr registry
 - chore: keep the 48 MB ATP dataset out of the published crate
 - chore: dual-license MIT OR Apache-2.0
+- chore: Release trueskill-tt version 0.2.0
 
 ### Performance
 

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "trueskill-tt"
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.3.0"
 edition = "2024"
 rust-version = "1.85"
 description = "TrueSkill Through Time: Bayesian skill rating that tracks how skill evolves over time, via Gaussian message passing"

README.md

@@ -71,6 +71,36 @@ let h = History::builder()
     .build();
 ```
 
+### Per-competitor drift
+
+A `History` has one drift model, but individual competitors can scale it.
+`Member::with_drift_scale(s)` multiplies the drift *variance* that competitor
+accumulates, so `s` is in the same units as `gamma`: `ConstantDrift(g)` at
+scale `s` behaves exactly as `ConstantDrift(g * s)` would, for that competitor
+alone.
+
+`0.0` pins a competitor still. That is what makes a **fixed reference point**
+expressible in the same graph as moving competitors — a bot at a known
+strength, a rating floor, a course difficulty:
+
+```rust
+let events = vec![Event {
+    time: 0,
+    teams: smallvec![
+        Team::with_members([Member::new("player")]),
+        // A course does not improve. Pin it, and the round's evidence
+        // lands on the player instead of being split between the two.
+        Team::with_members([Member::new("layout_7").with_drift_scale(0.0)]),
+    ],
+    outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+}];
+```
+
+Like `with_prior`, the scale is **competitor configuration captured at first
+appearance** — setting it on a key the history already knows has no effect. It
+must be finite and non-negative; ingestion otherwise fails with
+`InferenceError::InvalidParameter`.
+
 ## Scored outcomes
 
 Use `Outcome::scores([...])` when you have continuous per-team scores rather

src/competitor.rs

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Competitor<T, D> {
         match self.message {
             Some(message) => {
                 let elapsed_variance = match &self.last_time {
-                    Some(last) => self.rating.drift.variance_delta(last, now),
+                    Some(last) => self.rating.drift_variance_delta(last, now),
                     None => 0.0,
                 };
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Competitor<T, D> {
     /// and should not be recomputed from `last_time` (which may have shifted).
     pub(crate) fn receive_for_elapsed(&self, elapsed: i64) -> Gaussian {
         match self.message {
-            Some(message) => message.forget(self.rating.drift.variance_for_elapsed(elapsed)),
+            Some(message) => message.forget(self.rating.drift_variance_for_elapsed(elapsed)),
             None => self.rating.prior,
         }
     }

src/convergence.rs

@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ pub struct ConvergenceReport {
     pub log_evidence: f64,
     pub converged: bool,
     pub per_iteration_time: SmallVec<[Duration; 32]>,
-    pub slices_skipped: usize,
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]

src/event.rs

@@ -45,13 +45,20 @@ impl<K> Default for Team<K> {
 
 /// One member of a team, identified by user key `K`.
 ///
-/// `weight` defaults to 1.0; a per-event `prior` can override the competitor's
-/// current skill estimate for this event only.
+/// `weight` applies per event and defaults to 1.0.
+///
+/// `prior` and `drift_scale` are **competitor configuration**, not per-event
+/// values: both are captured when the competitor is first created and ignored
+/// on every later appearance. Setting either on a key the history already knows
+/// has no effect.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct Member<K> {
     pub key: K,
     pub weight: f64,
     pub prior: Option<Gaussian>,
+    /// Multiplier on the drift *variance* this competitor accumulates.
+    /// `None` means 1.0.
+    pub drift_scale: Option<f64>,
 }
 
 impl<K> Member<K> {
@@ -60,6 +67,7 @@ impl<K> Member<K> {
             key,
             weight: 1.0,
             prior: None,
+            drift_scale: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -68,10 +76,31 @@ impl<K> Member<K> {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Set this competitor's starting skill estimate.
+    ///
+    /// Captured at the competitor's first appearance; see the type docs.
     pub fn with_prior(mut self, prior: Gaussian) -> Self {
         self.prior = Some(prior);
         self
     }
+
+    /// Scale how fast this competitor drifts, relative to the history's drift.
+    ///
+    /// The scale multiplies the drift *variance*, so it is in the same units as
+    /// `gamma`: `ConstantDrift(g)` at `scale = s` behaves exactly as
+    /// `ConstantDrift(g * s)` would for this competitor alone.
