Slayer and King: Difference between pages

Revision as of 12:14, 13 February 2024

Information

Type	Townsfolk
Artist	John Grist

"↑Betwixt the unknown strains of mortal strife→ And morbid night, sweet↓ with mystery and woe ←Lies unfettered joys of fate’s long and colored life Who’s garden blooms with each painted Face to Show."

Character Showcase

Summary

"Each night, if the dead outnumber the living, you learn 1 alive character. The Demon knows who you are."

The King learns which characters are still alive.

The King only gains this ability after a few nights have passed—once the dead players outnumber the living.
At the start of the game, the Demon learns who the King is. If a King is created mid-game, the Demon learns who the King is that night.
The King may not survive long enough to use their ability. Once the number of dead players is greater than the number of alive players, the King learns one alive character each night.
The King may learn good or evil characters, and may even learn the same character more than once.
There may not be a Choirboy in play. But if there is, and they are still alive when the Demon kills the King, the Choirboy learns who the Demon is.

How to Run

During the first night, wake the Demon. Show them the THIS PLAYER IS info token, then the King token, then point at the King player. Put the Demon to sleep.

When the number of dead players exceeds the number of alive players, add a night token to the King’s entry on the night sheet. Each night, if the King has a night token on the night sheet, wake the King. Show one alive character token. Put the King to sleep.

Think carefully about what character tokens to show the King. Don’t be afraid to give great information. Most Kings will die before the final day. A King that lives to the final day will usually win, and that’s ok.

Optional rule: the King learns an alive character once the dead equal or outnumber the living. (This makes the King more fun to play in games with an even number of players.)

Examples

Amy is the King. There are 12 players alive, and one dead player. On the second night, she learns nothing. On the third night, she learns nothing. On the fourth day, there are 7 dead players and 6 alive players. On the fourth night, Amy learns that the Snitch is alive. On the fifth night, she learns that the Witch is alive.

The Demon knows that Julian is the King. Evin is claiming to be the Choirboy, but is the Butler. The Demon takes a risk and kills Julian. If Evin was actually the Choirboy, he would have learnt which player was the Demon.

Tips & Tricks

The King is one of the few characters who can come out early and confidently. The Demon knows who the King is and knows they might be a possible trap if killed too early in the game. Because the Demon can only kill the King if they’re confident the Choirboy is out of the way, the King is likely to survive to the end game.

The King can also wait secretly. The King gets a lot of really good information at the end of the game, and while Kings often come out, staying silent might be a good way to throw the Demon off. You can quietly watch for players who seem to be paying you too much attention as this might be the Demon.

The King’s protection from the Demon lasts as long as the Choirboy is alive. Find another good player and secretly let others know that they are the Choirboy. If there is no Choirboy in play, this might help drive the Demon mad as they desperately hunt for the Choirboy. If there is one in play, it provides a false target for the Demon, helping the Choirboy (and therefore you) to stay alive.

Coming out straight away as the King creates a fun gambit. Because the only other characters who are certain whether the King is in play or not are the Choirboy and the Demon. By coming out straight away, you’re throwing down a challenge that suggests you’re either the King or the Demon. In this way, you can ask people for their characters with the promise that you will consent to be executed before the final night to lessen suspicion that you’re the Demon.

Because the King’s information at the end of the game can be very powerful and because Kings are prime suspects of being the Demon, the chance that a public King survives to the end game is quite low. If you go public, focus on using your position to form a trusted court around you rather than surviving.

There is a lot of fun in being the King and holding court. Make other players come to you and tell you their secrets, rather than wandering around the court like a peasant.

Bluffing as the King

When bluffing as the King, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

The King can be a really fun character to bluff as. Players are likely to be more accepting of Kings as being loud and directing the flow of the game. Being the King gives you a great excuse to try and steer the narrative of the game, because you should have a lot of character information at your fingertips.

It can be really helpful to build a circle of trust with a bunch of players, because if you survive until the late game, you can help verify or deny the character claims other players are making. You can support the bluff another evil player is maKing by announcing it is in play, or you can throw shade on a player by suggesting their character was never revealed to you.

If you’re a Minion, come out publicly as the King straight away, since most players will believe you are either the King or the Demon at that point. If there is a King in play, it will make them more distrusted, undermining any information they get - even if it throws you under the bus at the same time. It’s a great way to get yourself and the real King executed, thus eliminating the problem they pose for the Demon.

If you survive to the end game, use the fake information you have to make powerful revelations. Confirm the bluff of a fellow evil player. Suggest that a particular Minion or a particular Demon is in play when they are not. Just be careful to make sure your information is consistent with the game so far.

