Town of Salem

Gameplay

The game ranges from 7 to 15 players and can be played in multiple modes that vary the gameplay. At the start of each game, players pick a name or are assigned a random one for that round. The players are then randomly divided into three main alignments: the town, the Mafia and Neutrals. The goal of each faction is to eliminate all other opposing factions. There are four types of Neutrals: Killing, Benign, Evil and Chaos. The Neutral Killing factions are the Serial Killers, Arsonists and Werewolves. The only Chaos faction are the Vampires. All Evil roles have their own goals. The Benign Survivor and the Evil Witch roles both have to survive until the end, but the Witches can't win with the town.

While all Town players don't know the roles of other players in a game, members of the Mafia know the names of other Mafia members, and Vampires know the names of fellow Vampires.

Phases

The game is divided into 2 main phases during which players may use their roles' abilities, depending on each individual role. The game consists of night and day, each lasting a specific amount of time (depending on the game mode).

Discussion

The Discussion Phase allows players to discuss events that have happened in previous phases. The Discussion Phase only lasts 45 seconds; however, once the Vote Phase starts, players may still discuss while they decide who to vote against. The Jailor, who can choose to jail someone for the following night; the Mayor, who can reveal themselves for three votes; and any Mediums who have died and still have a seance can use their abilities during the day by selecting a sun icon. On Day 1, the Discussion Phase skips the voting phase and goes into Night Phase for that day. The Discussion Phase is shortened to 15 seconds on Day 1 and in Rapid Mode.

Vote

During this phase, players may vote another player to be lynched. Votes can be changed and canceled. The number of votes needed for a player to be lynched and initiate the Defense Phase depends on the number of players alive.

In order to force someone up to the stand, more than half of the player count must vote for them to be lynched. If the player voted up is later declared innocent, then another vote may take place. If all 3 trials are used, the night phase will begin. The Vote Phase will go to Night if no player is voted up to be lynched after 30 seconds.

Only 3 trials can be held every day.

Defense

The Defense Phase is a part of the session where the victim that has been voted up only has 20 seconds to plead their innocence while all other players are silenced. If said player has been blackmailed by a blackmailer, whatever he or she types into the chat will come up as 'I am blackmailed' to them; this also carries over to the Judgement Phase.

Judgment

During this phase, the town will have 30 seconds to discuss and vote on the fate of the defendant. Players may choose to vote innocent, guilty, or decide not to vote (abstain). Votes can be changed and canceled. If at least half of players who have voted find the defendant innocent, the game goes back to the Vote Phase, resumes the countdown, and another player (even the previous defendant) may be lynched depending on how much time is left. If the majority of players who have voted find the defendant guilty, the defendant is sentenced to death and the Judgment Phase transitions to the Last Words Phase.

Last Words

The Last Words Phase is a 5-second phase where the defendant who had been voted guilty gets to say one last thing before they are lynched. All other players are silenced during this phase.

Night

The Night is when most roles have 35 seconds to use their abilities. Serial Killers may stab people but if they're role blocked, they'll attack the role blocker, Doctors can choose to heal a person who may be attacked, Sheriffs can find a player's faction, Amnesiacs can remember a role, Arsonists may douse someone etc. Every even Night there is a Full Moon, which enables the Werewolf to use their night ability, maul a player and everyone who visits them. Some consider Nights with a Full Moon its own phase called Full Moon Phase. Players cannot normally communicate during the Night with the exception of the following: Mafia members, who have a private chat that only other mafia and Spies can see; Vampires, who have the same ability to talk privately, but their conversations can be listened to by a Vampire Hunter; Mediums, who may speak with the dead; and the Jailor, who may converse with the player that they have decided to jail. The Night Phase is shortened to 10 seconds in Rapid Mode.

Spectate

This phase is initiated for a player after their death. The player may spectate the game until it ends. If the player's role is Medium, the player may pick one living player and talk to them during the Night. If there is a Medium alive, the players in the Spectate Phase may talk to them during the night. Retributionists may revive one dead town player who has not yet left the game, but not if the retributionist is already dead. After being executed via lynching, the Jester may choose a living player who voted the Jester guilty to haunt and kill. Spies, Vampire Hunters and Blackmailers still have their chat related role after they die. The Spectators are technically ghosts. When chatting, no living player will be able to hear the dead except for the Medium. Players in the Spectate Phase are able to differentiate the chat between players in the same phase and living players by the color of the text that appears in the text box.

