Hidden roles
Mafia
Also called Werewolf, Town of Killers
A few secret killers hide among the town; every 'day' the group debates and votes out who they think is guilty.
- people
- 7–20
- time
- 30 min
- energy
- Medium
- materials
- Household items
HR-safeChurch-safe
Before you start
Seat everyone in a circle. The host is the narrator and does not play. For 8–10 players use 2 mafia, 1 doctor and 1 detective; deal cards face down.
- 1Night: everyone closes their eyes. The narrator wakes the mafia, who silently point at a victim, then the doctor (who saves one person) and the detective (who checks one person).
- 2Day: everyone opens their eyes and the narrator announces who was taken out, if anyone.
- 3The town discusses and votes. The person with the most votes is out and reveals their card.
- 4Repeat night and day. The town wins if all mafia are out; the mafia win when they equal the townspeople.
What to say3
- 1“Night falls on the village. Everybody, close your eyes.”
- 2“Mafia, wake up… choose your target… and sleep.”
- 3“Morning! The village wakes to find… everyone alive! The doctor was busy last night.”
Host tips3
- Peeking and rustling ruin the first game. Ask everyone to hum or tap their knees during the night so movement cannot be heard.
- Eliminated players get bored and start leaking information. Give them a job — night helpers, or the no-elimination ghost rule.
- Play the first game short and fast with fewer special roles. New players need one round to understand before strategy kicks in.
Variants2
Story narrator
The narrator invents a dramatic, silly story for each night's events. A good narrator makes the game.
No-elimination
Players who are 'out' become ghosts who still vote once. Nobody sits idle for 20 minutes.
Safety1
- Debates can get heated between colleagues or relatives; remind everyone that accusations are about the game, not the person.
Good for
Occasions
Team buildingRetreatReunionBirthdayFarewell party
Venues
Indoor, smallIndoor, largeOfficeChurch hallOnline