Every group that regularly runs Blood on the Clocktower will have their own norms, conventions, or preferred "house rules" to make the game fun. This is a collection of the house rules that I've encountered which I feel are well thought out and balanced enough to share for the larger community's consideration.
In April 2023, The Pandemonium Institute released an Experimental Traveler called the "Bootlegger" which can be added to the game to formally "bring in" homebrew rules and homebrew characters to any game of Blood on the Clocktower.
I believe it's important for experienced players to hear and see major rules changes so that they can make the best strategic decisions during the game, so I've created Bootlegger XL Floor Reminders to print on matte 110lb card stock and place on the ground next to your town square.
I've also given brief mnemonic titles to each rule convey the nature of the rule changes to the players. Rule creators will be credited as best as I can manage.
by LivFreeOrPie
Tinkering within the established Blood on the Clocktower platform using homebrew rules and content is a tremendously fun and rewarding activity.
House rules, no matter how small, have the potential to dramatically change the core mechanics, subvert intentional design decisions in the game, and create scuffed or unfair experiences.
It's helpful to get a full understanding of established Blood on the Clocktower rules and their preferred interpretations, or ask someone knowledgeable about the game, before arbitrarily changing rules for your players.
A solution to a potential game problem you have encountered or foresee may already be written down in the rulebooks or almanacs that came in the box and not require a house rule. If it's not in the rulebooks, it may have been covered on the BotC Wiki, or with rulings in the Unofficial How to Run Guide.
Steven Medway created a multi-part Behind the Curtain blog that adds context behind the design of the game. It's hosted on the TPI website and mirrored here. Many years of playtesting went in to the deliberate game design decisions behind Blood on the Clocktower.
Consider the Chesterton's Fence analogy when approaching Blood on the Clocktower house rules that change abilities and fundamental game rules:
"There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, ‘I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.’ To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: ‘If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it."
Storytellers should very carefully consider the potential downstream effects of applying house rules.
If you are using homebrew rules, you should make it obvious to your players that you are using homebrew rules with the Bootlegger Fabled. (Recommendation source: BotC Website | Legal & Terms of Use)
"This script has homebrew characters or rules."
Add the Bootlegger to include homebrew characters or rules.
At the start of the game, if there are homebrew characters on the character sheet or you are running homebrew rules, declare that the Bootlegger is in play and inform the group of all the homebrew characters and/or rules you are using in this game.
Source: BOTC Wiki | Bootlegger
These "Optional Rules" are endorsed by The Pandemonium Institute.
I recommend declaring whether or not these optional rules are in effect before the start of the game.
TPI optional rule for Travelers
titled by LivFreeOrPie
Travelers may not have their characters swapped or changed.
Rules as written: Travelers may be changed into other characters by other characters. There is no ability restrictions against it.
Reason for optional rule: Travelers changed into other characters cease to be Travelers and cannot exit the game without breaking the game state. Travelers changed into non-Travelers characters will leave an obvious tell on the town square board when their life token is swapped out and the Storyteller cannot accept a call for them to be exiled if asked.
Storytellers can enforce this rule when a character changer selects a Traveler by just shaking their head. You do not need a floor reminder. This is included for completeness sake in cataloging TPI's optional rules.
Rule source: BASE Almanac p.25
Source file: Optional Rule Reminder - Hospitality.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
TPI optional rule for the Hatter
credit to the Greater BotC Community for "lawful/chaotic" classification
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Hatter dies today or tonight, the Demon may become a Minion and a Minion may become the Demon.
Rules as written: The Carousel Almanac and Wiki indicate that the base assumption for the Hatter's ability is that players do not change types when the Hatter activates. It's worded intentionally to permit both "Lawful Hatter" and "Chaos/Mad" Hatter.
"Lawful Hatter" does not permit the Demon to change places.
"Chaotic/Mad Hatter" allows the Demon to move among evil.
Reason for the optional rule: Realigning the characters on the board with game state knowledge is already a boon for the evil team. Allowing the evil team to coordinate and move the Demon adds another major advantage for the evil team. This interpretation allows for a group-by-group, script-by-script decision for Storytellers and players.
