How Impostor Works: The Complete Rulebook
Everything you need to run a game from the first click to the final vote: objectives, phases, timing, and the edge cases that come up in real games.
The Objective
Citizens
Know the secret word. Win by identifying and voting out the Impostor before time runs out.
The Impostor
Does not know the secret word. Wins by surviving the vote, or by correctly guessing the word before being eliminated.
Setup
One player creates a room and receives a 5-letter code. Everyone else opens playimpostorgame.com, enters their name, picks an avatar, and joins with that code. A minimum of 3 players is required; rooms support up to 20. Once everyone has joined, the host selects one or more word categories and starts the game.
The Four Phases
1. Role Assignment
The game randomly assigns one player as the Impostor. Every other player is a Citizen. Each player taps their own role card privately. Citizens see the secret word, the Impostor sees only their role, with no other information.
2. Discussion
A 3-minute timer starts. Players take turns giving a short hint (a word or brief phrase) related to the secret word. Citizens aim to prove they know the word without making it too obvious. The Impostor listens closely and tries to construct a plausible hint despite not knowing the word.
3. Open Discussion
After the hint round, players can freely discuss what they heard, question each other, and point out inconsistencies. This phase is unstructured: anyone can speak in any order until the host moves to the vote.
4. Voting
Every player votes for who they believe is the Impostor. The player with the most votes is eliminated and their role is revealed. A player can also skip voting if they choose not to accuse anyone.
Win Conditions
Edge Cases & Special Rules
Quick Reference Tips
- ›5–8 players is the most balanced group size for a first game.
- ›Start with an easy category like Food or Animals before trying harder ones.
- ›As a Citizen, hint at something specific enough to prove knowledge without giving it away.
- ›As the Impostor, match the room's confidence level: hesitation is the biggest tell.
- ›Vague hints from multiple players in a row are usually a sign the Impostor is among them.
- ›Play multiple rounds back-to-back: the results screen lets the host restart instantly.
Ready to Put the Rules into Practice?
Create a room and have your group playing in under a minute.
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