One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Officially One Night Ultimate Werewolf (2014, Ted Alspach + Akihisa Okui, Bézier Games)
A 10-minute streamlined Werewolf/Mafia-style hidden-role social deduction game — just one night phase + one 5-minute day discussion + a single accusatory vote for 3-10 players.
What is One Night Ultimate Werewolf?
One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a 2014 hidden-role social deduction game by Ted Alspach + Akihisa Okui, published by Bézier Games. It strips down traditional Werewolf/Mafia (which can run 45-90 minutes) to a compact 10-minute experience. In a single night phase, each role wakes in a specific order to perform an action (Werewolves see each other, Seer peeks at a card, Robber swaps roles, Troublemaker swaps two other players, etc). Then daytime: 5-minute discussion — the village claims roles, deduces liars, and votes for one player to lynch. If the lynched player is a Werewolf, village wins. If no werewolf is lynched (with werewolves in play), werewolves win. If no werewolf is in play, everyone must vote for no one. The genius is 'no elimination' — everyone plays every round, no one sits out. Expansions Daybreak (2015), Vampire (2019), Bonus Roles have added 40+ roles. One of the best-selling social deduction games ever; app-supported version handles narrator role.
Quick facts
Category
Party Games
Type
Team sport
Players
3–10
Duration
~10 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Central table with 3 face-down 'center' cards + player role cards
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Published Aug 2014; Ted Alspach + Akihisa Okui adapted from traditional Werewolf/Mafia
Olympic
No
Popularity
global
How it works
Objective
Village: lynch a werewolf. Werewolves: avoid getting lynched. Tanner: get yourself lynched. Minion: help werewolves survive.
Match structure
Setup: shuffle roles, deal 1 to each player + 3 to center. NIGHT (2 min, eyes closed): app calls each role in order to perform action. DAY (5 min): open eyes, discuss, deduce. VOTE: on 3-count, everyone points at accused. Highest-voted player 'dies'; check role.
Rules
Basic rules
Roles in numbered order
Werewolves → Minion → Masons → Seer → Robber → Troublemaker → Drunk → Insomniac.
Werewolves see each other
Peek across the table; if only one, may peek 1 center card.
Seer peeks
Look at either 2 center cards OR 1 other player's card.
Robber swaps
Take another player's card + become that role; give them Robber.
Troublemaker swaps
Blindly swap 2 other players' cards without looking.
5-minute discussion
Everyone claims a role; werewolves must lie.
Simultaneous vote
All players point at one accused on the 'Three... two... one' count.
Advanced rules
Tie votes
Tied players all die (or nobody dies — house rule).
No werewolf in play
Everyone must vote 'no lynch' by pointing at own hand — else village loses.
Tanner win
If the Tanner is lynched, Tanner wins alone (village loses if only werewolves + Tanner die).
Minion role
Knows who werewolves are but is on their team; werewolves don't know Minion.
Expansion roles
Daybreak adds 40+ new roles: Curator, Doppelgänger, Bodyguard, etc.
Scoring
Team victory (village vs werewolves) OR solo victory (Tanner).
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Village lynches werewolf | Village wins |
| Werewolf avoids lynch | Werewolf team wins |
| Tanner is lynched | Tanner solo win |
| No werewolf in play + village lynches no one | Village wins |
Win condition · Werewolves win if none of them are lynched (and 1+ was in play). Village wins if 1+ werewolf lynched. Tanner wins solo if lynched.
Playing area
Called
Central table with 3 face-down 'center' cards + player role cards
Dimensions
Player count + 3 role cards in play; role reference sheet + tokens
Role cards dealt face-down to players + 3 to center; app or narrator conducts night phase.
Equipment
16 role cards (base)
Villager (x3), Werewolf (x2), Seer, Robber, Troublemaker, Tanner, Drunk, Hunter, Mason (x2), Insomniac, Minion.
1 role reference sheet
Explains each role's night order + action.
Ultimate Werewolf app (free)
Handles narration + turn order automatically.
Voting tokens (optional)
For simultaneous voting.
Positions & roles
Village team
Deduce and lynch werewolves.
Werewolf team
Deceive and survive the vote.
Tanner (solo)
Convince village to lynch you.
Officiating
App handles most narration; human moderator optional.
- Narrator (human or app)
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Peeking during night
Play stops; violator removed (house rule).
Voting for self
Illegal (except no-lynch scenario).
Talking about card during night
Not allowed (only during day).
Strategies
Claim roles early
First to claim Seer/Robber/Troublemaker locks credibility.
Werewolves: claim village role
Claim Villager or Troublemaker with fake swap details.
Cross-check claims
If two players claim Robber, one is lying.
Center-card wisdom
Roles moved to center mean their actions still happened but are irrelevant.
Vote last
Watch others' votes first (illegal in strict rules but often done).
Terminology
- Center cards
- 3 face-down cards not dealt to players.
- Wake up
- App/narrator calls role during night phase.
- Swap
- Robber/Troublemaker actions that change roles.
- Claim
- Publicly stating your role during day phase.
- Lynch
- Vote to eliminate a player.
- Tanner
- Solo win role — wants to be lynched.
Major competitions
Casual play at cons + parties
informal · worldwide · since 2014
Werewolf.online tournaments
informal · online communities · since 2015
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Bézier Games
Founded 2007 · Anaheim, USA
Official site ↗
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Ted Alspach (designer, Suburbia + Castles of Mad King Ludwig)
- Akihisa Okui (co-designer)
Records
Sales
Bézier Games — 1M+ copies sold by 2020 (2020)
App downloads
Ultimate Werewolf app — 5M+ downloads (2023)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Start with basic role set
Village x3, Werewolf x2, Seer, Robber, Troublemaker (5 players).
- 2
Use the free app
Handles narration + turn order — vastly better than manual.
- 3
Play 5-10 games
Reading social cues improves rapidly with reps.
advanced
- 1
Add Daybreak roles
Introduce Doppelgänger, Curator, Alpha Wolf for depth.
- 2
Master lying tells
Elite play: appear equally confused as werewolf or villager.
- 3
Run 10-player games
Larger groups need more roles + tighter moderation.
Frequently asked
How is ONUW different from regular Werewolf/Mafia?+
ONUW has just ONE night phase and NO player elimination — everyone plays every round for full 10 minutes.
How many players minimum?+
3 players minimum, but 5-7 is optimal. Fewer players = less uncertainty about roles.
Do I need the app?+
Not required but strongly recommended — it handles narration + turn order flawlessly (free).
Can beginners keep up?+
Yes — with the app + basic role set (Villager/Werewolf/Seer/Robber/Troublemaker) most players catch on in 2-3 games.
Best expansion first?+
Daybreak — adds 40+ well-designed roles + adds Alpha Wolf/Mystic Wolf for more werewolf variety.
Sources & provenance
- BoardGameGeek — One Night Ultimate Werewolf— BGG
- Bézier Games — ONUW— Bézier Games
- Wikipedia — Ultimate Werewolf— Wikipedia