Rules source: BotC Wiki | Hatter
Source file: Optional Rule Reminder - Change Places.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
TPI optional rule for the Ogre
titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Ogre is always the same alignment as their friend. If the Ogre’s friend changes alignment, the Ogre changes alignment too, but the Ogre does not learn this (*Recommended rule for 15+ player games)
Rules as written: The Ogre does not change alignment with their "Friend."
Reason for the optional rule: This carries the intention of the Ogre being a "ride or die" partner for the "Friend" to it's logical conclusion. The 15+ player game recommendation was likely added because having 2 players swing from evil to good in a game is a massive advantage, even if the Ogre doesn't learn about the swing. Having 15+ players on the board allows the good team a slightly better to overcome a devastating 2-player swing.
The Shrek reference in the naming is intentional.
Rules source: BotC Wiki | Ogre
Source file: Optional Rule Reminder - Im A Believer.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
TPI optional rule for the multiple roles
titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Storyteller may arbitrarily limit the number of players making public character ability declarations to move the game along. (Example: Only three Alsaahir guesses permitted each day.)
Rules as written: There is no limit to the amount of public character ability claims on the board. Every obviously eligible player may claim Slayer, Gossip, Juggler, Cult Leader, Minion guessing Gossip, Alsaahir, and other character abilities freely and repeatedly. Dead players may Gossip or Juggle in the hopes that a a Bone Collector will select them in the night and activate their ability.
Reason for the optional rule: This optional rule was codified with the introduction of the Alsaahir. It gives Storytellers tools for time and player management.
EDITORIAL: Beware that setting a defined limit on declarations may shut out the real character (or acquired ability) from using their role if other players frivolously talk over them and fill the quota. If you intend to set a limit, consider giving notice and making it arbitrary.
Experienced Storytellers can manage game time and players by quickly rejecting obviously ineligible requests, quickly processing requests, and suggesting that they will only acknowledge serious ability declarations from the second day onward. Tell the players that meme/frivolous ability requests slow the game down and have them buy in as a group.
Rules source: BotC Wiki | Alsaahir
Source file: Optional Rule Reminder - Point of Order.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
TPI optional rule for the Wraith
titled by LivFreeOrPie
"Once per game, a player that is mad that you are the Wraith dies."
Transcribed for clarity: Once per game, a player that is mad that the Wraith is the Wraith dies.
Rules as written: The Wraith does not have a Madness death penalty.
Reason for the optional rule: It is highly likely that the first good player who sees the Wraith open their eyes at night in an in-person game, or receives a tell in an online game, will out the Wraith immediately and get them executed. This optional rule gives good players pause to out the Wraith and gives evil a 1-for-1 death of a (likely, but not always) good player after the Wraith is outed as evil and executed .
Rules source: BotC Wiki | Wraith
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Busted.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
TPI optional rule for the Poppy Grower
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Poppy Grower becomes drunk, poisoned, or leaves play, Minions & Demons learn who each other are that night.
Rules as written: The Poppy Grower's ability causes the Storyteller to skip the Minion & Demon learning each other on the first night and the "lean each other" that triggers on the Poppy Grower's death.
Reason for the optional rule: If the Poppy Grower were to be made drunk/poisoned or get swapped out of the game with a role change, the "learn each other" death trigger is mechanically removed from the game and evil will no longer learn each other. This optional rule addressees these scenarios specifically to give evil help against an extremely powerful Townsfolk in the experimental space.
Rules source: BotC Wiki | Poppy Grower - TBD, announced 2025.08.18
Source file: Optional Rule Reminder - Cold Turkey.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
These rules are known and not explicitly endorsed by The Pandemonium Institute.
House rule for the Marionette & Recluse
credit to the Greater BotC Community
titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Marionette may neighbor the Recluse.
Rules as written: Ambiguous
In Spring 2021, TPI announced the Marionette as a new Minion and explicitly suggested that a Marionette could neighbor a Recluse that registers as a Demon at [Setup].
"Recluse: The Marionette can neighbour the Recluse if the Recluse registers as the Demon!"
