[Class Suggestion] Gamesman (Neutral Social)

Class/Lore/Fanfic
#1

Fool, Mercenary, and Scorned are Neutral classes with somewhat difficult win conditions. Let’s see if we can design a good Neutral class that is purposefully a bit easier to win with.

Gamesman

Win Conditions: The player you last wagered on with your “Friendly Wager” ability must win the game, even if both you and the player you bet on are dead.

Passive:
High Roller - You are murder immune while the first player you wager on still lives. (You receive no immunity if you haven’t placed a 1st wager yet.)

Day Ability:
Friendly Wager - Place a wager on a player. You cannot wager on the King. May place a new wager after a 1 day cool down if the player you chose dies. (3 uses.)

Night Ability 1:
Insider Information - See the exact class of the current player you have a wager on. (Single use.)

Night Ability 2:
Cut Losses - Kill the player you have a current wager on. (2 uses.)

^ Let me know in the replies if you think this should go through immunities, etc.

Pros…

  • You win by wagering on someone who simply wins. Blue Dragon, Cult, anything.
  • You can repick your wager if the player you bet on dies.
  • You can try to form an alliance with the player you place a wager on.
  • Using up all of your ability isn’t the end of the game for you, unlike Mercenary, since you can still win if your last pick does.

Cons…

  • If the last player you bet on loses, you lose.
  • If the last player you bet on is alive at the end, you can’t re-wager. So if you bet on the last living Blue Dragon vs. Unseen and Neutral Killer, it won’t be looking good for you.
  • It’s not entirely safe to come out as Gamesman because you can kill people!
  • If you do come out, your current wager may kill you so you don’t change your wager off of him.
  • If you die, you can’t change your wager. Better hope they win…

Possible tactics…

  • Let your first wager ride no matter what, even if they die, and try to help their faction win.
  • Switch your wager after your first one dies,
  • If the player you wagered on is evil, you can pretend to BE their class and take the heat/execution for them so they have a chance of going on to win.
  • Kill your current wager if you suspect they’ll lose. (Obvious Fool, last Cult member, etc.)
  • Random bet whenever you feel like it and let the chips fall where they may. XD
#2

This is an interesting idea - I’m attracted to the wagering idea and would be interested in developing that concept. I also love that you’ve put thought into listing pros, cons, and possible tactics, which helps me better envision the class in action.

IMO, the main issue: There’s not a whole lot for this class to do. You make a wager and see that player’s class, and then…kind of wait around. There’s the voting, sure, but everyone can do that, and combined with his purposely easier win condition, this class doesn’t seem too compelling/dynamic to play.

I do love the wager. It’s a way to connect a Neut to a player in a different way than the Mercenary. It would be risky for anyone to keep the Gamesman around - he could help your side with an additional vote, but if he feels it’s advantageous he could kill his wager and make a better bet. That Alch-like unreliability is something I’d want to lean into.

My suggestions:

  • Remove High Roller to increase risk. Blanket night immunity is really strong and should only be used for the most important roles. The Gamesman should have to rely on their wits, cooperation, and powers of persuasion to survive.
  • Limit Friendly Wager to 2 uses, including the first wager, to add a sense of urgency like the Merc. Otherwise, it’s hard to see the player running out of wagers.
  • Limit Cut Losses to 1 use, naturally.
  • Replace Insider Information with a private night-chat with the wager. (Kibitzing/Meddling, maybe?) That would both further distinguish the Gamesman from the Mercenary as well as add another level of gameplay: do you tell your Gamesman important information if he can later kill you and screw you over? Others have discussed the lack of Social mechanics currently and this may be a good spot.

The possibilities are intriguing.