diff --git a/src/AcDream.Cli/Program.cs b/src/AcDream.Cli/Program.cs
index a4c290ee..c4ad9e71 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.Cli/Program.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.Cli/Program.cs
@@ -3,8 +3,21 @@ using DatReaderWriter;
 using DatReaderWriter.DBObjs;
 using DatReaderWriter.Enums;
 using DatReaderWriter.Options;
+using DatReaderWriter.Types;
 using Env = System.Environment;
 
+// ─── subcommand dispatch ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+if (args.Length >= 1 && args[0] == "dump-vitals-bars")
+{
+    string? dvbDatDir = args.ElementAtOrDefault(1) ?? Env.GetEnvironmentVariable("ACDREAM_DAT_DIR");
+    if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(dvbDatDir))
+    {
+        Console.Error.WriteLine("usage: AcDream.Cli dump-vitals-bars <dat-directory>");
+        return 2;
+    }
+    return DumpVitalsBars(dvbDatDir);
+}
+
 // Phase 0: open the four AC dat files and print how many of each asset type live in them.
 // This proves DatReaderWriter works on our retail dats and gives us a baseline inventory
 // to compare against what a future renderer needs.
@@ -160,3 +173,146 @@ static (string Name, Func<int> Count)[] CountCellByLow16(DatCollection dats)
         ("Region",        () => dats.GetAllIdsOfType<Region>().Count()),
     };
 }
+
+/// <summary>
+/// dump-vitals-bars: find the vitals window LayoutDesc (0x21000014) and print the
+/// RenderSurface DataIds (0x06xxxxxx) used by the Health, Stamina, and Mana meter
+/// bars. Each meter element (E6/EC/EE) has two child sub-groups per bar visual
+/// (front-bar and back-bar/track), each containing:
+///   - elem 0x100004A9 (ShowDetail state image = Alphablend fill sprite)
+///   - elem 0x100000E8 (DirectStateDesc = left-edge sprite)
+///   - elem 0x100000E9 (DirectStateDesc = fill-tile sprite)
+///   - elem 0x100000EA (DirectStateDesc = right-edge sprite)
+///
+/// Based on the Sept 2013 EoR retail dat, vitals layout id = 0x21000014.
+/// Element ids from gmVitalsUI::PostInit in acclient_2013_pseudo_c.txt.
+/// </summary>
+static int DumpVitalsBars(string dvbDatDir)
+{
+    const uint HEALTH_ELEM_ID  = 0x100000E6u;
+    const uint STAMINA_ELEM_ID = 0x100000ECu;
+    const uint MANA_ELEM_ID    = 0x100000EEu;
+
+    if (!Directory.Exists(dvbDatDir))
+    {
+        Console.Error.WriteLine($"error: directory not found: {dvbDatDir}");
+        return 2;
+    }
+
+    using var dats = new DatCollection(dvbDatDir, DatAccessType.Read);
+
+    // Find the vitals layout: scan all LayoutDescs for one containing the health meter element.
+    Console.WriteLine("Scanning LayoutDescs for vitals window (element 0x100000E6 = Health meter)...");
+    uint? vitalsId = null;
+    LayoutDesc? vitalsLayout = null;
+    foreach (var id in dats.GetAllIdsOfType<LayoutDesc>())
+    {
+        var ld = dats.Get<LayoutDesc>(id);
+        if (ld is null) continue;
+        if (VbContainsElementId(ld, HEALTH_ELEM_ID)) { vitalsId = id; vitalsLayout = ld; break; }
+    }
+
+    if (vitalsLayout is null)
+    {
+        Console.Error.WriteLine("ERROR: no LayoutDesc contains element 0x100000E6 (Health meter).");
+        return 1;
+    }
+    Console.WriteLine($"Found vitals layout: 0x{vitalsId!.Value:X8}");
+    Console.WriteLine();
+
+    // For each vital meter, collect all MediaDescImage DataIds from its sub-tree.
+    var meters = new[] { (HEALTH_ELEM_ID, "HEALTH"), (STAMINA_ELEM_ID, "STAMINA"), (MANA_ELEM_ID, "MANA") };
+    foreach (var (eid, vitalName) in meters)
+    {
+        Console.WriteLine($"{vitalName} meter (element 0x{eid:X8}) in layout 0x{vitalsId!.Value:X8}:");
+        var meterElem = VbFindElement(vitalsLayout!, eid);
+        if (meterElem is null) { Console.WriteLine("  <element not found>"); continue; }
+
+        var sprites = new List<(string Role, uint DataId, string DrawMode)>();
+        VbCollectSprites(meterElem, sprites, 0);
+
+        if (sprites.Count == 0)
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine("  <no sprites found in sub-tree>");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            foreach (var (role, dataId, drawMode) in sprites)
+                Console.WriteLine($"  {role,-35} 0x{dataId:X8}  ({drawMode})");
+        }
+        Console.WriteLine();
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+// ─── dump-vitals-bars helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+static bool VbContainsElementId(LayoutDesc ld, uint targetId)
+{
+    var elems = ld.Elements;
+    foreach (var kvp in elems)
+    {
+        if (kvp.Key == targetId) return true;
+        if (VbChildContains(kvp.Value, targetId)) return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+static bool VbChildContains(ElementDesc elem, uint targetId)
+{
+    foreach (var kvp in elem.Children)
+    {
+        if (kvp.Key == targetId) return true;
+        if (VbChildContains(kvp.Value, targetId)) return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+static ElementDesc? VbFindElement(LayoutDesc ld, uint targetId)
+{
+    foreach (var kvp in ld.Elements)
+    {
+        if (kvp.Key == targetId) return kvp.Value;
+        var found = VbFindChild(kvp.Value, targetId);
+        if (found is not null) return found;
+    }
+    return null;
+}
+
+static ElementDesc? VbFindChild(ElementDesc elem, uint targetId)
+{
+    foreach (var kvp in elem.Children)
+    {
+        if (kvp.Key == targetId) return kvp.Value;
+        var found = VbFindChild(kvp.Value, targetId);
+        if (found is not null) return found;
+    }
+    return null;
+}
+
+static void VbCollectSprites(ElementDesc elem, List<(string, uint, string)> out_, int depth)
+{
+    string indent = new string(' ', depth * 2);
+
+    // Check the element's direct StateDesc
+    if (elem.StateDesc is not null)
+        VbExtractMedia(elem.StateDesc, $"{indent}elem_0x{elem.ElementId:X8}.DirectState", out_);
+
+    // Check each named state
+    foreach (var kvp in elem.States)
+        VbExtractMedia(kvp.Value, $"{indent}elem_0x{elem.ElementId:X8}.{kvp.Key}", out_);
+
+    // Recurse into children
+    foreach (var kvp in elem.Children)
+        VbCollectSprites(kvp.Value, out_, depth + 1);
+}
+
+static void VbExtractMedia(StateDesc sd, string role, List<(string, uint, string)> out_)
+{
+    foreach (var m in sd.Media)
+    {
+        if (m is MediaDescImage img && img.File != 0)
+            out_.Add((role, img.File, img.DrawMode.ToString()));
+    }
+}