Game Flow

Start of the Game. Introduction and Role Distribution

The host greets the players and, if needed, explains the basic rules. Newcomers may briefly introduce themselves using their real names. You may also come up with an atmospheric setting — a place, a city, or circumstances in which the players find themselves.

The host hands out or allows players to choose character cards. Each player receives a character card and keeps it hidden until the Host asks them to reveal it. The Host may go around the circle and ask participants to introduce themselves. You may say anything, joke, invent stories — but without excess. These may be fictional names, circumstances, or personas. The Host encourages creativity or, if necessary, stops overly long monologues.

The First Night

The host announces that the first night begins. All players close their eyes and lower their heads. Special masks may also be used. The host announces that the Mafia wakes up. Players with the Mafia and Mafia Don cards open their eyes and get acquainted; at the host’s request, the Mafia Don raises a finger. All other players “sleep”.

Then the Host asks the Mafia to choose their first victim. Each Mafia player points to one of the “sleeping” civilians whom they believe should be “killed”, but the final decision is made by the Mafia Don.

After the Mafia makes its choice, the Mafia players “fall asleep”. Next, the Host sequentially asks players with other roles to “wake up”. (see the “Characters and Roles” section for details). Usually, this is the Doctor, who tries to guess whom the Mafia targeted in order to save them, then the Detective, who attempts to find and “eliminate” Mafia players, and so on.

Morning. Night Results

Morning comes. Everyone opens their eyes — it is now daytime. The Host, roughly in the order in which the roles “woke up”, summarizes the night’s events.

The Host first announces the Mafia’s action (who was “killed”, if the action was successful), then reports whether the Doctor managed to save a civilian (in which case the Mafia’s action is unsuccessful). After that, the Host reports on the actions of the Detective, Journalist, Maniac (if these roles are in the game).

Players who were “killed” during the night leave the game. The eliminated player (except for the Detective and Journalist) usually gets a final word to share thoughts, suspicions, or wishes.

On the first night, as an exception, the player killed by the Mafia “fights for their life” and remains in the game for the daytime vote, after which they leave the game (see the “Rules” section for details).

It is also not recommended “to wake” the Maniac on the first night: doing so will inevitably result in a player being eliminated “in the morning” without having taken a single turn.

Characters with passive roles act according to their role if it is activated by the death of a character (see the “Characters and Roles” section for details).

Daytime. Discussion

During the day, the Host asks players what they think about the events of the night. Who suspects whom, and why. The Host starts with any player and usually proceeds in a circle.

Players speak their minds. There are no strict limits or time restrictions as long as the discussion remains interesting. Short dialogues and mutual questions are allowed, but unnecessary chatter or disruptive situations are stopped by the Host.

Daytime Voting

After the discussion, expressed assumptions, and mutual accusations, the Host, at their discretion and starting with any player, announces the vote. Voting proceeds strictly in a circle, allowing players to anticipate the results as the right to vote passes from one player to the next.

Each player briefly names the person they vote against. The one who is voted against raises a finger for each vote received. Discussions, arguments, and justifications at this stage are not allowed.

Vote Tie

If two or three players receive the same number of votes, another round of voting is held, but the choice is made only among these players.

For more details, see “Rules”

After the voting and selection of the victim, the Host checks whether the condemned player was chosen at night by the Escort (Witness). If so, the player receives an alibi, the Host announces it, and the day ends with no victim from the daytime vote. (see the “Characters and Roles” section for details)

The “killed” player has the right to a final word (except for the Detective and Journalist), shows their card, and leaves the game. If a character with a corresponding passive role is “killed”, the player acts according to that role (see the “Characters and Roles” section for details).

Night falls…

Gameplay Tips

The following days and nights proceed in a similar manner. As the game progresses and to save time, the Host may skip asking every player during the day, listening only to those who wish to speak.

The Host’s task is sometimes to provoke players into more active behavior, and sometimes to help maintain balance and make the game more engaging. For this, the Host may, for example, choose not to “wake up” secondary characters such as the Maniac or Journalist.

Endgame

The game continues until its logical conclusion and does not end even when the number of Mafia and Civilians becomes equal, as long as there remains a chance that a Character’s abilities or role can still influence the outcome.