Blood on the Clocktower is a social deduction game for big groups, created by Steven Medway and published by The Pandemonium Institute in 2022. Each player secretly receives a character. Most belong to the good team, but a few are evil, including the Demon, who kills by night. Over a series of days and nights, the good players talk, share information and vote to execute the people they suspect, while the evil players bluff and try to steer the town towards the wrong people.
One person, the Storyteller, runs the game. They hand out characters, wake players at night, track the game state in the Grimoire and keep the story moving. To play, you only need to listen, talk and vote, so a club night with an experienced Storyteller is the easiest way to learn.
Find places that run it on our Blood on the Clocktower page.
The two teams
Everyone sits in a circle and draws a character token in secret. The characters fall into four types:
- Townsfolk (good): characters whose abilities benefit the good team.
- Outsiders (good): good players whose abilities hinder their own side.
- Minions (evil): supporters of the Demon, with abilities that hinder the good team.
- Demon (evil): the player the good team must kill to win. The Demon has the power to kill during the night.
In games of seven or more players, the Minions and the Demon learn who each other are on the first night, so they can work together from the start. The good team is the uninformed majority, which is why every conversation matters.
How a game works
A game alternates between night and day until one team wins.
Night
Everyone closes their eyes. The Storyteller wakes certain characters one at a time to use their abilities or receive information, and the Demon can choose a player to kill. The Storyteller stays silent at night and uses hand signals for eyes open, eyes closed, yes, no, good, evil and numbers, and you choose a player by pointing at them.
Day
Everyone opens their eyes and the town talks. You can chat publicly in the Town Square or slip away for private conversations. This is where people share (or invent) what their character learned, compare stories and look for contradictions. Anyone can lie, including good players, and you never have to reveal your character.
Nominations and voting
When the Storyteller calls for nominations, living players can put someone forward for execution simply by saying “I nominate” and the player’s name. The town then votes: the Storyteller moves a hand clockwise around the circle, and if your hand is up when it reaches you, that counts as a vote. Each day you may vote for as few or as many players as you like.
Whoever has the most votes is executed, as long as their tally reaches at least half of the living players. If two players tie for the most votes, neither is executed. The town can execute one player at most each day, and then night falls again.
Dying is not the end
When you die, you keep playing. Dead players stay in the circle, keep talking, still close their eyes at night and still win or lose with their team. They lose their character ability and can no longer nominate, and each dead player has only one vote for the rest of the game, so it pays to use it wisely. The official rules note that the game is usually decided by the votes and opinions of the dead players.
How each side wins
- Good wins when the Demon dies.
- Evil wins when just two players remain alive.
Because evil wins by thinning the town, a wrong execution helps the Demon. Good players need to be confident before they vote.
Trouble Brewing: the beginner script
The base game comes with three scripts (sets of characters): Trouble Brewing, Bad Moon Rising and Sects & Violets. Trouble Brewing is rated Beginner and recommended for players and Storytellers new to the game, so it is the natural place to start.
Trouble Brewing is a relatively straightforward Demon hunt. Some characters passively receive information, some take action to learn who is who, and some simply try to bait the Demon into attacking them. The Demon in this script is the Imp. The twist comes from misinformation: the Drunk drew a different character token and only the Storyteller knows they are really the Drunk, and anyone the Poisoner poisons may still wake at night, but their ability does not work. Drunk and poisoned players have no ability, yet the Storyteller pretends they do, so their information may be wrong. Sorting good information from bad is the heart of the script.
Once you have a few games behind you, the other scripts are aimed at more experienced players. Groups can also build custom scripts by mixing characters from different editions, so check which script a session is running and look out for Trouble Brewing when you start.
Player counts and Travellers
The game is listed for 5 to 20 players. The number of Minions and Outsiders in play depends on the number of players, so the Storyteller adjusts the mix of characters to suit the size of the circle.
Travellers are characters with special abilities for anyone who joins late or is unsure whether they can stay for the whole game. Everyone knows which character a Traveller is, but not whether they are good or evil.
A game runs for roughly 30 to 120 minutes, depending on the group size and how much the table talks, so an evening can fit more than one game. Check each event listing for start and finish times.
What a Clocktower night is like in the UK
Clocktower groups in the UK can meet at board game cafés, pubs and clubs, with one or more Storytellers running the games, and a larger venue may run several circles side by side. The game can also be played online through a web app and Discord communities.
What to expect:
- Booking: circles have a limited number of seats, so some groups ask you to book or sign up through their own page or social media, while others run drop-in nights. Each venue’s listing has the details.
- Newcomers welcome: beginner-friendly games often use Trouble Brewing, and the Storyteller reads out a short rules explanation before you start.
- Character sheets: the base game includes character sheets for players, which list the characters in the script and help you work out what others might be.
- Space to move: private chats mean people walk around during the day, so venues set aside a room or a quiet corner.
Some good places to start are Manchester, Bristol and London, and our board games page lists more venues across the country.
Etiquette
Clocktower runs on trust between players, even though you spend the evening lying to each other. A few habits keep it friendly:
- Keep your token hidden. Keep your character token secret and never look into the Grimoire.
- Keep your eyes closed at night, and stay still and quiet so you do not give anything away.
- Lie with the game, not the person. Bluffing about your character is part of play. Keep it to the game, and be kind when it ends.
- Include quieter players. Invite people into your private chats and ask newer players what they think.
- Respect the Storyteller’s calls. They know the full picture and keep the game running for everyone.
- Talk it through afterwards. Many groups share what happened once the game ends, which is a great way to see the whole story.
Your first game checklist
- Read the official Trouble Brewing character list beforehand, or just skim the roles so the names feel familiar.
- Book a seat if the group asks, and arrive a little early.
- Tell the Storyteller it is your first game. They will be glad to help.
- Ask questions during setup. You can also check rules with the Storyteller privately during the game.
- Join private chats, even just to listen.
- Remember that dead players stay in the game and still get one ghost vote.
- Stay for the chat at the end to see how it all fitted together.
If you enjoy the talking and teamwork, our guide to board games for beginners suggests more easy group games, and our guide on how to find a D&D group covers another sociable hobby to try.
Common questions
How many people do you need to play Blood on the Clocktower?
The game is listed for 5 to 20 players, with one more person acting as the Storyteller. Travellers give a role to anyone who arrives late or may need to leave early, so groups can stay flexible on the night.
What is Trouble Brewing?
Trouble Brewing is one of the three official scripts in the base game and the one recommended for players and Storytellers new to Blood on the Clocktower. It is a relatively straightforward Demon hunt, and its Demon is the Imp.
How does the good team win in Blood on the Clocktower?
Good wins when the Demon dies, normally by executing them after a town vote. Evil wins when just two players are left alive, so every execution of an innocent player brings evil closer to victory.
What happens when you die in Blood on the Clocktower?
You stay in the game. Dead players keep talking and still win or lose with their team, but they lose their character ability and can no longer nominate. Each dead player has just one vote left for the rest of the game.
Do I need to own the game to play at a club?
Usually not. The Storyteller runs the game, so players mostly need to turn up. The base game includes character sheets for players, so groups can usually let you check what each role does as you play.
Is Blood on the Clocktower hard to learn?
The official rules explanation boils it down to four things to remember: say whatever you want, no peeking, ask the Storyteller questions, and play nice. The Storyteller handles the hidden bookkeeping, and Trouble Brewing is the script recommended for beginners.