diff --git a/scripts/map_editor.html b/scripts/map_editor.html
index 8b54680..c211232 100644
--- a/scripts/map_editor.html
+++ b/scripts/map_editor.html
@@ -82,11 +82,23 @@
             border-width: 4px;
         }
 
-        #canvas {
+        #canvas-wrapper {
+            position: relative;
+            display: inline-block;
+        }
+
+        #canvas, #overlay-canvas {
             image-rendering: pixelated;
             image-rendering: crisp-edges;
         }
 
+        #overlay-canvas {
+            position: absolute;
+            top: 0;
+            left: 0;
+            pointer-events: none;
+        }
+
         .actions button {
             display: block;
             width: 100%;
@@ -275,7 +287,10 @@
     </div>
 
     <div id="main">
-        <canvas id="canvas"></canvas>
+        <div id="canvas-wrapper">
+            <canvas id="canvas"></canvas>
+            <canvas id="overlay-canvas"></canvas>
+        </div>
     </div>
 
     <script>
@@ -306,9 +321,12 @@
         let lastPaintedCell = null;
         let brushSize = 1;
         let brushShape = 'circle';
+        let lastHoveredCell = { x: -1, y: -1 }; // for cursor overlay
 
         const canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
         const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d', { willReadFrequently: true });
+        const overlayCanvas = document.getElementById('overlay-canvas');
+        const overlayCtx = overlayCanvas.getContext('2d');
         const widthInput = document.getElementById('width');
         const heightInput = document.getElementById('height');
         const m1Slot = document.getElementById('m1');
@@ -355,6 +373,9 @@
                 canvas.width = gridWidth;
                 canvas.height = gridHeight;
             }
+            // Sync overlay canvas size
+            overlayCanvas.width = canvas.width;
+            overlayCanvas.height = canvas.height;
             fitCanvas();
         }
 
@@ -375,6 +396,9 @@
             }
             canvas.style.width = Math.floor(cssW) + 'px';
             canvas.style.height = Math.floor(cssH) + 'px';
+            // Sync overlay canvas CSS size
+            overlayCanvas.style.width = Math.floor(cssW) + 'px';
+            overlayCanvas.style.height = Math.floor(cssH) + 'px';
         }
 
         window.addEventListener('resize', fitCanvas);
@@ -441,6 +465,34 @@
             renderCanvas();
         }
 
+        function getCellsInBrush(cx, cy) {
+            const cells = [];
+            if (brushSize === 1) {
+                cells.push({ x: cx, y: cy });
+                return cells;
+            }
+
+            for (let dy = -(brushSize - 1); dy < brushSize; dy++) {
+                for (let dx = -(brushSize - 1); dx < brushSize; dx++) {
+                    const nx = cx + dx;
+                    const ny = cy + dy;
+
+                    if (nx < 0 || nx >= gridWidth || ny < 0 || ny >= gridHeight) continue;
+
+                    if (brushShape === 'circle') {
+                        if (dx * dx + dy * dy < brushSize * brushSize) {
+                            cells.push({ x: nx, y: ny });
+                        }
+                    } else { // square
+                        if (Math.abs(dx) < brushSize && Math.abs(dy) < brushSize) {
+                            cells.push({ x: nx, y: ny });
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            return cells;
+        }
+
         function paintBrush(x, y, symbol) {
             if (brushSize === 1) {
                 paintCell(x, y, symbol);
@@ -451,23 +503,9 @@
             const oldLastPainted = lastPaintedCell;
             lastPaintedCell = null;
 
-            for (let dy = -(brushSize - 1); dy < brushSize; dy++) {
-                for (let dx = -(brushSize - 1); dx < brushSize; dx++) {
-                    const nx = x + dx;
-                    const ny = y + dy;
-
-                    if (nx < 0 || nx >= gridWidth || ny < 0 || ny >= gridHeight) continue;
-
-                    if (brushShape === 'circle') {
-                        if (dx * dx + dy * dy < brushSize * brushSize) {
-                            grid[ny][nx] = symbol;
-                        }
-                    } else { // square
-                        if (Math.abs(dx) < brushSize && Math.abs(dy) < brushSize) {
-                            grid[ny][nx] = symbol;
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
+            const cells = getCellsInBrush(x, y);
+            for (const cell of cells) {
+                grid[cell.y][cell.x] = symbol;
             }
 
             lastPaintedCell = `${x},${y}`;
@@ -823,6 +861,7 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
                     symbols.m1 = entry.char;
                     m1Slot.textContent = entry.char;
                     updateSymbolSlotColors();
+                    renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
                     saveState();
                 });
 
@@ -833,6 +872,7 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
                     symbols.m2 = entry.char;
                     m2Slot.textContent = entry.char;
                     updateSymbolSlotColors();
+                    renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
                     saveState();
                 });
 
@@ -881,6 +921,36 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
             document.getElementById('palette-form').style.display = 'none';
         }
 
