A man in a fedora and a trench coat studies a cork evidence board of engraved portraits of suspects linked by strings, a black rose at its centre, under a hanging lamp in a dark Palermo office, drawn in gold engraved lines on navy

Palermo Noir wiki

Every role, power and rule

Every role you can be dealt, every card in the Lawyer's briefcase, and how a round of Palermo Noir plays, from the deal to the verdict.

The roles

Every card a player can be dealt. The classic roles are in every game; the extras unlock as a host plays, or all at once for groups who know Palermo. None of them costs anything.

Known KillerPicks a victim with the other killers each night. The Police Officer knows his face. Hidden KillerA killer the Police Officer doesn't know, and the Detective sees as innocent. Police OfficerLearns the Known Killer's face on the first night, then steers the town without giving himself away. DoctorProtects one player each night from the second, never the same one two nights running. CitizenNo power: listen, accuse and vote the killers out. DetectiveEach night, checks one player: killer or not. SeerOnce a game, at night, learns one player's exact role. BulletproofSurvives the killers' first attack on him. HenchmanKnows the killers, unknown to them, and wins with them. MayorReveals himself during a day; from then on his vote counts twice. HunterWhen he's out, by vote, by night or by a bomb, he takes one player with him. LawyerDealt 5 power cards at the deal, keeps 2, and each works once. KamikazeWith the killers. Once, during a day, he blows himself up and takes one player with him. MadmanWins alone if the town votes him out, and that ends the game. LoversTwo players tied by a heart: if one dies, the other dies too.

The Lawyer's briefcase

At the deal the Lawyer is dealt 5 of these 17 power cards at random and keeps 2. Each works once, at its own moment. The contract is a host variant that makes him Solo.

Objection!After the count, cancels the verdict: nobody goes out today. ClientPicks a client: if the town votes them out, the vote fails, once. AppealAt a verdict: the condemned defends for 20 seconds, then a majority must confirm. RetrialAt a verdict: the vote is thrown out, and the town revotes between the top two. Hung juryToday someone goes out only with a majority of the living. AlibiAt night: gives a player an alibi, so they can't be voted out the next day. Cross-examinationDuring the talk: puts a player on the stand with a set question, for 30 seconds. Case fileAt night: learns whether a player did anything that night. Plea bargainIf the Lawyer is voted out, he survives, but his card is shown. Last willWhen the Lawyer dies, he names a player, and their team is read out. Gag orderOne player's vote doesn't count today. Safe houseAt night: one player is safe from tonight's killers and the next day's vote. BailAt night: yesterday's condemned comes back at dawn, without a vote. Change of venueToday's vote becomes secret, or open if the room votes in secret. InjunctionFor today, the Mayor's vote counts once and the Kamikaze can't blow up. Power of attorneyAt the vote, a dead player casts one last vote through the Lawyer. Sealed evidenceAt a verdict: shows the condemned's team, then the town confirms or cancels. The contractA host variant: the Lawyer gets a secret client and wins too if they're alive at the end.

How it plays

A round from the deal to the verdict, how a game is won, and the rules a host can change.

A roundFrom the deal to the verdict: one night and one day, again and again until a side has won. The nightEvery phone asks for two taps, so nobody can tell who did what. The dayDawn, the talk and the vote: the town argues and sends someone out. WinningThe town wins when every killer is out, the killers when they match everyone else. TiesA revote among the tied, a short talk, a last revote, then nobody goes out, or fate decides. The night announcerThe first player out sees every role and tells the dawns, as Greek groups do. The host's rulesPresets, timers, voting, ties and reveals: everything the host can change before the deal. Phones and the TVOne phone each and one screen for the room: nothing to install.

Gather your town

Palermo Noir comes to the web first, then to Android. Free, for 6 to 14 players with a phone each and one TV.

Coming soonOn the web first, then AndroidGet your VHub nameYour name in every room