Keywords
Guaranteed
is no longer considered manipulation.
Hex (new)
Hex is a complicated keyword that is going to add a bit of "fluff" to the game. It causes a player's abilities to fail (target is successful, they just have no effect), causes their passives to disable, and if they were to learn information because of their role the information will be wrong.
Bleed, ignite and poison.
Multiple instances of a damage over time keyword no longer stack, but different damage over time keywords do still stack.
So a player can only ever be "bleeding", not "bleeding 3 times".
But a player can be "bleeding, ignited and poisoned" all at the same time. (Yikes)
Exposed
Exposed is now triggered by getting at least 1 vote during the Execution vote, instead of being accused in the accusation vote.
Timers
Slightly increased the length of the discussion phase to accommodate the shift toward social deduction instead of ability use.
Slightly reduced the length of the Action phase so that nights are a bit quicker.
Starter
The Starter set has been removed. Standard is receiving huge changes to make it more approachable, and thus there isn't much need for a cut down simplified version of it.
Standard
Standard is seeing significant changes across the entire roster. Starting with roles that we are saying goodbye to.
Removed Roles
Arsonist - The Arsonist and Fire Dragon are fighting for the same spot in the Standard set, and the Fire Dragon won!
Chronomancer - The Chronomancer is a great example of a role that is not suited for the Standard set. Standard is meant to be a sleek set of well defined roles to act as a base, which then allows other sets to explore crazy and complex ideas.
Council Elder - The council Elder is a complicated role, perhaps too complicated for Standard. She also steps on the toes of the Judge. She'll find a new place to shine in another set.
Cthulhu - This one breaks my heart, but feels needed. Cthulhu makes for some very funny moments, but doesn't add much to the game in terms of social deduction. I think that he will be much happier in another set, just not Standard.
Cupid - Cupid doesn't add anything in terms of claim-ability to the game. Although he will likely return in another set.
Death - Another role I bet you thought wouldn't be on this list! Death isn't getting completely nuked, rather the Elder Dragon is going to take on Death's abilities as he fits the Standard set's theming better.
Ember Wolf - The Ember Wolf was only created to give the Werewolves a way to ignite. Why? This served no purpose and was just bloat.
Ember Archer - Town has too many ways to eliminate targets, the need to rely more on voting. The Ember Archer was too easy to confirm has they could just ignite whoever they liked.
Fallen Star - After 6 different reworks, I think it may be time to admit that the Fallen Star needs some time away to discover who he is and what he wants in life.
Frost Wolf - Making everyone frail only takes away from the social deduction aspect of the game. Global warming has destroyed too much of the Frost Wolf's habitat for him to be around anymore.
Herbalist - The herbalist does a lot, and provides Town with 2 things they don't need. Heals - we already have several roles that heal, and Poison, a mechanic that Town probably shouldn't have.
Janitor - The Janitor didn't fit thematically, and didn't provide much to the game. An easy role to cut as I can't remember the last time I saw him used.
Locksmith - The Locksmith was too similar to the Party Animal. With the changes to the horror he simply doesn't fit in. Time to lock him up.
Old Man - This one you may be surprised by as he was used a lot in games. Not only does the Old Man not fit thematically, but his shotgun blast automatically confirms his role. He'll make a return somewhere else, but standard is no longer his home.
Pack Wolf - The copy of the peasant, a basic role with an incredibly basic ability that doesn't add anything of value to the game.
Peasant - I feel like this one doesn't need much explaining. Everyone who got the peasant was disappointed to play it, and it didn't add anything of value. He will reappear in a "Werewolf Classic" set in the future, but for now he's going back to the mines.
Poison Drake - I swear everyone kind of just forgets this role exists. We've got enough dragons, the Poison Drake can go back to eternal slumber.
Psychopath - The Psychopath and Guardian Angel are too similar to exist in the same set. Psychopath will fit in much better in the Dark set anyways!
Serial Killer - An incredibly interesting role, but he struggles to fit into a world that Cannibal exists in. He'll find a new home in the Dark set.
Treant - A role that is very cool thematically, but has always lacked any real identity in terms of mechanics. The Treant will find a new home in another set.
Traveller - The Traveller travelled a bit far, and is now trying to find his way back.
Skeletal Wolf - The Skeletal Wolf has always struggled to be relevant as the Werewolves having access to any kind of frailty is kind of nuts. o7 bony guy.
Werewolf Herbalist - Similar to the removal of the Herbalist, the Werewolves simply do not need a way to Heal - a very "Town" mechanic, or Poison - giving them too much killing power.
Zombie - The Zombie is the role Evil most likely of making a return to the Standard set, stay tuned!
Baron
A new not so friendly face appears!
Alpha Wolf
Intimidate is now passive, and now triggers when another Werewolf dies.
Arcane Mage
Maximum mana increased from 90 to 120.
Polymorph mana cost increased from 60 to 90.
Obliterate mana cost increased from 90 to 120.
Obliterate is now guaranteed.
Blood Fiend
Now only Haemorrhages 1 player instead of 2.
Blood mage
Maximum Blood Charges reduce from 3 to 1.
Blood Charges gain reduced from 2 to 1 each night.
Corpse Explosion Blood cost reduced from 2 to 1.
Transfuse now protects the Blood Mage instead of healing him.
Cannibal
No longer has permanent defense.
Now gains protection on nights that he successfully eats a player.
Chupacabra
Can no longer protect.
No longer causes his targets to bleed if at least one is a Werewolf, now just learns if at least one is a Werewolf.
Clairvoyant
No longer asks the moderator a question from a pre-selected list of questions.
Now learns the types of abilities affecting another player. (protection, elimination, investigation, manipulation)
Corrupt Noble
Can no longer bribe players.
