# Forbidden Randomness of the Unspoiled Mafia **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 20, 2010, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forbidden-randomness-of-the-unspoiled-mafia/533111 "2010-03-20T04:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 95
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forbidden-randomness-of-the-unspoiled-mafia/533111/95 "2010-04-05T21:46:54Z")
> [@Random Mafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-mafia/532942/967): > > sachertorte stated repeatedly after Cecil Pond that he feels that any game without a cop is broken. I’m quite sure that we had a cop in this game. Not quite true, so I’ll put my true thoughts here rather than the game thread. I feel that omitting a cop has two factors that must be addressed in order to establish a balanced game. (1) The diminished power of not having a cop and (2) The added power given to scum regarding a false cop claim. In my opinion, Cecil Pond addressed (1) but not (2). In other words, lack of cop in a game isn’t in and of itself unbalanced. A balanced game could be made with no cop – for example, a diminished number of starting scum could balance the ability of scum to safely claim cop. On a related thought, It occurred to me that the JSP point system is inadequate regarding Godfather and Detective roles. JSP give 4 points for a Detective (i.e., +3 over vanilla town) and 7 points for Godfather (+2.5 over vanilla scum). Thus, in the theoretical situation where scum kill the detective on Night One, the net result is Town loses 3 points more than a vanilla kill, but scum ALSO LOSE 2.5 points since the Godfather is now functionally vanilla. Something isn’t right there. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forbidden-randomness-of-the-unspoiled-mafia/533111)._