diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/__tests__/condition-picker.test.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/__tests__/condition-picker.test.tsx
index 8aa0bd2..4b94731 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/__tests__/condition-picker.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/__tests__/condition-picker.test.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import "@testing-library/jest-dom/vitest";
 import { CONDITION_DEFINITIONS, type ConditionId } from "@initiative/domain";
 import { cleanup, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
 import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
+import { createRef, type RefObject } from "react";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { ConditionPicker } from "../condition-picker";
 
@@ -18,8 +19,13 @@ function renderPicker(
 ) {
 	const onToggle = overrides.onToggle ?? vi.fn();
 	const onClose = overrides.onClose ?? vi.fn();
+	const anchorRef = createRef<HTMLElement>() as RefObject<HTMLElement>;
+	const anchor = document.createElement("div");
+	document.body.appendChild(anchor);
+	(anchorRef as { current: HTMLElement }).current = anchor;
 	const result = render(
 		<ConditionPicker
+			anchorRef={anchorRef}
 			activeConditions={overrides.activeConditions ?? []}
 			onToggle={onToggle}
 			onClose={onClose}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/combatant-row.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/combatant-row.tsx
index 40ea7ca..94606c1 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/combatant-row.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/combatant-row.tsx
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ export function CombatantRow({
 	const status = deriveHpStatus(currentHp, maxHp);
 	const dimmed = status === "unconscious";
 	const [pickerOpen, setPickerOpen] = useState(false);
+	const conditionAnchorRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 
 	const prevHpRef = useRef(currentHp);
 	const [isPulsing, setIsPulsing] = useState(false);
@@ -567,13 +568,16 @@ export function CombatantRow({
 						color={pcColor}
 						onToggleStatBlock={onToggleStatBlock}
 					/>
-					<ConditionTags
-						conditions={combatant.conditions}
-						onRemove={(conditionId) => toggleCondition(id, conditionId)}
-						onOpenPicker={() => setPickerOpen((prev) => !prev)}
-					/>
+					<div ref={conditionAnchorRef}>
+						<ConditionTags
+							conditions={combatant.conditions}
+							onRemove={(conditionId) => toggleCondition(id, conditionId)}
+							onOpenPicker={() => setPickerOpen((prev) => !prev)}
+						/>
+					</div>
 					{!!pickerOpen && (
 						<ConditionPicker
+							anchorRef={conditionAnchorRef}
 							activeConditions={combatant.conditions}
 							onToggle={(conditionId) => toggleCondition(id, conditionId)}
 							onClose={() => setPickerOpen(false)}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/condition-picker.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/condition-picker.tsx
index 324170d..110049e 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/condition-picker.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/condition-picker.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 	ZapOff,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import { cn } from "../lib/utils";
 
 const ICON_MAP: Record<string, LucideIcon> = {
@@ -52,34 +53,45 @@ const COLOR_CLASSES: Record<string, string> = {
 };
 
 interface ConditionPickerProps {
+	anchorRef: React.RefObject<HTMLElement | null>;
 	activeConditions: readonly ConditionId[] | undefined;
 	onToggle: (conditionId: ConditionId) => void;
 	onClose: () => void;
 }
 
 export function ConditionPicker({
+	anchorRef,
 	activeConditions,
 	onToggle,
 	onClose,
 }: Readonly<ConditionPickerProps>) {
 	const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
-	const [flipped, setFlipped] = useState(false);
-	const [maxHeight, setMaxHeight] = useState<number | undefined>(undefined);
+	const [pos, setPos] = useState<{
+		top: number;
+		left: number;
+		maxHeight: number;
+	} | null>(null);
 
 	useLayoutEffect(() => {
+		const anchor = anchorRef.current;
 		const el = ref.current;
-		if (!el) return;
-		const rect = el.getBoundingClientRect();
-		const spaceBelow = window.innerHeight - rect.top;
-		const spaceAbove = rect.bottom;
-		const shouldFlip =
-			rect.bottom > window.innerHeight && spaceAbove > spaceBelow;
-		setFlipped(shouldFlip);
-		const available = shouldFlip ? spaceAbove : spaceBelow;
-		if (rect.height > available) {
-			setMaxHeight(available - 16);
-		}
-	}, []);
+		if (!anchor || !el) return;
+
+		const anchorRect = anchor.getBoundingClientRect();
+		const menuHeight = el.scrollHeight;
+		const pad = 8;
+
+		const spaceBelow = window.innerHeight - anchorRect.bottom - pad;
+		const spaceAbove = anchorRect.top - pad;
+		const openBelow = spaceBelow >= menuHeight || spaceBelow >= spaceAbove;
+
+		const top = openBelow
+			? anchorRect.bottom + 4
+			: Math.max(pad, anchorRect.top - Math.min(menuHeight, spaceAbove) - 4);
+		const maxHeight = openBelow ? spaceBelow : Math.min(menuHeight, spaceAbove);
+
+		setPos({ top, left: anchorRect.left, maxHeight });
+	}, [anchorRef]);
 
 	useEffect(() => {
 		function handleClickOutside(e: MouseEvent) {
@@ -93,14 +105,15 @@ export function ConditionPicker({
 
 	const active = new Set(activeConditions ?? []);
 
-	return (
+	return createPortal(
 		<div
 			ref={ref}
-			className={cn(
-				"card-glow absolute left-0 z-10 w-fit overflow-y-auto rounded-lg border border-border bg-background p-1",
-				flipped ? "bottom-full mb-1" : "top-full mt-1",
-			)}
-			style={maxHeight ? { maxHeight } : undefined}
+			className="card-glow fixed z-50 w-fit overflow-y-auto rounded-lg border border-border bg-background p-1"
+			style={
+				pos
+					? { top: pos.top, left: pos.left, maxHeight: pos.maxHeight }
+					: { visibility: "hidden" as const }
+			}
 		>
 			{CONDITION_DEFINITIONS.map((def) => {
 				const Icon = ICON_MAP[def.iconName];
@@ -129,6 +142,7 @@ export function ConditionPicker({
 					</button>
 				);
 			})}
-		</div>
+		</div>,
+		document.body,
 	);
 }