Mafia (game)
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AnthonyUK
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{{2otheruses|the party game|the video game|Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven||Mafia (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox game
| subject name = Mafia
| image_link = [[Image:Kif 4139.jpg|250px]]
| image_caption = A game of Mafia being played at [[EuroOSCON]] 2006
| players = 4 or more<sup>1</sup>
| ages = 9 and up
| setup time = < 6 [[minute]]s
| playing time = 15 - 60 [[minute]]s<sup>2</sup>
| complexity = Medium
| strategy = High
| random chance = Low
| skills = [[Strategy|Strategic thought]]<br />[[Team|Team play]]<br />[[Social skills]]<br />[[Roleplay]]
| footnotes = <sup>1</sup><small>See [[Mafia (game)#Basic gameplay|Basic gameplay]] below.</small><br /><sup>2</sup><small>Varies greatly with setting; see [[Mafia (game)#Online play|online play]].</small>
}}
'''Mafia''' (also known as '''Werewolf''' or '''Assassin''') is a [[party game]] modeling a battle between an informed minority and an [[Information asymmetry|uninformed]] majority. Players are secretly assigned roles: either "mafia", who know each other; or "[[townspeople]]", who know only the number of mafia amongst them. During the night phase of the game, the Mafia choose an innocent to kill. During the day phase, all players debate the identities of the Mafia and vote to kill someone whom the majority suspect. Players are eliminated until only innocents or mafia remain; the surviving side wins. Mafia is rarely played in groups of fewer than five, and must always start with more innocents than mafia.
==History==
Mafia was created in the spring of 1986 by Dmitry Davidoff at the [[Psychology|Psychological]] Department of [[Moscow State University]] , and the first players were playing in classrooms, dorms, and summer camps of Moscow University.<ref>Andrew Plotkin's {{cite web| url =http://www.eblong.com/zarf/werewolf.html | title = Werewolf page ''History'' section}} quotes a 2005 email in which Davidoff explains that he brought Mafia into the Psychology department classrooms for research and it spread (as a [[meme]]) from there to dormitories and "likely over next summer, through student summer camps". He credits this game-based [[methodology]] to pioneering 1920s psychologist [[Lev Vygotsky|Lev Vygotskiy]].</ref> The game became popular in other Soviet colleges and schools and in the 1990s it began to be played in Europe ([[Slovakia]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Hungary]], [[Poland]], [[England]], [[Norway]]) and then the United States. Mafia is considered to be one of "the 50 most historically and culturally significant games published since 1800" by [[about.com]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://boardgames.about.com/cs/gamehistories/a/timeline.htm | title = Board and Card Games Timeline | first = Erik | last = Arneson}}. About.com also includes Mafia in the "Top 5 Best [[Voting system|Voting]] Games". The reason it is significant is given: {{cite web | url = http://boardgames.about.com/od/gamehistories/p/werewolf.htm | title = Werewolf / Mafia | quote = Werewolf is a favorite at game conventions and has been written about in several mainstream articles. | accessdate = 2007-11-25}}</ref>
[[Andrew Plotkin]] gave the rules a Werewolf theme in 1997<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.eblong.com/zarf/werewolf.html| title = Werewolf ''A Mind Game''}} is Plotkin's own description of the original Werewolf version</ref> - [[Looney Labs]] have sold a derivative as ''Are You a Werewolf?'', as have [[Asmodée Éditions]] under the title ''Werewolves of Millers Hollow'', [[Mayfair Games]] as ''Lupus in Tabula'' (Latin for ''Werewolves at the Table''), Béziers games as ''Ultimate Werewolf'' and Alliance Games as ''Mafia Gameplay Cards''.
Mafia and a variant called Thing<ref>{{cite web | url = http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/005581.html#58859 | title = Making Light: Comment on "Home Again" | first = James D. | last = Macdonald | quote = Thing is much like Mafia, except that the scene is an isolated Antarctic research station. The game starts with one Thing, a shape-shifter who looks and acts exactly like one of the scientists. Each night, if the Thing (soon to be Things) aren't caught, they make a new Thing, until the Things outnumber the scientists, and the game is over and the Things win. (If the scientists manage to identify all the Things, the game is also over and the scientists win.) Every day the scientists can test two of their number. If the second one they test is a Thing, they can test a third. If that one is a Thing, they can test a fourth, and so on.}} For a more detailed description, see: {{cite web | url = http://www.drewes.org/vp_xp.html | title = The VP Experience | first = Lisa | last = Silverthorne}}</ref> have been played at science fiction writers' workshops since 1998,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.potlatch-sf.org/potlatch9/potflpr3.html | title = Corflatch Progress Report #3 | date = 2000-01-01 | first = Jerry | last = Kaufman | quote = John Aegard is running another event, to take place Friday at 8 p.m. John says, "Come play the game that's paralyzed two straight Clarions – MAFIA!"}} Since the Clarion workshops take place during the summer, the game must have first been played at a Clarion workshop in 1998, most likely Clarion East -- see David Levine's account of Clarion West 2000, {{cite web | url = http://www.spiritone.com/~dlevine/clarion/journal/week6.html | title = David Levine's Clarion Journal: Week 6.}} Mafia and Thing were first taught to the annual Viable Paradise workshop by James Patrick Kelly and Steven Gould in 2001; see {{cite web | url = http://www.drewes.org/vp_xp.html | title = The VP Experience | first = Lisa | last = Silverthorne}}</ref> and have effectively become an integral part of the annual Clarion<ref>See {{cite web | url = http://st-at-clarion.livejournal.com/12315.html | title = Clarion, Day 33: She's mafia, I know she is!}}; {{cite web | url = http://www.alexwilson.com/projects/journal/clarion_week_6_mafia.php | title = Clarion Week 6: Always Bet on Black (in Mafia)! | first = Alex | last = Wilson}}; {{cite web | url = http://web.mac.com/xanderwilson/iWeb/Site/clarion_mafia.html | title = Clarion_Mafia | first = Alex | last = Wilson}}.</ref> and Viable Paradise<ref>See {{cite web | url = http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/005581.html#58821 | title = Making Light: Home Again}}; {{cite web | url = http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/006896.html | title = Making Light: Traditional diversions}}; {{cite web | url = http://garunya.livejournal.com/38846.html | title = Viable Paradise - Day 1 | first = Chris | last = Azure}}; {{cite web | url = http://www.squishedfrog.com/mtblog/archives/2007/10/#001249 | title = A week in paradise | first = Eric | last = Griffith}}; and {{cite web | url = http://bibsearch.blogspot.com/2006/12/viable-paradise-day-one.html | title = Viable Paradise, day one | first = Barbara | last = Gordon}}. Quoting {{cite web | url = http://www.archerwebsolutions.com/domains/yaboogie/blogs/parentheticals/2007/10/viable-paradise-a-travelogue-p.html | title = Viable Paradise: A Travelogue (Part 1) | first = Julia | last = Dvorin | quote = After the introductions and instructions for the next day, I thought that perhaps we'd be released and I could go see the room I was to be staying in for the week and chill out a little from the travel. But such was not to be, for the agenda now turned to the important bonding activity of playing "Mafia" and "Thing". So I pushed away the cranky traveler's whininess that was stalking me, and sat down in a circle with a bunch of strangers and began to accuse them of lying and murder.}} Also: {{cite web | url = http://www.flickr.com/photos/89986804@N00/1526104871/in/photostream/ | title = Photo: semi-mandatory Mafia | first = Steven | last = Gould}}.</ref> workshops.
