This is how I would read it:
As contestant rolls against his ability, just as normal, a mastery would bump
his success. So, if we use the example from p.128, but with the difference
that, say, Kallai and Rollo are masters. Kallai's success (with a roll of 6),
would have been a critical, and Rollo's failure a success, so their total would
be 9 (6 as the lowest roll plus 3 for Rurik's failure), but still counting the
best result, Kalli's crit. The opposition would still get 5, the lowest roll of
their succeses, but a measly success. A critical vs. a success is a minor
victory.
Now, if both sides have multiple masteries and can be counted on to produce nothing but crits and successes, I'd go for reducing them all with the lowest common denominator. That is if all are at least 1w, reduce all masteries by one step.
The problem with the group simple contests is that you get penalised for having more contestants on your side than the opposition has. So it should perhaps be used most sparingly, and only where people could get in each other's way. You definitely don't want somebody with no applicable ability on your side, say a character with no Strength-related ability when trying to lift a log, as he only has an ability of 6, and will likely add 3 to your total ;-)
-- Henrix
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