diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.svelte b/packages/web/src/App.svelte
index 45e7555..f8c6e36 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.svelte
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.svelte
@@ -254,6 +254,17 @@
   let showDiscards = $state(false);
   let chatDraft = $state("");
   let botTier = $state<typeof prefs.botTier>(prefs.botTier);
+  let botStyle = $state<"hunter" | "berserker" | "worrier" | "mystery">("hunter");
+  let addingBot = $state(false);
+  /** The wizard picker stands open until you have a wizard; after that, on request. */
+  let colorPickerToggled = $state<boolean | null>(null);
+  const colorPickerOpen = $derived(colorPickerToggled ?? (net.you != null && net.roomColors[net.you] === undefined));
+  const BOT_BLURBS = {
+    hunter: "A hunter goes for the treasure and carries it home.",
+    berserker: "A berserker goes for blood, and worries about treasure later.",
+    worrier: "A worrier keeps to the shadows and guards what is theirs.",
+    mystery: "Mystery deals one of the three at random; you learn which when the game ends.",
+  } as const;
   /** Card whose official FAQ rulings are open. */
   let faqCardId = $state<string | null>(null);
   /** A discard-pile card enlarged above the pile. */
@@ -2420,26 +2431,9 @@
   {:else if !local.active && !net.started}
     <section class="boxlid">
       <div class="boxlid-inner">
-        <div class="boxlid-title small">Room {net.roomId}</div>
-        {#if !net.spectating}
-          <div class="lobby-head">Your color</div>
-          <div class="standee-row" role="group" aria-label="choose your wizard">
-            {#each [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5] as c (c)}
-              {@const takenBy = Object.entries(net.roomColors).find(([, v]) => v === c)?.[0]}
-              <button
-                class="standee"
-                class:current={net.you != null && net.roomColors[net.you] === c}
-                class:taken={takenBy !== undefined && takenBy !== net.you}
-                disabled={takenBy !== undefined && takenBy !== net.you}
-                style:--ring={PLAYER_COLORS[c]}
-                onclick={() => net.pickColor(c)}
-                aria-label={`wizard color ${c + 1}${takenBy && takenBy !== net.you ? ` (taken by ${takenBy})` : ""}`}
-              >
-                <img src={tokenArt(`wizard-${c}`, "players")} alt="" />
-              </button>
-            {/each}
-          </div>
-        {/if}
+        <div class="boxlid-title small">Gather your wizards</div>
+        <div class="lobby-sub">Room <strong class="room-code">{net.roomId}</strong> · {net.players.length} of 6 seats filled</div>
+
         {#if net.spectating}
           {#if net.players.length < 6}
             <!-- A friend's link lands here: the seat is the invitation, the gallery the afterthought. -->
@@ -2457,66 +2451,119 @@
             <p class="waiting">👁 The table is full — you watch from the Peanut Gallery. Waiting for the boards to flip…</p>
           {/if}
         {/if}
-        <div class="lobby-head">Fill the table</div>
-        <div class="boxlid-tag">Two to six wizards enter the maze — friends by code or link,
-          computer wizards seated below, or a mix of both.</div>
-        <div class="invite-row">
-          <code class="invite-link">{inviteLink}</code>
-          <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={copyInvite}>{inviteCopied ? "copied!" : "copy invite link"}</button>
-        </div>
-        <ul class="roster">
+
+        <ul class="table-roster" aria-label="the table">
           {#each net.players as p (p)}
             {@const chosen = net.roomColors[p]}
-            <li>
+            {@const isYou = p === net.you}
+            <li class="seat" class:you={isYou}>
               {#if chosen !== undefined}
-                <img class="roster-standee" src={tokenArt(`wizard-${chosen}`, "players")} alt="" />
+                <img class="seat-portrait" src={tokenArt(`wizard-${chosen}`, "players")} alt="" />
               {:else}
-                <span class="dot" style:background="#b3a687"></span>
+                <span class="seat-portrait empty"></span>
+              {/if}
+              <span class="seat-text">
+                <span class="seat-name">{p}{isYou ? " (you)" : ""}</span>
+                <span class="seat-role">
+                  {#if net.roomBots[p]}⚙ {net.roomBots[p]}{:else if chosen === undefined}{p === net.hostId ? "host · " : ""}choosing a wizard…{:else if p === net.hostId}host{:else}wizard{/if}
