Neither outcome is better or worse. One gets me booed and the other costs confidence.
And you really did say WL would not work. But if you say it does, then I am using it.
Either way is a successful defense. I am worried now about the results of my attack.
((IF you can point it out to me, I'll eat crow, in any event, I'm still of two minds on spells like Pila, which has been explained by the Line Editor that the effect is created At the intended recipient of the spell. That leads to all kinds of problems. And Similar spell bonus only applies as a bonus in the lab, and again, even if it did exist in 5th edition, which it doesn't, it would still require a round of contemplation, which is plainly not available in a fast cast defense situation.))
Carmine fails to determine the effect that Roberto is throwing. ((4+2+2 vs 15-4, awareness determination fails, and then I went for an off chance of determining that Roberto would do Pilum of Fire based on an OoH Lore roll, and she failed that probably went too high on the EF, but I'll roll with that, for now.))
Roberto advances to the sweet 16.
In the match before Roberto's sweet 16 match, Valerian and Praxiteles face off against each other at the same level. Praxiteles is deftly knocking Valerian's Terram based spells aside, without any problem whatsoever. This goes on for about 6 rounds, with a tit for tat, of the pair just knocking each other's spells aside, almost effortlessly, it seems like a . On the 7th round, Valerian's attack changes, and several large boulders are conjured and swarm around Praxiteles, who deftly knocks 3 away, but the other five connect with a sickening crunch, and then one hitting at the end flinging him into the stands. His is quite dead. The spell ends, and Valerian cries out, "My magic got away from me, I couldn't contain it!"
He makes to rush up to Praxiteles, but a voice familiar to many calls out, "Hold, Valerian. This magus is plainly dead, we must investigate."
The judges who were using magic, Guernicus Qauesitores all backup Valerian's story of a botch. Alips while shreiking runs to her dead husband's body and looks at Valerian with venom and cries out hysterically, "He loved you. He loved you more than he loved me. And because you couldn't lift your pathetic crowbar, you killed him!"
Bilera makes her presence in the crowd known, "Due to the death, the rest of the matches are cancelled for the day, and the Quaesitores will begin a full investigation to determine the exact nature of the events. No one heretofore has seen a spell like what Valerian has thrown before, so a botch is entirely reasonable, but we will investigate to be sure."
Marcus comes to the scene, and Maris give shim a look, and he gives a curt shake of the head. Afterwards he says, "I have some skill with investigative magics, and am willing to lend a hand."
Bilera counters, "I believe we can handle this, I will call in favors from some of the Outer Council of Magvillus to come and investigate. This should meet the standard of all sense of propriety and, of course, we have fully trained Quaesitores conducting the investigation, which I'm sure we all desire."
Maris looks like she's ready to open her mouth, but Marcus shakes his head, this time it's noticeable to Bilera, who just smiles sweetly at everyone present. Two Guernicus magi come running and take Valerian into custody, pending the results of the investigation.
The next day, events carry on, the length of the Tribunal and Tournament is extended an additional day to complete the delayed Tournament events. Valerian is exonerated, his version of events is confirmed by 5 Quaesitors in good standing, one Bjornaer and one Verditius and three from House Guernicus. Due to the rules of the Dimicatio in the Normandy Tribunal, though, he is disqualified from further competition at any and all Tribunal events in perpetuity.
Roberto needs to make rolls for his competitor, initiative and first attack for the round of Sweet Sixteen. If he winds that round, he will get a bye in the round of 8, and proceed directly to the final four.
((Kinda eating crow here... I wasn't definitive... https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/table-talk-bibracte/6080/1331. I can see it going either way, and I'm willing to roll with it being allowed and possible, my reason for suggesting it isn't possible is outlined above, but I like that reason less and less and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If you can't Leap away from spells like PoF, BoAF and IoL that becomes problematic. Plus, sometimes Leaping is the wrong choice. For the Dimicatio, though, the audience doesn't like Wizard's Leap, the first round of 32 is fine. In the subsequent rounds, it's not a well-liked defense, but we will say it is legit. You just can't use it as was described in Table Talk, to leap behind a competitor, as the field of competition is bounded. Going out of bounds would be a DQ. If Roberto wants to win with Leaping, it's certainly possible, but comments of bad form will be made.))
Edit: And it seriously sucks that it took 30 minutes to post this due to timeouts and server errors...
Isen is facing off against Autolycus Tytali.
His quickness is 1 + die roll of a non botching 0.
When he attacks, it will be with a Rego Corpus spell of 3rd Magnitude, Lift the Dangling Puppet, but it is obfuscated. Isen must make a Fast Casting determination roll and beat a 1, and also must complete an Perception + Awarness Check against an EF of 12 to determine how to defend against the attack.
Autolycus Tytali can respond successfully to Isen's attack.
Isen is facing off against Autolycus Tytali.
His quickness is 1 + die roll of a non botching 0.
