Dilemma

A dilemma is one where there are two options presented, neither of which are clearly good for the player.

As it applies to Mafia, a Dilemma occurs when it appears that multiple factions must cooperate to win, and frequently the Townie(s) in the game appear to be Kingmakers. Here are a few common examples.

• Three-player endgame: One Townie, one Mafioso, and one Serial Killer.
• Four-player endgame: Two Townies, one Mafioso, and one Serial Killer.
• Five-player endgame: One Townie, and two Mafiosi each from different factions.
• Six-player endgame: Two Townies and two Mafiosi each from different factions.

Here it is assumed that the identities of the scum players (or just the Townie) is known. For when it isn't, see Caveats below.

Yomi Level 1

In these situations, if the Townie votes for anyone it is tantamount to suicide - the scumteam they don't help destroy will just endgame them.

Thus, the Town will always lose.

Thus, the situation seems hopeless...

Yomi Level 2

As with most dilemmas, the correct response for the Townie(s) is to take a third option and No Lynch. There is absolutely nothing the scum can do in this situation but follow suit.

At Night, the dilemma shifts to the scum. The only way for either scum to win is for them to shoot the other scum. But if both scum do this, then the Townie(s) will be the only player(s) alive, and the Town will win. This is a disheartening outcome so late in the game!

The other option, shooting the Townie, is clearly suboptimal. Going with the three-player example above, if the Mafioso shoots the Townie and the Serial Killer shoots the Mafioso, the Serial Killer wins (and the Mafioso feels dumb afterward). Thus, to the scum, the choice is between giving victory to the other scum or the Townie.

It is worth noting that depending on the moderator, if BOTH scum shoot the Townie, the result is a draw. Since a draw is less than a win, there is no real reason to not shoot the other scum. (Or is there? See Caveats below.)

Thus, the Town will always win.

But now the situation seems hopeless for scum...

Yomi Level 3

As with most dilemmas, the correct response for the scum is to take a third option and agree during the Day to lynch the Townie(s). With only scum left in the game, they either leave with a joint win or shoot each other at Night to get the draw. This can be applied iteratively in the five-player and six-player scenarios until they work their way down to the three-player case.

Thus, dilemmas that are as stated should always result in the two scum teams drawing.

Caveats

One should always play fairly when one holds the winning cards. ~Oscar Wilde

In theory, that's how the dilemma works. There are a few instances where dilemma scenarios can take unplanned directions.

• The above strategy does not work for the four-player endgame shown above. This is because the Town players have veto power over the lynch of either of their own. Thus, the scum are forced to take the option at Yomi Level 2. In this scenario, the Prisoner's Dilemma (and Prisoner's Gambit) comes into its own.
• If one of the scum is Bulletproof, then the Townie is indeed a Kingmaker deciding whether to lynch the Bulletproof scum (and lose to the other scum) or do anything else (and lose to the Bulletproof scum).
• If both scum are Bulletproof, then the Townie is a Kingmaker, but in a different way - the game is much more likely to end with both scum alive.
• If it is not known that the game should be in a Dilemma state for whichever reason, then none of the "rules" of the dilemma apply. This is not common, but ideal for allowing scum to trick the last Townie into voting the way they like and thus avoid the inevitable draw.
  • Similarly, if the identity of the Townie is not known, then the "rules" again do not apply, but in a different way. If the identity of one scum is known, then they will decide whether they lose outright (by shooting the Townie) or draw (by shooting the other scum). If both of the scum are still hidden, each one has (in the 3P case) a 50% chance of getting shot (thus losing), a 25% chance of drawing when both sides shoot the Townie, and a 25% chance of winning outright. The option to draw as shown in Yomi Level 3 is still available if the scum do not wish to take the chance of losing completely, though.
• In the case of the six-player dilemma, if it is not the case that it is obvious who the scum are, they may be better off fakeclaiming scum. If the ruse is successful, they have a slim (but not nonexistent) chance of winning. See here for more information.