Source: Unofficial BotC Discord | #experimental-how-to-run | 2021.04.15
In Fall 2024, included with the announcement of the Lord of Typhon, TPI signaled that the Recluse was not intended to affect [Setup] and the Marionette was intended as a role that's always sitting next to the actual Demon, not a Recluse registering as the Demon.
"Recluse & Spy: The intent of misregistration abilities is that they do not begin until after setup. In playtest, we found that it was never fun for the players to have the Spy or Recluse misregister at setup to be out of or in the line (respectively)"
Source: Unofficial BotC Discord | #experimental-how-to-run | 2024.08.29
Many Storytellers like the option of moving the Marionette to the Recluse if the Demon if the options next to the Demon are less appealing.
For an outed and trusted Recluse, their neighbors become Marionette candidates, which can be a good-sided or evil-sided situation depending on the state of the game.
TPI has acknowledged that there may be a rule re-work in place that may allow for the Marionette to neighbor the Recluse.
This Bootlegger was created in anticipation of a rule change.
I strongly recommend that the Storyteller declare if "Long Strings" applies before beginning any game with the Marionette and Recluse in it.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Long Strings.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
Use at your own risk, so long as it helps your players have fun!
House rule for the Gunslinger and Saint
credit to the Greater BotC Community
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If a good Gunslinger shoots and kills a good Saint, the death registers as an execution.
Rules as written: When the Gunslinger kills a sober and healthy Saint, the Saint's ability does not activate.
Reason for this Bootlegger rule: The rule is to counter an over-optimized and unfun meta involving the Gunslinger and the Saint. A Gunslinger is strongly incentivized to kill all Saint claims to take the good team losing condition off the board or eliminate evil players bluffing as Saint. Refusing to kill a Saint claim will likely indicate that one or both players are evil.
With this Bootlegger rule, a Gunslinger needs to think carefully before pulling the trigger and the Saint doesn't have an escape hatch to "quit" the round.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Holy Spirit.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Gangster and Saint
credit to the Greater BotC Community
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If a good Gangster kills a good Saint, the death registers as an execution.
Rules as written: When the Gangster kills a sober and healthy Saint, the Saint's ability does not activate.
Reason for this Bootlegger rule: The rule is to counter an over-optimized and unfun meta involving the Gangster and the Saint. A Gangster is strongly incentivized to kill all Saint claims to take the good team losing condition off the board or eliminate evil players bluffing as Saint. Refusing to kill a Saint claim will likely indicate that one or both players are evil.
With this Bootlegger rule, a Gangster needs to think carefully before killing and the Saint doesn't have an escape hatch to "quit" the round.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Holy Spirit.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Gnome and Saint
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If a good Gnome kills a good Saint after their Amigo has been nominated, the death registers as an execution.
Reason for this Bootlegger rule: The rule is to counter an over-optimized and unfun meta involving the Gnome and the Saint. A Gnome is strongly incentivized to kill all Saint claims to take the good team losing condition off the board or eliminate evil players bluffing as Saint. Refusing to kill a Saint claim will likely indicate that one or both players are evil.
With this Bootlegger rule, a Gnome needs to think carefully before killing and the Saint doesn't have an escape hatch to "quit" the round.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Hallowed Lawn.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Vigormortis
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
Vigormortis-killed Minions keep their abilities if the Vigormortis changes players and remains in play.
Rules as written: If the Vigormortis leaves play or switches players (via Barber, Scarlet Woman, or otherwise) all Vigor-killed Minions lose their ability and their Townsfolk neighbors lose their poison. The new Vigormortis a totally new instance of the same Demon.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: This house rule could make for a more interesting game and incentivize the Vigormortis to kill their Minions.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Keymaster Changeover.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Amnesiac
credit to the Greater BotC Community
credit to Ben S./Noel W./Justin S. from Capital Clocktower
titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Amnesiac will always receive correct information from the Storyteller when they privately guess what their ability is.
Rules as written: The Amnesiac is subject to drunkness, poison, & Vortox-required lying.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It's more fun for the Amnesiac to get a grasp of their ability and receive a reliable opportunity to understand decode their ability. Drunkenness, poison, and Vortox-required lying can still disrupt the Amnesiac player's ability and the outcome of the game.
