Werewolf (Mafia)

1 Game Overview

Werewolf (also called Mafia) is the ultimate social deduction game. Players are secretly assigned roles: most are Villagers, but a few are Werewolves. Each night, the Werewolves eliminate one player. Each day, all surviving players discuss and vote to execute a suspect. Werewolves try to blend in; Villagers try to find them.

The game lives and dies by discussion, accusation, lying, and reading people. No equipment needed beyond role cards.

2 What You Need

• Role cards (or slips of paper): Werewolves, Villagers, optional special roles (Seer, Doctor, Hunter, etc.)
• A Moderator (one player sits out to run the game)
• Optional: eye masks for the night phase

3 Setup

1. The Moderator shuffles role cards and deals one secretly to each player.
2. Suggested setup for 10 players: 3 Werewolves, 1 Seer, 1 Doctor, 5 Villagers.
3. All players look at their card secretly, then everyone closes their eyes ("it's night").
4. The Moderator narrates the setup and runs the first night.

4 How to Play

Night Phase

All players close their eyes. The Moderator calls each special role:

• Werewolves: Open eyes, silently agree on a victim (pointing), close eyes.
• Seer: Opens eyes, points to any player. Moderator silently signals thumbs up (Werewolf) or down (not Werewolf). Seer closes eyes.
• Doctor: Opens eyes, points to one player to protect (can be themselves). Closes eyes.

The Moderator announces who was killed overnight (or "No one died tonight" if Doctor protected the victim). That player is eliminated and reveals their role.

Day Phase

All players open eyes. Discussion begins - anyone can say anything. Werewolves must lie and deflect. Villagers try to reason, spot inconsistencies, and find the wolves.

After discussion, players nominate and vote. The player with the most votes is executed and reveals their role. Then night begins again.

5 Winning

Villagers win when all Werewolves are eliminated. Werewolves win when they equal or outnumber the Villagers (they can't be voted out). Special role wins: Hunter takes someone with them when killed; Lovers (optional) both die together.

6 Tips

• Werewolves: Pick diverse victims. Killing the most vocal or the most logical players weakens the village leadership. Avoid killing players who are under suspicion - it clears them.
• Seer: Be careful revealing yourself. If you out yourself as the Seer, Werewolves will target you the next night. You might get one day's accusation in before they do.
• Villagers: Watch voting patterns. Werewolves rarely vote to execute each other. If someone consistently votes with the wolves, they might be one.
• Take notes. In large games, it's hard to track who said what. Note inconsistencies for the day discussion.
• The first execution is a coin flip. Accept it. Day 1 is mostly gut feeling. Don't overthink it.