David and Jon Huston created the first licensed version in the theme of [[H. P. Lovecraft]]'s [[Cthulhu Mythos]] called ''Do You Worship Cthulhu'', published by Toy Vault, Inc. in 2005. The main card art was completed by Ron Spencer, and Walt Howington designed the Instruction graphics.
A variation of Mafia was used to promote the film ''[[Cry Wolf|Cry_Wolf]]'' (2005), having one wolf, one [[shepherd]], and a number of sheep, with no day and night phases.
[[Adam Gopnik]] devotes a chapter to describing the game in ''Through the Children's Gate''.<ref>{{cite book| title = Through the Children's Gate: A Home in New York | first = Adam | last = Gopnik | year = 2006 | isbn = 18472432X }}</ref>
In June 2006, a [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire|Rockingham]] school inquiry was launched after parents complained of the traumatic effects classroom Mafia was having on their [[Fifth grade|fifth-grade]] children.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://archive.seacoastonline.com/news/rock/08042006/nhnews-r-ray-mafiafolo0804.html | title = School officials still investigating 'Mafia' | first = Aaron | last = Davis | publisher = [[Seacoast Media Group]] | date= 2006-08-04 | quote = One parent, Nicole Hollenbeck told The Rockingham News in June, "My child has had sleepless nights, crying before bed because she's afraid that she'll sleep walk and relive the tragic events they talked about in class [...] We teach our kids right from wrong, and this is what they are being taught?" }}. ''The Rockingham News'' story about investigation into the Mafia games at Iber Holmes Gove Middle School includes Davidoff's response: "I do understand the parents' concern, being a parent myself and having studied [[child psychology]] for 25 years. I want to reassure you that the positive message of the game would overcome any possible negative affects of an 'evil narrator.'"</ref>
Ernest Fedorov runs a "Mafia Club" in [[Kyiv]], using his own [[patent]]ed variation of the rules. The club organizes games, rates players, and awards prizes, with the victor of the tournament grand final winning a trip to [[Sicily]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.kyivweekly.com/?art=1141859356 | title = Intellectuals playing mafia games | date= 2006-03-08 | first = Pavlo | last = Berest | quote = Now the rules of the game are the intellectual property of Fedorov.}} The club has its own rules, see: {{cite web | url = http://io.com.ua/www.php?w=http://mafia.kiev.ua | title = Club "Империя Мафии"}}</ref>
Rachel Bagenal and Sofka Armour Brown from London and Yuri Gerrits from Leuven collaboratively modified the game in 2006. They combined the characters and plot of Werewolf with the more mobile and physical aspects of Murder in the Dark. They called the game "Ultimate Werewolf". The day time rounds remain the same as players sit around a table or in a circle in "base". The night time rounds are played roaming around the house in complete darkness.
==Basic gameplay==
Players make themselves comfortable in a space such that every player can see every other player.
===Roles===
Roles are assigned by a method which is both confidential and verifiable, often by dealing cards; a red or black card signifies the role as either:
*'''Mafia''' (alternatively, '''Scum''', '''Werewolves''', '''Worshippers''', or '''Thieves''')
*'''Innocents''' (alternatively, '''Citizens''', '''Villagers''', '''Townspeople''', '''Townsfolk''' or '''Civilians''')
Other roles are possible (see Variants).
Generally, game play also requires a '''Narrator''' (alternatively, '''God''', '''Dealer''', '''Don''', '''Host''', '''Moderator''', '''Proctor''', or '''Storyteller'''), a person not playing, but moderating the game. The Narrator knows the roles of each player and effectively narrates game play.
===Night===
The '''Narrator''' tells everyone to close their eyes and lower their heads ("It is now nighttime and all the villagers are asleep...") This can optionally be accompanied by all players tapping gently to mask any giveaway sounds of player movement. On the first night, the Narrator tells the '''Mafia''' to open their eyes and acknowledge their fellow Mafia members. Variations at this point:
* The Mafia may have a chance to kill off one of the '''Innocents''' by show of hands. (On the first night, the Mafia may "kill" the Narrator so that every Innocent gets a chance to participate in at least one execution decision. The Narrator then says in the '''Morning''' that he was killed and game play continues as usual.)
