Advice on staying unsuspicious?

[Chad32]

So someone accuses you of being mafia or sk, and demands your role. You have to think fast, but what to say? I'm not always good at surviving when I'm put on the spot. Sometimes I just try to be funny, like when I was a framer and told the town I was forced to do it. Kind of a sob story that wasn't going to save me, but it was a bit of roleplaying.

I would like to know any tricks people have used to divert suspicion. This also applies to names, because I've been targeted for having a short name or something. I need some advice from the pros on how to stay alive when I get an evil role.

[KTCatatonic]

The absolute most important thing is knowing what the counterpart find to the investigator is (SK and doc, Arso and Transporter, Escort and Consort, Mayor and GF). After that, you could throw out a possible exe or jester (especially if it's day 2) or framer. And Xeno is absolutely correct, try your best to keep a mental running tally of what roles could be left.

It's hard to have an exact alibi, it depends on the situation. Once you're found it's just short of totally impossible to keep suspicion off of you. If you're really into this game and have the time, check out the guides in the Salem 101 thread to get detailed tips for various roles.

[Deawyn]

Don't drag attention on you
Don't be totally silent
Avoid the any kind of exclamation, or follow the rest if it's a bloody night
DONT EVER SAY SOMEONE IS IMMUNE

[n0valite]

Don't drag attention on you
Don't be totally silent
Avoid the any kind of exclamation, or follow the rest if it's a bloody night
DONT EVER SAY SOMEONE IS IMMUNE

Unless you're the jester XD. I blamed my target (while I was executioner) because I said he was immune. He died the following night and everyone lynched me.

[KTCatatonic]

Unless you're the jester XD. I blamed my target (while I was executioner) because I said he was immune. He died the following night and everyone lynched me.

Good advice. I was in a similar situation earlier. My target left and I was jester immediately. Only the second time I've been a successful jester. XD

[Shcmadison]

I wouldn't consider myself a pro by any means, but one thing I've learned that helps is immediately when you find out you have an evil role, look at the role list and immediately choose a role to say is yours, that way if you get jailed, or someone questions what your role is early on you can give a direct response with out having to think to long about it and come across suspicious, and it can sometimes helped if you are questioned on your role early on and they believe you, because then you are the first person to have claimed that role.

[Alicitzen]

My strategy to be inconspicuous is not one I would recommend unless you can bluff well.
I try to be as vocal and helpful to the town as I can, and point out anything that could get forces opposing me lynched.
Normally this approach to things makes you more likable to the town, and makes investigative roles less likely to check me out, until late game ofcourse.
Unless I have a terrible mafia team or get randomly lynched, I can usually make it into the final five or so 80% of the time.

[KTCatatonic]

Another thing that I forgot about: you MUST be prepared to throw your Family under the bus. Preferably vocally if you're instincts are telling you to. This works especially well when people are not voting because they're confused or not paying attention. Yesterday, as a nonimmune mafia I vocally voted against my GF, which convinced a BG to protect me, and the BG died along with the SK, allowing us a path to victory. In another game, I fought with the GF openly in day chat, he was lynched, and with only 3 other people left, my "loyalty" was unquestioned.

The only problem is running into newbs/noobs who game throw because "ERMAGERD!FAMILYVALUESTRAITOR!!1" but to me it's totally worth attempting it. It's a gamble, to be sure, but one that pays loads when you try your damnest to calculate it and get a little luck.

[mouthyexpert]

If you happen to be a janitor in any given round, always let your fellow mafia know your victims' roles, and suggest they claim these in the event that people start asking questions. It's not foolproof, but there's always a chance it'll work.

[iggyvolz]

Another thing that I forgot about: you MUST be prepared to throw your Family under the bus. Preferably vocally if you're instincts are telling you to. This works especially well when people are not voting because they're confused or not paying attention. Yesterday, as a nonimmune mafia I vocally voted against my GF, which convinced a BG to protect me, and the BG died along with the SK, allowing us a path to victory. In another game, I fought with the GF openly in day chat, he was lynched, and with only 3 other people left, my "loyalty" was unquestioned.

