Townsfolk
Pixie
You start knowing 1 in-play Townsfolk. If you were mad that you were this character, you gain their ability when they die.
Round and round the garden, go. Little girls run to and fro. Little boys climb up the tree. Which of these should Pixie be? Ladies smile and go to town. Lords with axe chop forest down. What’s yours is mine. What’s mine, divine. Silly little Pixie, me.
"You start knowing 1 in-play Townsfolk. If you were mad that you were this character, you gain their ability when they die." The Pixie pretends to be the same character as someone else. On the first night, the Pixie learns an in-play Townsfolk. The Storyteller chooses which Townsfolk this is. The Pixie does not learn which player is this character. If the Pixie player pretends that they are this Townsfolk, they gain the ability of this Townsfolk when the Townsfolk dies. They could have spoken loudly about being the character for one day, or pretended to be the character each day this game, or accused the Townsfolk of being a liar—the Storyteller is the judge of whether or not the player was convincing, by “being mad that they are this character”. When the Townsfolk player dies, the Pixie does not learn this, and is not told that they have gained a new ability. They may learn this has happened if they wake at night and start gaining information, or are prompted to choose players. If the player the Pixie learns about changes character then dies, the Pixie gains the ability of the Townsfolk the Pixie learnt about, not the new character.
How to Run
- During the first night, mark a Townsfolk character token with the Pixie’s MAD reminder. Wake the Pixie. Show the Pixie this Townsfolk character token. Put the Pixie to sleep.
- If the Townsfolk marked MAD dies, and you feel that the Pixie player has been sufficiently mad that they were this character, replace the MAD reminder with the HAS ABILITY reminder. The Pixie now has this Townsfolk’s ability, and will wake at night when this Townsfolk would normally wake.
Townsfolk
Preacher
Each night, choose a player: a Minion, if chosen, learns this. All chosen Minions have no ability.
It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick.
"Each night, choose a player: a Minion, if chosen, learns this. All chosen Minions have no ability." The Preacher removes Minion abilities. If the Preacher chooses a Minion, that Minion is woken to learn that they have been preached, and can no longer act while the Preacher is alive, sober, and healthy. If the Preacher chooses a player who is not a Minion, nothing happens. The Preacher may choose dead players. If the Preacher is drunk or poisoned at the time they choose a player, that player is not affected by the Preacher’s ability. If the Preacher becomes drunk or poisoned, preached Minions regain their abilities until the Preacher is sober and healthy.
How to Run
- Each night, wake the Preacher. They point to a player. Put the Preacher to sleep. If the Preacher choose a Minion, mark that Minion with a NO ABILITY reminder, wake the Minion and show them the THIS CHARACTER SELECTED YOU info token then the Preacher token, then put them to sleep.
- All Minions marked NO ABILITY have no ability while the Preacher is alive.
Townsfolk
General
Each night, you learn which alignment the Storyteller believes is winning: good, evil, or neither.
I don’t have time for quotes.
"Each night, you learn which alignment the Storyteller believes is winning: good, evil, or neither." The General knows who is winning. If the good team is winning, the Storyteller gives a thumbs up. If the evil team is winning, the Storyteller gives a thumbs down. If neither team is winning, or the Storyteller isn’t sure, the Storyteller gives a thumbs to the side. The Storyteller is the judge on which team is winning. Many factors may be included, such as how many players of each team are still alive, how much information the good team has, how successful the evil team’s bluffs seem to be, which players the group wants to execute next, or how experienced the Demon player is. All of these, and more, will inform the Storyteller’s judgment. The Storyteller decides who is winning at the point that the General wakes. Previous events in the night may affect their decision.
How to Run
- Each night, wake the General. If you believe that the good team is winning, give a thumbs up. If you believe that the evil team is winning, give a thumbs down. If you don’t know which team is winning, give a thumbs to the side. Put the General to sleep.
Townsfolk
Fisherman
Once per game, during the day, visit the Storyteller for some advice to help your team win.
This was my favourite part of the river... see how the sunlight makes a rainbow from the monastery to the market? This was the best place for big fish. And the older I get, the bigger they were.
"Once per game, during the day, visit the Storyteller for some advice to help your team win." The Fisherman knows something that nobody else can know: what should be done. The Fisherman player chooses when to use their ability. When they visit the Storyteller, the Storyteller chooses what piece of advice to give the Fisherman. The Storyteller’s pieces of advice are not necessarily “facts”. They are strategy tips that the Storyteller believes will help the Fisherman win, if they are followed. If the Fisherman is drunk or poisoned, the Storyteller may give the Fisherman bad advice.
How to Run
- Once per game, the Fisherman will ask to use their ability. In private, give them once piece of advice to help them win. Then, put the No ability reminder by the Fisherman token.
Examples & Notes
- It is best to give the Fisherman advice on what to DO, not just information about what IS. This makes the Fisherman more fun and unique.