* Optionally, Mafia members must secretly communicate during the daytime and then unanimously agree to kill someone during the nighttime without opening their eyes to communicate (such as by having the narrator call out the names of each player, with Mafia players raising a hand to signify a kill).
* In large groups, each Mafia member can kill one person per night.
* In large groups, a '''Master Mafia''' member (Master Werewolf) has the ability to induct innocents into the Mafia (or infect villagers into werewolves).
Other variant characters may have turns to open their eyes to do "business" during the night (before or after the Mafia).
===Day===
The Narrator tells everyone to wake up and announces the Mafia's victim. Usually this involves the Narrator telling a story about the murder scene that the remaining players wake up to, and/or a story of how the victim was killed. For example, "The police chief said, 'Bob was shot seven times, stabbed three times, and drowned in the river. This is the worst case of suicide I've ever seen.'" This player is "dead" and may no longer participate in the game in any way, and is thus permitted to keep their eyes open at night.
Depending on the variant, The Narrator may reveal the identity of dead players, dead players may reveal themselves by flipping their cards face up (most common version), or the alignment of the dead may remain hidden. Typically, prematurely revealing one's identity by flipping one's card face up while still alive is considered suicide; in single-execution-per-day variants, this may count as the execution for that day.
During the daytime phase, the players deliberate over which suspected Mafia member they wish to nominate for execution. The Innocents want to execute a Mafia member but all players are allowed to vote. Generally, The Narrator will administer the election, the nominee may be given a chance to defend themselves and a majority is required for the execution to be carried out, although voting variants abound. The same rules apply to players who are executed by the Innocents as to players killed by the Mafia. In some variants, multiple players may be killed during the same day. Usually, each player must vote, can only vote once and cannot vote for themselves.
===Phase duration===
Daytime and nighttime can move quickly in live play, as daily executions and nightly decisions are communicated in real time. Daytime phases usually require a majority to be reached in order for a lynch (execution) to occur and effectively end the round. A set time limit may also be applied to this condition. At night, the evil factions have more information, and less to deliberate. Because of that, night is considerably shorter than day.
When playing online, more time is needed to reach decisions. Players aren't usually available in unison, so forum-based phases tend to last longer than live phases. Online "turbos" replicate live games in requiring all players' continuous participation; the day phase is typically 20 or 25 minutes long and the night phase is usually 5 minutes long. In long online games, days usually run from 9am to 9pm and nights from 9pm to 9am.<ref>The USGamers {{cite web | url= http://www.forum.usgamers.net/faq.php?faq=werewolf#faq_werewolf_rules | title = ''Werewolf Rules & Gameplay''}} section describes the way online Werewolf/Mafia games are played on many sites as well as on their own automatic, forum-integrated software.</ref>
===Win condition===
The game ends either when the last Mafia member is killed (Innocent victory) or the Mafia members outnumber or equal the Innocents during the day (Mafia victory). The innocents have no way of voting off mafia members at this point, but the mafia can still kill each night. Other variants have different victory conditions.
===Number of Mafia===
A game with just one more innocent player than Mafia players during the day phase will be won by the innocents if they always kill mafia (otherwise, they lose). A game starting with a night kill must begin with at least two more innocents than mafiosi to permit an innocent victory.
The optimal number of each type of character depends on players' preferences for game length and Mafia win percentage. A good rule of thumb is about one mafia for every two non-mafia members. So one mafia member for under five players, two mafia for five to seven players, three mafia for eight to ten players, and so on. For greater than sixteen players, games usually last too long and the dead become restless. It can add excitement to conceal how many mafia are playing (narration: "either two or three mafiosi are amongst you").
Generally, fewer players result in fewer turns and thus less time to determine the identity of the mafia. The inclusion of "variant" characters typically decreases the Mafia's chance of victory. For example, the addition of a Sheriff or Doctor will decrease the expected Mafia win percentage.
Allowing the Townspeople to abstain from killing on certain turns can decrease or increase the Mafia win percentage as can variants which make it more difficult for the Mafia to achieve a kill (e.g., requiring them to agree on a victim independently). The "no kill" variant compensates to some extent for the disadvantage given to odd numbers of Townspeople. Otherwise, 2n+1 Innocents are less likely to win than 2n Innocents (for n>2) because they have decreased their odds of voting for a Mafia each turn without increasing their number of turns (resulting in ties rather than Mafia majorities).
==Variations==
Over the years, players have created Mafia variants which utilize alternative names for characters, additional characters, and different methods for conducting deliberation, voting and killing.
===Optional roles===
These additional roles are named differently in the many versions of Mafia, for [[Setting (fiction)|thematic flavor]], or historical reasons. Also, the same role-name can have differing functions across different versions of the game.<ref name="Sorcerer">For example, the {{cite web| url = http://games.bezier.com/images/UW/sorcerercardbig.jpg | title= Bezier Game's Ultimate Werewolf Sorcerer}} has the ability to detect the "Seer" role. (The "sorcerer" is granted different powers in other rule-sets, like Princeton University's, in which the "Wizard" has the ability to detect the Seer.) Whatever name this role is known by, the "Detective-detector" is typically aligned with the Mafia (for example, see: {{cite web| url= http://boredgamegeeks.blogspot.com/2005/09/9-player-werewolf.html | title = 9 Player Werewolf "Evil" team | year = 2005}})</ref>. What follows is a general list of role '''''types''''' found in Mafia variants; since the specific names vary by [[Social environment|milieu]] it must be non-exhaustive.
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* '''Investigative roles''' (Standard) - "''Detective''", "''Seer''", "''Angel''", "''Sheriff''",<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.puzzlers.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=gamerules:mafia | title = Mafia (con) | quote = Knight Commandant / Sheriff – a townsperson who investigates mafia members | accessdate = 2007-12-20}}</ref> "''Commandant''", "''Knight Commandant''", "''Cop''", "''Inspector''", etc.
