Running Werewolf
So you're finally able to meet up with a bunch of friends and you’ve offered to moderate a game of werewolf. You're starting to feeling a bit nervous, that’s fair, you’re in charge of the game and the rules, want everyone to have fun, and they’re all going to be looking at you… okay breathe, breathe – it’s going to be fine!
First off, remember that everyone else is here because they want to play the game and none of them wanted to step into the moderator’s role, they all want you to do well!
Note that I will be referring specifically to characters from my well worn copy of Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow - The Pact for examples but the broad advice is true for their equivalents in other versions.
Player count
Firstly can I recommend that you don’t play with less than 10 or more than 20. My gaming group love social deduction games and werewolf particularly, but we tend to play Avalon with less than 10, Werewolves up to 20 and for counts above that we play Two Rooms and a Boom.
I know the box says 8, but trust me you won’t have as great a time or get to play with a range of roles without more than the minimum.
On the other side, one of the most common complaints about the game is that players sit out for extended periods of time, and with more than 20 players this can become a very long wait. Two Rooms doesn’t have this limitation as players are constantly engaged in the game, so if you can and you have enough people I’d really recommend trying this game out; it’s a unique experience and you can find out more about it here.
Game changer
I start the game with a brief welcome to the village (on future games with the same group I’ll mention the low house prices, the extensive whitewash or the prevalence of wolf skin rugs). I’ll explain that everyone’s tired having recently moved in, and we'll begin with a night phase.
This first night is a little different to the usual one as I'm always the werewolves’ victim; I can’t be saved by the witch, defender, etc. a point I make looking for pantomime cries of sadness. This has three effects; first, it bends the game a little in favor of the villagers as the seer is able to acquire some information in safety. Secondly, it ensures no one is out of the game before they get to play at all, as if you are lynched on the first day you at least get to defend yourself. Thirdly, it sets a tone for the game. By making myself the first victim and encouraging panto ohhs and ahhs, or for some reason declarations that no one cares, we get some laughter and keep everything light-hearted.
From a practical perspective folded ‘RIP’ tents are very useful so everyone can see who is still in the game along with flashcards of the roles in play for you to work through during the night phase. Finally a 2 minutes timer can also be useful to keep the game moving.
Roles to play with
While various versions offer advice on which roles to include and how they balance, my experience is that the moderator is best placed to make this judgement. How the players are playing, which side has won most often, if wins are luck or skill and so on will all give you a read on which way to adjust the game.
Particularly when I have new players I start out with simple roles: villagers, werewolves and the seer. I tend to include one werewolf per five players, so for ten players I would start with two werewolves, the seer and eight villagers (I know that's 11 - more on why later).
After a single round when players have understood the flow of the game I start to gradually add new roles. If the Werewolves are doing badly I'll add another one and for the villagers I'll add the Hunter. The Witch, though firmly on the villager's side, can swing in either direction depending on how quickly and/or carefully her abilities are used, and can be a great extra to add if the balance doesn't really need adjusting.
Roles to avoid
Angel: this character wins if they are the first victim either of the vote or the werewolves. Obviously with the changes I mentioned above the first night eliminates half their chance to win, but that isn’t why I don’t play with this role. After explaining a bunch of roles, dealing them out and getting the game started, players are frequently excited about their role and to have one player suddenly win and end the game is a real anti-climax.
Villager/Villager: This is a double sided card which means you have to deal it to someone face up. Its typically not fun for the player who gets it, not only do they have one of the least interesting roles, but also everyone knows it.
I also avoid anything that makes the moderator part of the game, and more importantly makes it likely you’ll mess up:
Bear Tamer: remembering to cough based on where the player is and the nearest werewolf
Little Girl: werewolves trying to silently explain to each other that they’ve seen her
Stuttering Judge: remembering to look for the sign, and possibly giving away who they are
The Devoted Servant: remembering to give them time to interrupt the revelation, also possibly giving away who they are
The Piper: remembering which players have been selected from those left in the game
Roles to treat with caution
Brothers/Sisters/Fox: There is a tendency among experienced players to reach a point where they call on people to declare their role so that they can 'do the maths' and these roles make that much easier. Unless challenged convincingly by a werewolf or a werewolf claims a role first, the remaining werewolves and villagers can be identified, usually limiting the remaining players to a point where the werewolves cannot win. Alternately if a convincing challenge/claim is made, a werewolf is quickly revealed to be the liar.
