Variants of Mafia Rules

Mayor

This variant was suggested by Charles Stokes of Samford University. The mayor is a weakened vigilante. He may kill once during the game, night or day. In some variants, he may kill only during the day.

In Mr. Stokes' own words:

The mayor is a normal citizen in every way except that she can make one kill during the game. The mayor wakes up the first night to identify herself to the moderator and does not wake up again (except in Mayor wakes every night variant of this character, see below). At anytime during the day, the mayor may indicate to the moderator who she wishes to kill. Nothing happens to this person at this time, however, and play continues normally. At the end of that day after everyone "falls asleep" the moderator announces that the person killed by the mayor is dead by action of the mayor. The mayor may only exercise this power once and after doing so is a normal citizen with no special abilities.

Clarifications

  • Like other normal characters the mayor has no power when dead.
  • Anyone may claim to be the mayor and ask to execute someone, the moderator never indicates who actually effected the execution (since we also play with secret identities it is possible to not know who was the real mayor until the end of the game)
  • Once someone has announced she is the mayor and said who she wishes to execute, the pronouncement is irrevocable. In other words, even if she changes her mind, the person will die at the beginning of the night.
  • If the person who the mayor announces to execute is executed by vote in the town that same day and thus is already dead at the beginning of the night, the moderator announces nothing and continues play as normal, but notes (to himself, not aloud) the mayor has already used her power.
  • If the person who the mayor announces to execute is the final Mafia the moderator may end the game immediately or let discussion continue for fun and then end the game at the beginning of the night.

    Immediate Execution by Mayor

    In this variant the person is executed in the daytime immediately upon pronouncement of the mayor with the effect of silencing that person even in mid-sentence. This variant is fun and easy, but a little less strategic since the mayor's identity as a citizen is known to everyone after this and no one can ever fake being the mayor. It is the mayor is put on trial in this version. They almost always use their power to gain acquittal . . . and execute whoever is leading the charge against them.

    Mayor Wakes Every Night

    The moderator awakens the mayor every night and asks the mayor if she wants to use her power. Because we use secret identities the moderator continues to ask for the mayor every night if the mayor dies. After the mayor uses her power it is no longer necessary to continue to ask for the mayor to awaken.

    "Morning After" Execution

    This variant postpones the execution by a mayor until the "morning" (very first thing)of the next day after the mayor has called for the execution. This adds the possibility that the Mafia may choose to execute someone who was going to die already (thus wasting an opportunity to kill someone else). In addition, someone may claim to be the mayor and ask for the execution of someone in hopes that the Mafia will refrain from killing that person in the night.

    Note - We played this variant on 6/24/99 and it met with approval.

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