: Allied with the Innocents, the "[[Detective]]" can detect whether a player is a Mafia. They will typically "wake up", and point at one person, at which point the Narrator will silently indicate to the Detective whether that player is Mafia or Innocent. In some versions of the game, the Detective's investigation result is announced publicly by the Narrator, for example "the Detective found a Mafioso!". A "Detective" is usually included in modern games. For example, somebody is ''always'' assigned this role in all commercial [[card game]] versions,<ref>As of November 2007, five card-based versions of this game are sold, and all require one player to becomes a "Seer". The {{cite web | url = http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhugame/Cthulhu%20Game%20Instructions%20Front.jpg| title = Do you worship Cthulhu ''Deck Setup''}} specifies that a "Seer" card be dealt to someone even with the (minimum) five players. Similarly, the ''Lupus in Tabula'' "Preparation" calls for the "Seer" card to be dealt to somebody even if the game is played with the minimum number of players (eight). {{cite web | url = http://games.bezier.com/PDFs/UWGettingStarted.pdf | title = Getting Started with ''Ultimate Werewolf'' Role Selection}} advises that even the "introductory game" should include the [[Seer]] (with further optional roles being added ''in addition to the seer'' in later games). ''Werewolves of Millers hollow'' uses the "Fortune Teller" name for the "Detective" but the role is identical to the standard "seer"/"angel"/"detective", and is again mandatory, having its own phase of the night in the basic rules. (As does the Seer in ''Are You a Werewolf?'' - though it is after the werewolves' phase.)</ref> and almost all internet-based, and most face-to-face games start with at least one detective.<ref>For example, {{cite web | url = http://web.mit.edu/ceu/www/spielregeln_eng.html | title = The Mafia rules ([[MIT]])}} are very simple, and specify roles for 7-20 players, always including at least one "Detective". Andrew Plotkin's original ''Werewolf'' always includes a "Villager (Seer)", and he mentions that in 1997 "Mafia" was played in the [[National Puzzlers' League]] convention with a "Knight Commandant". (The role of the "Knight Commandant" or "Knight" is described in detail as having the standard "Detective" powers in: {{cite web| url = http://www.puzzlers.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=cons:1997:conreport1997 | title = National Puzzlers' League -- 1997 Convention Reports | accessdate = 2007-11-24}}) Plotkin describes [http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/vgp20.htm Davidoff's original game] (which had no Detective) as "well off the current average". A rare modern rule-set with "No [[Inspector]]" is: {{cite web | title = The Game ''Player Constellations'' | url = http://org.ntnu.no/mafia/ | first = Vegard | last = Engstrøm | year = 1999}} but only when starting with five, larger groups get at least one inspector.</ref> In some games, there are Mafia Detectives, who have the power of a normal detective but are on the Mafia side.
* '''Investigative roles''' (Less common) - "''Spy''", "''Psychic''", "''Wizard''", ''"Little Girl"'', ''"Oracle"'', etc.
: The "Super Commandant" has the standard power of a "Detective", while also protecting the ''investigated'' from night-time attack. "[[Psychic]]", "Psychologist", or "Sorceror"-type investigators can determine other players' roles, rather than their alignments.<ref name="Sorcerer"> Roles which detect other roles are usually implemented in the same way as the Detective's ability to determine alignment. For example: the [[Psychologist]] points to a player (at night) for a "Thumbs-up" from the moderator if the "Vigilante" is pointed to.<ref>For example, "Vigilante" in the {{cite web | url = http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/vr7.htm | title = Princeton rules}}.</ref> A "Tracker" may see what someone's night action was, or the target of their action. The Devil is the Detective's Mafia counterpart, with the night-time ability to identify empowered Innocents.<ref>The Devil role is usually given to a non-Mafioso traitor. See: {{cite web | url = http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/v9.htm | title = Variants of Mafia Rules: Devil and Wizard}} </ref> The "Little Girl" in ''Werewolf'' is allowed to secretly peek and watch as the werewolves choose their victim.<ref>For example: {{cite web| url = http://games.bezier.com/images/UW/littlegirlcardbig.jpg | title = Ultimate Werewolf Little Girl Card}}. </ref> Information revealed to investigators is fallible (in more complicated variants). Online versions can give information with a [[probability|confidence]] level, and in other variants the Narrator deceives the Detective by showing all players as Innocent, all as Guilty, giving reversed results, or random information (these can be termed as "Naïve",<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.sitesled.com/members/mikeburnfire/mafiascum04.swf | title = Name: Naive Cop | quote = Description: A type of cop that always gets innocent results regardless of who they investigate | accessdate = 2007-12-16}}</ref> "Paranoid", "Insane", or "Random" respectively). Additionally, some '''Alignment roles''' give immunity to successful investigation.<ref>For example, "The Oracle" in Werewolf chooses one person to investigate every night, and are shown their card, unless they pick the "Master Werewolf" – when the Oracle is shown an (innocent) villager card.</ref>
* '''Protective roles''' - "''Guardian Angel''", "''Doctor''", "''Healer''", "''Archangel''", "''Bodyguard''", etc.
: Allied with the Innocents, the "Doctor"-type role defends others at night.<ref>Depending on the variant, they may know the identities of the Mafia, but this isn't required; they usually indicate the player to protect in a separate phase of gameplay (a separate part of the night) than the Mafia's killing phase. The "Mafia-Doctor" ''is'' a mafioso, and a more obscure variant role, with the opposite power (from the Doctor) of protecting the guilty from attack during the day.</ref> Typically, they will "awaken" at night after the "Mafia" have "gone back to sleep" and point at one person to protect; that person will survive any night-time attack.<ref>The protected player gains complete invulnerability during the night they are visited by the "Doctor" or "[[Bodyguard]]". The Mafia don't usually know the identity of the protected player, nor get a chance to select another victim, so this attack is wasted if the Mafia target a protected player (e.g., {{cite web| url = http://www.davincigames.it/download/LupusInTabula_rules.zip | title = Bodyguard, Lupus in Tabula | accessdate = 2007-11-13}}).</ref> Sometimes they are allowed to protect themselves, sometimes only once. (A "Guardian Angel" has the doctor's powers without the ability to self-protect.) The "Nurse" gains the Doctor's abilities if the Doctor dies.<ref> For example, see the [[Two Plus Two Publishing|2+2]] rule-set describing the Nurse: {{cite web | url = http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=5547619&an=0&page=2 | title = Mafia rules}} </ref>. The Firefighter,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://mikeburnfire.sitesled.com/mscumB.swf | title = Various Mafia Roles: '''Third Party Roles''': Arsonist & Firefighter}}</ref> or the [[Herbalist]] can protect from some night-time attacks but not others. (In Werewolf, for example, they choose one person to protect with [[Aconitum#Aconitum in literature|wolfsbane]], but that person may still be killed by the [[Serial Killer]].)
