How to Play Assassin

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Assassin, also known as Assassins or Gotcha, is a social roleplaying game where players attempt to “kill” other players by touching them with a pretend weapon. Weapons can be Nerf guns and plastic swords, or simply symbolic weapons, like sticks or clothespins. Players are usually assigned specific individuals to hunt, and are assigned to hunt that player’s target if they successfully take them out. Since there are no official rules for the game, there are a variety of ways to play. Be careful if playing with fake guns or swords though, as players have been arrested for carrying fake weapons into schools, dorms, and parks.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Setting up the Game

1
Find a group of people interested in playing with you. A game of assassin can be played with anywhere from 2 to a couple hundred people. If you’re playing with friends, simply get a few of them together to set a game up. If you want to start a “guild” at your school or camp, put up posters with your contact information on it. As players sign up, add them to a roster by writing their names and contact information down.^{[1]
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- Groups that play Assassin together are commonly called a “guild” or “society.” They often function like unsanctioned clubs where students can simply sign up on a social media page or dedicated website.
2
Select a player to be in charge of the game. There needs to be at least 1 player in charge of making game rulings, tracking points, and monitoring assassination targets. Ask for volunteers, or be the director yourself. You can also opt to have a group of players serve as the game runners if you’re playing a bigger game. Keep it to an odd number though so you don’t end up with ties if you have to vote on a contested game action.^{[2]
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- The person in charge of a game is called the director, and individual players are often named agents. Feel free to come up with your own terms though.
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3
Have each player come up with a cool nickname. Roleplaying and getting into the flavor of the game are the keys to getting everyone invested in the game. Ask each player to come up with a codename or nickname that they will use for the duration of the game. Players use their codename or nickname to create a character that they will play throughout the duration of the game.^{[3]
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- Examples of good nicknames for Assassin include “The Nightingale,” “Mr. Green,” and “Black Shadow.” Any name that seems like it would work in a spy movie will work well.
- Players can put their nicknames on a sticker or clothespin to signal that they’re actively playing, or they can use some kind of prop to signify that they’re in character.
Tip: Encourage players to get into character. If a player wants to use a plastic sword and be a ninja, let them! If the players have fun playing roles, they’ll be more dedicated to the game.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Establishing the Rules

1
Decide on the weapons players are allowed to use. For players to assassinate one another, they need to have a weapon. This can be as simple as a stick, or as elaborate as water balloon. Rubber bands, Nerf guns, fake swords, and spray bottles filled with water can all be used as weapons. For a player to assassinate someone, all they have to do is touch the opposing player with their weapon or projectile. Remember, the aim isn’t to hurt anyone! A simple tap is all that’s required to knock someone out.^{[4]
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- Players can all agree to use the same type of weapon, or select different weapons unique to each player’s individual character.
- Players shouldn’t be whacking each other with their weapons. The goal is to be sneaky anyway, so they shouldn’t need to use any brute force. Disqualifying players for hitting opponents is a common rule in most games of Assassin.
- If players want to use spray bottles or water balloons, make sure that all players agree to the possibility of getting wet in the game.
Warning: While Nerf guns are the most common choice, be extremely careful if you’re allowing these weapons. Players have been arrested before for carrying realistic-looking Nerf weapons around and referencing their “gun” on school campuses.
2
Agree on a play area where the game is to be played. The play area can be as big as an entire city, or as small as a single house. It’s totally up to the players in the game. The bigger the play area, the longer the game is going to take to complete. Make the area bigger if you’ve got a large set of players looking to play a longer game. Stick with a single block, street, house, or park if you’re playing with a handful of others.
- If you’re playing on a college campus, the game is usually restricted to the campus or a specific dorm.
- If you’re in high school, the school itself is usually the play area. Don’t let the game get in the way of your grades though!
- In school, class time is usually set as off-limits so that players can focus on their studies.
3
Determine whether or not the game has a time limit. You have 2 options when it comes to the duration of the game. You can have it last as needed to have 1 player standing at the end, or you can set a deadline for the game to end. Deadlines are great because they increase tension and encourage involvement, but every player may not have the time or energy to execute their plan before the buzzer runs out.^{[5]
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- For deadlines, 1-2 days is a common choice if you have fewer than 20 players. Bigger games can last weeks though!
- The downside to an untimed game is that players who are knocked out early won’t be involved for a larger period of time. This may make them unlikely to rejoin for the next game.
4
Set hours when the game is going to be put on pause. You can set a time limit to give players a break at night. Starting at 9 am and stopping at 8 pm is a good idea for example, as it’s not a good idea to encourage players to jump each other at night when their actions could easily be misinterpreted.^{[6]
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5
Assign individual targets for each player or make it a free-for-all. You can play Assassin like a death match and have every player vulnerable to every other player, or you can have the director assign individual targets for each agent. Free for all games tend to be more chaotic, while assigned-target games tend to last longer since players know who to avoid. Pick the option that sounds the most fun for you.^{[7]
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- If the director is assigning targets, have the director assign a new target to the player that successfully kills their opponent. Players can have multiple targets, or a single specific target.
- The most common way to play is to give every player a different target. When a player is killed, the successful is assassin is assigned to hunt the knocked out player’s target.
6
Designate a safe zone where kills cannot be scored. It helps to have an area where players can take a break and let their guard down. If the game is going well, paranoia will set in for the players pretty quickly. Pick one place where players are not allowed to be assassinated. At a school, this could be the gym or cafeteria. In a park, it could be a specific bench or jungle gym.^{[8]
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- If you’re playing in a neighborhood, select a neutral location, like a park or fast food restaurant, to serve as the safe zone.
- At school, keep classrooms off-limits. It’s not worth losing points in class to play a game.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Playing the Game

