How to balance game with Serial Killer

[Bobotsi]

Hello i need your help. I haven't hosted a mafia game so far. I want a serial killer in it, but I don't know how to balance it. The game is attended by 16 people and is hosted in another forum that is not specialized in this game.

I don't want it to be too complicated with too many roles. I was thinking of 1 killer, 3 mobsters and 12 citizens.

If the killer kills any game, it will end too quickly.

I apologize if this is not the case here, but I have registered to ask you a question.

[Nero Cain]

treat a SK as a town vig with his own wincon.

[RadiantCowbells]

Ok for starters you need to make a decision; there are essentially two schools of thought regarding serial killer

one school of thought states that serial killer is a form of scum and that thus they should only take away from scums chances: these games are intended to be balanced at a 50% town winrate, 40% scum winrate, 10% at best serial killer winrate
The other school of thought states that a serial killer is an independent faction which should have its own serious chances of winning that detracts from both alignments, and these kind of games are balanced at say 40% town 40% scum 20% serial killer

which school do you think you belong to?

[Bobotsi]

I prefer the option of the killer being a separate faction and winning as the last survivor. How should the other roles be selected in order to get the balance of 40:40:20 and the game not end too quickly?

[Flavor Leaf]

I am of the idea that it’s okay to make 3rd party hard to win, but not enough to the point the player doesn’t want to try.

It’s a weird balance, but I don’t believe it should be easy to be the last man standing as SK, it just needs to be possible, with hope.

[Bobotsi]

The SK does not know who the mafia are in the beginning and it is just as difficult for them as it is for the citizens. Listening to you so far, I think it's hardest for him. In the forum in which the game will take place, quite often many ordinary citizens are killed in the early days. And if the killer only kills citizens in the beginning, the game will end quickly.

Whether to give the city only a doctor and a sheriff or any other supporting role, because in my forum, it will be most difficult for them.

I also wonder if the mafia is just three people with no special roles.

[Nero Cain]

town need more prs than a sheriff (cop?) and doc

my suggestion would be like

cop
doc
maybe fbi agent
tracker?
8 citizens
vs.
1x bp sk
vs.
2 goons and a jailkeeper

[Bobotsi]

Thank you everyone!