The Root of Toxicity in Mafia Games

[Firefly7]

Almost wonder if this is just a product of the inherent lack of information town is given. The lynch is generally a bad tool to get information, and can only be done so many times per game. The only way of getting information on a player is either to remove them, or to have players claim that they have mechanical information on them from another source. As well, the lynch requires a majority of players to do anything, reducing the ability for any individual to carry.

You see the evolutions of mafia meant to be played in small groups and they all have large-impact, public mechanics, usually with semi-ambiguous information on multiple players, several times in a game. Small Mafia setups just don't have that. Players can try to make small setups with multiple scum that have sorts of public information throughout the game, but it will always be little because of the inherent need to kill people to get information.

These same evolutions would also put spotlights on players, giving them elevated power to exercise their reads. These two things combined allows for a lot more information on a lot less players, and a lot more individual importance.

The question I'm proposing is if More public info + More individual ability to carry = more gameplay? and to do that, removing the need to kill people to gain information about them.

[Firefly7]

Does it come more from immaturity than from powerlessness?