diff --git a/server/src/rpc.rs b/server/src/rpc.rs
index fddbb753..79e15c54 100644
--- a/server/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/server/src/rpc.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use account::{Account, account_create, account_login, account_from_token, accoun
 use skill::{Skill};
 use zone::{Zone, zone_create, zone_join, zone_close};
 use spec::{Spec};
-use vbox::{Vbox, vbox_state, vbox_accept, vbox_discard, vbox_combine};
+use vbox::{Vbox, vbox_state, vbox_accept, vbox_apply, vbox_discard, vbox_combine};
 
 pub struct Rpc;
 
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ impl Rpc {
 
                     "vbox_state" => Rpc::vbox_state(data, &mut tx, account.unwrap(), client),
                     "vbox_accept" => Rpc::vbox_accept(data, &mut tx, account.unwrap(), client),
-                    "vbox_discard" => Rpc::vbox_discard(data, &mut tx, account.unwrap(), client),
+                    "vbox_apply" => Rpc::vbox_accept(data, &mut tx, account.unwrap(), client),
                     "vbox_combine" => Rpc::vbox_combine(data, &mut tx, account.unwrap(), client),
+                    "vbox_discard" => Rpc::vbox_discard(data, &mut tx, account.unwrap(), client),
 
                     _ => Err(format_err!("unknown method - {:?}", v.method)),
                 };
@@ -398,6 +399,23 @@ impl Rpc {
         return Ok(response);
     }
 
+    fn vbox_apply(data: Vec<u8>, tx: &mut Transaction, account: Account, client: &mut WebSocket<TcpStream>) -> Result<RpcResponse, Error> {
+        let msg = from_slice::<VboxApplyMsg>(&data).or(Err(err_msg("invalid params")))?;
+
+        let response = RpcResponse {
+            method: "vbox_state".to_string(),
+            params: RpcResult::VboxState(vbox_apply(msg.params, tx, &account)?)
+        };
+
+        Rpc::send_msg(client, RpcResponse {
+            method: "account_cryps".to_string(),
+            params: RpcResult::CrypList(account_cryps(tx, &account)?)
+        })?;
+
+        return Ok(response);
+    }
+
+
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
@@ -659,6 +677,19 @@ pub struct VboxCombineParams {
     pub indices: Vec<usize>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
+struct VboxApplyMsg {
+    method: String,
+    params: VboxApplyParams,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
+pub struct VboxApplyParams {
+    pub game_id: Uuid,
+    pub cryp_id: Uuid,
+    pub index: usize,
+}
+
 // #[cfg(test)]
 // mod tests {
 //     use super::*;
diff --git a/server/src/vbox.rs b/server/src/vbox.rs
index dc7a9be2..c30c1916 100644
--- a/server/src/vbox.rs
+++ b/server/src/vbox.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 // drops
 use rand::prelude::*;
 use rand::{thread_rng};
-use rand::distributions::{LogNormal,WeightedIndex};
+use rand::distributions::{WeightedIndex};
 
 use serde_cbor::{from_slice, to_vec};
 
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ use failure::Error;
 use failure::err_msg;
 
 use account::Account;
-use rpc::{VboxStateParams, VboxAcceptParams, VboxDiscardParams, VboxCombineParams};
+use rpc::{VboxStateParams, VboxAcceptParams, VboxDiscardParams, VboxCombineParams, VboxApplyParams};
+use skill::{Skill};
+use cryp::{cryp_get, cryp_write};
 
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Copy,PartialEq,Eq,Ord,PartialOrd,Serialize,Deserialize)]
 pub enum Var {
@@ -46,6 +48,23 @@ impl Var {
             _ => false,
         }
     }
+
+    fn skill(&self) -> Result<Skill, Error> {
+        match self {
+            Attack => Ok(Skill::Attack),
+            Block => Ok(Skill::Attack),
+            Stun => Ok(Skill::Attack),
+            Buff => Ok(Skill::Attack),
+            Debuff => Ok(Skill::Attack),
+
+            Strike => Ok(Skill::Attack),
+            Blast => Ok(Skill::Blast),
+            Heal => Ok(Skill::Heal),
+            Throw => Ok(Skill::Throw),
+            Hex => Ok(Skill::Hex),
+            _ => Err(err_msg("not a usable var"))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
@@ -304,6 +323,25 @@ pub fn vbox_combine(params: VboxCombineParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &A
     return vbox_write(vbox, tx);
 }
 
+pub fn vbox_apply(params: VboxApplyParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account) -> Result<Vbox, Error> {
+    let mut vbox = vbox_get(tx, params.game_id, account)?;
+    let mut cryp = cryp_get(tx, params.cryp_id, account.id)?;
+
+    let var = vbox.bound.remove(params.index);
+
+    // done here because i teach them a tonne of skills for tests
+    let max_skills = 4;
+    if cryp.skills.len() >= max_skills {
+        return Err(format_err!("cryp at max skills ({:?})", max_skills));
+    }
+
+    let skill = var.skill()?;
+    cryp = cryp.learn(skill);
+    cryp_write(cryp, tx)?;
+    return vbox_write(vbox, tx);
+}
+
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -313,8 +351,6 @@ mod tests {
         let mut vbox = Vbox::new(Uuid::new_v4(), Uuid::new_v4());
         vbox.bound = vec![Var::Attack, Var::Green, Var::Green];
         vbox.combine(vec![1,2,0]).unwrap();
-
-        println!("{:?}", vbox);
         assert_eq!(vbox.bound[0], Var::Heal);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file