Simple

If you are looking for the Simple compartment of Normal Games, see Simple Normal.

Simple Alias: none Alignment: any Role type: Investigative Negative Utility Choice: none Status: Complex Normal

Simple is a role modifier that modifies the way in which an active action is used; it causes the action to fail, as though it were roleblocked, when used against a player who is not vanilla. In other words, only Vanilla Townies and Goons of the various anti-town factions will be affected by a Simple action; other players are too complex to be vulnerable.

Normal version

This modifier is allowed in Complex Normal games.

Simple is an acceptable modifier under Normal guidelines on mafiascum.net, when used on an active role belonging to a player of any Town or Mafia/Werewolf alignment. It causes the role to behave as though it were roleblocked when targeting a player who is not vanilla.

Variations

The opposite of this modifier is Complex.

Use & Balance

Simple roles have somewhat different uses in practice depending on the role.

With an investigative role, making the role Simple effectively adds (unreliable, but still fairly reliable) Vanilla Cop functionality via the No Result result. If the original role could differentiate a Vanilla Townie from a Mafia Goon, there are now effectively three results, leading to a slightly stronger Neapolitan.

With manipulative roles, making the role Simple effectively prevents them being used on anything other than a factional kill. This is normally beneficial to a Town user of the role, as it prevents them affecting other townies' roles by mistake (a Vanilla Townie would have no actions to affect), although not as beneficial as being Disloyal would be (as it won't affect Mafia power roles even if they're "spending a night as a Goon" rather than using their role).

With protective roles (assuming Town-sided), Simplifying them removes one of their main functions (that of keeping other power roles alive and thus gaining more uses of their ability), thus restricting them to only being able to save strong Town voices. A Simple Doctor has no useful interactions with other Town roles, and thus can be substantially weaker than an unmodified Doctor (but will be almost as strong in a setup where there were no useful interactions anyway). This is one possible method of breaking up Follow the Cop (via modifying the Doctor; it's thus the converse of Macho, a modifier that achieves the same thing when placed on the Cop).

Sample Role PMs

The standardized Role PM for "Simple" describes the modifier as follows:

• As a modifier on a single ability: This action will be blocked if used on a player who is not vanilla. (edit)

• As a modifier that affects all abilities: Your night actions will be blocked if used on players who are not vanilla. (edit)

Example (modifying a single ability)

Welcome to game! You are a Town Simple Jailkeeper.

You have the following active ability:

• Each Night, you may target a player. Assuming no interference with your action, that player will be protected from kills that night, but all their actions will be blocked that night. This action will be blocked if used on a player who is not vanilla.

You win if all threats to the town are eliminated and at least one town-aligned player is alive.

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

Example (affecting all abilities)

Welcome to game! You are a Town Simple Jack of All Trades Tracker Doctor.

Your night actions will be blocked if used on players who are not vanilla.

You have the following active abilities, but may use only one per Night:

• Once in the game at night, you may target a player. Assuming no interference with your action, you will learn who that player targeted that night. (You will get "no result" if this action is blocked.)
• Once in the game at night, you may target a player. Assuming no interference with your action, that player will be protected from one kill that night.

You win if all threats to the town are eliminated and at least one town-aligned player is alive.

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