Strategy Talk! Current Topic: Paranoia

[pancakemix]

Within Mafia, there are givens about how to play a certain role which can sometimes be taken for granted by us veterans. We know these roles work, but someone who's new to the game is at best going to be working on flawed logic and at worst constantly shooting in the dark. And then there are those times when we make bad decisions. It happens to all of us, and it happens because we're human. That said, I got the notion in my head to actually discuss strategy rather than just leaving it floating out in space. I believe that actually talking strategy rather than just playing it out is beneficial to both vets and newcomers.

Let's start by discussing a basic power role: the cop. It's in pretty much every game, and it is very powerful. It can detect who scum are, which is probably the most important thing any role in Mafia can do. A role of that magnitude shouldn't be allowed to be taken lightly, so please, post away! Post relevant, non-ongoing experiences here as well if you think it will help contribute.

Also, please nominate more topics for discussion. It can range from roles to situations to anything game relevant you can think of.

[DoomYoshi]

Do cops detect if a person is 3rd-party?

[Fircoal]

Do cops detect if a person is 3rd-party?

Depends on mod.

[shieldgenerator7]

yes, cops are very important roles. When, if ever, should a cop claim when not pressured by votes on him?
Another topic for discussion would be how to best defend one's self from an accusation.
Yet another: laying low vs. submarining.

[pancakemix]

Do cops detect if a person is 3rd-party?

Depends on mod.

But if it's inherently ani-town I'd think they would tell.

When, if ever, should a cop claim when not pressured by votes on him?

If the cop finds scum and there are protective roles around, it's a good idea to claim. The cop can also try to find in-thread evidence and subtly try to get the scum lynched, but that's not as common, I think.

[ga7]

I think the first thing to do when you're cop is to check if the mod has an history of adding cops with varying sanities in their games
Else without pressure you should claim after you have a scum result when you're fairly sure of your sanity. Anyhow, there can be of course other cases that depend widely on when does the situation come up in the game. If you feel you're close to LyLo and you got some innocent results still alive it could be a good idea to claim for instance. And don't forget that on top of possible sanity issues there's almost always a godfather that can screw your results. I'd say cop is one of those roles that are in theory very powerful but self-balanced as it can as easily screw the town as winning it alone.

[strike wolf]

Don't get lynched.

Note: this isn't a shot against anyone. I've only seen one case where the cop was lynched and I do not feel it was his fault.

[Victor Sullivan]

Don't get lynched.

Note: this isn't a shot against anyone. I've only seen one case where the cop was lynched and I do not feel it was his fault.

*cough* colton *cough*

[strike wolf]

When did colton get lynched as the cop again? I'm not sure I was in that game.

[TheSaxlad]

Was that the "Flying pumpkin who shoots laser beams out of its ass" incident?

[Victor Sullivan]

When did colton get lynched as the cop again? I'm not sure I was in that game.

My first NV. I don't believe you were. He was lynched Day 1

[Mr. Squirrel]

I've grown to really dislike the cop role in general, both playing as it and playing against it. Too many times have I been investigated night 1 as scum and lynched. (Rolegift mafia and POTC to name a couple) This might be that I am naturally intimidating with mafia expertise [/sarcasm] and so attract investigations a lot, or maybe I'm just unlucky. Either way, it usually makes the game rather annoying for scum when they can't even defend themselves.

As for playing the cop, I dislike it because I then feel like I have to lay low. I can't pursue certain players too much or else it might attract attention to me. Just sending in names to investigate and recieving results isn't fun to me. I like to chase trails of scumtells and loose bits of information, which is something I can't do when the town is relying on me to provide them with easy lynches.

So instead of providing strategy, I'm gonna say that all mafia games should have nerfed cops. Thats just my opinion though.

