Mafia is a party game that was invented in 1986. Since then it’s become a hit for youth groups, drama club warm ups, geek conventions, and the like.
It’s simple, but get you thinking in ways that many party games don’t come near to. It places an informed minority up against an uninformed majority. It’s become so popular and widespread that it even has online forum variants now!
Some members of the group play as the murderous Mafia, while the rest play as Innocent Villagers. The goal of the game is to wipe out the opposing team, either restoring peace or establishing mob rule!
Party Game Rules
The goal of the game depends on which team you are on.
If you are Mafia, then you need to kill the Innocents.
If you are an Innocent, you win if all of the Mafia are wiped out.
Teams
The game requires a decent sized group to begin with, probably at least 10.
One player is the Moderator.
The rest of the group stand in a circle and are split into Mafia and Innocents. It’s up to the Moderator how to split the teams. The most common split is either that 3 people are Mafia, and the rest are Innocents, or that one third of the players are Mafia.
The teams are chosen by the Moderator. At the start, everybody closes their eyes or puts on a blindfold. The Moderator walks around the circle and taps the people he/she chooses to play as Mafia.
When the Mafia have been chosen, the Moderator announces how many members the gang has and play begins.
Game
The game is split into two segments: Night and Day.
During the Day, everyone discusses who they think might be Mafia and vote for their suspects. The suspect who receives the most votes is ‘lynched’ and is out of the game.
The Moderator then announces whether the lynched suspect was a Mafia member or a wrongly accused Innocent.
During Night, everyone places their blindfolds back on (goes to sleep) and it is the Mafia’s time to strike. The Mafia remove their blindfolds (wake up) and silently point to an Innocent they would like to murder. They all have to agree on one target.
The Moderator can make noise, or play music, or have the Innocents tap their feet and/or clap to mask the sound of movement from Mafia.
When an Innocent target has been chosen, everyone can remove their blindfolds, and the Moderator announces who has been murdered. They do not reveal whether they were Mafia or Villager. The victim is out of the game.
Any lynched or murdered victims can sit and watch the game unfold with the Moderator.
The cycles of Night and Day continue until the Innocents have lynched all of the Mafia, or the Mafia murder all of the Innocents.
In the event that the last two players standing are one Mafia and one Villager, then the Mafia wins.
Variations
Some people who have the hang of the game like to add more roles to the game to mix things up a bit and add extra levels of intrigue.
Again they are chosen by the Moderator. After he/she has picked Mafia, he/she can announce that they are going to pick another role and then tap someone else on the shoulder in secret. If any of the special characters are killed in any way, it is up to the Moderator whether their role is revealed. Here are a few roles that can be added. Feel free to make up your own!:
Innocents:
Detective: The most common addition and almost always used nowadays. The Detective is a member of the Villagers and plays on their side. During the Night, after the Mafia strike and have replaced their blindfolds, the Moderator can let the Detective remove theirs. The Detective points at one person. The Moderator can nod to tell them that the person is Mafia, or shake their head to tell them that they are an Innocent. The Detective then replaces their blindfold and play continues.
When Day comes around the Moderator can announce whether or not the Detective found a Mafia member, depending on how you want to play. The Detective’s role is secret, partly to protect them from the Mafia, and partly to allow anyone to claim that they are it. However, they will need to convince the rest of the Villagers of what they know without giving themselves away.
You can have more than one Detective, but they have to wake up one at a time so they don’t know what each other knows.
Doctor: This is another commonly used role. At Night, after the Mafia attack, the Doctor is woken. They choose one person to protect. That person is safe from any type of attack that Night. The Doctor can protect themselves, but can not protect the same person two nights in a row. The Doctor wins with the Innocents.
Witness: The Witness is an Innocent who knows from the start who all of the Mafia are.
Vigilante: A Villager with the power to kill at Night. After the Mafia murder, the Vigilante wakes up and chooses their own target to kill. They do not have to kill anyone.
When Day comes and the Moderator announces who was murdered, he/she says whether or not the Vigilante killed a Mafia member.
