diff --git a/GameState.gd b/GameState.gd
index f855f2a..6b19551 100644
--- a/GameState.gd
+++ b/GameState.gd
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 extends Node
 
+
 # Autoload singleton - the one thing that survives change_scene_to_file()
 # scene swaps between space (Main.tscn) and a planet's surface
 # (PlanetSurface.tscn). Everything else in either scene gets torn down
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ var return_camera_zoom: float = 1.0
 
 var planet_name: String = ""
 var planet_type: String = ""
+var surface_profile_id: String = "rocky"
 
 # Explored-chunk history for the world map's fog-of-war reveal. Lives
 # here (not on ExplorationTracker, which gets destroyed and recreated on
diff --git a/GasSurfaceFeatures.tscn b/GasSurfaceFeatures.tscn
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..576b66d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GasSurfaceFeatures.tscn
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[gd_scene load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://GasVentField.gd" id="1"]
+
+[node name="ResourceProvider" type="Node2D"]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+fleet_path = NodePath("../../Fleet")
diff --git a/GasSurfaceProfile.tres b/GasSurfaceProfile.tres
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0267c48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GasSurfaceProfile.tres
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="PlanetSurfaceProfile" load_steps=3 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+[ext_resource type="PackedScene" path="res://GasSurfaceFeatures.tscn" id="2"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+profile_id = "gas"
+features_scene = ExtResource("2")
+base_color = Color(0.13, 0.025, 0.22, 1)
+crater_color = Color(0.055, 0.008, 0.11, 1)
+highlight_color = Color(0.52, 0.17, 0.7, 1)
+caption_color = Color(0.78, 0.88, 0.94, 1)
+caption_outline_color = Color(0.02, 0.01, 0.05, 0.9)
diff --git a/GasVentField.gd b/GasVentField.gd
index 9cdd338..831ca4c 100644
--- a/GasVentField.gd
+++ b/GasVentField.gd
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 extends Node2D
-@onready var fleet: Node2D = get_node("../Fleet")
+@export var fleet_path: NodePath = NodePath("../Fleet")
+@onready var fleet: Node2D = get_node(fleet_path)
 var vents: Array[Vector2] = []
 var progress: float = 0.0
 var emission_phase: float = 0.0
diff --git a/Planet.gd b/Planet.gd
index c4eddbd..71b1e9f 100644
--- a/Planet.gd
+++ b/Planet.gd
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 extends Node2D
 
+
 # A landable world-object - unlike regular Asteroid.gd, planets are
 # stationary ("Big Stable Asteroid" - stable means it doesn't drift or
 # destroy ships on touch). Whether the fleet counts as "landed" is decided
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ extends Node2D
 @export var planet_name: String = ""
 @export var planet_type: String = "rocky"
 @export var resource_type: String = "ore"
+@export var surface_profile_id: String = "rocky"
 @export var landing_radius: float = 140.0
 # Set by whoever spawns this planet (PlanetField, seeded from the chunk's
 # own coordinates) so the outline shape is stable across respawns of the
diff --git a/PlanetAtmosphereController.gd b/PlanetAtmosphereController.gd
index cc497d4..b13e69f 100644
--- a/PlanetAtmosphereController.gd
+++ b/PlanetAtmosphereController.gd
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ func _on_enter_pressed() -> void:
 	GameState.return_camera_zoom = camera.zoom.x
 	GameState.planet_name = current_planet.planet_name
 	GameState.planet_type = current_planet.planet_type
+	GameState.surface_profile_id = current_planet.surface_profile_id
 
 	var tween: Tween = create_tween()
 	tween.tween_property(fade_rect, "color:a", 1.0, fade_duration)
diff --git a/PlanetField.gd b/PlanetField.gd
index 4dbbdd8..53b6ddf 100644
--- a/PlanetField.gd
+++ b/PlanetField.gd
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 extends Node2D
 
