Town of Salem Rules

Although Town of Salem is a very flexible game in terms of roles, goals, and strategies, there are still rules that should be followed. As roles are added and updated, several sub-rules might change.

These rules are in no specific order and they apply to all platforms and game modes.

Source
Please read the Terms and Conditions for a full and comprehensive list of all rules, straight from Blank Media Games.

Wrongful Slander and Legal Rules

 * No False Claims of Impersonation: It is a bannable offense for a player to impersonate or speak in a matter that receive others to believe they are a BMG employee, unless of course they are one. If a player is acting and speaking like they are, and it is unclear if they are lying or not, it is advisable that one speaks with a known and confirmed BMG employee to validate the claim.
 * If Blank Media Games detects signs of fraud within the game, not only will the user be banned, there may also be other legal action taken. (Source: here (Facebook link))


 * Do not alter the property of Blank Media Games: Do not remove, alter, or conceal copyright, trademark, patent, or any proprietary rights notices of BMG.


 * No Viruses or in-game links: It is a bannable offense to post links that contain viruses, or reveal information about the game inside the game through a web link. The general rule of thumb would be to not post any links inside the game. Period. If a player posts a link, do not follow it. If a player posts a link, and claims they are speaking from a position of Blank Media Games authority, then report them. Most likely, they are lying.
 * Outside of the game, it is advised to follow this. Logically, this is common internet sense. Do not follow a link to a place you don't know.


 * No Real Life Information: It is a bannable offense to post identifying information about yourself or another user.


 * Do not exploit the game: Players may not use anything Blank Media Games deems as an exploit of the game to gain an unfair advantage.
 * If there exists an exploit that you think Blank Media Games should know about, then it would be recommended to contact BMG for clarification.

Non-Reportable Actions

 * Neutral Alignment: You cannot report a neutral member for voting the wrong way. If a Survivor votes against the town and wins with the mafia, even though it has been siding with the town, you cannot report him. Winning at all costs is part of the Survivor's goal. While the act may be less than desirable, it is not reportable, unless it breaks another rule.
 * Every role is to play to win. As long as the neutral roles are attempting to win, they are free to change who they want to align with.


 * Player Moral Ambiguity: "Stupidity" of a player is not reportable. There are occasionally new players, and they may not know how the game works. Alternatively, the Mafia, or any other so inclined player, may be very good at leading them astray. You may not lynch a player for being "stupid."
 * The exception to this rule is if the player seems to be doing the action on purpose, explicitly for the intent to troll. That is a different scenario and is reportable.


 * Using External Communication: Players are allowed to play with their friends and use external communications during gameplay, such as using Skype. Simply admitting to playing with friends isn't a valid reason to report a person. If players are found and/or admit to using outside communication to gain information, then they may be reported for cheating.
 * Knowing a friend's in-game name is allowed. Some players use the same name and/or cosmetics repeatedly which makes their identity obvious. A player cannot be punished for repeatedly using the same name or cosmetics.


 * Counter Reporting: You may not report someone who has reported you or another player out of spite, unless that player has broken a rule.


 * Random Actions: You may not report a person for "random" actions. This includes random lynching, jailing, executing, shooting and so on.

Reportable Offenses

 * Blatant Disregard of Rules: Although not explicitly stated, you may report someone who vocally admits to having no regard for the rules, and does not care if he/she flouts them.
 * If they have the character to agree to play, and yet do not have the character to follow the rules, then they may be banned.


 * Spam: Spamming is defined as repeatedly saying the same thing in the chat in a row, usually over four or five times. Spam is often easily spotted because the spammed text in question is either annoying or vulgar. Spam is not permitted in lobbies nor during gameplay. Any player found doing so, no matter their role, can be reported.
 * Jesters may not spam in order to get themselves lynched. Jesters that decide to do this can be reported.
 * Mafia may not spam in the Mafia chat, solely for the purpose of deceiving any would-be Spy.
 * Town members may not spam in order to get attention. Often times, this has the complete opposite effect of what the town member expected. Instead of the town listening to the spammer, it is possible for them to lynch the offender.


