Games / Shadow Council
Play Shadow Council, the hidden role voting game
Loyalists pass laws. Usurpers bend them. Somewhere at the table sits the Tyrant.
- 5 to 10 players
- 30 to 45 minutes
- Hidden roles and votes
- Bots fill empty seats
Shadow Council is a hidden role game for 5 to 10 players. Most players are Loyalists who know nothing about anyone. A few are Usurpers who know each other, and one of them is the secret Tyrant. Each round a Regent nominates a Steward, the table votes, and the pair secretly pass one edict. Five Loyal Edicts save the realm. Six Tyrant Edicts hand it to the Usurpers.
The deck leans Tyrant, 11 cards to 6, so a Tyrant Edict does not prove anyone is lying. That is the fun: the Regent and Steward each claim what they saw, and the table decides who to believe. After three Tyrant Edicts, electing the Tyrant as Steward loses the game, so every vote gets tense. Bots fill empty seats and argue in the council feed.
Why play Shadow Council here
- Regent powers on the Tyrant track: peek, inspect, name the next Regent, banish
- Claims after every session, required, optional or off
- A vote history grid shows how everyone voted all game
- Four power tracks, plus a rebalanced court for 6, 7 and 9 players
- Secret ballots and a banishment reveal option
- Bots comment, accuse and post their claims in the council feed
How to play Shadow Council
Learn your side
Tap your card to see your role. Usurpers see their teammates and the Tyrant. With 5 or 6 players the Tyrant also knows the Usurpers.
Nominate a Steward
The Regent taps another player to nominate them as Steward. The last elected Steward cannot be picked again straight away.
Vote Aye or Nay
Everyone votes at once. More than half Aye elects the pair. A failed vote moves the regency on and raises unrest. At 3 unrest, the top edict is sealed.
Pass the edicts
The Regent draws 3 edicts and discards 1 in secret. The Steward discards 1 of the remaining 2 and seals the other.
Claim and use powers
The Regent and Steward may say what they saw, truthfully or not. Some Tyrant Edicts give the Regent a power, such as inspecting a player or banishing one.
Win the realm
Loyalists win with 5 Loyal Edicts or by banishing the Tyrant. Usurpers win with 6 Tyrant Edicts, or by electing the Tyrant as Steward after 3.
Tips
- Watch the votes. Players who back councils that seal Tyrant Edicts deserve a closer look.
- Compare the Regent's and Steward's claims. If they disagree, at least one of them is lying.
- After 3 Tyrant Edicts, only vote for a Steward you are sure is not the Tyrant.
Screenshots
Shadow Council questions
How do you play Shadow Council?
Players are secretly Loyalists, Usurpers or the Tyrant. Each round the Regent nominates a Steward and everyone votes. If elected, the Regent draws three edicts, discards one, and the Steward seals one of the other two. Loyalists need 5 Loyal Edicts or to banish the Tyrant. Usurpers need 6 Tyrant Edicts or a Tyrant Steward.
Is there a free hidden role game I can play online with friends?
Yes. Shadow Council is free on Deal & Roll. Host a table, share the code or invite link, and friends join in their browser. You do not need an account or a download. Bots fill any empty seats, so you can play with fewer than 5 friends.
How many Usurpers are there?
Besides the Tyrant, there is 1 Usurper with 5 or 6 players, 2 with 7 or 8, and 3 with 9 or 10. Everyone else is a Loyalist. Usurpers always know each other and the Tyrant. The Tyrant knows the Usurpers only in 5 and 6 player games unless the table changes this.
What powers does the Regent get?
Some slots on the Tyrant track carry a power. When a Tyrant Edict lands there, the Regent must use it. Peek shows the top 3 edicts. Inspect shows one player's side. Next Regent picks who leads the next round. Banish removes a player from the game. Which powers appear depends on the table size and track.
Can the Regent and Steward lie?
Yes. After each session the Regent says what they drew and passed, then the Steward says what they received. Claims can be lies, but they must fit the edict that was sealed. The table can make claims required, keep them optional, or turn them off and use chat instead.
Can I play Shadow Council against bots?
Yes. Choose Practice against bots and add bots until you have at least 5 players. Bots nominate, vote, pass edicts and make claims, and they may lie if they are Usurpers. Set their table talk to off, quiet or chatty.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. Shadow Council fits phones, tablets and desktop screens. Your role stays on your own device, and you can hold the my role button at any time to check it. The council feed, notes and vote history are all on the side panel.