Some people think the GA is a little gimmicky and that it adds too little to gameplay value. But I think it could be altered to enhance player experience. The following are IMHO solid dynamics to enhance the GA place in the game world by giving it a defined purpose.
I first give a list of the changes, then I explain the boundaries of the role and it's place in the roster so that it can fulfill its niche in game-play value. And finally, I offer a rationale on why the changes should be made.
Here is a list of the changes purposed changes:
- If there is a GA is in the game (or maybe always) A blue font message displayed each night: "Guardian Angels can hear night prayers. Perhaps, there is a Guardian Angel out there watching over you. But probably not. "
- Every player can use the chat box to pray. For most players it still does nothing. But the GA will hear anything their client says at night. This implies that during the night anything their client says to another player would be heard by GA. (Like the Client's portion of mafia chat ect.)
- The Guardian Angel can no longer whisper.
- The GA is granted a basic defense (or perhaps powerful). If the GA is lynched, an additional protection day is given. (For a grand total of 3)
- The GA should be in the same category as the Jester and the Executioner not the survivor.
- If the client dies GA should become a Jester not a Survivor.
- Targets under protection should not be announced, nor should they be able to avoid being voted up. Rather, they should always be found INNO regardless of the true vote. (Maybe with an explanation why, or maybe by doctoring the voting record).
Part of what would make a fun gameplay is the relationship of the client to the GA. Right now the GA knows very little about the client and often cannot get a good grasp on when to protect him. By allowing player to "pray" at night, not only does it exploit the fear to create tension as the night closes to an end, it gives a mechanic for each player to, quite literally, pray, in hopes that *someone* is actually looking out for them. Roles like the bg, doctor, survivor, vet, and transport already allow a kind of defense mechanism to be selectively used when trouble could be nearby; this final effort is a slim hope afforded to all players -- a guardian. This tension becomes even more dire when death is afoot; like when a jailer could execute. "Please guardian angel please! Save me, AHHH!"
One of the dumbest and easiest ways to spot a GA is because a GA whispers to their clients D1. This offers almost no immersive benefit to anyone. Part of the fun of a GA is that no one knows who the GA is. Now in theory, as players become more familiar and create cunning strategies, they will start lying about being the GA. But lying or not, knowing who your GA is doesn't really add much gameplay value, even if it gives you a small advantage. But it can take away a good amount of the fun. Furthermore most other players don't have an incentive to kill the GA because his power remains alive or dead. The consequence is that a GA is often the first person to wispier to a player on D1 and doing so caries very little risk, but ruins the fun of the game.
Since the GA can now see night chat, the ability to whisper would need to be removed entirely. In addition it solves the problem of privately informing your client of your presences -- just like real guardian angels who don't go around letting us know if 1) they exist and 2) who they are. Additionally, by no longer announcing when a GA is providing protection the mystery and suspension is continued. This allows players to hope right until the very end when they are found "guilty or inno".
I see the GA as a sort of anti-executioner. While the execution tries to deceive others to have a target lynched, the guardian angel tries to lie to town/others to save their client. Both act on a disinformation campaign to achieve a very narrow goal, thus adding to the delicate role balances. Furthermore, I do not feel that survivor is the best role to default to when the GA loses it's client. Survivor must earn its win by either hiding or making peace with everyone. Rather Jester seems like a more appropriate option. If the target dies the GA has failed, drunk with depression, and wishes only to end it's miserable existence.
Finally the GA should have some sort of night protection just like the Executioner. It's goal is to engage in the day, and dying has very little real value. Additionally to make things interesting a GA should be able to trade his life for an extra day of protection. Not only does this provide more cover to the jester, it creates an interesting dynamic were the client can be protected in exchange for his silence (by being dead) and by going "all-in" (if his client dies it is impossible cannot win[without Resurrection]). He will no longer be able to directly influence town but will instead be afforded another opportunity to save his client from doom.