Serpents

Serpents is a secret identity card game that offers a flexible framework for social deduction gameplay, supporting 6-17 players. The game refines classic hidden-identity mechanics while introducing new roles and customizable options. Players are divided into Innocents, who use logic and deduction to survive, and Serpents, who use deception to eliminate others. One player acts as The Fortune Teller, moderating the game and knowing all identities.

The deck includes 29 tarot-sized cards, featuring a Fortune Teller card, seven Innocents with unique abilities, seven Rats, five Serpents, seven blank customizable cards, and two reference cards for the Fortune Teller. Each character's abilities are printed directly on their card, streamlining gameplay and reducing the need for constant rule look-ups. The game is designed to be highly adaptable, allowing players to use the provided rules or create their own variations by mixing and matching roles.

Serpents introduces new roles like the Owl, an unaligned rogue for advanced players, and an optional ability for Rats to identify each other. The Rat and Serpent cards are individually numbered, opening up further possibilities for customized gameplay. The game cycles through Day and Night phases until one team achieves victory, emphasizing strategic deception and deduction.

This game is ideal for groups of friends and family who enjoy social deduction games like Mafia or Werewolf, particularly those looking for a highly customizable experience. It appeals to players who appreciate unique, hand-illustrated artwork with a dark, medieval, or Gothic aesthetic. The clear printing of abilities on cards makes it accessible for players who prefer streamlined rules and less reliance on a moderator's memory.

Vector Arcade aimed to refine the mechanics of hidden identity games with Serpents, adding new roles and customization options to liven the meta. Their intention was to create a deck flexible enough for both existing and as-yet-unwritten hidden-identity games. The team focused on user-friendly design, such as printing character abilities directly on cards and including reference cards for the narrator, to enhance the gameplay experience.