Lawyer At Night the Lawyer chooses one person. During the Day, if that person is chosen to be lynched, they are saved and the person with the next highest number of votes is killed instead. They can choose themselves, but can not choose the same person two nights in a row. The Lawyer is an Innocent.
Mayor: If during Day the number of votes is tied, the Mayor of the Innocents has the deciding vote and his/her target is lynched. The Mayor doesn’t reveal their identity, but the Moderator will know who they are.
Drunkard: The lynch vote of the Village Drunk never/rarely counts.
Medium: The Medium is similar to the Detective, except that they can only investigate dead players to find out what team they were on.
Soldier: The Soldier is able to survive one attack. If they are attacked again, their armour is lost and they die. The Soldier wins with the Innocents.
Mafia:
The Godfather: A Mafia member. If the Detective tries to find out his allegiance, he will appear to be Innocent. (You could also have an Outsider: a Villager who appears guilty).
Traitor The Traitor knows who the Mafia are, but stays asleep while they choose who to kill. During the Day, the Traitor tries to convince players to not vote for Mafia members. The Traitor wins if the Mafia wins but the Detective sees the Traitor as an Innocent Villager. If they are lynched, the Moderator can reveal that they were the Traitor.
Either:
Tracker: The Tracker is similar to the Detective, but instead of finding out what team someone is on, they find out if someone has been targeted by another role. Either team can have a Tracker.
Psychic: The Psychic is similar to the Detective, but instead of finding out what team someone is on, they can find out if someone has a Night time role. This role works best when the players are using several different roles. Either team can have a Psychic.
The Bomb: The Bomb could be on either team. If they are killed in a Night attack, the person who targeted them also dies. The rule doesn’t apply during a Day lynch.
Thief: The Thief is the first to wake up during the Night and chooses one person. Any action their target takes that night is cancelled. They can’t target the same person two nights in a row. The Thief can be Mafia or Villager.
Wildcard: A solo killer. They play on their own team, and their goal is to be the last one standing at the end of the game. After the Mafia has their Night kill, the Wildcard wakes up and chooses their own target.
When Day comes, the Moderator announces all deaths. If the Wildcard is lynched, the Moderator can reveal that they were the Wildcard.
Simple Gameplay Summary
- A Moderator is chosen
- The Players stand in a circle
- The Moderator announces that they will choose who will be Mafia. Everyone puts on a blindfold. The Moderator walks around the outside of the circle and taps those who will be Mafia.
- If you wish to include them, the Moderator announces another role, and repeats the walk and taps. Carry on until all desired roles are given.
- Day begins. Everyone votes for who they suspect could be Mafia. The person with the most votes dies. The Moderator announces whether they were Mafia or Innocent Villager.
- Night begins. Everyone places on their blindfolds. The Mafia silently choose a victim.
- Any other roles take turns to wake up, perform their action, and go back to sleep.
- The Moderator wakes everyone and announces who has been killed in the Night. They do not say what team they were on (unless the role demands it).
- Day and Night continue until one team is wiped out.
Online Forum Game Rules
The goal and set up is essentially the same as the live party game.
A Moderator plus two teams: Villagers vs Mafia.
The benefit of playing online is that certain things can be kept secret much easier by using Private Messaging to give people their roles and to perform Night time actions.
You can also have the fun of writing up Night actions into a kind of story that reveals what happens rather than simply announcing the results.
A possible downside is that forums require extra rules that might be a little more difficult to moderate:
- All talk must be kept to the game thread. Players must not Private Message one another unless their roles allow it e.g. Mafia can speak to each other at any time.
- Players must not delete or edit their posts.
- Dead players can not post (or must post off-topic in a different colour).
- Anyone who does not vote gets an automatic vote against them.
Organising Night and Day periods might be a little different too. Setting a time limit on getting votes in might be the best option depending on how active forum members are. Perhaps giving 24 hours for each time period ending at a specific hour.
Because of the Private Messaging system, Night time actions can be a fair bit more complicated too if you’d like to come up with new roles. You can even have a different game theme!