+                </span>
+              </span>
+              {#if isYou && !net.spectating}
+                <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={() => (colorPickerToggled = !colorPickerOpen)} aria-expanded={colorPickerOpen}>
+                  {colorPickerOpen ? "done" : "change wizard"}</button>
               {/if}
-              {p}{p === net.hostId ? " — host" : ""}{net.roomBots[p] ? ` ⚙ ${net.roomBots[p]}` : chosen === undefined ? " — choosing…" : ""}
               {#if net.you === net.hostId && p !== net.hostId}
-                <button class="stamp tiny kick" title="clear this seat"
+                <button class="stamp tiny kick" title="clear this seat" aria-label={`clear ${p}'s seat`}
                   onclick={() => net.kickSeat(p)}>✕</button>
               {/if}
             </li>
+            {#if isYou && !net.spectating && colorPickerOpen}
+              <li class="color-pick" role="group" aria-label="choose your wizard">
+                {#each [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5] as c (c)}
+                  {@const takenBy = Object.entries(net.roomColors).find(([, v]) => v === c)?.[0]}
+                  <button
+                    class="standee"
+                    class:current={net.roomColors[p] === c}
+                    class:taken={takenBy !== undefined && takenBy !== net.you}
+                    disabled={takenBy !== undefined && takenBy !== net.you}
+                    style:--ring={PLAYER_COLORS[c]}
+                    onclick={() => { net.pickColor(c); colorPickerToggled = null; }}
+                    aria-label={`wizard ${c + 1}${takenBy && takenBy !== net.you ? ` (taken by ${takenBy})` : ""}`}
+                  >
+                    <img src={tokenArt(`wizard-${c}`, "players")} alt="" />
+                  </button>
+                {/each}
+              </li>
+            {/if}
           {/each}
-        </ul>
-        {#if net.you === net.hostId}
           {#if net.players.length < 6}
-            <div class="lobby-head">Seat a computer wizard</div>
-            <div class="boxlid-tag">An automaton plays a full seat by the rules — a hunter goes for treasure,
-              a berserker for blood, a worrier for the shadows between; mystery deals one at random.</div>
-            <span class="bot-row">
-              <span class="bot-label">⚙ seat a</span>
-              <select class="tier-pick" bind:value={botTier} aria-label="automaton difficulty"
-                onchange={() => { setPref("botTier", botTier); setPref("tierChosen", true); }}>
-                <option value="apprentice">apprentice</option>
-                <option value="adept">adept</option>
-                <option value="archmage">archmage</option>
-              </select>
-              <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={() => net.addBot("hunter", botTier)}>hunter</button>
-              <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={() => net.addBot("berserker", botTier)}>berserker</button>
-              <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={() => net.addBot("worrier", botTier)}>worrier</button>
-              <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={() => net.addBot(undefined, botTier)}>mystery</button>
-            </span>
+            <li class="seat open">
+              <span class="seat-portrait empty"></span>
+              <span class="seat-text">
+                <span class="seat-name">An empty seat</span>
+                <span class="seat-role">{net.players.length < 2 ? "one more wizard and the boards can flip" : "room for another"}</span>
+              </span>
+            </li>
           {/if}
-          <label class="check">
+        </ul>
+
+        {#if !net.spectating}
+          <div class="fill-row">
+            <button class="stamp" onclick={copyInvite}>{inviteCopied ? "Invite link copied" : "Copy invite link"}</button>
+            {#if net.you === net.hostId && net.players.length < 6}
+              <button class="stamp" class:current={addingBot} onclick={() => (addingBot = !addingBot)} aria-expanded={addingBot}>
+                Add a computer wizard</button>
+            {/if}
+          </div>
+          <details class="invite-fallback">
+            <summary>the link itself, for pasting by hand</summary>
+            <code class="invite-link">{inviteLink}</code>
+          </details>
+          {#if net.you === net.hostId && addingBot && net.players.length < 6}
+            <div class="bot-panel">
