Carnival of Lies

Bootlegger Special Rules

Let your players know the Bootlegger special rule(s) at the beginning of the game, whether or not Bootlegged characters are in play.

Townsfolk

• Lucky Cat is a homebrew character.
• Ban Xian is from Temple Fair.

Outsiders

• Ambassador is from Temple Fair.

Minions

• Hagy Bagy is a homebrew character.
• Dread Wraith optional rule is in effect.

Travellers

• Pauper is from Temple Fair.

Loric

• Barker is a homebrew character.
• Steamfitter is a homebrew character.
• Storm Catcher favours the Goon.

Steamfitter Special Rules

Let your players know the Steamfitter secret characters at the beginning of the game, whether or not Steamfitted characters are in play.

Townsfolk

• Poppins is a secret character.
• Busybody is a secret character.
• Snake Oil is a secret character.
• Macho Man is a secret character.

Outsiders

• Showboat is a secret character.

Minions

• Compere is a secret character.

Demons

• Circe is a secret character.

Storyteller Tips

• ⚠ Stop and read the informational page on the Compere.
• Because of the Barker, you may not bring the Outsider count above 3, even if it's a base 2 Outsider setup with a Balloonist and a Godfather.
• The Storm Catcher always favours the Goon.
• Take your time determining chosen characters, targets, and their effects at night. Is is a good idea to let players know about these terms ahead of time.
  • Generally, apply abilities that affect other abilities in this order:
    • Goon, Ban Xian, or Ambassador
    • Quack
  • The order of operations for selection ability is "choose"> "target"> "affect".
    • A "chosen" player is the one being pointed at, which cannot be changed by other abilities; the chosen player is then targeted.
      • If a player chooses a character, the player who is that character is also chosen (e.g. Courtier, Philosopher).
    • A "targeted" player is the one the ability is about to affect, which can be redirected by other abilities; the final player targeted is then affected.
      • If a player is woken to learn information, that information should not be given to a different player. This includes the Matchmaker, Balloonist, Village Idiot, Juggler, & Godfather.
      • Quack
        • The Goon & Circe cannot die if a kill affect is redirected to them.
        • Characters that choose players at night have their choice target redirected: this includes the Matchmaker, Village Idiot, Snake Charmer, Fortune Teller, Gambler, Acrobat, Lucky Cat, Godfather, Poisoner, Hagy Bagy & the Circe.
          • The Snake Charmer must be handled carefully. The swap & poison are part of same affect.
            • If the Snake Charmer chooses a player that is Quack-connected to the Demon:
              1. The choice is redirected to the Demon.
              2. The Snake Charmer swaps characters & alignments with the Demon & poisons the new Snake Charmer as usual.
            • If the Snake Charmer chooses themselves while Quack-connected to the Demon:
              1. The choice is redirected to the Demon.
              2. The swap targets are redirected to each other, so the swap occurs & poisoning happens as normal.
            • If the Snake Charmer chooses the Demon while Quack-connected to the Demon:
              1. The choice is redirected to themselves, and nothing happens.
            • If the Snake Charmer chooses the Demon while the Snake Charmer is Quack-connected to another player:
            1. The Demon swaps characters & alignments with the player connected to the Snake Charmer
            2. The Snake Charmer starts poisoning the old Demon.
          • Even though the Butler target can be redirected, the Butler will not be told of their new Master, and must continue to act as normal.
            • However, the Butler will be connected to the new Master for the purposes of the Matchmaker.
          • The Circe must be handled carefully, as there are 3 affects.
            • The Circe can have their choice targets redirected, so another player will be the dupe making a choice.
            • The Circe's dupes can have their choice targets redirected, so another player will be a player who can die.
              • Each player can only be chosen once, regardless of the final targets.
              • The Ban Xian cannot be selected as a dupe multiple times.
              • The Ambassador cannot redirect a choice until all choices are made.
            • The Circe kills targets can be redirected, so another player can be killed.
        • Characters that choose during the day won't be affected by a Quack at the time, such as the Juggler, Compere & Cacklejack.
        • Characters doesn't choose at night, but applies an affect that protects, kills, changes a character, poisons, drunks, or learn information about a player at night, incuding if they target themselves, they can also have their targets redirected. This includes the Poppins, Balloonist, Gambler, Acrobat, Macho Man, Goon, Ambassador, Tinker, Compere, Wraith & Cacklejack.
          • Both Poppins protection and killing can both be redirected.
          • If the Balloonist's information target is redirected, the next night their target is based on the last target.
          • The Village Idiot drunk affect is a setup affect, and cannot be redirected.
          • If the Goon ends up drunking the wrong player, the Goon is affected by the original choice, but still can't die due to the Storm Catcher.
          • While an affect could theoretically be redirected to or from the Goon (even the Storm Catcher), the Quack would end up drunk and wouldn't be able to apply it in the first place.
          • If the Ambassador redirects a target to themsevles, the Quack can still redirect the target from the Ambassador.
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          • The Compere is targeting themselves if they become the Storyteller at night. This can get hairy.
          • If the player marked by the Cacklejack's NOT ME token is chosen by the Quack, they can be transformed.
        • Characters targeting players during the day won't be affected by a Quack at the time, such as the Macho Man (being mad), Tinker, Compere, or Pauper.
        • The Fortune Teller Red Herring can continuously jump between two Quack-connected good characters, such that the Storyteller can choose if the Fortune Teller's choice affects their information, and where the Red Herring ends up when the Quack ability ends.
      • Ban Xian
        • The Ban Xian can redirect a target to the evil Goon, because they are not choosing the Goon.
        • The Ambassador cannot redirect a target from an evil player that has already been redirected by the Ban Xian.
        • Other than that, most affects are similar to the Quack.
      • Ambassador
        • The Ambassador can redirect a target from an evil Goon, assuming the Goon doesn't stop that ability first.
        • Other than that, most affects are similar to the Quack.
    • An "affected" player is the one the ability causes an effect upon, which can be blocked or modified by other abilities (such as "safe").
  • An ability that triggers the Goon cannot be redirected, because it ends the moment the Goon is chosen.
  • The Ambassador can redirect the second or later ability targeting an evil Goon.
  • The Macho Man ability triggers even when chosen by a dupe, but cannot cause a dead character to die: their ability triggers without affect.
  • A Poisoned or dead player can still choose, even with no ability.
• With a Poppins in play, pay attention to hands covering faces when determining who dies.
  • Ask players not to change their hand placement unless they are woken, as this can be very confusing for the Storyteller.
  • The Wraith can peek through their hands.
  • A player cannot be protected by the Poppins while they are woken by the Storyteller, so they cannot be protected the moment the choice is made.
    • A Gambler cannot be protected by the Poppins if they choose themselves.
    • The Acrobat cannot be protected by the Poppins from their own ability if it takes affect immediately. But if their choice later becomes poison or drunk, they can be protected.
    • No player can be protected if they choose the Macho Man.
    • The Godfather and the Hagy Bagy are not protected if they choose themselves.
    • A Circe dupe that chooses themselves is not protected.
    • The Harlot and the player they sleep with are not protected.
• While the Hagy Bagy and Cacklejack can create duplicate characters, don't do this often.
• Both the Hagy Bagy and Cacklejack transformations can occur at any point in the night order to create a protective or dangerous character at just the right moment.
• Use the optional Wraith rule to allow the Wraith to kill someone, this generally happen at night.
• The Wraith can kill themselves at night with their madness.
• The Circe can select dead players.
• The Circe should pick all three players at once. If any of them are a Goon, the Circe is drunk and no one dies. The dupes are never called upon.
• When choosing which two players die to the Circe, kill them in any order. You can select players who cannot die, such as a player protected by the Poppins or the Goon. Never pick the Circe.
• The Goon being picked by a dupe does not trigger their ability, unless the dupe is the Circe. If the Circe dupes themselves, then picks the Goon, the Circe is drunk and no one dies.
• A player target by the Circe for death, but is safe, doesn't die, even if that mean no players die.