Since the Choirboy can only be in play if the King is in play, if the Demon learns there is no King in play they also know the Choirboy is not. This could potentially be two extra bluffs (which you can give your Minions) on top of those you learn at the start of the game.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 		<div id='character-details'>
-			[[File:icon_slayer.png|250px]]
+			[[File:icon_king.png|250px]]
 			<span style="display: block; color: black; font-size: 20px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;">Information</span>
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 				<tr>
 					<td>Artist</td>
-					<td>Aidan Roberts</td>
+					<td>John Grist</td>
 				</tr>
 			</table>
-			<p class='flavour'>"Die."</p>
+			<p class='flavour' style='padding: 20px 0 0 0;'>"↑Betwixt the unknown strains of mortal strife→
+And morbid night, sweet↓ with mystery and woe
-			<span style="display: block; color: black; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;">Appears in</span>
+←Lies unfettered joys of fate’s long and colored life
-			[[File:logo_trouble_brewing.png|100px]]
+Who’s garden blooms with each painted Face to Show."</p>
-			<span style="display: block; color: black; font-size: 20px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px;">Cult of the Clocktower Episode</span>
+			<span style="display: block; color: black; font-size: 20px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px;">Character Showcase</span>
-			<span style="display: block; color: black; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">by Andrew Nathenson</span>
+			<youtube>rBTs8WsYArw</youtube>
-			<div style='padding-bottom: 10px' class="html5audio" data-file="https://anchor.fm/s/daf1f9c/podcast/play/4340831/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F2019-7-24%2F21609314-44100-2-94d8d2e8d0bf8.mp3">You need to enable JavaScript to play this audio</div>
 		</div>
@@ Line 39: / Line 38: @@
 		<div class="small-12 large-6 columns">
 == Summary ==
-"Once per game, during the day, publicly choose a player: if they are the Demon, they die."
+"Each night, if the dead outnumber the living, you learn 1 alive character. The Demon knows who you are."
-The Slayer can kill the Demon by guessing who they are.
+The King learns which characters are still alive.
-* The Slayer can choose to use their ability at any time during the day, and must declare to everyone when they're using it. If the Slayer chooses the Demon, the Demon dies immediately. Otherwise, nothing happens.
+* The King only gains this ability after a few nights have passed—once the dead players outnumber the living.
-* The players do not learn the identity of the dead player. After all, it may have been the Recluse!
+* At the start of the game, the Demon learns who the King is. If a King is created mid-game, the Demon learns who the King is that night.
-* A Slayer that uses their ability while poisoned or drunk may not use it again.
+* The King may not survive long enough to use their ability. Once the number of dead players is greater than the number of alive players, the King learns one alive character each night.
-* The Slayer will want to choose an alive player. Even if the Slayer chooses a dead Imp, nothing happens, because a dead player can't die again.
+* The King may learn good or evil characters, and may even learn the same character more than once.
-* Players may say whatever they want at any time, so a player who's pretending to be the Slayer may pretend to use the Slayer ability.
+* There may not be a Choirboy in play. But if there is, and they are still alive when the Demon kills the King, the Choirboy learns who the Demon is.
 		</div>
 		<div class="small-12 large-6 columns" style="padding-right: 0;">
 == How to Run ==
-During the day, the Slayer can declare that they wish to use their ability. If so, the Slayer points at any player. If the chosen player is an alive Demon, declare that the chosen player dies—put a shroud on their character token in the Grimoire. If the chosen player is not an alive Demon, say "Nothing happens." Either way, the Slayer loses their ability—put the Slayer's '''NO ABILITY''' reminder token by the Slayer token.
-If a player is bluffing as the Slayer and declares they wish to use their ability, act as if they were indeed the Slayer—allow time for discussion, let them make the decision, and act like you're fiddling with tokens in your Grimoire, then say "Nothing happens."
+During the first night, wake the Demon. Show them the '''THIS PLAYER IS''' info token, then the King token, then point at the King player. Put the Demon to sleep.
-When the Slayer declares that they wish to use their ability, give the group a minute or two to discuss who the Slayer should choose. This allows the group to feel responsible for the win (or the loss!), but the Slayer always makes the final choice.
+When the number of dead players exceeds the number of alive players, add a night token to the King’s entry on the night sheet. Each night, if the King has a night token on the night sheet, wake the King. Show one alive character token. Put the King to sleep.
+<div class="example" style="color: #5d2123; font-style: italic; font-family: GoudyOldStyle;">
+Think carefully about what character tokens to show the King. Don’t be afraid to give great information. Most Kings will die before the final day. A King that lives to the final day will usually win, and that’s ok.
+<hr />
+Optional rule: the King learns an alive character once the dead '''equal or outnumber''' the living. (This makes the King more fun to play in games with an even number of players.)
+</div>
 		</div>
@@ Line 67: / Line 71: @@
 			<div class='example'>
-				The Slayer chooses the {{Evil|Imp}}. The {{Evil|Imp}} dies, and good wins!