I thoroughly enjoyed this character ability interpretation I first heard at a Capital Clocktower event.
2025.01.02: This approach to running Amnesiac was discussed on the TPI Twitch stream (Twitch clip).
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Semantic Memory.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Cult Leader
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Cult Leader is the last living good player, they cannot turn evil.
Rules as written: A Cult Leader who is the last surviving player on the board is surrounded by evil players and mechanically must turn evil (without interference from Spirit of Ivory).
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: This rule is to prevent an anticlimactic evil team annihilation from ending the game when 3 or more players alive and all evil.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Contrarian Principles.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Fearmonger
idea from the Greater BotC Community
credit to Biscuits from Capital Clocktower for specific rule approach
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the player chosen by the Fearmonger nominates & executes themselves, the executed player’s team loses.
Rules as written: Self-nomination completely defeats the Fearmonger's win condition .
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It allows the Fearmonger attempt to use its ability. Having good self-nominate after a Fearmonger announcement calcifies into a meta socially pressures players to self-nominate to confirm that they are on the good team.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Spectrophobia.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Huntsman
credit to Narninian, also known as the "Narninian Rule"
editing credit to Biscuits from Capital Clocktower
titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Huntsman (or any character with the Huntsman ability) chooses a player each night. If they chose an evil player, they are drunk.
Rules as written: The Huntsman has only one chance to find the Damsel.
Reason for Bootlegger rule: This house rule turns the Huntsman into a repeating information role. It can very difficult for the Huntsman to find the Damsel in large games. Huntsman players that expend their one shot are left to confirm an in-play Damsel and help obfuscate for the Damsel that they believe is in play.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Large Quiver.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
These rules affect the abilities with thought toward prioritizing the player experience and a viewing audinece's experience.
Use at your own risk, so long as it helps your players have fun!
House rule for the Snake Charmer
credit to Alejo F. Black, also known as the "Alejo Rule"
titled by LivFreeOrPie
clarity revision contributed by Biscuits from Capital Clocktower.
On the first night, the Snake Charmer acts before the Demon and Minion(s) learn their starting information.
Rules as written: The Snake Charmer acts after the Demon and Minions learn each other.
Reason for Bootlegger rule: Typically, a former Demon turned Snake Charmer will immediately snitch on their Minions and continue the game knowing three roles that are out of play. The new Demon plays the game at a major disadvantage. This rule is intended to prevent an early game re-rack and create longer and more fulfilling games by leaving first night snake-bitten Demons with a path to continue playing with some information.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Charmed Truly.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Evil Twin
credit to PattersTTV, also known as the "Patters Rule"
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Evil Twin is in play, on the first night, the Evil Twin wakes after learning the evil team and may request an opposing player to be their good twin. If the Storyteller agrees, the Evil Twin’s good twin changes to the requested twin.
Rules as written: The Storyteller determines the Evil Twin at [Setup] and finalized the pick before the twins wake on the first night.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: This rule gives Evil Twin players flexibility to determine what they think will be an excellent match. It's a highly group dependant house rule.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Pat-a-cake.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Amnesiac
credit to PattersTTV, also known as the "Patters Amnesiac Rule"
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Amnesiac's ability is passive or affects setup, it may come with a clue.
The Amnesiac will always receive correct information from the Storyteller when they privately guess what their ability is.
The Amnesiac may continue to privately guess their ability after death.
Rules as written: The Amnesiac gets one chance to clarify their role during the day and their ability ends when they die.
Reason for Bootlegger rule: This house rule is meant to give a better playing experience for the Amnesiac. When selecting Amnesiac abilities under this house rule, Storytellers should carefully consider if the Amnesiac might receive a game-solving clue after death.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - A Posteriori.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
Use at your own risk, so long as it helps your players have fun!
House rule for the Lunatic & Zombuul
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Lunatic believes that they are the Zombuul, then the Lunatic's ability will persist after the Lunatic dies.