+    ///
+    /// `0.0` pins the competitor still — useful for a reference point that
+    /// shares a scale with moving competitors but should not itself move: a bot
+    /// at a known strength, a rating floor, a course difficulty.
+    ///
+    /// Captured at the competitor's first appearance; see the type docs.
+    /// Must be finite and non-negative, or ingestion fails with
+    /// [`InferenceError::InvalidParameter`](crate::InferenceError::InvalidParameter).
+    pub fn with_drift_scale(mut self, scale: f64) -> Self {
+        self.drift_scale = Some(scale);
+        self
+    }
 }
 
 /// Convenience: a member is a user key with default weight 1.0 and no prior.
@@ -92,15 +121,18 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(m.key, "alice");
         assert_eq!(m.weight, 1.0);
         assert!(m.prior.is_none());
+        assert!(m.drift_scale.is_none());
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn member_builder_methods_chain() {
         let m = Member::new("alice")
             .with_weight(0.5)
-            .with_prior(Gaussian::from_ms(20.0, 5.0));
+            .with_prior(Gaussian::from_ms(20.0, 5.0))
+            .with_drift_scale(0.0);
         assert_eq!(m.weight, 0.5);
         assert!(m.prior.is_some());
+        assert_eq!(m.drift_scale, Some(0.0));
     }
 
     #[test]

src/history.rs

@@ -603,7 +603,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                 log_evidence: 0.0,
                 converged: true,
                 per_iteration_time: SmallVec::new(),
-                slices_skipped: 0,
             });
         }
 
@@ -642,7 +641,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             log_evidence,
             converged,
             per_iteration_time: per_iter,
-            slices_skipped: 0,
         })
     }
 }
@@ -970,8 +968,37 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                     let idx = self.keys.get_or_create(&member.key);
                     team_indices.push(idx);
                     team_weights.push(member.weight);
-                    if let Some(prior) = member.prior {
-                        priors.insert(idx, Rating::new(prior, self.beta, self.drift));
+
+                    if let Some(scale) = member.drift_scale {
+                        // Squaring would make a negative scale behave as its
+                        // absolute value, so reject rather than silently
+                        // accept a sign the caller cannot have meant.
+                        if !scale.is_finite() || scale < 0.0 {
+                            return Err(InferenceError::InvalidParameter {
+                                name: "drift_scale",
+                                value: scale,
+                            });
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    // `prior` and `drift_scale` are competitor configuration,
+                    // captured here and consumed at competitor creation. Both
+                    // land in the same entry so a member may set either alone.
+                    if member.prior.is_some() || member.drift_scale.is_some() {
+                        let rating = priors.entry(idx).or_insert_with(|| {
+                            Rating::new(
+                                Gaussian::from_ms(self.mu, self.sigma),
+                                self.beta,
+                                self.drift,
+                            )
+                        });
+
+                        if let Some(prior) = member.prior {
+                            rating.prior = prior;
+                        }
+                        if let Some(scale) = member.drift_scale {
+                            rating.drift_scale = scale;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 event_comp.push(team_indices);

src/rating.rs

@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ pub struct Rating<T: Time = i64, D: Drift<T> = ConstantDrift> {
     pub(crate) prior: Gaussian,
     pub(crate) beta: f64,
     pub(crate) drift: D,
+    /// Multiplier on the drift *variance* this competitor accumulates; 1.0 is
+    /// the neutral default. Set per competitor via `Member::with_drift_scale`.
+    pub(crate) drift_scale: f64,
     pub(crate) _time: PhantomData<T>,
 }
 
@@ -25,10 +28,21 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Rating<T, D> {
             prior,
             beta,
             drift,
+            drift_scale: 1.0,
             _time: PhantomData,
         }
     }
 
+    /// Scale how fast this competitor drifts, relative to `drift`.
+    ///
+    /// Multiplies the drift *variance*, so the scale is in the same units as
+    /// `gamma`. `0.0` pins the competitor still.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn with_drift_scale(mut self, drift_scale: f64) -> Self {
+        self.drift_scale = drift_scale;
+        self
+    }
+
     /// The configured prior skill estimate.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn prior(&self) -> Gaussian {
@@ -47,6 +61,28 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Rating<T, D> {
         self.drift
     }
 
+    /// This competitor's multiplier on the drift variance; 1.0 is neutral.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn drift_scale(&self) -> f64 {
+        self.drift_scale
+    }
+
+    /// Drift variance accumulated over `from -> to`, scaled for this competitor.
