Godfather

Godfather Aliases: Investigation-Immune Alpha Werewolf Master Wolf Alignment: Mafia Role type: Deceptive Protective Choice: Night Status: Experimental Normal

A Godfather is a role that investigates as Innocent (or some other favorable result) to Cops, regardless of their actual alignment.

Godfather is a name given exclusively to Mafia members. Serial Killers with investigation immunity are simply called "investigation-immune".

Godfather was considered Normal on mafiascum.net until an update in April 2016, when it was added to the "explicitly non-Normal" list. It was added back to the Normal ecosystem as an experimental role during the 2023 Normal Game realignment, for Complex Normal games only.

Normal version

This role is on the Experimental Role List, and is currently allowed in Complex Normal games.

If this role is used in a Complex Normal game, it must be announced at game start.

Godfather investigates as a favorable result to Cops-like roles, regardless of their actual alignment.

In Normal games, Godfather may not be modified.

Variations

In games with multiple killers, instead of appearing innocent on Cop reports, the Godfather may be Bulletproof instead; they will appear guilty on Cop reports as normal, but cannot be killed at Night. (This has also been called Mafia Tough Guy.)

Some games offer Godfathers both investigation- and kill-immunity simultaneously.

In more traditional games, the Godfather may be the final arbiter in who the Mafia kills that Night, and who is performing the kill. Alternatively, the Godfather may be the only Mafioso who can kill.

An investigation-immune Godfather may lose their investigation immunity if they performs a kill themselves.

A very similar role to the investigation-immune Godfather is the Ninja, who, instead of appearing innocent on Cop reports, shows as not visiting on Tracker or Watcher reports.

Alternatively to the above, some moderators take the concept of investigation immunity to make Godfather immune to some other investigation role instead of Cop.

In the setup Vengeful Mafia, the name is used for a role that causes the Mafia to lose when eliminated; this variant of the role never caught on under the name "Godfather", and has since been given the less ambiguous name Flagbearer.

Use & Balance

As with Millers, the foremost use of Godfathers is to weaken the power of a Cop. A Godfather in the setup forces the Town to eliminate at least one scum without following a Cop report. In games that should otherwise be broken by process of elimination using Cop results, this is quite a boon.

Similarly, a Bulletproof Godfather ensures that a Mafia team cannot lose solely by being killed at Night; the Godfather must be eliminated for them to lose. This is especially true if the Godfather is targeted to die by a Serial Killer, who cannot simply claim that their kill inexplicably failed.

The actual power of this role is not particularly high, given the odds of a particular Mafioso being investigated or killed being somewhat low in general. However, Mafias do not need much power to combat Town power roles, so a Godfather is usually sufficient in setups where Town's power is concentrated in a Cop or Vig.

Play Advice

An investigation immune Godfather may wish to play scummier than normal, in the hopes of getting investigated by a Cop; however, this runs the risk of being eliminated for playing scummy. Alternatively, lurking early may draw a Cop investigation, because it makes you harder to read; however, this runs the risk of being eliminated for lurking, especially if you are active in other games or it is contradictory to your normal playstyle.

Sample Role PMs

The standardized Role PM for "Godfather" describes the passive ability as follows:

• As an unmodified passive ability: You investigate as "Innocent" to Cops. (edit)

• As a passive ability with a modifier: You investigate as "Innocent" to Cops the nth time you are investigated by a Cop OR on day n. (edit)

Example (unmodified)

Welcome to game! You are a Mafia Godfather.

Your team-mates are names. You may talk to them here during night phases and confirmations only.

You investigate as "Innocent" to Cops.

You have the following active ability:

• Each Night, if no other member of your faction is performing this action, you may target a player. Assuming no interference with your action, that player will die.

You win if at least one mafia member is alive and all other players are dead (or if nothing can prevent the same).

Confirm by replying to this PM with a summary of your role.

Example (modified)

Welcome to game! You are a Mafia Odd Night Godfather.

Your team-mates are names. You may talk to them here during night phases and confirmations only.

You investigate as "Innocent" to Cops during odd-numbered Nights.

You have the following active ability:

• Each Night, if no other member of your faction is performing this action, you may target a player. Assuming no interference with your action, that player will die.

You win if at least one mafia member is alive and all other players are dead (or if nothing can prevent the same).

Confirm by replying to this PM with a summary of your role.