[Haggis_McMutton]

I've grown to really dislike the cop role in general, both playing as it and playing against it. Too many times have I been investigated night 1 as scum and lynched. (Rolegift mafia and POTC to name a couple) This might be that I am naturally intimidating with mafia expertise [/sarcasm] and so attract investigations a lot, or maybe I'm just unlucky. Either way, it usually makes the game rather annoying for scum when they can't even defend themselves.

As for playing the cop, I dislike it because I then feel like I have to lay low. I can't pursue certain players too much or else it might attract attention to me. Just sending in names to investigate and recieving results isn't fun to me. I like to chase trails of scumtells and loose bits of information, which is something I can't do when the town is relying on me to provide them with easy lynches.

So instead of providing strategy, I'm gonna say that all mafia games should have nerfed cops. Thats just my opinion though.

*Agrees with Mr. S.*

...

*Remembers being a godfather and being found by a cop*

...

*frowns*

[Commander9]

*Agrees with Mr. S.*

...

*Remembers being a godfather and being found by a cop*

...

*frowns*

Then you should have been less suspicious

I might post something later, but still got to finish a couple of other posts.

[Haggis_McMutton]

Then you should have been less suspicious

I might post something later, but still got to finish a couple of other posts.

godfathers are supposed to act suspicious, so they can be cleared by the cop.

*frowns some more*

:p

[Commander9]

godfathers are supposed to act suspicious, so they can be cleared by the cop.

*frowns some more*

:p

Not if they can be investigated

[safariguy5]

On the topic of cop claiming, there is a strategy called "follow the cop" that basically has the cop claim and then have the doc protect him every night until they root out all the scum. Tends to work best in smaller games with VT's. Also, is considered something of a beginner strategy as once the doc is dead, the cop can expect to die the next night, leaving town without it's power roles.

[pancakemix]

On the topic of cop claiming, there is a strategy called "follow the cop" that basically has the cop claim and then have the doc protect him every night until they root out all the scum. Tends to work best in smaller games with VT's. Also, is considered something of a beginner strategy as once the doc is dead, the cop can expect to die the next night, leaving town without it's power roles.

This also assumes there's a doc. Sometimes there isn't, and if the cop claims without protection, he's pretty much toast.

[strike wolf]

To be honest with the exception of the one time I played doc in the buffy game I rarely have role related strategies but I do agree that claiming cop too early can be disasterous.

[Rodion]

Don't get lynched.

Note: this isn't a shot against anyone. I've only seen one case where the cop was lynched and I do not feel it was his fault.

A cop was lynched on the first game I played.

[spiesr]

This also assumes there's a doc. Sometimes there isn't, and if the cop claims without protection, he's pretty much toast.

Although, unless the mafia actually know that there isn't a doc the whole thing falls into WIFOM territory. As the mafia might not want to "waste" their kill targeting a player they think will have protection...

[Streaker]

What about godfather role?
I recently got my first mafia-party role, and i was thrown into godfather. No idea how to play it, but at night i was given a few pointers.

How do you really play this one to the max?

[shieldgenerator7]

What about godfather role?
I recently got my first mafia-party role, and i was thrown into godfather. No idea how to play it, but at night i was given a few pointers.

How do you really play this one to the max?

hopefully this ins't in one of your current games?
I got that role as my first mafia role too! I just collaborated with my team on who to kill and they played it out from there. My biggest problem was trying to keep myself from seeming scummy.

[Streaker]

What about godfather role?
I recently got my first mafia-party role, and i was thrown into godfather. No idea how to play it, but at night i was given a few pointers.

How do you really play this one to the max?

hopefully this ins't in one of your current games?
I got that role as my first mafia role too! I just collaborated with my team on who to kill and they played it out from there. My biggest problem was trying to keep myself from seeming scummy.

Lol. PoTC mafia. I got sold out, the entire mafia got sold out, by another player. That game is living up to the movies though, confusion and betrayal everywhere.

[got tonkaed]

I don't know that there was much you could have done about that one to be honest. I've always seemed to find that in games with traitors, the groups have a really low success rate at figuring out the danger.