Guilt by Association

Implying a connection between a proven guilty person and someone whose Faction is currently unknown is a key element of the game of Mafia; however, it can also be used by Scum in order to set someone up for a fall. Players should avoid rushing to conclusions based on a single circumstantial piece of evidence.

For example, Scum may choose to leave a certain player alive during the Night in order to capitalize on some implied association they have with other players now shown to be guilty. This frequently happens when there is more than one Scum group in the game, or in the Endgame. Players who open the Day with a fully-realized argument for why a certain player must be Scum may have deduced a crucial error by the Scum, or they may be Scum themselves looking to set up a quick win or a more advantageous position for later. The adage that "short days hurt the Town" still applies, even (and possibly especially!) in the latter stages of the game.