* '''Killing roles''' - "''Vigilante''", "''Rambo''", "''Crazy Veteran''", "''Bomb''", ''"Woodcutter"'', etc.
: Aside from Mafia, Werewolves, and Serial Killers (solitary guilty parties), the Innocents may have some roles with the ability to kill at night. The [[Vigilante]] is an "innocent" who kills every night, in his own night-time phase,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhugame/Cthulhu%20Game%20Instructions%20Back.jpg | title = Do you worship Cthulu ''Roles'' and ''Quick Reference Script'' | accessdate = 2007-11-21}}. This makes the vigilante as lethal as the entire Mafia, potentially overbalancing the game, which has led to the introduction of roles that limit his effectiveness, such as the ''Walrus'' role-blocker.</ref> in some variations, having a limited "bullet" supply for the entire game. The Bomb/Crazy Vet may only trigger if targeted at night (not necessarily for death) by another role. Variants exist where this person can kill during the daytime cycle (e.g., the Terrorist / Gravedigger), sometimes only if executed during the daytime (e.g., the Hunter / Village Bicycle). One killer can have the ability to kill several other people at once. For example, [[Rambo]] can kill three adjacent victims.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/vr11.htm | title=Variants of Mafia Rules: ''Rambo''}} which the old Princeton University guide classifies as an uncommon variant.</ref> And, if killed in the night, [[the Human Torch]] can kill the two surviving players closest to them in the morning. The "Woodcutter" or "[[Hunter]]" can take one other person with them when they die.<ref>The Hunter appears in ''Werewolves of Miller's Hollow'', for example. The "Woodcutter" is a (less common) [[Little Red Riding Hood|equivalent]] name for the role.</ref>
* '''Alignment roles''' - "''Miller''", "''Godfather''", "''Alpha Wolf''", "''Master Werewolf''", etc.
: Some roles can fool investigations to determine their alignments: the Miller is an Innocent who appears guilty (usually because they are an [[outsider]]); the Godfather, on the other hand, appears innocent despite being the Mafia leader.<ref>The Godfather role is played differently between variants. If immunity to detection is the Godfather's only power, his leadership of the Mafia need only be nominal: {{cite web | url =http://www.sitesled.com/members/mikeburnfire/mafiascum04.swf | title = Name: Godfather}}</ref> The "Alpha Wolf" or "Master Werewolf" have the same role as the Godfather in ''Werewolf'' settings.
* '''Double-agent roles''' - "''Godfather''", "''Traitor''", "''Possessed''", "''Undercover Cop''", etc.
: There is an alternative definition of "Godfather" role from the '''Alignment role''' Godfather (who is immune to alignment-detection). This "Godfather" behaves as a standard mafioso, but wakes again (after the Mafia sleep) for an extra kill. This Godfather-role wins only if he survives. The Traitor is not a mafioso, but works with their vote during the day cycle to protect Mafia and hamper the town (he wins only with a Mafia victory).<ref>A typical Traitor-type role is the "[[Possessed]]" ''Special Character'' from {{cite web | url = http://www.davincigames.it/download/LupusInTabula_rules.zip | title = The LUPUS IN TABULA (2nd edition) rules}} </ref> Conversely, "The Rat" or "Undercover Cop" is a [[Mole (espionage)|mole]] within the Mafia group (winning with the innocents). [[Judas]] is an innocent who converts into a "Traitor" (and survives) when lynched (or vice versa, becoming a "Rat").<ref>The {{cite web| url=http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/vr2i.htm | title=Variants of Mafia Rules ''Judas/Saulus''}} role is described as original to Albert Ziegler jr. by the Graduate Mafia Brotherhood of Princeton. This role requires that other variations be in play to give alternative explanations for a failed day-time lynching. The name for the mafioso-to-innocent role is usually "[[Saul]]".</ref>
* '''Role manipulators''' - "''Role-blocker''", "''Bus Driver''", "''Thief''", "''Barman''", etc.
: These roles can stop or alter the night actions of others; for instance, they may prevent a protection or investigation from occurring, or they may change the target. The "[[Walrus]]" can block the Vigilante for a night,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/roles.3.0.pdf |title = Mafia vs Werewolves}}</ref> while the "Thief" or "Prostitute" might be able to disable the powers of any selected target.<ref>The [[thief]]'s action usually applies for a single night, as in: {{cite web| url = http://users.wpi.edu/~tachase/mafiairc.html | title = Mafia Game: IRC Version}}. The thief sometimes has a purely investigative function - being only able to determine the roles from stolen items.{{cite web | url = http://www.sitesled.com/members/mikeburnfire/mafiascum04.swf | title = Thief}}</ref>
* '''Recruitment Roles''' - "''Godfather''", "''Psychiatrist''", "''Cult Leader and Followers''", etc.
