How to Play Mafia
Flash Guide to Mafia
An extremely helpful picture/video guide to the basics of playing mafia.
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Main Page
Mafia Dictionary
(Based on the Org's
Mafia Glossary)
Ability: A special power bestowed upon a player, such as the ability to scan or protect.
Abstain: A vote during a day phase which registers that a player is present and playing the game, but cannot decide on who to lynch that day. Abstain is (typically) distinct from No Lynch. Some games do not permit Abstain votes.
Active Player: Someone who participates in the thread and actively tries to help their team win the game. This is what you want to be.
Bandwagon: Generally refers to a poor case that suddenly steamrolls in momentum by gaining multiple votes. The term is also frequently, but (according to some) inaccurately, used to refer to any situation in which a single player has a large number of votes.
Bussing: Scum voting for their partner to make themselves look like a townie.
Day Phase: The phase of the game where players vote to lynch someone and players with Day abilities use them. Typically 48 hours long, although in smaller games it might only be 24 hours.
Finger of Suspicion (FoS): Used to draw attention to players who are acting Scummy but who, for whatever reason, are not worth voting for at that precise moment.
Game Moderator (GM, Host): The host of the game. Writes the updates and runs the game.
Items: Possessions that generally give a player effects similar to an ability. If a player has an item(s) when they die, then that item(s) will typically be voted upon along with the lynch in the following day, typically in a different color. These are more prevalent in NOTW.
Inactive Player: Someone who does not vote or participate in the thread. Typically replaced or forced to suffer the Wrath of God.
Lurker: Someone who posts very little, but is still paying attention to the game.
Lynch or Lose (Lylo): Day Phase in which the town must lynch correctly or they will lose the game. This is not necessarily the last Day Phase of the game.
Lynch: When a player who receives the most votes during the Day Phase is killed.
Mafia: Name of the game, as well as the main game faction which is trying to eliminate the town. This term is commonly used for that faction even if the Host's storyline gives the group some other name (e.g. Sith, Vampires, Mecha-Satans). Generally, the mafia achieve victory when the town has been eliminated.
Mafia/NOTW: The forum where mafia games take place.
Mafioso (or Scum, Scumbag): A member of the mafia team.
Metagaming: Using out-of-game information, or resources, to affect one's in-game decisions.
Night Phase: Period of the game when the mafia or any other players with night abilities PM the GM, telling him/her what they wish to do during the night.
No Lynch: A vote during a Day Phase to lynch no one. Not to be confused with Abstain. Some games do not allow No Lynch votes.
NOTW: A game similar to mafia which is played in this same subforum.
OMGUS: Stands for "Oh My God U Suck", refers to voting someone for the sole reason that they voted you. Generally frowned upon.
Perfect Information Syndrome (PIS): When a mafioso accidentally reveals he knows more than the average uninformed townie really should, either through directly declaring such information while talking about something else, or through their voting patterns.
Personal Goal: A goal specifically tailored to an individual player, secondary to their main victory condition. More commonly seen in NOTW.
QuickTopic (QT): A thread players can start on QuickTopic.com, a way of anonymously communicating with other players and storing information. Sort of like a conference call.
Reserve: A player who takes over for another player who is about to be removed by the host due to inactivity, or some other reason. Replacement is far more preferable than suicide or WoG, as it does not upset game balance.
Reveal: Publicly telling everyone in the game thread your player role.
Role PM: PM sent to each player that describes their player; lists any abilities, items, strength, background, etc.
Scan: The process of a player using an ability to determine a specific type of information about another player.
Scummy: Behavior which is perceived to be typical of Mafia.
Scumtell: Something a player has done that points then being mafia.
Strength: How strong a player is (obviously). Typically used to determine the outcome of night kills, but may also used for lynches. More commonly seen in NOTW.
Third on the Bandwagon: A situation in which a player is the third person to vote for another player. In the past, this was used as evidence that the player is scum and is trying to blend into a vote without needing to initiate a case themselves, but this reasoning has fallen out of favor as mafia are keenly aware of this trope at this point.
Town: The game faction which is trying to eliminate the mafia. Includes all players working towards this victory objective, regardless of their specific role. This term is commonly used for that faction even if the Host's storyline gives the group some other name (e.g. Jedi, Mecha-Angels).
Townie (or Innocent): This term has two different definitions. In its literal term, it means a player without any kind of special role. However, it is also commonly used to refer to anyone who is working towards a Town victory, such as Detective.
Vanilla: Used to refer to something that is completely plain, such as a role without any abilities/strength/items/etc., or a mafia game in its most basic form.
WIFOM: Stands for "wine in front of me", a reference to a scene from "The Princess Bride". Describes a situation where a player makes seemingly nonsensical or suspicious statements in order to create confusion. Commonly used to refer to a player who for whatever reason is deliberately doing something generally seen as scummy.
Wrath of God (WoG): When a player is killed by the GM due to inactivity or rulebreaks.
Write-up (or Update): The GM’s report of what occurred during the Day or Night Phase.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask them in this thread.
Jump to:
Post #1: Current Mafia Events
Post #3: Standard Rules
Post #4: Past Mafia Events
Post #5: Players of Mafia
