The game setup consisted of 22 players, 14 players were Town aligned, and two teams of Mafia. One team consisted of 4 players with slightly weaker (but still uber powerful) roles but more focus on investigations and investigative immunity/misinformation. The other team had three players but more emphasis on kill protection, an investigative role and a very powerful JOAT Mage. There was also a Neutral in the mix that could get hired by Mafia or Town alike. The Mafia teams had the pitfall of having the other team to contend with as well as Town investigative roles and scumhunting.
I just read through all the roles in this game and I disagree that the 4-person mafia team had weaker roles.
Sarevok the Godfather was immune to the town's cop, JOAT mage, Shapeshifter and Name Cop and was also immune to the mafia rolecop. Such a Godfather wouldn't (shouldn't) make a night kill so they would be effectively immune to town tracker and a copied watcher ability as well. The investigation immunity combo is far more powerful than the 1x Mirror Image ability. Sarevok was one of the most powerful mafia roles I've ever seen.
The 3-person mafia team has a 1x extra kill ability and a 1x vote block but the 4-person mafia team has an extra player. The extra player is always better even if vanilla (tack on an ability...). The extra player creates more kills just by being there. The extra player acts like a vote steal just by being there.
I'm glad to see mafia doc in a game but mafia roleblocker is just as capable at keeping mafia alive (see night 4). Roleblocker can also stop town town roles from working (see night 2, night 3 and night 5).
Mafia rolecops are a bit of a red herring in role madness games and this game is no exception. List of possible results given to the mafia rolecop, ordered by most feared from a mafia point of view (mafia are bolded): Bus Driver, Vigilante, JOAT Mage, ... Party Host,
Roleblocker, Cop, Name Cop, ... Tracker,
Watcher, ......... Neighborizer, Doc..................
Gladiator, Shapeshifter, Restless Spirit, Advocate ....................................................
Va
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A mafia rolecop is definitely a mafia power role but in this setup, doesn't help the Undead mafia defeat the Bhaalspawn mafia. Some town roles sound like mafia roles (Shapeshifter, JOAT Mage) so can cause the Undead mafia to NK/lynch townies when they think they are going after the other mafia. Most Bhaalspawn mafia roles sound townie (roleblocker is the scummiest among them but it's a town role half the time) but town has several roles more dangerous than roleblocker/watcher/gladiator/vanilla. Again, rolecop is more likely to cause a townie, rather than other mafia, to be targeted for NK or lynch.
Other thoughts:
The Undead Mafia Doc restriction on same team-only saves is an unnecessary burdon that makes claiming much much much more difficult. They have to essentially lie about their targets and/or role (mafia lying about their role - shocker!) but there are potentially 7 investigative roles - 33% of the starting cast - which could expose such a lie. Freedom to target anyone (even a townie targeted by the other mafia) reduces that number substantially.
It's a good thing the Mercenary was never hired. Super swingy role. It had a ~1/3 chance to not only increase the number of mafia in the game, but also had a ~1/3 chance to give mafia another night action (godfather was the only mafioso without an ability).
