Poll: What's a bodyguard?

[Adele]

Okay. Difference of opinion here. What does the role "bodyguard" denote?

[Patrick]

The way I've usually seen it is bodyguard dies instead of the target. There can be variations though.

[Adele]

It's an interesting idea to play with. Another option is for the would-be killer and bodyguard to both die. You could even let a bodyguard choose between Safe Play (bodyguard dies other 2 live) and Have-a-go Hero (bodyguard dies, but 50% chance killer dies, but a 50% chance the kill goes through... so a chance that the bodyguard and target both die, and the killer lives on )

[petroleumjelly]

I've considered a bodyguard to be a role that protects somebody, but who takes the attempted killer down with them when they die (so Seol and the Bodyguard would die).

Then again, I also differentiate between Bodyguard and Martyr. Martyrs die instead of the person being targeted (your first option).

[Glork]

#1

[Yosarian2]

Yeah, I usually see bodyguard as someone who takes a bullet for the nightkill target, dying instead of him.

I haven't been in a game with a "kill the killer" style bodyguard, but that seems a little unbalancing to me; if the bodyguard kills a scum, prevent a kill, and confirmed an innocent all in the same night, that seems way too powerful.

[Fritzler]

I've seen the following: 1, 3, and 50/50 bodyguard or seol dies, which i like the best.

[jeep]

Depends on what the bodyguard role is defined as... but I would usually assume either:

Bodyguard dies only or Bodyguard and mafia dies.

-JEEP

[IH]

I go with how I learned it in IRC. Bodyguard dies, killer lives.

[Mr. Flay]

I've

usually

seen it as #1, which doesn't mean it can't be defined other ways. But for a "Normal" game, that is what I would expect, assuming bodyguards were allowed as a one-use Doctor variant.

[Fiasco]

What's a log? Is it a piece of wood, or is it a place where you write down stuff that happened, or is it a mathematical function?

[Cogito Ergo Sum]

My gut told me to choose option #2, but then I read the question and I have to go with option #1.

[ChannelDelibird]

Then again, I also differentiate between Bodyguard and Martyr. Martyrs die instead of the person being targeted (your first option).

I consider Bodyguard and Martyr the same - the name of the role dependent on the flavour of the specific game.

[Fiasco]

So you guys are saying logs are really pieces of wood, huh? It's definitely an interesting theory.

[Mr Stoofer]

1. Bodyguard dies
2. Bodyguard kills Killer instead
3. 50/50 Bodyguard or Target dies
4. Bodyguard, Target and Killer all die

Obviously the Mod can write a role anyway he wants, but IMHO:

#1 is a Vanilla Bodyguard: he dies instead of his target. If one is writing a description of a Bodyguard for the Wiki or a Flash introduction to Mafai, then this is it.

#2 could fairly be described as a "Bodyguard with an altered mechanic"; or a "non-standard/non-vanilla Bodyguard".

#3 is a Bodyguard with a 50% chance of success (there's no place for random roles in Mafia).

#4 I wouldn't really call a Bodyguard (and it would be a difficult role to balance).

[Cogito Ergo Sum]

So you guys are saying logs are really pieces of wood, huh? It's definitely an interesting theory.

We are saying that although we are open to other ideas about logs, we assume we're talking about a piece of wood unless there is reason to believe otherwise.

(It is useful to have a standard definition, so that night scenes can be accurate.)

[Fiasco]

(It is useful to have a standard definition, so that night scenes can be accurate.)

Well, sure, it would be nice if "bodyguard" meant one thing, and we should try to make it that way, but that doesn't mean it's true. (We should make it option #2 then, since option #1 is already called "martyr" and the others aren't really good roles.)

[cuban smoker]

I created a bodyguard in Intrigue (Normal 10) that had 3 lives. That is, #1, except the first two times nobody dies. I also allowed the bodyguard to block day kills at the cost of a life.

This worked well in a larger game with the result that the bodyguard acted as a doctor with limited powers.

[ac1983fan]

I've always thought the bodyguard kills the Nk, and the matyr was the one that died when their target is targetted. of course, why does it matter, considering one wouldn't be (probably) in a normal game, and theme games can have whatever role they want. so, it depends on the mod, really.