# How Word Count Limits Differ Across Deliberation Rounds in Council of High Intelligence > Discover how word count limits vary across deliberation rounds in the Council of High Intelligence. Learn the specific caps for each mode and stage to optimize your contributions. - Repository: [nyk/council-of-high-intelligence](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence) - Tags: documentation - Published: 2026-07-03 --- **The Council of High Intelligence framework enforces strict word-count caps that vary by deliberation mode and round, ranging from 400 words for initial analysis in Full mode down to 50 words for final statements in Duo mode.** The Council of High Intelligence is an open-source deliberation framework that structures multi-agent reasoning through controlled conversation flows. According to the source code in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md), word count limits differ across deliberation rounds to optimize token budgets, maintain focus, and produce succinct, auditable verdicts throughout the decision-making process. ## Word Count Limits by Deliberation Mode The framework defines three distinct deliberation modes—**Full**, **Quick**, and **Duo**—each with specific round-based constraints documented in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md). ### Full Mode: Deep Multi-Round Deliberation Full mode implements a three-round progressive constraint system designed for thorough analysis. - **Round 1 (Independent Analysis):** Responses are capped at **400 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L347), providing ample space for comprehensive first-pass essays and blind-first analysis. - **Round 2 (Cross-Examination):** The limit tightens to **300 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L399), with the additional requirement that participants engage with at least two peers, forcing focused critique. - **Round 3 (Final Crystallization):** A stringent **100-word** cap ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L436) compels each member to distill their position to the essential conclusion. ### Quick Mode: Rapid Binary Assessment Quick mode compresses deliberation into two rounds with uniform limits to prioritize speed over depth. - **Round 1 (Rapid Analysis):** Embedded single-round analysis is limited to **200 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L564). - **Round 2 (Final Positions):** Anonymous decisive statements are capped at **200 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L659), maintaining brevity for rapid verdicts. This mode explicitly skips the cross-examination step found in Full mode. ### Duo Mode: Two-Member Dialectic Duo mode orchestrates a structured debate between two council members with escalating brevity requirements. - **Round 1 (Opening Positions):** Each member receives **300 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L636) for full opening statements. - **Round 2 (Direct Response):** The exchange of arguments permits **200 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L659) with no anonymization. - **Round 3 (Final Statements):** Closing statements are strictly limited to **50 words** ([`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md#L665), ensuring a crisp final stance. ## Source Code Implementation These constraints are hardcoded in the execution sequence definitions within [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md). The word count limits are enforced through prompt engineering in the agent definitions located in `agents/*.md`, which work in conjunction with the execution logic to ensure compliance. User-facing documentation in [`README.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/README.md) provides invocation examples that trigger these specific limit profiles. ## Practical Usage Examples The following commands demonstrate how each mode applies its specific word count constraints: ```bash # Full mode – triad example (architectural triad) /council --triad architecture "Should we adopt a monorepo?" # → Round 1 responses are capped at 400 words each. # → Round 2 cross-examination is capped at 300 words each. # → Round 3 final crystallization is capped at 100 words each. ``` ```bash # Quick mode – rapid check /council --quick "Do we need caching in the auth flow?" # → The single analysis round is limited to 200 words. # → The final position round is also limited to 200 words. ``` ```bash # Duo mode – dialectic between two members /council --duo "Should we rewrite the monolith as micro-services?" # → Opening positions: 300 words each. # → Direct response: 200 words each. # → Final statements: 50 words each. ``` ## Summary - **Full mode** uses a descending progression of 400 → 300 → 100 words across three rounds to force increasingly focused analysis. - **Quick mode** maintains a consistent 200-word limit across both rounds to enable rapid binary assessments. - **Duo mode** scales from 300 words down to 50 words to balance depth with brevity in two-member debates. - All limits are explicitly defined in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) at specific line numbers and enforced through the agent prompt architecture. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the highest word count limit in the Council of High Intelligence framework? The maximum word count allowance is **400 words**, which occurs in Round 1 of Full mode (Independent Analysis) as defined at line 347 of [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md). This generous initial allocation accommodates comprehensive independent analysis before subsequent rounds force increasing concision. ### Why do word count limits decrease in later rounds of Full mode? The descending progression from 400 to 300 to 100 words serves a specific pedagogical purpose: Round 1 enables thorough blind-first essays, Round 2 forces focused peer critique by tightening constraints, and Round 3 requires final crystallization that distills complex arguments into essential conclusions. This structure ensures each deliberation phase remains focused and produces actionable verdicts. ### How do Quick mode and Duo mode word limits compare? Quick mode maintains uniform **200-word** limits across both rounds (lines 564 and 659), prioritizing speed and binary decision-making. Duo mode employs a variable descending scale from **300 words** down to **50 words** (lines 636, 659, and 665), allowing more initial depth for opening positions while demanding extreme brevity for final statements in the two-member dialectic. ### Where are the word count limits defined in the source code? All word count constraints are centrally defined in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) at specific line numbers corresponding to each mode and round. These limits are implemented through the agent prompt templates located in `agents/*.md` and triggered by command-line invocations documented in [`README.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/README.md).