There’s two examples below that you can use, or adapt to suit yourself. The first is straight forward, the second is a bit more complicated for once you get the hang of the basic game.
Simpsons Mafia Forum Game
Some characters are allowed to Private Message (PM) each other. Characters who are allowed to PM each other, should reveal who they are to each other. This allows them to try and protect each other from lynch votes.
Springfielder lynch voting happens during the Day, while Mafia murders happen at Night.
All Night actions are to be secretly Private Messaged to the Moderator. Player’s votes can be silenced by Night actions. These players should still vote, but the Moderator will remove them from the final tally.
Springfielders
The Springfielders must find and lynch all of the Mafia.
Homer Simpson
Homer is a human punchbag. He will survive his first lynch vote.
Marge Simpson
As a protective mother, every Night Marge can choose to protect either Bart, Lisa, or Homer. She can not protect the same character two nights in a row. She will not know which player is which character, but she will discover if a character she attempts to protect is dead.
Lisa Simpson
Every night she can investigate one player and discover which side they are on.
Bart Simpson
Every night Bart can take Santa’s Little Helper and track one player. They can see who the player targets, but not what they were doing.
Abe Simpson
Abe has a knack for boring people to sleep with his endless stories. Every Night he chooses one person to talk at. That person is prevented from any Night activity. He can not choose the same person for two Nights in a row.
Mayor Quimby
Each of the mayor’s lynch votes count as two.
Lionel Hutz
Every Night the Lawyer may choose one player. During the next Day, if that person is chosen to be lynched, they are saved and the person with the next highest number of votes is killed instead. Lionel can choose himself, but can not choose the same person two nights in a row.
Patty Bouvier
Patty has PM privileges with her twin sister Selma.
Selma Bouvier
Selma has PM privileges with her twin sister Patty.
Lenny Leonard
Lenny has PM privileges with his best friend Carl.
Carl Carlson
Carl has PM privileges with his best friend Lenny.
Charles Montgomery Burns
Burns has PM privileges with his lacky Smithers.
Waylon Smithers
Smithers has PM privileges with his beloved boss Mr Burns. If Mr Burns is targeted for a kill, Smithers will die for him.
Moe Szyslak
Moe passes a spiked drink to one player every Night. Any Night action they take is cancelled. He can not spike the same player two Nights in a row.
Barney Gumble
Barney’s lynch votes have a 50% chance of counting.
Chief Clancy Wiggum
The Police Chief has PM privileges with his officers Lou and Eddie.
Lou
Officer Lou has PM privileges with Chief Wiggum and Eddie. Every night he can investigate one player and discover which side they are on.
Eddie
Officer Eddie has PM privileges with Chief Wiggum and Eddie.
Dr Julius Hibbert
Every Night Doctor Hibbert can choose one player to protect from a Night kill. He can protect himself. He can not protect the same player two nights in a row.
Seymour Skinner
Using incredible army survival skills, Skinner will not be killed the first time he is targeted.
Snake Jailbird
Every even night, Snake has the option to attempt his own Night kill. There is a 33% chance of success.
Duffman
Every Night Duffman arrives to party with one player. That player will get so drunk that their next vote the next Day does not count. He can not party with the same player for two nights in a row.
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Every Night Apu hands out a free Squishee made from the sludge at the bottom of the machine to another player. The Squishee makes the player hyperactive and doubles their vote for the next Day. Apu will not drink the Squishees himself. One free Squishee per customer!
Drederick Tatum
If Tatum is targeted for a Night kill, he will fight back and murder one player responsible.
Mafia
The Mafia must murder all of the Springfielders. They all have PM privileges with each other.
Don Vittorio DiMaggio
The Mafia Don will appear innocent to any investigators.
Fat Tony D’Amico
Legs
Louie
Johnny ‘Tightlips’ Schmallippe
Johnny is so incorruptible that any player who targets him at Night (with any ability except a kill) will fail.
Frankie the Squealer
During lynch votes, Frankie is only allowed to vote for fellow Mafia members. Failure to do so will result in three extra votes against him during the next lynch.
