NEO-82: Fix cast definition lookup order and Bruno target isolation.

Load ability definition before TryResolve so cooldown lookup cannot deny
after HP mutation (Bugbot). Happy Bruno cast uses beta; defeat spine keeps
alpha; bump spine seq and cooldown sleep margin for CI.

bruno/neon-sprawl-server/ability-cast/Post cast happy.bru

@@ -8,13 +8,27 @@ script:pre-request {
   const axios = require("axios");
   const baseUrl = bru.getEnvVar("baseUrl") || bru.getVar("baseUrl");
   const playerId = bru.getEnvVar("playerId") || bru.getVar("playerId");
+  const jsonHeaders = { headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } };
+
   await axios.post(
     `${baseUrl}/game/players/${playerId}/move`,
+    { schemaVersion: 1, target: { x: 5, y: 0.9, z: 5 } },
+    jsonHeaders,
+  );
+
+  await axios.post(
+    `${baseUrl}/game/players/${playerId}/hotbar-loadout`,
     {
       schemaVersion: 1,
-      target: { x: -5, y: 0.9, z: -5 },
+      slots: [{ slotIndex: 0, abilityId: "prototype_pulse" }],
     },
-    { headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } },
+    jsonHeaders,
+  );
+
+  await axios.post(
+    `${baseUrl}/game/players/${playerId}/target/select`,
+    { schemaVersion: 1, targetId: "prototype_target_beta" },
+    jsonHeaders,
   );
 }
 
@@ -29,7 +43,7 @@ body:json {
     "schemaVersion": 1,
     "slotIndex": 0,
     "abilityId": "prototype_pulse",
-    "targetId": "prototype_target_alpha"
+    "targetId": "prototype_target_beta"
   }
 }
 
@@ -46,7 +60,7 @@ tests {
     expect(body.accepted).to.equal(true);
     expect(body.combatResolution).to.be.an("object");
     expect(body.combatResolution.abilityId).to.equal("prototype_pulse");
-    expect(body.combatResolution.targetId).to.equal("prototype_target_alpha");
+    expect(body.combatResolution.targetId).to.equal("prototype_target_beta");
     expect(body.combatResolution.damageDealt).to.equal(25);
     expect(body.combatResolution.targetRemainingHp).to.equal(75);
     expect(body.combatResolution.targetDefeated).to.equal(false);

bruno/neon-sprawl-server/ability-cast/Post cast lock pulse defeat spine.bru

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 meta {
   name: POST cast lock pulse defeat spine (NEO-82)
   type: http
-  seq: 23
+  seq: 30
 }
 
 docs {
@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ script:pre-request {
     );
     castResults.push(response.data);
     if (i < 3) {
-      await sleep(3100);
+      await sleep(3200);
     }
   }
 
   bru.setVar("neo82CastResults", JSON.stringify(castResults));
-  await sleep(3100);
+  await sleep(3200);
 }
 
 post {

bruno/neon-sprawl-server/ability-cast/folder.bru

@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@ meta {
 }
 
 docs {
-  NEO-82: happy cast asserts combatResolution; defeat spine (seq 23) requires ~10s pre-request for pulse cooldowns between four lethal casts.
+  NEO-82: happy cast uses beta at spawn (5,5) so alpha stays fresh for defeat spine (seq 30).
 }

docs/reviews/2026-05-25-NEO-82.md

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ None.
 
 - ~~Nit: `PostAbilityCast_ShouldDefeatTargetAfterFourPulses_ThenDenyTargetDefeated` runs pulses 1–3 inside **Act**; move them to **Arrange** for stricter AAA (same note as NEO-81 four-pulse pattern).~~ **Done.** — Pulses 1–3 in Arrange; Act is 4th + 5th cast; Assert includes HP stepping.
 
-- Nit: After successful `TryResolve`, `TryGetDefinition` runs again solely for `CooldownSeconds` — `CombatOperations` already loaded the definition internally. Acceptable for thin handler clarity; optional future refactor if catalog lookups become hot-path. **Deferred** — no hot-path concern in prototype.
+- ~~Nit: After successful `TryResolve`, `TryGetDefinition` runs again solely for `CooldownSeconds` — `CombatOperations` already loaded the definition internally. Acceptable for thin handler clarity; optional future refactor if catalog lookups become hot-path. **Deferred** — no hot-path concern in prototype.~~ **Done.** — `TryGetDefinition` moved before `TryResolve` so cooldown lookup cannot deny after HP mutation (Bugbot fix).
 
 - Nit: `AbilityPrototypeCooldown.GlobalDuration` is `[Obsolete]` but retained — matches plan; no remaining runtime references in tests or accept path. **No action** — intentional per plan.
 

server/NeonSprawl.Server.Tests/Game/AbilityInput/AbilityCastApiTests.cs

@@ -444,6 +444,32 @@ public sealed class AbilityCastApiTests
         Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.NotFound, response.StatusCode);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task PostAbilityCast_ShouldStartCatalogCooldown_WhenResolveSucceedsAfterDefinitionGate()
+    {
+        // Arrange
+        await using var factory = new InMemoryWebApplicationFactory();
+        var client = factory.CreateClient();
+        await BindSlot0PulseAsync(client);
+        await LockPrototypeTargetAlphaAsync(client);
+        var cast = PulseCastRequest();
+
+        // Act
+        var castResponse = await client.PostAsJsonAsync("/game/players/dev-local-1/ability-cast", cast);
+        var snapshotResponse = await client.GetAsync("/game/players/dev-local-1/cooldown-snapshot");
+
+        // Assert
+        var body = await castResponse.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<AbilityCastResponse>();
+        Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, castResponse.StatusCode);
+        Assert.NotNull(body);
+        Assert.True(body!.Accepted);
+        Assert.NotNull(body.CombatResolution);
+        var snapshot = await snapshotResponse.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<CooldownSnapshotResponse>();
+        Assert.NotNull(snapshot);
+        var slot0 = snapshot!.Slots.Single(s => s.SlotIndex == 0);
+        Assert.NotNull(slot0.CooldownEndsAtUtc);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task PostAbilityCast_ShouldDenyOnCooldown_WhenRepeatedWhileCooling()
     {

server/NeonSprawl.Server/Game/AbilityInput/AbilityCastApi.cs

@@ -184,6 +184,20 @@ public static class AbilityCastApi
                         new AbilityCastResponse { Accepted = false, ReasonCode = ReasonOnCooldown });
                 }
 
+                if (!abilities.TryGetDefinition(normalizedRequest, out var definition))
+                {
+                    // NEO-30 telemetry hook site: `ability_cast_denied` + reasonCode (TODO(E9.M1): catalog emit).
+                    return JsonAbilityCast(
+                        id,
+                        body,
+                        new AbilityCastResponse
+                        {
+                            Accepted = false,
+                            ReasonCode = ReasonUnknownAbility,
+                        },
+                        normalizedRequest);
+                }
+
                 var combatResult = CombatOperations.TryResolve(
                     normalizedRequest,
                     lookupKey,
@@ -204,19 +218,6 @@ public static class AbilityCastApi
                         normalizedRequest);
                 }
 
-                if (!abilities.TryGetDefinition(normalizedRequest, out var definition))
-                {
-                    return JsonAbilityCast(
-                        id,
-                        body,
-                        new AbilityCastResponse
-                        {
-                            Accepted = false,
-                            ReasonCode = ReasonUnknownAbility,
-                        },
-                        normalizedRequest);
-                }
-
                 cooldowns.StartCooldown(
                     id,
                     body.SlotIndex,