# Mafia Reunion - Day One **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [January 7, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577 "2017-01-07T22:01:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 67
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1321 "2017-01-16T16:16:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > While I recognize that it’s dangerous to look too deeply into the Scum’s reasons for picking a particular target, because _maybe that’s just what they want you to think!_, I think that Towns in general have swung too far in the other direction: Scum do have reasons for the targets they choose, and those reasons are often simple enough to figure out, and if we can figure them out, it can be helpful. > > That said, though, in this case I don’t think it does help us. Being the most prolific poster and yet not being particularly suspected by anyone is plenty enough of a reason for the Scum to choose to target someone. > On another note, I’ve been thinking about the Scum protector roles, Bodyguard/Beta. Someone correct me if I’m wrong on this, but do those roles seem kind of useless? For simplicity of terminology, I’ll refer to the Bodyguard, without loss of generality: Suppose that the Bodyguard finds some person whose life they consider worth more than their own (I’m guessing the Godfather, but it’ll almost certainly be a Mafia member). So they target that person. And suppose that someone who wants Mafia dead (i.e., anyone who’s not Mafia) then targets that person for a kill. Well, that someone who wanted a dead Mafia still gets a dead Mafia, maybe one that they hadn’t even suspected at all. And knowing that the person they targeted didn’t die, and that the Bodyguard did, they’re going to figure out what happened. And then the next Night, since they want dead Mafiosos, they’re going to target the same person again, who this time won’t be protected, and will die as normal. > > In other words, the net result of the Bodyguard using his power is that two Mafia members die, instead of just one, including the one that he was trying to protect. Yeah, one of them was delayed by a turn, but that probably doesn’t matter unless we’re so close to endgame that the game would have ended in between… and if the game’s that close to over, the power probably still doesn’t matter. When would this ever be worthwhile for Scum to use? I came to a similar conclusion but didn’t want to bring it up. It seems very limited in utility. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1322 "2017-01-16T17:00:40Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > No, if the player targeted by the Outrider _isn’t_ protected, nothing happens. So one lynch, maybe one Outrider kill (probably **septimus** self-protecting, maybe getting insanely lucky and happening to hit the player **septimus** protected). Wait, the protector-killers do nothing if the target isn’t protected? ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1323 "2017-01-16T17:17:22Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Wait, the protector-killers do nothing if the target isn’t protected? I don’t think so. I think the hitman and the outrider kill. If their targets are protected, the kill transfers to the protector. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1324 "2017-01-16T17:19:29Z")
I posted that and immediately got that vile pop up. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1325 "2017-01-16T17:29:32Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > I don’t think so. I think the hitman and the outrider kill. If their targets are protected, the kill transfers to the protector. Why would Thing Fish think differently? Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1326 "2017-01-16T17:33:28Z")
- Well, _seem_ to think differently… ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1327 "2017-01-16T17:40:14Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > Why would Thing Fish think differently? Huh. Seems like a Town tell to me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1328 "2017-01-16T17:42:49Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > - Well, _seem_ to think differently… I’m not sure. Here is the power description from the roles doc of the Hitman: POWERS: Each Night you may target any player of your choosing. If that player is under the protection of any active protecting role(s) - the EMT or Doctor Seward, for example - the player(s) doing the protecting will die. Your target will still survive any attempt on his life unless the protection is obviated in some other way. Outrider: Each Day you may target any player of your choosing. If that player is under the protection of any active protecting role(s) - the EMT or Doctor Seward, for example - the player(s) doing the protecting will die. Your target will still survive any attempt on his life unless the protection is obviated in some other way. It doesn’t say explicitly that if there is no protection, the targeted player will die, but it refers to " any attempt on his life". But the descriptions of both refer to murdering people. ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1329 "2017-01-16T17:43:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > ~SNIP~ > > That said, though, in this case I don’t think it does help us. Being the most prolific poster and yet not being particularly suspected by anyone is plenty enough of a reason for the Scum to choose to target someone. Although this is true, Who they were suspect \* of\* may have some information. Either Mafia wanted to frame one of the suspects,OR Mafia was nervous of the accusations of one of their own. > [@](#): > > On another note, I’ve been thinking about the Scum protector roles, Bodyguard/Beta. Someone correct me if I’m wrong on this, but do those roles seem kind of useless? For simplicity of terminology, I’ll refer to the Bodyguard, without loss of generality: Suppose that the Bodyguard finds some person whose life they consider worth more than their own (I’m guessing the Godfather, but it’ll almost certainly be a Mafia member). So they target that person. And suppose that someone who wants Mafia dead (i.e., anyone who’s not Mafia) then targets that person for a kill. Well, that someone who wanted a dead Mafia still gets a dead Mafia, maybe one that they hadn’t even suspected at all. And knowing that the person they targeted didn’t die, and that the Bodyguard did, they’re going to figure out what happened. And then the next Night, since they want dead Mafiosos, they’re going to target the same person again, who this time won’t be protected, and will die as normal. > > In other words, the net result of the Bodyguard using his power is that two Mafia members die, instead of just one, including the one that he was trying to protect. Yeah, one of them was delayed by a turn, but that probably doesn’t matter unless we’re so close to endgame that the game would have ended in between… and if the game’s that close to over, the power probably still doesn’t matter. When would this ever be worthwhile for Scum to use? I am not sure I would share any ideas on this subject (even if I could think of a good one.) ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1330 "2017-01-16T17:50:13Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > I’m not sure. > > Here is the power description from the roles doc of the Hitman: > POWERS: > Each Night you may target any player of your choosing. If that player is under the protection of any active protecting role(s) - the EMT or Doctor Seward, for example - the player(s) doing the protecting will die. Your target will still survive any attempt on his life unless the protection is obviated in some other way. > > Outrider: > Each Day you may target any player of your choosing. If that player is under the protection of any active protecting role(s) - the EMT or Doctor Seward, for example - the player(s) doing the protecting will die. Your target will still survive any attempt on his life unless the protection is obviated in some other way. > It doesn’t say explicitly that if there is no protection, the targeted player will die, but it refers to " any attempt on his life". But the descriptions of both refer to murdering people. I noticed this too, I brought it up during the Day. But I believe it’s implied it’s a kill-power, as otherwise would be strange… ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1331 "2017-01-16T17:58:27Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Seems like a Town tell to me. I read it different than Thing Fish did.( and it seems others did too) And how /why would you call it a Town tell verses a PIS tell? ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1332 "2017-01-16T18:00:44Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Seems like a Town tell to me. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That was quick!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Total\_Lost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e56c9b/32.png) [@Total\_Lost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Total_Lost)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1333 "2017-01-16T18:19:57Z")
Wauw! Things happens quickly in this game when you (that’s actually me) spend a weekend IRL-land. Was fun though. I have quick-read most since I last posted but will need to read again. So this post is mainly to get a drink from Squid and make sure neither players nor mods fear I’m AWOL. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook_of_the_North_Shore)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1334 "2017-01-16T18:31:24Z")
Wait, people think the Hitman and Outrider kill their target if they aren’t protected? Wut? There’s nothing in the posted rules descriptions that say anything of the sort. It seems pretty straight forward. Step 1: Pick target Step 2: Check if target is protected. If yes, go to 3, otherwise nothing happens. Step 3: Kill protector. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1335 "2017-01-16T18:32:40Z")
> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#): > > I have no idea who first coined ‘burby’ but I am suddenly curious and may go play with some way back searches. It looks to me like it was indeed **peekercpa** , in the Evil Dead II game here on the Dope, back in 2010. It seems to have started out as his personal nickname for me, then it ‘went viral’ as the kids say these days… ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1336 "2017-01-16T18:33:49Z")
_ **Unofficial** _ final Day One votecount Lakai (19 votes) - Inner Stickler (257), snfaulkner (295), RedSkeezix(319), Plumpudding(647), Light Foot (883), Koldanar (900), Scathach (1031), AngeloftheNorth (1078), Hockey Monkey (1102), Drain Bead (889), Raventhief (1109), Meeko (1082), buffytabby (1094), jsgoddess (1129), Hoopy Frood (1130), MHaye (1176), nesta (1187), ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies (1206), Nanook of the North Shore (1208) ToeJam (15 votes) - Sunny Daze (113), Hooker Chemical (184), sinjin (200), Sachertorte (534), Captain Klutz(796), Normal Phase (1011), Prof. Pepperwinkle (1057), BillMC (1152), septimus (1154), Biotop (1178), Guiri (1182), EnderW24 (1195), Chronos (1197), snfaulkner (1205), Lakai (1209) colby11 (6 votes) - Texcat (91), ToeJam (132), Hawkeye(350), brewha (683), Pleonast (841), Suburban Plankton (1026) Angelofthenorth (3 votes) - Zeriel(413), TotalLost(492), Boozahol Squid PI (546), PLAYERS WITH 1 VOTE: Pleonast (1 vote) - Thing Fish (794) snfaulkner (1 vote) - diggitcamera (264) Normal Phase (1 vote) - Johnny Bravo (36), Texcat (1 vote) - Scathach(758) brewha (1 vote) - Colby11 (946) ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1337 "2017-01-16T18:35:37Z")
> [@Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](#): > > Wait, people think the Hitman and Outrider kill their target if they aren’t protected? Wut? There’s nothing in the posted rules descriptions that say anything of the sort. It seems pretty straight forward. > > Step 1: Pick target > Step 2: Check if target is protected. If yes, go to 3, otherwise nothing happens. > Step 3: Kill protector. THANK YOU! I’m not crazy! All I wanted was a Pepsi! ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1338 "2017-01-16T18:37:50Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > I don’t think so. I think the hitman and the outrider kill. If their targets are protected, the kill transfers to the protector. > [@Plumpudding](#): > > Why would Thing Fish think differently? Huh. > [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Seems like a Town tell to me. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk > [@Plumpudding](#): > > That was quick!😃 Seems like a _reading the damn rules_ tell to me. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1339 "2017-01-16T18:53:19Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Seems like a _reading the damn rules_ tell to me. There’s a role called the **Hitman**. He and the outrider are specifically told to get out there and kill people. Why would a kill only come into play if protection is in place? ---
**Author:** ![Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook_of_the_North_Shore)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577/1340 "2017-01-16T19:00:05Z")
Don’t read the flavor and try to add things to the role from it. Read the rules. They’re right there, not trying to hide or anything. The Hitman rules text, not flavor text: “Each Night you may target any player of your choosing. If that player is under the protection of any active protecting role(s) - the EMT or Doctor Seward, for example - **the player(s) doing the protecting will die**. Your target will still survive any attempt on his life unless the protection is obviated in some other way.” My bold. That is literally the ONLY part of the rules text that mentions anyone dying, being killed, or anything similar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577.md?page=66) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-reunion-day-one/776577.md?page=68)