Blood on the Clocktower vs Werewolf: Key Differences

The biggest difference between Blood on the Clocktower and Werewolf is what happens when you die. In Werewolf, eliminated players go silent. In Blood on the Clocktower, dead players keep talking and keep one vote for the rest of the game. Clocktower also gives its Storyteller room to hand out false information, so nobody’s clues are fully reliable, and games run longer, at 30 to 120 minutes.

Werewolf is free to play, quick to teach and great for parties. Clocktower is a costly box for groups who want a deeper game.

Blood on the Clocktower vs Werewolf at a glance #

Clocktower’s details come from its Wikipedia article and the publisher’s site. Classic Werewolf is covered in our Werewolf game rules.

Difference 1: dead players stay in the game #

In Werewolf, the first player killed can spend an hour watching. It’s the game’s most common complaint, and it gets worse in big groups.

In Blood on the Clocktower, as Wikipedia puts it, “Dead players are not eliminated and can participate freely in discussions.” Each dead player also keeps one vote for the rest of the game. Being killed changes how you play, but you’re still part of the table. That one rule makes Clocktower much better for groups whose members hate sitting out.

Difference 2: the Storyteller has more power #

A Werewolf moderator follows the rules mechanically. The Detective checks someone, and the moderator gives the true answer.

The Clocktower Storyteller tracks the game in a grimoire, a board showing every player’s role and status in seating order. Some decisions are left to their judgment, including how long the day lasts before nominations open. Most importantly, the Storyteller may give false information to players who are “drunk” or “poisoned.” A good-team player can receive a wrong clue without knowing it.

This makes the game harder to solve by information alone, and it puts much more responsibility on the Storyteller. A Werewolf moderator needs to be organised. A Clocktower Storyteller also needs judgment. We cover both jobs in what does the storyteller do.

Difference 3: one Demon, not a pack #

Werewolf’s evil team is a pack of equal wolves. In Clocktower, the evil team is a single Demon supported by Minions, and the good team is split into Townsfolk (helpful abilities) and Outsiders (roles with a drawback). The good team wins by executing the Demon, even if Minions are still alive. Evil wins by keeping the Demon alive until only two players remain.

That changes the day. Instead of hunting every evil player, the town’s whole task is finding one person.

Difference 4: nominations and executions #

Both games vote by day. In Clocktower, after a time set by the Storyteller, everyone gathers in the “Town Square” to nominate players for execution, and an execution needs a majority vote. With dead players holding a single vote each, every vote counts in the late game. For how votes and ties usually work in Werewolf and Mafia, see Mafia voting rules.

Difference 5: length and learning curve #

Werewolf can be taught in two minutes, and a game with 8 people often finishes in 20. Clocktower’s scripts have many distinctive roles, and games run from 30 minutes to two hours. The box includes three scripts: Trouble Brewing, Sects & Violets and Bad Moon Rising. Trouble Brewing is the usual starting point for new groups.

Difference 6: cost and availability #

Classic Werewolf costs nothing: paper slips, a deck of cards or a phone app will do. Clocktower was designed by Steven Medway and published by The Pandemonium Institute in 2022, after a Kickstarter campaign that began in 2018 and raised more than $570,000, according to Wikipedia. It’s sold as a premium box, so check current pricing with the publisher. There’s also an official web app for online play.

Our best Werewolf card game sets guide compares it with cheaper boxes.

Which one should your group play? #

Choose Werewolf (or Mafia) if #

• You’re playing at a party, with new players, or with kids.
• You want games under half an hour.
• You don’t want to buy anything.
• Your moderator is new.

Choose Blood on the Clocktower if #

• You have a regular group that plays often.
• Players hate being eliminated early.
• Someone enjoys running a game and making judgment calls.
• You’re happy with games of one to two hours.

Many groups play both: Werewolf for big social nights, Clocktower for dedicated game evenings. For very large groups who stick with Werewolf, see Mafia for 15 to 20 players for ways to keep dead players busy.

Moderating classic Werewolf #

If your group sticks with Werewolf or Mafia, Mafia Helper is built for the moderator: it deals roles by passing the phone, shows each role in wake order with the line to read aloud, and resolves the night’s kills against saves with one tap. It follows the classic rules exactly. That means dead players are out, investigations always tell the truth (apart from the Godfather and Miller), and there’s no Storyteller-style misinformation. It isn’t a Clocktower grimoire.

Frequently asked questions #

Is Blood on the Clocktower like Werewolf? #

It’s in the same family of social deduction games, with a hidden evil team, night actions and day votes. The key changes are that dead players keep talking and voting, the Storyteller may give some players false information, and the good team only needs to execute one Demon.

Can dead players vote in Blood on the Clocktower? #

Yes. Each dead player gets one vote they can use for the rest of the game, according to Wikipedia. They can also keep taking part in discussions.

How many players do you need for Blood on the Clocktower? #

Five to twenty, plus the Storyteller. Games take between 30 minutes and two hours depending on the group and the script.

Is Blood on the Clocktower good for beginners? #

It’s playable for beginners with an experienced Storyteller and the Trouble Brewing script. But it’s longer and more complex than Werewolf, so most groups are better off learning classic Werewolf or Mafia first.