List of roles

Town of Salem has 26 common roles and 7 unique roles ensuring a different experience each time you play. Before a game starts players are put into a lobby, and in the event of a custom game, the host can select what roles will be in the game. Ranked games consist of a jailor, 2 Town Investigatives, 2 Town Supports, a town protective, 1 Town Killing, 1 Neutral evil, benign, and killing. Players are then assigned roles at random by the wheel, which displays all roles, but only the roles available in the game are able to be assigned. The chances of receiving a certain role can be increased by using certain scrolls. Players have an in-game role card that explains their role's abilities and alignments. Jailors commonly ask jailed players for abilities or attributes which is frowned upon by BlankMediaGames because it is considered metagaming. However, it is generally accepted within the game that, if jailed, the Jailor will ask for your role and deduct which roles could be alive using the rolelist.

Investigator

This role chooses to investigate one player each night. They receive a report with an attribute of that player's role and three roles that the attribute may point to, for example: "Your target owns weapons. They could be a Vigilante, Veteran or Mafioso".

Lookout

This role chooses to watch one player each night. They will be notified if anyone else visits that player on that night. The term Lookout is used to describe a person who accompanies criminals during the commission of a crime, and warns them of the impending approach of hazards.

Sheriff

This role chooses to interrogate one player each night. They will be told that the player is not suspicious, except if the player is a member of the Mafia (except for the Godfather), a Serial Killer or a Werewolf (only during a full moon).

Spy

This role is able to read the Mafia chat at night, and is also notified as to whom the Mafia visits that night. They may also hear whispers during the day.

Jailor

This unique role chooses one player to jail each day. Jailed players are unable to perform their role's ability, but protected from any type of attack. The Jailor can converse with their jailed target. The Jailor can choose to execute the player they jailed starting the second night (this bypasses night immunity); this can be done up to a maximum of 3 times. If the executed player is a Town member, the Jailor loses the remaining executions. If the Jailor jails a Serial Killer or Werewolf (only during full moon), and does not execute the player, the Jailor will instead be attacked and killed.

Vampire Hunter

This role checks one player each night. If the Vampire Hunter visits or is visited by a Vampire, the Vampire is killed. When no Vampires are left, the Vampire Hunter becomes a Vigilante with one shot remaining.

Veteran

This unique role can choose to go on alert at night, up to a maximum of 3 times. Anyone who visits the Veteran when they are on alert will be killed (this bypasses night immunity). A Veteran cannot be blocked from going on alert.

Vigilante

This role can choose to kill one player at night, up to a maximum of 3 times. If the Vigilante kills a Town member, they will die after the next night ("from guilt"). The Vigilante cannot kill on night 1, to discourage random shots. Vigilante is a civilian pursuing self-perceived justice without legal authority. The Vigilante cannot bypass night immunity.

Bodyguard

This role chooses one player every night to protect. If the player the Bodyguard chooses is targeted by a killing role, the Bodyguard kills the attacker and dies (this bypasses night immunity). The Bodyguard also has one bulletproof vest that they can use to protect themselves for one night. Can not protect their target from being ignited by an Arsonist.

Doctor

This role chooses one player to heal. If the healed player is targeted by a killing role, they will not die. The Doctor also has one self-heal. Can not protect their target from being ignited by an Arsonist.

Escort

This role chooses one player every night. They will be blocked from using their ability. If the Escort visits a Serial Killer, the Escort will be stabbed and killed by the Serial Killer they visited. The same applies for visiting a Werewolf during a full moon. The Escort's visit cannot be blocked. Escorts are sex workers who advertise their services inconspicuously, never displaying their profession publicly and protecting their identities.

Mayor

This unique role can choose to reveal themselves during the day. A revealed Mayor's vote counts as 3 votes during the voting phase; however, the Mayor cannot be healed by the Doctor once revealed. The Mayor also can't whisper or receive whispers after revealing themselves.

Medium

This role can communicate with dead players during the night. Once dead, a Medium can choose a single living player during the day, which they will be able to speak with in the following night. Medium is the singular form of media.

Retributionist

This unique role can choose to revive one dead town-aligned player at night (unless they have left the game).

Transporter

This role can choose two players every night; actions that target one player will target the other. Players who are transported will be notified as such. The Transporter may choose to transport themselves.

