How to Play Werewolf – Rules, Roles & Strategies

Werewolf is a popular variation of the classic party game Mafia. Instead of mafia members, the bad guys are werewolves hiding among the villagers. Every night, the werewolves secretly choose a victim. Every day, the villagers discuss, argue, and vote to eliminate a suspect. The twist? Werewolf often includes extra roles like the Seer, Doctor, Witch, or Hunter that add excitement and strategy.

It’s one of the best-known social deduction games in the world and has inspired many commercial editions like Ultimate Werewolf.

Objective

• Werewolves: Eliminate villagers until they equal or outnumber them.
• Villagers: Work together to identify and eliminate all the werewolves.

Age Range

Ages 10 and up. Younger kids can play with simplified rules and fewer roles.

Game Length

15–60 minutes depending on group size and roles:

• 7–10 players → about 15–20 minutes
• 10–15 players → about 30–40 minutes
• 15–20+ players → about 45–60 minutes

A strong moderator and players who know the rules can speed up the game considerably.

Why We Like It for Kids and Families

• Highly replayable — every round tells a new story.
• Flexible — play simple villager/werewolf rounds or add extra roles.
• Great for camps, classrooms, and family game nights.
• Builds listening, debating, and bluffing skills.

Skills Learned

• Social deduction
• Critical thinking
• Bluffing and persuasion
• Group collaboration

What You Need

• 7+ players (10–12 is ideal)
• A moderator (does not play, only runs the game)
• Role cards (Villager, Werewolf, Seer, etc.)

How to Play Werewolf in 9 Steps

Step 1: Gather players
You’ll need at least 7 players plus a moderator.

Step 2: Choose a moderator
The moderator runs the game, narrates night/day phases, and manages eliminations. Pick someone familiar with the rules, or at least comfortable storytelling and keeping things moving.

Step 3: Deal role cards

• About 1 Werewolf for every 3–4 players.
• All others are Villagers, unless you’re adding special roles.
• Everyone secretly looks at their role and keeps it hidden.

Step 4: Begin the first night phase
The moderator says, “Everyone close your eyes. Werewolves, wake up.”

• Werewolves silently agree on one player to eliminate.
• The moderator notes the victim.
• Werewolves close their eyes.

If you are using special roles (like Seer, Doctor, Witch, etc.), see the Special Roles section below for exactly how each one acts during the night.

Step 5: Transition to the day phase
The moderator says, “Everyone wake up. Last night, [X] was eliminated.”

Step 6: Group discussion
Surviving players discuss who they think the werewolves are. Villagers try to reason it out, while werewolves blend in and deceive.

Step 7: Vote to eliminate
The group votes. The player with the most votes is eliminated and reveals their role.

Step 8: Repeat phases
Alternate night (werewolves + special roles act) and day (discussion + vote).

Step 9: Declare a winner

• If werewolves = villagers → Werewolves win.
• If all werewolves are eliminated → Villagers win.

Common Special Roles in Werewolf (and How They Work)

The moderator calls on roles one at a time during the night phase, with all other players’ eyes closed. Roles act silently (pointing, gesturing, or writing on slips of paper).

• Werewolves
  • Moderator: “Werewolves, open your eyes. Choose someone to eliminate.”
  • Werewolves silently point at a target. Moderator notes it. “Werewolves, close your eyes.”
• Doctor
  • Moderator: “Doctor, open your eyes. Who will you protect?”
  • Doctor points to one player. If that player is attacked, they are saved.
• Seer
  • Moderator: “Seer, open your eyes. Who do you want to know about?”
  • Seer points to one player. Moderator silently nods (werewolf) or shakes head (not a werewolf).
• Witch (optional)
  • Moderator: “Witch, open your eyes. Tonight the werewolves targeted [X]. Do you want to save them?”
  • Then: “Do you want to use your poison potion? Point to a player.”
  • Witch has one save and one poison for the whole game.
• Cupid (only on the first night)
  • Moderator: “Cupid, open your eyes and choose two lovers.”
  • Cupid points to two players. Moderator taps them so they know. If one lover dies, the other dies too.
• Hunter (trigger role)
  • No action at night. But if the Hunter is eliminated (day vote or night kill), they immediately name another player to eliminate with them.

Execution Tips

• Pointing method is fastest — players open eyes when called, silently point, then close eyes.
• Slips of paper can be used for large groups or classrooms to reduce mistakes.
• Moderator should always call roles in the same order to avoid confusion.

Variations

• Classic Werewolf: Only Villagers and Werewolves, no extra roles.
• Ultimate Werewolf: Expanded version with dozens of roles and scripted moderator phrases.
• No Moderator Mode: An advanced variant where players self-manage night/day cycles.
• Secret Ballot Voting: Players vote silently to increase suspense.
• Themed Nights: Werewolves growl, villagers whisper, or other fun roleplay elements.

Strategies

For Villagers:

• Pay attention to voting patterns and who avoids voting.
• Trust the Seer if revealed (but beware fake claims).
• Look for subtle alliances — who defends who?

For Werewolves:

• Stay calm and blend in. Don’t always agree with each other.
• Occasionally sacrifice a werewolf teammate to avoid detection.
• Speak just enough to avoid suspicion but don’t over-explain.

For Moderator:

• Stay neutral and keep the pace moving.
• Call roles in the same order each night to avoid confusion.
• Add drama in your narration to keep it fun.

FAQs

Q: What is Werewolf?
A: Werewolf is a social deduction game where hidden werewolves secretly eliminate villagers at night, and villagers vote during the day to eliminate suspected werewolves.

Q: How many people can play Werewolf?
A: 7+ is best. The game scales well up to 20+ players with a good moderator.

Q: What’s the difference between Mafia and Werewolf?
A: The games share the same core rules. Werewolf is a re-themed version of Mafia with fantasy flavor and often includes extra roles like Seer, Doctor, and Witch.

Q: Can kids play Werewolf?
A: Yes, though younger groups may prefer to call eliminations “tagged out” instead of “killed.”

Q: Do you need special cards to play Werewolf?
A: No, you can make your own with slips of paper, but commercial decks like Ultimate Werewolf make it easier.

Q: If I like Werewolf, what other games should I try?
A: Try Mafia (the original version), Among Us (video game), or other social deduction games like Secret Hitler and Spyfall.