diff --git a/src/AcDream.Core/Terrain/TerrainSlotAllocator.cs b/src/AcDream.Core/Terrain/TerrainSlotAllocator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e86f21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/AcDream.Core/Terrain/TerrainSlotAllocator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+
+namespace AcDream.Core.Terrain;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Pure-CPU slot allocator for the terrain modern dispatcher's global VBO/EBO.
+/// One slot = one landblock's worth of mesh data (384 verts + 384 indices).
+/// Uses a FIFO free-list for slot recycling and a monotonic counter for
+/// first-time growth, mirroring WorldBuilder's TerrainRenderManager pattern.
+/// All bookkeeping is CPU-side; the GPU buffer growth itself is performed
+/// by TerrainModernRenderer when <see cref="Allocate"/> sets needsGrow=true.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class TerrainSlotAllocator
+{
+    private readonly Queue<int> _freeSlots = new();
+    private readonly HashSet<int> _liveSlots = new();
+    private int _nextFreeSlot;
+    private int _capacity;
+
+    public TerrainSlotAllocator(int initialCapacity = 64)
+    {
+        if (initialCapacity <= 0)
+            throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(initialCapacity), "must be > 0");
+        _capacity = initialCapacity;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Current capacity in slots. Growable via <see cref="GrowTo"/>.</summary>
+    public int Capacity => _capacity;
+
+    /// <summary>Slots currently in use (allocated minus freed).</summary>
+    public int LoadedCount => _liveSlots.Count;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Allocate a slot index. Reuses a freed slot via FIFO if available,
+    /// otherwise hands out the next monotonic index. Sets
+    /// <paramref name="needsGrow"/> to true when the returned slot index is
+    /// at or beyond current capacity — caller must <see cref="GrowTo"/>
+    /// before using the slot.
+    /// </summary>
+    public int Allocate(out bool needsGrow)
+    {
+        int slot;
+        if (_freeSlots.TryDequeue(out var freed))
+        {
+            slot = freed;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            slot = _nextFreeSlot++;
+        }
+        _liveSlots.Add(slot);
+        needsGrow = slot >= _capacity;
+        return slot;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Return a slot to the free list. Throws if the slot wasn't currently
+    /// allocated (catches double-free bugs).
+    /// </summary>
+    public void Free(int slot)
+    {
+        if (!_liveSlots.Remove(slot))
+            throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                $"Slot {slot} was not allocated (double-free or unknown slot).");
+        _freeSlots.Enqueue(slot);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Update capacity counter after the caller has grown the GPU buffers.</summary>
+    public void GrowTo(int newCapacity)
+    {
+        if (newCapacity < _capacity)
+            throw new ArgumentException("Capacity can only grow", nameof(newCapacity));
+        _capacity = newCapacity;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/AcDream.Core.Tests/Terrain/TerrainSlotAllocatorTests.cs b/tests/AcDream.Core.Tests/Terrain/TerrainSlotAllocatorTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aaa894c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/AcDream.Core.Tests/Terrain/TerrainSlotAllocatorTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+using AcDream.Core.Terrain;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace AcDream.Core.Tests.Terrain;
+
+public class TerrainSlotAllocatorTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public void Allocate_FromFreshAllocator_ReturnsZero()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 8);
+        Assert.Equal(0, alloc.Allocate(out _));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Allocate_TwoTimes_ReturnsZeroThenOne()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 8);
+        Assert.Equal(0, alloc.Allocate(out _));
+        Assert.Equal(1, alloc.Allocate(out _));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void FreeThenAllocate_ReusesFreedSlot()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 8);
+        var s0 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        var s1 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        alloc.Free(s0);
+        Assert.Equal(s0, alloc.Allocate(out _));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void FreeOrderedFreshAllocs_ReturnsInFifoOrder()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 8);
+        var s0 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        var s1 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        var s2 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        alloc.Free(s0);
+        alloc.Free(s2);
+        Assert.Equal(s0, alloc.Allocate(out _));
+        Assert.Equal(s2, alloc.Allocate(out _));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Allocate_BeyondInitialCapacity_SignalsNeedsGrow()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 2);
+        alloc.Allocate(out var grow0);
+        alloc.Allocate(out var grow1);
+        alloc.Allocate(out var grow2);
+        Assert.False(grow0);
+        Assert.False(grow1);
+        Assert.True(grow2);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void GrowTo_DoublesCapacityCorrectly()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 4);
+        alloc.GrowTo(8);
+        Assert.Equal(8, alloc.Capacity);
+        alloc.GrowTo(64);
+        Assert.Equal(64, alloc.Capacity);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void LoadedCount_TracksAllocAndFree()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 8);
+        Assert.Equal(0, alloc.LoadedCount);
+        var s0 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        var s1 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        Assert.Equal(2, alloc.LoadedCount);
+        alloc.Free(s0);
+        Assert.Equal(1, alloc.LoadedCount);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Free_TwiceForSameSlot_Throws()
+    {
+        var alloc = new TerrainSlotAllocator(initialCapacity: 8);
+        var s0 = alloc.Allocate(out _);
+        alloc.Free(s0);
+        Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(() => alloc.Free(s0));
+    }
+}