Change Notes

5.0.0

• Replaced Minstrel with Juggler.
  • Unfortunately the Minstrel also does not work well with Compere in a 1 minion game.
  • Juggler is thematic, can provides much needed information, and is risky.
• Showboat replaced with Tinker secret character.
  • Showboat was too powerful with Compere; the Tinker was just right.

4.1.0

• Modified Lucky Cat ability to not save themselves.

4.0.1

• Updated json to modify night order, fix a url, and bake in the dread wraith optional rule.

4.0.0

• Replaced Enlightened One with Minstrel
  • The Enlightened One was overwhelming.
  • The Minstrel is thematic and provides cover for the Goon.
• Changed Lucky Cat ability, now a homebrew character.
• The original Lucky Cat character was renamed.
• Changed Hagy Bagy ability.
• This works better with the new Lucky Cat character.
• Changed Outsider modification of Barker to a flat maximum.
• There was too much Outsider manipulation.
• Tinker replaced with Showboat secret character.
• Showboat is more thematic.
• Updated json to add edition information.
• Noted the optional Dread Wraith rule to kill someone.
• Updated json to add send custom Poppins night card.

3.1.2

• Updated json to new image urls.

3.1.1

• Updated json to match new night order.
• Updated json to remove logo.

3.1.0

• Macho Man, Poppins, Compere, and Circe updates.
• Updated json to match new night order.
• Updated json to match SAO.
• Updated json to utilize new image hosting url.
• Updated json to use released Cacklejack
• Added Steamfitter Loric.
• Barker is now a Loric.

3.0.1

• Updated json to replace HTML with tokens.

3.0.0

• Replaced Fearmonger with Godfather.
  • When Fearmonger is bounced, they don't know who to target, which is way less fun.
  • Adds to the deathfest.

2.0.0

• Replaced Hermit with Tinker.
  • The Hermit caused extra evil and confused players with the Storm Catcher.
  • Adds to the deathfest.
• Moved Hagy Bagy and Tinker above the Snake Charmer in the night order.

1.0.0

• Added Hagy Bagy homebrew character.
• Added Poppins, Busybody, Snake Oil, Macho Man, Compere, and Circe secret characters.
• Added Ban Xian, Enlightened One, Ambassador, and Pauper; Temple Fair characters.
• Added Lucky Cat; a Gathering Storm character.
• Added Storm Catcher rule which always favours the Goon.