The only problem is running into newbs/noobs who game throw because "ERMAGERD!FAMILYVALUESTRAITOR!!1" but to me it's totally worth attempting it. It's a gamble, to be sure, but one that pays loads when you try your damnest to calculate it and get a little luck.

I don't vote to lynch a mafia member if the suspicion isn't on them... but if they're up for trial you don't want to be that one guy who votes "innocent" for no reason when the guy is obviously mafia.

[KTCatatonic]

Another thing that I forgot about: you MUST be prepared to throw your Family under the bus. Preferably vocally if you're instincts are telling you to. This works especially well when people are not voting because they're confused or not paying attention. Yesterday, as a nonimmune mafia I vocally voted against my GF, which convinced a BG to protect me, and the BG died along with the SK, allowing us a path to victory. In another game, I fought with the GF openly in day chat, he was lynched, and with only 3 other people left, my "loyalty" was unquestioned.

The only problem is running into newbs/noobs who game throw because "ERMAGERD!FAMILYVALUESTRAITOR!!1" but to me it's totally worth attempting it. It's a gamble, to be sure, but one that pays loads when you try your damnest to calculate it and get a little luck.

I don't vote to lynch a mafia member if the suspicion isn't on them... but if they're up for trial you don't want to be that one guy who votes "innocent" for no reason when the guy is obviously mafia.

Well yeah, exactly. I didn't mean shit on your family for the lols. I was talking about when the evidence is mounting against to the point where it's hard to ignore. You have to use your best judgement, but there comes a point where you need to vote them up to trial and lynch them, and perhaps speak out against them. In my experience, you have a better chance of staying under the radar when you do that.

[Bazar]

I'll give a few tips on staying undetected.

1. Pick a good name, capitalize as needed.
Having a nice name is going to give you better trust with more people then a name like "shiteater". Even a name like "baty ego" would be better if it was "Baty Ego".
Its a first impression after all, make it good

2. Talk a little. Always say something at the start.
People who are completely silent will usually get called out for it 4-5 turns in.
After all, if you have to pick between lynching someone whos never said a word, or that happy guy, you'll probably lynch the silent guy, even if both have been equally worthless.

3. Don't be too eager to vote
When a lynch has gone horribly wrong, detection roles will usually go looking for the people who voted first and badly.
Ideally you want to have other people lead the way into voting someone guilty, your vote if needed will simply tip the scale, and if unneeded won't even be cast.

An extension to this is actually voting innocent on someone you know is innocent but is going to get lynched regardless.
Sometimes as evil, you know someone is going to get lynched regardless of your vote. Voting inno makes you look like you're working for town as no mafia would throw away a free lynching right?

This also works in reverse for when your team is getting lynched.
If your godfather is getting lynched and you know he's toast, you want to be one of the first to cast your vote and first to flag him guilty.
Some skill is required, the last thing you want is to be the vote that gets him lynched when town is unsure. Judge accordingly.

3. Don't panic if you're getting random lynched.
Play it calm and simply point out random lynchings are bad and unneeded. If the game is early, you'll probably be able to get away without revealing your role.
If the game has dragged on, or there is some momentum behind this lynch, make up a roll.

4. Some of best rolls to make up, are ones that can't always provide results, and fade into the background.
Doc, bodyguard, and Medium for example. Unless the doc or medium is already dead, no one is likely to want you dead, and people will often forget who you are because no one expects them to find evil.
In the end, if you have to reveal your roll, your days are usually numbered, you can be more aggressive in your voting.

5. People tend to trust whisperers that whisper to them.
If you have someone whose leading the town to victory, and you know its unlikely you'll kill everyone before you're caught. Try and bring them to your side.
Whispering them saying "I'm a doc, i'll keep you alive", or "i'm a vigi, i'll shoot what you want" while killing everyone else but the leader can result in the leader lynching everyone but you, or buying you a turn or 3 before he wises up.
Another benefit is that by whispering your lies, other town members can't verify them.

I hope these ideas give food for thought.

