Blood on the Clocktower rules: how to play and how to win

Blood on the Clocktower quick rules

The goal

A Storyteller runs the game without playing. A Demon hides among the players: it kills at night and passes as human by day. Each player is good or evil. Good wins when the Demon dies; evil, when only two players are left alive.

The characters

Each player secretly receives a character and its ability. Townsfolk and Outsiders are good; Outsiders’ abilities hinder them. Minions and the Demon are evil. With 7 or more players, the Minions and the Demon learn each other on the first night, and the Demon learns three characters not in play to bluff with.

The night

The game starts with night. Everyone closes their eyes; the Storyteller wakes certain characters one by one and talks to them with gestures: yes or no, good or evil, a number, a player pointed at. Most Demons kill a player each night.

The day and the four rules

By day, players talk in public or in private. You may say whatever you want, even lie; you never show your token or look at the Grimoire; you ask the Storyteller your questions, privately if you like; and you play nice.

Nominations

When the Storyteller opens nominations, a living player nominates another player by saying their name. Each player nominates only once per day and is nominated only once per day. The dead no longer nominate. Each nomination is followed by a vote.

Voting and execution

Votes are by raised hands; the Storyteller goes around the circle clockwise. A living player votes for as many nominees as they like. The player with the most votes is executed if they have at least half as many as there are living players; on a tie, nobody. At most one execution per day.

The dead

A dead player stays in the game: they talk, close their eyes at night and win with their team. But they lose their ability, no longer nominate, and keep a single vote for the rest of the game.

Drunk and poisoned

A drunk or poisoned player has no ability, without knowing it: the Storyteller may give them false information. So information can be false without anyone lying.

Travellers

Above 15 players, or for anyone arriving late or leaving early, there are Travellers: their character is known, their alignment secret. They are not executed but exiled, as many as the group wants each day.

Game end

Good wins as soon as the Demon dies; evil, as soon as only two players are left alive, Travellers not counted. Some characters change how the game ends. All the players of a team win or lose together, dead ones included.

Beginner traps

Believing information because it comes from a friend: they may be drunk, poisoned or evil. Wasting your dead vote too early. And showing your token to prove you’re telling the truth: it’s not allowed.

How to win Blood on the Clocktower

No points

There are no points: one team wins, and all its players win, dead ones included.

Good

Wins as soon as the Demon dies.

Evil

Wins as soon as only two players are left alive, not counting Travellers.

Characters

Some characters change how the game ends: their ability says so.

What the sheet records

The winning team, once for the whole table, then each player’s team at the end; the winners are the players of the winning team. The Storyteller is not a player on the sheet.

Example ending

With 8 players, Leo is the Demon and Mia his Minion. Alex, who is good, dies on the second night. On the third day, 6 players are alive: Leo gets 4 votes, at least half the living, and nobody else gets as many. He is executed: the Demon dies, good wins, Alex included.

Common mistakes

• Counting dead good players as losers: they win with their team.
• Adding the Storyteller to the game: they do not play.
• Counting Travellers among the last two living players: they don’t count.

How to set up Blood on the Clocktower

The Storyteller prepares everything in secret. The numbers of Townsfolk, Outsiders, Minions and the Demon depend on the number of players, not counting the Storyteller; there is no first player.