.approach-container .cards {
    display: flex;
    align-items: stretch;
    gap: 20px;
    padding-bottom: 40px;
}

.approach-container .step {
    flex: 1;
    display: flex;
    position: relative;
}

.approach-container .step.has-connector::after {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    top: 64px;
    right: -14px;
    width: 8px;
    height: 8px;
    border-radius: 50%;
    background: var(--bleu-de-france);
    box-shadow: 0 0 0 5px var(--bleu-de-france-a20);
    z-index: 1;
}

.approach-container .card {
    flex: 1;
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    background-color: var(--white);
    border: 2px solid var(--bleu-de-france-a20);
    border-radius: 16px;
    padding: 28px 22px;
    box-shadow: 0 18px 34px -24px var(--polynesian-blue);
    position: relative;
}

.approach-container .card::before {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 22px;
    right: 22px;
    height: 3px;
    border-radius: 0 0 3px 3px;
    background: var(--step-accent, var(--bleu-de-france));
}

.approach-container .card.theme1 {
    --step-accent: var(--bleu-de-france);
}

.approach-container .card.theme2 {
    --step-accent: #9775FA;
}

.approach-container .card.theme3 {
    --step-accent: #20C997;
}

.approach-container .card.theme4 {
    --step-accent: var(--oxford-blue);
}

.approach-container .card.theme5 {
    --step-accent: var(--yellow-green);
}

.approach-container .step-number {
    display: block;
    font-size: 2.2rem;
    font-weight: 800;
    line-height: 1;
    color: var(--bleu-de-france-a40);
    margin-bottom: 14px;
}

.approach-container .card-title {
    margin: 0 0 10px;
}

.approach-container .card-text {
    margin: 0;
}

.approach-container .step:nth-child(2) {
    transform: translateY(44px);
}

.approach-container .step:nth-child(3) {
    transform: translateY(88px);
}

.approach-container .step:nth-child(4) {
    transform: translateY(132px);
}

.approach-container .step:nth-child(5) {
    transform: translateY(176px);
}

.approach-container .cards {
    padding-bottom: 216px;
    /* room for the deepest offset (176px) + spacing */
}

/* Column count modifiers */
.approach-container.cols-3 .cards {
    flex-wrap: wrap;
    padding-bottom: 40px;
}

.approach-container.cols-4 .cards {
    flex-wrap: wrap;
    padding-bottom: 172px;
    /* room for 4th item's 132px offset + spacing */
}

.approach-container.cols-3 .step {
    flex: 1 1 calc(33.33% - 14px);
}

.approach-container.cols-4 .step {
    flex: 1 1 calc(25% - 15px);
}

/* cols-3 stays flat — no staircase */
.approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(2),
.approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(3),
.approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(4),
.approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(5) {
    transform: none;
}

/* cols-4 gets its own scaled staircase (steps 1-4 only) */
.approach-container.cols-4 .step:nth-child(2) {
    transform: translateY(44px);
}

.approach-container.cols-4 .step:nth-child(3) {
    transform: translateY(88px);
}

.approach-container.cols-4 .step:nth-child(4) {
    transform: translateY(132px);
}

.approach-container.cols-4 .step:nth-child(5) {
    transform: none;
}

@media (min-width: 1360px) {
    .approach-container p.card-text {
        font-size: 0.9rem;
        font-weight: 400;
        line-height: 1.475rem;
    }
}

@media (max-width: 1280px) {
    .approach-container .cards {
        gap: 16px;
        padding-bottom: 168px;
    }

    .approach-container .step:nth-child(2) {
        transform: translateY(32px);
    }

    .approach-container .step:nth-child(3) {
        transform: translateY(64px);
    }

    .approach-container .step:nth-child(4) {
        transform: translateY(96px);
    }

    .approach-container .step:nth-child(5) {
        transform: translateY(128px);
    }

    .approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(2),
    .approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(3),
    .approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(4),
    .approach-container.cols-3 .step:nth-child(5) {
        transform: none;
    }
}

@media (max-width: 1080px) {
    .approach-container .cards {
        flex-wrap: wrap;
        margin-top: 40px;
        padding-bottom: 40px;
    }

    .approach-container .step {
        flex: 1 1 calc(50% - 16px);
    }

    .approach-container .step:nth-child(2),
    .approach-container .step:nth-child(3),
    .approach-container .step:nth-child(4),
    .approach-container .step:nth-child(5) {
        transform: none;
    }
}

@media (max-width: 640px) {
    .approach-container .step {
        flex: 1 1 100%;
    }

    .approach-container .cards {
        margin-top: 30px;
        gap: 16px;
    }

    .approach-container .step.has-connector::after {
        display: none;
    }
}