Objective of the Game
The objective of Mafia is for the innocent townspeople to identify and eliminate all members of the Mafia, while the Mafia members try to deceive the townspeople and either reach equal numbers or eliminate them.
Game Materials
- Moderator (Game Master)
- Role cards (optional) or slips of paper for assigning roles.
Setup
- Game Master: A Moderator is needed to organize and conduct the game without participating as a player.
- Assign Roles: Depending on the number of players, decide how many Townspeople, Mafia, and special roles such as the Detective and Doctor are in the game. The Moderator secretly assigns each player a role.
- Seating Arrangement: All players sit in a circle so they can see each other clearly.
Role Overview
- Townspeople: Try to unmask the Mafia members.
- Mafia: Know each other and try to eliminate townspeople undetected.
- Detective: Can investigate a player each night to find out if they're part of the Mafia.
- Doctor: Can protect one player each night.
Gameplay
The game alternates between two phases: Night and Day.
Night Phase
- All players close their eyes.
- The Moderator asks the Mafia to open their eyes and recognize each other.
- The Mafia silently gestures to choose a victim to eliminate that night.
- The Moderator asks the Mafia to close their eyes.
- The Detective opens their eyes and points to a player to investigate. The Moderator nods or shakes their head.
- The Doctor opens their eyes and points to a player to protect.
- Everyone wakes up, and the Moderator announces the events of the night.
- If the victim was protected by the doctor, they survive.
Day Phase
- Players discuss among themselves to deduce who is part of the Mafia.
- A vote is taken to suspect and eliminate a player. The majority decides.
- The eliminated player reveals their role and is removed from the game.
The phases continue until either all Mafia members are eliminated (Townspeople win) or there are as many Mafia members as townspeople (Mafia wins).
Strategic Tips
- Townspeople should listen carefully and look out for inconsistencies.
- Mafia must lie well and conceal their role.
- The Detective should use their information wisely and not reveal too soon.
Variations
Some versions include additional roles like 'Lovers', 'Fool', or 'Witch', adding more rules and dynamics to the game.
