Three Laws of Battles of Wits

Like most genres of fiction, Battles of Wits follow a series of conventions. The most fundamental of these conventions are captured by the Three Laws of Battles of Wits, which describe the essential traits that a story must have to be a part of the genre. As far as this wiki is concerned, the Three Laws can be taken as a definition of what it means to be a Battle of Wits.

All three Laws stem from a simple idea: Battles of Wits are stories about smart characters trying to outwit each other. Each individual Law contributes to making a story adhere to this principle.

First Law

Never bring a knife to a Battle of Wits.

(unless you are going to use it to stab someone in the back)

Conflicts in a Battle of Wits are not resolved through brute force, but rather through cunning. Instead of fists, battles are fought using one's brain. The weapons are not swords or guns, but rather clever plans and stratagems. And the winner of a Battle of Wits is the one who manages to outsmart their opponents. To achieve this goal, characters in the Battle of Wits make use of Tricks, which is a catch-all term for any kind of intelligent solution to a problem. Every major conflict in a Battle of Wits is solved through some kind of Trick.

Second Law

No one will fight your Battles of Wits for you.

Battles of Wits are not centered on the pawns being manipulated, but rather on the players manipulating them. The central characters in a Battle of Wits are not passive participants, they are the ones devising and carrying out the plans. In particular, the protagonist of a Battle of Wits is always a Mastermind, a type of character set apart by their intelligence, strategical planning and ability to manipulate others. This character, called the Lead Mastermind, is the one who drives the story and the one whose actions the audience follows.

Third Law

It takes two to make a Battle of Wits.

Battles of Wits are not about solving mysteries or following clues, because these are one-sided challenges, static obstacles for the protagonist to overcome. Conflict in a Battle of Wits originates from interactions with an opponent (or several) that can react to the actions of the protagonist. This situation is what forces the protagonist to plan and strategize. While mystery stories are like a puzzle to be solved, Battles of Wits are like a game of strategy to be won. Following this, the action in a Battle of Wits is organized into Matches, where two or more sides with opposing goals try to best each other.