Joey
Star Wars Mafia Forum Game
Here Cracking Ace translates the Mafia Party Game into a ‘Star Wars Mafia Forum Game’. This one’s probably better for more experienced players. Enjoy!
Basics
In this variant, there are three teams: The Rebels, the Empire, and the Gangsters, plus some Rogues.
The Empire and Gangsters function much like the Mafia, while the Rebels function like the Innocents.
Each player is randomly assigned a character. Each character has their own unique role within the game.
Within the thread, no one is allowed to reveal which character they have been given. Some characters are allowed to Private Message (PM) each other. Characters who are allowed to PM each other, should reveal who they are to each other. This allows them to try and protect each other from lynch votes.
Many characters have special abilities. Some of the abilities are to be kept secret from everyone except the character’s player and the Moderators.
The Rebels must wipe out the Empire and the Gangsters.
The Empire must wipe out the Rebels and the Gangsters.
The Gangsters must wipe out the Rebels and the Empire.
The Rogues must be the last one standing.
Lynch voting happens during the Day, while Imperial and Gang murders happen on alternate Nights.
Player’s votes can be silenced by Night actions. These players should still vote, but the Moderator will remove them from the final tally.
Set Up
The Galaxy is a dangerous place and war rages. The Empire have a super weapon called the Death Star, a huge space station the size of a small moon with the power to destroy entire planets with one blast.
During each Day each player must choose a planet to travel to. They can stay on the same planet for as long as they like. They must PM the Mod with their choice. Some planets offer bonuses. The options are listed further on below.
As long as the Death Star is in play, it will be capable of destroying planets. Any players on planets that are destroyed are killed.
The planet list is as follows:
Tatooine: The Empire has no power here. Their lynch votes against anyone on this planet are silenced. Night assassinations are still effective.
Coruscant: The Empire will never destroy Coruscant. However, any Rebels or Gangsters found here during Day have a 33% chance of being found by stormtroopers and killed on sight.
Hoth: Imperial blockades are ineffective here. The Rebel ion cannon keeps them at bay.
Bespin:
Dagobah: Lynch votes of Force users on this planet count for double.
Kashyyyk:
Yavin IV: Sith can not use their force powers to search Rebels stationed here. The ability is blocked.
Sullust:
Corellia:
Mon Calamari:
Naboo: The Naboo space fleet make the planet immune from blockades.
Geonosis:
Jakku:
Korriban: Jedi can not use their force powers to search Sith stationed here. The ability is blocked.
Cato Neimodia
Felucia
Mygeeto
Players can also earn Galactic Credits to buy items. Items are single use abilities.
Players can be awarded Credits at the Moderator’s discretion or in the following ways:
1 credit for not voting for the player who gets lynched if they were a Rebel.
5 credits for voting for the player who gets lynched if they are ‘mafia’.
Players with PM privileges can share their Credits between them.
Shop:
5 credits: Ray Shield – traps another player and allows you to steal their next lynch vote.
10 credits: Personal Shield – saves you from one kill.
10 credits: Battle Droid – sent out at Night to attempt an assassination. 33% chance of success.
15 credits: Droideka – sent out at Night to attempt an assassination. 50% chance of success.
Rule Recap
- Each team must wipe out every opposing team. Rogues must be the last player standing.
- During the Day each player posts their game discussion and lynch vote in the game thread. They PM the planet they would like to visit to the Moderator.
- During the Night, the Empire and Gangsters take turns to assassinate enemies. Players with Night abilities may use them via PM to the Moderators.
- All players must keep their characters and secret abilities to themselves. They may only be revealed to those they have PM privileges with.
- The Moderator will take into account all Night abilities before announcing who has been killed and which planet has been destroyed. Anyone who has been silenced or has found some information will be notified by PM.
Rebels
Most Rebels only know their own identity. Unless they have PM privileges with another person, they must not reveal their character to anyone.
Luke Skywalker
Force Sensitive: Luke is a force-sensitive Jedi. On even days he can reach out with the Force and search someone. If they are also force-sensitive, he will find out that they have force powers.
