The Saints (Third Party): Overview and Strats

 

The Saints are a unique and highly strategic third-party faction in Deck Mafia that aim to achieve victory by performing the Exalted Rapture spell, abducting all players and imprisoning them in a Celestial prison. Led by Atlas, the Saints work together to awaken reincarnated Saints hidden in the souls of unaware players, gather their forces, and execute the ultimate plan for game domination. The Saints rely on secrecy, coordination, and manipulation to pull off their win condition without being discovered.

Let’s explore the Saints’ abilities, win condition, and how to play them to maximize their chances of performing the Exalted Rapture successfully.

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Primary Objective:

• Goal: The Saints win by performing the Exalted Rapture, a spell that abducts all remaining players (including the Saints) and locks them in a Celestial prison for one cycle. If no one successfully guesses the identity of Atlas by the end of the cycle, the Saints win.
• Challenges: The Saints must awaken the required number of dormant Saints hidden in other players, perform the Exalted Rapture, and prevent Atlas from being correctly identified during the prison phase.

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Faction Mechanics:

1. Atlas (Leader of the Saints):

   • Mechanic: Atlas is the leader of the Saints and is responsible for finding and awakening the dormant Saints hidden in other players’ souls.
     • Dormant Saints: These are regular players unaware that they host a celestial being. Atlas’s role is to discover these players and awaken them, turning them into Saints and adding them to the Saints faction.
   • Awakening Process: Atlas has the power to awaken dormant Saints and bring them into the faction. Once awakened, these players join the Saints’ private group chat and assist in preparations for the Exalted Rapture.

2. Exalted Rapture (Group Action, 90% Success Rate):

   • Mechanic: Once Atlas has awakened the necessary number of Saints, they can initiate the Exalted Rapture, a night action that requires the entire Saints faction to waive their factional, character, and card actions for that cycle.
     • Success Rate: The action has a 90% chance of succeeding.
     • Outcome: If successful, the Exalted Rapture abducts all remaining players and places them in a Celestial prison for the following cycle.

3. Celestial Prison (Post-Rapture Phase):

   • Mechanic: After the Exalted Rapture, all players, including the Saints, are locked in a Celestial prison. The prison is a limited chatroom where players can post once every 10 minutes.
   • Guessed Identity: During the prison phase, the host will ask each player to publicly guess the identity of Atlas.
     • The player with the most guesses will be revealed as the final guess by the end of the day.
   • Outcome:
     • If guessed correctly, Atlas dies, and all players are freed from the prison, ending the Saints’ attempt to win.
     • If guessed incorrectly, the Saints win the game, as they have successfully abducted everyone and imprisoned them permanently.

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Special Actions and Mechanics:

1. Saint Factional Action:
   • Each Saint has access to a factional action, as well as their own unique character action. These actions must be waived when the Saints perform the Exalted Rapture.
   • Card Limitations: Saints can only rand and keep Card Deck and Support card types or a Gods vs Demons (GvD) card.
2. Death of a Dormant Saint:
   • Mechanic: If a player who hosts a dormant Saint dies without being awakened, the soul information of the dormant Saint will be publicly disclosed.
     • This adds pressure to awaken the Saints before they are killed off, as the public revelation of soul information could expose the Saints’ strategy.

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Win Condition:

1. Perform the Exalted Rapture and Survive the Prison Phase:
   • The Saints win if they successfully perform the Exalted Rapture and prevent Atlas from being correctly identified during the prison phase. The prison phase involves other players trying to guess Atlas’s identity, and the Saints must keep this information hidden to achieve victory.

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Optimal Playstyle and Strategy:

1. Early Game: Atlas Must Stay Hidden and Gather Information

• Atlas’s Role: In the early game, Atlas must remain hidden and avoid drawing attention to themselves. Atlas’s main task is to identify players who may be hosting a dormant Saint and prepare to awaken them.
• Secrecy is Key: The Saints’ strength comes from their ability to remain undetected until they can execute the Exalted Rapture. Atlas should blend in with the general population, avoid risky plays, and ensure that no one suspects their true role.
• Avoid Early Deaths: Atlas must be cautious about which players to approach for awakening, as targeting the wrong individuals could lead to unwanted attention or even an early death.

