Strategy & Tactics: Detective

[Seamus Fermanagh]

This thread is a play-aid. It is designed to solicit tips and advice on how to play the detective in a Gameroom mafia game.

Some issues:

What are the orthodox tactics for a Detective?

When should a Detective reveal their status?

When are the numbers working for you? And when are they not?

[Sigurd]

I guess you have to write this yourself as the first succesful detective.

[Kommodus]

Actually, Tiberius was the first successful detective (see Mafia II).

[GeneralHankerchief]

Having hosted several games involving Detectives, and having been one in Sasaki's game before being killed off prematurely, I can give a few tips:

First: Don't die (fat chicks are optional). Obviously this is much easier said than done. You need to find the perfect balance between being targeted by the mafia and being targeted by the villagers. I would suggest a strategy of mild contributions, helping further along discussion but not doing anything that would make you stand out. But don't make it obvious that you're trying not to stand out either.

Second: Investigate wisely. Your first investigation will obviously be random. However, after that you should try to pursue a strategy of investigating based on people's posts combined with your own intuition. Always be safe with your investigating, too. If you're 99% certain that someone's mafia but you didn't investigate them, do so. It also helps with your reveal, which brings me to my next point:

Third: Don't screw up the reveal. Generally, it's better to post what you know early on than it is to wait too late and risk being killed by the mafia. Depending on the rules of the game, post whatever you can to help your cause. And don't reveal too early in the game unless you either have good information or you're about to be executed and want to save yourself.

Detective is an extremely tough role. The examples of Tiberius and Seamus should be followed by all future Detectives. However, they must be careful. As the Detectives get smarter, so do the mafia. You need to stay alive long enough to aid the villagers.

[Silver Rusher]

This thread is a play-aid. It is designed to solicit tips and advice on how to play the detective in a Gameroom mafia game.

And, seemingly, how to find the detective as a mafioso.

One thing I will say is never talk about the detective. You must try to avoid talking about the detective as much as possible as one in a mafia game. Also, I stress the point that GH made. Balance of suspicion. I was constantly trying to do this in Cosa Nuova, but some people saw through it eventually. You must always have suspicion on you, but not enough to get you lynched. A few votes per round is always healthy for a detective.

Actually, the tips above apply to both the detective and the doctor.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Hey, I was a successful detective too! Barely, but the townies won.

First: Don't die (fat chicks are optional). Obviously this is much easier said than done. You need to find the perfect balance between being targeted by the mafia and being targeted by the villagers. I would suggest a strategy of mild contributions, helping further along discussion but not doing anything that would make you stand out. But don't make it obvious that you're trying not to stand out either.

You want to have some people suspect you. Coasting suspicion free will result in a mafia kill.

Second: Investigate wisely. Your first investigation will obviously be random. However, after that you should try to pursue a strategy of investigating based on people's posts combined with your own intuition. Always be safe with your investigating, too. If you're 99% certain that someone's mafia but you didn't investigate them, do so. It also helps with your reveal, which brings me to my next point:

I royally screwed this up, though in my defense I moved to college and had my comp in the shop a week mid game.

Third: Don't screw up the reveal. Generally, it's better to post what you know early on than it is to wait too late and risk being killed by the mafia. Depending on the rules of the game, post whatever you can to help your cause. And don't reveal too early in the game unless you either have good information or you're about to be executed and want to save yourself.

In games with doctors, be more biased towards the early reveal and hope they protect you. In Mafia III, I should've revealed after I found out Aggony's innocense, but I wanted to actually live through a mafia game for once. Luckily, ghosts could talk and I managed to swing enough people to vote for the last mafioso, Kommodus!

CR

[Kagemusha]

Once you find a Mafia member take him out.Dont be greedy. One detective for one Mafioso is a good trade.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I think the "reveal" timing is the trickiest, especially if all you are looking at is a list of the innocent.

At what numerical point is your reveal worth more to the town in leverage than quietly continuing your investigations? Is there some numerical ratio that gives the town a likely win, some magic number like the mafia cube? Even if there is....

Revealing is tricky, it can very well get you killed -- and not only by the mafia. In this digital world, any evidence can be manufactured and even editing your post can leave you dead. Will you be believed? Or will you be lynched while the mafia laughs? This, of course, is why revealing yourself after spotting a mafia is considered the orthodox approach -- the village is likely to whack both of you to be safe and a 1 for 1 trade is not bad.

Will the Doctor protect you? Not always. The Doctor is running her own investigation by trying to provoke mafia attacks on selected individuals. This proves their innocence and denies the mafia a kill -- quite powerful. Thus, even if you are believed to be the detective you can still end up dead -- you have NOT been appointed town defense leader with everyone "naturally" following your plan.

[Kagemusha]

I agree.I think Doctors role is to reveal innocents rather then protect detectives. Detective hunts down mafia and i cant find any good reason that they shouldnt reveal themselves when they find a mafioso if that is what it takes to bring down that mafia member. What do you guys think should the doctor ever save one person two times during the game?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

He should save the detective for sure, since the detective can prove someone innocent every round.

[Kagemusha]

He should save the detective for sure, since the detective can prove someone innocent every round.

Yes but you cant ever be sure if the detective is really a detective. Would you ever try to frame a succesfull detective if you were a mafioso by not attacking him?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Yes but you cant ever be sure if the detective is really a detective. Would you ever try to frame a succesfull detective if you were a mafioso by not attacking him?

Well, presumably the person the detective named got lynched. There's no point in trying to convince the town that the detective was faking it, the risk is too great.

[Reenk Roink]

Reenk's Rules:

(from GH's Mafia IV)

Don't overthink it. Be random in your investigations unless you have reasonable suspicion.

Reveal yourself as soon as possible without being stupid. If you uncover a mafia, a revelation is mandatory. If you have quite a list of innocents that are facing the scorn of the villagers, reveal. Every innocent you reveal is one less person the villagers can mistake for the mafia.

Keep your faith in the stupidity of the mafia.

Reliance on the villagers usually doesn't work (though my case was an extreme exception).

[Silver Rusher]

A tip for the villagers, also:

If you think someone has a secret special role on your side, NEVER say so. You could be responsible for the death of your detective or doctor.

To stress a more important point NEVER talk about your role if you have one. Example: if you are the detective, never mention the detective role, it may just lead the mafia to suspect you.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I think the detective should be dropped personally. It justs makes the game anticlamactic. There you are diligently trying to figure out who the mafia are and then the detective reveals. Oh. Ok then.

Granted there's a certain drama that goes with detective reveals, but imo nothing beats the dramatic finales of TGF2 or Mafia V.

Also, the mafia have been having enough trouble winning...