+              <div class="bot-field">
+                <span class="bot-field-label">Difficulty</span>
+                <span class="seg" role="group" aria-label="automaton difficulty">
+                  {#each ["apprentice", "adept", "archmage"] as t (t)}
+                    <button class:current={botTier === t}
+                      onclick={() => { botTier = t as typeof botTier; setPref("botTier", botTier); setPref("tierChosen", true); }}>{t}</button>
+                  {/each}
+                </span>
+              </div>
+              <div class="bot-field">
+                <span class="bot-field-label">Personality</span>
+                <span class="seg" role="group" aria-label="automaton personality">
+                  {#each ["hunter", "berserker", "worrier", "mystery"] as st (st)}
+                    <button class:current={botStyle === st} onclick={() => (botStyle = st as typeof botStyle)}>{st}</button>
+                  {/each}
+                </span>
+              </div>
+              <div class="bot-blurb">{BOT_BLURBS[botStyle]}</div>
+              <button class="stamp primary" onclick={() => net.addBot(botStyle === "mystery" ? undefined : botStyle, botTier)}>
+                Add computer wizard</button>
+            </div>
+          {/if}
+        {/if}
+
+        {#if net.you === net.hostId}
+          <label class="check option">
             <input type="checkbox" bind:checked={withExpansion} />
             Include Expansion Set #1 — monsters &amp; wands
           </label>
-          <button
-            class="stamp big begin"
-            disabled={net.players.length < 2 || net.players.length > 6}
-            onclick={() => net.start(withExpansion)}
-          >
-            Start the game
-            <span class="sub">flip the boards · {net.players.length} wizard{net.players.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}</span>
-          </button>
-          {#if net.players.length < 2}
-            <div class="begin-hint">Seat a computer wizard, or invite a friend, and the boards can flip.</div>
-          {/if}
-          <button class="stamp tiny abandon" title="dissolve this room for everyone"
-            onclick={() => net.abandonRoom()}>abandon room</button>
+          <div class="ready">
+            {#if net.players.length < 2}
+              <div class="ready-note">Waiting for one more wizard</div>
+            {/if}
+            <button
+              class="stamp big begin"
+              disabled={net.players.length < 2 || net.players.length > 6}
+              onclick={() => net.start(withExpansion)}
+            >
+              {net.players.length < 2 ? "Start game" : `Start game · ${net.players.length} wizards`}
+            </button>
+            <button class="hint-cancel abandon" title="dissolve this room for everyone"
+              onclick={() => net.abandonRoom()}>abandon room</button>
+          </div>
         {:else}
           <p class="waiting">Waiting for {net.hostId} to flip the boards…</p>
         {/if}
@@ -3476,7 +3523,23 @@
     overflow: hidden;
   }
   .standee img { width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; display: block; }
+  .standee { position: relative; }
   .standee.current { border-color: var(--ring); box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.15); }
+  .standee.current::after {
+    content: "✓";
+    position: absolute;
+    right: 0.1rem;
+    bottom: 0.05rem;
+    width: 1rem;
+    height: 1rem;
+    border-radius: 50%;
+    background: var(--ring, #43331f);
+    color: #fff;
+    font-size: 0.7rem;
+    line-height: 1rem;
+    text-align: center;
+    font-weight: 700;
+  }
   .standee.taken { opacity: 0.28; cursor: default; filter: grayscale(0.8); }
   .setup-form { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.7rem; margin-top: 0.8rem; }
   .setup-input {
@@ -3614,10 +3677,6 @@
     color: #8a6d3f;
     margin: 1.1rem 0 0;
   }
-  .stamp.big.begin { display: inline-flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; line-height: 1.15; }
-  .stamp.big.begin .sub { font-size: 0.68rem; letter-spacing: 0.1em; opacity: 0.75; margin-top: 0.15rem; }
-  .begin-hint { font-size: 0.85rem; color: #8a6d3f; margin-top: 0.4rem; }
-  .stamp.tiny.abandon { display: block; margin: 0.9rem auto 0; }
   .about-link {
     background: none;
     border: none;
@@ -3655,18 +3714,65 @@
   .boxlid-actions { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.6rem; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; }
   .or { font-size: 0.85rem; color: #6b5a41; }