Disguiser

This role can choose one player at night. If the Disguiser is killed after disguising, the following day, his role will be that of the player he disguised as. Example: The Disguiser disguises as a Veteran. That night, the disguiser is killed. When his role is shown to the town, it will say "Veteran".

Forger

This role can choose to forge one player's last will during night. This will only be successful if the forged player dies during the same night. There are 3 forgeries available. Forgery is the process of altering documents in order to deceive the public.

Framer

This role can choose one player to frame every night. Framed targets will appear as a member of the Mafia to the Sheriff, and as Framer, Vampire or Jester to the Investigator. Frameup, as in the act of framing someone, is providing false evidence or false testimony in order to falsely prove someone guilty of a crime.

Janitor

This role can choose one player to clean at night, up to a maximum of 3 times. If that player dies, their role and last will is not going to be revealed. Only the Janitor will be notified of the dead player's role.

Godfather

This unique role chooses a player every night for the Mafia to kill. The Godfather will appear as not being suspicious to the Sheriff, and is immune to being killed at night (except against Arsonist and Werewolf). The Godfather has power over the Mafioso, and controls their attack. The Godfather role is based on Vito Corleone in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather.

Mafioso

This unique role votes to kill a player every night. If both Mafioso and Godfather are present, the Mafioso performs the kill that the Godfather chooses. If the Godfather dies and the Mafioso is alive, that Mafioso becomes the next Godfather. If the Mafioso dies with no Godfather alive, a random member of the Mafia (if any) will be promoted to a Mafioso.

Blackmailer

This role can choose a player to blackmail every night. Blackmailed players are unable to speak during the day, and will only say "I am blackmailed." if on trial. Blackmailers can read others' whispers.

Consigliere

This role can choose to investigate one player each night. They receive an exact role of the player they targeted. Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian, Calabrian and American Mafia. In Italian, consigliere means "adviser" or "counselor".

Consort

This role can choose one player every night. They will be blocked from using their night ability. If the Consort visits a Serial Killer or a Werewolf (only during full moon), the Consort will die. The Consort's visit cannot be blocked.

Amnesiac

This role may choose a dead player (with a non-unique role) at night. The Amnesiac becomes that player's role, and must follow that role's objective in order to win. The Amnesiac's choice will be anonymously revealed to the town. Amnesiac is derived from amnesia, the loss of memory.

Survivor

This role's aim is to survive the entire game. A Survivor has four bulletproof vests, which they may put on, making themselves immune that night (except against Arsonist and Werewolf).

Vampire

This role may choose a player on non-consecutive nights. That player is bitten and becomes a Vampire. Generally, only Town roles can be bitten. The newest surviving Vampire, known as the "Youngest", performs the next bite. If a Vampire bites a Mafia member, instead of turning into a Vampire, the bitten Mafia member will die.

Executioner

This role is given a player with a Town role that is not a Mayor or Jailor. The Executioner wins only if that player is lynched. If the Executioner's target is killed at night, they become a Jester. Executioners have night immunity to attacks (except against Arsonist and Werewolf) until turned into a Jester.

Jester

This role only wins if lynched. Once lynched, a dead Jester may choose one player, who voted guilty, the next night. That player dies of guilt (this bypasses night immunity). Jesters were entertainers during the medieval and Renaissance eras.

Witch

This role may choose one player each night and make them target another player. The Witch wins if they are alive when any faction except the Town wins. The Witch will be told the role of their first target.

Arsonist

This role may choose one player each night to douse in gasoline. Doused players will not be notified as such (since the 1.11 patch). An Arsonist may also select themselves to ignite all doused players, killing them (this bypasses night immunity). Arsonists can also decide not to use their ability during night to clean gasoline off themselves. All doused players appear to the Investigator as a Bodyguard, Godfather or Arsonist. An Arsonist cannot be killed at night (except by themselves, another Arsonist or a Werewolf). The Arsonist role is considered by many members in the Town of Salem community to be the least powerful.

Serial Killer

This role chooses one player to kill each night. If jailed and not executed the Serial Killer will kill the Jailor. If blocked during night by an Escort or Consort the Serial Killer will stay at home and kill them. The role has night Immunity (except against Arsonist and Werewolf).

Werewolf

This unique role can attack only on even-numbered nights (nights of the full moon). A Werewolf chooses one player when active; the Werewolf will kill that player and every other player who visits them (this bypasses night immunity). A Werewolf appears suspicious to the sheriff only on nights with a full moon, and cannot be killed at night.

Trivia