When he attacks, it will be with a Rego Corpus spell of 3rd Magnitude, Lift the Dangling Puppet, but it is obfuscated. Isen must make a Fast Casting determination roll and beat a 1, and also must complete an Perception + Awarness Check against an EF of 12 to determine how to defend against the attack.
Autolycus Tytali can respond successfully to Isen's attack.
In the crowd, Korvin will stand and turn his back on Valerian to show his displeasure at this act.
Korvin will talk to his neighbors in the crowd about the clearly illegal spell that he used and the obvious fix of an investigation. He will keep mentioning it in passing conversations. He will invite Tranquillina and Fiona to do the same.
((Korvin is hoping to spread this information to discredit the investigation findings and give it a bad name.))
((Such a direct course of action is going to be crushed...hard. And Korvin would know this. Unless Korvin has evidence, and unless he's willing to test it as to a matter of Lex Hermetica, he will likely be accused of endagering the Order with his lies, and possibly convicted and fined heavily at best.))
Before Korvin says something that might be construed as something too dangerous, Marcus pulls Korvin aside. "The weakest link in a conspiracy is the weakest member of that conspiracy. Your comments will do nothing to bring Praxiteles back, and will likely find a Tribunal convened to convict a Merceris Magus of endagering the Order."
Then I will not spread it but it still was an illegal spell for the Dimicatio according to RAW.
It's a Cr(Re)Te spell. It was not a finesse based attack. Had it not bypassed resistance due to a "botch" the boulders would have bounced off of Praxiteles. That information is disclosed as part of the investigation to any and all who ask...
((The recent botch is something I might mention in the search for a new Hoplite, methinks.))
((The "botch" happens on the 2nd day of the Tournament, which is AFTER the Tribunal. Think about the relationships of the people involved, and everyone involved, put it up like a police investigation. 
))
Jacques will move next to Marcus and whisper
"We can not let this travesty go. What can I do to help investigate this murder?"
"It would be unwise to continue this discussion here. And I am about due for the next round of competition, in any event. But quite simply, the best way to unravel a conspiracy is to find the weakest link and break it. But continuing this discussion here, at risk of being overheard and being scried upon like Whispering Winds, or something else..." Marcus leaves the last hanging in the conversation.
((Any further discussion about an investigation and how to put it all together should go into a new thread.))
Fiona, sitting in the stands near Alips, stands quickly at this..."tragic" turn of events and starts to rush down to where Praxiteles landed. She looks quite cross.
Fiona puts her hand on Alips's shoulder and says nothing, then puts her arms around her to hug her and give her what little comfort she can. [color=blue]"If there's anything I can do..." she whispers.
She is not happy about the results of the investigation, but says nothing. [strike]She merely finds it interesting that Valerian was in love with Apollodorus, and killed him when he was spurned. And now, he was in love with Praxiteles, who also was killed by Valerian after (as Fiona understands it) he was rejected.[/strike]
Roberto has Carlos spread a rumor and let it be known.
[color=brown]Valarian is on my list...
So for the sweet sixteen round...
Opponent 1d10=7
Initiative 1d10=5, plus Quickness +1 equals 6
First Attack will be to use Incantation of Paralyzation: ReCo20
Stamina +2, Rego 8, Corpus 4, Aura 5+5, equals a base of 25, minus 15 for no words or Gestures equals 9.
So...1d10=1
then ... 1d10=6
so that's a roll of 12 plus 9, total is 21. I forcelessly cast the spell without loss of fatigue or use of words or gestures.
Roberto is facing off against Magmas Flambonis. He is very quick.
Rolls of 6, 5, 5 for Initiative, Attack, and Awareness (supposed to have the fast cast defense roll, but didn't roll enough dice) Fast cast defense roll of 2
Magmas initative is 6+2 Qik +3 Fast Caster=11
Magmas casts a spell without gestures or voice...
So, spend confidence here to get initiative or try to defend the attack? I'm leaving it as blank as to how he'll respond to Roberto's spell, but the roll for awareness suggests he might not be able to figure out what the spell might be...
Crap. That's two points of Confidence down the drain.
I started with 10, you gave me 1, I spent one dueling with Markus, then two just now. Down to 8.
Catching on to my silent casting strategy, eh? I switched to Rego Corpus to throw my opponent off. Without W&G, they will probably guess CrIg based on my last match and my reputation.
BTW, the situation with Valarian is total S, we all know it but cannot prove it. However, it makes a strong case that only Mastered spells should be employed in Dimicatio.
Well, Magmas is cagey... And since he can't tell what was coming, he decides to use Wizard Leap to get away from his previous spot, at which point most of the crowd boos. However, when they don't see a "spell" coming from Roberto, the boos die down. ((The crowd wants a show, too.))
What about Magmas's spell?
Hold up. I think Magma fell far short of a fast cast speed roll. You said she rolled 2, plus Quick 2 and +3 for Fast Caster totals only 7. She will need a Finesse of 6 to successfully time a Fast Cast defense.