Last Updated on July 5, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

Salem 1692 is a social deduction game set in the historical context of the Salem witch trials. Players assume the roles of villagers or witches, each with their own objectives, and attempt to uncover the witches among them while pursuing their personal goals. Here’s how to play:

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How to Play Salem 1692

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Introduction

Salem 1692 is a hidden-role deduction card game where suspicion, deception, and strategy determine who survives. Set during the infamous witch trials of 1692, players secretly become either innocent townspeople or witches working to spread evil throughout Salem. Every accusation, alliance, and decision can completely change the course of the game, especially since players can actually become witches during play.

Unlike many social deduction games where teams remain fixed from the beginning, Salem 1692 constantly shifts the balance through special cards like Conspiracy, making it difficult to know who can truly be trusted. Whether you’re protecting innocent villagers or secretly plotting their downfall, every round offers new opportunities to deceive your opponents and expose hidden enemies.

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Salem 1692 Components

The game includes:

• 59 Salem playing cards
• 39 Tryal cards
• 15 Town Hall character cards
• 15 Kill cards
• 1 Black Cat card
• 1 Night card
• 1 Conspiracy card
• 1 Gavel token
• 30-second sand timer

Each type of card serves a unique purpose throughout the game, creating a mix of deduction, bluffing, and player interaction.

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Object of the Game

Your objective depends on your secret allegiance.

Townspeople Win

The Townspeople win by revealing every Witch Tryal card in the game before the witches eliminate all innocent players.

Players do not need to kill every witch. They simply need to expose every Witch Tryal card.

Witches Win

Anyone who has owned a Witch Tryal card at any point during the game permanently joins the Witch team.

The witches win once every surviving player belongs to the Witch team.

Because Tryal cards can move during the game, even trusted allies may secretly become witches later.

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Game Setup

1. Choose a Town Crier or Moderator

One player should manage the game’s hidden information.

You have two options:

Town Crier

• Participates as a player.
• Guides Dawn and Night phases while keeping their eyes closed unless required.

Moderator (Recommended for Beginners)

• Does not play.
• Controls every hidden phase.
• Makes the game easier for new groups.

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2. Prepare the Tryal Cards

Choose the correct number of Tryal cards according to your player count.

Shuffle them thoroughly and deal them evenly facedown.

Each player secretly looks at their own Tryal cards before placing them face down in front of themselves.

Important:

• If you receive a Witch card, you begin the game as a Witch.
• If you receive the Constable card, you become the Constable during Night phases.
• It is entirely possible to be both a Witch and the Constable.

No one should reveal their role.

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3. Deal Town Hall Cards

Shuffle all Town Hall cards.

Deal one face up to every player.

These represent your character and grant a unique special ability used throughout the game.

With seven or fewer players, many groups prefer dealing two Town Hall cards to each player and allowing everyone to choose one before returning the other to the box.

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4. Prepare the Deck

Before shuffling:

• Remove the Black Cat card.
• Remove the Night card.
• Remove the Conspiracy card.

Shuffle the remaining deck.

Deal three cards to every player.

Next:

• Shuffle Conspiracy back into the deck.
• Place Night on the very bottom.
• Set the Black Cat aside until Dawn.

This guarantees the Night phase always occurs after the deck has been exhausted.

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5. Prepare the Remaining Components

Place the Gavel token within everyone’s reach.

If using a Town Crier:

• Select only the Kill cards matching the Town Hall characters currently in the game.
• Return unused Kill cards to the box.

If using a Moderator:

• All Kill cards remain unused.

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Dawn Phase

Dawn happens only once at the beginning of the game.

During this phase, the witches secretly identify one another while assigning the Black Cat.

Using a Moderator

The Moderator instructs:

• Everyone closes their eyes.
• Witches open their eyes.
• Witches silently agree on one player to receive the Black Cat.
• Everyone closes and reopens their eyes.

The Moderator places the Black Cat in front of the chosen player.

