Star Wars Mafia

Mafia (or Werewolf or Assassin) is one of those party games that almost inevitably arises when there is a good group of more than five people (probably tending towards the geeky) get together with not a whole lot to do.  It’s a socially engaging game that can easily burn up an hour or two of an evening.

If you’ve never played, check out the Wikipedia article on Mafia to get some background information, or this Wikihow article on how to play.

The following is one of the many variants of Mafia, which happens to use everybody’s favorite Star Wars characters instead of the mafia or werewolves.  It was introduced to me by Peter and David Lindstrom, and the information here is more or less verbatim as I got it from them.  I’m posting it as a reference to myself and anyone else who might be interested to play this version of Mafia.

If anyone has any questions about the Star Wars Mafia variant, please post them in the comments and if I can’t provide insight, I’ll get a hold of Peter and David and find out from them. Enjoy!

The Force is the equivalent of the Narrator or Moderator in the standard Mafia game. Depending on the size of the group, the last few characters on the Rebel Alliance side may not be used.

The Rebel Alliance

• Jedi Knight—Once per night the Jedi knight may either question or challenge. To question, point to a person. 10 challenge, make a sign like you are fighting with a light saber, and then point to a person. If the Jedi Knight elects to question, the Force will tell him whether the person he indicated is good or bad. A thumbs up means good. Thumbs down means bad. If the Jedi Knight elects to challenge a character, he will win if the character is bad. The bad character will be dead the next morning. However, if the Jedi Knight challenges a good character, he will die.
• Obi Wan Kenobi—Can talk after he is dead.
• Chewbacca—Once per game Chewbacca may interrupt discussions or a trial and eat anyone he chooses. If he tries to eat Han, Han may reveal his card and say “Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?” Chewy can then choose to eat him or not. Night falls immediately thereafter.
• Thermal Detonator—If the thermal detonator is killed during the day, he kills the person to his left. If he is killed at night. he kills the first Sith to his left.
• Lando Calrisian—Lando may elect to smuggle once per game, during the night. If he elects to smuggle, the Force will exchange the identities of two people during the night. Only those people whose identities have changed will be aware of the switch.
• Princess Leia—If Princess Leia is on trial, she may reveal her card, and say “Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?” Han Must then reveal his card and save her.
• Han Solo—Must save Princess Leia if she asks. If Chewy tries to eat him, he may reveal his card and say “Chewy, you stupid walking carpet.”
• Bounty Hunter (I know, he’s not really a Rebel, but for the sake of the game he’s on this side)—Picks one person during each night to be his death buddy. If the bounty hunter dies during the night, his death buddy also dies.
• Yoda—Raises somebody from the dead once per night.
• Owen & Beru Lars—Die the first night.
• Salacious Crumb—Must vote as Jabba votes.
• Jabba the Hut—Controls Salacious Crumb’s vote
• Jar Jar Binks—Once his identity is revealed by the probe droid, he must speak in a fake Jamaican accent. Once per night he points to someone else. Then they also must speak with an accent.

The Dark Side

• Darth Vader—Conspires with the Emperor to kill one person each night.
• The Emperor—Conspires with Darth Vader to kill one person each night.
• Apprentice—Takes over for the Emperor if the Emperor dies.
• Probe Droid—Reveals one identity per night. Everyone knows what character has been revealed, but only the probe droid knows which person has that identity.
• Storm Trooper—Can never die. He just keeps reappearing. He doesn’t need to be killed for the good side to win.

First Night

• Salacious Crumb and Jabba see each other.
• Darth Vader and the Emperor see each other.
• Darth Vader, the Emperor, and the Probe Droid see each other.
• The Apprentice and the Emperor see each other.

Every Night

• Yoda may bring someone back to life.
• Lando may smuggle (if he has not already done so)
• Jedi Knight may question or challenge
• Bounty Hunter picks his death buddy
• If Jar Jar has been revealed, he picks somebody to speak fake Jamaican
• The Sith kill somebody
• Probe Droid reveals an identity