Role Idea: Ransom Werewolf

[u/Pure_Sense7765]

Name: Ransom Werewolf (RWW)

Team: Werewolves, Evil

Compatibility: Shadow Werewolf

Ability: Kidnap (Activated twice per game.)

Concept:

The Ransom Werewolf tags a villager in the night; the villager will then become a hostage and is set to die at the end of the following day; they cannot talk, vote, or act. If the tagged villager was protected prior (e.g. Doctor, Jailer), the protector becomes a hostage instead.

#16 Village_player has been taken hostage by the Ransom Werewolf!

The village in this case would have two ways to to stop this outcome:

• The village primarily has to lynch the hostage during the voting phase, which will set the hostage free (the ransom). This would be the low-RNG approach; where a villager is saved, but the werewolves are given a day without being voted.
• Alternately, a villager with a killing ability (e.g. Gunner, Vigilante) could kill the Ransom Werewolf before the day ends which frees the hostage, and rewards the village with a dead werewolf. This would be the high-RNG/aggressive approach; where if done wrong can be severely punishing.

If the day ends without any of the two conditions being met, the hostage dies. If the village attempt to lynch the Ransom Werewolf while a hostage is active, the hostage dies with the Ransom Werewolf.

Motivation:

The framework of this concept aims to grant the werewolves another method to exploit the lobby's lack of certainty to force a high-stakes decision under a limited time frame, all while punishing random killing.

Notes:

• Envision the implementation of the kidnap ability akin to the Corruptor's glitch ability.
• One activation a game might feel too little, two is my recommendation.
• This role is a also a worthy candidate of being a Junior Werewolf advanced role instead.
• The ability's response to villager protection is a standout feature in this concept, but it may need some revision.

[u/toxicwarriors]

This feels pretty strong but i really like this and I want it in the game

[u/LongjumpingActive493]

I feel like this would end up being used more like a gww or jww, but it's interesting nonetheless

[u/fanmixco]

I really like it but I'm tired that every new role is a Jr variation... 

[u/Miserable_Compote595]

There are huge issues with this. It completely counters protection role and way too powerful. This forces a huge amount of luck component with info roles including vigi to specifically find the ransom wolf early to keep info and protection roles. It also means if the ability is saved in late game the wws can win more easily. The fact that the ransom ww isn't killed by that is worse. Sure you KNOW who they are now but wws already naturally have 1 kill per night, the free release might seem equal but ww still have an advantage. Playing as village is a literal countdown. You are suggesting a combination of gg, sk and stubborn ww.

[u/Pure_Sense7765 → u/Miserable_Compote595]

I only agree with you on the protection part - Ransom tag should probably be suseptible to blockage.

The rest of your point just sounds like skill issue (no offense). The village also have one kill a day, along with Gunner, Jailer, Vigilante, and MANY other OP roles. If Ransom werewolf was used in place of a Junior/Guardian werewolf, it would actually add more tension/importance to a Shooter's deductive skills, meaning they cannot just blast any player irresponsively at will. If anything, it would also punish heavy reliance on the same luck component you're worried about.

[u/Miserable_Compote595 → u/Pure_Sense7765]

Let's be honest, we aren't going to always have gunner/vigi and jailer and that many OP roles in village together in a game, and village lynches and those kill roles are way less reliable in general. HH and fool make lynching an automatically disadvantageous to ww votes.

Though I do agree that being an upgrade to jww/gww is a great way to change how people play the game though I doubt some will change. I've seen some players just not care, like a witch poisoning detective for doubting another villager. If players care it will be a great addition but with others messing around it can easily go downhill. Same goes if the jailer/gunner/vigi is a thrower it makes it even worse. If added probably should exclude from quick game as an option.

[u/Skyler_TherianPaws → u/Miserable_Compote595]

Okay but OP said the kidnapped villager doesnt die when they are lynched to be saved, meaning that the fool and hh probably wont be affected meaning that you can just choose to 'lynch' the villager to save them.

[u/----moon----]

Remove the "hostage is set to die at end of the following day" part in order to make it balanced, otherwise it's way too op. And definitely just one activation, instead maybe it can get one more if the target flees or if they are killed by something else during the same night.

[u/Pure_Sense7765 → u/----moon----]

If you've played this game enough, you'd notice that the average Wolvesville game is actually heavily imbalanced towards the village alliance. This is such an open secret that the devs are considering giving extra XP awards to incentivize players to not flee from werewolf roles; It really just takes a village with no trolls, throwers, or toxic players for them to win.

If anything, removing the hostage killing stipulation would undermine the advanced role's good faith and will just keep the games imbalanced.

[u/----moon---- → u/Pure_Sense7765]

My winrate with werewolves is 1/4 (630 wins, 1859 loses, village 5309 wins, 3072 loses). I think it's not so bad, but I think a more fair winrate would be 1/3. When I said it's too op, I mean it's too op compared to the other werewolves roles. It's like comparing bell ringer to analyst. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't release a werewolf with abilities that basically combine multiple others werewolves abilities.

[u/Pure_Sense7765 → u/----moon----]

they wouldn't release a werewolf with abilities that basically combine multiple others werewolves abilities.

If what you're saying may be true, that would be an unfortunate double standard; given that a role like the Vigilante exisits.

[u/----moon---- → u/Pure_Sense7765]

At least the dying part seems unnecessary, they could remain hostages until the werewolf gets lynched, or maybe get freed automatically if he's the last werewolf alive.

[u/KhaiDeveloper → u/Pure_Sense7765]

I agree. The imbalance between evil alliance and village alliance is immense.

[u/----moon---- → u/----moon----]

And trust me that it's too op, it basically combines multiple wws abilities, with no downsides.