Using a Town Crier

The Town Crier:

1. Places the Black Cat card on top of the deck.
2. Tells everyone to close their eyes.
3. Instructs all witches to open their eyes.
4. Gives them time to secretly place the Black Cat beside any player.
5. Tells witches to close their eyes.
6. Announces for everyone to open their eyes.

The Black Cat now functions exactly like any other Blue card for the remainder of the game.

It can later be moved, discarded, or even drawn again if removed from play.

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Salem 1692 Gameplay

The player who begins the game is the person who received the Black Cat during the Dawn phase. Play then continues clockwise around the table.

On your turn, you must choose one of the following actions.

Option 1: Draw Two Cards

Instead of playing cards, you may draw two cards from the deck.

If either card is a Black Card, it must be revealed immediately and its effect resolved before your turn continues. Black Cards cannot be kept in your hand for later use.

Once both cards have been resolved, your turn ends.

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Option 2: Play Cards

Instead of drawing, you may play one or more cards from your hand.

There is no upper limit to the number of cards you may play during your turn, provided each card can legally be used.

Cards can target nearly any other player, allowing you to:

• Accuse suspected witches
• Protect trusted allies
• Move existing cards
• Reveal hidden information
• Disrupt another player’s strategy

You may stop playing cards whenever you choose. Once you finish, your turn immediately ends.

Important: You may never play cards that directly benefit or target yourself unless a specific card explicitly allows it.

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Card Types

The Salem deck contains four different categories of cards.

Understanding how each type behaves is essential.

Green Cards

Green cards are one-time action cards.

After resolving their effect, immediately discard them.

Examples include cards that:

• Reveal information
• Move cards
• Force another player to discard
• Create temporary effects

Once resolved, Green cards never remain in play.

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Blue Cards

Blue cards represent ongoing effects.

Instead of being discarded, they stay face up in front of the player they affect.

A Blue card remains there until one of the following occurs:

• The player dies.
• Another card removes it.
• Another effect moves it to someone else.

Examples include protective effects, curses, or persistent abilities that influence future turns.

Because Blue cards remain visible, they often influence how other players make accusations.

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Red Cards

Red cards are accusation cards.

Each Red card placed on a player represents suspicion against one of their hidden Tryal cards.

Unlike Blue cards, Red cards remain until enough accusations have accumulated.

Once a player has seven total accusation cards, the player who placed the seventh accusation immediately chooses one of that player’s unrevealed Tryal cards to flip face up.

After revealing the Tryal card:

• Every Red accusation card is discarded.
• The accusation count resets to zero.
• Players must build a new stack of accusations to reveal another Tryal card later.

Example

Sarah currently has six accusation cards in front of her.

David plays an Evidence card, becoming the seventh accusation.

David now chooses one of Sarah’s unrevealed Tryal cards.

• If it says Not a Witch, Sarah survives and accusations are cleared.
• If it says Witch, Sarah immediately dies.

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Player Elimination

Players may die in several different ways during the game.

A player is eliminated immediately if:

• Every one of their Tryal cards has been revealed.
• Any revealed Tryal card says Witch.
• They are successfully killed during the Night phase.

Whenever a player dies:

1. Discard every card from their hand.
2. Discard all Blue cards attached to them.
3. Reveal every remaining Tryal card.
4. Publicly state whether they ever possessed a Witch card at any point during the game.

This final step is especially important because a player who once owned a Witch card remains aligned with the Witch team forever—even if they later lost that card through Conspiracy.

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Black Cards

Black Cards never stay in a player’s hand.

Whenever one is drawn, reveal it immediately and resolve its effect before continuing the game.

There are two Black Cards in Salem 1692:

• Conspiracy
• Night

Both dramatically change the flow of the game.

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Conspiracy

Conspiracy is one of the most unpredictable moments in Salem 1692.

It allows hidden loyalties to shift, meaning innocent players can become witches and existing witches remain witches even if they lose their Witch card.

When Conspiracy is revealed:

Step 1: Reveal a Tryal Card

The player who drew Conspiracy first reveals one unrevealed Tryal card belonging to the player currently holding the Black Cat.

