diff --git a/ent/handle.go b/ent/handle.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19cef53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ent/handle.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package ent
+
+import (
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/hyperstone/bit"
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/hyperstone/dota"
+)
+
+func handleType(flat *dota.ProtoFlattenedSerializerFieldT, env *Env) tÿpe {
+	if env.symbol(int(flat.GetVarTypeSym())) != "CGameSceneNodeHandle" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return handle_t{}
+}
+
+// a handle represents a soft pointer to an entity. handles are represented by
+// IDs and can cross the client-server divide.
+type handle int
+
+type handle_t struct{}
+
+func (t handle_t) read(r bit.Reader) (value, error) {
+	return handle(bit.ReadVarInt(r)), nil
+}
diff --git a/ent/type.go b/ent/type.go
index 6806b2c..d73f43c 100644
--- a/ent/type.go
+++ b/ent/type.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func parseType(flat *dota.ProtoFlattenedSerializerFieldT, env *Env) tÿpe {
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
-	return coalesce(atomType, qFloatType)
+	return coalesce(atomType, qFloatType, handleType)
 }
 
 // a type error is both an error and a type. It represents a type that we were