New Role: Associate

[Dr. Cheis]

This is my first time suggesting a role, bear with me.

Alignment: Mafia
Investigator Message: You discover nothing of importance, suggesting that your target is as unsuspicious as a Citizen, Crier, Survivor, or a bedridden Amnesiac, though he could also be an unseasoned Associate.

You are a newly inducted member of the Mafia, waiting for your chance to prove yourself to the family.

Ability:
*Becomes Mafioso if no kill-capable Mafia are alive. You be given priority in this promotion ahead of any other Mafia roles.
*Bulletproof Vest (limit 1, optional).

Options
*Has Bulletproof Vest (default: on)
*Excluded from Randoms (default: on)
*Detects Mason Leader recruit attempts (default: off)

Random Groups: Mafia Support, Mafia Random, Random Any

Achievement: No Chance to Shine- Survive to the win the game as Associate without being promoted to Mafioso. (+50 points)

The Associate is the Mafia equivalent of the Citizen, with a few exceptions. He will not be granted extra weight over other roles in the even of a 1v1 tie, and he cannot be recruited by Mason Leaders or Cultists. He does not earn bonus points for a win, as the Citizen would. Associates are not as likely to rolequit since they have the advantage of teammates. Until they become Mafioso, their power lies primarily in their vote.

The Associate is intended for 4-Mafia games, or games where 3 Mafia *might* be too strong due to their night abilities. The Associate votes with the Mafia, but does not contribute to their investigations or interference with the town at night. If the Mafia killing roles (Godfather/Mafiosos) are all dead, the Associate becomes a new Mafioso, taking priority over other mafia roles with the same ability. He is like an "extra life" for the killing mafia that dies. He will not become a Mafioso if the Godfather dies and the Consigliere is promoted to Godfather in his place.

Because the Associate is notably weaker than all other Mafia roles, by default he is not included in Randoms. An Associate appearing in a save that was balanced for 3 active Mafia will weaken the Mafia in that save.

In order to assist in the Associate's ability to feign the Citizen role, as well as his ability to survive long enough to become a Mafioso, there is an option to grant him a 1-time use bulletproof vest. The Associate is far less likely than the Citizen to be attacked at night, since he does not have to worry about the Mafia intentionally targeting him, so his vest must be used much more carefully.

As he is not a full-fledged member of the Mafia, by default he is not experienced enough to detect a Mason Leader attempting to recruit him. This option exists because the Associate is intended as an "extra" Mafia, and the presence of an Associate is not intended to make the Mason Leader wary of his increased chances of accidentally attempting to recruit a Mafia.

[TheDarkestLight]

He actually seems stronger than a Mafioso. I mean he has a vest whereas the Mafioso doesn't. He becomes Mafioso when the Mafia can't kill, and the tie priority I don't think matters since he will change into a Mafioso upon it being 1v1.

It's basically a Mafioso with a vest that can't detect MLs, which isn't significant since I haven't seen an ML target a Mafia in ages.

[Dr. Cheis]

I was going back and forth on whether vest should default to on or off. I'd be happy with it either way. If vest makes it too strong I wouldn't mind seeing it go completely.

Though I do see how he might be like a Mafioso who isn't currently the killing role. Perhaps if he was immune to Sheriff detection while an Associate that might help out.

[Voss]

why not make him recruitable by masons and cult? this would make him way more fun to play =P

[Dr. Cheis]

why not make him recruitable by masons and cult? this would make him way more fun to play =P

I thought of that, but wouldn't the Mafia immediate notice? I've never done a game with the "Obviously Evil" scenario so I don't know how it would work.

[TheDarkestLight]

I was going back and forth on whether vest should default to on or off. I'd be happy with it either way. If vest makes it too strong I wouldn't mind seeing it go completely.

Without the vest it is the same as a Mafioso. The win ties is useless as he will automatically become a Mafioso because in a tie he has to be the last Mafia left, and if he is the last one left then there is no kill roles, thus becoming a Mafioso.

There is basically no difference between this and a Mafioso.

A GF and a Mafioso in one team, and a GF and an associate in the other. The Mafioso team is slightly stronger due to being able to kill through a Jailor, and the GF doesn't get detected/lookouted.

