diff --git a/app/controllers/servers_controller.rb b/app/controllers/servers_controller.rb
index 7e4c427..05460d3 100644
--- a/app/controllers/servers_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/servers_controller.rb
@@ -10,12 +10,18 @@ class ServersController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def new
-    @server_template = current_user.server_templates.find(params[:server_template_id])
-    @server = current_user.servers.build(server_template: @server_template)
+    @server_templates = current_user.server_templates.order(:name)
+    if params[:server_template_id].present?
+      @server_template = current_user.server_templates.find(params[:server_template_id])
+      @server = current_user.servers.build(server_template: @server_template)
+    else
+      @server = current_user.servers.build
+    end
   end
 
   def create
-    @server_template = current_user.server_templates.find(params[:server_template_id])
+    template_id = params[:server_template_id] || server_params[:server_template_id]
+    @server_template = current_user.server_templates.find(template_id)
     @server = current_user.servers.build(server_params)
     @server.server_template = @server_template
     @server.status = :stopped
@@ -25,6 +31,7 @@ class ServersController < ApplicationController
       SpawnServerJob.perform_later(@server.id)
       redirect_to @server, notice: "Server spawning..."
     else
+      @server_templates = current_user.server_templates.order(:name)
       render :new, status: :unprocessable_entity
     end
   end
@@ -68,7 +75,7 @@ class ServersController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def server_params
-    params.require(:server).permit(:name, :port)
+    params.require(:server).permit(:name, :port, :server_template_id)
   end
 
   def authorize_user!
diff --git a/app/models/server.rb b/app/models/server.rb
index 58c8305..9ae5f6f 100644
--- a/app/models/server.rb
+++ b/app/models/server.rb
@@ -4,18 +4,31 @@ class Server < ApplicationRecord
 
   enum :status, { stopped: 0, starting: 1, running: 2, failed: 3 }
 
-  validates :name, :port, presence: true
+  validates :name, presence: true
   validates :name, uniqueness: { scope: :user_id }
-  validates :port, uniqueness: true
+  validates :port, presence: true, uniqueness: true, numericality: { only_integer: true, greater_than_or_equal_to: 27016, less_than_or_equal_to: 27999 }
   validates :status, presence: true
 
+  before_validation :assign_port, if: -> { port.blank? }
+
   scope :for_user, ->(user) { where(user_id: user.id) }
   scope :active, -> { where(status: [ :starting, :running ]) }
 
   after_destroy :cleanup_server
 
+  def self.next_available_port
+    (27016..27999).each do |port|
+      return port unless exists?(port: port)
+    end
+    nil
+  end
+
   private
 
+  def assign_port
+    self.port = self.class.next_available_port
+  end
+
   def cleanup_server
     L4dServer::SystemdManager.cleanup(self)
     L4dServer::Launcher.cleanup(self)
diff --git a/app/views/servers/new.html.slim b/app/views/servers/new.html.slim
index d47cc72..4b044b6 100644
--- a/app/views/servers/new.html.slim
+++ b/app/views/servers/new.html.slim
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 .server_form
   h2 Spawn New Server
 
-  - if @server_template
-    p
-      strong Template:
-      = @server_template.name
-
   = form_with model: @server, local: true do |f|
     = hidden_field_tag :server_template_id, @server_template.id if @server_template
     - if @server.errors.any?
@@ -15,13 +10,18 @@
           - @server.errors.full_messages.each do |msg|
             li = msg
 
+    - unless @server_template
+      .form-group
+        = f.label :server_template_id, "Template"
+        = f.select :server_template_id, options_from_collection_for_select(@server_templates, :id, :name, @server.server_template_id), { prompt: "Select a template" }, class: "form-control", required: true
+
     .form-group
       = f.label :name
       = f.text_field :name, placeholder: "e.g., server1"
 
     .form-group
-      = f.label :port
-      = f.number_field :port, placeholder: "e.g., 27015"
+      = f.label :port, "Port (optional, auto-assigned if blank)"
+      = f.number_field :port, placeholder: "Auto: 27016-27999", min: 27016, max: 27999
 
     - if @server_template
       .template-preview