Galaxian (Third Party): Overview and Strats

 

The Galaxian is an independent third-party role in Deck Mafia whose primary goal is to survive until the end of the game and be one of the last two players alive. Upon achieving this, the Galaxian has the power to decide whether they want to win solo or share their victory with up to three other players, either alive or dead, by making them Galaxians as well. The Galaxian’s abilities revolve around a combination of precise day kills and tactical redirection at night, but the role comes with high risks and compulsive obligations that can lead to their death if not carefully managed.

Here’s how to play the Galaxian and leverage your abilities to secure a victory.

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Primary Objective:

• Goal: Be one of the last two players alive.
• Bonus Victory Condition: Upon winning, the Galaxian can choose up to three other players (dead or alive) to win alongside them, or they can choose to win solo.
• Challenges: The Galaxian must manage a compulsive day kill and voting obligations that, if not handled properly, will result in their immediate death.

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Key Abilities and Obligations:

1. Compulsive Day Kill:

   • Mechanic: The Galaxian must use a private, compulsive day kill every day phase that must target a Subver. This kill is not public, and it is resolved at the end of the day phase.
   • Penalty: If the Galaxian kills anyone other than a Subver, they will immediately die and lose the game.
   • Void Condition: If there are no more Subvers left in the game, this obligation is voided, and the Galaxian is free from the penalty.
   • Strategic Use: The Galaxian must focus on identifying Subvers in the game to successfully carry out their day kills without dying. Failure to hit a Subver will result in their immediate death, so this ability requires careful analysis and timing.

2. Compulsive Non-Subver Voting Obligation (Even Days):

   • Mechanic: On even days, the Galaxian must place their vote on a non-Subver player by the end of the day. This vote does not need to be on a main wagon, but it must target someone who is not aligned with Subver.
   • Penalty: If the Galaxian votes for a Subver on an even day, they will die and lose the game.
   • Void Condition: If there are no more non-Subvers in the game, this obligation is voided.

3. Night Immunity (Death Immunity):

   • Mechanic: If the Galaxian survives a day phase, they gain death immunity for the following night. This grants them protection from all night kill actions during that cycle.
   • Strategic Use: Surviving the day phase and fulfilling the compulsive obligations grants the Galaxian temporary protection at night, giving them time to regroup and focus on their next targets or alliances.

4. Factional Redirection:

   • Mechanic: The Galaxian can perform a night redirection, targeting a player and redirecting any action targeting them to a non-Subver player. This redirection is especially valuable for manipulating other players’ actions.
   • Bonus Ability: If the Galaxian successfully redirects a night action onto a non-Subver, they gain a one-shot day death immunity for the following day. This immunity is passive and will be spent automatically if the Galaxian is targeted for death during that day.
   • Strategic Use: This ability allows the Galaxian to not only protect themselves but also steer the course of the game by redirecting harmful actions toward scum or other third-party players, potentially weakening their influence and increasing the Galaxian's chances of survival.

5. Deck and Card Restrictions:

   • The Galaxian can submit a full deck or a GvD card, but they cannot keep or rand investigation cards or shots, limiting their ability to gather information directly. This makes them reliant on reads and redirections to stay informed about the game state.

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Optimal Playstyle and Strategy:

1. Early Game: Stay Under the Radar and Identify Subvers

• Avoid Early Attention: In the early game, you’ll want to stay low-key. Drawing too much attention to your role could lead to factions targeting you before you can execute your compulsory actions effectively. Be careful in discussions and avoid making enemies too soon.
• Identify Subvers: Since your compulsive day kill must target a Subver, your early game focus should be on identifying players who are aligned with Subver. Use discussion, behavioral analysis, and any indirect clues from other players’ actions to inform your decisions.
• Prepare for Even Day Voting: Be mindful of your upcoming even day voting obligation. Pay attention to non-Subver players and try to anticipate who might be a safe voting target to fulfill this condition.

2. Mid-Game: Execute Compulsive Actions with Precision

• Kill the Right Target: By mid-game, you’ll need to be hitting Subvers consistently with your day kills to avoid triggering your own death. This is the most dangerous part of your role, as a single mistake can lead to your instant elimination.
• Use Redirection Tactically: Your factional redirection ability can serve multiple purposes. Not only does it provide you with the chance to disrupt other players’ night actions, but it also grants you a one-shot day death immunity if used effectively. Redirect actions toward known scum or other 3Ps to maximize the benefit.
• Balance Voting Obligations: On even days, ensure that you do not vote for a Subver, as this will lead to your demise. This can sometimes conflict with the general flow of the game, so you may need to avoid placing yourself in a situation where you are forced to break this obligation.

3. Late Game: Secure Victory and Plan for the Endgame

• Survive and Manipulate the Final Phases: By the late game, your focus should be on survival and manipulation. You’ll want to outlast the remaining players while still fulfilling your compulsive actions. Since your win condition involves being one of the last two players, use your redirection to eliminate threats or protect yourself.
• Choose Your Final Allies: If you reach the final two, you can either choose to win solo or bring up to three players with you to share the victory. Consider who might have helped you along the way or who deserves a share of the win based on their gameplay. Alternatively, choose to win alone if you’ve outwitted everyone and want a solo victory.
• Leverage Death Immunity: Your ability to gain death immunity for the night (or day) after surviving can be a game-changer in the late game. If you’ve managed to outlast key threats, this immunity can provide you with a crucial buffer to survive a bit longer.

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Strategic Considerations:

• Balance Between Killing and Voting: The Galaxian’s compulsive actions create a delicate balance between who to kill and who to vote for. On even days, you’ll need to be extra cautious about where your vote lands, as killing a Subver during the day while also avoiding a Subver vote can create conflicting objectives. Plan ahead for both your vote and your kill.

• Target Redirection for Maximum Impact: Your night redirection ability can not only disrupt other players’ strategies but also provide you with day death immunity. Use this to shift harmful actions toward other third-party players or scum, ensuring that the redirected target fulfills the condition of being non-Subver.

• Void Your Obligations: Once there are no more Subvers or non-Subvers left to fulfill your obligations, those compulsions are voided. This allows you to play more freely in the later stages of the game. Until then, you must carefully manage your kills and votes to avoid triggering your own death.

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Final Thoughts:

The Galaxian is a tactical and high-risk role, with compulsive day kills and voting obligations that force them to play carefully. The key to winning as the Galaxian lies in precise execution of their actions, clever use of redirection, and strategic survival until the endgame. Once the Galaxian reaches the final two players, they have the rare privilege of deciding to win solo or share the victory with others.