Ultimate Traitors is a game of wit and deduction for two teams: Faithfuls and Traitors. If you’ve played Werewolf, Mafia, or seen The Traitors TV show, you have a good idea of what this game is. The rules included here are and adaptation of games which have been played for decades, with a thematic flavor heavily influenced by The Traitors.

The entire game can be played with a simple set of playing cards and some pen and paper.

📖 Gameplay Overview

In this game, players take on the role of inhabitants of an grand castle estate. They may be nobility, butlers, or skilled trades-folk. But something is amiss. Around every corner lurks danger, suspicion, and intrigue. Lately… people have been disappearing, one by one. There are Traitors walking amongst the humble Faithfuls, and time is running out to figure out who they are.

The game takes place over a series of “days” and “nights”. During each of these phases, there is the potential for a player to be forced to leave the castle.

During the Day, players will talk amongst themselves, sharing information they deem prudent and looking for Traitors. Traitors should lie, cheat, and politic as hard as they can to avoid detection, because at the end of each day players will vote on who they think is a Traitor. If any player receives a majority of votes, they are Banished from the castle, never to be heard from again.

At Night, the Traitors retreat to their shadowy turret and unanimously decide on who they want to Eliminate from the game. Additionally, the Seer gets a chance to discover if another player is secretly a Traitor.

The population inside the castle will slowly dwindle over the course of the game. The game ends when either there are no Traitors left in the castle, or if the number of Traitors is equal to or greater than the number of Faithfuls. (See How to Win for more.)

⚙️ Basic Setup

Create a deck of cards using the steps below as a starting point. Red cards represent players on the side of the Faithfuls, while Black cards represent those on the side of the Traitors.

1. Count your players and consult the table to determine how many Traitors you need for your game to be balanced. Add that many ♠️ Spades or ♣️ Clubs cards (A – 10).
2. Add the ♥️ Queen of Hearts, who represents the Seer.
   1. Optionally, add in some of the other Basic Role cards as you see fit.
3. Finally, we need our Faithfuls. Add ♥️ Hearts or ♦️ Diamonds cards (A – 10) for each of the remaining players. Aim to include at least 2-3 of these cards in each game.

Choose someone to be the Host of your game. This person will keep track of the consequences of player actions and will provide information to the players throughout the game.

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It’s recommended to break up into groups when you have 18 or more players, but the game supports up to 38.

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The Host gathers the players into a circle, then shuffles the deck and deals one card to each player. These cards must keep secret. All discussions should end and the Host calls for the First Night.

Basic Roles

Basic Roles Reference

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The First Night

The Host sets the stage by calling for all players to close their eyes. They then call out to the Traitors, who open their eyes and see each other for the first time. The host asks them to close their eyes, then asks the Seer to open theirs. The Seer may point or indicate one other player, and the Host shows a thumb up if that player is a Traitor and a thumbs down if they are a Faithful. The Seer is instructed to close their eyes, and the First Night is over.

The First Day

All players open their eyes. Players should make introductions and discuss anything they may know. The strategy is up to the players, how much they want to reveal about themselves and any information they have.

With little to go on, the players must still try to Banish someone from the castle. Players will openly discuss who they think should be on the chopping block. Players accused may defend themselves, but after 5-10 minutes the Host should call for a vote.

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Banishment

Players will secretly write down the name of one player who they think should be Banished. If any player receives a majority vote, the player is Banished from the game permanently.

A Banished player may offer their last words and then reveals their role card to the rest of the castle. They may no longer interact with the other players in any way, but they are invited to spectate the rest of the game and see how it all plays out.

If no player receives a majority vote, no banishment takes place that day.

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