diff --git a/ent/class.go b/ent/class.go
index 546c331..3a92049 100644
--- a/ent/class.go
+++ b/ent/class.go
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ type Class struct {
 	Name    Symbol
 	Version int
 	Fields  []*Field
+
+	// all other entities for this class use this instance as a prototype
+	baseline *Entity
 }
 
 func (c *Class) New() *Entity {
diff --git a/ent/dict.go b/ent/dict.go
index 24c1ce6..bf5033d 100644
--- a/ent/dict.go
+++ b/ent/dict.go
@@ -2,13 +2,29 @@ package ent
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
 
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/hyperstone/bit"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/hyperstone/dota"
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/hyperstone/stbl"
 )
 
+// https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Entity_limit
+//
+// There can be up to 4096 entities. This total is split into two groups of 2048:
+//   Non-networked entities, which exist only on the client or server (e.g.
+//   death ragdolls on client, logicals on server).
+//   Entities with associated edicts, which can cross the client/server divide.
+//
+// If the game tries to assign a 2049th edict it will exit with an error
+// message, but if it tries to create a 2049th non-networked entity it will
+// merely refuse and print a warning to the console. The logic behind this
+// may be that an entity spawned dynamically (i.e. not present in the map)
+// but not assigned an edict probably isn't too important.
+const e_limit = 2048
+
 // Dict corresponds to the edict_t in Valve's documentation for the Source
 // engine. See here: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Edict_t
 //
@@ -20,16 +36,24 @@ import (
 //   be used on the client.
 type Dict struct {
 	*Namespace
-	entities map[int]Entity
+	entities []Entity
 	br       *bit.BufReader
+
+	// a reference to our string table of entity baseline data. For whatever
+	// reason, the first set of baselines sometimes come in before the classes
+	// are defined.
+	base *stbl.Table
 }
 
-func NewDict() *Dict {
-	return &Dict{
+func NewDict(sd *stbl.Dict) *Dict {
+	d := &Dict{
 		Namespace: new(Namespace),
-		entities:  make(map[int]Entity),
+		entities:  make([]Entity, e_limit),
 		br:        new(bit.BufReader),
+		base:      sd.TableForName("instancebaseline"),
 	}
+	sd.WatchTable("instancebaseline", d.updateBaselines)
+	return d
 }
 
 // creates an entity with the provided id. the entity's contents data are read
@@ -52,18 +76,36 @@ func (d *Dict) createEntity(id int) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (d *Dict) getEntity(id int) *Entity {
+	if id < 0 || id >= e_limit {
+		Debug.Printf("edict refused getEntity request for invalid id %d", id)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return &d.entities[id]
+}
+
 func (d *Dict) updateEntity(id int) error {
 	Debug.Printf("update entity id: %d\n", id)
+	e := d.getEntity(id)
+	if e == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("update entity %d refused: no such entity", id)
+	}
+	e.Read(d.br)
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (d *Dict) deleteEntity(id int) error {
 	Debug.Printf("delete entity id: %d\n", id)
+	if id < 0 || id >= e_limit {
+		return fmt.Errorf("delete entity %d refused: no such entity", id)
+	}
+	d.entities[id] = Entity{}
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (d *Dict) leaveEntity(id int) error {
 	Debug.Printf("leave entity id: %d\n", id)
+	// what the shit does this do?
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -71,9 +113,11 @@ func (d *Dict) Handle(m proto.Message) {
 	switch v := m.(type) {
 	case *dota.CDemoSendTables:
 		d.mergeSendTables(v)
+		d.syncBaselines()
 
 	case *dota.CDemoClassInfo:
 		d.mergeClassInfo(v)
+		d.syncBaselines()
 