This is a house rule meant for fun. There has been no canonical interpretation for this rule form TPI and Greater Blood on the Clocktower Community is not in total agreement with how to handle this interaction.
TPI interpretation: Rules as written are ambiguous and there is no canon interpretation for this conflict.
Majority interpretation: Do not wake the dead Lunatic Zombuul - A dead Lunatic Zombuul loses their "You think are the Demon..." ability after death and does not inherit the Zombuul’s “the 1st time you die, you live but register as dead” ability.
Minority interpretation: OK to wake the dead Lunatic Zombuul - Run Lunatic Zombuul like a Ravenkeeper who dies, mechanically loses their ability, and is woken to see a token.
Counter argument to the minority interpretation: The Ravenkeeper's ability activates in the specific space between when Ravenkeeper dies in the night and when their death mechanically takes away their ability. Therefore, a drunk or poisoned Ravenkeeper can have their ability simulated by a Storyteller in that space. There is no comparable space for the Lunatic-Zombuul because their simulated wakeup must happen at least one day after the death removes the Lunatic ability.
When discussing giving the Lunatic a fake Lunatic, Steven Medway clarified the design intention of the Lunatic as a good team Outsider who will figure out that they're the Lunatic after "a day or two." The Lunatic is not intended to spend the whole game thinking that they're the Demon. It might happen, but it's not the intention of the character.
If the script is a solo-Zombuul script, like Frankenstein's Mayor, it may be important to clarify this rule before running the game.
Otherwise, it may be best for the Storyteller to pick a consistent interpretation and clarify their preference in a hypothetical if they're asked.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Mostly Dead.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Vigormortis & Mastermind
credit to the Greater BotC Community
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Vigormortis kills the Mastermind and then later dies by execution (ending the game), Play for 1 more day. If a player is then executed, their team loses.
Rules as written: A Vigor-killed Mastermind poisons a neighbor and loses their ability immediately after the Vigormortis is executed. There is no subsequent "Mastermind Day."
Reason for Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to make the pairing function and be script-viable. This house rule creates one specific conditional rules exception for a Vigor-killed Mastermind to give evil one final day to save the game, without their own nomination or the dead Demon's nomination. All other Vigormortis effects leave the game when the Vigormortis dies.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Queen's Gambit Accepted.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Poppy Grower & Vortox
credit to the Greater BotC Community
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Vortox & Poppy Grower are both in play, and the Poppy Grower’s ability leaves play, then the Demon and Minions will correctly learn who each other are when they wake at night.
Rules as written: The Poppy Grower's ability must yield false information when the Poppy Grower dies. The Evil team learns false information somehow.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to make the pairing function and be script-viable. The Vortox-lead evil team should be rewarded and not punished when they get the Poppy Grower killed by learning their actual teammates.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Smoke Signals.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House replacement for the Jinx between the Widow & Poppy Grower
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Widow & Poppy Grower are both in play, on the first night, the Widow does not see the Grimoire and selects a character from the script. That character, if in play, is poisoned and the Widow call goes out. When the Widow sees the Grimoire for the first time, the Widow chooses a poison target if they have not yet successfully poisoned anyone.
NOTE: This Bootlegger was written before the Poppy Grower optional rule which causes the evil team to learn each other of the Poppy Grower is poisoned. This may not interact well if the optional rule is in effect, because the optimal choice for the Widow will be the Poppy Grower that they know for a fact is in play.
Jinx as written: Widow / Poppy Grower: If the Poppy Grower is in play, the Widow does not see the Grimoire until the Poppy Grower dies.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: No agency for the Widow. Sending a late Widow call confirms a dead Poppy Grower and another good player.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Wide Web.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Lycanthrope & Lleech
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Lleech host does not die when picked by the Lycanthrope.
Rules at written: If the Lycanthrope selects the good-aligned Lleech host at night, the host and Demon die. Likely win for the good team.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to prevent the Lycanthrope from singe-handedly winning the game early and without risk or agency from the evil team.
Alternative: The Storyteller could make the Lleech host the Faux Paw to prevent them from dying from the Lycanthrope.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Rotten Meat.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Lleech & Scarlet Woman
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If there are 5 or more players alive and the Lleech host dies, the Lleech does not die, and the Scarlet Woman becomes the new Lleech host.
