by Ben Burns

"Almost every day there has been a post on here where a newer Storyteller has asked for advice on modifying Trouble Brewing, or running a custom script for a group of brand new players. Instead of the same 6 or 7 people having to type out the same reply over and over, I figured I'd create this post, which you can either copy into the responses or simply link them to.

Hello new Storyteller and welcome to the community!

It's great that you're excited to modify the game and make your own custom scripts for your players to experience. That's exactly the kind of GMing passion and instinct that will make you a fantastic Storyteller. However, we're asking you to stash that excitement away for just a little bit longer and please, please just run Trouble Brewing. The reasons for doing this are numerous. Once you become more experienced, you'll quickly come to understand them. For now, here's a basic overview:..."

Direct Google Drive Link: ADVICE - Please Just Run Trouble Brewing (For New Players) - Reddit Scrape

by u/Not_Quite_Vertical

"Many custom scripts are close variants of Trouble Brewing, the beginner base script. This chart shows a few popular TB variants and the relationships between them.

In this chart, script A is considered to be a "descendant" of script B if script A removes all the TB characters that script B does, and script A adds all the non-TB characters that script B does.

For example, every script which adds Lunatic and Marionette is considered to be a descendant of Shadow Puppets (even if they weren't directly inspired by it). Swamp Pies Wailing is not considered a direct descendant of Gingerbread Baking because the Gingerbread Baking removes the Butler but Swamp Pies Wailing doesn't."

STORYTELLER BEWARE: Strongly consider moving on to an intermediate script like Bad Moon Rising or Sects & Violence instead of Trouble Brewing plus anything. Trouble Brewing plus swaps often requires advanced knowledge of game rules and fundamentals to succeed for all players.

Direct Link: Reddit | r/BloodOnTheClocktower | "Family tree" of popular Trouble Brewing variants

by Ben Burns

This script is Trouble Brewing with the Marionette added:

Marionette (Minion): "You think you are a good character, but you are not. The Demon knows who you are. [You neighbor the Demon]"

STORYTELLER BEWARE: 

• Adding the Marionette is not a small change. It changes the fundamental dynamics for players and requires more skilled Storyteller management than base Trouble Brewing.

•  Trouble Brewing has two specific roles that can see the Marionette's token and put the Imp in immediate jeopardy by proximity: Investigator & Undertaker. Take caution in your game setup to account for these possibilities. Consider creating these potential worlds as a result of drunkenness or poison.

• The Ravenkeeper can also see the Imp with a sober and healthy token check, but the Imp has to kill the Ravenkeeper to trigger this possibility.

• This script is not necessarily going to work well for newer players. A new Demon may be too paranoid to tell their neighbor that they're the Marionette. Also, an obviously droisoned character may out their incorrect information and implicate their Demon neighbor if they're an unaware Marionette. 

You may want to consider using the Marionette/ Recluse Bootlegger Rule "Long Strings" which permits the Marionette to neighbor a Recluse.

Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/840

by Ryback, emma, & Mullibok - Five of Swords Discord

This script is Strings Pulling with two character swaps to mitigate roles that look at evil player tokens. It's Trouble Brewing with the following additions:

• Adds Marionette

• Cannibal replaces the Undertaker

• Noble replaces the Investigator 

This is specifically meant to remove the good-aligned roles that will see the Marionette Minion's token and immediately put the Demon in jeopardy.

You may want to consider using the Marionette/ Recluse Bootlegger Rule "Long Strings" which permits the Marionette to neighbor a Recluse.

Variant: Gingerbread Baking
by the BotC Community
Pies Baking, but Ogre replaces Butler

Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/1774

by Jack Broome

This script is the Trouble Brewing with two changes:

• Adds Legion

• Adds Vortox

It's called "Half of the 108" because:

• 108/2 = 54

• 54 in roman numerals is "LIV" 

• LIV stands for Legion, Imp, Vortox

Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/58 

by Ian (UrbanMinotaur)

Version 1 of this script is Bad Moon Rising with 2 substitutions:

• Goblin replaces Mastermind

• Lleech replaces Zombuul

"This is a simple script variant of Bad Moon Rising because I'm tired of players complaining about BMR all the time.

I replaced the Mastermind with the Goblin, and the Zombuul with the Lleech.

That's all. I feel like it's a major improvement because with Good Moon Rising you don't get games that last for days and days and days."

Version 2 of this script is Bad Moon Rising with 6 substitutions:

• Goblin replaces Mastermind

• Lleech replaces Zombuul 

• Preacher replaces Courtier

• Politician replaces Goon

• Gunslinger replaces Matron

• Butcher replaces Judge 

"Some of my players wanted to play BMR but didn't want the game to last for 15 straight days, so I created this simple variant to speed it up a little. (Warning: Longer games are still possible even in this variant, but they are much less likely.)

Custom Jinx: The Lleech may not select themself.

That's it. I still love BMR, but this is a way to play a BMR-like game for players who don't have 3 hours to sit for." 

[EDITORIAL: Zombuul games should not take 3 hours to resolve, and do not typically run longer than usual if run correctly. See Time Management Conventional Wisdom for detailed commentary with regards to this sentiment.]

v1 Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/523/1.0.0
v2 Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/523/2.0.0 

by Ben Burns

This script is the Trouble Brewing good team and the Sects & Violets evil team.

STORYTELLER BEWARE: The BotC community consensus believes that the evil Sects & Violets team starts at a slight advantage on this script. Storytellers should take care to curate and balance the "bag" before the start of the game.

Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/136

by Steven Medway

This script is the Sects & Violets good team and the Trouble Brewing evil team.

STORYTELLER BEWARE: The BotC community consensus believes that the good Sects & Violets team starts at a slight advantage on this script. Storytellers should take care to curate and balance the "bag" before the start of the game.

Script archive link: https://botcscripts.com/script/295