 	case *dota.CSVCMsg_PacketEntities:
 		d.mergeEntities(v)
@@ -113,3 +157,38 @@ func (d *Dict) mergeEntities(m *dota.CSVCMsg_PacketEntities) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (d *Dict) updateBaselines(t *stbl.Table) {
+	d.base = t
+	d.syncBaselines()
+}
+
+func (d *Dict) syncBaselines() {
+	Debug.Printf("syncBaselines start")
+	if d.base == nil {
+		Debug.Printf("syncBaselines failed: reference to baseline string table is nil")
+		return
+	}
+
+	for _, e := range d.base.Entries() {
+		id, err := strconv.Atoi(e.Key)
+		if err != nil {
+			Debug.Printf("syncBaselines skipping entry with key %s: key failed to parse to integer: %v", e.Key, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		c := d.ClassByNetId(id)
+		if c == nil {
+			Debug.Printf("syncBaselines skipping entry with key %s: no such class", e.Key)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if c.baseline == nil {
+			c.baseline = c.New()
+		}
+
+		d.br.SetSource(e.Value)
+		Debug.Printf("syncBaselines has new baseline for class %v", c)
+		c.baseline.Read(d.br)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/ent/entity.go b/ent/entity.go
index f67542e..9fe9845 100644
--- a/ent/entity.go
+++ b/ent/entity.go
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ type Entity struct {
 	*Class
 }
 
-func (e *Entity) Read(br bit.Reader) {
-	fmt.Printf("Entity %v read\n", e)
+func (e *Entity) Read(br bit.Reader) error {
+	if e.Class == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to read entity: entity has no class")
+	}
+	Debug.Printf("Entity %v read", e)
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/ent/namespace.go b/ent/namespace.go
index 13a6552..ad77ea7 100644
--- a/ent/namespace.go
+++ b/ent/namespace.go
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ func (n *Namespace) mergeClassInfo(ci *dota.CDemoClassInfo) {
 
 // merges the send table data found in the replay protobufs. The send table
 // data contains a specification for an entity type system.
-func (n *Namespace) mergeSendTables(st *dota.CDemoSendTables) {
+func (n *Namespace) mergeSendTables(st *dota.CDemoSendTables) error {
 	// sendtables only has one field, a binary data field.
+	Debug.Printf("merge send tables")
 	data := st.GetData()
 	br := bit.NewBytesReader(data)
 
@@ -52,8 +53,7 @@ func (n *Namespace) mergeSendTables(st *dota.CDemoSendTables) {
 
 	flat := dota.CSVCMsg_FlattenedSerializer{}
 	if err := proto.Unmarshal(buf, &flat); err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("error: %v\n", err)
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to merge send tables: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	n.SymbolTable = SymbolTable(flat.GetSymbols())
@@ -67,12 +67,14 @@ func (n *Namespace) mergeSendTables(st *dota.CDemoSendTables) {
 	n.classesByName = make(map[string]map[int]*Class, len(flat.GetSerializers()))
 
 	for _, c := range flat.GetSerializers() {
-		class := Class{}
-		class.fromProto(c, fields)
-
 		name := n.Symbol(int(c.GetSerializerNameSym()))
-		class.Name = name
 		version := int(c.GetSerializerVersion())
+
+		class := Class{Name: name, Version: version}
+		class.fromProto(c, fields)
+
+		Debug.Printf("new class: %v", class)
+
 		id := classId{name: name, version: version}
 		n.classes[id] = &class
 
@@ -82,6 +84,8 @@ func (n *Namespace) mergeSendTables(st *dota.CDemoSendTables) {
 			n.classesByName[name.String()][version] = &class
 		}
 	}
+
+	return br.Err()
 }
 
