diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/RetexturingBakedModel.java b/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/RetexturingBakedModel.java
index 93a71f1..79e5131 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/RetexturingBakedModel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/RetexturingBakedModel.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public abstract class RetexturingBakedModel extends ForwardingBakedModel {
 	
 	@Override
 	public Sprite getParticleSprite() {
-		return tam.getDefaultAppearance().getParticleSprite();
+		return tam.getDefaultAppearance().getSprite(Direction.UP);
 	}
 	
 	@Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearance.java b/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearance.java
index 9a55ed3..18e2525 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearance.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearance.java
@@ -7,16 +7,20 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 
 //TODO: move to the api package
 public interface TemplateAppearance {
-	@NotNull Sprite getParticleSprite(); //TODO: plug this in (particle mixins don't use it atm)
-	
 	@NotNull RenderMaterial getRenderMaterial(boolean ao);
 	@NotNull Sprite getSprite(Direction dir);
 	int getBakeFlags(Direction dir);
 	boolean hasColor(Direction dir);
 	
-	//binary-compat
+	//binary-compat - from before conditional model AO was added
 	@Deprecated(forRemoval = true)
 	default @NotNull RenderMaterial getRenderMaterial() {
 		return getRenderMaterial(false);
 	}
+	
+	//binary-compat - I never ended up implementing this, it's much easier to modify particles via the BlockState
+	@Deprecated(forRemoval = true)
+	default @NotNull Sprite getParticleSprite() {
+		return getSprite(Direction.NORTH);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearanceManager.java b/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearanceManager.java
index 4dc1e22..3ab382a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearanceManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/cottonmc/templates/model/TemplateAppearanceManager.java
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ public class TemplateAppearanceManager {
 		this.barrierItemAppearance = new SingleSpriteAppearance(barrier, materialsWithoutAo.get(BlendMode.CUTOUT), serialNumber.getAndIncrement());
 	}
 	
-	@ApiStatus.Internal //shouldn't have made this public, just maintaining abi compat
+	//TODO ABI: Shouldn't have been made public. Clean up at a later point.
+	@ApiStatus.Internal
 	public static final SpriteIdentifier DEFAULT_SPRITE_ID = new SpriteIdentifier(PlayerScreenHandler.BLOCK_ATLAS_TEXTURE, new Identifier("minecraft:block/scaffolding_top"));
 	private static final SpriteIdentifier BARRIER_SPRITE_ID = new SpriteIdentifier(PlayerScreenHandler.BLOCK_ATLAS_TEXTURE, new Identifier("minecraft:item/barrier"));
 	
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ public class TemplateAppearanceManager {
 		QuadEmitter emitter = r.meshBuilder().getEmitter();
 		RenderMaterial defaultMat = r.materialFinder().clear().find();
 		
-		Sprite[] sprites = new Sprite[7];
+		Sprite[] sprites = new Sprite[6];
 		int[] bakeFlags = new int[6];
 		byte hasColorMask = 0b000000;
 		
@@ -140,17 +141,15 @@ public class TemplateAppearanceManager {
 			} else if(lowHighSignature == 0b01111000) {
 				bakeFlags[dir.ordinal()] = MutableQuadView.BAKE_ROTATE_270;
 			} else {
+				//TODO handle more cases.
 				//Its not critical error or anything, the texture will show rotated or flipped
 				//System.out.println("unknown sig " + Integer.toString(lowHighSignature, 2) + ", state: " + state + ", sprite: " + sprite.getContents().getId() + ", side: " + dir);
 			}
 		}
 		
-		//Just for space-usage purposes, we store the particle in sprites[6] instead of using another field.
-		sprites[6] = model.getParticleSprite();
-		
 		//Fill out any missing values in the sprites array, since failure to pick textures shouldn't lead to NPEs later on
 		for(int i = 0; i < sprites.length; i++) {
-			if(sprites[i] == null) sprites[i] = defaultAppearance.getParticleSprite();
+			if(sprites[i] == null) sprites[i] = defaultAppearance.getSprite(Direction.byId(i));
 		}
 		
 		return new ComputedApperance(
@@ -181,11 +180,6 @@ public class TemplateAppearanceManager {
 			this.matWithoutAo = withoutAo;
 		}
 		
-		@Override
-		public @NotNull Sprite getParticleSprite() {
-			return sprites[6];
-		}
-		
 		@Override
 		public @NotNull RenderMaterial getRenderMaterial(boolean ao) {
 			return ao ? matWithAo : matWithoutAo;
@@ -237,11 +231,6 @@ public class TemplateAppearanceManager {
 			this.id = id;
 		}
 		
-		@Override
-		public @NotNull Sprite getParticleSprite() {
-			return defaultSprite;
-		}
-		
 		@Override
 		public @NotNull RenderMaterial getRenderMaterial(boolean ao) {
 			return mat;