Town of Salem attack and defense use ordered power levels. A normal attack must be stronger than the target’s effective defense to kill. Equal power is insufficient. Protection, redirection and role-specific exceptions must then be considered.
Attack versus defense
| Attack | No defense | Basic defense | Powerful defense | Invincible defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Kills | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked |
| Powerful | Kills | Kills | Blocked | Blocked |
| Unstoppable | Kills | Kills | Kills | Blocked |
This table describes the normal strength comparison. A hanging is a day execution, not an ordinary night attack. Pestilence can therefore have Invincible night defense and still lose to the town’s guilty vote.
Which kind of protection was present?
A Doctor’s heal supplies temporary Powerful defense against attacks it can protect from. A Survivor’s vest and an alerting Veteran provide Basic defense. Bodyguard uses an interception and counterattack mechanic, so it should not be treated as a second name for Doctor.
For example, a Basic Vigilante shot fails against a Survivor who vested. A Powerful Werewolf attack beats that Basic defense. Neither observation by itself names the defender: more than one role or protection effect can produce a surviving target.
Keep attacker, recipient and protection separate
Write three fields: intended target, resolved target and reason the attack may have failed. A Transporter changes the recipient. A roleblock can prevent the attack entirely. A heal can make an otherwise vulnerable recipient survive. Those are different explanations, even if the visible morning has no death.
Town of Salem role interactions that defeat shortcuts
- A claimed attack may never have been attempted. Treat the attacker’s report as a claim until another source supports it.
- A Bodyguard ordinarily answers one attack; multiple attacks and bypassing abilities require a separate reconstruction.
- Arsonist ignition bypasses ordinary protective healing. Its multi-kill does not follow the same logic as a Mafia Basic attack.
- Jailing removes normal targeting and action opportunities, but special interactions with roles such as Pestilence remain relevant.
What to record after a failed kill
Preserve the message, night, selected target and known transport or protection claims. Avoid converting “survived” into “Serial Killer.” As the role list narrows, revisit which Town of Salem killing roles and defensive effects still fit. If several explanations remain, the useful next action is one that distinguishes them.
Protective targeting · Reconstructing night actions · Pestilence · Endgame vote math
