How to Play Werewolf: A Beginner’s Guide for Game Night

Werewolf is a social deduction party game: most players belong to a village, while a small group secretly plays the werewolves. The village tries to identify the wolves through conversation and voting. The wolves try to survive without revealing who they are. You play together in the same room, so the fun comes from what people say—and what they avoid saying.

Set up your first game

Seat everyone in a circle where they can hear each other. Choose a moderator to manage a traditional game, or use an app that provides narration. Werewolf Undercover supports 5–18 players and uses a phone as the narrator. Start with a simple role selection before adding several special abilities.

Explain the teams and winning conditions before revealing any secret roles. Everyone should learn their own role privately. Agree on how long discussions will last, how ties will be resolved, and whether eliminated players reveal their roles. These details vary between editions; when using the app, follow its instructions.

Night: secret actions

The moderator announces night and everyone closes their eyes. The werewolves are called to act and choose a victim without speaking. Depending on the roles in play, a character such as the Seer may also take an action when called. Only open your eyes on your own turn, and avoid noises that give other players information.

The exact order of special roles depends on your rules. Let the moderator or app handle that order instead of inventing a new sequence midgame.

Day: discussion and a vote

At daybreak, the group learns the outcome of the night. Surviving players discuss who might be a werewolf, then vote to eliminate a suspect. An eliminated player normally stops participating in discussions and votes: giving hints from the sidelines spoils the deduction.

Make accusations specific. “You changed your vote after Jordan spoke” gives the group something to discuss. “You look suspicious” offers much less. A quiet player is not automatically a wolf; give beginners a chance to explain their reasoning.

How do you win?

In a common version, the village wins when all werewolves are eliminated. The wolves win when they equal or outnumber the remaining villagers. Special roles can introduce additional conditions, so confirm the conditions for your chosen version at the start.

For example, if two wolves and two villagers remain, parity ends many standard games in a wolf victory. Do not assume the group gets another vote unless your rules say so.

Make the first round welcoming

Use the first game to learn. Keep discussion focused, explain voting clearly, and save complicated role combinations for later. After the reveal, invite everyone to share one clue they noticed. A quick debrief helps new players understand how bluffing and deduction fit together.

Ready to set up? Read how to play without cards or explore the Werewolf roles guide.