Talk:Version History (PC)/@comment-27447621-20170308231831/@comment-27447621-20170309015953

Fair points all around in the video, but with the Blackmailer's ability to read whispers, no one relies on that any more; which removes the SECOND of the Spy's powers. There's little in the way of whispers (at least in a vast majority of games I've played) besides spychecks because no one wants to say "Hey, sheriff. I'm Investigator. Let's compare notes" for fear they'll be caught by a BM-er who will blackmail one while the Mafioso kills the other, silencing them both. So that's the Spy's second power gone.

As for the last one, Seeing who the mafia visits. While this is a strong one in the right situations, It's also prone to giving misinformation in the hands of anyone who doesn't know quite a bit about what they're doing. Say, for instance, it's All Any, or any game with 'any' on the role list. The Spy sees 2 mafia visits. One of those people turns up dead, as to be expected, and the other is fine. Spy expects there to be 2 mafia, when there are 4 or 5. Not all Mafia roles benefit from visiting every night. The Forger, Janitor, Disguiser, Framer and Blackmailer all have certain situations when they don't necessarily benefit from doing their job (either due to a limited number of uses, a Doctor Claim for the Disguiser, an "I was Framed" claim from the Framer and trying to throw off a spy to keep up a spy claim for the BM-er). This leads to the Spy's final ability being unpredictable and liable to revealing false information.

One of the Spy's biggest strengths has always been the uncertainty of "Is there a Spy?" circulating throughout the Mafia. The Spy can't do jack by himself except an easy and quick confirmation...50% of the time. What he can do is limit the mafia's ability to communicate; and it's something he does very well. It's his best tool, and now that's gone.

You look at things from a Ranked standpoint I assume, which is fine. I've been playing a lot of "All Any" recently, and so that's the lens I'm seeing this through. And a 5-man mafia that's able to form plans like what's shown in the video won't balance out the mafia in anything except Ranked Mode; I believe it'll tip the scales heavily in their favor.