|
Post by Erniewan on Dec 29, 2008 2:27:01 GMT -6
I came up with this idea yesterday, and thought it would be worth a shot to try it out.
Basically, each week (probably on Mondays since today is Monday) I will name a "Role of the Week", which will be a role used in mafia games, or theoretical ones that have yet to be used. During the remainder of the week we can use this thread to: 1) Discuss the role and its pros/cons, usefulness, rarity, balance, etc. 2) Discuss variations to the role that may be original, or ones you like best 3) Make suggestions, tips, theory, etc. on how to play well with that role 4) Come up with new ideas that may not even be variations, but were sparked by the ideas in the thread
I figure we need some more Mafia Theory in this forum, as well as some fresh ideas, with this being a sort of spark that creates the flame. Let me know if you'd like to do this, or it'd be boring, or what, and PM me if you wish to head the thread or have some good suggestions.
I will keep track of which roles we've already discussed in this first thread. In later weeks, if you wish to come back to a previous Role of the Week, just quote the post introducing that role to tell people that you are changing the subject.
So for our first entry, here's the fan favorite: The Cop
The Cop a.k.a. Detective: Usually town-aligned, though Mafia can have them too. The Cop can investigate a player at Night and find out either the suspect's innocence (innocent/guilty), alignment (town/mafia/independent), or character name (sometimes implying alignment). The Cop may have a varying sanity, in which case they may receive incorrect results. The Cop wishes to stay hidden until they have sufficient evidence to convict a Mafia member, though if they can get the Doctor's protection, they may reveal earlier. Notable threats to the Cop's reliability include the Frame Artist, the Godfather, and the Miller.
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Dec 29, 2008 12:46:53 GMT -6
Well... on the topic of rarity, it's pretty much a common role. :/ Erm, I find the variations annoying. Because then what's the use of having a cop? The only one that is remotely useful is the one that switches them around - you cna still figure it out. The ones where everyone is found either guilty or innocent is just pointless. I don't really have any tips. And, uh, let's think of an idea.... A cop with multiple personality disorder so every day he's either normal, paranoid, naive or insane Or has that been done already? (Yes, I know I didn't need to answer the four topics, but it's fun anyways )
|
|
|
Post by commonyoshi on Dec 29, 2008 12:54:57 GMT -6
The ones where everyone is found either guilty or innocent is just pointless. Um, what? Seems to me like that'd be the most useful cop. And I think only a normal cop or one who has reversed investigations is useful. Cops who are insane and get random answers or cops who have a 50% to get the right answer are ridiculously unreliable. He might as well not have a power. The only purpose they serve is to balance the game if the moderator thinks the townies have enough power roles but still wants to have a cop because it's tradition. Though I guess with the knowledge of possible insanity cops can use some discretion before announcing their findings.
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Dec 29, 2008 18:10:04 GMT -6
Yeah, I think he means Paranoid or Naive, which get only one or the other. I think the only good use for them is in those Dethy games which have 4 cops and 1 mafia or something like that. Otherwise it's just a townie who thinks he is important.
I think the Cop is one of the more common roles because in a good sized game, it typically is simple to balance, and it's the most basic/easiest way to find a mafiat. I usually try to throw one in each of my games, though I'll vary it (on how they get results).
I rather enjoy being a Cop, because it allows you to check your suspicions (usually reliably) without having to call that person out and wait for them to slip up. However, it can be a sort of crutch when players rely only on the proof to lynch, rather than pry themselves during Day discussions and act on suspicions.
Hmm, a possible variation could be a Cop who arrests his target, causing them to be roleblocked. It's just a combination, but at least it's a logical one.
|
|
|
Post by Caleton on Dec 31, 2008 2:02:08 GMT -6
Usually a mafia will claim cop and then use information that the mafia has figured out to make up investigations. It's a common strategy that they will use many of their investigations as people that are already dead. That's fine but then an actual cop comes along and unluckily all their investigations are now of dead people. So it makes it really annoying when you're that cop and no one believes you.
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jan 5, 2009 16:28:50 GMT -6
Time for the next Role of the Week! I almost forgot...
The Doctor: No, not Doctor Who, but the other most common town-aligned role. The Doctor has the ability to save someone from being killed at Night. There are many varieties of Doctors, and some sanities, that allow them to protect specific targets, or multiple ones, or themselves (which is not usually permitted), or with varying efficiencies. The Doctor is a hard role to play because not only does he have to avoid being killed by the mafia, he has to avoid being called on to role claim (as this would give himself away), and he has to figure out who the mafia is going to kill next, or who the powerful players are so he can protect them (like the Cop). Threats to the Doctor are Roleblockers, Mafia Cops, and Anti-Doctors (which reverse his protection).
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Jan 9, 2009 8:53:56 GMT -6
Yeah, I don't think I've been a Doctor (at least, I don't remember... maybe I have?) but I can definitely see how difficult it is to be a doctor....
It just seems so difficult to guess who will be picked out.
|
|
|
Post by Hellfire on Jan 9, 2009 11:10:15 GMT -6
Yea though the dc role can be useful when only a few people are remaining, the chances of the doc protecting a person that is going to be killed is really small...possible, but very rare. But yea, very common role, and can be very useful if used well.
|
|
|
Post by Barrylocke on Jan 9, 2009 14:12:44 GMT -6
I suck as a doctor. Unless you find out that someone is a detective or something, then you have no clue on who to protect.
