I'm going to (perhaps unwisely) wade into this quagmire and give my opinions, centred around the concluding dot points:

1) I actually agree that detective roles are a bit unfair, in that it comes down to luck whether a mafioso is scanned or not. I think a game in which two complimenting detective roles have to work together to get an absolute result (TLD's A Country for Old Men had this, I believe) is much more balanced, as it brings in issues of whether you trust the other person and so on. To me, there should be few if any absolutes in mafia - one should always be doubting who they can trust. As to insane detectives, I've never played them so I can't comment. Probably should be disclosed, as by the time the mafia realises they're in the game it's already too late.

2) I haven't played a game with many doctors so I can't really comment, but I think having 1 or 2 is nice (it gives people something to do at nights, and ensures the mafia can't just target the obvious townies). No need to disclose, a doctor can surprise/thwart the mafia for one night, but it won't kill them.

3) On lynches, I have to agree with GH and 'khaan - if you're lynched, you should die. Even having lynch-blocking powers for only one round is pushing it. Murder-proof roles also seem a tad unfair to the mafia, but I haven't played any games with this role so I can't definitively comment.

4) I think roleblockers should have limited uses, or only be able to block on every second night or something. But that's not based on much experience either.

5) I think this depends on how actively it impacts the game. For example, in A Country for Old Men I had a role that had to kill all people with names starting with 'J' (but had no nightkill, could only use the lynch). That's fairly passive and is by nature secretive, so I wouldn't think disclosing it would be necessary. The Joker on the other hand has a massive, active impact on the game, and so should be disclosed. One's a side-show, one's the main deal.

6) Probably should mention it, or at least make it clear in the opening few write-ups. Things could just get confusing otherwise.

7) I think having multiple SKs/vigilantes (apart from in a huge game like Capo) would lessen their shock impact/wild-card nature, so I'm against having too many in the first place.


...yikes, I wrote a lot (not compared to ATPG of course, but still ). Anyway, those are my thoughts if anybody is interested.