Weird situation where I am logged in to the fourms at GOG, but am not logged in for the store and cannot access my games.
Galaxy works fine, though.
ANybody wlse havew this problem.? it's occurs on Internet Explorer on Windows 7...and it's happening on tow different computers.

That was where my thinking started - however, it does have the upside that it gives some pretty concrete info depending on where in the game it gets lynched, and knowing the role is in the game gives Maf/Survivor some extra consideration about when to glom on to wagons in cases where they would normally pile on.

So I think it is more robust than that, even if I agree you've highlighted where it is weaker than vig.

Ah, I see. That makes sense.

I think the Lyncher will have to achieve and to contribute to a lynch. Not a night-kill, but a lynch and they need to be on the wagon. However, not as the Hammer.

But it's a good question what to do with the Lyncher after the lynch? Does he have to survive and turn into a neutral survivor? Does he drop out of the game? Does he turn into a regular townie? In any case I wouldn't want the game to end.

Once more about the parity cop: MS writes that the parity cop version that comparse two persons per night to each other is too powerful and difficult to balance. Why? If it doesn't have a N0 action it should play somewhat similar to the standard version, but with a bit more flexibility. Or am I overlooking something?

Concerning the phases: yes, mchack has read that correctly.

Dibs on Lyncher.

I don't really think much of the Lyncher period, but you have to also consider what happens to them if win condition can't be met. In theory you could have them drop from the game in either case, or drop = win if met, and convert to townie (or survivor) if unmet, but then if I drew that role I'd probably just be playing for the secondary win condition from the start.

I think it was Cristi ended up with a similar role at one point many games ago, and just kinda tuned out of the game when it was clear it wasn't achievable for her.

Keep in mind, there's the "truly can't be met" because that person was NKed, and the "can't be met" because it's someone who is universally town-read, or cop-cleared, etc. and then you have a game with a live player with no motivation to participate, at least in terms of their own win condition.

The two checks per night is powerful because it potentially tells you about two players, and there are a lot of scenarios where that becomes powerful fast. Albeit it could be reduced somewhat if you threw 2+ neutrals in the mix so that "different" reads are less telling, or if there was a roleblocker in the game where it's easier to lay out mechanics for reads coming as a result of one night rather than sequential comparison.

You're right. The Lyncher is difficult to play and difficult to estimate in his effect on the game balance. Perhaps I'll have to strike her from the list. But it would fit flavour-wise to have a vengeful woman around who just wants some other person she sees as witch to be lynched. Hmm, how could I replace that role?

I also have to think about how powerful to make the parity cop. Considering your feedback I see three different options:
- two persons checked per Night, no N0 action, neutral alignment(s) present
- one person per night, always compares to the read of the last night getting 'different' or 'same', one N0 action to start
- one person per night, gets codified faction read, ... nah, that would turn into a regular cop after a fitting flip.

So I think I'll go with option two.

Hmm, if I omit the lyncher, there aren't so many roles left. So I might as well make the game fully open and just leave the number of neutral survivors (between 0 and 2) undisclosed.
Or, how about a modified lyncher. You said, you'd play for secondary win condition from the start. We can keep that option open. So the Lyncher's win condition would be: 'either see PlayerX lynched OR survive to the end of the game'
So, if the Lyncher manages to contribute to the lynch of his nemesis, he can die contently, having met his goal. Or, if he decides not to pursue his lynch target or the lynch becomes impossible, he'll just have to survive until the end of the game. That way, the Lyncher role is actually easier than a pure Survivor, which is good. Because surviving the game as a neutral is hard and has, so far, only be done once in all our games, if I remember correctly.

So: scum and town roles fixed. Neutral roles random.

The target of the Lyncher, if one exists, will also be completely random. I.e. him knowing his lynch-target will NOT tell anything about that targets alignment.

The way I remember lyncher from the past was that he was town with more difficult task. He had the same wincon as town (to remove all threats) and on top of that he had to get his designated targted lynched before town wins, otherwise he would lose even if rest of town wins.

That doesn't change the problem with losing early if lynchee gets NK'ed, though.
I guess it cold be mitigated by perhaps assigning lyncher backup target in case it happens?

^ this is how I did it for game #18. Only I was a double-bastard and had two lynchers who were going for each other (flubbucket was one of them I'm pretty sure). I just assumed that they'd still be going for the town win if one of them got nightkilled, despite not being able to 'win', but I guess it's up to the individual.

Speaking from experience with an off-the-wall kind of game, don't count on the players doing what you expect them to do. It is heavily going to depend on the player for what happens.

I think I'll use the Survivor-Lyncher version randomly. I.e. either a normal Survivor, or a Survivor with an additional win-con for lynching someone, or both or none. And that will be the only non-open element of the game. All scum and town roles mentioned will be present. With the 'normal' variant of the parity cop. (Has N0 action, always compares to the read of the previous night)
I think the number of players is quite flexible, since the size of the scum faction can be adjusted to the number of players (and the number of neutrals). But it should at least be 10 players. More would be better, I think.

And if someone wants to co-mod and have a final look at the balance, that will be also welcome!

I am tired after recent games and don't feel like jumping into another so I guess I could volunteer.

Great. Thank you!

New Signup thread is live:

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/forum_mafia_56_signup_thread_the_witches_of_salem