Every Mafia Role, Explained
The complete reference: the core cast, what each name means across Mafia and Werewolf, ten advanced roles, and how to balance the deck for any group size.
Deal these roles free → The app deals a balanced deck automatically · 4–20 playersThe core cast
Every game of Mafia is built on the same skeleton: a hidden killing team, an investigator, a protector, and a majority of ordinary townsfolk. These are the five roles dealt in Mafia Board Game — with the strategy that actually wins games.
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🗡 Mafioso Mafia
Each night the mafia collectively pick one victim; they know each other and see each other's picks. By day they blend in and steer suspicion. Strategy: vote like a confused townsperson, never rescue a partner too eagerly, and kill the players who reason well. The quiet mafioso outlives the clever one.
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🕵️ Sheriff Town
Also called the Detective, Cop, Investigator — or the Seer in Werewolf. Each night they learn one player's true allegiance. Strategy: investigate the players steering votes. Don't claim Sheriff early — you become the next kill. Reveal when your information can flip a vote, and be ready for a mafioso to counter-claim your role.
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😇 Angel Town
Also called the Doctor, Medic, Guardian or Bodyguard. Each night they watch over one player; if the mafia strike that player, nobody dies. Self-protection allowed. Strategy: protect the town's loudest reasoner or a claimed Sheriff — the mafia's likeliest targets — and stay hidden. A quiet dawn is your signature; don't sign it out loud.
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🕯️ Villager Town
No night power — which doesn't mean no power. Villagers are most of the town and decide every vote. Strategy: track voting patterns across days (mafia protect each other), pressure the quiet, and treat every role claim as a testable statement. You win with memory and logic.
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🎭 Jester Neutral
Wins alone — and ends the game — if the town votes them out. Dealt as an optional extra in games of 7+. Strategy: be suspicious, not absurd. Fumble a detail, contradict yourself once, defend yourself weakly. The town has to convict you on their own.
One game, many names
Groups argue about role names more than rules. They're the same parts in the same machine — Mafia theme or Werewolf theme:
| Function | Mafia-theme names | Werewolf-theme names |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden killer | Mafioso, Mafia, Godfather | Werewolf, Alpha Wolf |
| Investigator | Sheriff, Detective, Cop | Seer, Fortune Teller |
| Protector | Angel, Doctor, Medic | Bodyguard, Witch (heal potion) |
| Ordinary citizen | Villager, Townsperson, Civilian | Villager |
| Third party | Jester, Fool | Tanner, Fool |
Ten advanced roles for veteran groups
Once the classic deck feels solved, these are the most common additions. Add one or two at a time — every power role you add weakens the plain Villagers.
| Role | Team | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Godfather | Mafia | Leads the mafia — and reads as innocent to investigations. |
| Vigilante | Town | A townsperson with a gun: may kill one player at night (often once per game). Misfires haunt the town. |
| Roleblocker | Either | Each night, blocks one player's night action from happening. |
| Medium | Town | May commune with a dead player at night and receive yes/no answers. |
| Bodyguard | Town | Protects a player by dying in their place if they're attacked. |
| Mayor | Town | May reveal publicly to have their vote count double — at the cost of becoming a target. |
| Witch | Neutral/Town | Holds two potions: one heal, one poison. Each usable once. |
| Serial Killer | Neutral | Kills alone each night; wins by being the last one standing. A second knife in the dark. |
| Lovers (Cupid) | Special | Two players are secretly linked: if one dies, both die. If they're on different teams, they win only together. |
| Miller | Town | An innocent who reads as mafia to investigations. Chaos in one card. |
How many of each role? Balance by player count
The golden ratio: roughly one mafioso per 3–4 players, one investigator always, one protector once you have five. This is the balance the app deals automatically:
| Players | Mafiosi | Sheriff | Angel | Jester (optional) | Villagers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 | 1 | 1 | at 5 | — | the rest |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 |
| 7–10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | the rest |
| 11–14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | the rest |
| 15–20 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | the rest |
Too many mafia and the town never has a chance; too few and the game outlasts the pizza. If a game ends in two days, add a mafioso next round; if the mafia never get close, remove one.
Don't hand-build the deck
The app deals a balanced role mix for your exact group size — secretly, to each player's phone.
Start a free game →Frequently asked questions
What are the basic roles in Mafia?
Mafioso, an investigator (Sheriff/Detective/Cop), a protector (Angel/Doctor), and Villagers. Groups of 7+ often add the Jester.
How many mafia per player?
About one per 3–4 players: 1 at 4–6 players, 2 at 7–10, 3 at 11–14, 4 at 15+.
Is the Seer the same as the Sheriff?
Yes. Seer is the Werewolf-theme name for the investigator; Sheriff, Detective and Cop are Mafia-theme names for the same role.
Can the Angel save themself?
Usually yes, including in Mafia Board Game. Some groups house-rule self-saves out entirely or allow them once per game.
What's the best role for beginners?
Villager — the game's core deduction with no extra job. The hardest to play well are the Jester (acting) and the Mafioso (sustained lying).