If nobody currently has the Black Cat, skip this step.

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Step 2: Pass Tryal Cards

Every player simultaneously takes one unrevealed Tryal card from the player sitting immediately to their left.

Everyone places the new card alongside their existing Tryal cards.

No one should reveal their new card to the table.

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Step 3: Check Your New Role

After looking at your updated Tryal cards:

• If you now possess a Witch card, you immediately join the Witch team.
• If you lost your only Witch card, you still remain a Witch for the rest of the game.
• If you gained the Constable card, you become the new Constable.
• If you lost the Constable card, you no longer perform that role during Night.

Example

Michael begins the game as an innocent Townsperson.

During Conspiracy, he receives a Witch card from another player.

From this point onward, Michael secretly works with the witches for the remainder of the game, even if that Witch card later changes hands again.

Because Conspiracy can completely alter alliances, trusting someone based only on earlier actions is often a dangerous mistake.

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Night Phase

The Night card always begins the Night phase as soon as it is revealed. Unlike the Dawn phase, Night occurs repeatedly throughout the game whenever the Night card is drawn from the deck.

During the Night, the witches secretly work together to eliminate a player while the Constable attempts to save someone from being killed.

After the Night phase ends, play resumes exactly where it left off.

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If Using a Moderator

The Moderator quietly directs each step of the Night phase while remaining completely neutral.

Players close their eyes while the Moderator:

1. Allows the witches to secretly choose a victim.
2. Allows the Constable to secretly protect one player.
3. Gives players an opportunity to Confess.
4. Announces who, if anyone, has died.

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If Using a Town Crier

If no Moderator is available, the Town Crier manages the Night while also remaining a player.

Step 1: Prepare the Kill Cards

Collect only the Kill cards matching the Town Hall characters still alive in the game.

Place them face up in a stack near the deck so the witches can quietly select one.

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Step 2: Everyone Closes Their Eyes

The Town Crier instructs every player to close their eyes.

The Town Crier should also keep their eyes closed unless they are personally required to act.

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Step 3: Witches Choose a Victim

The Town Crier tells every player who currently has—or has ever had—a Witch Tryal card to open their eyes.

The witches silently agree on one player to eliminate.

They secretly place that player’s matching Kill card away from the remaining stack before closing their eyes again.

The witches may even choose to eliminate one of their own teammates if they believe it will reduce suspicion.

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Step 4: Constable Chooses Someone to Protect

Next, the Constable opens their eyes.

The Constable places the Gavel token beside any other player they wish to protect.

The Constable may never protect themselves.

If the Constable is secretly a Witch, they may intentionally protect the wrong person to help the Witch team.

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Step 5: Players May Confess

Everyone opens their eyes.

Before the Kill card is revealed, every player has one final opportunity to Confess.

A player who Confesses immediately reveals one of their own unrevealed Tryal cards.

In exchange, they become immune to being killed during that Night.

Players only have until the sand timer expires to decide whether they wish to Confess.

Example

Emma believes the witches are likely targeting her.

Before the timer runs out, she Confesses by revealing one of her Tryal cards.

If the witches selected Emma, she survives because she confessed before the Kill card was revealed.

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Step 6: Resolve the Kill

Reveal the selected Kill card.

Normally, the matching player immediately dies.

However, they survive if any of the following apply:

• The Constable protected them with the Gavel token.
• They Confessed before the timer expired.
• They currently have an Asylum card protecting them.

If none of these protections apply, the player dies immediately and follows the normal elimination procedure.

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After the Night Phase

Once the Night phase has finished:

• Shuffle the discard pile to create a new draw deck.
• Return the Night card to the bottom of the deck.
• Continue the game with the next player’s turn.

This cycle repeats every time the Night card is eventually drawn again.

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The Five Laws of Salem

Throughout the game, every player must follow these five important rules.

1. You Cannot Target Yourself

You may never play cards on yourself or use effects that directly benefit you unless a card specifically says otherwise.