Rules as written: At 5 alive, if evil forces a kill on the Lleech host (4 alive), the Lleech dies simultaneously (3 alive), the Scarlet Woman becomes the new Lleech, the town goes to sleep, the new Lleech finds a new host, and then kills the non-host (2 alive). Evil wins.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to prevent the specific situation outlined above and make the pair script-viable. It keeps the intention of the Scarlet Woman role at the intended number my moving the Demon target to the Scarlet Woman
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Blood Donor.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Lleech & Scarlet Woman
credit to the Greater Blood on the Clocktower Community
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If there are 5 or fewer players alive and the Lleech host dies, the Lleech dies, and the Scarlet Woman's ability does not activate.
Rules as written: At 5 alive, if evil forces a kill on the Lleech host (4 alive), the Lleech dies simultaneously (3 alive), the Scarlet Woman becomes the new Lleech, the town goes to sleep, the new Lleech finds a new host, and then kills the non-host (2 alive). Evil wins.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to prevent the specific situation outlined above and make the pair script-viable. This is a simple adjustment to the Scarlet Woman's ability to prevent an automatic evil win at 5 alive.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - 666 Not 555.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule replacement for the Jinx between the Al-Hadikhia & Scarlet Woman
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If there are 5 or more players alive and the Al-Hadikhia dies, then the Scarlet Woman becomes the Demon. The dead Al-Hadikhia becomes a dead Scarlet Woman who is poisoned for the rest of the game, even if resurrected.
Jinx as written: Al-Hadikhia / Scarlet Woman: If there are two living Al-Hadikhias, the Scarlet Woman Al-Hadikhia becomes the Scarlet Woman again.
Rules as Written: The existing jinx a creates an near-insurmountable endgame loop where the SW-turned-Al-Had always chooses the dead Al-Had-turned-SW who always chooses to live.
Reason for the Bootlegger jinx: It's a rules exception to prevent the situation outlined above. Similar to the Fang Gu, one jump is permitted per game, globally. So, the Al-Had could take a dive and mislead the town. The infinite resurrection loop is permanently interrupted.
Jinx source: BOTC Wiki | Djinn
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Eternity Denied.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Alchemist & Vortox
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
In a Vortox game, the Alchemist correctly learns their Minion ability.
Historical context: Version 1 of the Alchemist has the Alchemist learning and becoming an out-of-play Minion. This was considered "Townsfolk information" and subject to Vortox-required-lying. This may expose a Vortox immediately.
Rules as written: Version 2 of the Alchemist may be any Minion on the script. when they are Drunk, poisoned, or Vortox-affected, the Storyteller may legally show them the wrong token. This still may be interpreted as "Townsfolk information" and subject to Vortox-required-lying.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: This house rule allows the Alchemist to play uninhibited and prevents immediate Vortox exposure. Community consensus after the change has shifted to consider the Alchemist's ability notification "setup / mechanical" and not "Townsfolk information." However, this interaction is unique and vague enough to need clarification.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Active Ingredient.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Psychopath & Lil' Monsta
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Psychopath is executed while holding the Lil’ Monsta, they die without playing roshambo.
Rules as written: If the Psychopath is executed while holding Lil' Monsta, a win or tie in roshambo means the Psychopath lives and the game continues.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: This prevents a Lil' Monsta game being decided by a game of roshambo.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Kid Gloves.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Summoner & Travelers
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If an evil Traveler joins the game before the Summoner creates a Demon, then the Traveler learns the Summoner instead.
Rules as written: An evil Traveler who joins from Night 1 to Day 2 does not learn a Demon. There is no Demon in play.
