Tips to win at BETRAYAL

The game is easy to learn, but winning takes observation and a bit of acting. Here are tips for every role.

If you are the spy

• Listen before you talk. The first two or three questions reveal a lot. If someone asks “Do you need a visa?”, the secret is probably a faraway country.
• Answer with phrases that fit more than one option. “Is it crowded?” can be answered with “Sometimes, depends on the time” at no risk.
• Ask general but natural questions. “When were you last here?” is better than a strange question that draws attention.
• Don't rush your guess. Your last chance only comes when you are voted out, so gather as much as you can before then.
• At night, take out whoever is most dangerous to you: the player asking precise questions, or the one who accused you.
• If you have a partner, don't openly defend each other. A sudden defence exposes you both.

If you are a civilian

• Ask “half-obvious” questions. For fruits, “Do you need a knife?” is easy for those who know and tricky for the spy.
• Watch who hesitates, repeats what others said, or answers in very general words.
• Avoid the words on your card that give the secret away directly.
• Don't rush the vote. Voting out an innocent brings the spies closer to the majority.
• Use the “village opinion”. If many people suspected the same person at night, that's worth discussing.

If you are the detective

• Investigate the quietest or the busiest player first: both are possible.
• A “suspicious” result can mean the spy or the jester. Don't build an accusation on one investigation.
• An “innocent” result doesn't always mean innocent: the saboteur fools you.
• Don't reveal that you are the detective too early. Hint at your suspicions in a normal way.

If you are the guardian

• Protect whoever seems close to exposing the spy: they are the likely target.
• Protecting yourself on a dangerous night isn't selfish; staying alive protects others on later nights.
• Remember you can't protect the same player two nights in a row, so plan ahead.

If you are the saboteur

• You know the secret, so give correct answers to earn trust.
• Quietly steer suspicion towards an innocent civilian, especially one close to exposing the spies.
• In the “village opinion”, pick an innocent: your pick is counted with the others.
• Don't defend the spy when everyone is against them. Sometimes sacrificing them protects you.

If you are the jester

• Act a little strange: hesitate a bit, or give a correct but unexpected answer.
• Don't overdo it: if everyone suspects you are the jester, they won't vote you out.
• The best moment is to look like a nervous spy at the end of the day, when everyone is in a hurry to vote.

Good questions for each category