Q&A for How to Play Mafia

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  • Question
    Can you give me an example of a short story for a victim killed by mafia?
    Community Answer
    He was walking down the street, minding his own business. A black car came and someone shot him. No one knows who did it.
  • Question
    If there is one mafia person and one healer left, is it a draw?
    Community Answer
    No, this is mafia win. Any time there are equal numbers of mafia and town members left alive, the win should go to the mafia. There are no draws in this game.
  • Question
    What happens if the officer is killed?
    Nicolas
    Community Answer
    Then the officer is killed. Keep playing the game.
  • Question
    Can I use slips of paper to decide which person is which?
    Ashley Bao
    Community Answer
    Yes. Write the roles on the slips of paper, fold them in half, and have each person randomly pick a slip. This works great when you don't have a deck of cards on hand.
  • Question
    If a member of the mafia is eliminated by the sheriff, do they leave the game? And if the person killed by mafia is not saved by the doctor, do they leave the game?
    Community Answer
    The game ends when all mafia are killed. The mafia can't be killed by the sheriff. The sheriff can only find out if they are a member, then without revealing they are the sheriff, try to persuade everyone else to vote for the member. If someone is killed, they leave the game until the next game.
  • Question
    Can the sheriff say, "I am the sheriff and I accused this person. He/she ended up being the mafia. Vote to kill him/her."
    Nicolas
    Community Answer
    Yes. However, since you're allowed to lie about your role at any time, other people might not believe you. Fortunately, there's an easy way to convince people you're the sheriff. If accused, say something like, "I'm not the mafia, I'm the sheriff. I investigated X, and found them to be the mafia. Lynch them, and if they weren't the mafia, kill me next round." Most sensible players will kill off the person you've discovered as the mafia. If you're still accused, ask if anyone else is the sheriff. The person you accused will probably lie and say they're the sheriff.
  • Question
    How long does a game with no extra roles typically take to play?
    Community Answer
    It varies based on how many people you have, with about five it can take 5-10 minutes, with about ten it could take 10-30 minutes, depending on how many mafia members you have.
  • Question
    Can the mafia kill itself?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but it’s silly and the other mafia would vote against it, because, otherwise, it would bring their numbers down. However, it could confuse the villagers and take them off your scent.
  • Question
    How do I defend myself in the game as it is basically impossible?
    Community Answer
    You can't, unless of course you make an alliance with other people, or if you add some of the extra roles.
  • Question
    Do I just complete the steps and leave out the cards if I don't want to play with the cards?
    Michael
    Community Answer
    Yes, you just need the moderator to tell everyone their role and it will be fine.
  • Question
    How do I play mafia with a lot of people?
    Community Answer
    All you do is make more mafia, and add other roles, like a grandma with a shotgun or lawyer. You can find the extra roles above.
  • Question
    What happens if there are an equal amount of innocent votes and guilty votes when someone is accused when playing Mafia?
    Community Answer
    Then you treat it as a hung jury and move on in the game without using the votes. It's good for the mafia, as they won't get caught.
  • Question
    Can a mafia member kill another mafia member?
    Community Answer
    Yes, the individual mafia members can kill other mafia members if they are directed to do so or if they choose to do so.
  • Question
    How will the story go if the magician kills the mafia?
    Community Answer
    Something along the lines of this: "So the magician apparently was able to track down one of the mafia and kill him with a (insert something a magician uses that can be deadly if not used correctly). The magician has killed one mafia and now there are (insert number of mafia left) mafia left that are still in hiding!"
  • Question
    I've heard that there is a character in Mafia called the '"Peeping girl." What does she do?
    Community Answer
    See "The Peeping Tom" in the article. It's the same thing. That person can open their eyes at any time.
  • Question
    What if I have 9 people? How many mafia’s would I need?
    Community Answer
    2 would be good.
  • Question
    Does the Mafia have to agree on whom to kill?
    Nightdark
    Community Answer
    Most of the time, yes, but sometimes each mafia member can select a hit target.
  • Question
    Is there a vigilante?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    Vigilantes are characters in the "Mafia" video game series, not the card/party game.
  • Question
    What happen when 3 townspeople (including the doctor) and 3 mafia are left?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    The game will continue until only one team remains. However, if the mafia takes a 3-2 majority, the game can be forefited since the mafia will automatically have the numbers to eliminate everyone else.
  • Question
    In case of a large group of people, and two competing mafia groups, do both groups open their eyes at the same time during the night cycle?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    No. If you decide to play with two competing mafia groups, each group will have their own phase where they open their eyes during the night cycle.
  • Question
    Could this be played in different rooms like Among Us?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    Mafia can be played over Zoom or via headphones from multiple places. However, rules will have to be adapted accordingly to accommodate an online environment and prevent cheating.
  • Question
    What is TikTok mafia? Is it related to this?
    Community Answer
    TikTok mafia has nothing to do with this game, it is based on roleplaying as gangsters.
  • Question
    Is mafia school-appropriate?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    This depends on the school. The title "mafia" may be flagged by some parents and teachers as promoting gang violence. Though this is not the game's goal, consider changing the name of the game to something more kid-friendly and changing the term "kill" to "eliminate."
  • Question
    Is there a way for the moderator to play?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    The moderator plays in a sense. They keep track of eliminations, saves, accusations, and they tell unique stories. However, there is no way for the moderator to participate in eliminations or accusations.
  • Question
    What does the mafia do?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    The mafia "kills" (eliminates) players from the game during every night cycle (the part of the game when players close their eyes)
  • Question
    Can the detective and doctor reveal who they are during the game?
    Finn Kobler
    Community Answer
    The detective and doctor can reveal their identities as long as they don't show their cards to confirm what they're saying is the truth.
  • Question
    Is this an active game?
    CLARA MAGYAR
    Community Answer
    If by active, you mean involves physical activity, no. It can be played sitting down or standing up, and it does not require running around.
  • Question
    What happens when mafia kills the detective - what is the next process of the game?
    CLARA MAGYAR
    Community Answer
    You can still play, but the detective will not investigate someone and only the townspeople can vote who to kill.
  • Question
    If the doctor saves someone, everyone will know the saved person is not mafia, right?
    SunPuppy
    Community Answer
    Since no one knows each other's roles, then the doctor could possibly save someone who is the mafia. The doctor can save anyone, even the mafia.
  • Question
    Can mafia be played with 30 people?
    Madeleine Barrowman
    Community Answer
    Yes, although it would be useful to create teams and extra roles to make playing easier.
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