A very fun group game I tried this weekend at Ropecon (Roleplaying Convention) this weekend ^^
It's not that much of a card game than a talking game, but it has cards, so it fits here X3
I will paste a good review of it that I found on internet, since it tells things quite efficiently and much more clearly that I probably could XD Original review can be found here, along with some stuff I did not paste here:
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10583.phtmlLupus in Tabula "Werewolves at the Table"
A new version of the classic Mafia/Werewolf game, produced by daVinci Games and Mayfair.
Players: 9-25
Playing Time: 20-60 minutes
Difficulty: 1 (of 10)
Unlike almost all of my reviews, this is not a playtest review, because I rarely get 9-25 people together to game. However, I have chatted with people who do play Werewolf games and have also compared the game to other versions on the market.
The Components
Lupus in Tabula comes with:
* 63 cards
* 1 rulebook
Cards: Lupus comes with: 27 role cards (3 of which are blank); 26 angry mob cards; and 10 summary cards (only 5 of which include English text).
The role cards each depict a certain type of player (villager, werewolf, seer, etc.) along with an icon at the top left to identify what the role is. The angry mob cards are used for voting, and just depict an angry mob (with a ghost on the back, for when that player dies). Finally, the summary cards identify all the role icons and also lists the sequence of special powers.
Each card is printed on medium-weight coated, linen-textured cards with rounded corner. They have all attractive, cartoonish art on them. Particularly notable is the fact that among the dozen peasant cards there are six different pieces of art, and even the repeats have been colored differently. This eye to detail is really nice.
The only problem with the cards is one typical for daVinci releases: internationalization. The individual role cards don't list the actual names of the roles, nor do they describe their powers in the least. The game would definitely have been easier to play if they had, though with a gamemaster describing things in Lupus, it's probably not an entirely serious issue.
Rulebook: The rulebook is a large black and white rulesheet printed in four different languages.The English rules take up half of one side of the rule sheet. They're unillustrated, but still pretty easy to follow. There are also some tips and variant rules.
Overall, Lupus is a well-produced game available at a very reasonable price. The game's only issue is usability, with regard to the role cards having no real information on them. On balance, the game still earns a "4" out of "5" for Style.
The Gameplay
In Lupus in Tablua if you're a werewolf you're trying to kill the humans, and if you're a human you're trying to kill the werewolves.
Setup: The game begins with choosing a moderator, then handing out role cards to all the players. Two or three players will be werewolves (depending on total player numbers), one player will be a seer, a number of players will be villagers, and some players may have special roles (more on them later). These role cards are kept secret.
Order of Play: The game play is broken into two broad parts, which repeat in order: day and night. Each night someone is eaten by a werewolf, then each day someone is lynched.
Night: In the basic game, there are two phases during the night: the seer phase and the werewolf phase. The night begins with everyone closing their eyes. It's generally suggested that people hum, tap, or whatever during the night to cover up accidental noises.
The Seer Phase. The moderator then asks the seer to open his eyes and to silently select another player. The moderator then gives a thumbs up or a thumbs down, depending on if the player is a werewolf or a human. The seer then closes his eyes.
The Werewolf Phase. The moderator then asks then werewolves to open their eyes. They identify each other, then silently select a player who they kill. The werewolves then close their eyes.
(The first night the moderator is "killed", allowing everyone to play a full round of the game; this is a change from the rules in older Werewolf games, and probably a good one.)
Day: Everyone now opens their eyes and the moderator identifies who has been killed; that person may no longer talk. The rest of the players now discuss for three minutes who they think are werewolves. The seer may be able to give some pointers, but if he's too explicit, he will become a target for the werewolves. Likewise, other players (usually the werewolves) can pretend to be the seer (but this of course has its own dangers).
After the discussion, each player takes his angry mob card and places it in front of another player. The two players with the most votes (or more in case of a tie) are nominated. Then, the nominees gets to make a speech to defend themselves, then everyone gets to vote one more time, on who should be lynched out of the nominees. The "winner" is lynched and out of the game.
(The nominee process is also new for this version of the game; most Werewolf variants just have a one-step voting process.)
Now, a new night begins ...
The Lupus rules say that cards are not revealed when people die. This seems to vary from one version of the game to another. (In this case it's also important for one of the special roles.)
Winning the Game: The humans win if all the werewolves are eliminated. The werewolves win if the number of humans drops to the number of remaining werewolves (in which case the werewolves openly kill the remaining humans).
Special Cards: The game can work exactly as described for 8-15 players. However, there are also special roles cards, most of which act toward normal human victory conditions, but which have special powers, thus giving more players the opportunity to have a unique play each game. Here's the special characters included in Lupus:
Special Info:
* Medium: Human. During night he learns if the last person lynched was human or werewolf.
* Freemasons: Humans. The two freemasons open their eyes on the first night to identify each other.
Special Victory:
* Possessed: Human. Sides with the werewolves without knowing who they are.
* Werehamster: "Human". Can't be killed by werewolves, but is killed if selected by the Seer. Is the only winner if he is still alive when the game ends.
* Mythomaniac: Variable. On the second night points toward another player. If they are a werewolf or a seer, he becomes that role. Otherwise, he stays a human.
Life & Death:
* Bodyguard: Human. Secretly protects one player at night, who is actually safe if choosen by the werewolves.
Voting:
* Owl: Human. At night chooses a player who will automatically be the second nominee for voting the next day.
As for how I've played, we also use a custom-made rule called Vigilantine (Or Van Hellsing X3) instead of Owl. He is a Monster Hunter, who has 3 bullets and his own phase at night, in which he can choose, if he will shoot down someone, who he thinks is a wolf.
As for my first and so far only game, I ended up as a Werewolf in a game with 3 pro players X3 I was kinda framed easily and hanged. But for what I have observed, it is a very fun game, once you get to learn a trick or two ^^ I suggets trying, if you can pull out a group big enough. Since after all, it is mostly a game of Perception and Deception. No shop-bought cards are actually necessary ^^
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