[Knight] - Is Protecting the King N1 a Good Play?

#1

Let’s first outline the main scenarios that will happen if you guard the King N1. I will categorize them into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ to visualize the argument I am about to make.

Good

  • An Assassin or Cult Leader attempts to kill the King, resulting in their death (as well as your own). Bonus: The King checked N1.
  • A Reaper consumed his starting souls to empower his attack and attacked the King N1, resulting in their death (as well as your own). Bonus: The King checked N1.
  • Both at the same time.
  • Possessor decides to possess themselves into attacking the King N1, resulting in their death (as well as your own). Bonus: The King checked N1.

Bad

  • A Possessor possessed a member of the Blue Dragon into attacking the King, resulting in 2 Blue Dragon deaths from the Possessor alone on the first night.
  • A Reaper just regularly attacks the King, resulting in your death and the loss of one Reaper soul (no change if the King didn’t guard themselves).

It is my view that guarding the King N1 is objectively bad, and in the grand scheme of things doesn’t help regardless of the outcome (with the exception of killing a stupid NK).

First of all, if you end up killing a Cult/Unseen member it’s not really even very good for BD, given the swing potential Knight has late game and the fact they can build their numbers back up again.

Second, if a neutral killer decides to attack the king, provided they have brains, they are either going to get a free kill on you (reaper), or they’re gonna end up getting you and another BD killed (or a Cult/Unseen if you’re lucky).

I’d be interested to hear perspectives on this. I am of the view that it is objectively very bad, but I’ve run into players that swear by doing it despite the catastrophic outcomes (that IMO are more likely to happen than the good ones).

1 Like
#2

I would say to never guard the starting king N1 unless you are alch (if you are then you should ALWAYS guard the starting king so you can buddy with him. I guess you could just not if you don’t plan on doing that)

#3

If you guard randomly there is a well over 50% chance you are guarding BD. If you guard King there is a 33% chance.

Nuff said.

2 Likes
#4

Hence why only the alch should ever do it.

#5

When I am possessor . I always attack king n1 . I don’t want them with their pointy neuts out finger looking at me .

As a knight I find it really hard to commit to guarding anyone , I have a bit of a god complex and thin that I am more valuable alive than some randomer who happens to have outed themselves in the second turn .

#6

I find it’s just easier to randomly guard someone as knight. It’s still kinda bad if a possessor attacks, but there is no point wasting the night just in case.

The second there is any evidence of a possessor, you have to immediately stop guarding, because you’ll definitely end up killing someone innocent

#7

The problem right now, which will be fixed when Allies is adjusted, is that it’s entirely luck. Playing the odds though, I think the answer is no.

Both NKs want to kill the King, because Allies is the only investigative result that can out them. Possessors will throw someone into the King N1 because there is absolutely no reason not to. In fact, as possessor you should do that 100% of the time, which is a problem in itself because no strategy should be correct every time. Even if the King knows you are going to do it and guards himself, that means he’s not using allies.

The reaper is more complicated. Phys and Alchs healing King don’t matter as reap bypasses. If a Knight guards, you start 2 souls down, but you got the Knight so it’s not terrible and you’ll usually just kill the King the next night. The only real threat is an Obs watching the King.

So, a Reaper might attack the King and if he does and you don’t heal, Allies is lost. But if guard and it’s a possessor you could potentially kill yourself and a BD. And if he attacks and you guard you kill yourself off in exchange for 2 of the reaper’s souls, which isn’t that great of a deal. So, I think the risk/reward works out to it not being a good idea.

Thankfully if Allies is changed and NK has less reason to attack the King N1, this situation should resolve itself.

#8

IMO the King has to prove himself just like everyone else. If I’m a class with the power to protect people I will never use it on the King N1. If I’m a Knight I stay in my room. If I’m a healer I random heal someone.

#9