Death Star Destroyer: Luke can PM Wedge Antilles. Every night, they can choose a planet to search for the Death Star together. If they find the Death Star, there is a 50% chance that they will lead Rogue Squadron to destroy it. If one of them dies, the chance is reduced to 33%.
Leia Organa
Luke’s Sister: If Luke finds Leia when using his force ability, they will gain PM privileges.
Secret Ability: Diplomat: On even nights she can name one planet to protect from the Death Star attack.
Han Solo
Smuggler: Han Solo is the captain of the Millennium Falcon and has PM privileges with his loyal co-pilot Chewbacca. He is skilled at avoiding Imperial entanglements and is immune to blockades and Death Star attacks. Chewbacca and Han must always go to the same planet. Han will rescue any Rebels on the same planet as him if they need to to leave for any reason.
Chewbacca
Life Debt: Chewbacca has PM privileges wih his captain Han Solo. Chewie owes Han a Wookiee life debt, so if Han is targeted for a Night kill, Chewie will die in his place. Chewbacca and Han must always go to the same planet.
Wedge Antilles
Death Star Destroyer: Wedge has PM privileges with Luke Skywalker. Every night, he and Luke choose a planet to search for the Death Star together. If they find it, there is a 50% chance they will destroy it. If one of them dies, the chance is reduced to 33%.
Lando Calrissian
Pirate: Lando is immune to blockades.
Secret Abilities: Deal maker: He can use his network to silence one lynch vote every night. He can not silence the same player two nights in a row.
Administrator: He knows every player that enters or leaves Bespin. Every night he may search one person on that planet and find out if they are hero or villain.
Death Star Destroyer: If Luke and Wedge are both killed, he takes over the Death Star search. He has a 33% chance of destroying it if he finds it.
Admiral Ackbar
Admiral: Ackbar commands the Rebel fleet. Any planet he visits becomes immune from blockades. If the planet he is protecting is attacked by the Death Star, he will be killed, but the planet will be saved.
Yoda
Force Sensitive: A force sensitive Jedi Master. On even nights, he can reach out with the Force and search someone. If they are also force-sensitive, he will find out that they have force powers.
Secret Ability: Force Ghost: If Yoda is killed, he will return as a Force Ghost. He can still lynch vote and use his ability, but there is a 50% chance that they won’t work. He can not be killed again, but the Rebels lose if he is the last remaining hero (he’s already dead).
As a Force Ghost every night he can investigate one deceased player and find out which character they were.
Nien Nunb
Secret Ability: Sullustan: People can barely understand his language. There is a 33% chance that his lynch votes won’t count. If he is on planet Sullust, or on the same planet as C-3P0 his votes always count.
C-3P0
This droid has PM privileges with his counterpart R2-D2.
Droid: As a droid, he can be rebuilt. The first time he is targeted, he is merely silenced for the next Day lynch.
Secret Ability: Mimic: As a master of language, voices, and storytelling, every night C-3P0 can imitate any other character’s public ability. He may not mimic the same character for two nights running, and he may not target the same character two nights in a row. He can not mimic force sensitivity, Death Star attacks, or PM privileges with any other character. He will PM which character he would like to mimic and his target to the Moderator. The Moderator will tell him if his mimic was successful or if the character he attempted to mimic was dead.
R2-D2
This droid has PM privileges with his friend C-3P0.
Hacker: Using incredible hacking abilities, every night he can search a player to learn whether or not they are hero or villain.
Droid: As a droid, he can be rebuilt. The first time he is targeted, he is merely silenced for the next Day lynch.
2-1B
Doctor: This medical droid can choose one player each night to protect from assassination. They are powerless against planet destruction however.
Droid: As a droid, he can be rebuilt. The first time he is targeted, he is merely silenced for the next Day lynch.
Mon Mothma
Spy: Using her Bothan spy network, she can block one player’s ability every Night. She can not target the same person twice in a row.
Kyle Katarn
Force Sensitive: Kyle is a force-sensitive. On even nights, he can reach out with the Force and search someone. If they are also force-sensitive, he will find out that they have force powers.