+    ///
+    /// The single place the scale is applied for a `Time`-typed span. Callers
+    /// must go through this rather than `self.drift` directly, so a competitor's
+    /// scale cannot be silently skipped.
+    pub(crate) fn drift_variance_delta(&self, from: &T, to: &T) -> f64 {
+        self.drift.variance_delta(from, to) * self.drift_scale * self.drift_scale
+    }
+
+    /// Drift variance for a cached elapsed count, scaled for this competitor.
+    ///
+    /// The counterpart of `drift_variance_delta` for the cached-elapsed paths.
+    pub(crate) fn drift_variance_for_elapsed(&self, elapsed: i64) -> f64 {
+        self.drift.variance_for_elapsed(elapsed) * self.drift_scale * self.drift_scale
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn performance(&self) -> Gaussian {
         self.prior.forget(self.beta.powi(2))
     }
@@ -58,6 +94,7 @@ impl Default for Rating<i64, ConstantDrift> {
             prior: Gaussian::default(),
             beta: BETA,
             drift: ConstantDrift(GAMMA),
+            drift_scale: 1.0,
             _time: PhantomData,
         }
     }

src/time_slice.rs

@@ -72,9 +72,10 @@ impl Item {
         let skill = skills.at(self.slot);
 
         if forward {
-            Rating::new(skill.forward, r.beta, r.drift)
+            Rating::new(skill.forward, r.beta, r.drift).with_drift_scale(r.drift_scale)
         } else {
             Rating::new(skill.posterior() / self.likelihood, r.beta, r.drift)
+                .with_drift_scale(r.drift_scale)
         }
     }
 }
@@ -589,8 +590,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         n.forget(
             agents[*agent]
                 .rating
-                .drift
-                .variance_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed),
+                .drift_variance_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed),
         )
     }
 
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
             let rating = &agents[agent].rating;
 
             let forward = match incoming.get(&agent) {
-                Some(message) => message.forget(rating.drift.variance_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed)),
+                Some(message) => message.forget(rating.drift_variance_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed)),
                 None => rating.prior,
             };
 

tests/api_shape.rs

@@ -247,3 +247,46 @@ fn fluent_event_builder_scores() {
     let b = h.current_skill(&"bob").unwrap();
     assert!(a.mu() > b.mu());
 }
+
+/// Every field of `ConvergenceReport` must carry real information.
+///
+/// `slices_skipped` was public, hardcoded to `0`, and reported a plausible
+/// value for a feature that never existed — the same shape as the inert
+/// `online` flag in #19. It was removed in #33. This pins the remaining fields
+/// so the next always-constant member has to survive an assertion rather than
+/// just a reviewer's attention.
+#[test]
+fn every_convergence_report_field_is_populated() {
+    let mut h = History::builder().build();
+
+    for time in 1..=6i64 {
+        h.record_winner(&"a", &"b", time).unwrap();
+    }
+
+    let report = h.converge().unwrap();
+
+    assert!(
+        report.iterations > 0,
+        "iterations is zero on a real converge"
+    );
+
+    assert!(report.converged, "fixture must converge");
+
+    assert!(
+        report.final_step.0.is_finite() && report.final_step.1.is_finite(),
+        "final_step is not finite: {:?}",
+        report.final_step
+    );
+
+    assert!(
+        report.log_evidence.is_finite() && report.log_evidence < 0.0,
+        "log_evidence is not a finite negative log probability: {}",
+        report.log_evidence
+    );
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        report.per_iteration_time.len(),
+        report.iterations,
+        "per_iteration_time must carry one duration per iteration"
+    );
+}

tests/drift_scale.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,402 @@
+//! Per-competitor drift scaling via `Member::with_drift_scale`.
+//!
+//! The scale multiplies the *variance* the history's `Drift` contributes for
+//! that competitor, so `scale` is in the same units as `gamma`:
+//! `ConstantDrift(g)` at `scale = s` behaves as `ConstantDrift(g * s)` would.
+//! `scale = 0.0` pins a competitor still — an anchor, a rating floor, a course
+//! difficulty — while everyone around them keeps drifting.
