Random first night choices?

[jeep]

Why not just start the game with day, then? If the concern is that there is nothing to go on, start with day and then there IS something to go on. I've wondered why mafia starts with night... I assumed that it was to help offset the advantage that the mafia usually has in a straight game... gives the cop some information.

-JEEP

[jeep]

One is supposed to start with a night if there's an even number of players, so the "to lynch" will be a true majority.

If the doc doesn't save someone... if there is only one killer... etc.

So if you are simply supposed to start day with an odd number of people, then I suggest this:
Sign up an odd number of people
Start with day
Day 1: Cop(s) might start with a random investigation

Docs lose the indirect investigation that they might get, but it's rare enough anyway... ("I protected X and no one died, so X is probably innocent")

-JEEP

[jeep]

It's not better, because then it sets up incriminate kills... "hmm.. Gaspode had really had it in for mith, so if we mafia folk kill mith, the town will lynch Gaspode." That gives the mafia TWO kills.

-JEEP

[jeep]

Actually, I think that it's gotten away from "Kill Antrax" and on to "Kill someone who is known to be a good player, but not the top couple players, because they're likely to be protected. As soon as the docs start protecting others, then it will go back to Kill top couple players... etc....

It's self correcting, but that probably doesn't comfort Antrax during the part of the cycle where he's killed first night.

Although, it is and is likely to stay more likely that cops check the top players. Look at how many people checked out Antrax in Improbable Role mafia...

-JEEP

[jeep]

If you do them again, be sure to keep them easy to remember and not too similar... I didn't like two Ezra's in Salem...

-JEEP