Roleblocker (the title)

[Cavane]

Now, having only played Mafia in vanilla and never online, I was unfamiliar with this role before I arrived here yesterday. However, it seems to me to be rather a poor choice of name for the role. Here's my reasoning:

1: Most every other role has a name related to what that role's power is, Doctor saves people, Cop investigates, etc. The name is not an exact description of what they do in-game. They aren't called 'Killblocker' and 'Scumfinder'.

2: The wiki page says the role may exist either pro-town or pro-mafia. This suggests two different roles, really. Though the power itself is the same, the playstyle and strategy would differ vastly between the two. For example, Mafia and Vigilante have the same conceptual power, killing people at night, but I think everyone would agree they are totally different roles.

All that said, I personally think the Roleblocker ought to be fleshed out a bit, given its own name, and possible separated into two roles. Perhaps a Mafia Roleblocker could be called Racketeer, using scare tactics to keep certain townies from doing their jobs. A pro-town Roleblocker could be Nosy Neighbor, Night Watchman, etc. Somebody whose extra alertness keeps the Mafia at bay that night.

Note: I'm not really trying to change anything here. I'm a newbie, and I know it, and I'm far more interested in the discussion than in starting a revoloution. So, any thoughts?

[Dragon Phoenix]

Prostitute has been used for role blocker.

[Primate]

The original, Italian mafia flavour for the role is that it is a whore. People could react badly to that if you called it by it's rolename.

And pro-mafia roleblocker/pro-town roleblocker aren't all that different. No more different than a pro-town doc and a mafia doc, or a pro-town tracker and a mafia tracker. And Adding more names just complicates a very simple concept.

[Mr. Flay]

Night Watchman is sometimes used for Tracker roles though, so that's already taken. Roleblocker is on the basic dozen or so roles, I think, so changing its name would be difficult. I agree it could probably have been named more elegantly back then, but changing it now is like turning the Titanic..

Might as well ask to change the name of Masons.

[Kelly Chen]

Masons should be called Conjoined Twins.

[Cavane]

As I said, (or tried to) I'm not expectant that anything will change, it's obviously too established. Merely wanted to see what more seasoned players thoughts were on the issue. So, discuss amongst yourselves...

Anyway, I still think pro-town, pro-mafia roles should be seperate, if nothing else to create a bit of distinction. On the other hand, with alignment being unsure, it makes pro-mafia name-claims a bit easier.

[Fritzler]

using anything (the anything) like (the not-similie sadly) racketeer (the title), or any other name really doesn't make sense (the thought process), as the role blocker (the title) can block (the action) people any number of ways, seducing people (the sex), drugging people (maybe still include the sex), or making them forget (the xavier ex machina)

[Cavane]

That snideness on your part wasn't neccessary. If I'd just called the thread 'Roleblocker' the assumption would be that I was asking about the role itself. All you accomplished was making your post difficult to read. At any rate, drugging seems like a good 'method'. I'm not sure what you'd call that role, though.

[Ancalagon]

Also, security guard is a method, detaining someone from reaching their target.

[IH]

So... you just kind of want to add flavor to it?

Pretty much anything that distracts, or you could be a "locksmith" that locks someone in their house at night.

[Kelly Chen]

What do you call those people that can do a rain dance and make it rain?

[Trojan Horse]

Rain dancers?

[Fritzler]

That snideness on your part wasn't neccessary. If I'd just called the thread 'Roleblocker' the assumption would be that I was asking about the role itself. All you accomplished was making your post difficult to read. At any rate, drugging seems like a good 'method'. I'm not sure what you'd call that role, though.

the snideness was neither snide nor not neccessary [sic]. It was classy and justified. Do you mean drugging is a good method for raping or roleblocker (the title) flavor?

[Fritzler]

What do you call those people that can do a rain dance and make it rain?

PS I make it rain. I make it rain. I'm in the business of terror got a handful of stacks, better grab an umbrella. I make it rain on dem hoes. I make it rain on dem hoes. I make it rain. I make it rain.

[Zindaras]

Masons should be called Conjoined Twins.

What about Conjoined Triplets, Quadruplets, Quintuplets?

Meh, Roleblocker works, more flavourful things work.

[Cavane]

the snideness was neither snide nor not neccessary [sic]. It was classy and justified. Do you mean drugging is a good method for raping or roleblocker (the title) flavor?

I (personal pronoun) meant (intended) roleblocker (the title) flavor (not taste).

[Mr Stoofer]

Just FYI, here is how the roleblocker worked in Mini 211: Stooferbridge:

You are the

Barmaid at the Stooferbridge Arms

, the local pub. It’s a fine establishment where virtually the whole village comes each night for a pint (glass of white wine for the ladies). If you wish, each night you may slip something into one villager’s drink, which will make them so drunk that they are unable to perform any activities that night (nefarious or otherwise). At night, PM me the name of the person (if any) you want to incapacitate.

MOD NOTE: If target has a nightchoice, they are told that the got too drunk to carry it out. Otherwise target is told nothing.

[Adele]

...and now I want to start a pub just so's I can call it the Stooferbridge Arms.

[Glork]

...and now I want to start a pub just so's I can call it the Stooferbridge Arms.

QFT

[Fritzler]

the snideness was neither snide nor not neccessary [sic]. It was classy and justified. Do you mean drugging is a good method for raping or roleblocker (the title) flavor?

I (personal pronoun) meant (intended) roleblocker (the title) flavor (not taste).

you just made it lame

congratulations

i hope you got personal satisfaction out of that

[Cavane]

I did, indeed, make it lame, and am quite satisfied, thank you.

Back to the subject, I think the Barmaid was pretty well-concieved, Stoofer. Good job there.

[Yosarian2]

I think any of the more flavorfull terms for roleblocker are less intuitave then "cop" and "doc" are. Cop can find crooks, doc can save people, but I don't think that exactally what a prostitute would do would be entirely clear.

[Xdaamno]

I wouldn't think that'd be an issue, IMO. Any role would need explaining; I wouldn't know what a Doc did without an explanation, even if I could have a guess.

[beanbagboy]

The prostitute idea is kind of offensive, then again, so is the idea of the mafia, I guess.

I guess, maybe the Locksmith works. I like the Barmaid, Stoof. (can I call you that?)

Maybe you should use something like a Guest, they go over to the person's house and they are occupied so they can't sneak out? Idk.

[PurpleKoopa]

Couldn't the scum just shoot the guy down?

Frankly, I've always pictured a role blocker as some guy holding a sign with the "No" sign. Silly, but yes.