A Herring is a role that returns results indicative of a power role to wolves or other anti-town investigators – usually BLUE, geared towards a Wolf Seer, but other colors/results are possible. The traditional definition is "a Normal Human seered a color other than green, red, or orange," but it can also be applied as a modifier to other roles, in rare cases. It is Hidden by default.

Variations

Similarly to a Miller, a player's Herring status may actually be known to them; this variant is specifically called an Aware Herring. In contrast to the Miller, though, this can make the role even more powerful than intended when applied to mystery games, as it enables those with the role to run certain gambits against the wolves.

In games with other forms of investigation in the hands of wolves/anti-town factions, the Herring may be tailored to give false positives to them specifically. For example, if there is a Wolf Power Seer in the game, Herrings can be devised that appear as specific roles (for example, a "Seer Herring" or "Guardian Herring".)

The Miller is but one role that has abnormal seer colors, the others in the family being Miller and Millwright.

Utility and Balancing

The utility of a Herring, in all cases, is to weaken the power of a wolf investigator (or other such Bad Guy) over other factions by messing with what are usually the most gainful results. If a Herring that appears to be a Blue is investigated by wolves, they will be killed instead of an actual Blue, increasing the survivability of the latter and allowing them to get more uses of their powers. If a Herring that appears purple is seered, they either become a trap for Wolves looking to enlist the help of neutral roles, or a means of absorbing a kill from Wolves who distrust them. If a Human Seer is also affected by the Herring, it can also give said Seer a trustworthy player to network with, in the case of shenanigans like Master Wolves or Tailoring/Green-Painting that may mess with the accuracy of their results. A Master Wolf is green, not blue or purple, and since wolves generally have no reason to target a human with powers that give fake green results, the seered Herring is usually considered confirmed town.

Play Advice

For a normal Herring, since you are unaware of your status, play is really no different than that of a Normal Human – aside from perhaps dying inordinately early.

If you are Aware, however, you can use your abnormal seering to your advantage, especially within a mystery or semi-mystery game.

• If you are BLUE, you can make up a power role to draw the wolves' kill and/or rob them of their dominance within the game, chilling their ability to act freely. If they decide to call your bluff with their Seer, your claim will look legitimate.
• If you are PURPLE, you can pretend to be a useful neutral role and either offer your "services" to a likely-wolf, or tease such a role to a suspicious party that comes to you with a claim. Either way, if they reveal that they're a wolf and try to strike a deal with you, congrats, you made yourself into a 1-Shot BS-proof Seer. (Don't ask for details such as role powers or teammates, though; not only will they likely not give it, but you're going to die and potentially take others who seer purple down with you.)
• If you appear as a certain role specifically, you can fake that role, and if linked up with an Alliance, start gambitting with them to put pressure on likely wolves.

Be sure to admit your trickery immediately if approached by an actual power role, though; otherwise, you open yourself up to be lynched or vigi'd.

In a normal game (or perhaps even certain semi-mystery games) where the presence of a Herring is expected, it's usually best not to proactively gambit. Wait for the actual Blues to come to you, and then you can get down to business, if needed.

Games Including the Herring

TWG XXVII: Draw A Circle, There's the Earth!

TWG XXVIII: The Game Master

jTWG XII: The Werewolf Takedown

Players Who Have Been the Herring

badyoyo

iDOWN

Tutan

YTtF