Mafia for 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16 Players: Role Setups by Player Count

The core rule: one mafioso per 3–4 players

The mafia should be roughly 25–30% of all players. The reason is simple: the town loses two people per round (one lynched by day, one killed at night), the mafia only one. Above 30% the town cannot keep up even with flawless play.

The commissioner and the doctor belong in every setup: the commissioner gives the town information, the doctor gives it time. Every other role is seasoning — it enriches the game but shifts the balance.

5–6 players: the shortest game

• 1 mafia, commissioner, doctor, 2–3 townspeople.
• Do NOT add a second mafioso: with 6 players and 2 mafia, the town loses after a single mistake.
• The game lasts 2–3 rounds; if the commissioner finds the mafia on night one, the town has nearly won.

7–8 players: the second mafioso appears

• 2 mafia (one is the Don), commissioner, doctor, 3–4 townspeople.
• With eight players you can add one extra role: the escort (blocks a night action) or the vagrant.
• If the two mafiosi disagree, the Don picks the final target — so a Don is always needed.

9–10 players: the classic setup

• 3 mafia (Don + 2), commissioner, doctor, 4–5 townspeople.
• This is the sport-mafia standard — the most balanced game is played at exactly this size.
• With a Sergeant the town is not left blind after the commissioner dies.

11–12 players: the full roster

• 3 mafia (Don, mafioso, lawyer), commissioner and sergeant, doctor, escort, vagrant, sorcerer, 2–3 townspeople.
• The lawyer confuses the commissioner's checks — it makes sense to add him from this size up.
• The Killer (wins alone) works well as a third side here: both the town and the mafia fear him.

13–20 players: the big room

• 4–5 mafia, two investigators (commissioner + sergeant), doctor, every special role, the rest townspeople.
• Make the day discussion longer — 15 people cannot all speak in 60 seconds.
• The Werewolf (changes role when attacked) gives a big room an unexpected twist.

Common mistakes

When you create a room on the site, the system suggests a setup for the player count, and you can change it. Every role is described on the rules page; how to open a room for friends is in a separate article. Create a room and try it.

• Too many special roles in a small room — with 6 players and 5 special roles no "townspeople" remain and the game becomes a lottery.
• Playing without a doctor — the commissioner dies on night one and the town is left without information.
• Doubling the mafia (3 with 8 players) — that is "town loses" mode.