# MAFIA: The Game - Ideal for Beginners \[Game in Progress\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 14, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099 "2015-07-14T00:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/41 "2015-07-16T18:00:10Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Sorry for the newbie question, but… Are players allowed to discuss the game in PM or offboard channels like email? Or do all game strategy, discussion, role debates, etc., have to take place in the thread (and the offboard Werewolf thread)? Good question! No communication is permitted between living players except via official in-game channels: this thread and the Werewolf forum. PMs and e-mails are not permitted. I obviously have no way of enforcing this but it’s much more fun that way. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/42 "2015-07-16T18:30:34Z")
Yeah, so stop sending everyone those Carlos Danger PMs, **Chronos**. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/43 "2015-07-16T19:01:36Z")
Gonna have to delay startup by a bit - work got crazy and I have to go judge a swim meet. I’ll try to get rolling when I get home tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/44 "2015-07-16T19:06:53Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > Gonna have to delay startup by a bit - work got crazy and I have to go judge a swim meet. I’ll try to get rolling when I get home tonight. **Lynch storyteller!!** ::clears throat:: Sorry, got a little excited. I’ll try to contain myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/45 "2015-07-17T00:17:27Z")
I assume no third parties, then? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/46 "2015-07-17T00:18:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Yeah, so stop sending everyone those Carlos Danger PMs, Chronos. Wait, I thought Danger was his _middle_ name. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/47 "2015-07-17T04:25:03Z")
Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2015, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/48 "2015-07-17T04:35:17Z")
I can be an alt if you need one. ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/49 "2015-07-17T04:53:21Z")
Dang… Sorry I missed this - haven’t played mafia since another board I was on went down. ☹ I’ll keep an eye out for the next one. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/50 "2015-07-17T13:13:38Z")
THE ROLES **Welcome to the Game; you are a Villager** Alignment: TOWN Powers: None You are a standard, everyday citizen of Cecilton, long on work ethic, short on molars. As a peasant in a remote pseudo-medieval town, you’ve seen your share of supernatural weirdness, but somehow you’ve managed to get better every single time you’ve been turned into a newt. Like everyone, you have your odd set of skills, but nothing of value in a werewolf plague apart from a quick wit and a valid vote; keep both of them employed, and you may yet survive. Good luck! **Welcome to the Game; you are the Seer** Alignment: TOWN Powers: Detective Unlike the other residents of this tiny town, you have been gifted with the _second sight_. By which I mean you sneak out in the dark and spy on people, so I guess that’s just the _first sight_, but anyway there’s a crystal ball and some incense and fake Latin and it seems to work for people, so… Each Night, you may send the name of one player to the moderator; the moderator will then reveal to you and you alone the alignment (but not the role) of your target. BEWARE: Your power will not reveal the Alpha Wolf, who will appear to you to be part of the Town. **Welcome to the Game; you are the Guardian** Alignment: TOWN Powers: Protector There are many words for one who stands, as you do, steadfast against the darkness, armed only with a crude spear and cruder courage, ready to do battle against superhuman beasts with 11-inch claws: _Hero. Defender. Moron._ For these purposes, we’re going to go with “Guardian.” Each Night, you may send the name of one player (including yourself) to the moderator; that player will be guaranteed to survive the Night even if (s)he is targeted for death by the Wolves. BEWARE: You may not target the same player on two consecutive Nights. **Welcome to the Game; you are the (First / Second / Third) Mason** Alignment: TOWN Powers: Mason You are part of an ancient secret society dating back to at least last Tuesday. To date, your conspiratorial machinations have mostly revolved around beer, consumption of, but desperate times call for desperate collaborations. You have no particular abilities relevant to the current situation, but you do know that X and X – your fellow Masons – are not Werewolves and can be trusted. Unfortunately, you are unable to hold your nightly meetings at the moment, on account of man-beasts patrolling the darkness, so you’ll have to settle for surreptitious cooperation. Good luck! **Welcome