 * Profanity: Although Town of Salem has a profanity filter available, it is sill a reportable offense if you see one town member repeatedly swearing over and over.
 * It is debatable exactly how much profanity is too much. If a player is unsure on whether or not the profanity is too much, then it may help them to look at the general attitude of the offender. If they do not seem to be respectful of other players and are disrupting the chat, then there is a good case for a profanity report. If they are swearing every once in a while, but otherwise exhibiting good sportsmanship, then there is less of a case.
 * Players are not to bypass the chat filter. Anyone found deliberately trying to bypass the filter may face punishment.


 * Profanity in the Nicknames: Along with in-game chat, do not use any name that is offensive, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, sexually explicit, racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable. Players are not allowed to attempt bypassing the chat filter.


 * Harassment: Harassment can be summarized legally as "intentional behavior which is found threatening or disturbing." (Wikipedia, 2015) Players often insult other players in the span of a game, but the degree of insults and the person under fire are the determining aspects of harassment. This is a reportable offense on a player or group of players.
 * If a player is repeatedly insulting and degrading another player or a group of people, then that can count as harassment. Racism and offensive language can also be harassment, although the situation it is used can vary.


 * Gamethrowing: Several different definitions exist on the topic of gamethrowing. More often than not, the context of this rule violation relates to intentional gamethrowing. If a player intentionally reveals information that causes their alignment, to lose a game, and if there is evidence that the player did it with malicious intent, then that is gamethrowing.
 * General acts of Gamethrowing
 * Leaving the game unless your chance of winning is 0%. This means that you are the last Townie alive (without a possibility of an unrevealed Amnesiac or Retributionist that hasn't used their ability), or are already dead. If this is the case, it is permissible to leave.
 * Going against your alignment or your role and killing/lynching/working with others to secure their win, rather than yours.
 * Not acting, is usually not a sign of gamethrowing. Exceptions exist, and if a player is not sure about a specific incident, they are advised to file a report and explain their reasoning in the details section.
 * Players are not to go against their current goal in hopes of being converted into a Vampire.
 * Town related gamethrowing: Specific to roles, it is possible for a town member to use a role to throw a game. If a Vigilante shoots a revealed Mayor on purpose, that is gamethrowing, unless he was controlled by a Witch. Gamethrowing also relates to a Town member actively and consciously working against the Town. A Jailor executing a revealed Mayor on the basis of "He was annoying", is gamethrowing.
 * Mafia related gamethrowing: Mafia may not sell out another member of their team with the intent of making sure the Mafia lose. It is possible for a Mafia member to lynch another Mafia member to try and remove suspicions, but this is rare.
 * Mafia may mislead Town members in their wills and when they are dead.
 * Neutral related gamethrowing: Neutral roles are less obvious, as it is sometimes in their win condition to go against other roles. Neutrals usually have have no obligation to either side. Whatever roles or fairly obtained information revealed by a Survivor to swing the game a certain direction, is not necessarily throwing the game. Often times, neutral roles are the roles who decide which direction the game will end.
 * Similar to Mafia, it is acceptable for a Neutral Killing role to sell out others with the same role, as long as this is done for the purpose of removing suspicion from themself. It is also not gamethrowing if the player is not aware that the other has the same role.
 * No Vampires can reveal other Vampires that are still alive.
 * Since Witches cannot win when they are dead, it is acceptable to out the Neutral Killing or the godfather/mafioso when they are about to be lynched, or in their Last Will.