- Eg. Saying “You should execute that player” or “Keep this player alive” or “find out who is drunk” or “change your thinking entirely” or “ignore the Minions” or “trust this player” are much more interesting than saying “this player is evil” or “the Demon is a No Dashii”.
Townsfolk
Nightwatchman
Once per game, at night, choose a player: they learn you are the Nightwatchman.
The night is cold and lonely, but I have the moon, the stars, the crisp wind and the soft thud of leather boots on cobbled stone for company. Yonder, candlelight flickers behind a murky window...
"Once per game, at night, choose a player: they learn you are the Nightwatchman." The Nightwatchman is known by one player. At night, the Nightwatchman chooses a player. This player wakes, and learns which player the Nightwatchman is. The Nightwatchman and their chosen player do not make eye contact. They wake separately. The Nightwatchman player chooses which night to act.
How to Run
- Each night, wake the Nightwatchman. The Nightwatchman either shakes their head or points at any player. Put the Nightwatchman to sleep.
- If the Nightwatchman pointed at a player, wake them and show them the Nightwatchman token, then point to the Nightwatchman player. Put the chosen player to sleep. The Nightwatchman loses their ability – mark them with a NO ABILITY reminder and remove their night token from the night sheet.
Townsfolk
Cannibal
You have the ability of the recently killed executee. If they are evil, you are poisoned until a good player dies by execution.
I don’t like clowns. They taste funny.
"You have the ability of the recently killed executee. If they are evil, you are poisoned until a good player dies by execution." The Cannibal eats executed characters, gaining their ability. If a good player dies by execution, the Cannibal gains that player’s ability. If an evil player dies by execution, the Cannibal only thinks that they gain an ability, since the Cannibal is poisoned. The Storyteller may be lying to them. Each time a player dies by execution, the Cannibal loses the ability of the previous player. Executing a dead player won’t grant the Cannibal an ability. Executing a living player who doesn’t die won’t grant the Cannibal an ability. A player must be executed and die for the Cannibal to gain their ability. The Cannibal is not told which ability they have gained. They must figure that out for themselves. If the Cannibal has an “even if dead” ability, such as the Recluse, or an ability that implies it works while dead, such as the Ravenkeeper or Sweetheart, the Cannibal keeps that ability when they die, but loses their Cannibal ability.
How to Run
- If a good player dies by execution, mark them with the LUNCH reminder, and remove the Cannibal’s POISONED reminder if necessary. The Cannibal now has this good player’s ability (do not say which), and will wake at night when this good character would normally wake.
- If an evil player dies by execution, mark them with the LUNCH reminder and mark the Cannibal with the POISONED reminder. The Cannibal is poisoned. You may wake them when this evil character would normally wake, and pretend that they have a new ability.
Examples & Notes
- Pay attention to which character each evil player is bluffing as. If they are executed, then their bluffed ability is the best one to pretend that the Cannibal has gained.
Outsider
Politician
If you were the player most responsible for your team losing, you change alignment & win, even if dead.
I'm glad you asked that question. Truly, I am. But I think the REAL question here is...
"If you were the player most responsible for your team losing, you change alignment & win, even if dead." The Politician changes teams if they are losing. When the game ends, if the Politician was responsible for good losing, then the Politician turns evil and wins too. The player needs to be very influential when determining who wins. Simply spreading false information or voting for good players is usually not enough – they need to be the player that was more responsible for the good team losing than any other good player, and preferably more responsible than any one evil player too. The Storyteller is the judge of whether the Politician’s actions qualify. The Politician may still win with the good team, as normal. A drunk or poisoned Politician can not change teams.
How to Run
- When the game ends, if good lost and you feel that this was significantly due to the words and actions of the Politician player, declare that the Politician turns evil and wins too.
- In the rare instance that the Politician is evil, and plays a big part in losing the game for evil, declare that the Politician turns good and wins with the good team.
Outsider
Puzzlemaster
1 player is drunk, even if you die. If you guess (once) who it is, learn the Demon player, but guess wrong & get false info.
When one begins to think that some thing is merely some other thing, one is usually on the brink of an error. Patience, patience. Don’t confuse just and should with is and isn’t.
"1 player is drunk, even if you die. If you guess (once) who it is, learn the Demon player, but guess wrong & get false info." The Puzzlemaster tries to figure out who is drunk. A player is drunk for the whole game. It will most often be a Townsfolk, but could be an Outsider. This player does not know that they are drunk. Once per game, the Puzzlemaster may guess which player it is. They may guess publicly, or privately. Whatever their guess, the Storyteller privately tells the Puzzlemaster the name of one player. If the Puzzlemaster guessed correctly, they learn which player the Demon is. If the Puzzlemaster guessed incorrectly, they learn a different player instead. The Puzzlemaster isn’t told if they guessed correctly or not. Only the player made drunk by the Puzzlemaster counts as a successful guess. Players drunk by other means don’t count. If the Puzzlemaster dies, the drunk player is still drunk. A dead Puzzlemaster may not make a guess, as they don’t have that part of their ability.
