Game Rules

Everything you need to know to play Impostry — from roles and game modes to win conditions and winning strategies.

Quick Start

  1. 1. Create or Join a Room

    Share the 5-letter room code with friends. 3 to 20 players can join.

  2. 2. Get Your Secret Role & Word

    You'll be assigned Civilian, Undercover, or Mr. White — each with a different word (or none!).

  3. 3. Describe Your Word

    Give short, subtle clues about your word. Don't be too obvious or too vague!

  4. 4. Vote & Eliminate

    Vote on who you think is the impostor. The most-voted player is eliminated and their role revealed.

The Three Roles

Civilian

Civilians receive the main secret word and form the majority of players. Their goal is to identify and eliminate all impostors through careful observation and strategic voting.

Strategy: Give clues that prove you know the word, but don't make them so obvious that Undercover players can figure out the exact word. Pay attention to who gives vague or inconsistent descriptions.

Undercover

Undercover players receive a similar but different word from the civilians. They must blend in by giving descriptions that are close enough to sound normal, without knowing the civilians' exact word.

Strategy: Listen carefully to civilian clues to adjust your descriptions. Your word is related but different — use that to your advantage. Stay vague enough to blend in but specific enough to not look suspicious.

Mr. White

Mr. White is the hardest role — they receive no word at all. They must bluff their way through the game by listening to other players' clues and improvising descriptions that sound believable.

Strategy: Pay very close attention to all clues to identify the common theme. Try to go later in the speaking order so you have more information. If eliminated, you get one final chance to guess the civilian word — if you guess correctly, you win!

Undercover Modes

Conscious Mode

Undercover players know they are Undercover. They can see their role and strategize accordingly — using their knowledge to blend in more effectively.

Blind Mode

Undercover players think they are Civilians. They see a civilian-like role screen and don't realize their word is different — adding an extra layer of confusion and hilarity!

Game Modes

Classic Mode

The original Impostry experience. Players take turns giving short clues describing their word. After a set number of description rounds (configurable by the host), a vote phase begins.

The player with the most votes is eliminated and their role is revealed. If the eliminated player is Mr. White, they get one chance to guess the civilian word. The game continues with another round of descriptions and votes until one side wins.

Best for: Players who enjoy strategic thinking and multi-round deduction.

One Shot Mode

Fast-paced and high stakes. Every player describes their word once in a single round, then a single dramatic vote decides everything. Players must identify all suspects at once.

Two accuracy modes available: Simple (majority vote eliminates one player) and Detective (players must correctly identify each suspect's role for maximum precision).

Best for: Quick rounds when time is limited, or when you want maximum tension in minimal time.

Party Mode

Casual and freeform. Roles and words are distributed, then players discuss freely — no structured turns, no timers. Talk, argue, and accuse each other openly!

When the group feels ready, the host triggers the vote. This mode is perfect for social gatherings where rigid turns would slow things down.

Best for: Parties and casual get-togethers where conversation flows naturally.

Win Conditions

Civilians Win

All impostors (Undercover and Mr. White) have been eliminated by vote. The civilians successfully identified and removed every threat.

Impostors Win

The number of remaining impostors equals or exceeds the number of remaining civilians. The impostors have infiltrated deeply enough to take over.

Mr. White Wins

When Mr. White is eliminated by vote, they get one final guess at the civilian word. If they guess correctly, Mr. White wins the entire game — even after being caught!

Game Settings

The room host can customize many aspects of the game before starting:

Number of Undercovers & Mr. Whites

Adjust how many impostors are in the game. More impostors = harder for civilians.

Rounds Before Vote (Classic)

How many description rounds happen before each vote phase. More rounds give more information.

Timer

Set a time limit for descriptions and votes. Timer at 0 means unlimited time. When the timer expires, a default action is taken automatically.

Word Theme & Language

Choose from built-in themes (Animals, Food, Sports, etc.) or community-created word lists. Available in English, French, and Italian.

Undercover Mode

Conscious (Undercover knows their role) or Blind (Undercover thinks they're a Civilian).

Local Party Mode

Don't have multiple devices? No problem! Local Party mode lets everyone play on a single shared phone or tablet.

Players pass the device around. Each player can set a private PIN code to protect their secret role and word when the device is handed to the next person. This ensures nobody accidentally sees someone else's word.

Local Party supports the same game modes and settings as online play — Classic, One Shot, and Party modes all work locally.

Tips & Strategies

As a Civilian

  • Give clues specific enough to prove you know the word, but vague enough not to help impostors figure it out.
  • Watch for players whose descriptions are slightly "off" — they might have a different word.
  • Pay attention to who goes last and seems to adjust their clue based on others.
  • Compare clues between rounds — consistent descriptions are a good sign, contradictions are suspicious.

As Undercover

  • Listen carefully to civilian clues before giving yours — their descriptions reveal the common theme.
  • Your word is similar, so use broad, category-level descriptions that work for both words.
  • Avoid being the first to describe if possible — more information helps you blend in.
  • Act confident. Hesitation draws attention. Give your clue naturally.

As Mr. White

  • You have no word — your only tool is listening. Absorb every clue before you speak.
  • Give vague but plausible descriptions. Use adjectives and emotions rather than specifics.
  • If caught, remember you get one guess at the civilian word. Use all the clues you've gathered!
  • Sometimes the best strategy is to act like a confused civilian rather than a smooth talker.

General Tips

  • Both overly specific and overly vague clues are suspicious — find the right balance.
  • Watch reactions when others give clues. Body language and hesitation tell stories.
  • In Classic mode, use early rounds to gather information and later rounds to make your case.
  • Don't always vote with the majority — sometimes the impostor leads the vote against a civilian.

Ready to put these strategies to the test?

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