diff --git a/protocol/pool/pool.go b/protocol/pool/pool.go
index 4d5893d..cf76c54 100644
--- a/protocol/pool/pool.go
+++ b/protocol/pool/pool.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
-var allocator = sync.Pool{
+var allocator = &sync.Pool{
 	New: func() any { return new(bytes.Buffer) },
 }
 
diff --git a/server/login.go b/server/login.go
index 9147169..92a40c0 100644
--- a/server/login.go
+++ b/server/login.go
@@ -105,9 +105,14 @@ func (server *LoginServer) Login(peer *Peer, pkt protocol.Packet) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// truncate plrs
+	if len(plrs) > 3 {
+		plrs = plrs[:4]
+	}
+
 	// build character list
-	charInfo := make([]protocol.SP_LS2CL_REP_CHAR_INFO, 0, 4)
-	for _, plr := range plrs {
+	charInfo := [4]protocol.SP_LS2CL_REP_CHAR_INFO{}
+	for i, plr := range plrs {
 		PCStyle, PCStyle2 := util.Player2PCStyle(&plr)
 		info := protocol.SP_LS2CL_REP_CHAR_INFO{
 			ISlot:      int8(plr.Slot),
@@ -126,10 +131,10 @@ func (server *LoginServer) Login(peer *Peer, pkt protocol.Packet) error {
 		}
 
 		copy(info.AEquip[:], AEquip)
-		charInfo = append(charInfo, info)
+		charInfo[i] = info
 	}
 
-	return server.AcceptLogin(peer, loginPkt.SzID, loginPkt.IClientVerC, 1, charInfo)
+	return server.AcceptLogin(peer, loginPkt.SzID, loginPkt.IClientVerC, 1, charInfo[:len(plrs)])
 }
 
 func (server *LoginServer) CheckCharacterName(peer *Peer, pkt protocol.Packet) error {
@@ -191,6 +196,7 @@ func validateCharacterCreation(character *protocol.SP_CL2LS_REQ_CHAR_CREATE) boo
 		return false
 	}
 
+	// TODO: sanity check items in SOn_Item; see db.FinishPlayer()
 	return true
 }
 
diff --git a/server/peer.go b/server/peer.go
index 1936245..bf28cbe 100644
--- a/server/peer.go
+++ b/server/peer.go
@@ -24,15 +24,15 @@ type PeerHandler interface {
 }
 
 type Peer struct {
+	Player    *db.Player
+	conn      net.Conn
+	handler   PeerHandler
+	SzID      string
 	E_key     []byte
 	FE_key    []byte
-	SzID      string
 	AccountID int
-	Player    *db.Player
-	handler   PeerHandler
-	conn      net.Conn
-	alive     bool
 	whichKey  int
+	alive     bool
 }
 
 func NewPeer(handler PeerHandler, conn net.Conn) *Peer {
@@ -50,14 +50,15 @@ func NewPeer(handler PeerHandler, conn net.Conn) *Peer {
 }
 
 func (peer *Peer) Send(typeID uint32, data ...interface{}) error {
+	// grab buffer from pool
 	buf := pool.Get()
-	defer pool.Put(buf) // always return the buffer to the pool
+	defer pool.Put(buf)
 
 	// body start
 	pkt := protocol.NewPacket(buf)
 
 	// encode type id
-	if err := pkt.Encode(uint32(typeID)); err != nil {
+	if err := pkt.Encode(typeID); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -117,8 +118,9 @@ func (peer *Peer) Handler() {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// read packet body
+		// grab buffer && read packet body
 		buf := pool.Get()
+		defer pool.Put(buf)
 		if _, err := buf.ReadFrom(io.LimitReader(peer.conn, int64(sz))); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("[FATAL] failed to read packet body! %v", err)
 			return