How to Use Investigators in Your Murder Mystery Games
Sometimes hosting a murder mystery party means juggling surprises—extra guests, late arrivals, shy players, or people who decide at the last minute that they want to join in on the fun. Or someone is interested in playing but is hesitant to opt for a full character. Whatever the situation, this is why we created Investigator roles! These are flexible, no-pressure characters you can add to your Foulplay game without disrupting the story.
Whether you’re hosting an 80’s horror summer camp party or an intrepid space-western adventure, here’s how to use Investigators to make your game night even more inclusive for everyone:
What Investigators Are (and How They Work)
Investigators are optional, flexible character roles designed to blend seamlessly into each of our games. They cannot be the culprit, and unlike suspects, they don’t have personal secrets tied to the story.
Instead, they play a more detective-like role focused on gathering clues and piecing together the mystery, rather than a suspect with secrets to keep and other objectives to complete.
Highlights of Investigator roles:
Each game has its own Investigator roles tailored to the theme and to fit into the context of the game. They are often “called in” to help the main Investigator in solving the murder–for instance, coming in as additional security at the after-party in our ‘90s game, Die 4 U.
Like the suspect characters, Investigators receive a Character Profile and Goals and Objectives. However, Investigators also receive 8 “monies” after the murder instead of the standard 4 given to suspects. Money is one way that suspects can try to accomplish their objectives, so this gives Investigators more bargaining power to help with their own investigation. There is also an award for Wealthiest Player!
Finally, Investigators are natural allies and can work together to collect clues, question suspects, and collaborate to solve the case together.
When to Use Investigators
Investigators are a huge life saver when hosting a large or mixed group. They’re especially helpful for:
Shy or new-to-roleplay guests: Perfect for folks who want to join the fun without the pressure of performing a character with secrets, timelines, or dramatic accusations.
Kids or younger players: Kids get to participate without juggling adult-level storylines.
Guests who may leave early, or join late: Investigators can jump into the story at any time with minimal disruption.
Last-minute RSVPs: If someone suddenly brings a plus-one, you can slot them in instantly.
Groups Who Want Extra Gameplay: Investigators create additional interactions and encourage more clue-trading and new paths to finding the solution.
How Many Investigators You Can Add:
The amount of investigators you can add depends on your game’s overall player capacity. Each game size has a limited number of Investigators to keep the story balanced.
Mini Games: 1–2 Investigators
Small Games: 2–3 Investigators
Medium Games: 3–4 Investigators
Large Games: 4–5 Investigators
We strongly recommend you stick to these ratios and not add new Investigators on top of these maximums, as these ranges help expand the player count without overshadowing your core suspects.
Things to Keep in Mind:
A few quick tips for hosting with Investigators:
✔ Don’t Add Too Many
Adding too many investigators can dilute the interactions between suspects—aim to keep investigators at ~20–25% of your total player count.
✔ Remind Them They’re a Team
Since they don’t have individual secrets, investigators can work together along with the main investigator role to collect clues, strategize, and find whodunnit!
✔ Encourage Them to Ask Questions
These are the only roles that are built on pure curiosity—lean in and see what you can discover!
✔ Use Their Extra Money Strategically
Their 8 monies give suspects a reason to approach them and answer questions, keeping them integrated into the story.
Ready to Add Investigators?
Print and hand out investigator profiles as needed, and let us know how it goes! We want you to host with confidence, so if you have any questions about adding Investigators to your game, we’re always here to help!