: [[Cult|Cult Leader]]s recruit at night instead of kill; they act as an independent faction, usually with the ability to talk at night. The Mafia [[Crime boss|Godfather]] may be able to recruit innocent players into his faction under certain circumstances. The [[Psychiatrist]] is an innocent with the ability to convert the [[Serial Killer]] into a normal innocent.<ref>The Psychiatrist can 'cure' the Serial Killer according to the Pub Game rules: {{cite web | url = http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15594 | title = Serial Killer}}. When 'the psychiatrist' is in play, the Serial Killer may be "The [[Psychopath]]", as in: {{cite web | url = http://www.sitesled.com/members/mikeburnfire/mafiascum04.swf | title = Name: Pyschiatrist (Various Mafia Roles: ''Third Party'' at MafiaScum.net)}}.</ref>
* '''Association roles''' - "''Freemasons (Masons)''", "''Siblings''", "''Cupid''", "''Lovers''”,etc.
: Possessors of these roles know one another and what their roles are.<ref>For example, Ultimate Werewolf Masons recognize one another from the first night: {{cite web | url = http://games.bezier.com/images/UW/Masoncardbig.jpg | title = Mason Card}}</ref> On the innocent's side, a [[Freemason|"Mason"]] usually has no special abilities, but knows the identity of all other Masons ''and'' that all Masons are also innocent.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/vr4.htm| title = Princeton's Variants of Mafia Rules ''Masons''}}</ref> There are, however, sometimes Mafia Masons, who look like Masons, but are actually part of the Mafia. Innocent Masons all believe that the Mafia Mason is innocent.[[Sibling]] pairs typically consist of one Mafia and one Innocent; if one dies, both die. [[Cupid]] chooses a pair of "Lovers" on the first night.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://games.bezier.com/images/UW/cupidcardbig.jpg | title = Cupid card}} in [http://games.bezier.com Bezier Game's] ''Ultimate Werewolf'', for example.</ref> In this variant, the Lovers can also win the game (regardless of whether they are Mafia, Innocents, or both) by being the last two standing. In some versions, if one "[[Lover]]" is killed the other dies as well.
* '''Power roles''' - "''Mayor''", "''Judge''", ''"Sheriff"'', ''"President"'', etc.
: This role is taken in addition to the assigned role, and it endows the player with additional, [[overt]], powers (particularly during the daytime). Empowerment can be random, but is usually made by vote. For instance, the "Mayor" or "Sheriff" can be elected each morning, and gain two lynching votes, or a Judge could moderate discussion in [[parliamentary procedure|parliamentary]] fashion (to the advantage of their "team"). The elected "[[President]]" has the sole lynching vote.<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.mafiaspiel.de/ | title = Mafia variant: ''President'' }} described by MafiaSpiel.de, for example. </ref>
* '''Handicapped roles''' - "''Murr''", "''Village Drunk''", etc.
: This role is, much as the power roles, taken in addition to the assigned role. However, it has the opposite effect, giving the bearer a handicap, like speaking only [[gibberish]] in the case of the Village Drunk, etc.
* '''Mafia Team Variant Roles''' - "''Silencer''", "''Yakuza''", etc.
: The "Silencer" can 'silence' anyone each day (except whoever was silenced yesterday). The silenced individual wakes in the morning and is immediately instructed not to talk until the end of the day (They may vote and be executed though). The Silencer does not participate in the mafia killing, and the mafia do not know who their silencer is, but he is typically aligned with them and knows their identities. The [[Yakuza]] is a regular mafia player with an extra power: they may sacrifice themselves from the second night (during the night) and choose an innocent to join the mafia team.<ref>Other than the Yakuza, the mafia can't kill anyone else on the night this power is used. The potential existence of a Yakuza makes innocents with protective roles less inclined to reveal their roles for fear of being converted (or more inclined to reveal themselves if they expect the Mafia to win and wish to be converted).{{Fact|date=November 2007}}</ref>
* '''Post-mortem roles''' - "''Dark Background''", "''Priest''", "''Medium''", "''Forensic Expert''", "M.E.", etc.
: The "dark background" roles are [[Wiktionary:vanilla|standard]] (mafia or innocent) except for revealing a deceptive alignment when killed. The "[[Medical examiner|M.E.]]" gathers information from the killings that can help the innocents,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/vr18.htm | title = Medical Examiner}}</ref> while the "Priest" learns about the alignment of the dead in the same way that the Detective learns about the living.<ref>The [[Priest]] alone knows whether the dead were innocent in the [[World Boardgaming Championships]] game described by Bruno Wolff in {{cite web | url = https://wolff.to/bruno/werewolf.html | title = Werewolf rules | accessdate = 2007-11-19}} </ref> The [[Mediumship|Medium]] can interrogate dead players.<ref>The Medium function varies, for example see summarized '[[séance#Leader-assisted séances|Medium-enabled séance]]' rules from ''Werewolf'' at: {{cite web| url = http://boredgamegeeks.blogspot.com/2005/09/9-player-werewolf.html | title = boredgamegeeks | accessdate = 2007-11-14}}, as opposed to the ''Lupus in Tabula'' Medium, who alone can uncover the alignment of the deceased (see: {{cite web | url = http://www.davincigames.com/page.cfm?sez=01&gioco=lit | title = Lupus in Tabula (English rules) ''Special Characters''}}).</ref>
* '''Reanimation roles''' - ," "''Reviver''," "''Master Reviver'', "''Governor''", "''Martyr''", "''Witch''", etc.
: Revivers & "Master Revivers" are able to [[resurrect]] dead players, Master Revivers can bring the revived into their association (e.g., the Masons: see '''Association roles'''). The players resurrected by a [[Necromancer]]s are converted to the Necromancer's alignment. The "Governor" can [[reprieve]] those killed during the daytime,<ref> The [[Princeton University]] "Mafia vs. Werewolves" rules grant the Governor the power to pardon execution victims (in effect, after the lynching) for example: ({{cite web | url = http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/oldmafia/roles.3.0.pdf | title = The Powers (page 2), Governor. | accessdate = 2007-11-15}}).</ref> as can the "[[Martyr]]"-role if he sacrifices himself.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://games.bezier.com/images/UW/martyrcardbig.jpg | title = Martyr | accessdate = 2007-11-16}}</ref>. The [[Witch]] has a (single-use) [[Elixir|revival potion]]. At night, she's shown who will die in the morning, and can choose to save them.<ref>The "Witch" was introduced as a special character in ''The Werewolves of Millers Hollow'', she also has a single-use killing potion.</ref>
* '''Rule-immune Roles''' - "''Bulletproof''", "''Oracle''", etc.