2. Mid-Game: Awaken the Saints and Coordinate Actions

• Awakening Saints: By mid-game, Atlas should begin awakening the dormant Saints to grow the faction. These newly awakened Saints will join the private group chat and can assist in preparations for the Exalted Rapture.
• Factional and Character Actions: Once Saints are awakened, they can use their factional actions and unique character actions to influence the game. These abilities should be used strategically to weaken opposition, gather more information, and protect the Saints from being exposed.
• Prepare for the Exalted Rapture: During this phase, the Saints should begin preparing for the Exalted Rapture, coordinating their efforts to ensure a smooth execution of the spell.

3. Late Game: Execute the Exalted Rapture

• Trigger the Exalted Rapture: Once the necessary number of Saints have been awakened, Atlas and the Saints should coordinate to perform the Exalted Rapture. All factional, character, and card actions must be waived to perform this group action.
• Survive the Prison Phase: After performing the Exalted Rapture, the Saints’ primary focus shifts to surviving the prison phase. In this phase, all players are asked to guess Atlas’s identity.
  • Deception and Bluffing: The Saints must work together to mislead other players about Atlas’s identity. If Atlas is guessed correctly, the Saints will fail, so this phase is critical to their victory.

4. Strategic Considerations:

• Timing is Everything: The Saints’ success depends on choosing the right moment to awaken their members and execute the Exalted Rapture. Awakening too early may expose the faction, while waiting too long may result in the death of potential Saints before they can be awakened.
• Protect Atlas: Atlas is the key to the Saints’ victory. Keeping Atlas hidden and alive is essential, as their death would mean the end of the Saints’ chances of performing the Exalted Rapture.
• Manipulate the Prison Guesses: During the prison phase, the Saints should work together to subtly mislead other players about Atlas’s identity. The fewer clues players have, the better the Saints' chances of success.

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The Seven Saints

The Seven Saints in Deck Mafia each bring unique abilities that can significantly alter the course of the game once they are awakened by Atlas. These abilities range from manipulative powers to investigative and protective actions, adding layers of strategy and power to the Saints' faction. Here's an overview of the Seven Saints, their abilities, and how they can be used effectively once awakened:

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1. Apollo (1st Seat Saint)

• Architect of War (Character Action):
  • Day Action: Apollo may choose two players. Those two players will unknowingly target each other with the card and factional actions they submit that night.
  • Restrictions: Cannot target the same players two days in a row and may self-target.
• Strategic Use: Apollo’s power to redirect actions creates chaos and disrupts other players’ strategies. This can be particularly effective when targeting key players who are likely to use powerful abilities, forcing them to target each other unknowingly. Self-targeting can also be used defensively to manipulate incoming actions.

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2. Danica (2nd Seat Saint)

• Gather (Character Action):
  • Day Action: Target two players. They will be able to communicate privately during the following night.
• Strategic Use: Danica’s Gather ability creates secret alliances and communication between players. This can be used to either aid the Saints by fostering temporary cooperation or to sow confusion and misdirection among other factions. The private chat allows Danica to influence how players interact, and, if used on enemies, could cause them to waste resources on each other.

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3. Jolene (3rd Seat Saint)

• Celestial Blessing (Character Action):
  • Day Action: This is a visit. Target a player to enhance their character ability by duplicating the number of players (if applicable) they can use their ability on.
• Strategic Use: Jolene’s ability strengthens other players' character actions, doubling their reach. This can be used to amplify powerful abilities like investigations, protections, or disruptive actions. Jolene’s Celestial Blessing should be applied to key players whose abilities can turn the tide of the game, helping the Saints while staying under the radar.

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4. Calypso (4th Seat Saint)

• Pierce (Character Action):
  • Night Action: Target a player to pierce their body and attempt to kill them. This kill has a 20% success rate.
  • Additional Effect: If successful, the target dies and their unused card actions become Calypso's passive abilities.
• Strategic Use: Calypso’s Pierce is a risky but potentially powerful ability. The 20% kill rate is low, but the reward—gaining the target’s unused abilities as passive effects—can be game-changing. Calypso should aim for players with valuable or highly disruptive abilities, knowing that even if the kill fails, the ability remains hidden.

