How do you play Werewolf?

Every player secretly gets a role. A few are werewolves, the rest are villagers, some with a special power. At night everyone closes their eyes; the werewolves wake up and choose a player to attack, and the special roles use their powers. In the day the village learns who was attacked, talks it over and votes one player out. The village wins when every werewolf is out; the werewolves win when there are as many of them as villagers.

Is Werewolf the same as Mafia?

Yes. Mafia is the original name of the game, invented in Moscow in the 1980s; Werewolf is the same game with villagers and werewolves instead of townspeople and mafia. The roles have different names in different groups (the doctor is sometimes called the guardian, the seer the detective), but the rules are the same.

How many players do you need?

At least 5, and it gets better with 8 to 15. The game here supports 5 to 20 players. With 5 or 6 players use one werewolf, with 7 to 9 two, with 10 to 13 three.

Can we play without a narrator?

Yes. Choose 'The phone' under 'Who runs the game?'. The phone reads the script aloud, and at night the role that is called picks the phone up, makes its choice and puts it back down, while everyone else keeps their eyes closed. Then everyone can play.

What do the special roles do?

The seer learns each night whether one player is a werewolf. The doctor protects one player from the werewolves (not the same player two nights in a row). The hunter takes one player down with them when they die. The witch can save the werewolves' victim once and poison one player once per game. The jester wins alone if the village votes them out.

Can everyone see their role on their own phone?

Yes. Choose Everyone's phone, create a game code and share the invite link or the square code. Each player opens it, picks their player number and sees their own role; the werewolves also see who the other werewolves are. The narrator runs the nights on the host's phone.

Does it work offline?

Once the page has loaded, yes. The roles are worked out on each phone from the game code, so no server and no internet connection are needed during the game.

Do I need to sign up or download an app?

No. There is no account and nothing to install. Open the page in any phone browser and play. It is free.

Game

Werewolf Game (Mafia)

The classic party game of villagers and hidden werewolves, also called Mafia. The phone deals the roles in secret, reads the night script aloud, remembers who the werewolves chose and who was saved, and calls the winner. Play with a narrator, with no narrator at all, or on everyone's phone with a code. No sign-up, no app, no cards.

Updated October 20, 2026 · Free, no sign-up

✓ No sign-up✓ No app to install✓ Free

PlayersWerewolves

Special roles

2 werewolves, 1 seer, 1 doctor, 1 hunter and 3 villagers.

Who runs the game?

Player names (optional)

Everyone has a phone? and each player sees their role on their own phone.

Werewolf · also known as Mafia

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What is the Werewolf game?

Werewolf is a party game of hidden roles for 5 to 20 players. A few players are secretly werewolves; everyone else is a villager. At night the werewolves quietly choose a victim. In the day the whole village talks, accuses and votes someone out, hoping it is a werewolf. The village wins when every werewolf is gone; the werewolves win when they are as many as the villagers. The same game is also called Mafia, its original name.

Normally one person has to sit out as the narrator, with a deck of role cards and a lot to remember. Here the phone does that work: it deals the roles in secret, reads the night script aloud, remembers who the werewolves picked and who the doctor saved, and announces the winner. No sign-up, no app, no cards: open the page and play.

Three ways to play

Mode	How it works	Best for
One phone, with a narrator	The phone is passed around once to show everyone their role, then one person keeps it and runs the nights. They see every role and tap the night’s choices.	Big groups, first games, classrooms
One phone, no narrator	The phone reads the script aloud. At night the role that is called picks the phone up, makes its choice and puts it down. Everyone plays.	Small groups who want everyone in
Everyone’s phone	The host creates a 7-character code. Players scan the square or open the invite link and see their own role. The host’s phone runs the nights, or, with no narrator, one phone in the middle does.	Groups where everyone has a phone

How to play Werewolf

How to play the Werewolf party game (Mafia): the four steps, the seven roles with their team and power, and how many werewolves for groups of 5 to 20 players — The steps, every role and how many werewolves for your group.

Werewolf roles

Every game has werewolves and villagers. Switch on the special roles you want; the rest of the players are plain villagers.

Role	Team	What they do
🐺 Werewolf	Werewolves	Every night the werewolves wake up together and choose one player to attack.
🧑‍🌾 Villager	Village	No night power. Your weapon is your vote and your eyes in the day.
🔮 Seer	Village	Every night, point at one player and learn whether they are a werewolf.
🩺 Doctor	Village	Every night, choose one player to protect (yourself too). Not the same player two nights in a row.
🏹 Hunter	Village	When you die, by night or by vote, you immediately choose one player who dies with you.
🧪 Witch	Village	Once per game you may save the werewolves' victim, and once per game you may poison a player.
🃏 Jester	Alone	No night power. If the village votes you out, you win and the game ends.

How many werewolves? A setup for every group

A good rule is about one werewolf for every four players. The game suggests this mix; you can change it before you deal.

