diff --git a/src/core/graph/nodes/action/SetZ.ts b/src/core/graph/nodes/action/SetZ.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a46cadcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/graph/nodes/action/SetZ.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import type { NodeDef } from '../../NodeRegistry';
+import { asEntity, asNumber } from '../../values';
+import { exec, num, obj } from '../shared';
+
+export const SetZ: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'SetZ',
+  label: 'Set Z',
+  category: 'action',
+  description: 'Sets the z of an object, local to its parent: higher is drawn in front.',
+  inputs: [exec(), obj('object'), num('z')],
+  outputs: [exec()],
+  params: [],
+  run: (_ctx, inputs) => {
+    const target = asEntity(inputs.object);
+    if (target) target.z = asNumber(inputs.z);
+    return { next: 'exec' };
+  },
+};
diff --git a/src/core/graph/nodes/data/GetZ.ts b/src/core/graph/nodes/data/GetZ.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..123bbc4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/graph/nodes/data/GetZ.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { worldTransformOf } from '../../NodeContext';
+import type { NodeDef } from '../../NodeRegistry';
+import { asEntity } from '../../values';
+import { num, obj } from '../shared';
+
+export const GetZ: NodeDef = {
+  type: 'GetZ',
+  label: 'Get Z',
+  category: 'data',
+  description:
+    'The z of an object, which decides what is drawn in front: local to its parent (z) and summed up (world z).',
+  inputs: [obj('object')],
+  outputs: [num('z'), num('worldZ', 'world z')],
+  params: [],
+  run: (_ctx, inputs) => {
+    const target = asEntity(inputs.object);
+    return { outputs: { z: target?.z ?? 0, worldZ: target ? worldTransformOf(target).z : 0 } };
+  },
+};
diff --git a/src/core/graph/nodes/index.ts b/src/core/graph/nodes/index.ts
index b1d5be87..7e2754b1 100644
--- a/src/core/graph/nodes/index.ts
+++ b/src/core/graph/nodes/index.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { Raycast } from './action/Raycast';
 import { RaycastAll } from './action/RaycastAll';
 import { RestartGame } from './action/RestartGame';
 import { SetPosition } from './action/SetPosition';
+import { SetZ } from './action/SetZ';
 import { Spawn } from './action/Spawn';
 import { StopGame } from './action/StopGame';
 import { StopSound } from './action/StopSound';
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ import { FindText } from './data/FindText';
 import { FirstNotEmpty } from './data/FirstNotEmpty';
 import { Floor } from './data/Floor';
 import { GetPosition } from './data/GetPosition';
+import { GetZ } from './data/GetZ';
 import { ChildByName } from './data/ChildByName';
 import { Children } from './data/Children';
 import { ChildrenByName } from './data/ChildrenByName';
@@ -199,6 +201,7 @@ export const BUILT_IN_NODES: readonly NodeDef[] = [
   IsEnabled,
   Properties,
   GetPosition,
+  GetZ,
   TextureSize,
   AnimationPlaying,
   AnimationLength,
@@ -266,6 +269,7 @@ export const BUILT_IN_NODES: readonly NodeDef[] = [
   Move,
   MoveToward,
   SetPosition,
+  SetZ,
   GetVelocity,
   ApplyForce,
   ApplyImpulse,
diff --git a/tests/core/node-catalog.test.ts b/tests/core/node-catalog.test.ts
index f1f0362c..da103638 100644
--- a/tests/core/node-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/tests/core/node-catalog.test.ts
@@ -752,6 +752,14 @@ const CASES: Record<string, Case[]> = {
       outputs: { x: 0, y: 0, worldX: 0, worldY: 0 },
     },
   ],
+  GetZ: [
+    {
+      name: 'a child reports its own z and the z summed up with its parents',
+      inputs: { object: { ...at('child', 0, 0), z: 2, parent: { ...at('parent', 0, 0), z: 5 } } },
