Thoughts on Jesters

I am curious about the opinions of Jesters in this community. There are two types of Jesters; one that ends the game upon being executed (solo victory), and one that simply leaves the game upon being executed (and maybe someone might die “out of guilt”).

What are your thoughts on these two roles?

Would you like to play with Game-Ending Jesters?
  • They are fine. I want to play with them.
  • They are fine, but I don’t want to play with them.
  • They are not fine.

0 voters

Would you like to play with Jesters that leave upon being executed?
  • They are fine. I want to play with them.
  • They are fine, but I don’t want to play with them.
  • They are not fine.

0 voters

1 Like

8 Likes

this is entirely (mostly) a subjective matter to the game itself
especially for game ending jesters, take jester nightless for example
the game is balanced(?) around a jester that will eventually have a stroke and die but if it gets executed before that, it wins and everyone dies
in that setup, the jester is clearly announced, and has a preset solution
overall though a jester with no counterplay other than “vig pls” is a bad idea in general and a game ending jester is going to just be a mistake if it’s not a centerpiece of the setup

also extra bad if you’re not announcing jesters
this has been my unscheduled unhinged rant for the oncoming unspecified timeframe

4 Likes

The only acceptable game ending jester is Goblin

I will not be taking questions at this time

3 Likes

My actual opinion though

Don’t do an unannounced Jester. Just don’t.

Announced Jesters can be done right. Game ending jesters that are pivotal to the setup, or jesters with actual counterplay such as the aforementioned Goblin.

Compared to something like the Fool, which just has no counterplay at all and nixes executions for a day… this is unacceptable in any longform setup and still infuriating in shortform.

4 Likes

I like non game ending jesters :slight_smile:
I think they are fun

If theyre not announced I agree that thats unfair, but if something in the OP said like “jesters may or may not exist” + it was a bastard game (bc i consider jesters bastard) then I think its fine

2 Likes

Either way at least Jesters are capable of serving a purpose

Looking at you, Survivor

3 Likes

I understand that context matters, and the context is: “The existence of Jesters is announced.”

I want to hear your opinions when you already know you are in a game with these roles. I am not talking about games where there is “secretly” a Jester in the game; I am not interested in that kind of surprise.

1 Like

i think unannounced jesters are fine in large games where the possibility of a 3p is announced

game ending jesters are bad even when announced imo because that just punishes actual solving

5 Likes

the one thing that you have to keep in mind with jesters is that their very existence creates some incredibly grey areas within the rules

the two big ones are lurking / skating by post min as a strategy & intentionally “jesting” to make yourself look like a jester

this is why i don’t like announced jesters even if they aren’t game ending imo because then wolves kind of stop having to play to their actual wincon & can instead just try to look like a jester if they get into trouble

if you have contingencies as a host for both of these issues i guess they can be fine but it usually just makes the experience worse for players

7 Likes

so do non-game-ending jesters lol

2 Likes

Game-Ending Non-Jesters

1 Like

Game-ending jesters are so punishing that their mere existence changes the way town has to solve. They are also very anticlimactic. That’s the main issues.
Non game-ending jesters don’t have this; they more reward the jester than punish the town when executed.

3 Likes

That’s poor implementation of jester into the setup rather than a problem with jester itself, tho.

2 Likes

Wasting a lynch is huge

2 Likes

yes but that’s a question for balancing the punishment mechanic not jester
you could compensate town for that and punish them in another way

2 Likes

Thought the first poll was jesters in general, but even the game ending ones can be fun. The ones that just leave pretty much have to haunt a voter on them to be fun though.

1 Like

Jesters make me happy! UwU

3 Likes

Banned

4 Likes

For some reason I thought this said Thoughts on Jarek.

1 Like