+
 # Spawns "Big Stable Asteroid" planets in ASTEROID_FIELD biome chunks near
 # the fleet where WorldGen says one belongs, and despawns them once the
 # fleet has moved far enough away - mirrors AsteroidField's chunk-lifecycle
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ func _spawn_chunk_planet(chunk: Vector2i) -> void:
 	planet.shape_seed = data.shape_seed
 	planet.planet_type = String(data.get("planet_type", "rocky"))
 	planet.resource_type = String(data.get("resource_type", "ore"))
+	planet.surface_profile_id = String(data.get("surface_profile_id", "rocky"))
 	# Deferred: update_chunks() can run synchronously from inside a
 	# parent's own _ready() chain (forced once right after the fleet is
 	# positioned, to avoid a pop-in on scene load) - Godot refuses a
diff --git a/PlanetSurface.tscn b/PlanetSurface.tscn
index 507ec2b..81cea2d 100644
--- a/PlanetSurface.tscn
+++ b/PlanetSurface.tscn
@@ -7,9 +7,7 @@
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://PlanetSurfaceController.gd" id="5"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://IconButton.gd" id="6"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://TouchJoystick.gd" id="7"]
-[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://RockField.gd" id="8"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://ResourceCounter.gd" id="9"]
-[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://GasVentField.gd" id="10"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://GasCounter.gd" id="11"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://CargoCounter.gd" id="12"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" path="res://GasCargoCounter.gd" id="13"]
@@ -49,12 +47,7 @@ ship_core_color = Color(0.02, 0.09, 0.15, 1)
 position = Vector2(0, 0)
 zoom = Vector2(1, 1)
 
-[node name="RockField" type="Node2D" parent="."]
-script = ExtResource("8")
-
-[node name="GasVentField" type="Node2D" parent="."]
-visible = false
-script = ExtResource("10")
+[node name="SurfaceFeatures" type="Node2D" parent="."]
 
 [node name="SurfaceController" type="Node2D" parent="."]
 script = ExtResource("5")
diff --git a/PlanetSurfaceController.gd b/PlanetSurfaceController.gd
index 502d8d4..9f632b4 100644
--- a/PlanetSurfaceController.gd
+++ b/PlanetSurfaceController.gd
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 extends Node2D
 
+const SURFACE_PROFILES = preload("res://PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd")
+
 # Bootstraps the surviving fleet on this scene's own startup (from
 # GameState, since this is a fresh scene tree - nothing here carries
 # over automatically) and handles the always-available exit prompt that
@@ -13,29 +15,14 @@ extends Node2D
 @onready var planet_name_label: Label = get_node("../UI/PlanetNameLabel")
 @onready var exit_button: IconButton = get_node("../UI/ExitButton")
 @onready var fade_rect: ColorRect = get_node("../FadeOverlay/FadeRect")
+@onready var background: ColorRect = get_node("../BackgroundLayer/LunarBackground")
+@onready var feature_host: Node2D = get_node("../SurfaceFeatures")
 
 var transitioning: bool = false
 
 
 func _ready() -> void:
-	if GameState.planet_type == "gas_giant":
-		# A gas giant is not lunar terrain: its surface view uses a deep,
-		# coloured atmosphere instead of the rocky field. The background is
-		# shader-driven, so changing ColorRect.color does not tint it; update
-		# the actual palette uniforms.
-		get_node("../RockField").visible = false
-		get_node("../GasVentField").visible = true
-		var background: ColorRect = get_node("../BackgroundLayer/LunarBackground")
-		var atmosphere: ShaderMaterial = background.material
-		atmosphere.set_shader_parameter("base_color", Color(0.13, 0.025, 0.22, 1.0))
-		atmosphere.set_shader_parameter("crater_color", Color(0.055, 0.008, 0.11, 1.0))
-		atmosphere.set_shader_parameter("highlight_color", Color(0.52, 0.17, 0.7, 1.0))
-		# The lunar surface uses dark captions on a bright ground. Flip only
-		# those captions for the night-dark gas atmosphere.
-		for caption_path in ["../UI/BankCaption", "../UI/FleetCaption"]:
-			var caption: Label = get_node(caption_path)
-			caption.add_theme_color_override("font_color", Color(0.78, 0.88, 0.94))
-			caption.add_theme_color_override("font_outline_color", Color(0.02, 0.01, 0.05, 0.9))
+	_compose_surface(SURFACE_PROFILES.get_profile(GameState.surface_profile_id))
 	fleet.spawn_ships(GameState.surviving_ship_count, Vector2.ZERO)
 	camera.position = Vector2.ZERO
 	camera.zoom = Vector2(GameState.return_camera_zoom, GameState.return_camera_zoom)
@@ -47,6 +34,21 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	tween.tween_property(fade_rect, "color:a", 0.0, fade_duration)
 