 func (n *Namespace) readClassId(r bit.Reader) int {
@@ -91,3 +95,22 @@ func (n *Namespace) readClassId(r bit.Reader) int {
 func (n *Namespace) Class(name string, version int) *Class {
 	return n.classesByName[name][version]
 }
+
+func (n *Namespace) ClassByNetId(id int) *Class {
+	name, ok := n.classIds[id]
+	if !ok {
+		Debug.Printf("can't find class name for net id %d", id)
+		return nil
+	}
+	versions, newest := n.classesByName[name], -1
+	for v, _ := range versions {
+		if v > newest {
+			newest = v
+		}
+	}
+	if newest == -1 {
+		Debug.Printf("class %s has no known versions in its version map", name)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return versions[newest]
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 95279e9..5b32148 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -142,8 +142,12 @@ func main() {
 		handle = dumpClasses
 	case "entities":
 		ent.Debug = log.New(os.Stdout, "", 0)
-		d := ent.NewDict()
-		handle = d.Handle
+		sd := stbl.NewDict()
+		ed := ent.NewDict(sd)
+		handle = func(m proto.Message) {
+			sd.Handle(m)
+			ed.Handle(m)
+		}
 	default:
 		bail(1, "no such action: %s", flag.Arg(0))
 	}
diff --git a/stbl/dict.go b/stbl/dict.go
index 67648e9..604f4a6 100644
--- a/stbl/dict.go
+++ b/stbl/dict.go
@@ -13,18 +13,20 @@ import (
 // Dict represents a dictionary of string tables. Each table may be referenced
 // by either a numeric ID or its name.
 type Dict struct {
-	byId    []Table
-	byName  map[string]*Table
-	br      *bit.BufReader
-	scratch []byte
+	byId      []Table
+	byName    map[string]*Table
+	br        *bit.BufReader
+	scratch   []byte
+	observers map[string][]func(*Table)
 }
 
 func NewDict() *Dict {
 	return &Dict{
-		byId:    make([]Table, 0, 64),
-		byName:  make(map[string]*Table, 64),
-		br:      new(bit.BufReader),
-		scratch: make([]byte, 1<<16),
+		byId:      make([]Table, 0, 64),
+		byName:    make(map[string]*Table, 64),
+		br:        new(bit.BufReader),
+		scratch:   make([]byte, 1<<16),
+		observers: make(map[string][]func(*Table)),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ func (d *Dict) newTable(name string) *Table {
 // retained in the dict, but a pointer to the table is also returned in case
 // the newly-created table is of use to the caller.
 func (d *Dict) Create(m *dota.CSVCMsg_CreateStringTable) (*Table, error) {
+	defer d.notifyObservers(m.GetName())
 	Debug.Printf("create table %s", m.GetName())
 	t := d.newTable(m.GetName())
 
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ func (d *Dict) Update(m *dota.CSVCMsg_UpdateStringTable) error {
 	if t == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("no known string table for id %d", m.GetTableId())
 	}
+	defer d.notifyObservers(t.name)
 
 	d.br.SetSource(m.GetStringData())
 	return t.updateEntries(d.br, int(m.GetNumChangedEntries()))
@@ -112,3 +116,16 @@ func (d *Dict) Handle(m proto.Message) {
 		Debug.Println("ignoring a full stringtable dump")
 	}
 }
+
+func (d *Dict) WatchTable(name string, fn func(*Table)) {
+	if d.observers[name] == nil {
+		d.observers[name] = make([]func(*Table), 0, 8)
+	}
+	d.observers[name] = append(d.observers[name], fn)
+}
+
+func (d *Dict) notifyObservers(name string) {
+	for _, fn := range d.observers[name] {
+		fn(d.TableForName(name))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/stbl/entry.go b/stbl/entry.go
index fbcb8a6..dc13133 100644
--- a/stbl/entry.go
+++ b/stbl/entry.go
@@ -8,21 +8,21 @@ import (
 // Entry represents a single record in a string table. It's not called "Record"
 // because it's called "Entry" in the protobufs.
 type Entry struct {
-	key   string
-	value []byte
+	Key   string
+	Value []byte
 }
 
 func (e Entry) String() string {
-	if e.value == nil {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("{%s nil}", e.key)
+	if e.Value == nil {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("{%s nil}", e.Key)
 	}
 
