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Apprentice

On your 1st night, you gain a Townsfolk ability (if good), or a Minion ability (if evil).

For years have I traveled, studying the ways of The Craft. Which craft, you ask? Simply that of the simple folk. Nothing to worry about. Not yet.

Storyteller cues

First nightShow the YOU ARE info token, then a Townsfolk or Minion token. Swap the Apprentice & Townsfolk or Minion tokens. ◦

How to run it (Storyteller)

On the Apprentice's first night, decide which Townsfolk or Minion ability to grant based on the Apprentice's alignment, then wake them and show the token of the ability they've received. Choose an ability that is interesting but not game-breaking for the script; avoid granting abilities that trivially solve the game (e.g., a good Apprentice receiving Slayer when a Demon is already known). The Apprentice then functions as though they have that ability for the rest of the game, waking and acting on the same schedule as that role would.

How to play as a good Apprentice

  • Pay close attention to which Townsfolk ability you received and publicly claim it early — you are a confirmed Traveller, so your claim is harder to dismiss than a normal player's.
  • If you received a one-shot ability (such as Slayer or Monk protection), coordinate with town before using it rather than firing it speculatively, since wasting it helps evil.
  • If you received an information ability, share your results openly and consistently so the town can cross-reference your data with other sources to build a reliable picture.
  • Use your Traveller status strategically: town is less likely to exile a Traveller who is visibly contributing, so demonstrating the value of your gained ability early protects you from exile pressure.
  • If your gained ability would be redundant given who is already in play, say so honestly and redirect town's attention to where your ability does add value.

How to play as an evil Apprentice

  • Receiving a Minion ability gives you a second evil vector beyond your Traveller status — keep the ability secret as long as possible so town cannot account for it when tracking evil actions.
  • Claim to be a good Apprentice with a plausible Townsfolk ability so town wastes time trying to corroborate a fabricated information role rather than exiling you.
  • Coordinate your Minion ability timing with the Demon so its effect lands at the most disruptive moment, such as using a Poisoner-equivalent ability the night before a key good player acts.
  • If exile pressure builds, reveal just enough of your fake Townsfolk ability claim to seem cooperative while protecting the Demon — martyring yourself to save the Demon is often correct in end-game.
  • Avoid over-claiming: inventing information that contradicts what good players know will out you faster than saying little.

Key interactions

Poisoner

If a Poisoner poisons the Apprentice on the night they gain their ability, the storyteller may give the Apprentice a non-functional or false version of that ability. A good Apprentice should consider whether their ability is behaving correctly if they suspect a Poisoner is in play.

Drunk

If the Apprentice is the Drunk, they believe they have a Townsfolk ability but it does not work correctly — any information they receive is unreliable and any active ability misfires. A good Apprentice whose results seem off should raise the possibility they are the Drunk rather than doubling down on bad data.