diff --git a/server/src/cryp.rs b/server/src/cryp.rs
index c5269143..abd97bbc 100644
--- a/server/src/cryp.rs
+++ b/server/src/cryp.rs
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@ impl Cryp {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn learn_mut(&mut self, s: Skill) -> &mut Cryp {
+        self.skills.push(CrypSkill::new(s));
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn forget(mut self, skill: Skill) -> Result<Cryp, Error> {
         match self.skills.iter().position(|s| s.skill == skill) {
             Some(i) => {
diff --git a/server/src/instance.rs b/server/src/instance.rs
index cbac4ec7..472d6c57 100644
--- a/server/src/instance.rs
+++ b/server/src/instance.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,21 @@ impl Instance {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn player_update(mut self, player: Player) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
+        if self.phase != InstancePhase::Vbox {
+            return Err(err_msg("instance not in vbox phase"));
+        }
+
+        let i = self.players
+            .iter()
+            .position(|p| p.id == player.id)
+            .ok_or(err_msg("player_id not found"))?;
+
+        self.players[i] = player;
+
+        Ok(self)
+    }
+
     fn player_ready(mut self, mut player: Player) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
         if self.phase != InstancePhase::Vbox {
             panic!("instance not in vbox phase");
@@ -278,7 +293,7 @@ impl Instance {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn instance_create(instance: Instance, tx: &mut Transaction) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
+pub fn instance_create(tx: &mut Transaction, instance: Instance) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
     let instance_bytes = to_vec(&instance)?;
 
     let query = "
@@ -295,7 +310,7 @@ pub fn instance_create(instance: Instance, tx: &mut Transaction) -> Result<Insta
     return Ok(instance);
 }
 
-pub fn instance_write(instance: Instance, tx: &mut Transaction) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
+pub fn instance_update(tx: &mut Transaction, instance: Instance) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
     let instance_bytes = to_vec(&instance)?;
 
     let query = "
@@ -360,10 +375,10 @@ pub fn instance_get_open(tx: &mut Transaction) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
 
 pub fn instance_join(params: InstanceJoinParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account) -> Result<Player, Error> {
     let mut instance = match params.pve {
-        true => instance_create(Instance::new().add_bots(), tx)?,
+        true => instance_create(tx, Instance::new().add_bots())?,
         false => match instance_get_open(tx) {
             Ok(i) => i,
-            Err(_) => instance_create(Instance::new(), tx)?,
+            Err(_) => instance_create(tx, Instance::new())?,
         },
     };
 
@@ -385,7 +400,7 @@ pub fn instance_join(params: InstanceJoinParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account:
         instance.start();
     }
 
-    instance_write(instance, tx)?;
+    instance_update(tx, instance)?;
 
     return Ok(player);
 }
@@ -414,7 +429,7 @@ pub fn instance_ready(params: InstanceReadyParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account
     };
 
     player_update(tx, player)?;
-    instance_write(instance, tx)?;
+    instance_update(tx, instance)?;
     return Ok(game);
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/player.rs b/server/src/player.rs
index a7e87f0a..d02200b6 100644
--- a/server/src/player.rs
+++ b/server/src/player.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use account::Account;
 use cryp::{Cryp, cryp_get};
 use vbox::{Vbox};
 use rpc::{PlayerStateParams, PlayerCrypsSetParams};
+use instance::{Instance, instance_get, instance_update};
 
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
 pub struct Score {
@@ -64,6 +65,10 @@ impl Player {
         self.score.losses += 1;
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn cryp_get(&mut self, id: Uuid) -> Result<&mut Cryp, Error> {
+        self.cryps.iter_mut().find(|c| c.id == id).ok_or(err_msg("cryp not found"))
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn player_get(tx: &mut Transaction, account_id: Uuid, instance_id: Uuid) -> Result<Player, Error> {
@@ -109,6 +114,14 @@ pub fn player_create(tx: &mut Transaction, player: &Player, account: &Account) -
 }
 
 pub fn player_update(tx: &mut Transaction, player: Player) -> Result<Player, Error> {
+    // update the instance this player is associated with
+    // if not a global player
+    if player.instance != Uuid::nil() {
+        let instance = instance_get(tx, player.instance)?
+            .player_update(player.clone())?;
+        instance_update(tx, instance)?;
+    }
+
     let bytes = to_vec(&player)?;
 
     let query = "
@@ -123,6 +136,7 @@ pub fn player_update(tx: &mut Transaction, player: Player) -> Result<Player, Err
 
     result.iter().next().ok_or(format_err!("player {:?} could not be written", player))?;
 
+
     return Ok(player)
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/vbox.rs b/server/src/vbox.rs
index c487fd34..46925459 100644
--- a/server/src/vbox.rs
+++ b/server/src/vbox.rs
@@ -302,19 +302,21 @@ pub fn vbox_drop(params: VboxDropParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account
 
 pub fn vbox_apply(params: VboxApplyParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account) -> Result<Player, Error> {
     let mut player = player_get(tx, account.id, params.instance_id)?;
-    let mut cryp = cryp_get(tx, params.cryp_id, account.id)?;
-
     let var = player.vbox.bound.remove(params.index);
+    let skill = var.skill()?;
 
-    // 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));
+    // mess with cryp then release it
+    {
+        let cryp = player.cryp_get(params.cryp_id)?;
+        // 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));
+        }
+
+        cryp.learn_mut(skill);
     }
 
-    let skill = var.skill()?;
-    cryp = cryp.learn(skill);
-    cryp_write(cryp, tx)?;
     return player_update(tx, player);
 }