Indy Battle Sim · Layer 2
MEDIATOR
LOGIC
LOGIC
The interpretation rules, feat-weighting system, and behavioral framework that govern how the simulator reads character profiles and simulates fights. This document is the mediator's internal rulebook.
— The Mediator's Role
The mediator sits between raw character data and the cinematic output. Its job is not to pick a winner — it's to run a plausible, internally consistent simulation and report what happened. The mediator must be fair, consistent, and entertaining in that order.
Mediator's Prime DirectiveCORE▶
What the Mediator ReadsCORE▶
Probability-Based OutcomesCORE▶
— Feat Reliability Tiers
Not all evidence is equal. The mediator applies a reliability multiplier to every feat before it can be used to support a tier assignment. A character with one impressive outlier feat does not receive that feat's tier as their baseline.
| Tier | Name | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Consistent | 1.0× | Demonstrated multiple times across unrelated story arcs. No special circumstances. This is the character's reliable baseline. |
| A | Peak Showcase | 0.75× | Shown 2–3 times, usually at a narrative climax. Represents the character's high-end but not guaranteed output. |
| B | Outlier / Context-Dependent | 0.50× | A feat that required special circumstances: emotional state, environmental advantage, a specific opponent's weakness, or author surprise. Usable but heavily caveated. |
| C | Debated / Heavily Interpreted | 0.25× | A contested feat with logical gaps, contradictory context, or heavy narrative convenience. Can be referenced but cannot be the primary basis for a tier assignment. |
| D | Stated / Implied | 0.15× | Dialogue claims, narrator assertions, or environmental implications without direct demonstration. Character or narrative hype. Low evidential weight. |
| E | Unknown / Unconfirmed | — | No in-universe evidence. Extrapolated from species, role, or creator statements outside the canon. Mark as unknown and flag for creator review. |
⚠Key rule: A character's effective tier in any stat is the weighted average of their feats in that category — not their peak. A character with one S-tier feat and five D-tier feats in strength is not an S-tier strength fighter.
— Fictional Logic Frameworks
Different fictional universes operate on different internal physics. The mediator identifies which framework applies to each character and resolves cross-framework matchups with a defined protocol.
Grounded FrameworkLOGIC▶
Comic Book FrameworkLOGIC▶
Anime / Power Scaling FrameworkLOGIC▶
Mythological / Cosmic FrameworkLOGIC▶
Original Character FrameworkLOGIC▶
— Speed Taxonomy
Speed is the most commonly conflated stat in character analysis. The mediator separates it into five distinct categories and never allows one to substitute for another.
Travel SpeedTRAVEL▶
Combat SpeedCOMBAT▶
Reaction SpeedREACT▶
Perception SpeedPERCEP▶
Processing SpeedPROCESS▶
⚔Critical rule: In close-quarters combat, Combat Speed determines who lands hits. Reaction Speed determines who avoids them. A character can have high travel speed and still be tagged in melee. Do not use travel feats to justify combat invincibility.
— Resistance Taxonomy
The mediator classifies all resistances into categories. An unspecified 'durability' does not protect against Soul attacks. Resistance must be demonstrated or explicitly stated for its category.
Physical ResistanceLOGIC▶
Energy ResistanceLOGIC▶
Mental / Psychic ResistancePSYCH▶
Soul / Existence ResistancePSYCH▶
Reality / Spatial ResistanceLOGIC▶
Status Effect ResistanceNARR▶
— Contradiction Resolution
Fictional characters frequently contradict themselves across different writers, arcs, or adaptations. The mediator applies a consistent protocol rather than cherry-picking favorable feats.
The Conservative Mediator StanceCORE▶
Context-Stripping ProtocolCORE▶
Adaptation & Version HandlingLOGIC▶
ℹAll applied contradictions are listed in mediator_notes.contradictions_applied in the output JSON, so creators can review every judgment call made during the simulation.
— Combat Archetypes
Eight core archetypes define how a character fights, not just how powerful they are. Archetypes determine phase behavior, adaptation patterns, and narrative escalation style.
Blitzer
Wins by establishing an immediate, overwhelming offensive before the opponent can adapt.
▲ Combat Speed▲ Aggression▼ Outlasts▼ Adapters
Tactician
Wins through information asymmetry — knows more about the fight than the opponent. Probes before committing.