Rules as written are not totally explicit about handling the Summoner & Travelers. However, there is a clear intention based on the revised language used in the BotC Wiki that an evil Traveler should learn the Demon once the Summoner brings a Demon into the game and never learn the Summoner at all:
Almanac evil Traveler information guidance:
"2. CHOOSE ALIGNMENT. Tell the Traveller player in private whether they are good or evil. If you made the Traveller evil, they learn which player is the Demon, but not which players are the Minions." [emphasis added] (see BASE Almanac page 24)
BotC Wiki evil Traveler guidance:
"If they are evil, they learn who the Demon is; they do not learn any additional evil characters or receive any bluffs." [emphasis added] (see BotC Wiki |Travellers)
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: The intention of this rule is for the evil Traveler to learn some information which prevents them from accidentally losing the game for evil in the first three nights and two days of a Summoner game.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Concierge.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Summoner & Goon
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Goon cannot make the Summoner drunk.
Rules as written: If the Summoner is the first to pick the Goon at night, then the Goon turns evil and the evil team loses the game immediately because the Summoner is drunk on the third night.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to prevent the situation outlined above and make the pair script-viable.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Conscription.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Summoner & Puzzlemaster
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the Summoner selects the player made drunk by the Puzzlemaster, the new evil Demon is sober and remains the correct Puzzlemaster answer.
Rules as written: If the Summoner turns the Puzzledrunk player into a Demon, that new evil Demon player remains Puzzledrunk.
Reason for Bootlegger rule: It's a rules exception to prevent the situation outlined above and make the pair script-viable. the New Demon cannot shed its status, making the evil team unable to kill and slowing down the game to a likely good victory.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Infernal Confounding.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Village Idiot & Vortox
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
VARIANT A: If the Vortox is in play, drunk Village Idiots receive arbitrary information.
VARIANT B: If the Vortox is in play, all self-selecting Village Idiots receive arbitrary information.
Rules as written: All Village Idiots that point to themselves in a Vortox game will get a mechanically necessary "no," including the self-drunk Village Idiot.
Reason for the Bootlegger VARIANT A: This seeds a small amount of doubt and preserves the Village Idiot's option to check themselves and determine if a Vortox is in play.
Reason for the Bootlegger VARIANT B: This completely eliminates the strategy of Village Idiots checking themselves to determine if it's a Vortox game.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Self-UnawareA.odg
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Self-UnawareB.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for the Cannibal & Village Idiot
credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If a self-drunk Village Idiot is executed, then the Cannibal gains that Village Idiot's ability and drunk status simultaneously.
Rules as written: A sober and healthy Cannibal who eats a Village Idiots gets a sober and health Village Idiot check every time.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: The rule creates uncertainty when bringing in a new, almost certainly sober, Village Idiot ability into the game.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Nutrient Dense.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
These rules are scoped to games of 5 or 6 players.
Use at your own risk, so long as it helps your players have fun!
House rule for Lil' Monsta in Teensyville
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If Lil’ Monsta is in play in a Teensyville game, the Minions will not learn each other and wake individually to choose a sitter.
Rules as written: Currently, there is no TPI guidance on how to run Lil' Monsta in Teensyville.
Plain rules as written interpretation: In a Teensyville Lil' Monsta game, both minions learn each other.
Reason for Bootlegger rule: In Teensyville, the evil team usually does not learn each other, without the intervention from the Toymaker Fabled, a specific character ability, or a mechanical confirmation. This Bootlegger rule creates the option for the Storyteller to treat waking for the Lil' Monsta assignment like a typical Teensyville game and keep evil in the dark about each other, supporting a key balancing mechanism for Teensyville games.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Rosemarys Sitter.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House rule for King in Teensyville
credit to atreys from the Five of Swords Discord
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If the King is in play in a Teensyville Game, the King learns an alive character each night.
Rules as written: The King will only lean an in play character if they survive to the final 3.
Reason for the Bootlegger rule: The King Townsfolk in a Teensyville game will likely never get any information. This Bootlegger rule makes this character viable on Teensyville Scripts.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Royal Assent.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
These rules affect the game globally, agnostic of the actual characters in the game
Use at your own risk, so long as it helps your players have fun!
House rule for Travelers
credit to the Greater BotC Community
titled by LivFreeOrPie
The Demon learns the alignment of all Travelers.
Rules as written: Evil Travelers learn the Demon immediately after joining the game. The Demon is not informed.