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5. Leo (5th Seat Saint)

• Narkuro (Character Action):
  • Night Action: Target a player to discover if they have a dormant Saint in their soul.
  • Mechanic: If the player has a dormant Saint, Atlas will be informed instead of Leo.
  • Strategic Use: Leo is a key investigator for the Saints. By identifying players who host dormant Saints, Leo helps Atlas awaken them, expanding the Saints' power. This ability should be used to prioritize awakening Saints while avoiding any unnecessary attention. Since Leo gets no feedback for negative results, discretion is essential.

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6. Grace (6th Seat Saint)

• Memperberat (Character Action):
  • Day Action: This is a non-visit action. Select a player. If they visit Grace the following night, they will receive a random negative status effect displayed in their private channel name.
  • Additional Effect: If the target is visited by someone else, the target dies, and the other player is announced as killing them, similar to a loud gunshot announcement.
• Strategic Use: Grace’s Memperberat creates a deadly trap for players. By marking someone for a negative status effect or death, Grace can use the threat of retaliation to influence behavior. If another player visits the target, the blame for the death is shifted, sowing confusion and mistrust.

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7. Siren (7th Seat Saint)

• Early Rapture (Character Action):
  • Night Action: Activate to attempt an early Celestial Rapture.
  • Success Rate: 10%, increasing by 5% each night.
  • Failure Consequence: If the attempt fails, it will be publicly announced that an “Exalted Rapture attempt has failed.”
• Strategic Use: Siren provides an option for the Saints to win early with the Early Rapture. The success rate is low initially, but as the game progresses, the chances improve. Siren’s ability adds an element of risk but can be a game-changer if the Saints are close to victory or if time is running out. The public announcement of failure can be a double-edged sword, revealing the Saints’ intentions but also serving as a bluff to mislead others.

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General Strategy for the Saints:

1. Atlas’s Role in Awakening the Saints:

   • Atlas’s first priority is to identify and awaken the Saints. Once they are awakened, their collective power becomes a formidable force that can disrupt other factions while preparing for the Exalted Rapture.

2. Synergize the Saints’ Abilities:

   • The Saints have a mix of supportive and disruptive abilities. For example, Apollo’s Architect of War can cause havoc by forcing players to target each other, while Grace’s Memperberat can kill players through indirect actions. These abilities, when combined, make the Saints a faction capable of manipulating the flow of the game.

3. Timing the Exalted Rapture:

   • Once enough Saints are awakened, the Saints should coordinate with Atlas to prepare for the Exalted Rapture. The Saints’ powerful abilities should be used to either protect Atlas or weaken opposing factions in preparation for the final spell.

4. Using Siren’s Early Rapture:

   • Siren’s Early Rapture is a risky option but can be used to pressure other players or force their hand. The announcement of a failed attempt can create panic, making other factions rush or overreact, giving the Saints more room to maneuver.

5. Disrupting Enemy Factions:

   • The Saints should use their abilities to weaken other factions while remaining hidden. For example, Danica’s Gather can be used to manipulate communications, and Calypso’s Pierce can cripple powerful players if successful.

   Thoughts

   The Seven Saints are a diverse and powerful third-party faction with a mix of investigative, manipulative, and deadly abilities. Once awakened by Atlas, each Saint brings a unique strength to the faction, allowing them to disrupt the game while preparing for the Exalted Rapture. Coordinating their abilities and timing their final move will be key to the Saints’ success.

   Let me know if you'd like to dive deeper into specific strategies for any of the individual Saints or explore how they interact with other factions!

    

 Atlas' Death

When Atlas dies during the Exalted Rapture, the Saints faction is not immediately defeated. Instead, the game takes an interesting twist where a new member of the Saints is appointed as the new Atlas, granting them the ability to perform another Exalted Rapture. However, if the new Atlas is also correctly identified during the next prison phase, the Saints faction will lose and leave the game.

