The Resistance Online
A no-elimination social deduction game of mission success and sabotage. The Resistance keeps everyone playing until the very end.
About This Game
The Resistance solves the biggest problem with Werewolf and Mafia: player elimination. In this game, nobody gets killed off and forced to watch from the sidelines. Instead, a team of resistance fighters must complete three of five missions to win, but hidden spies among them are trying to sabotage those missions. Every player stays in the game from start to finish.
The core mechanic is team selection. Each round, a leader proposes a team to go on a mission. Everyone votes on whether to approve the team. If approved, the team members secretly play Success or Fail cards (spies can play Fail). If even one Fail card appears, the mission fails. Through the pattern of team proposals, votes, and mission results, the resistance fighters must deduce who the spies are — while the spies must manipulate team selection and voting to get themselves on missions.
The Resistance works beautifully online with platforms like ProAvalon or dedicated implementations. Games take just 15-30 minutes, support 5-10 players, and create intense psychological dynamics. The voting phase generates heated discussion as players argue over who should be on each mission. Because there is no moderator, no elimination, and no night phase, the game is pure uninterrupted social deduction. It is one of the most elegant designs in the genre.
How to Play
Assign roles
Players are secretly assigned as Resistance or Spy. Spies know each other; Resistance members do not know who is who.
Leader proposes a team
The mission leader selects a team of players to go on the current mission.
Vote on the team
All players publicly vote to approve or reject the proposed team. Majority rules.
Go on the mission
Approved team members secretly play Success or Fail cards. Resistance must play Success; Spies can choose either.
Win three missions
Resistance wins by completing 3 of 5 missions successfully. Spies win by causing 3 mission failures.
Tips & Strategy
- Pay close attention to voting patterns — spies must vote strategically and their patterns often give them away.
- As Resistance, approve teams with yourself on them and be skeptical of team proposals that exclude you.
- As a Spy, do not always fail missions — succeeding early to build trust can be more effective.
- The fifth mission (if reached) is critical. Analyze all previous information carefully before the final team vote.
- Rejected team proposals still reveal information — note who voted for and against each proposal.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No player elimination — everyone stays in the game
- Pure social deduction with no luck or game-mechanic complexity
- Quick games that fit easily into a session
- Works well with voice chat for remote groups
Cons
- Can be confusing for first-time players unfamiliar with the format
- Requires at least 5 players to function
- Less dramatic than games with elimination or physical components
- The base game can feel repetitive — Avalon variant adds more depth
Game Details
- Players
- 5-10 players(recommended: 7)
- Duration
- 15-30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Price
- Free
- Platforms
- Web
Screenshots
Tags
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