 * Illegal use of Chat: It is a reportable offense to directly or indirectly share gameplay information with other players in your current game using any other medium besides the game itself.
 * These mediums include but are not limited to chats, VoIP and forums on webpages, external programs such as Skype, other games or even talking directly to someone near you.
 * Gameplay information includes but are not limited to your role, your visits, what happened to you at night, and the content of whispers or Mafia/Jailor/Graveyard chat.
 * Examples: Mafia in a Skype call may not reveal to other Mafia in the call what they have found. Town members may not use a Skype call at night to direct other members, as this is taking advantage of something the town is not supposed to use. A Town working through a Skype call to kill the Mafia is cheating.
 * Some YouTubers or Twitch streamers might use Skype or other means of group call to film for their channels. As long as their call isn't giving them any advantage over the rest of the players, this is ok.
 * If all players in a match enter together in a private party and if all players are in agreement to allow some external sharing of information, this is okay. An example would be the match played by famous YouTuber, Markiplier, which involved a party of 15 who were all aware what was going on.
 * Blank Media Games confirmed in a Twitter chat social media update that if a player admits to using Skype in the game to gain any sort of information at all, they will be banned. "@***chiefs: We ban users who admit to it."


 * Over-emphasis on out-of-context Role Playing: Although role-playing is not reportable, it can be an issue when players begin to roleplay over the game rules. If players decide to continue role-playing and knowingly break the rules in the "spirit of having fun", then that is not acceptable. Common sense should be used in roleplay, and acting is not an excuse to break the rules "in the name of fun."


 * Falsifying Reports: It is a bannable offense to spam reports on players or to consistently and obviously falsify reports. This can only be determined by moderators who read reports, and they are often-times not contestable. Players may not report others for claiming to have filed a false report.
 * Multiple Accounts: Players may not use more than one account during a game.
 * Sending Links: Players are to not share links in the lobby or in the game. If a player is found doing so, they may be reported under "Harassment". It is however acceptable to advertise a player's Youtube/Twitch channel, as long as it is not being used to cheat. It is also acceptable to link to BlankMediaGames' webpage, along with the Town of Salem Wikia.
 * If a player is found sending screenshots relating to the game, whether real or not, they may be reported for "Cheating".
 * Speaking Other Languages: If a player is found constantly speaking a language other than English, they may be reported for "Cheating". There are plans to localize different languages, but for now players are to speak English. Please note that small phrases such as, "hola townies", "bonjour", etc are fine. The issue is when a player might be passing on in-game information through a different language.

How to Report a Player
When reporting, it is imperative that several conditions are met.


 * 1) Action: Is the action clearly violating a rule of the game?


 * 2) Degree of Violation: Is it an accident, or is it intentional and obvious?


 * 3) Player: In the context of the offender's role, is his or her action considered gamethrowing against his or her alignment?
 * Note that some actions may not be gamethrowing. If a player is lynching a Mayor, they may be a Jester, or any other role that opposes the town.

In Game Reports
If a player feels someone may be breaking the rules, he or she may report a couple of ways. During gameplay, a player may select the icon near the top of the screen that has an exclamation mark.

From this point, a menu will pop up. The player may select a person to report and choose which offense they have committed. Reasons for reporting include: Hate Speech/Harassment, Impersonating BMG Employee, Cheating, Inappropriate Username, Gamethrowing (which includes intentionally leaving the game), and Spamming. In the "Details" section, it is highly recommended to describe what happened and to mention where the rule was broken. Example: "Day 4 listed members of mafia teammates"

End Game Lobby Reports
Upon reaching the end game lobby, a list of all players and their roles will be shown. By clicking on a name and selecting "Report", that person will be reported.

Suspensions and Bans
Should a player be found guilty of breaking one or more rules, they may expect to be punished.

If a person receives a suspension, they may not appeal it. If a person receives a ban, they may appeal in the forums using the same account they use to log into the game. Before appealing, the player is strongly advised to read the stickied thread titled, "Information Regarding Appealing a Ban".

Trial System
The Trial System is a system which allows the community to view and deal with reports. It is currently in open beta and players who have played 150 or more games may participate.

Players may log into the forums check out many games they have played at: http://blankmediagames.com/Trial/gamesPlayed.php

More information may be found in the "Trial System Feedback/Discussion" section of the forum. Please note that players must be logged into the forums to access this section. To log in, players use the same username and password which they use for the Town of Salem game.