+
+use smallvec::smallvec;
+use trueskill_tt::{
+    ConstantDrift, ConvergenceOptions, Event, Gaussian, History, InferenceError, Member,
+    NullObserver, Outcome, Team,
+};
+
+type Fit = History<i64, ConstantDrift, NullObserver, &'static str>;
+
+const CONVERGENCE: ConvergenceOptions = ConvergenceOptions {
+    max_iter: 64,
+    epsilon: 1e-9,
+    alpha: 1.0,
+};
+
+/// Two events separated by a long gap, so drift has room to matter.
+fn distant_pair(anchor_scale: Option<f64>) -> Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>> {
+    let anchor = |s: Option<f64>| match s {
+        Some(scale) => Member::new("anchor").with_drift_scale(scale),
+        None => Member::new("anchor"),
+    };
+
+    vec![
+        Event {
+            time: 0,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([anchor(anchor_scale)]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("player")]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+        },
+        Event {
+            time: 1000,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([anchor(anchor_scale)]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("player")]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner(1, 2),
+        },
+    ]
+}
+
+fn fit(events: Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>>, gamma: f64) -> Fit {
+    let mut h = History::builder()
+        .mu(25.0)
+        .sigma(25.0 / 3.0)
+        .beta(25.0 / 6.0)
+        .p_draw(0.0)
+        .drift(ConstantDrift(gamma))
+        .convergence(CONVERGENCE)
+        .build();
+
+    h.add_events(events).unwrap();
+    h.converge().unwrap();
+    h
+}
+
+fn curve(h: &Fit, key: &str) -> Vec<(i64, Gaussian)> {
+    let mut c = h.learning_curves().remove(key).expect("key in curves");
+    c.sort_by_key(|(t, _)| *t);
+    c
+}
+
+/// A competitor at `scale = 0.0` is one latent skill observed twice, so the
+/// posterior is the same distribution at both times — and strictly tighter
+/// than the same competitor left to drift.
+#[test]
+fn zero_scale_pins_a_competitor_still() {
+    let pinned = fit(distant_pair(Some(0.0)), 25.0 / 300.0);
+    let drifting = fit(distant_pair(None), 25.0 / 300.0);
+
+    let pinned_curve = curve(&pinned, "anchor");
+    assert_eq!(pinned_curve.len(), 2);
+
+    let (t0, first) = pinned_curve[0];
+    let (t1, second) = pinned_curve[1];
+    assert_eq!((t0, t1), (0, 1000));
+
+    assert!(
+        (first.sigma() - second.sigma()).abs() < 1e-9,
+        "a pinned competitor's uncertainty must not move between t=0 and t=1000: \
+         {} vs {}",
+        first.sigma(),
+        second.sigma()
+    );
+    assert!(
+        (first.mu() - second.mu()).abs() < 1e-9,
+        "a pinned competitor's mean must not move: {} vs {}",
+        first.mu(),
+        second.mu()
+    );
+
+    let drifting_curve = curve(&drifting, "anchor");
+    assert!(
+        drifting_curve[0].1.sigma() > first.sigma() + 1e-6,
+        "drift must leave the anchor less certain than pinning does: {} vs {}",
+        drifting_curve[0].1.sigma(),
+        first.sigma()
+    );
+}
+
+/// The scale is composable with `gamma`: scaling every competitor by `s` is
+/// exactly the same fit as scaling the history's drift by `s`.
+#[test]
+fn scale_is_equivalent_to_scaling_gamma() {
+    let scaled: Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>> = vec![
+        Event {
+            time: 0,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("a").with_drift_scale(0.5)]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("b").with_drift_scale(0.5)]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+        },
+        Event {
+            time: 400,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("b").with_drift_scale(0.5)]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("a").with_drift_scale(0.5)]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+        },
+    ];
+
+    let plain: Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>> = vec![
+        Event {
+            time: 0,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("a")]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("b")]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+        },
+        Event {
+            time: 400,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("b")]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("a")]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+        },
+    ];
+
+    let by_scale = fit(scaled, 0.3);
+    let by_gamma = fit(plain, 0.15);
+
+    for key in ["a", "b"] {
+        let lhs = curve(&by_scale, key);
+        let rhs = curve(&by_gamma, key);
+        assert_eq!(lhs.len(), rhs.len());
+
+        for ((t_l, g_l), (t_r, g_r)) in lhs.iter().zip(rhs.iter()) {
+            assert_eq!(t_l, t_r);
+            assert!(
+                (g_l.mu() - g_r.mu()).abs() < 1e-9 && (g_l.sigma() - g_r.sigma()).abs() < 1e-9,
+                "ConstantDrift(0.3) at scale 0.5 must equal ConstantDrift(0.15) for {key} at \
+                 t={t_l}: ({}, {}) vs ({}, {})",
+                g_l.mu(),
+                g_l.sigma(),
+                g_r.mu(),
+                g_r.sigma()
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// `None` means 1.0: an explicit unit scale changes nothing.