Reason for Bootlegger rule: The purpose of this rule is to check against good team travelers approaching multiple players and telling them "I'm evil and you're the Demon" to hustle incriminating information from the evil team.
Loss by Traveler betrayal is a devastating way to lose and will make future Demons in the same group less likely to believe and coordinate with evil Travelers.
Storytellers should consider the following:
Immediate knowledge of Traveler alignment may benefit evil because it allows for unambiguous and efficient coordination among the evil team and evil Travelers without direct conversation.
Maintaining alignment ambiguity works in a good Traveler's favor. If a Demon knows for certain that a Traveler is good and their exact ability, then Demon and evil team may mechanically disrupt or eliminate the Traveler before the Traveler has had a chance to make a move with their ability.
Alternative: Privately recommend that the good aligned-Travelers not to hustle the Demon and end the game anticlimactically.
House Rule Perspective from TPI/Ben Burns:
Lots of people feel this way.
Of all the changes that get suggested in here on an almost weekly basis, this is the one that I reckon has:
The most reasonable arguments for it
The most sensible amount of support from the community
It's also a great example of how similar this game is to TTRPGs. This is exactly the kind of homebrew rule that you should be including in your games if you think it'll be more fun for you and your players. It will not break the game, in any way, to simply inform your Demon if/when they have an evil traveller.
To be clear, I, as a representative of TPI, am telling you to just do this if you want to. Not that you need my permission.
Source: Reddit | r/BloodOnTheClocktower | I think the Demon should learn their Evil Travelers at night.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Succor for Evil.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
by Ian (UrbanMinotaur)
This fabled was introduced by Ian (UrbanMinotaur) in their script The Minotaur's Labyrinth
"Custom Fabled: The Knaves - There are 2 Storytellers. If a good player would be given any information they choose a Storyteller to consult. 1 can not lie, 1 can not tell the truth."
Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/491
Source file: Fabled Reminder - Knaves.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
House Rule Fabled alternative to the Spirit of Ivory
credit to OffMeta
additional credit to Kinky Joe & Cute Mage from the Kinky Clocktower Discord Server
written and titled by LivFreeOrPie
If more than one good player has turned evil, then the following two rules take effect:
If only evil votes, the vote automatically fails.
If only one good player lives, then evil must kill other evil at night.
This is a fun experimental rule that brings in Legion rules to balance an evil team with a late game a numbers advantage. Run this Fabled like Legion.
Source file: Homebrew Fabled Reminder - Legion of the Turned.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)
sponsored by The Pandemonium Institute
content hosted by Beardy Does Clocktower & AdmiralGT
Core concept: Submit a full-sized script that contains a custom Djinn rule. This rule can be anything you like, but it must have a length of no more than 160 characters.
This repository contains PDFs, JSONs, & documentation for the the Top 16 finalists:
The Ballad of Seat 7 by TrashWarlock
The Warrens by Zets
The River Styx by Rhea
Stowed Away by Caffeine
Trained Killer by Ekin
The Phantom Detectives by Schnauzer
Witch Hunt by Nick B
One Day More by Robe
Council of the Dead by Ember
Buyer’s Remorse by Mist
I see dead people by A Terrifying Wizard
The Djinn’s Bargain by phillyCHEEEEEZ
This Is Not My Beautiful House by JC
Show Me Wonders by DinosaurSatan
Binary Supernovae by Hystrex
Off to see the wizard by CrispyDuck
Scripts & complete documentation: Beardy on the Clocktower | Garden of Djinn
Script archive link: BotC Scripts | Garden of Djinn 2025
These rules are no longer applicable due to character ability changes.
Optional TPI Rule for the Riot v1
titled by LivFreeOrPie
If Riot is in play, then dead players may not be nominated.
Reason given by TPI: This is more fun, and is the original intent of Riot.
2024.12.06 - This optional rule is now moot, the ability text of Riot has been revised to specify "Alive" when nominating on Day 3. This may still be applied to scripts using Riot v1.
Rule source: BotC Wiki | Riot
Source file: Optional Rule Reminder - Let the Dead Rest.odg
Made with LibreOffice Draw (ODG)