For example, you cannot:

• Give yourself Piety.
• Give yourself an Alibi.
• Move cards onto yourself using Scapegoat.
• Use Robbery to steal cards for yourself.

Card effects must always involve other players.

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2. Played Cards Cannot Be Taken Back

Once you release a card onto the table, your decision is final.

If you accidentally target the wrong player or forget to use an optional ability, play continues without correction.

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3. Slow Players Lose Their Turn

If someone takes too long deciding what to do, another player may flip the sand timer.

If the timer runs out before they finish, they must immediately draw two cards—provided they have not already played cards—and end their turn.

This rule keeps the game moving and prevents excessive discussion.

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4. Tryal Cards May Be Rearranged

Players may secretly change the order of their face-down Tryal cards whenever they wish.

However, the cards must always remain visible on the table.

Players cannot hide them in their hands or remove them from view.

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5. Dead Players Stay Silent

When eliminated, a player may speak only three final words before leaving the game.

Afterward, they may not:

• Offer advice.
• Reveal hidden information.
• React to accusations.
• Influence living players through gestures or comments.

Maintaining silence ensures the mystery remains intact for the remaining players.

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Winning the Game

The game immediately ends when either side achieves its victory condition.

Townspeople Win If:

• Every Witch Tryal card has been revealed.

The witches themselves do not necessarily need to die.

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Witches Win If:

• Every surviving player belongs to the Witch team.

This includes players who currently have a Witch card and anyone who possessed one earlier in the game, even if they later lost it through Conspiracy.

Because allegiances can change throughout the game, victory often comes unexpectedly during the final rounds.

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Additional Rules & Special Cases

While the core gameplay is straightforward, several cards and character abilities have unique interactions. These special rules help resolve situations that may arise during play.

Black Cards

Black Cards count as one of the two cards you may draw during your turn.

If a Black Card is drawn because of another card effect or character ability outside your normal draw phase, immediately resolve the Black Card before continuing the original effect.

If only one card remains in the deck when you need to draw two cards, draw the remaining card. After the Night phase reshuffles the deck, draw your second card.

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Black Cat

Although players normally cannot target themselves, the witches may choose to give themselves the Black Cat during the Dawn phase to avoid suspicion.

After Dawn, the Black Cat behaves exactly like any other Blue card.

It may:

• Be discarded by other card effects.
• Be moved to another player.
• Return to the deck if discarded.
• Be played again later.

If the player holding the Black Cat draws the Conspiracy card, they choose which of their own unrevealed Tryal cards will be revealed.

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Blue Cards

When only two players remain alive, all Blue cards are immediately discarded.

Any Blue cards drawn afterward are ignored. Instead, set them aside and draw a replacement card.

This prevents the game from becoming locked by ongoing effects.

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Constable

The Constable may never protect themselves with the Gavel token.

If the Constable is secretly aligned with the witches, they may intentionally protect another witch or refuse to save an innocent player.

If the Constable Tryal card is ever revealed, the Constable role immediately leaves the game and no player performs that ability during future Night phases.

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Red Accusation Cards

Red accusation cards are placed on the player—not on an individual Tryal card.

Once seven accusations accumulate:

1. Reveal one Tryal card.
2. Discard every accusation.
3. Begin counting accusations from zero again.

Extra accusations never carry over.

Example

A player has six accusations.

Someone plays an Evidence card worth two accusations.

Only one Tryal card is revealed.

Afterward, every accusation card is discarded instead of carrying the extra accusation forward.

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Scapegoat and Robbery

Neither Scapegoat nor Robbery may ever benefit the player using them.

Both cards must involve two other players.

For example:

• Move cards from one opponent to another.
• Force one opponent to steal from another opponent.

When only two players remain, these cards cannot legally be played and are treated like unusable Blue cards.

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Stocks

The Stocks card remains in front of a player until it causes them to skip a turn.

After they miss that turn, discard the card.

If Stocks is moved using Scapegoat, it moves with the targeted player and still causes that player to miss their next turn.