Here's how Atlas’s death affects the game and strategies to consider:

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Mechanics of Atlas’s Death:

1. Appointment of a New Atlas:

   • Mechanic: If Atlas is guessed correctly during the Exalted Rapture and dies, a new member of the Saints is appointed as the new Atlas.
   • New Atlas Role: The new Atlas gains the same leadership abilities as the original Atlas, including the power to perform another Exalted Rapture.
   • Strategic Consideration: The Saints now have a second chance to execute their plan. However, with Atlas’s identity exposed once already, the Saints must be cautious in the next phase, as the new Atlas could face the same scrutiny and risk of exposure.

2. Exalted Rapture Redux:

   • Mechanic: The new Atlas is allowed to perform another Exalted Rapture, following the same procedure as before. The Saints must waive their factional, character, and card actions to execute the spell once again.
   • Success Rate: The 90% success rate still applies to the second Exalted Rapture.
   • Strategic Consideration: The new Atlas has the chance to correct the failure of the previous Rapture, but there’s heightened risk as the other players may now be more determined to identify the new Atlas correctly.

3. Second Prison Phase:

   • Mechanic: After the second Exalted Rapture is performed, the players will be imprisoned again, with the same limited chatroom mechanic. Players will again be asked to publicly guess the identity of the new Atlas.
   • Outcome:
     • If guessed correctly again, the Saints faction loses and leaves the game.
     • If guessed incorrectly, the Saints win the game.
   • Strategic Consideration: The Saints must work hard to ensure that the new Atlas remains hidden during this second prison phase. The first failure will likely make players more cautious and suspicious, so the Saints must manipulate and mislead others more effectively.

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Key Strategies for Saints After Atlas’s Death:

1. Keep the New Atlas Hidden:

   • The most important objective for the Saints after Atlas dies is to keep the identity of the new Atlas hidden. The first failed Rapture will make players more focused on discovering the next Atlas, so the Saints must use their abilities to protect the new Atlas from exposure.
   • Abilities like Apollo’s Architect of War or Danica’s Gather can be useful to manipulate the flow of information or disrupt investigative actions that could reveal Atlas’s identity.

2. Use Disinformation:

   • In the second prison phase, the Saints should spread misinformation and create confusion about the identity of the new Atlas. By planting doubt or shifting suspicion onto other players, the Saints can prevent a majority of players from correctly guessing the new Atlas.

3. Leverage Abilities to Buy Time:

   • The Saints’ abilities should be focused on stalling the other factions and protecting the new Atlas from scrutiny. Grace’s Memperberat can set traps for players, while Jolene’s Celestial Blessing can amplify key abilities that can confuse or mislead opponents.

4. Prioritize the Rapture’s Timing:

   • The Saints must consider whether to initiate the Exalted Rapture immediately after the new Atlas is appointed or wait for a more opportune moment. If suspicion is high, it might be better to delay the Rapture and use the Saints’ abilities to manipulate the situation before making the second attempt.

5. React Swiftly to the First Failure:

   • After Atlas’s death, the Saints need to regroup and quickly adjust their strategy. The death of Atlas will expose that the Saints are attempting the Rapture, so players will be on high alert. The Saints should focus on using their abilities to throw players off their trail and reduce the risk of being identified again.

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Final Thoughts:

The Saints are a faction of secrecy, strategy, and timing, working toward the goal of performing the Exalted Rapture and imprisoning all other players. Led by Atlas, the Saints must awaken their hidden members, coordinate their efforts, and deceive the rest of the game to avoid exposure. The key to their success lies in carefully timed awakenings, precise coordination, and maintaining the secrecy of Atlas’s identity until the very end. If they can pull off the Exalted Rapture and survive the prison phase, the Saints will emerge victorious.

The death of Atlas introduces a new layer of strategy for the Saints. While losing Atlas is a setback, the faction still has a chance to recover with a new Atlas and perform a second Exalted Rapture. The Saints must work harder to stay hidden and protect their new leader from being exposed, using deception, manipulation, and timing to outmaneuver the rest of the game. If the new Atlas is correctly guessed, the Saints will be defeated, but if they can survive the prison phase, the Saints will achieve their celestial victory.