MAFIA
LET'S PLAY
Suspect, Bluff, Kill. Who's in the Mafia and who's an innocent Civilian? You better find out soon or you may face a deadly hit or worse, a public lynching. Like Werewolf, Mafia is a game of outsmarting your opponents whether you're on the good team or the evil one. This is perhaps one of the best games out there for large groups, parties and icebreakers.
Object
Mafia Team:
Eliminate enough Civilians so that the number of Mafia equals the number of Civilians.
Civilian Team:
Identify and eliminate all Mafia members before they take over.
Set Up
Each player is randomly assigned a secret role. The roles include:
Mafia (1-3 players, depending on group size): They work together to eliminate players.
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Civilians: No special powers, but vote to eliminate suspected Mafia.
Detective: Once per night, secretly investigates a player’s identity.
Doctor: Can protect one person per night from elimination.
Narrator/Moderator: Runs the game, announces events, and keeps the game flowing.
Once roles are assigned either as more Civilians or Special Roles (see below), players close their eyes, and the game begins.
Watch the step by step guide here!
What You Need
A group of 7+ players (10+ is ideal)
A deck of cards or small pieces of paper with roles written on them
A neutral moderator (judge) who does not participate in the game but runs it
Optional: A game kit like the Lawrence King Mafia deck, but you can also DIY it with index cards
Gameplay
Night Phase
1. The moderator tells everyone to “go to sleep” (close their eyes).
To mask sounds, players may hum, snap fingers, or slap their legs.
2. The moderator then calls on the Mafia:
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Mafia members silently open their eyes and choose one person to eliminate.
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They point to their target, and the moderator acknowledges their choice and secretly writes it in their notes.
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Mafia closes their eyes.
3. The Doctor wakes up and silently points to one player to save.
If they choose the Mafia’s target, that player is not eliminated.
Note:Some people play that the Dr. can't save the same person 2 nights in a row. Make sure to decided how you want to play before starting.
4. The Detective wakes up and points to one player.
The moderator gives a thumbs-up if the person is Mafia, a thumbs-down if they are not.
5. The moderator tells everyone to wake up.
Day Phase
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The Judge announces whether a player was eliminated overnight.
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If a Player has been eliminated they are out and can't speak or give silent information until the game is over​​.
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Players discuss suspicions and try to identify Mafia members.
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Any player can accuse another of being Mafia.
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Requires at least one other player to agree.
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The accused gets 30 seconds to defend themselves.
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Players vote on whether to eliminate the accused player.
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A majority vote results in the accused being eliminated. Eliminated players are out for the rest of the game and may not communicate in anyway with living players.
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The game continues with another Night Phase until one team wins.
Judge (Moderator)
The Judge is a neutral figure who does not participate in the deception. Their role is to facilitate the game, ensuring fairness and keeping the flow smooth.
During the Night Phase, they call on the Mafia, Detective, and Doctor in the correct order and acknowledge their choices silently.
The Judge narrates the story in a dramatic way during the Day Phase, announcing eliminations and steering discussion without revealing hidden information.
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A good Judge maintains suspense, encourages participation, and keeps track of votes and eliminated players accurately.
Mafia
The Mafia work together in secret, choosing one player to eliminate each Night.
They must maintain their cover during the Day Phase, blending in as civilians while directing suspicion toward others.
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Skilled Mafia players use subtle accusations, strategic alliances, and deception to mislead civilians.
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The Mafia should avoid being too aggressive or too silent—either extreme can make them suspicious.
If a Mafia member is eliminated, the remaining Mafia must adjust their tactics to stay hidden.
Doctor (Civilian Team)
Each night, the Doctor picks one player to heal, including themselves.
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If they choose the same player the Mafia targeted, that player survives.
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The Doctor does not know if their heal was successful.
A good strategy is to protect vocal Civilians who might be Mafia targets.
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The Doctor should avoid revealing their role too early, or they risk being eliminated.
Detective (Civilian Team)
Each night, the Detective (aka Investigator) can secretly investigate one player.