 
+func _compose_surface(profile: Resource) -> void:
+	var atmosphere: ShaderMaterial = background.material
+	atmosphere.set_shader_parameter("base_color", profile.base_color)
+	atmosphere.set_shader_parameter("crater_color", profile.crater_color)
+	atmosphere.set_shader_parameter("highlight_color", profile.highlight_color)
+	for caption_path in ["../UI/BankCaption", "../UI/FleetCaption"]:
+		var caption: Label = get_node(caption_path)
+		caption.add_theme_color_override("font_color", profile.caption_color)
+		caption.add_theme_color_override("font_outline_color", profile.caption_outline_color)
+	if profile.features_scene == null:
+		return
+	var features: Node = profile.features_scene.instantiate()
+	feature_host.add_child(features)
+
+
 func _on_exit_pressed() -> void:
 	if transitioning:
 		return
diff --git a/PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd b/PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2ea9be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+class_name PlanetSurfaceProfile
+extends Resource
+
+# Declarative recipe for a landed planet surface. The host scene only knows
+# how to apply one of these; the feature scene owns the actual resource nodes.
+
+@export var profile_id: String = "rocky"
+@export var features_scene: PackedScene
+@export var base_color: Color = Color(0.75, 0.75, 0.76, 1.0)
+@export var crater_color: Color = Color(0.44, 0.44, 0.45, 1.0)
+@export var highlight_color: Color = Color(0.89, 0.89, 0.9, 1.0)
+@export var caption_color: Color = Color(0.08, 0.16, 0.2, 1.0)
+@export var caption_outline_color: Color = Color(0.9, 0.95, 0.96, 0.8)
diff --git a/PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd.uid b/PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..884fe16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://b31vef6ge1tjh
diff --git a/PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd b/PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97da418
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+class_name PlanetSurfaceProfiles
+extends RefCounted
+
+const DEFAULT_PROFILE_ID: String = "rocky"
+const PROFILES: Dictionary = {
+	"rocky": preload("res://RockySurfaceProfile.tres"),
+	"gas": preload("res://GasSurfaceProfile.tres"),
+}
+
+
+static func get_profile(profile_id: String) -> Resource:
+	return PROFILES.get(profile_id, PROFILES[DEFAULT_PROFILE_ID])
diff --git a/PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd.uid b/PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd.uid
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0f3f93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PlanetSurfaceProfiles.gd.uid
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://bufr6mnwbobxb
diff --git a/RockField.gd b/RockField.gd
index a82389c..dd839ed 100644
--- a/RockField.gd
+++ b/RockField.gd
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ extends Node2D
 @export var despawn_radius: float = 2600.0
 @export var check_interval: float = 0.5
 
-@onready var fleet: Node2D = get_node("../Fleet")
+@export var fleet_path: NodePath = NodePath("../Fleet")
+@onready var fleet: Node2D = get_node(fleet_path)
 
 var rock_scene: PackedScene = preload("res://Rock.tscn")
 var rocks: Array = []
@@ -26,12 +27,6 @@ var rng: RandomNumberGenerator = RandomNumberGenerator.new()
 