to the Game; you are the Alpha Wolf** Alignment: WEREWOLF Powers: Godfather You are the big boss of the Werewolf world; you’d definitely have the corner office if this lousy little town could afford offices. Or corners. As Alpha, you cast the deciding vote if the Wolves are unable to reach a consensus on the ideal target for killing each Night. You also have a second, very important, quality: you’ve spent a long time among the humans, and can impersonate them with more skill than the average Wolf. The Seer will be unable to identify you as a Werewolf if (s)he investigates you by Night. **Welcome to the Game; you are a Werewolf (#1-#4)** Alignment: WEREWOLF Powers: None You are a killing machine, a creature of pure instinct and bloodlust that stalks the night in search of prey and hungers for the flesh of your enemies. This does not, however, mean you’re antisocial. Join your fellow Wolves for tea and entrails at \ Happy hunting! ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/51 "2015-07-17T13:19:29Z")
THE TIEBREAKER MECHANISM For Mafia veterans among you, this is the only game mechanic that could be considered even slightly unusual, so read carefully. In the event that the voting for lynch ends in a tie for two (or more!) candidates, the tie will be resolved as follows. Below is a numbered list of roles. In a tie situation, the lynched player will be the one for whom the highest ranked role on this list is voting. Thus, if there is a tie and the First Mason is voting for any of the tied candidates, that candidate will be lynched. If the First Mason is not voting for any of the tied candidates, whether because (s)he is voting for someone else or because (s)he is dead, then the candidate for whom the Alpha Wolf is voting will be lynched. If neither the First Mason nor the Alpha Wolf are voting for any of the tied candidates, the Second Mason gets the dispositive vote. And so on. If none of the eight players on the list below is voting for any tied candidate, the lynch-ee will be determined via the name-in-a-hat method (that is, at random). 1. First Mason 2. Alpha Wolf 3. Second Mason 4. Third Mason 5. Werewolf 1 6. Werewolf 2 7. Werewolf 3 8. Werewolf 4 ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/52 "2015-07-17T14:58:28Z")
Oh, god damn it, there’s extra math. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/53 "2015-07-17T16:37:49Z")
@sangfroid, jsgoddess, Hoopy, or really anyone: We have 18 but the game will definitely play slightly better and more balanced with 19. Anyone want to take that last slot before I randomize roles? ---
**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:** [July 17, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/54 "2015-07-17T16:45:44Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > @sangfroid, jsgoddess, Hoopy, or really anyone: > > We have 18 but the game will definitely play slightly better and more balanced with 19. Anyone want to take that last slot before I randomize roles? Put in the extra slot. I’ll take it if one of the other declared alts doesn’t, but I’ll let one of them in before me. I saw that Biotop and sangfroid were particularly eager. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/55 "2015-07-17T17:56:08Z")
I’ve actually got Biotop under the wire as Player #18, but still need one more. I’ll put you into that slot for now, but if sangfroid comes along and says (s)he wants it, you can step aside as you will. Thanks! ---
**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:** [July 17, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/56 "2015-07-17T18:43:37Z")
Hi. Just to note: there is a Forbidden Thread on this board too. It isn’t currently labeled “Forbidden,” but it IS forbidden for all you playing here. You can come join us when you are dead. Alive players should post in _this thread_ and not that thread and all will be okay. ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/57 "2015-07-17T19:14:58Z")
vote sachertorte ---
**Author:** ![Sario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sario/32/18580_2.png) [@Sario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sario)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/58 "2015-07-17T19:41:32Z")
> [@TexCat](#): > > vote sachertorte Improper format 😛 It should be **vote sachertorte** ---
**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:** [July 17, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/59 "2015-07-17T20:19:37Z")
Clarification: The forbidden thread is forbidden to read as well as post. Don’t go there at all! ---
**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:** [July 17, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/60 "2015-07-17T21:15:23Z")
> [@Sario](#): > > Improper format 😛 > > It should be **vote sachertorte** Aha, trying to build a bandwagon, are we? vote Sario [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=4)