+      outputs: { z: 2, worldZ: 7 },
+    },
+    { name: 'no object is 0', inputs: { object: null }, outputs: { z: 0, worldZ: 0 } },
+  ],
 
   Number: [
     { name: 'outputs its setting', params: { value: 7.5 }, outputs: { value: 7.5 } },
@@ -1500,6 +1508,10 @@ const CASES: Record<string, Case[]> = {
     },
     { name: 'no object is a no-op', inputs: { object: null, x: 1, y: 1 }, next: 'exec' },
   ],
+  SetZ: [
+    { name: 'sets the z and continues', inputs: { object: at('z', 0, 0), z: 3 }, next: 'exec' },
+    { name: 'no object is a no-op', inputs: { object: null, z: 3 }, next: 'exec' },
+  ],
   ApplyForce: [
     {
       name: 'pushes for the length of the frame: force × dt, handed on as an impulse',
@@ -2142,6 +2154,12 @@ describe('action nodes write through to the object they are given', () => {
     expect({ x: target.x, y: target.y }).toEqual({ x: 30, y: -40 });
   });
 
+  it('SetZ sets only the z', () => {
+    const target = { ...at('z', 10, 20), z: 1 };
+    runDef('SetZ', fakeContext(), { object: target, z: -4 }, {});
+    expect({ x: target.x, y: target.y, z: target.z }).toEqual({ x: 10, y: 20, z: -4 });
+  });
+
   it('Destroy hands the object to the context, children and all unless told to keep them', () => {
     const removed: string[] = [];
     const moved = [fakeEntity('Lid'), fakeEntity('Nail')];
diff --git a/tests/viewport/set-z.test.ts b/tests/viewport/set-z.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..575de98a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/viewport/set-z.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { PlaceAssetCommand } from '../../src/core/commands/sceneObjectCommands';
+import { drawSlots } from '../../src/viewport/drawOrder';
+import { collectWorldItems } from '../../src/viewport/items';
+import { graphEditor, makeBehavior, makeSpriteScene, place, startWorld } from '../helpers';
+
+/**
+ * Two sprites on the same spot, "front" at z 1 and "back" at z 0. On `f` a behavior on "back" sets
+ * its z to 2 with `Set Z` and logs `Get Z` of it: z, then world z.
+ */
+function start() {
+  const f = makeSpriteScene();
+  const back = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 0, y: 0, z: 0 });
+  const front = place(f, f.spriteId, { x: 0, y: 0, z: 1 });
+  const behavior = makeBehavior(f, 'Raise');
+  f.stack.execute(new PlaceAssetCommand(f.sceneId, behavior.id, { x: 0, y: 0 }, back));
+  const edit = graphEditor(f, behavior);
+  const owner = edit.addNode('Owner');
+  const set = edit.addNode('SetZ', { z: 2 });
+  edit.connect(edit.addNode('OnKeyDown', { key: 'f' }), 'exec', set, 'exec');
+  edit.connect(owner, 'object', set, 'object');
+  const get = edit.addNode('GetZ');
+  edit.connect(owner, 'object', get, 'object');
+  let from = set;
+  for (const output of ['z', 'worldZ']) {
+    const log = edit.addNode('Log');
+    edit.connect(get, output, log, 'message');
+    edit.connect(from, 'exec', log, 'exec');
+    from = log;
+  }
+
+  const started = startWorld(f, { behaviors: true });
+  const name = (id: string) => (id === back ? 'back' : id === front ? 'front' : id);
+  const order = () =>
+    drawSlots(collectWorldItems(started.world).items.filter((item) => item.type === 'sprite')).map((slot) =>
+      name(slot.id),
+    );
+  started.frame();
+  return { ...started, order };
+}
+
+describe('a graph changes the z of an object during the run', () => {
+  it('draws the object in front once Set Z has raised it, and Get Z reads the new z', () => {
+    const r = start();
+    expect(r.order()).toEqual(['back', 'front']);
+    r.input.press('f');
+    r.frame();
+    expect(r.order()).toEqual(['front', 'back']);
+    expect(r.world.log).toEqual(['2', '2']);
+  });
+});