diff --git a/Autoloads/SaveSystem.cs b/Autoloads/SaveSystem.cs
index 56afb00..e48c031 100644
--- a/Autoloads/SaveSystem.cs
+++ b/Autoloads/SaveSystem.cs
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using Godot;
+using Mr.BrickAdventures.scripts.Resources;
 using Mr.BrickAdventures.scripts.State;
 
 namespace Mr.BrickAdventures.Autoloads;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Save system that serializes POCOs directly to JSON.
+/// Save system that serializes state to JSON using DTOs.
 /// </summary>
 public partial class SaveSystem : Node
 {
     [Export] public string SavePath { get; set; } = "user://savegame.json";
-    [Export] public int Version { get; set; } = 2; // Bumped version for new format
+    [Export] public int Version { get; set; } = 2;
 
     private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions JsonOptions = new()
     {
@@ -18,11 +20,6 @@ public partial class SaveSystem : Node
         PropertyNamingPolicy = JsonNamingPolicy.CamelCase
     };
 
-    public override void _Ready()
-    {
-        // No longer needs GameManager reference - works with GameStateStore directly
-    }
-
     public void SaveGame()
     {
         var store = GameStateStore.Instance;
@@ -32,11 +29,18 @@ public partial class SaveSystem : Node
             return;
         }
 
-        var saveData = new SaveData
+        // Convert to DTO (only serializable data)
+        var saveData = new SaveDataDto
         {
             Version = Version,
-            Player = store.Player,
-            CurrentLevel = store.Session.CurrentLevel
+            Coins = store.Player.Coins,
+            Lives = store.Player.Lives,
+            CurrentLevel = store.Session.CurrentLevel,
+            CompletedLevels = [.. store.Player.CompletedLevels],
+            UnlockedLevels = new List<int>(store.Player.UnlockedLevels),
+            UnlockedSkillNames = GetSkillNames(store.Player.UnlockedSkills),
+            UnlockedAchievements = new List<string>(store.Player.UnlockedAchievements),
+            Statistics = new Dictionary<string, int>(store.Player.Statistics)
         };
 
         try
@@ -65,7 +69,7 @@ public partial class SaveSystem : Node
         {
             using var file = FileAccess.Open(SavePath, FileAccess.ModeFlags.Read);
             var json = file.GetAsText();
-            var saveData = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<SaveData>(json, JsonOptions);
+            var saveData = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<SaveDataDto>(json, JsonOptions);
 
             if (saveData == null)
             {
@@ -87,9 +91,18 @@ public partial class SaveSystem : Node
             }
 
             // Apply loaded state
-            store.Player = saveData.Player ?? new PlayerState();
+            store.Player.Coins = saveData.Coins;
+            store.Player.Lives = saveData.Lives;
             store.Session.CurrentLevel = saveData.CurrentLevel;
 
+            store.Player.CompletedLevels = saveData.CompletedLevels ?? new List<int>();
+            store.Player.UnlockedLevels = saveData.UnlockedLevels ?? new List<int> { 0 };
+            store.Player.UnlockedAchievements = saveData.UnlockedAchievements ?? new List<string>();
+            store.Player.Statistics = saveData.Statistics ?? new Dictionary<string, int>();
+
+            // Reload skills by name from SkillManager
+            store.Player.UnlockedSkills = LoadSkillsByName(saveData.UnlockedSkillNames);
+
             GD.Print("Game loaded from: ", SavePath);
             return true;
         }
@@ -100,6 +113,44 @@ public partial class SaveSystem : Node
         }
     }
 
+    private static List<string> GetSkillNames(List<SkillData> skills)
+    {
+        var names = new List<string>();
+        foreach (var skill in skills)
+        {
+            if (skill != null)
+                names.Add(skill.Name);
+        }
+        return names;
+    }
+
+    private List<SkillData> LoadSkillsByName(List<string> skillNames)
+    {
+        var skills = new List<SkillData>();
+        if (skillNames == null) return skills;
+
+        var skillManager = GetNodeOrNull<SkillManager>(Constants.SkillManagerPath);
+        if (skillManager == null)
+        {
+            GD.PrintErr("SaveSystem: SkillManager not available to resolve skill names.");
+            return skills;
+        }
+
+        foreach (var name in skillNames)
+        {
+            var skill = skillManager.GetSkillByName(name);
+            if (skill != null)
+            {
+                skills.Add(skill);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                GD.PrintErr($"SaveSystem: Skill '{name}' not found in SkillManager.");
+            }
+        }
+        return skills;
+    }
+
     public bool CheckSaveExists() => FileAccess.FileExists(SavePath);
 
     public void DeleteSave()
@@ -113,11 +164,17 @@ public partial class SaveSystem : Node
 }
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Container for save data.
+/// Serializable DTO for save data - no Godot types.
 /// </summary>
-public class SaveData
+public class SaveDataDto
 {
     public int Version { get; set; }
-    public PlayerState Player { get; set; }
+    public int Coins { get; set; }
+    public int Lives { get; set; }
     public int CurrentLevel { get; set; }
+    public List<int> CompletedLevels { get; set; }
+    public List<int> UnlockedLevels { get; set; }
+    public List<string> UnlockedSkillNames { get; set; }
+    public List<string> UnlockedAchievements { get; set; }
+    public Dictionary<string, int> Statistics { get; set; }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/components/PlayerDeathComponent.cs b/scripts/components/PlayerDeathComponent.cs
index 5f8eb7b..1482530 100644
--- a/scripts/components/PlayerDeathComponent.cs
+++ b/scripts/components/PlayerDeathComponent.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public partial class PlayerDeathComponent : Node2D
             effect.Scale = EffectScale;
         }
 
-        _gameManager.RemoveLives(1);
-        _gameManager.ResetCurrentSessionState();
+        // Lives are now decremented by LivesStateHandler via PlayerDied event
+        // Session state is reset by LivesStateHandler as well
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file