Players	Werewolves	Special roles	Villagers
5	1	Seer, Doctor	2
6	1	Seer, Doctor	3
7	2	Seer, Doctor, Hunter	2
8	2	Seer, Doctor, Hunter	3
9	2	Seer, Doctor, Hunter	4
10	3	Seer, Doctor, Hunter, Witch	3
12	3	Seer, Doctor, Hunter, Witch	5
14	4	Seer, Doctor, Hunter, Witch	6
16	4	Seer, Doctor, Hunter, Witch	8
20	5	Seer, Doctor, Hunter, Witch	11

Werewolf game rules, step by step

Deal the roles. Each player looks at their role in secret. The werewolves learn who the other werewolves are.
Night. “Night falls on the village. Everyone, close your eyes.” The werewolves wake up and silently choose a player to attack. Then the doctor protects someone, the seer checks someone, and the witch may use a potion.
Morning. Everyone opens their eyes and learns who was attacked, unless the doctor or the witch saved them. A player who is out may not talk for the rest of the game.
Day. The village talks it over and votes. The player with the most votes is out. If the village cannot agree, nobody is voted out.
Repeat night and day until every werewolf is out (the village wins) or the werewolves are as many as the villagers (the werewolves win). If the jester is voted out, the jester wins alone.

The narrator’s script

The phone reads these lines aloud when the voice is on. You can also read them yourself:

When	What the narrator says
Night falls	Night falls on the village. Everyone, close your eyes.
Werewolves	Werewolves, open your eyes. Look at each other, and silently choose one player to attack.
Doctor	Doctor, open your eyes. Choose one player to protect tonight.
Seer	Seer, open your eyes. Point at one player to learn if they are a werewolf.
Witch	Witch, open your eyes. You may use your healing potion, your poison, or neither.
Morning	Everyone, open your eyes. The sun rises over the village.
Day	Talk it over. Who do you think is a werewolf? When you are ready, vote.

Tips for werewolves and villagers

Werewolf: In the day, act like a worried villager. Don't defend the other werewolves too hard.
Villager: Watch who pushes the vote and who goes quiet. Werewolves often follow the crowd.
Seer: Don't reveal yourself too early: the werewolves will come for you next.
Doctor: Protect the player who sounds most like the seer.
Hunter: Let the werewolves know there is a hunter. They will think twice before attacking.
Witch: Keep the healing potion for a night when it matters, and only poison when you are sure.
Jester: Act a little suspicious, but not so much that it's obvious.
Everyone: close your eyes properly, and make some noise (tap the table, hum) during the night so nobody can hear who is moving.

Werewolf or Mafia: what is the difference?

None, apart from the story. Mafia was invented in 1986 by a psychology student in Moscow as a game about an informed minority against an uninformed majority. Werewolf is the same game set in a village, with werewolves instead of mafia and villagers instead of townspeople. Groups often rename the roles (doctor or guardian, seer or detective), but the game works the same way.

Is it private?

Yes. The roles are worked out on each phone from the game code, so nothing is sent anywhere and there is no account. Player names you type stay on the phone you type them on.

More party games: the Imposter Game, Fishbowl and Charades.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you play Werewolf?: Every player secretly gets a role. A few are werewolves, the rest are villagers, some with a special power. At night everyone closes their eyes; the werewolves wake up and choose a player to attack, and the special roles use their powers. In the day the village learns who was attacked, talks it over and votes one player out. The village wins when every werewolf is out; the werewolves win when there are as many of them as villagers.
Is Werewolf the same as Mafia?: Yes. Mafia is the original name of the game, invented in Moscow in the 1980s; Werewolf is the same game with villagers and werewolves instead of townspeople and mafia. The roles have different names in different groups (the doctor is sometimes called the guardian, the seer the detective), but the rules are the same.
How many players do you need?: At least 5, and it gets better with 8 to 15. The game here supports 5 to 20 players. With 5 or 6 players use one werewolf, with 7 to 9 two, with 10 to 13 three.
Can we play without a narrator?: Yes. Choose 'The phone' under 'Who runs the game?'. The phone reads the script aloud, and at night the role that is called picks the phone up, makes its choice and puts it back down, while everyone else keeps their eyes closed. Then everyone can play.
What do the special roles do?: The seer learns each night whether one player is a werewolf. The doctor protects one player from the werewolves (not the same player two nights in a row). The hunter takes one player down with them when they die. The witch can save the werewolves' victim once and poison one player once per game. The jester wins alone if the village votes them out.
Can everyone see their role on their own phone?: Yes. Choose Everyone's phone, create a game code and share the invite link or the square code. Each player opens it, picks their player number and sees their own role; the werewolves also see who the other werewolves are. The narrator runs the nights on the host's phone.
Does it work offline?: Once the page has loaded, yes. The roles are worked out on each phone from the game code, so no server and no internet connection are needed during the game.
Do I need to sign up or download an app?: No. There is no account and nothing to install. Open the page in any phone browser and play. It is free.

About this page

The Werewolf Game is a free game from Linguaholic, made by Marcel Iseli. It runs in your browser, with no sign-up. Last updated October 20, 2026.

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