: A variant on receiving protection is the "Bulletproof" innocent, who becomes invulnerable to night-time attack.<ref>The "bullet proof" effect typically applies to night-time killings and is usually temporary, for example, the'' Ultimate Werewolf'' "Amulet of Protection" ([[bulletproof vest]] equivalent) protects over only a single night. Rare optional roles do give permanent protection from "mafia" attack, such as the Lupus in Tabula [http://www.davincigames.it/download/LupusInTabula_rules.zip Werehamster]</ref> The [[Oracle]] has an investigative role similar to a "Seer" but also has the power to talk when inactive (talking in a "sleep" phase is usually a rule infraction).
* '''Special roles''' - "''Baker''", "''Village Idiot''", "''Cobbler''", "''Doublevoter''", "''Priest''", etc.
: The [[baker]] is on the side of the innocents. During the night, the baker chooses one player to be the recipient of a loaf of bread. If the baker dies, the innocents have just three nights to dispose of the mafia, or the innocents [[starvation|starve]], and the mafia win. The [[Cobbler]], "Village Idiot", or Jester has the objective of convincing the town to kill him, or is required to vote in favor of all proposed lynchings. Also, in some games there are players who can change the vote count. Some players have 2 votes (Doublevoter); some players can only "hammer" vote, or vote the final vote to kill a player (Actor); cannot place the final vote (Priest); cannot vote to lynch (Voteless Innocent)<ref>Alternatively, they may have a vote, but be mandated to always vote against lynching, as is the [http://games.bezier.com/images/UW/VillageEthicistCardBig.jpg Village Ethicist]</ref>; or require one fewer vote to lynch (Hated Innocent). There are endless special roles, and many moderators make up their own roles for games.
Additional variations exist, sometimes with even more specialized or complicated abilities.<ref>For example see the lengthy variant role list at {{cite web| url = http://en.wiki.mafia.sebi.name/The_roles | title = MafiaWiki ''The roles''}}.</ref>
===Optional rules===
* '''Mafia killing methods''' - some variants require all Mafia members to choose the same victim independently for a kill to succeed. This can be achieved either by waking the Mafia members up separately,<ref>The 'separate waking' method of designating victims is used in the official {{cite web|title = Mayday | url=http://www.interactivitiesink.com/minigames/mayday}} rules, for example. (This is a [[Soviet Union]]-themed variant with other expanded rules, released under [[Creative Commons]] licensing.)</ref> or by having them write their kills. Under this variant, Innocent players write the word 'honest' on a piece of paper; Mafia members write the name of a player for elimination. If all the mafia notes have the same name on them, that player is considered killed by the Mafia. In some online versions of the game, a particular player (the Godfather or a designated mafioso) must send in the kill.
* '''Voting variants''' - some variants have a more complicated process of selecting players to be executed. Davidoff's original 'Mafia' allowed multiple day-time executions (per day), each needing only a plurality to action. Another variant requires the night-time vote to be secret and unanimous, but allows multiple players to be added to the execution [[queue area|queue]] to ensure unanimity.
* '''"No lynch"''' or '''"No kill"''' - the Innocents can choose not to kill anybody during the day. Although commonly unsure of Mafia identities, the Innocents are more likely to randomly kill a mafioso than are the Mafia (at night). Therefore, "No kill" may favor the Mafia. (Furthermore, a player's role is generally revealed at death, providing reliable information to the Innocents.) However, when the number of survivors is even, "No Kill" may help the Innocents; for example, when three Innocents and one mafioso remain, "No kill" gives a 1/3 chance of killing the mafioso the next day, rather than a 1/4 chance today (assuming [[Uniform distribution (discrete)|random]] lynching). Lynching an innocent either day gives a Mafia win (a daytime killing which leaves 2 innocents alive will leave one innocent and one mafioso alive the next morning, usually ruled a win for the Mafia).
* '''Timed Days''' - An open and public timer is set to three minutes per live player at the beginning of each day. If the players lynch someone, then the day ends immediately. If time runs out, the day is over and there is no lynching.
* '''Random narrator''' - to eliminate the inconvenience of being killed first, this variant has the Innocent killed on the first night become the Narrator. The Mafia must inform this victim of their death without revealing themselves. The writing variant works best.
* '''Multiple families''' - (or a Mafia group and a Werewolf group) act and win independently, giving faster gameplay and the potential for "cross-fire" between the factions.
* '''Imprisonment''' - allows players to be sent to [[prison]] as an alternative to execution. They can either be sent there by vote or at the discretion of an optional character. Imprisoned players move to a separate room, possibly with a separate narrator. Murders can happen in prison and certain roles or events can liberate players.
* '''Kidnapping''' - like imprisonment, this variant allows for a Kidnapper character to remove individuals from the game temporarily. If the kidnapper is killed (or, in some cases, investigated by an Investigative role), the kidnapped return. While kidnapped, players are inactive, and can not watch night-time events.
