Common game mechanics

This is a page to list simple mechanics to solve common game design problems.

Secretly assigning players

Suppose you need to designate one or more players to a certain role, in a way that is secret from other players, but transparent to you. You also don't want the players to be able to prove that they were assigned to the role later.

Here's what you do:

Sort out as many ordinary playing cards as there are players. Deal them round the table, ensuring you know which players are getting the red cards (e.g put the red cards at the top or bottom of the deck).

DON'T explain what's going on; just ask the players to memorise their card; THEN collect all the cards; THEN announce that whoever had a red card is designated as a traitor/werewolf/whatever.