How to Run
- While preparing the first night, mark any player with the Puzzlemaster’s DRUNK reminder. This player is drunk.
- At any time during the game, the Puzzlemaster may guess a player, either publicly or by having a private discussion with you. If their guessed player is marked by the Puzzlemaster’s DRUNK reminder, privately tell the Puzzlemaster which player is the Demon. If their guessed player is not marked by the Puzzlemaster’s DRUNK reminder, privately tell the Puzzlemaster the name of a non-Demon player. (Do not say if they guessed correctly or not.) Either way, mark the Puzzlemaster with the GUESS USED reminder.
Examples & Notes
- While you can make a Minion or the Demon drunk with the Puzzlemaster ability, only do this if you have an excellent reason in mind. It is almost always best to select a Townsfolk player.
Minion
Widow
On your 1st night, look at the Grimoire & choose a player: they are poisoned. 1 good player knows a Widow is in play.
More wine? Château d’Ergot ’07 is a very special vintage. My yes, very special indeed.
"On your 1st night, look at the Grimoire & choose a player: they are poisoned. 1 good player knows a Widow is in play." The Widow sees the Grimoire and poisons a character of their choice. The Widow acts on their first night only, poisoning one player. The player that the Widow poisons is poisoned until the Widow dies. On the same night that the Widow acts, one good player learns that the Widow is in play, but not which player is the Widow, and not which player is poisoned.
How to Run
- While preparing the first night, mark a good player with the KNOW reminder.
- On the first night, wake the Widow and show them the Grimoire for as long as they need. The Widow points to a character token in the Grimoire. Mark them with a POISONED reminder. They are poisoned. Put the Widow to sleep.
- Wake the player marked KNOW. Show them the Widow character token. Put that good player to sleep.
Minion
Goblin
If you publicly claim to be the Goblin when nominated & are executed that day, your team wins.
You don’t want to insult the goblins. You really, really don’t. On a completely different note… can I have another piece of cake?
"If you publicly claim to be the Goblin when nominated & are executed that day, your team wins." The Goblin takes revenge if the town knowingly executes them. If the Goblin is executed, evil wins. ...but for this to happen the Goblin needs to tell the group that they are the Goblin when they are nominated, but before votes happen, and to do so in a way that everyone hears. The good players need to know the risk. If the Goblin is executed without telling the group that they are the Goblin when nominated, the Goblin dies and the game continues as normal. The Goblin must have claimed to be the Goblin today for their ability to work. Telling the group yesterday, or even every previous day, doesn't count. Any player may claim to be the Goblin when nominated.
How to Run
- If the Goblin claims to be the Goblin when nominated (and before voting begins), declare that this player has claimed to be the Goblin, so that all the group hears. Put the CLAIMED reminder by the Goblin token.
- If the Goblin is executed, and they are marked CLAIMED, then declare that evil wins.
Examples & Notes
- If a non-Goblin player claims to be the Goblin when nominated, act as if they are the Goblin. Declare to the group that they have claimed to be the Goblin and pretend to move a reminder token in the Grimoire.
Demon
Leviathan
If more than 1 good player is executed, evil wins. All players know you are in play. After day 5, evil wins.
To the last, I grapple with thee. From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee. For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee.
"If more than 1 good player is executed, evil wins. All players know you are in play. After day 5, evil wins." The Leviathan doesn't kill. All players know the Leviathan is in play, even if the Leviathan is created mid-game. Any number of evil players may be executed, but if more than one good player is executed, evil wins. It doesn’t matter which characters were executed, only the alignment of the player at the time they were executed. When the fifth day ends and night begins, if the Leviathan is still alive, evil wins. All types of execution count, even if the player doesn’t die. A player executed due to the Virgin, or due to revealing that they are the Mutant, is still executed. An executed player who lives due to the Pacifist is still executed.
How to Run
- Immediately after dawn on the first day, declare that the Leviathan is in play. Mark the Leviathan with the DAY 1 reminder. At the beginning of each following day, mark the Leviathan with DAY 2, then DAY 3, then DAY 4, then DAY 5 reminders. If a day ends and the Leviathan is marked with the DAY 5 reminder, declare that evil wins.
- If a good player is executed, mark them with the GOOD PLAYER EXECUTED reminder.
- If a good player is executed and a player is already marked with the GOOD PLAYER EXECUTED reminder, declare that evil wins.
Examples & Notes
- For new players, it is helpful to declare that the Leviathan is in play each day, and to say what day it is. On the first day, say “The Leviathan is in play. It is day one.” On the second day, say “The Leviathan is in play. It is day two.” etc. This helps your players remember what Demon they are facing and avoid accidentally losing by forgetting to count the days.