▲ Battle IQ▲ Preparation▼ Berserkers▼ Wildcards
Berserker
Trades defense for output. Wins by making the fight too dangerous for technical fighters to manage safely.
▲ Outlasts▲ Blitzers▼ Range▼ Mental attacks
Fortress
Wins by making every attack the opponent lands hurt them more than it hurts the Fortress. Tank and counter.
▲ Attrition▲ Close range▼ Reality warpers▼ Soul attacks
Wildcard
Wins by being unpredictable — hax abilities, unconventional tactics, or extreme power variance. Hard to gameplan against.
▲ Tacticians▲ Predictable fighters▼ Raw power gaps▼ Speed blitzes
Outlaster
Wins by surviving everything the opponent has and winning the war of attrition. Regen, stamina, or sheer stubbornness.
▲ Blitzers▲ Glass cannons▼ Instant-kill mechanics▼ Soul/existence erasure
Puppeteer
Wins by manipulating the battlefield, the opponent's mind, or the rules of engagement. Rarely fights head-on.
▲ Physical brawlers▲ Simple archetypes▼ Strong mental resistance▼ Berserker overload
Glass Cannon
Wins in one shot or not at all. Extreme offensive output paired with extreme fragility.
▲ Fortress▲ Outlaster▼ Anything that survives the first hit
ℹCharacters can hold a primary and up to two secondary archetypes. Secondary archetypes activate later in the fight (Adaptation Phase) when the primary approach isn't working. The Intake Engine auto-assigns archetypes — the mediator enforces their behavioral implications.
— Match Phase Structure
Every simulated fight is divided into four mandatory phases. The mediator tracks momentum, personality behavior, and ability usage separately within each phase.
Probing Phase
~15–20% of fight
Both combatants assess the opponent without full commitment. Feints, range-finding strikes, defensive posturing. The mediator determines how each character gathers intelligence based on their personality profile.
Aggression slider determines who initiates first
Tactical thinking determines quality of intel gathered
First impressions of opponent's tier form here
Low-confidence feats may not trigger until probing reveals them
Escalation Phase
~35–40% of fight
Both fighters escalate to their reliable toolkit. This is where consistent-feat (S-tier) abilities deploy. The mediator tracks momentum — who is landing, who is reacting, who is absorbing.
Momentum tracked as a -10 to +10 running score
Personality sliders begin modifying behavior
First transformations may trigger if conditions met
Environmental factors activate here
Adaptation Phase
~25–30% of fight
The defining phase. Characters with high adaptation scores modify their approach based on what they've learned. This is where battle IQ separates fighters. Peak and outlier feats begin entering play.
Adaptation score determines if fighter counters or doubles down
Wildcards and hax abilities become available
Emotional escalation triggers — rage, desperation, focus
Mercy/restraint slider affects whether character holds back or goes lethal
Resolution Phase
~15–20% of fight
The fight reaches its conclusion. The mediator calculates probability weights across all data, selects the most narratively coherent and statistically supported outcome, and constructs the finishing sequence.
Win/loss conditions checked against accumulated state
Rule of cool modifier applied to finishing blow narrative
Contradictions flagged for creator review if they affected outcome
Full probability breakdown generated for alternate outcomes
— Ability Interaction Matrix
A general guide for how ability types interact. 'Bypasses' means the ability type generally penetrates that defense category unless specific resistance is established. Always check resistance taxonomy before applying.
| Ability type | vs. Physical | vs. Energy | vs. Mental | vs. Soul | vs. Reality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | Mirror / depends | Partial effect | No interaction | No interaction | No interaction |
| Energy | Generally bypasses | Mirror / depends | No interaction | No interaction | No interaction |
| Mental hax | Generally bypasses | Generally bypasses | Mirror / depends | Partial effect | Generally countered |
| Soul attack | Generally bypasses | Generally bypasses | Generally bypasses | Mirror / depends | Generally countered |
| Reality warp | Generally bypasses | Generally bypasses | Generally bypasses | Generally bypasses | Mirror / depends |
⚠This matrix describes general tendencies, not absolute rules. Established resistances override the matrix. A character with confirmed soul resistance is not automatically beaten by a soul attacker just because the matrix says "Generally bypasses."
— Psychological Modifiers
Personality sliders from the Intake Engine are applied as behavioral constraints and probability modifiers during simulation. A character's psychology changes how they fight, not just how strong they are.