If someone somehow receives two Stocks cards, they must skip two consecutive turns.

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Multiple Witch Cards

A player may possess more than one Witch Tryal card.

If any Witch card belonging to that player is revealed, they immediately die and reveal every remaining Witch card they own.

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Optional Rules & Variants

Experienced groups often use optional rules to make Salem 1692 even more challenging.

Make Night Phases More Secretive

Hidden movement is one of the game’s biggest strengths.

To reduce the chance of identifying witches by sound, many groups:

• Tap the table.
• Hum quietly.
• Play background music.
• Shuffle their feet during Dawn and Night.

These distractions make hidden actions much harder to detect.

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Let Eliminated Players Moderate

After the first player dies, they can become the Moderator.

This keeps eliminated players involved while improving the secrecy of future Night phases.

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Increase the Difficulty

For a more unpredictable experience, modify the Conspiracy card.

Instead of taking a Tryal card directly from the player on your left:

1. Everyone secretly contributes one Tryal card.
2. Shuffle all contributed cards together.
3. Randomly deal one card back to every player.

This makes it nearly impossible to track where Witch cards move.

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Hide Former Witch Status

For expert groups, eliminate one important piece of information.

Normally, eliminated players announce whether they ever possessed a Witch card.

Instead, keep that information secret.

Players must rely entirely on deduction rather than confirmed information.

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Increase the Number of Witches

Groups wanting a more difficult game may add extra Witch Tryal cards.

A common adjustment is:

• 4–5 players: Use two Witch cards.
• 6–12 players: Use three Witch cards.

More witches create additional uncertainty and make it much harder for the Townspeople to identify everyone before Night overwhelms them.

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Prevent Very Short Games

When a player still has four or five unrevealed Tryal cards, some groups use a house rule to reduce lucky guesses. Instead of automatically revealing one chosen Tryal card, the accusing player points to two hidden cards. The accused player selects which of those two cards will be revealed. This creates more opportunities for bluffing while preventing the game from ending too quickly through random accusations.

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Salem 1692 Strategy Tips

Whether you’re playing as an innocent Townsperson or a secret Witch, careful observation is often more valuable than luck. These tips will help improve your chances of winning.

Don’t Reveal Too Much Too Early

It’s tempting to accuse players immediately, but acting too aggressively can make you appear suspicious. Gather information before committing to accusations whenever possible.

Watch Player Behavior

Pay attention to how players react when accusations are placed, Witch cards are revealed, or the Night phase ends. Sudden changes in confidence or voting patterns can provide valuable clues about hidden loyalties.

Remember That Teams Can Change

Unlike many hidden-role games, Salem 1692 allows players to switch sides during the game through the Conspiracy card. Never assume someone is still innocent simply because they appeared trustworthy earlier.

Use Character Abilities Wisely

Every Town Hall character provides a unique advantage. Learning when to use your special ability can often have a greater impact than simply playing more cards.

Save Strong Cards for Critical Moments

Cards that protect players, move accusations, or manipulate Tryal cards are often most effective late in the game when fewer players remain and every decision matters.

Witches Should Avoid Acting Together

If multiple players constantly defend one another or make similar accusations, the Town may begin connecting them. Successful witches often disagree publicly to hide their alliance.

Count Remaining Tryal Cards

Keep track of how many unrevealed Tryal cards each player still has. Players nearing their final hidden card become high-priority targets because revealing one more card could eliminate them instantly.

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Salem 1692 FAQ

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Conclusion

Salem 1692 combines hidden identities, changing alliances, and tense player interaction into a deduction game where no one is completely trustworthy. Because players can secretly switch teams during the game, every accusation and revealed Tryal card can completely reshape the table’s strategy. Winning requires careful observation, convincing bluffing, and knowing exactly when to trust—or betray—your fellow villagers.

If you enjoy the constantly shifting alliances found in Salem 1692, you may also like One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which offers fast-paced hidden-role gameplay with unique character abilities, or The Resistance: Avalon, another deduction game focused on deception, teamwork, and uncovering hidden enemies.