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The Moderator gives a thumbs-up if that player is Mafia, thumbs-down if they are not.
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The Detective must convince the group without making themselves an obvious Mafia target.
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Some versions include a “Godfather” Mafia role, who appears innocent when investigated.​
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If accused, a Detective may reveal their role to sway votes, but it makes them a Mafia target.
Civilians
Civilians have no special abilities but are the majority of the group. Their goal is to identify and vote out all Mafia members.
They must analyze speech patterns, voting behavior, and reactions to determine who might be lying.
Good civilians ask questions, challenge contradictions, and form alliances with other trusted players.
Being too quiet or indecisive can make you a target, so actively participate in discussions.
If falsely accused, a civilian must defend themselves convincingly without seeming desperate.
Winning the Game
Mafia Win:
If they equal or outnumber Civilians.
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Civilian Win:
If all Mafia members are eliminated.
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Either way the Judge announces the victory as soon as it occurs.
More Info About The Lynching Phase
(Day Phase Voting Process)
The Lynching Phase is the core of the game’s social deduction element, where players debate and vote to eliminate a suspected Mafia member.
1. Discussion and Accusations
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After the Judge announces the previous night’s events, the floor is open for discussion.
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Players analyze voting patterns, speech inconsistencies, and past accusations to determine who might be Mafia.
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The Mafia will try to redirect suspicion while civilians must push for logical deductions.
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The Detective (if alive) may hint at their knowledge without directly revealing their identity.
2. Formal Accusations
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Any player can accuse another player by stating their suspicion and reasoning.
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If an accusation gains traction, the Judge may ask for a seconding motion (another player must support the accusation).
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The accused player gets a brief defense where they can argue their innocence.
3. Voting Process
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After discussion, the Judge calls for an open vote (hands raised) or a silent vote (eyes closed, thumbs up/down).
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A simple majority vote decides if the accused is lynched.
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If the votes are split, the Judge may call for a re-vote or allow further discussion.
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If no majority is reached, no one is lynched, and the game moves to the next night.
4. Reveal and Consequences
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If a player is lynched, they immediately reveal their role (unless a variation allows hidden reveals).
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If a civilian is lynched, the Mafia gains an advantage.
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If a Mafia member is lynched, the civilians gain an upper hand, and surviving Mafia members must adjust their strategy.
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The game then transitions to the next Night Phase, where roles activate again.
Lynching Strategy
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Mafia Strategy: Redirect suspicion, subtly manipulate votes, and push for civilian eliminations.
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Civilian Strategy: Use logic, call out inconsistencies, and look for voting alliances that seem too coordinated.
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Detective Strategy: Carefully push for Mafia eliminations without exposing their identity too soon.
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Doctor Strategy: Pay attention to voting patterns to predict who might be targeted at night.
The Lynching Phase is the most intense part of the game, where deception, logic, and persuasion determine survival!
13 Extra Roles in Mafia
For a more dynamic and unpredictable game, many variations of Mafia include endless special roles beyond the standard Mafia, Civilians, Doctor, and Detective. These roles can add depth, complexity, and more strategic play. Here are 13 House Rule Roles from Play-In Games. You may see the same Character but with different House Rules. Make sure you agree on which rules you want to follow before adding these roles.
1. Old Lady with the Shotgun (My Favorite Addition)
A chaotic but entertaining role in Mafia. She is on the Civilian side, meaning she wins if the Civilians win and loses if the Mafia win. However, she introduces unpredictability into the game:
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Immune to Mafia Attacks: If the Mafia try to eliminate her at night, she fights back and takes one of them down with her shotgun. The judge will decide which Mafia member gets eliminated.
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Vulnerable to Detective Scrutiny: If the detective investigates her during the night phase, she “dies of shame” due to guilt over using her shotgun.
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Potentially Dangerous: If she thinks she knows who the Mafia are, she can try to take them out, but she also might want to target the detective, since they pose a threat to her survival.
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Can Be Lynched Normally: Despite her defensive abilities, she can still be voted out during the day phase like any other player.