+        function renderCursorOverlay(cellX, cellY) {
+            overlayCtx.clearRect(0, 0, overlayCanvas.width, overlayCanvas.height);
+
+            if (cellX < 0 || cellY < 0) return;
+
+            const cells = getCellsInBrush(cellX, cellY);
+
+            let fillColor;
+            if (currentTool === 'paintbrush') {
+                const activeChar = symbols[activeSlot];
+                const entry = palette.find(e => e.char === activeChar);
+                const rgb = entry ? hexToRgb(entry.color) : [255, 255, 255];
+                fillColor = `rgba(${rgb[0]}, ${rgb[1]}, ${rgb[2]}, 0.35)`;
+            } else {
+                fillColor = 'rgba(220, 50, 50, 0.35)';
+            }
+
+            overlayCtx.fillStyle = fillColor;
+
+            if (viewMode === 'text') {
+                for (const cell of cells) {
+                    overlayCtx.fillRect(cell.x * CELL_SIZE, cell.y * CELL_SIZE, CELL_SIZE, CELL_SIZE);
+                }
+            } else {
+                for (const cell of cells) {
+                    overlayCtx.fillRect(cell.x, cell.y, 1, 1);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         function savePaletteEntry() {
             const form = document.getElementById('palette-form');
             const char = document.getElementById('palette-char').value;
@@ -951,11 +1021,24 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
         });
 
         canvas.addEventListener('mousemove', (e) => {
+            const { x, y } = getGridCoords(e);
+            lastHoveredCell = { x, y };
+            renderCursorOverlay(x, y);
+
             if (isDrawing) {
                 handlePaint(e, drawButton);
             }
         });
 
+        canvas.addEventListener('mouseenter', () => {
+            overlayCanvas.style.display = 'block';
+        });
+
+        canvas.addEventListener('mouseleave', () => {
+            overlayCanvas.style.display = 'none';
+            overlayCtx.clearRect(0, 0, overlayCanvas.width, overlayCanvas.height);
+        });
+
         // Listen on document so releasing outside canvas still stops drawing
         document.addEventListener('mouseup', () => {
             if (isDrawing) {
@@ -980,6 +1063,7 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
         document.querySelectorAll('input[name="tool"]').forEach(radio => {
             radio.addEventListener('change', (e) => {
                 currentTool = e.target.value;
+                renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
             });
         });
 
@@ -987,18 +1071,21 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
         document.getElementById('brushSize').addEventListener('input', (e) => {
             brushSize = parseInt(e.target.value);
             document.getElementById('brushSizeValue').textContent = brushSize;
+            renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
             saveState();
         });
 
         document.getElementById('brushCircle').addEventListener('click', () => {
             brushShape = 'circle';
             updateBrushUI();
+            renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
             saveState();
         });
 
         document.getElementById('brushSquare').addEventListener('click', () => {
             brushShape = 'square';
             updateBrushUI();
+            renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
             saveState();
         });
 
@@ -1006,16 +1093,72 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
         m1Slot.addEventListener('click', () => {
             activeSlot = 'm1';
             updateActiveSlot();
+            renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
             saveState();
         });
 
         m2Slot.addEventListener('click', () => {
             activeSlot = 'm2';
             updateActiveSlot();
+            renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
             saveState();
         });
 
-        // Keyboard input for symbols
+        // commands - add new commands here
+        const commands = {
+            'brush-size-up': () => {
+                if (brushSize < 8) {
+                    brushSize++;
+                    const slider = document.getElementById('brushSize');
+                    const valueDisplay = document.getElementById('brushSizeValue');
+                    slider.value = brushSize;
+                    valueDisplay.textContent = brushSize;
+                    renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
+                    saveState();
+                }
+            },
+            'brush-size-down': () => {
+                if (brushSize > 1) {
+                    brushSize--;
+                    const slider = document.getElementById('brushSize');
+                    const valueDisplay = document.getElementById('brushSizeValue');
+                    slider.value = brushSize;
+                    valueDisplay.textContent = brushSize;
+                    renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
+                    saveState();
+                }
+            },
+            'swap-symbols': () => {
+                const temp = symbols.m1;
+                symbols.m1 = symbols.m2;
+                symbols.m2 = temp;
+                m1Slot.textContent = symbols.m1;
+                m2Slot.textContent = symbols.m2;
+                updateSymbolSlotColors();
+                renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
+                saveState();
+            },
+        };
+
+        // keybinding map - key string to command name
+        const keybindings = {
+            ']': 'brush-size-up',
+            '[': 'brush-size-down',
+            'x': 'swap-symbols',
+        };
+
+        // Keyboard event handlers
+        document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
+            const tag = document.activeElement.tagName;
+            if (tag === 'INPUT' || tag === 'TEXTAREA' || tag === 'SELECT') return;
+
+            const command = keybindings[e.key];
+            if (command && commands[command]) {
+                e.preventDefault();
+                commands[command]();
+            }
+        });
+
         document.addEventListener('keypress', (e) => {
             if (e.target.tagName === 'INPUT') return;
 
@@ -1028,6 +1171,7 @@ ${paletteStr}"""
                     m2Slot.textContent = char;
                 }
                 updateSymbolSlotColors();
+                renderCursorOverlay(lastHoveredCell.x, lastHoveredCell.y);
                 saveState();
             }
         });