updated .fa-ban icon to update via js & ws; changed taken_roles (or its cognates) everywhere to starter_roles, as 'taken' will be used in respect to roles thru-out entire game, not just this seat-determining phase of Role Select; patched up chosen cards not disappearing upon previous gamer choice, & a try,except that catches attempts to select one anyway w. a 409 & optimistic card rollback; new IT confirms this 409

src/apps/epic/static/apps/epic/role-select.js

@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ var RoleSelect = (function () {
         var invSlot = document.getElementById("id_inv_role_card");
         if (invSlot) invSlot.appendChild(clean);
 
-        // Update the stack's taken-roles so the next openFan() filters correctly
-        var stack = document.querySelector(".card-stack[data-taken-roles]");
+        // Optimistically mark role as taken so re-opened fan filters it
+        var stack = document.querySelector(".card-stack[data-starter-roles]");
         if (stack) {
-            var current = stack.dataset.takenRoles;
-            stack.dataset.takenRoles = current ? current + "," + roleCode : roleCode;
+            var current = stack.dataset.starterRoles;
+            stack.dataset.starterRoles = current ? current + "," + roleCode : roleCode;
         }
 
         var url = getSelectRoleUrl();
@@ -50,20 +50,30 @@ var RoleSelect = (function () {
                 "X-CSRFToken": getCsrf(),
             },
             body: "role=" + encodeURIComponent(roleCode),
+        }).then(function (response) {
+            if (!response.ok) {
+                // Server rejected (role already taken) — undo optimistic update
+                if (invSlot && invSlot.contains(clean)) invSlot.removeChild(clean);
+                if (stack) {
+                    stack.dataset.starterRoles = stack.dataset.starterRoles
+                        .split(",").filter(function (r) { return r.trim() !== roleCode; }).join(",");
+                }
+                openFan();
+            }
         });
     }
 
-    function getTakenRoles() {
-        var stack = document.querySelector(".card-stack[data-taken-roles]");
+    function getStarterRoles() {
+        var stack = document.querySelector(".card-stack[data-starter-roles]");
         if (!stack) return [];
-        var raw = stack.dataset.takenRoles;
+        var raw = stack.dataset.starterRoles;
         return raw ? raw.split(",").map(function (s) { return s.trim(); }) : [];
     }
 
     function openFan() {
         if (document.querySelector(".role-select-backdrop")) return;
 
-        var taken = getTakenRoles();
+        var taken = getStarterRoles();
         var available = ROLES.filter(function (r) { return taken.indexOf(r.code) === -1; });
 
         var backdrop = document.createElement("div");
@@ -124,18 +134,30 @@ var RoleSelect = (function () {
         var invSlot = document.getElementById("id_inv_role_card");
         if (invSlot) invSlot.innerHTML = "";
 
-        // Update card-stack eligibility
         var stack = document.querySelector(".card-stack[data-user-slots]");
         if (stack) {
+            // Sync starter-roles from server so the fan reflects actual DB state
+            if (event.detail.starter_roles) {
+                stack.dataset.starterRoles = event.detail.starter_roles.join(",");
+            }
+
+            // Update eligibility and ban icon together
             var userSlots = stack.dataset.userSlots
                 ? stack.dataset.userSlots.split(",") : [];
             if (userSlots.indexOf(active) !== -1) {
                 stack.dataset.state = "eligible";
+                var ban = stack.querySelector(".fa-ban");
+                if (ban) ban.remove();
                 stack.removeEventListener("click", openFan);
                 stack.addEventListener("click", openFan);
             } else {
                 stack.dataset.state = "ineligible";
                 stack.removeEventListener("click", openFan);
+                if (!stack.querySelector(".fa-ban")) {
+                    var icon = document.createElement("i");
+                    icon.className = "fa-solid fa-ban";
+                    stack.appendChild(icon);
+                }
             }
         }
 

src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py

@@ -593,14 +593,20 @@ class SelectRoleViewTest(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 302)
         self.assertIn("/accounts/login/", response.url)
 
-    def test_select_role_redirects_to_room(self):
+    def test_select_role_returns_ok(self):
         response = self.client.post(
             reverse("epic:select_role", kwargs={"room_id": self.room.id}),
             data={"role": "PC"},
         )
-        self.assertRedirects(
-            response, reverse("epic:gatekeeper", args=[self.room.id])
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+
+    def test_select_role_returns_409_for_duplicate_role(self):
+        TableSeat.objects.filter(room=self.room, slot_number=2).update(role="BC")
+        response = self.client.post(
+            reverse("epic:select_role", kwargs={"room_id": self.room.id}),
+            data={"role": "BC"},
         )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 409)
 
 
 class RevealPhaseRenderingTest(TestCase):

src/apps/epic/views.py

@@ -26,9 +26,13 @@ def _notify_turn_changed(room_id):
         room_id=room_id, role__isnull=True
     ).order_by("slot_number").first()
     active_slot = active_seat.slot_number if active_seat else None
+    starter_roles = list(
+        TableSeat.objects.filter(room_id=room_id, role__isnull=False)
+        .values_list("role", flat=True)
+    )
     async_to_sync(get_channel_layer().group_send)(
         f'room_{room_id}',
-        {'type': 'turn_changed', 'active_slot': active_slot},
+        {'type': 'turn_changed', 'active_slot': active_slot, 'starter_roles': starter_roles},
     )
 
 
@@ -147,7 +151,7 @@ def _role_select_context(room, user):
             card_stack_state = "eligible"
         else:
             card_stack_state = "ineligible"
-    taken_roles = list(
+    starter_roles = list(
         room.table_seats.exclude(role__isnull=True).values_list("role", flat=True)
     )
     _action_order = {r: i for i, r in enumerate(["PC", "NC", "EC", "SC", "AC", "BC"])}
@@ -161,7 +165,7 @@ def _role_select_context(room, user):
     active_slot = active_seat.slot_number if active_seat else None
     ctx = {
         "card_stack_state": card_stack_state,
-        "taken_roles": taken_roles,
+        "starter_roles": starter_roles,
         "assigned_seats": assigned_seats,
         "user_seat": user_seat,
         "user_slots": list(
@@ -371,7 +375,7 @@ def select_role(request, room_id):
         if not role or role not in valid_roles:
             return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
         if room.table_seats.filter(role=role).exists():
-            return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
+            return HttpResponse(status=409)
         active_seat.role = role
         active_seat.save()
         if room.table_seats.filter(role__isnull=True).exists():
@@ -380,6 +384,7 @@ def select_role(request, room_id):
             room.table_status = Room.SIG_SELECT
             room.save()
             _notify_roles_revealed(room_id)
+        return HttpResponse(status=200)
     return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
 
 

src/static_src/tests/RoleSelectSpec.js

@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ describe("RoleSelect", () => {
             stack.className = "card-stack";
             stack.dataset.state = "ineligible";
             stack.dataset.userSlots = "1";
-            stack.dataset.takenRoles = "";
+            stack.dataset.starterRoles = "";
             testDiv.appendChild(stack);
         });
 

src/templates/apps/gameboard/room.html

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
                     <div class="table-center">
                         {% if room.table_status == "ROLE_SELECT" and card_stack_state %}
                             <div class="card-stack" data-state="{{ card_stack_state }}"
-                                 data-taken-roles="{{ taken_roles|join:',' }}"
+                                 data-starter-roles="{{ starter_roles|join:',' }}"
                                  data-user-slots="{{ user_slots|join:',' }}">
                                 {% if card_stack_state == "ineligible" %}
                                     <i class="fa-solid fa-ban"></i>