Circle of Hands - the mob v. the masters

[Joshua Bearden]

Something Weird Happens When Three Master Fencers Battle Fifty Novices


http://io9.com/something-weird-happens-when-three-master-fencers-battl-1570551641/+rtgonzalez

So what happens? Do the professional fencers dominate, or are they overwhelmed?

Well... neither, actually. Jason Kottke gives a good summary of the dynamic that takes shape:

The crowd, being a crowd, does not initially do what it should, which is rush the experts and take them out right away with little regard for individual survival. But pretty much every person fights for themselves. And instead of getting easier for the Musketeers near the end, it gets more difficult. The few remaining crowd members start working together more effectively.

My thoughts on lessons learned: Nothing in the above highly controlled exercise invalidates the proposition in Circle of Hands that if the mob decides to kill you, you're dead.  But to me it highlights the most important word in that phrase: "decides".

How and when a mob effectively decides anything is as nuanced and complex a topic as you may ever wish.  If fifty people want you dead, but not one in fifty is willing to be the one or two that goes down with you, then things might take a little longer. One way or another, in order to break your perimeter, at least one member of the crowd has to engage you.  If 3 or four do so simultaneously, then they might all live long enough for 3-4 more to get you from behind and drag you down.  But if just one comes at you, there's a good chance you'll get to skewer them.  As long as (1) no one person is willing to take that risk, and (2) no members of the mob are communicating with enough trust to coordinate the simultaneous offence...

But there is a third option.  Enough rage and power at that back, can shove the front-line forward against their will.  So it's worth considering in a confrontation with an angry mob in the game whether and when the 'bubble of life' is burst around the characters.  It strikes me that some interesting gaming could happen at this moment.  Charm v. 12 rolls, magic, desperate escape even sacrifice plays on the part of individual circle members...

[Ron Edwards]

Exactly. There's room for maneuvering of all kinds, even as simple as "shit, let's get out of here," while the people teeter on the edge of being a mob rather than just a crowd. Charm rolls vs. individuals are especially important, and if necessary, in tandem with suddenly ascending an NPC. Focusing on someone you've met is fine if possible, but even identifying an NPC by category ("an older warrior," "a kind-faced young woman") is perfectly OK by the ascension rules.