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Jan 10, 2009 7:30:30 GMT -6
exactly :/ The chance is just too high.... A variation: Protect two people instead? Except maybe the Doctor should be called a 'Kidnapper' Maybe a Paramedic. :/
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jan 10, 2009 13:34:26 GMT -6
The two at once is called a Super Doctor, but Paramedic is so much better. He uses his ambulance in order to get to both places at once.
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Jan 11, 2009 3:42:20 GMT -6
Haha.
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jan 14, 2009 10:32:31 GMT -6
Dude, I missed a week already. I'm not doing well, am I? I'll update it sometime tonight, I've got to drive back to college today.
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jan 14, 2009 23:30:01 GMT -6
New Role of the Week! Survivor: An independent role who has a special win condition. He can side with either the mafia or the town, because in order to win, he must only stay alive the whole game. The Survivor is in interesting role in that he must choose to side with the town in order to not get lynched, or side with the mafia in order to not get night killed. This leads to a side distraction during the game, since neither the town nor the mafia have to kill the Survivor, and yet the Survivor can be a hinderance to either side. Survivors typically have no other abilities. Threats to the Survivor include... well anyone who can kill or vote!
|
|
|
Post by Hellfire on Jan 14, 2009 23:45:28 GMT -6
This role is insane! It is so hard to stay alive until the end of the game because you have to try to act suspicious (so that the mafia don't kill you) and not suspicious (so the town doesn't kill you). And if you claim the town will think you're mafia trying to get away as survivor.
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Jan 17, 2009 1:55:15 GMT -6
But survivor roles can be a good claim if you're a mafia Because it detracts you from suspicion just a little bit more than coming out and saying you're a mafiat.
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jan 20, 2009 0:49:39 GMT -6
I missed Monday by a few minutes... anyways, Role of the Week!
Godfather: The leader of the Mafia faction, this role is pretty common, but varies from game to game. In simple games, the Godfather is given the duty of selecting the Night kill. If he is blocked, the Night kill doesn't take place. In other games, the Godfather is given investigation immunity, which means that if he is investigated by a Cop, the Cop will receive an Innocent or failed result. In yet other games, the Godfather is given Armor, though this is less common and occurs in themed games. As head of the Mafia, the Godfather is in charge of most of the actions and strategy, and it is usually a big loss if he dies, though in some games he may be a replaced. Threats to the Godfather include Roleblockers, Trackers, and Usurpers.
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Jan 22, 2009 14:58:40 GMT -6
In some games, they are of no importance whatsoever :S
I actually don't consider Godfathers that important....
I think.
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jan 22, 2009 15:10:32 GMT -6
Yeah, usually they're just an organizational head, but when they have immunities, they can be pretty important.
|
|
|
Post by Hellfire on Jan 22, 2009 15:20:36 GMT -6
Yea, depending on their powers they could be really important or just another mafioso. But that role is very useful especially if they have any of those immunities.
|
|
|
Post by commonyoshi on Jan 24, 2009 23:17:49 GMT -6
The survivor is my favorite role to play as. ^_^
And without the extra powers the Godfather is nothing. I personally like having a cop investigate the Godfather and announcing the mixed up results to the town. It's just funny.
|
|
|
Post by Jerzkong on Apr 15, 2009 4:40:55 GMT -6
New role?
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Apr 15, 2009 11:47:20 GMT -6
Feel free to take over if you'd like, but I decided that I have enough going on at this point in time.
|
|
|
Post by Meow on Jul 14, 2009 14:02:26 GMT -6
Let's bring this back, with an IRC favourite!
This week's role: Marine Architect!
"May create his own role within host's limits or choose an existing role. Is whatever alignment that is appropriate to that role."
Some past roles have included:
Word seductress: "Chooses a word. If someone says that word, they are brought into the word cult. Wins when the members of the cult equal at least half of the town. Independent aligned."
Carpenter
"Can create one household item and hid in one a night (Starts with one). Each of the household items are booby trapped. If someone targets the carpenter, they must try and guess which item he is hiding in. If they guess correctly, the action goes through, but if they do not, the trap activates. Independent aligned."
Can anyone think of any others, or want to share their past favourites?
|
|
|
Post by Erniewan on Jul 14, 2009 14:05:48 GMT -6
Thanks for taking over, Meow!
I love Marine Architect. Picking the role you want is pretty much the most fun way to play. I usually pick some sort of imitative role, as it allows you to have a sort of detection and power at the same time.
Or I choose Fighter to counter dying on the first night all the time, but that usually doesn't work.
|
|
|
Post by Meow on Jul 14, 2009 14:08:39 GMT -6
Haha, you die first night way too often xD
|
|
|
Post by thefakepsychic on Jul 15, 2009 8:27:01 GMT -6
At least it isn't second like I do a lot.
That's why I try to get some form of Armor when I play MA games. For some reason no one believes me when I pick it. Unless they see it. Like that one game where Lamb_Chops was a gsh and I died because of a random guess.
|
|
Fobby
Green Belt
[M:7000]
break it down[ss:District Court No. 76]
Posts: 685
Likes: 5
|
Post by Fobby on Jul 15, 2009 21:10:46 GMT -6
That was funny.
You died Day 2 instead of Night 2.
|
|
|
Post by Worthy Protoplasm on Jul 15, 2009 21:17:57 GMT -6
Haha, I always pick Word Bomber with MA. I don't know why.
|
|
Fobby
Green Belt
[M:7000]
break it down[ss:District Court No. 76]
Posts: 685
Likes: 5
|
Post by Fobby on Jul 15, 2009 21:58:56 GMT -6
I enjoy mixing roles together when I play MA games.
|
|