Rules of the impostor word game

1. The goal

There are two sides. The Civilians, the majority, share the same word. The infiltrators are the Impostor, who has a close word without knowing it, and the Ghost, who has no word. The Civilians want to eliminate every infiltrator; the infiltrators want to survive until they match the Civilians.

The twist: nobody knows their side at the start (except the Ghost). If your word is “beach”, you don’t know whether the others also have “beach”… or “pool”.

2. Setup

You play with 3 to 16 players. The game draws a pair of close words (for example cat / tiger): most players get the first one, the impostor gets the second. Everyone discovers their word in secret on their screen.

The host can set the number of impostors (up to 4), Ghosts (up to 2) and power cards, or let the game balance it automatically. There must always be more Civilians than infiltrators.

3. The clues

In turn, in a random order, each player gives a clue of 1 to 4 words about their word. Giving the word itself (or a word of the same family) is forbidden. The Ghost never starts a round: they need to hear the others to make up their clue.

A player who doesn’t answer in time skips their turn. All clues stay on screen, round after round, in the clue board.

4. The debate

Once all the clues are in, the debate opens on voice chat: who gave a strange clue? Who seems to be talking about something else? You can lie, accuse, defend yourself… and whisper to a single player: only they hear you, but everyone sees your mouth move. When everyone is ready, it’s time to vote.

5. Voting and elimination

Every player still in the game votes in secret for another player. The most voted player is eliminated, and their side is revealed to all (but not their word, so as not to help the others). On a tie, there is a second vote between the tied players; if it is still tied, the Judge decides, and without a Judge nobody is eliminated.

An eliminated Ghost has one last chance: if they guess the Civilians’ word, they win alone. Then a new round of clues begins.

6. Who wins?

The game ends as soon as one side wins:

• The Civilians win when every impostor and every Ghost has been eliminated.
• The infiltrators win when only one Civilian is left: the whole side wins, even those eliminated along the way.
• The Ghost wins alone by guessing the Civilians’ word after being eliminated.
• The Jester wins alone if eliminated at the very first vote.
• A Cupid couple still alive at the end wins, whatever their side.

7. Power cards

On top of their word, some players get a random power card. A power says nothing about your side: a Judge may well be the impostor!

The ten powers:

1. 1Mute — You give your clue in emojis only, and your mic is cut during the clues.
2. 2Parrot — Your clue must reuse a word from the previous clue.
3. 3Jester — If you are eliminated at the very first vote, you win alone!
4. 4Twins — Two Civilians who know each other: you know you share the same word.
5. 5Avenger — If you are eliminated, you may take a player of your choice down with you.
6. 6Judge — If a second vote is still tied, you decide who goes, in secret.
7. 7Spy — At the start, you learn the name of a player who has the Civilians’ word.
8. 8Cupid — You bind a player to your heart, without them knowing. If one of you is eliminated, so is the other.
9. 9Drunkard — At the start, you get two players drunk: their voice slurs for the whole game!
10. 10Scrambler — Once per game, during a debate, you may swap your word with another player.

Powers unlock as you play (experience level), in the Secret Agents Pack or, for the mythic ones, in the shop.

8. Tips

• In the first round, stay vague enough: you don’t know yet whether you are the impostor.
• Watch the order of the clues: the last to speak have more information… and it is easier for them to bluff.
• A “perfect” clue may come from an impostor who guessed your word.
• Find the strategies for every role in our role guide.