* '''Wrath of God''' - this variant allows the Narrator to select in a random and verifiable manner one or more Innocents, to carry a cost for their death(s). If the Mafia selects said Innocent during the night round, then the mafioso who selected the "protected" player will also die as a result. If, during the day round, any player leads an accusation towards the "protected" player and that player is voted out, then the original accuser shall die as well. ("Wrath of God" in online games often refers to the moderator killing off inactive or disruptive players, not to this rule variation.)<ref>Specific conditions triggering elimination by moderator vary and are usually announced in advance, for example: {{cite web| url = http://www.internettexasholdem.com/phpbb2/early-warning-thread-for-mafia-game-%232-vt37863.html | title = Early warning thread for Mafia game #2 | date = 2006-04-19}}. The game moderator will sometimes threaten "Wrath of God" for disruptions, or inactivity: {{cite web | url = http://www.paranoia-live.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4050&sid=10d8e274cfc63718d5f4151db2259cb0 | title = Wolf (Forum game) | quote = Anyone who fails to vote for three days in a row is subject to the Wrath of God}}</ref>
* '''Plague''' - this variant allows the Narrator to select in a random and verifiable manner one player who dies of plague in the morning. A player who targets the plagued player at night may contract the plague as a result.
* '''Punishment''' - this variant is generally used as a drinking or [[forfeit|risk]] based game. When a person is killed in the game they are made to take a punishment. In drinking circles this may be a [[Shot glass|shot]] of [[Gin]] or [[Vodka]].
* '''Lives''' - this variant requires the Narrator to keep track of the players' lives on a piece of paper, because every player has two or more ''lives''. This extends the game when there are too few players for the standard rules. Kills (in the night & day phases) reduce these lives, until a player reaches zero lives and is eliminated. Mafia 'kills' which reduce lives are usually not announced to the innocents.
* '''Attributes''' - in this variant, players are given two cards: the first contains their role, the second an attribute. Attributes are originally derived from roles that could apply to both Mafia and Innocent alignments: currently including Bulletproof (cannot be killed at night), Mayor (has two votes in the lynch), and Siamese Twins (more commonly know as Siblings or Lovers).<ref>7-0-7, Jon Bennett {{cite web | url= http://7-0-7.co.uk/Miscellaneous/MafiaRules.pdf | title = ''Mafia Advanced Rules''}} Additional rules created by Jon Bennett, accepted in local Mafia circles.</ref>
* '''Ultimate Werewolf''' - The day time rounds remain the same as players sit around a table or in a circle in the candlelit "base". The night time rounds are played roaming around the house in complete darkness. Innocents are "killed" by the werewolf tapping the victim on the shoulder in the dark. The victim must wait fifteen seconds until screaming in order to allow the werewolf to get away. Once an innocent is killed by the werewolf, everyone re-assembles in the base for the day time round. This variant of the game includes the "Little Girl" character who is allowed to collect a flash light from a prearranged place (e.g. at the bottom of the stairs) at the beginning of each night time round. Innocents who have been killed in the game become "zombies" and roam around in the dark (after a 30 second advantage on the innocents) in each night time round. Lovers need to find each other in the dark and protect each other from the werewolf.
==Online play==
Although Mafia is usually played face to face, online play is also common. These games last longer, and allow player's votes and words to be reviewed more easily. There are many forms of online play: the film [[Cry Wolf]] was promoted<!-- NOTE: Do not remove the underscore from Cry_Wolf; that is the correct movie title, see the Cry_Wolf article. --> through a ''wolves vs sheep'' variant, played over [[AOL Instant Messenger]]. Online play typically means [[Internet forum]]-play, with early games including those in the forum of [[mathematical puzzle]] site [[Grey Labyrinth]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://greylabyrinth.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=3844 | title = The Grey Labyrinth :: View topic - Mafia! | date = 2008-02-16}}</ref> The standard human-moderated games require one or two moderators: a sign up thread is created announcing the game, and once the game has sufficient players, play can begin. It usually starts in the night phase with mafiosi communicating via [[email]] before submitting their kill (to the moderator). The moderator then writes the appropriate death [[scene]] for those that were eliminated, and posts a dawn scene. Software can automate the moderator function, but this is rarer. All players can now discuss (in the forum) who they should execute, followed by an execution vote. Innocents are usually forbidden in-game communication outside of the public forum.
Mafia is also played on [[IRC]] (Internet Relay Chat) using private messages to send votes and channel modes to allow private communication during the night. The first IRC mafia channel was #mafia on irc.dynasty.net. An email version was invented by a group of programmers and players on Richard's PBEMserver, and the end result was written down as a ruleset.<ref>http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/werewolf.html</ref> Most of the times the Werewolf variant is played, but it has the same rules as Mafia and in some cases both Mafia and Werewolf groups are trying to kill the village. The games take mostly one week and every month three games are started and finished. Versions of Mafia have also been created on [[BYOND]] and [[Facebook]].
[[Fictional reality]] themes are common in online play, which will work with any group of well known characters. [[The Simpsons]], [[Hanna Barbera]], [[The Lord of the Rings]], [[Lost (TV Series)]] have been used, for example, because of their extensive character sets. Players are assigned characters from the theme, with matching roles. Generic themes are also popular - such as the Werewolf-theme.
==External links==
<!-- Note: Links to sites or forums in which to play Werewolf/Mafia are not appropriate here. See WP:EL for link criteria or look at featured content on how links are used. Links that do not meet wikipedia standards, or are added to advertise a website will be deleted. -->
*[http://web.archive.org/web/19990302082118/http://members.theglobe.com/mafia_rules/ The original Mafia ruleset]
*[http://www.cab.u-szeged.hu/local/mensa/SIG/mafia/mafia.html Hungarian Mensa Society] - first Mafia page on the net
*[http://www.princeton.edu/~mafia/ The Graduate Mafia Brotherhood of Princeton University]'s page has an extensive list of variations
*[http://www.eblong.com/zarf/werewolf.html Werewolf: A Mind Game] describes the original 'Werewolf' variant of the game.
*[http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/925 Mafia/Werewolf] at [[BoardGameGeek]]
*[http://www.mafiascum.net/ MafiaScum] - largest dedicated site for online Mafia play; also includes a wiki containing roles and theory
==See also==
* [[Assassin (game)]]
==Notes==
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[[Category:Party games]]
[[Category:Live-action role-playing games]]
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[[hu:Gyilkosos]]
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