I want to use this thread to see what people's favorite roles are and what roles that they think should be used more often (so roles you like/think are interesting).
I also am interested in hearing roles that people dislike and what roles that you think shouldn't be included in games at all (things you dislike/shouldn't be used in games).
I'll start.
BPV - Strangely enough, my favorite role is BPV or some variant of that. I enjoy the security you have knowing that you are protected from a kill. It gives you a lot of freedom to do what you want and emphasizes trying to attract mafia kills. Probably my favorite NOC role (this and vanilla lol) because you just want to go out and be considered such a town threat that the mafia needs to kill you.
JAILKEEPER - While maybe not a classic "interesting" role, I do think the mafiascum jailkeeper (a BG that hooks target) should become standard/used more. I think jailkeeper is a good balance between a BG (which has no drawbacks) and something like a mafia safeguard (unblockable kill) where there's no counterplay for either role. Jailkeeper > straight BG IMO creates better gameplay.
Bad Roles
MOLES - these roles just are not very interesting at all. i think they can be done but i don't like roles that require the host to lie. i think it's okay for their to be some ambiguity, but straight up saying "this guy is TOWN" and that being a lie is not only annoying, but unfair to the people receiving the wrong result. like you already can't trust everyone else on the playerlist and now you add the host to that list? there's better ways to strengthen the mafia i feel then by using mole roles.
FULL ROLE PM COP - this is an "uninteresting role." i think it's uninteresting because it's brainless. you get way too much information for 0 risk. if we talk about smogon mafia as everyone having a role, that means that we should have ways to disseminate all the info that a full role pm cop gets into different roles. it makes the game more interesting when the information is more spread out, which this role does not do.
FREEZERS - this role has been well meme'd but now i think it's just not very fun. it's like no contact kidnap but just a tad bit less of a pain. only talking in thread isn't much consolation because you really can't do much of anything except "welp guess I just bandwagon" so i guess unless you really enjoy posting bandwagon votes it's pretty unfun.
SILENCERS IN NOC - this one is self-explanatory i think. you are taking away a player's ability to play the actual game. that's not good. it's like freezers/no contact kidnaps. (as an aside i think it's okay in insomniac because that isn't a true NOC game i would classify that as more of a cop5 variant t b h)
So what's your guys' favorite and least favorite roles? What roles do you think should get more love and what roles do you think should never see the light of a smogon game again? Feel free to post your past role PMs here too!
I also am interested in hearing roles that people dislike and what roles that you think shouldn't be included in games at all (things you dislike/shouldn't be used in games).
I'll start.
BPV - Strangely enough, my favorite role is BPV or some variant of that. I enjoy the security you have knowing that you are protected from a kill. It gives you a lot of freedom to do what you want and emphasizes trying to attract mafia kills. Probably my favorite NOC role (this and vanilla lol) because you just want to go out and be considered such a town threat that the mafia needs to kill you.
JAILKEEPER - While maybe not a classic "interesting" role, I do think the mafiascum jailkeeper (a BG that hooks target) should become standard/used more. I think jailkeeper is a good balance between a BG (which has no drawbacks) and something like a mafia safeguard (unblockable kill) where there's no counterplay for either role. Jailkeeper > straight BG IMO creates better gameplay.
Bad Roles
MOLES - these roles just are not very interesting at all. i think they can be done but i don't like roles that require the host to lie. i think it's okay for their to be some ambiguity, but straight up saying "this guy is TOWN" and that being a lie is not only annoying, but unfair to the people receiving the wrong result. like you already can't trust everyone else on the playerlist and now you add the host to that list? there's better ways to strengthen the mafia i feel then by using mole roles.
FULL ROLE PM COP - this is an "uninteresting role." i think it's uninteresting because it's brainless. you get way too much information for 0 risk. if we talk about smogon mafia as everyone having a role, that means that we should have ways to disseminate all the info that a full role pm cop gets into different roles. it makes the game more interesting when the information is more spread out, which this role does not do.
FREEZERS - this role has been well meme'd but now i think it's just not very fun. it's like no contact kidnap but just a tad bit less of a pain. only talking in thread isn't much consolation because you really can't do much of anything except "welp guess I just bandwagon" so i guess unless you really enjoy posting bandwagon votes it's pretty unfun.
SILENCERS IN NOC - this one is self-explanatory i think. you are taking away a player's ability to play the actual game. that's not good. it's like freezers/no contact kidnaps. (as an aside i think it's okay in insomniac because that isn't a true NOC game i would classify that as more of a cop5 variant t b h)
So what's your guys' favorite and least favorite roles? What roles do you think should get more love and what roles do you think should never see the light of a smogon game again? Feel free to post your past role PMs here too!