+				Amy is the King. There are 12 players alive, and one dead player. On the second night, she learns nothing. On the third night, she learns nothing. On the fourth day, there are 7 dead players and 6 alive players. On the fourth night, Amy learns that the {{Good|Snitch}} is alive. On the fifth night, she learns that the {{Evil|Witch}} is alive.
-			</div>
-			<div class='example'>
-				The Slayer chooses the {{Good|Recluse}}. The Storyteller decides that the {{Good|Recluse}} registers as the {{Evil|Imp}}, so the {{Good|Recluse}} dies, but the game continues.
 			</div>
 			<div class='example'>
-				The {{Evil|Imp}} is bluffing as the Slayer. They declare that they use their Slayer ability on the {{Evil|Scarlet Woman}}. Nothing happens.
+				The Demon knows that Julian is the King. Evin is claiming to be the {{Good|Choirboy}}, but is the {{Good|Butler}}. The Demon takes a risk and kills Julian. If Evin was actually the {{Good|Choirboy}}, he would have learnt which player was the Demon.
 			</div>
@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 == Tips & Tricks ==
-* Using your ability late in the game is far more effective than using it early in the game. When fewer people are alive, there is a greater chance that you will select the Demon and win the game. Also, if fewer than five players are alive, then the {{Evil|Scarlet Woman}} cannot become the Demon after you kill it.
+* The King is one of the few characters who can come out early and confidently. The Demon knows who the King is and knows they might be a possible trap if killed too early in the game. Because the Demon can only kill the King if they’re confident the {{Good|Choirboy}} is out of the way, the King is likely to survive to the end game.
-* However, using your ability early in the game is better than not using your ability at all because you're dead. Most players will die before the final day arrives, so the odds that you'll also be dead by then are high. Make sure you use your ability before you die. The Demon will want to kill you as soon as possible, so it is usually best to wait, then claim to be the Slayer only on the day that you intend to use your ability.
-* Coordinate with the other good players to help you select which player to choose. When you tell the group that you are the Slayer, you may find that many players reveal who they are and what information they have, so that you can make the best decision about who to slay. You can make particular use of a {{Good|Fortune Teller}}'s info to find people who might be the Demon.
-* Most of the time, the player that you choose to slay will not be the Demon. This is still useful to do, since you now know a player that is definitely NOT the Demon. Knowing who the Demon isn't is almost as useful as knowing who the Demon is.
-* Sometimes, it can be useful to choose to slay a player, not because you think that they are the Demon, but because you just want to make sure that they are not. For example, if a player is claiming to be the {{Good|Saint}}, and is about to be executed, you can prove that they are not the Demon by using your ability on them - if they don't die, you will probably want to execute somebody else instead!
-* An advanced strategy can be to try to influence the Demon's kills with your shot. If someone claims to be the {{Good|Ravenkeeper}}, try to slay them. If they aren't the {{Evil|Imp}}, the real Demon will be forced to make a difficult choice: to kill them, and give them information, or to leave them alive late into the game with everyone knowing they aren't the Demon?
-* When you choose to use your ability, the Storyteller should allow a minute or so for the group to discuss who they think you should choose. They may give you advice, but it is always your decision. This period can be a good time to pretend to be "about to choose" a particular player... just so you can watch to see how much they sweat under pressure. If, for example, you really want to slay the player claiming to be the {{Good|Mayor}}, you can tell the group that you are really keen to choose the player claiming {{Good|Soldier}}, but secretly you want to see how the {{Good|Soldier}} player reacts before making your final choice.
-* If you find a {{Good|Monk}} in play, convince them to protect you every night. This way, you can publicly claim to be the Slayer, safe in the knowledge that the Demon can not kill you tonight. Whilst the {{Good|Monk}} is alive, you know you will always be alive tomorrow, so are under no pressure to use your ability today. If the {{Good|Monk}} dies at night, you are no longer safe, but if you die at night whilst the {{Good|Monk}} is still alive, then you know the player is not actually the {{Good|Monk}}.
-* Beware the {{Evil|Poisoner}}! If you publicly claim to be the Slayer, even if the {{Good|Monk}} is protecting you, you are a prime target for poisoning.
+* The King can also wait secretly. The King gets a lot of really good information at the end of the game, and while Kings often come out, staying silent might be a good way to throw the Demon off. You can quietly watch for players who seem to be paying you too much attention as this might be the Demon.
-* Your ability may work on the {{Good|Recluse}}, since the {{Good|Recluse}} might register as the Demon. If your target dies, and claims to be the {{Good|Recluse}}, then they might actually be the {{Good|Recluse}}... or they could have been the Demon, but had a {{Evil|Scarlet Woman}} who is now the Demon.
+* The King’s protection from the Demon lasts as long as the {{Good|Choirboy}} is alive. Find another good player and secretly let others know that they are the {{Good|Choirboy}}. If there is no {{Good|Choirboy}} in play, this might help drive the Demon mad as they desperately hunt for the {{Good|Choirboy}}. If there is one in play, it provides a false target for the Demon, helping the {{Good|Choirboy}} (and therefore you) to stay alive.