-	if utf8.Valid(e.value) {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("{%s %s}", e.key, e.value)
+	if utf8.Valid(e.Value) {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("{%s %s}", e.Key, e.Value)
 	}
 
-	if len(e.value) > 32 {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("{%s 0x%x}", e.key, e.value[:32])
+	if len(e.Value) > 32 {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("{%s 0x%x}", e.Key, e.Value[:32])
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("{%s 0x%x}", e.key, e.value)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("{%s 0x%x}", e.Key, e.Value)
 }
diff --git a/stbl/table.go b/stbl/table.go
index cd38f15..7a76024 100644
--- a/stbl/table.go
+++ b/stbl/table.go
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@ type Table struct {
 	name     string
 	entries  []Entry
 	byteSize int
-	bitSize  int // this is in the protobuf message but I don't know what it does.
+
+	// this is in the protobuf message but I don't know what it does.
+	bitSize int
 }
 
+func (t *Table) Entries() []Entry { return t.entries }
+
 // creates n entries from the bit stream br
 func (t *Table) createEntries(br *bit.BufReader, n int) error {
 	Debug.Printf("table %s create %d entries", t.name, n)
@@ -38,22 +42,22 @@ func (t *Table) createEntries(br *bit.BufReader, n int) error {
 			// backreading flag: indicates that the key references an earlier
 			// key or a portion of an earlier key as a prefix
 			if bit.ReadBool(br) {
-				entry.key = t.entries[base+br.ReadBits(5)].key[:br.ReadBits(5)] + bit.ReadString(br)
+				entry.Key = t.entries[base+br.ReadBits(5)].Key[:br.ReadBits(5)] + bit.ReadString(br)
 			} else {
-				entry.key = bit.ReadString(br)
+				entry.Key = bit.ReadString(br)
 			}
 		}
 
 		// value flag: indicates that a value is present
 		if bit.ReadBool(br) {
 			if t.byteSize != 0 {
-				entry.value = make([]byte, t.byteSize)
-				br.Read(entry.value)
+				entry.Value = make([]byte, t.byteSize)
+				br.Read(entry.Value)
 			} else {
 				size := br.ReadBits(14)
 				br.ReadBits(3) // ???
-				entry.value = make([]byte, size)
-				br.Read(entry.value)
+				entry.Value = make([]byte, size)
+				br.Read(entry.Value)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -91,32 +95,32 @@ func (t *Table) updateEntries(br *bit.BufReader, n int) error {
 				prev, pLen := h.at(int(br.ReadBits(5))), int(br.ReadBits(5))
 				if prev < len(t.entries) {
 					prevEntry := &t.entries[prev]
-					entry.key = prevEntry.key[:pLen] + bit.ReadString(br)
+					entry.Key = prevEntry.Key[:pLen] + bit.ReadString(br)
 				} else {
 					return fmt.Errorf("backread error")
 				}
 			} else {
-				entry.key = bit.ReadString(br)
+				entry.Key = bit.ReadString(br)
 			}
 		}
 
 		// value flag
 		if bit.ReadBool(br) {
 			if t.byteSize != 0 {
-				if entry.value == nil {
-					entry.value = make([]byte, t.byteSize)
+				if entry.Value == nil {
+					entry.Value = make([]byte, t.byteSize)
 				}
 			} else {
 				size, _ := int(br.ReadBits(14)), br.ReadBits(3)
-				if len(entry.value) < size {
-					entry.value = make([]byte, size)
+				if len(entry.Value) < size {
+					entry.Value = make([]byte, size)
 				} else {
-					entry.value = entry.value[:size]
+					entry.Value = entry.Value[:size]
 				}
 			}
-			br.Read(entry.value)
+			br.Read(entry.Value)
 		}
-		Debug.Printf("%s:%s = %x", t.name, entry.key, entry.value)
+		Debug.Printf("%s:%s = %x", t.name, entry.Key, entry.Value)
 	}
 	return nil
 }