Description

Werewolf is a social game that takes place over a series of game days.

Players should sit in a circle, preferably around a table. The Moderator will deal out a role card to each player. The players do not share these roles with each other.

At the beginning of the game the Moderator will ask everyone in the game to “go to sleep”. The players will either put their heads down or cover their eyes. At the Moderator's discretion, some games require the players to make noise by humming or tapping on the table. The Moderator wakes up all players that have a special ability, one by one, to identify what roles are held by which players. The Moderator will then wake every one up and begin the first day phase.

During the day phase, the players use a freeform discussion to attempt to determine who among them is a Werewolf and vote to lynch them. Most voting takes the form of someone laying an official accusation, a second person seconds the nominations the accused may say something in their own defense and then the Moderator calls for a vote. Players vote with a thumbs up to save or a thumbs down to kill at a count of 3. A majority vote to kill removes the player from the game.

During the night phase the Moderator wakes any special players who have night time abilities, one by one or by group, to have them act upon their special powers. Most important among these are the Werewolves and the Seer. The Werewolves will choose a victim and that player dies when the Village wakes up. The Seer is given a chance to investigate one person per night. The Moderatorwill silently tell them whether or not the chosen target is a Werewolf. Play then continues with another day phase.

Werewolf requires some players to mislead other players in order to win. The players on the Werewolf team must attempt to avoid suspicion while causing the Villagers to lynch each other. Players like the Seer require them to attempt to assist the Village in identifying the Werewolves without revealing their identity. If the Seer were to reveal who they were then they would most certainly be the next target chosen by the Werewolves.

Play continues in these cycles until someone has met their victory conditions. The Werewolves win if they achieve parity, or an equal number of remaining Werewolves and Villagers. The Villagers win if they are able to kill all of the Werewolves.

Additional roles allow the Moderator to adjust the balance between the Villagers and the Werewolves. By default the Werewolves should win most of the time.

Giving the Villagers addition powers, like the Guard or the Masons, tilts the balance toward them. Roles like the Remorseful Werewolf or the Lone Wolf cause the Werewolves to turn against one another and balance against the Werewolves.

To balance against the Village add roles that hamper them like the Fool or the Hapless Victim, or giving the Werewolves extra abilities like the Alpha Werewolf, Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing or a Worshiper.