Assumes the role of the Evil they are meeting with if the Evil is executed.
Courier
No longer redirects from a "sender" to a "receiver"
Now swaps the targets affecting two players.
Cow
Now only wins if they die during the day.
Cult Leader
No longer transforms players into sheep when recruiting them.
Now changes the players factions to Neutral when recruiting them.
The cult now win when they outnumber other players.
Dracula
No longer passively heals.
Now heals when he attacks a player.
Dragon Knight
No longer has permanent defense.
No longer converts to Lesser Evil if he survives an attack.
No longer protects a player, attacking anyone who attacks them.
Now incinerates a player on death.
Elder Dragon
No longer causes all Dragons to meet at night.
No longer attacks or protects depending on his target's faction.
Now strikes a player with an unstoppable attack each night.
Now gains divine protection the first time he is fated to die.
Fallen Angel
Is no longer untargetable.
Farmer
Famine now attacks each of his neighbours if they are Town, instead of just attacking the two closest Town players.
Fire Mage
No longer has mana as a resource.
Fireball no longer costs mana.
Fireball is now a regular attack instead of an unstoppable attack.
Frost Drake
No longer makes a player frail each night.
No longer learns a player's role, rather the Frost Drake asks if a player is a certain role and learns if they are correct or not.
Frost Mage
Is now classed as Manipulation instead of protection.
No longer protects players, leaving them frail on the following night.
No longer attacks.
Now freezes a player solid, making them frail and miss all of their abilities during the night.
Grave Digger
No longer has permanent defense.
Greenhorn
Now classed as Manipulation instead of Elimination.
Now reveals a player on death instead of attacking them.
Guard Dog
Now classed as Investigation instead of protection
No longer protects a player each night.
Now keeps watch over 2 players. If either are struck with an attack, the Guard dog will learn of two players. One is the attacker, and one is completely innocent.
Now gains divine protection if executed.
Guardian Angel
Now only chooses 1 player to protect.
Now shares the fate of the player they are protecting.
Now wins if the player they vowed to protect survives until the end of the game, regardless of who wins.
Harlot
Is no longer permanently exposed.
Now exposes herself when she uses her ability.
Healer
Now starts with 20 mana instead of 0.
Mana gained per night reduced from 40 to 20.
Horror
No longer makes a player untargetable.
Now hexes a player each night.
Limited to being able to hex each player once per game.
Jailer
Execute now has 1 charge.
Juggernaut
No longer attacks a player that voted to execute him.
Justice
Unstoppable attack is now guaranteed.
King
Is no longer permanently exposed.
Now perishes if he decrees a player as the wrong role.
Magistrate
Can now only expose a player once per game.
Divine protection no longer has charges, but can only be given to each player once per game.
Medium
Is now classed as Manipulation instead of Investigation.
Now gives all players the chance to share final words whilst she is alive.
Mentalist
Now compares players factions instead of capabilities. (Throwback!)
Night Owl
No longer has an ultimate, allowing her to meet with who targets her.
Nymph
Amount of players protected reduced from 2 to 1.
No longer makes herself frail when protecting.
Now also hexes the player she protects.
Pants Wolf
Can now only steal pants from his Neighbours.
Prophet
Now learns how many capabilities his neighbours share, instead of learning which capabilities they share.
Queen
Royal invitation only invites a player to the Royal court for the night, instead of allowing them to permanently join the Royals.
Royal invitation no longer fails on players that aren't town.
Royal Knight
No longer bleeds a player each night.
Now personally escorts a player, making their targets guaranteed and leaving anyone who targets them bleeding.
Scryer
No longer chooses a capability, and 3 players, then learning how many of them are capable of their chosen capability.
Now learns how many of her targets are capable of elimination.
Shield Maiden
No longer has an ultimate allowing her to redirect all Werewolf attacks to herself.
Now protects 2 players each night.
Now perishes after 2 successful protections.
Starving Wolf
No longer perishes if no one is executed on the first day.
No longer transforms if they survive day 1.
Now causes Werewolf attacks to be unstoppable on nights following days with a successful execution.
Soothesayer
Is now classed as Manipulation instead of protection.
No longer protects her targets.
Stone Golem
No longer has permanent defense and is no longer permanently exposed.
No longer redirects all abilities from a player to himself.
Now redirects attacks from 3 players to himself each night.
Is now protected from all attacks redirected to him, but frail to attacks directly on him.
Plague Doctor
No longer has permanent defense.
The Blob
No longer has permanent defense.
No longer assimilates 3 players on the first night.
No longer attacks players.
Now assimilates 1 player each night, and protects them on the night that they are assimilated.
Assimilation is now guaranteed.
Tormenter
Now has a resource, Anguish.
Gains 1 Anguish per night, up to a maximum of 1.
Torment has been split into 2 abilities, Pain and Pleasure.
Pain costs 1 Anguish and causes a player to miss.
Pleasure costs 1 Anguish and enhances a player.
Both Pain and Pleasure can only be used on each player once per game.
Warden
Now also passively causes roles not to be revealed on death.
Warrior
No longer heals himself.
No longer bleeds himself when bleeding a player.
Werecat
No longer converts to a Werewolf if they survive an accusation.
Is now always protected from Werewolf attacks, and converts to a Werewolf if attacked by the Werewolves.
Werewolf Scholar
No longer learns the role of a player during the night.
Now learns all of the information learned by Town players each night.
Werewolf Trickster
No longer learns when they are investigated.
Wolf Cub
Now classed as Elimination instead of Manipulation.
No longer transforms if they survive an accusation.
Now provides with an additional attack on the night after your death.