[SonOfAMedic]

This only works with certain roles but I'll give them a role based on what my role actually is and what the investigator gets from that role. The one i usually end up doing it for is serial killer. When the investigator investigates a serial killer, it will tell the investigator "Your target is good with knives. They are either a Doctor or a Serial Killer" So, I'll say "Im a doctor." That usually manages to make me last at least an extra day. The weakness to this trick is the Sheriff. For him, it just flat out says "Your target is a Serial Killer." So this will end up getting you killed, but if you take the sheriff out quickly, or if there is no sheriff, you're set.

All possibilities with this trick:
Actual Role : Bluff role/Lie
Arsonist : Transporter
Blackmailer : Spy
Consigliere : Investigator
Consort : Escort
Disguiser : Jester
Executioner : Sheriff or Retributionist
Framer : "I was framed" (usually doesn't work but can in some cases")
Janitor : Medium
Mafioso : Vigilante or Veteran
Serial Killer : Doctor
Witch : Survivor
(Let me know if i missed any roles that you wouldn't want people knowing you are)

This trick will not work if you are the Godfather because when the Godfather is investigated it says "Your target is a leader among men; therefore, you conclude that they are the Mayor or the Godfather" Because if you say "I'm the Mayor." Everyone will ask you to reveal yourself as Mayor, which you won't be able to do and you will be lynched.

[Yak]

Blackmailer : Spy

This is rather difficult to get away with, because spy is the easiest role behind mayor to confirm, as you just need to have 2 people whisper each other and they'll expect you to say what they said.


A piece if advice, if someone asks you what your role is and you're evil, give your counterpart (the list above), or else they'll out you. Investigators often set up this trap to get mafia.

[SonOfAMedic]

Blackmailer : Spy

This is rather difficult to get away with, because spy is the easiest role behind mayor to confirm, as you just need to have 2 people whisper each other and they'll expect you to say what they said.


A piece if advice, if someone asks you what your role is and you're evil, give your counterpart (the list above), or else they'll out you. Investigators often set up this trap to get mafia.

I never even thought of that. Nor have I ever seen it done.

[ProfessorWhaleSki]

If the investigator finds out you are the Godfather, it will show up as a leader among men which is Mayor/Godfather. A trick you can do is say you were transported because transporters can switch investigation results. It may not work but you can try it!

[RobbStark]

If you are trying to stay non suspicious you need to say you are a town role that is similar to your role (Only really works for some mafia) so say you were Consigliere then you would say to everyone you are the investigator but be careful in case there is a spy because they can see who the Consigliere visits each night so make sure you don't go around saying that XXX is either this or that if you have just investigated them because the spy will know you are mafia. You should also ALWAYS vote guilty against anyone in your mafia unless it's random lynch or there was no evidence for voting because if you abstain or vote innocent people will suspect you as mafia (its sad but its true).

You have to be really careful when you choose a fake role to say you are because it needs to make sense and you can't lie about what you did at night because people will deny it and you will get lynched. I think if you are serial killer it's best to say you are survivor this puts the town and mafia in a hard position because you can win with everyone so they will most likely believe you and leave you alone. Also another way to not seem suspicious is to not kill the people who said you were suspicious because you will nearly always get lynched if the person who brung it up dies by the hand of whatever you were being accused of, and you should defiantly try to seem like town by asking for evidence in the mornings and try to help them as much as you can and the investigative roles will be less likely to look into your role because they believe you are a normal town member. Also if your still trying to choose a role to be choose a role that shows up when investigators investigate you such as if you were blackmailer choose to be spy before investigator investigates you so when they do it will come up with: Spy or Blackmailer - Your target works with secret information, this would make the investigator believe you are innocent because you claimed to be spy before. (I know this post is a little bit old)

[Arckas]

One thing that seems to help is to state your role BEFORE you go on the stand. More people start to believe you as you have already told them your "claimed" role and start to BS your way. Of course, the mafia are going to vote innocent, but more and more people will believe you BEFORE you go on the stand. This also helps any role like godfather if the investigator says your are mayor or godfather; claim your the investigator and de-ligitimize the actual investigator.