 
 func _ready() -> void:
-	# Gas giants have their own gas vents and must never receive ore pickups.
-	# This check happens before the initial population pass, unlike merely
-	# hiding the field later from PlanetSurfaceController.
-	if GameState.planet_type == "gas_giant":
-		set_process(false)
-		return
 	rng.randomize()
 	# Populate immediately rather than waiting out the first interval, so
 	# the surface isn't visibly empty for half a second on arrival.
diff --git a/RockySurfaceFeatures.tscn b/RockySurfaceFeatures.tscn
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f31b5c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RockySurfaceFeatures.tscn
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[gd_scene load_steps=2 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://RockField.gd" id="1"]
+
+[node name="ResourceProvider" type="Node2D"]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+fleet_path = NodePath("../../Fleet")
diff --git a/RockySurfaceProfile.tres b/RockySurfaceProfile.tres
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab220e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RockySurfaceProfile.tres
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[gd_resource type="Resource" script_class="PlanetSurfaceProfile" load_steps=3 format=3]
+
+[ext_resource type="Script" path="res://PlanetSurfaceProfile.gd" id="1"]
+[ext_resource type="PackedScene" path="res://RockySurfaceFeatures.tscn" id="2"]
+
+[resource]
+script = ExtResource("1")
+profile_id = "rocky"
+features_scene = ExtResource("2")
+base_color = Color(0.75, 0.75, 0.76, 1)
+crater_color = Color(0.44, 0.44, 0.45, 1)
+highlight_color = Color(0.89, 0.89, 0.9, 1)
+caption_color = Color(0.08, 0.16, 0.2, 1)
+caption_outline_color = Color(0.9, 0.95, 0.96, 0.8)
diff --git a/WorldGen.gd b/WorldGen.gd
index e36a51f..feea7f6 100644
--- a/WorldGen.gd
+++ b/WorldGen.gd
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ static func planet_data_at_chunk(chunk: Vector2i) -> Dictionary:
 	if gas_giant:
 		planet_name = GAS_GIANT_NAMES[rng.randi() % GAS_GIANT_NAMES.size()]
 	return {"local_pos": local_pos, "name": planet_name, "shape_seed": shape_seed,
-		"planet_type": "gas_giant" if gas_giant else "rocky", "resource_type": "gas" if gas_giant else "ore"}
+		"planet_type": "gas_giant" if gas_giant else "rocky", "resource_type": "gas" if gas_giant else "ore",
+		"surface_profile_id": "gas" if gas_giant else "rocky"}
 
 
 static func biome_color(biome: int) -> Color:
diff --git a/tests/_gas_surface_preview.gd b/tests/_gas_surface_preview.gd
index ba68e1c..41cde0a 100644
--- a/tests/_gas_surface_preview.gd
+++ b/tests/_gas_surface_preview.gd
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ extends Node2D
 func _ready() -> void:
 	GameState.planet_name = "Violet Tempest"
 	GameState.planet_type = "gas_giant"
+	GameState.surface_profile_id = "gas"
 	GameState.surviving_ship_count = 3
 	GameState.rocks = 128
 	GameState.gas = 46
diff --git a/tests/test_gas_system.gd b/tests/test_gas_system.gd
index 898e43d..f0797d1 100644
--- a/tests/test_gas_system.gd
+++ b/tests/test_gas_system.gd
@@ -37,19 +37,34 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> bool:
 		# emission advances continuously so the source visibly looks active.
 		game_state.planet_name = "Gas Test"
 		game_state.planet_type = "gas_giant"
+		game_state.surface_profile_id = "gas"
 		var surface: Node = load("res://PlanetSurface.tscn").instantiate()
 		root.add_child(surface)
-		var rock_field: Node = surface.get_node("RockField")
-		var gas_field: Node = surface.get_node("GasVentField")
-		if not rock_field.rocks.is_empty() or rock_field.is_processing():
+		var gas_field: Node = surface.get_node("SurfaceFeatures/ResourceProvider")
+		if gas_field.get_script() != load("res://GasVentField.gd"):
 			surface.free()
-			return _fail("gas surface spawned or continued processing ore rocks")
+			return _fail("gas surface did not compose the gas feature scene")
+		if surface.get_node_or_null("RockField") != null:
+			surface.free()
+			return _fail("gas surface tree contains an ore producer")
 		gas_field._process(0.5)
 		if gas_field.emission_phase <= 0.0:
 			surface.free()
 			return _fail("gas-source emission animation did not advance")
 		surface.free()
 
+		game_state.surface_profile_id = "rocky"
+		var rocky_surface: Node = load("res://PlanetSurface.tscn").instantiate()
+		root.add_child(rocky_surface)
+		var rocky_features: Node = rocky_surface.get_node("SurfaceFeatures/ResourceProvider")
+		if rocky_features.get_script() != load("res://RockField.gd"):
+			rocky_surface.free()
+			return _fail("rocky surface did not compose the ore feature scene")
+		if rocky_surface.get_node_or_null("GasVentField") != null:
+			rocky_surface.free()
+			return _fail("rocky surface tree contains a gas producer")
+		rocky_surface.free()
+
 		var found_giant: bool = false
 		for x in range(-12, 13):
 			for y in range(-12, 13):