-* You can use your ability at any time during the day. There's no need to rush. You can even use it with the day about to end. On the block? Take your shot. Even if you don't have a clue who the Demon is, it's better to have shot someone than to die unspent.
+* Coming out straight away as the King creates a fun gambit. Because the only other characters who are certain whether the King is in play or not are the {{Good|Choirboy}} and the Demon. By coming out straight away, you’re throwing down a challenge that suggests you’re either the King or the Demon. In this way, you can ask people for their characters with the promise that you will consent to be executed before the final night to lessen suspicion that you’re the Demon.
-* Remember that your ability only works on the Demon. A person surviving your shot does not prove that they are good, merely that they are not the Demon.
+* Because the King’s information at the end of the game can be very powerful and because Kings are prime suspects of being the Demon, the chance that a public King survives to the end game is quite low. If you go public, focus on using your position to form a trusted court around you rather than surviving.
-* Be aware that the {{Evil|Imp}} may change players throughout the game. If you choose to slay a Minion early in the game, nothing will happen, but that same player may be the {{Evil|Imp}} by the end of the game.
+* There is a lot of fun in being the King and holding court. Make other players come to you and tell you their secrets, rather than wandering around the court like a peasant.
 		</div>
@@ Line 119: / Line 105: @@
 		<div class="small-12 large-12 columns" style="padding-right: 0;">
-== Bluffing as the Slayer ==
+== Bluffing as the King ==
-When bluffing as the Slayer, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
+When bluffing as the King, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
-* You would never wake in the night as the Slayer. Instead, you should publicly announce that you want to claim to be the Slayer, and the Storyteller will take care of the rest of your bluff for you. There is nothing tricky about this character as a bluff.
+* The King can be a really fun character to bluff as. Players are likely to be more accepting of Kings as being loud and directing the flow of the game. Being the King gives you a great excuse to try and steer the narrative of the game, because you should have a lot of character information at your fingertips.
-* Nobody will ever die as a result of you "using your Slayer ability". With this in mind, there are a few ways you can choose to handle it:
+* It can be really helpful to build a circle of trust with a bunch of players, because if you survive until the late game, you can help verify or deny the character claims other players are making. You can support the bluff another evil player is maKing by announcing it is in play, or you can throw shade on a player by suggesting their character was never revealed to you.
-** Deliberately slaying a Demon or another evil player to make them look like they are not the Demon, which can be useful for setting up bluffs. This is an especially good tactic when combined with the {{Evil|Scarlet Woman}}, since the real Demon can die and pass their ability to a player who has already been exonerated.
-** Slaying a good player to confirm them as not the Demon; this will enable you to 'trust' them, and will enable them to want to team up with you because of it.
-** Alternatively, you can deliberately slay a good player, and then start to appear evil (e.g. {{Good|Empath}}, setting yourself up to be read by an {{Good|Undertaker}}, etc.) Since you 'protected' a player from suspicion with your ability, they will appear evil as well.
-* Solicit the opinion of the group on who you should pick. Good players will be keen to help you make the right choice, and working with them will make you look good, also potentially coaxing information characters out from hiding who want to guide you to the right choice.
+* If you’re a Minion, come out publicly as the King straight away, since most players will believe you are either the King or the Demon at that point. If there is a King in play, it will make them more distrusted, undermining any information they get - even if it throws you under the bus at the same time. It’s a great way to get yourself and the real King executed, thus eliminating the problem they pose for the Demon.
-* The Slayer is a good "backup bluff". If you claim to be a character that is already in play, or you are otherwise under suspicion by the group, claiming that you were lying about who you were so that you could survive an extra day or two as the Slayer is believable - after all... that is what a real Slayer might very well do.
+* If you survive to the end game, use the fake information you have to make powerful revelations. Confirm the bluff of a fellow evil player. Suggest that a particular Minion or a particular Demon is in play when they are not. Just be careful to make sure your information is consistent with the game so far.
-* Bluffing as a Slayer also works for good players! A Slayer with no ability is not a high priority target for the Demon, enabling you to survive and continue secretly gathering information.
+* Since the {{Good|Choirboy}} can only be in play if the King is in play, if the Demon learns there is no King in play they also know the {{Good|Choirboy}} is not. This could potentially be two extra bluffs (which you can give your Minions) on top of those you learn at the start of the game.
 		</div>
@@ Line 141: / Line 124: @@
 </div>
-[[Category:Trouble Brewing]]
+[[Category:Experimental Characters]]
 [[Category:Townsfolk]]