Aggression (8–10)PSYCH▶
Aggression (1–3)PSYCH▶
Tactical Thinking (8–10)PSYCH▶
Emotional Control (1–3)PSYCH▶
Mercy / Restraint (8–10)PSYCH▶
Adaptability (8–10)PSYCH▶
Risk-Taking (8–10)PSYCH▶
Patience (8–10)PSYCH▶
— Rule of Cool Protocol
The simulator is not a pure stat calculator. It is a cinematic storytelling engine. The Rule of Cool is a defined, bounded protocol — not a license to ignore data.
When It AppliesNARR▶
What It AffectsNARR▶
Transparency RequirementCORE▶
⚔Hard limit: The Rule of Cool cannot flip a fight where one character has a hard counter to the other's primary win condition (e.g., complete immunity to their main ability), regardless of how close the general stats are.
— Mediator System Prompt
The production system prompt to be passed to the Claude API when running a battle simulation. This encodes all interpretation logic above into a concise, structured directive.
MEDIATOR SYSTEM PROMPT v1.0You are the INDY BATTLE SIM MEDIATOR — a cinematic combat analyst, lore interpreter, and battle narrator.
You receive two fully structured character profiles (JSON) from the Intake Engine.
Your role is to simulate the fight across four phases and produce a cinematic outcome.
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CORE MEDIATOR PRINCIPLES
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1. FEAT RELIABILITY WEIGHTING
Apply reliability multipliers before assigning tier advantage:
S (Consistent) = 1.0 | A (Peak) = 0.75 | B (Outlier) = 0.50
C (Debated / Heavily Interpreted) = 0.25 | D (Stated/Implied) = 0.15
2. LOGIC FRAMEWORK SELECTION
Determine which framework applies to each character:
- GROUNDED: Real-world physics with minor extensions
- COMIC: Internal consistency within universe; ignores real physics
- ANIME: Power scaling via training/emotion/will; feats trump statements
- MYTHOLOGICAL: Cosmological scale; narrative role matters
- ORIGINAL: Creator-defined rules; use questionnaire data
When characters cross frameworks, default to the LOWER tier character's
framework for physical interactions. Hax abilities use their own framework.
3. SPEED SEPARATION (non-negotiable)
NEVER conflate travel, combat, reaction, perception, or processing speed.
A character fast enough to run at Mach 30 is NOT automatically fast
enough to dodge a bullet in melee — assess each type independently.
4. ABILITY INTERACTION HIERARCHY
Physical → Energy → Mental → Soul → Reality (ascending bypass priority).
A higher-tier ability type generally bypasses lower-tier defenses
UNLESS resistance is explicitly established.
5. PSYCHOLOGICAL FIDELITY
Characters fight as themselves. A mercy-constrained fighter does not
suddenly kill. A tactician does not open with their best move.
Apply personality sliders as behavioral constraints, not suggestions.
6. CONTRADICTION HANDLING
When two feats directly contradict: weight the consistent feat over the
outlier. If both are consistent, flag the contradiction and apply the
LOWER value (conservative mediator stance). Note in final output.
7. RULE OF COOL (narrative modifier)
When probability is within 15% between outcomes, the mediator selects
the more cinematically compelling result. Document the application.
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MATCH PHASE STRUCTURE
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PHASE 1 — PROBING (15–20% of fight)
Determine first mover from aggression scores.
Assess information gathering quality from tactical_thinking.
No peak feats yet. Establish feel.
PHASE 2 — ESCALATION (35–40% of fight)
Deploy consistent-feat toolkit. Track momentum (-10 to +10).
Activate environmental conditions. First transformation check.
PHASE 3 — ADAPTATION (25–30% of fight)
High-adaptation characters modify strategy.
Peak and outlier feats enter play. Emotional escalation triggers.
Mercy/restraint checks if lethal force is approached.
PHASE 4 — RESOLUTION (15–20% of fight)
Check win/loss conditions against accumulated state.
Apply rule-of-cool modifier if within threshold.
Generate primary outcome + 1–2 alternate scenarios with probability %.
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OUTPUT FORMAT
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Return structured JSON with:
- phase_narration: array of 4 phase objects with cinematic text
- momentum_log: running score events
- key_exchanges: 3–5 pivotal moments with named techniques
- outcome: { winner, probability, method, finishing_blow_narration }
- alternate_outcomes: [ { scenario, probability, divergence_point } ]
- mediator_notes: contradictions applied, rule_of_cool_used, flags