There are two methods I use to counter/reduce this. The first I use all the time, I add in an extra Villager card before distributing roles so that one role card is always leftover. This adds uncertainty and provides the potential for a werewolf to claim a role that's not in the game.
Secondly with a group that knows the rules well I declare that ‘some roles’ are in the game and select a few to put in without telling them which.
In both cases even if you’re aware that a role is not in the game, you as moderator need to call it out at the appropriate moments to maintain the illusion that it might be.
Wolf Hound/ Wild Child: these frequently equate to just adding a werewolf to the deck, I typically don’t use the first as most players don’t want to be a villager and will choose to be a werewolf. The second however is more interesting as to join the werewolves, if they want to, they must arrange for the death of their mentor.
Group management
This is a game that works only when key information is hidden. It’s so easy to accidentally reveal information that once a player is out of the game I operate a strict no talking if you’re dead rule. Players that are out of the game should enjoy watching the machinations of the remaining players and how the game plays out.
To avoid swing votes based on where other votes have been placed I operate votes on a simple process. I declare a vote is coming and players raise their arms, then I count down: three, two, one, vote! As I say ‘Vote’ players must clearly and in one motion point to whom they vote for. Any hesitation or wavering means a vote is not counted.
Blatant cheating is fortunately a rarity, but when it happens it’s usually done by accident or in excitement, particularly by younger players. How you deal with this beyond the game at hand will be a decision for your group, but in the middle of the game I simply declare that the offending player's character fell down the well and drowned, putting them out of the game.
Don’t play...
You as moderator have a lot of information about what’s in play, what’s been revealed and who knows what. While you want to be engaging it can be incredibly annoying for your players if you supply information, or influence how the game plays out.
Players forget things, miss-remember statements made by players who have died or make mistakes about how certain powers work either intentionally or otherwise. These are things you should never comment on. If a player asks directly how something works you can and should tell them, but try to avoid stepping in. After the game I would definitely clear up rules confusions, but I would never volunteer this in play.
Additionally when it is clear one team should win it can be tempting to declare it and close out the game, you should resist this urge.
I once had a game in the day phase with four players left; two werewolves (one of who was the mayor), the hunter and a villager.
At this point the werewolves should win. They know who is on their team and control three votes during the day, so they can lynch one of the villagers then eat the other in the night. Even when the hunter kills one of them they still win.
Instead what happened was the werewolf who wasn’t the mayor sided with the villagers and helped them lynch the mayor. In the night they then killed the hunter and were in turn killed leaving the villager as the only remaining resident, and the village team the winners.
Timing of calling votes can also be a problem. In some cases it will become clear that the group has selected a victim, or the conversation will end naturally and we can proceed to a vote comfortably. The challenge is always when a vote discussion turns into a circular conversation with accusations flying back and forth. As moderator you want to progress the game so that players already out can get back into the action, but you don't want your timing to influence the vote.
This is usually more of a problem with larger groups so when I have more than 15 players I typically allow two minutes for discussion, starting a timer when I've finished declaring the previous night's death.
...but, have fun
Just because you're not playing doesn't mean you can't have fun;
give epic descriptions of how the villagers lynch someone
or grisly ones of the werewolves victims
approach someone in the morning staring them dead in the eye telling them how sad it is that *their neighbour!* was found murdered
Enjoy the laughter and triumph of the villagers (after all those werewolves killed you remember?)
Take dark pleasure in the Werewolves triumph (after all no one saved you did they?)
There is a lot of fun you can have as the moderator, but best of all you're going to be a critical part of some great stories among your friends. I still remember a player who received the Seer tile three times in a row and managed to get lynched first every time - we still refer to him as the "Worst Seer Ever". Or another player's absolute certainty that a particular player was safe because they'd misunderstood how the Fox role worked. Or on one of those rare occasions when I play, hearing a friend declare I would never have murdered my wife so I couldn't be a werewolf, while she seethed in the absolute knowledge that I had and was.
This is definitely a game that leaves you with stories.
