How to play Imposter
Imposter is a social deduction game for 3 to 12 people. Every player receives the same secret word, except one: the imposter, who only knows the category. The group has to find out who it is; the imposter has to stay hidden.
Setup
One person creates the room and shares the 4-letter code (or the QR) with the rest. Each player joins from their own phone, enters a name and waits in the lobby. The host picks the word category, how many imposters there are and whether the imposter gets a hint, then presses Start.
The reveal
Each player reveals their card on their own phone, privately. Innocents see the secret word; the imposter sees that they are the imposter, the category and — if the host enabled it — a hint. Nobody else should see your screen at this moment.
The clues
Taking turns in the order shown on the discussion screen, each player says one word related to the secret out loud. Not too obvious (you hand it to the imposter) and not too cryptic (you will look like the imposter yourself). Two or three rounds is typical.
The vote
When the group is ready, the host opens the vote and everyone picks a suspect on their phone. Revealing the result shows who the imposter really was. If the group got it right, the innocents win; otherwise the imposter does.
Strategy for the imposter
- Avoid going first: every clue you hear is information.
- Recycle: a word tied to other players' clues sounds legitimate even when you don't know the secret.
- Not too broad, not too narrow: "animal" gives you away, and so does "platypus".
- Accuse wisely: joining an existing suspicion deflects attention better than starting one.
Strategy for the crew
- Pace the first round: broad clues early, specific ones later.
- Watch for hesitation: the imposter needs longer to find a safe clue.
- Beware the echo: someone who only rephrases other people's clues is suspicious.