Secret Ability: Trickster: Every night he can target one player. Any negative Night ability aimed at Kyle will be deflected onto his target (not including Force searches). He can not target the same person twice in a row.
Dash Rendar
Smuggler: Dash is a skilled pilot and smuggler. He is immune to blockades. He can rescue any Rebels trapped on a planet with him.
General Carlist Rieekan
Evacuation: Rieekan allows Rebels to leave blockaded planets but not enter.
Empire
The Imperials all have PM privileges with each other. On odd nights the Imperials choose one player to assassinate.
At the beginning of the game, they choose a planet to keep the Death Star in orbit around. On even nights they choose a planet to destroy. Anyone on it is killed. The Death Star then returns to its home planet. If the Death Star is discovered but not destroyed, they Imperials must move it to another planet.
Each Imperial commands a fleet. Any planet they choose to visit during the day will become blockaded. If a planet is blockaded, no one can enter or leave. Anyone trying to leave will be stuck, anyone trying to enter will return to their previous location.
Emperor Palpatine
Force Sensitive: Palpatine is a Sith. On odd nights, he can reach out with the Force and search someone. If they are also force-sensitive, he will find out that they have force powers.
Secret Ability: Battle Meditation: Every night he can target one player and block their Night ability.
Darth Vader
Force Sensitive: Vader is a Sith. On odd nights, he can reach out with the Force and search someone. If they are also force-sensitive, he will find out that they have force powers.
Secret Ability: More Machine Than Man: He can be rebuilt. The first time he is targeted at Night, he is merely silenced for the next Day lynch.
Admiral Firmus Piett
Don’t Fail Me Again Admiral: Piett is a lucky survivor. The first time he is targeted for a kill, he will survive.
Gangsters
The Gangsters all have PM privileges with each other. On even nights the Gangsters choose one player to assassinate.
Jabba the Hutt
Spy master: Every night Jabba can use his spy network to silence the next lynch vote of one person.
Secret Abilities: Spy network: Jabba is always aware of the locations of Imperial blockades.
Mob Boss: If Jabba is targeted for a kill, he is protected by his Gamorrean guards. There is a 50% chance that Jabba will survive. There is a 1-in-6 chance that one of the Rebels who targeted him will die instead.
Boba Fett
Bounty Hunter: Every night he can search someone and find out if they targeted someone else. He will not find out who they are, or what they did, but he will learn which player their target was.
Smuggler: He is immune to blockades. He can rescue his allies if they are on the same planet.
Secret Ability: Gadget Master: Every night, Boba can attempt to trap a player.
On odd nights there is a 33% chance of success. If successful, the victim’s next lynch vote will be silenced and Boba’s will be doubled.
On even nights Boba will always silence his victim.
IG-88
Bounty Hunter: Every night he can search someone and find out if they have been targeted by another character. You will find out what they were targeted with, but not who they are or who targeted them.
Droid: He can be rebuilt. The first time he is targeted, he is merely silenced for the next Day lynch.
Rogues
Mara Jade
Force Sensitive: She can reach out with the Force and search players. She will find out if they can use the Force or not.
Secret Role: Assassin: Mara must hunt for Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine. She can search one player each night (the same player she Force searches). If she finds either of them, she will know who they are but does not gain PM privileges. When she has found both, she must then tell the Moderator if she wants to join the Rebels or the Imperials. If she chooses Rebel, she gains PM privileges with Luke. If she chooses Empire, she gains PM privileges with the Emperor.
If she fails to join either side, she must be the last player standing. While alone, every odd night, she has the option to target a player to kill. She has a 33% chance of success.
Prince Xizor
Secret Role: Usurper: Xizor must hunt for Jabba and Vader. He can search one player (living or dead) every night. If he finds them, he will know who they are. Once he knows the identity of one or the other, he must attempt to have them killed. If they are killed he can take their place, gaining PM privileges with whichever group he joins.
If he does not join a group, he can only win if he is the last player standing. While alone, every even night, he has the option to target a player to kill. He has a 33% chance of success.
