The Godfather in Mafia

The head of the family. Looks innocent to the Detective, so the town has to catch him the hard way.

Also called: Don, Boss

Team: The Mafia
At night: Wakes with the Mafia
Also called: Don
In the app: Coming later

How the Godfather works

The Godfather is a member of the Mafia who wakes with the rest of the family and helps choose the night's victim. In many rule sets the Godfather has the final say if the Mafia disagree.

The Godfather's power is protection from investigation: when the Detective checks him, the moderator says he is not Mafia. That makes him the hardest member of the family to catch, and a Detective who trusts their results can end up vouching for him.

How to play the Godfather

1.Let the Detective check you. A clean result is the strongest alibi in the game, so play as if you want to be investigated.
2.Stay close to the Detective once they claim. Being 'confirmed innocent' by them puts you at the centre of the town's decisions.
3.Keep your partners alive by steering suspicion elsewhere, not by defending them directly.

Playing against the Godfather

1.Don't treat one clean Detective result as proof. If a Godfather is in play, an innocent result only rules out the ordinary Mafia.
2.Look for players who seem oddly comfortable being investigated.
3.Use voting patterns: the Godfather still has to vote with or against his family, and that leaves a trail.

The most common mistake

Getting cocky after a clean investigation. A Godfather who leans on 'the Detective cleared me' too hard reminds everyone that a Godfather exists.

Playing with the app

The app's Mafia theme deals the Mafia, Detective, Doctor and Civilians. The Godfather is a popular extra for groups playing with a human moderator.

Questions about the Godfather

Does the Godfather count as Mafia for winning?

Yes. The Godfather is part of the Mafia team and wins or loses with them.

Should you add a Godfather with only one Detective?

It works best with 10 or more players. In small games it makes the Detective almost useless, which swings the game toward the Mafia.

Is the Godfather in the Werewolf Narrator app?

Not yet. The app's Mafia theme deals the Mafia, Detective, Doctor and Civilians. The Godfather is a popular extra for groups playing with a human moderator.