As soon as the GF in team Mafioso dies, the Mafioso kills. When the GF in team associate dies the associate becomes a Mafioso and kills.

End result is the same.

[Dr. Cheis]

The Associate is meant as a supplement to the Mafia, not a replacement. Any save that is ordinarily a GF+Mafioso team will suffer for replacing Mafioso with an Associate. One difference between a Mafioso and an Associate is that an Associate will never be spotted by a Lookout/Detective, and an Escort blocking an Associate will never prevent a kill.

In light of the similarities though, I think adding Sheriff immunity to the Associate and maybe allowing conversion to cult/mason makes it different enough.

[Squidypie]

Darkest you don't seems to understand how the Mafioso works. A clever gf will say when jailed "if you think I'm gf, hold me while rest of town finds other mafs". Mafioso makes a kill and GF is cleared. Detectives see GF not move on a kill night and his cit claim is substantiated.

The real power of most maf isn't their night powers it's their votes and the fact that it might take three maf lynches to kill them all:

When there are too many mafia in the game it becomes very hard to put anyone on trial. I've got to say I don't like the idea of a role whose primary purpose is to give the host an excuse to put in an extra maf. No matter how weak the powers it makes the mafia team require an extra day to kill.

[TheDarkestLight]

Darkest you don't seems to understand how the Mafioso works. A clever gf will say when jailed "if you think I'm gf, hold me while rest of town finds other mafs". Mafioso makes a kill and GF is cleared. Detectives see GF not move on a kill night and his cit claim is substantiated.

The real power of most maf isn't their night powers it's their votes and the fact that it might take three maf lynches to kill them all:

When there are too many mafia in the game it becomes very hard to put anyone on trial. I've got to say I don't like the idea of a role whose primary purpose is to give the host an excuse to put in an extra maf. No matter how weak the powers it makes the mafia team require an extra day to kill.

Yes but it has the same effect as putting in another Mafioso.
Put in an associate, put in a mafioso, what difference would it make in the end? The Mafioso has a slight buff from the Jailing/rb/detect/lookout.
Also if the associate was recruited, the Maf would just kill him the next day, or say in day chat that he is cult and then look like a Sheriff.

[Sen]

Also if the associate was recruited, the Maf would just kill him the next day, or say in day chat that he is cult and then look like a Sheriff.

And then the lynched cult would say who the remaining mafia are.
Roles with a shared night chat should NEVER be able to switch factions.

[Dr. Cheis]

And then the lynched cult would say who the remaining mafia are.
Roles with a shared night chat should NEVER be able to switch factions.

Good point. I don't think being recruited will work in that case.

[Admiral]

How about this...

They start out with a "Citizen vest" and must actively help vote to the trial and vote to lynch one (or 2) townies in order to gain a night ability. The role could be randomly assigned and he does NOT automatically become a Mafioso in the absence of a killer unless he was promoted to a member.

They could also possibly start as a neutral benign who does not win with anyone (even mafia) until he is actually assigned to the mafia team.

[Dr. Cheis]

How about this...

They start out with a "Citizen vest" and must actively help vote to the trial and vote to lynch one (or 2) townies in order to gain a night ability. The role could be randomly assigned and he does NOT automatically become a Mafioso in the absence of a killer unless he was promoted to a member.

They could also possibly start as a neutral benign who does not win with anyone (even mafia) until he is actually assigned to the mafia team.

I like this, especially the last part. Solves the problem of not being as useful as other mafia roles, and yet taking up a mafia slot. Otherwise, this would be the only role that doesn't work well as a Random.

[UltimaNecros]

That a interesting thought, start him as nuet benign but still in NightChat with mafia and promote him to oso when he helps vote off a townie/ nuet if at least half the mafia (counting the associate but not counting him, i.e with gf consig nappa and asso he gets promo if say gf and consig and asso vote a man guilty but if gf and asso only ones to vote guilty then he gets no promo. Example 2 if we have gf consig and asso and asso and gf vote guilt asso gets promo.)
Untill promoted he only wins if he is last man standing.