+#[test]
+fn unset_scale_matches_an_explicit_unit_scale() {
+    let implicit = fit(distant_pair(None), 25.0 / 300.0);
+    let explicit = fit(distant_pair(Some(1.0)), 25.0 / 300.0);
+
+    for key in ["anchor", "player"] {
+        let lhs = curve(&implicit, key);
+        let rhs = curve(&explicit, key);
+        assert_eq!(lhs.len(), rhs.len());
+
+        for ((t_l, g_l), (t_r, g_r)) in lhs.iter().zip(rhs.iter()) {
+            assert_eq!(t_l, t_r);
+            assert_eq!(
+                (g_l.mu(), g_l.sigma()),
+                (g_r.mu(), g_r.sigma()),
+                "an explicit scale of 1.0 must be bit-identical to leaving it unset, \
+                 for {key} at t={t_l}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// The use case from the issue: a static difficulty alongside drifting players,
+/// in one graph. The anchor must hold still without absorbing drift through its
+/// neighbours, and everything must stay finite.
+#[test]
+fn mixed_static_and_drifting_graph_converges() {
+    let mut events: Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>> = Vec::new();
+    let players = ["p0", "p1", "p2"];
+
+    for (i, p) in players.iter().cycle().take(9).enumerate() {
+        events.push(Event {
+            time: (i as i64) * 100,
+            teams: smallvec![
+                Team::with_members([Member::new(*p)]),
+                Team::with_members([Member::new("layout").with_drift_scale(0.0)]),
+            ],
+            outcome: Outcome::winner((i % 2) as u32, 2),
+        });
+    }
+
+    let mut h = History::builder()
+        .mu(25.0)
+        .sigma(25.0 / 3.0)
+        .beta(25.0 / 6.0)
+        .p_draw(0.0)
+        .drift(ConstantDrift(25.0 / 300.0))
+        .convergence(CONVERGENCE)
+        .build();
+
+    h.add_events(events).unwrap();
+    let report = h.converge().unwrap();
+    assert!(report.converged, "mixed graph must converge: {report:?}");
+
+    let curves = h.learning_curves();
+    for (key, points) in &curves {
+        for (t, g) in points {
+            assert!(
+                g.mu().is_finite() && g.sigma().is_finite() && g.sigma() > 0.0,
+                "{key} at t={t} is not a usable posterior: mu={}, sigma={}",
+                g.mu(),
+                g.sigma()
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    let layout = curve(&h, "layout");
+    assert_eq!(layout.len(), 9);
+    let (_, first) = layout[0];
+    for (t, g) in &layout {
+        assert!(
+            (g.sigma() - first.sigma()).abs() < 1e-9,
+            "a static layout must not accumulate uncertainty; t={t} has sigma {} vs {}",
+            g.sigma(),
+            first.sigma()
+        );
+    }
+
+    let p0 = curve(&h, "p0");
+    assert!(
+        p0.last().unwrap().1.sigma() > 0.0,
+        "a drifting player should still have a proper posterior"
+    );
+}
+
+fn reject(scale: f64) -> InferenceError {
+    let mut h = History::builder()
+        .drift(ConstantDrift(25.0 / 300.0))
+        .build();
+
+    let events: Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>> = vec![Event {
+        time: 0,
+        teams: smallvec![
+            Team::with_members([Member::new("a").with_drift_scale(scale)]),
+            Team::with_members([Member::new("b")]),
+        ],
+        outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+    }];
+
+    h.add_events(events)
+        .expect_err("an out-of-range drift_scale must be rejected")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn negative_scale_is_rejected() {
+    assert_eq!(
+        reject(-1.0),
+        InferenceError::InvalidParameter {
+            name: "drift_scale",
+            value: -1.0
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn non_finite_scale_is_rejected() {
+    for scale in [f64::NAN, f64::INFINITY, f64::NEG_INFINITY] {
+        assert!(
+            matches!(
+                reject(scale),
+                InferenceError::InvalidParameter {
+                    name: "drift_scale",
+                    ..