   .code { width: 6.5rem; padding: 0.55rem 0.4rem; text-transform: uppercase; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.15em; }
-  .roster { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 1rem; text-align: left; }
-  .roster li { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem; padding: 0.25rem 0; font-size: 1.05rem; }
-  .roster-standee { width: 1.9rem; height: 1.9rem; border-radius: 4px; object-fit: cover; }
-  .check { display: flex; gap: 0.5rem; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 0.92rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; }
-  .waiting { color: #6b5a41; font-style: italic; }
-  .invite-row {
-    display: flex;
-    align-items: center;
+  /* The lobby is a table being assembled: the roster is the picture, the
+   * ways to fill a seat sit beneath it, the start waits at the bottom. */
+  .lobby-sub { color: #6b5a41; font-size: 0.95rem; margin-top: 0.3rem; }
+  .room-code { font-family: "Courier Prime", monospace; letter-spacing: 0.12em; color: #43331f; }
+  .table-roster { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 1rem 0 0.8rem; text-align: left; }
+  .seat { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.7rem; padding: 0.4rem 0.5rem; border-radius: 5px; }
+  .seat.you { background: rgba(255, 252, 240, 0.55); border: 1px solid #d8cdae; }
+  .seat.open { opacity: 0.7; }
+  .seat-portrait { width: 2.6rem; height: 2.6rem; border-radius: 5px; object-fit: cover; flex: 0 0 auto; }
+  .seat-portrait.empty { border: 1.5px dashed #b3a687; background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); box-sizing: border-box; }
+  .seat-text { display: flex; flex-direction: column; min-width: 0; flex: 1 1 auto; }
+  .seat-name { font-size: 1.05rem; font-weight: 700; }
+  .seat-role { font-size: 0.82rem; color: #6b5a41; }
+  .color-pick {
+    display: grid;
+    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 3.1rem);
+    gap: 0.45rem;
     justify-content: center;
-    gap: 0.5rem;
-    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+    padding: 0.5rem 0 0.7rem;
   }
+  .fill-row { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; gap: 0.5rem; }
+  .fill-row .stamp.current { background: #e4dbc2; }
+  .invite-fallback { margin: 0.4rem 0 0; font-size: 0.8rem; }
+  .invite-fallback summary { cursor: pointer; color: #8a6d3f; font-style: italic; }
+  .invite-fallback .invite-link { display: inline-block; margin-top: 0.3rem; word-break: break-all; }
+  .bot-panel {
+    margin-top: 0.8rem;
+    padding: 0.7rem 0.8rem;
+    border: 1px solid #b3a687;
+    border-radius: 5px;
+    background: rgba(255, 252, 240, 0.45);
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 0.55rem;
+    align-items: center;
+  }
+  .bot-field { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 0.3rem 0.6rem; }
+  .bot-field-label { font-family: "Oswald", sans-serif; font-size: 0.68rem; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #8a6d3f; min-width: 5.2rem; text-align: right; }
+  .seg { display: inline-flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 0.25rem; }
+  .seg button {
+    font-family: "Oswald", sans-serif;
+    font-size: 0.72rem;
+    letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+    text-transform: uppercase;
+    background: none;
+    border: 1.5px solid #b3a687;
+    border-radius: 3px;
+    color: #6b5a41;
+    padding: 0.25rem 0.55rem;
+    cursor: pointer;
+  }
+  .seg button.current { border-color: #43331f; color: #43331f; background: #e4dbc2; }
+  .bot-blurb { font-size: 0.9rem; color: #6b5a41; font-style: italic; }
+  .check { display: flex; gap: 0.5rem; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 0.92rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; }
+  .check.option { margin: 1rem 0 0.6rem; font-size: 0.88rem; color: #6b5a41; }
+  .ready { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 0.35rem; }
+  .ready-note { font-size: 0.88rem; color: #8a6d3f; font-style: italic; }
+  .ready .abandon { margin-top: 0.4rem; font-size: 0.8rem; opacity: 0.75; }
+  .waiting { color: #6b5a41; font-style: italic; }
   .invite-link {
     font-size: 0.8rem;
     color: #6b5a41;
@@ -4335,17 +4441,6 @@
     color: #43331f;
     padding: 0.1rem 0.25rem;
   }
-  .bot-row {
-    display: flex;
-    flex-wrap: wrap;
-    justify-content: center;
-    align-items: center;
-    gap: 0.35rem;
-    max-width: 100%;
-    font-size: 0.85rem;
-    color: #6b5a41;
-  }
-  .bot-label { white-space: nowrap; }
   .discard-link {
     background: none;
     border: none;