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Shotgun Use Debate: Some versions of the game require her to use her shotgun every night, while others leave it optional. You do you!
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2. The Good Informant (Civilian)
The good informant is a civilian-aligned role in the game of Mafia. During the nighttime phase, after the Mafia have made their elimination, the judge will awaken the good informant. With everyone else’s eyes closed, the Mafia will signal their identity to the good informant by giving a thumbs-up. This gives the good informant secret knowledge about who the Mafia members are. However, their challenge is to communicate this information to the civilians without exposing themselves too obviously—if the Mafia suspects their identity, they may be targeted for elimination. The good informant’s role is to subtly nudge the civilians toward accusing and eliminating the Mafia while staying alive .
3. The Bad Informant (Mafia)
The bad informant is aligned with the Mafia and serves as a deceptive counter to the good informant. This player is also awakened during the night and learns the identity of the Mafia members. However, unlike the good informant, the bad informant’s goal is to mislead the civilians, casting doubt on legitimate accusations and subtly protecting the Mafia members. They can either remain silent to let the game unfold or actively deceive others by pretending to be the good informant and pointing fingers at innocent civilians. If suspicion falls on the Mafia, the bad informant can attempt to shift attention away from them and onto another target .
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4. The Godfather (Mafia Leader)
The Godfather is the head of the Mafia. Unlike regular Mafia members, the Godfather appears innocent if investigated by the Detective. The Godfather has the final say on who the Mafia will eliminate each night. If the Godfather is eliminated, remaining Mafia members may become more reckless or disorganized.
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5. The Consigliere (Mafia Advisor)
A Mafia-aligned role, the Consigliere acts as the Mafia’s investigator. Each night, they can select one player to learn their exact role (unlike the Detective, who only learns if someone is Mafia or not). If the Godfather dies, the Consigliere may take over as the new leader.
6. The Serial Killer (Third-Party Role)
A completely independent role, the Serial Killer has their own win condition: be the last player standing. Unlike the Mafia, the Serial Killer kills individually each night. They must avoid detection while killing both Civilians and Mafia to achieve their goal. This role creates a three-way battle between Mafia, Civilians, and the Serial Killer.
7. The Jester aka Tanner (Third-Party Role)
The Jester’s only goal is to get lynched. If they do, they win immediately, even if their team loses. To achieve this, they must act suspicious but not too obvious—otherwise, players might refuse to vote them out. In some versions, if the Jester wins, they can eliminate one random player as a final twist.
8. The Executioner (Neutral Role)
The Executioner starts the game with a specific player as their target. Their goal is to get that player lynched. If their target is eliminated during the Day Phase, they win instantly. If their target is killed by the Mafia or another role, they become a regular Civilian.
9. The Veteran (Civilian Role)
A one-man army, the Veteran can go on alert a limited number of times. When on alert, if anyone visits them at night (Mafia, Detective, or Doctor), they kill that player instantly. The Veteran must be careful, as they can accidentally eliminate civilians trying to help them.
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10. The Bodyguard (Civilian Role)
The Bodyguard can choose one player per night to protect from being killed. If the protected player is targeted, the Bodyguard sacrifices themselves to kill the attacker instead. This role is great for protecting the Detective or important civilians.
11. The Cult Leader (Third-Party Role)
The Cult Leader aims to convert players instead of killing them. Each night, they can turn one player into a Cult Member, slowly growing their numbers. The Cult wins if they outnumber both Mafia and Civilians. Some versions allow the Cult to convert Mafia, while others prevent it.
12. The Mayor (Civilian Role)
The Mayor has no power at night but can reveal themselves at any time during the Day Phase. Once revealed, their vote counts as two instead of one. They are an important leader for Civilians but become a prime target for the Mafia after revealing their role.
13. The Amnesiac (Wildcard Role)
The Amnesiac starts the game without a role. At any point in the game, they can “remember” a dead player’s role and take it on. This role adds unpredictability, as the Amnesiac could become Mafia, Civilian, or even a Serial Killer.
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