+                }
+            ),
+            "a drift_scale of {scale} must be rejected as an invalid parameter"
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+/// The scale must reach the filtering pass too, not just `converge()`.
+/// `filtered_learning_curves` runs its own drift application, so a pinned
+/// competitor has to stay pinned there as well.
+#[test]
+fn zero_scale_pins_a_competitor_in_the_filtered_pass() {
+    let pinned = fit(distant_pair(Some(0.0)), 25.0 / 300.0);
+    let drifting = fit(distant_pair(None), 25.0 / 300.0);
+
+    let filtered = |h: &Fit| -> Vec<(i64, Gaussian)> {
+        let mut c = h
+            .filtered_learning_curves()
+            .remove("anchor")
+            .expect("anchor in filtered curves");
+        c.sort_by_key(|(t, _)| *t);
+        c
+    };
+
+    let pinned_curve = filtered(&pinned);
+    let drifting_curve = filtered(&drifting);
+    assert_eq!(pinned_curve.len(), 2);
+    assert_eq!(drifting_curve.len(), 2);
+
+    assert!(
+        pinned_curve[1].1.sigma() < pinned_curve[0].1.sigma(),
+        "a pinned competitor's filtered uncertainty must shrink with a second \
+         observation, not be re-inflated by drift: {} then {}",
+        pinned_curve[0].1.sigma(),
+        pinned_curve[1].1.sigma()
+    );
+
+    assert!(
+        pinned_curve[1].1.sigma() < drifting_curve[1].1.sigma() - 1e-6,
+        "pinning must leave the filtered estimate tighter than drifting does: \
+         {} vs {}",
+        pinned_curve[1].1.sigma(),
+        drifting_curve[1].1.sigma()
+    );
+}
+
+/// `drift_scale` is competitor configuration captured at first appearance, the
+/// same as `prior` — a later `with_drift_scale` on a key the history already
+/// knows is ignored. This guards that decision rather than driving it: the
+/// behaviour falls out of where the capture happens, and the point of the test
+/// is that moving the capture would be a visible break, not a silent one.
+#[test]
+fn drift_scale_is_ignored_after_first_appearance() {
+    let mut late = History::builder()
+        .mu(25.0)
+        .sigma(25.0 / 3.0)
+        .beta(25.0 / 6.0)
+        .p_draw(0.0)
+        .drift(ConstantDrift(25.0 / 300.0))
+        .convergence(CONVERGENCE)
+        .build();
+
+    // First batch creates "anchor" with the default scale.
+    late.add_events(vec![Event {
+        time: 0,
+        teams: smallvec![
+            Team::with_members([Member::new("anchor")]),
+            Team::with_members([Member::new("player")]),
+        ],
+        outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+    }])
+    .unwrap();
+
+    // Second batch asks for a pin. Too late: the competitor already exists.
+    late.add_events(vec![Event {
+        time: 1000,
+        teams: smallvec![
+            Team::with_members([Member::new("anchor").with_drift_scale(0.0)]),
+            Team::with_members([Member::new("player")]),
+        ],
+        outcome: Outcome::winner(1, 2),
+    }])
+    .unwrap();
+    late.converge().unwrap();
+
+    let ignored = curve(&late, "anchor");
+    let drifting = curve(&fit(distant_pair(None), 25.0 / 300.0), "anchor");
+
+    for ((t_l, g_l), (t_r, g_r)) in ignored.iter().zip(drifting.iter()) {
+        assert_eq!(t_l, t_r);
+        assert!(
+            (g_l.sigma() - g_r.sigma()).abs() < 1e-9,
+            "a scale set after first appearance must be ignored, leaving the fit \
+             identical to one that never set it: t={t_l}, {} vs {}",
+            g_l.sigma(),
+            g_r.sigma()
+        );
+    }
+
+    let pinned = curve(&fit(distant_pair(Some(0.0)), 25.0 / 300.0), "anchor");
+    assert!(
+        (ignored[1].1.sigma() - pinned[1].1.sigma()).abs() > 1e-6,
+        "sanity: the pinned fit must actually differ, or the assertion above is vacuous"
+    );
+}