1
Start the game once all players have agreed on the rules. Once everyone has agreed to the terms and rules, go your separate ways and retrieve your weapons. The game starts once the director announces it has begun. Grab your weapon and keep it on you while the game is actively happening. Keep your eyes out for other players, and avoid letting your guard down to stay in the game!
- If you’re the director, announce the start of the game via text or email to make it official. This will give you a written record as well for any time limits or deadlines.
2
Earn 1 point for every agent you successfully hit with your weapon. As a player, do your best to creep up on your target so that they don’t see you coming. Once you touch the player with your weapon, they are out of the game and you are awarded 1 point.

Tip: It’s a good idea to keep a running list of your kills in case there’s ever any dispute about how you got your points.
3
Say, “You’re dead” to declare that an opponent has been killed. The moment that you contact an opposing player with your weapon, shout, “You’re dead!” to let them know they’ve been tagged. The opposing player cannot kill you after you’ve killed them, and they are knocked out of the game.^{[9]
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- A common rule is to pause the game for 1 minute after someone announces, “You’re dead!” This gives the winning agent some time to get away so that they can’t be immediately pounced on by other players.
4
Get a new target once you take a player down. Once you’ve taken an agent out, continue searching for new players to hunt and let your director know who you’ve killed. If you’re playing the version of the game where you’re assigned targets, the director will either give you a brand new target or assign you to track the target of the player you’ve just defeated.
- If you’re the director, use email to send your new assignments out after a player has taken their target down.
5
Use social media to track the whereabouts of other players. Since the goal is to track down your target, use their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts to figure out where they’re going and when they’ll be there. If you’re friends with them, simply check their pages to see if they’ve been updated with any info explaining where they’re going to be. If you aren’t friends, try adding them and pretend that your intentions are pure!^{[10]
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Form alliances with other agents if you want to pool resources. To increase the odds that you’re among the last set of players standing, consider forming an alliance with another group of players. Agree to a ceasefire and work together to take your targets down. Be careful though: there’s always a chance that you get double-crossed!^{[11]
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- Give your alliance a cool name, like “The Circle of Seven,” or, “The Mad Hatters.”
7
Play until the last agent is left standing and tally up the points. You can choose to make the last player standing the winner, or you can declare the winner based on how many kills a player earned. The director announces the winner and the game starts back over. Players are given an opportunity to select new weapons or codenames.
- If you play based on points, consider awarding 3-5 points for being the last player standing.
- If you’re playing based on points, it’s possible to get knocked out halfway through the game and still win if you took a lot of other players out.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Adjusting the Rules

1
Change the rules for your game based on the environment and personal needs. There are no official rules for Assassin. If one of the rules sounds uninteresting for your playgroup, simply change or remove it. There’s no wrong way to play so long as everyone is having fun!
2
Use clothespins instead of weapons to avoid any misunderstandings. If you’re nervous about getting in trouble over fake weapons, have each player wear a clothespin on their shirt or belt loop. Each player writes their codename on the clothespin, and players prove they’ve legally scored a kill by possessing another player’s clothespin. Instead of touching an opposing player with your weapon, the goal is to remove the other player’s clothespin without them noticing.^{[12]
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- Requiring players to put the clothespin on their back is a common rule.
- Colored stickers are a good alternative to clothespins. You can use color-coded stickers to create teams for another variation on the game.
- At the end of the game, players simply reveal how many clothespins they’ve captured to determine who the winner is.
- You can play a variation where any player that assassinates another player is awarded their clothespins. This makes players with a lot of kills a bigger target!
3
Have a “no witnesses” rule to make the game more intense. Another common modification is to require each kill to take place without the target noticing and without any other players seeing you. If the target spots you, no kills can take place once both players see each other and both parties go their separate ways. If an assassin witnesses another kill take place, the witness is assigned to hunt the attacking player.^{[13]
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- Don’t do this if everyone playing doesn’t know one another. It’s a bad time to have someone you don’t know sneaking up on you.
Tip: This modification can draw the game out, so if you’re trying to keep the game short, it’s generally not a good idea.
4
Establish awards for most kills, most creative assassination, and other achievements. As the director, come up with awards or bonus points for funniest assassination, most creative kill, first blood, or best costume. These kind of awards and bonus points are a great incentive to get players really invested in the game. It’s also a great excuse to get everyone together for an awards ceremony where you can discuss the next round!^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

What if I'm about to kill somebody and they find out? Do I flee or fight for it?

Community Answer

It just depends. If you have a good opportunity go for it, but once your cover is blown, you have to go all in.
Question

Can I kill my assassin?

Community Answer

Yes, but it has to be done in self-defense and not as you hunting your assassin.
Question

What if my target is my assassin, but I don't know it, and they try to kill me?

Krypt King55

Community Answer

Then kill them first. You want to kill your target as soon as you can and move on. Also you'll know if the person is targeting you if they're attacking you.

Warnings

Be extremely careful about the weapons that you choose to use. Walking around with a fake sword or gun may be funny to you, but people may think you’re really brandishing a weapon. It doesn’t help that the nature of the game makes players seem suspicious, since it requires creeping around and sneaking up on people.^{[15]
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