Pandemic: Rogue Scientist - Board Game Remix

Objective

CDC Team (Most Players): Cure all 4 diseases AND identify the Rogue Scientist

Rogue Scientist (1 player): Cause any Pandemic loss condition (8 outbreaks, cubes run out, or deck exhausted)

Basic Gameplay Flow

SETUP → Night 1 → Pandemic Turns → 3rd Epidemic → Night 2 → Pandemic Turns → 6th Epidemic → Night 3 → Pandemic Turns → END

The game has 3 Night Phases where players use secret powers, and regular Pandemic gameplay between them.

NIGHT PHASES (3 total across the game)

When They Occur:

Night 1 - At game start (information gathering)

Night 2 - After 3rd Epidemic card appears (crisis response)

Night 3 - After 6th Epidemic card appears (final stand)

How Night Phases Work (Choose one method):

METHOD A: Use ONUW App (Recommended)

Download free One Night Ultimate Werewolf app

Select roles in your game

App guides everyone through night phase with voice prompts

Takes ~3 minutes

METHOD B: Self-Managed (No app needed)

All players close eyes

Follow wake order below, counting to 10 between each role

Players open eyes when it's their role's turn

Last player says "everyone open eyes"

Takes ~3 minutes

METHOD C: Simultaneous (Fastest)

Everyone closes eyes

All players write their night actions on paper at once

Everyone opens eyes together

Takes ~1 minute

Night Phase Wake Order (ONUW sequence):

Werewolves (Rogue Scientists)

Minion (if in game)

Masons (if in game)

Seer

Villagers (if activating powers)

LOYALTY ROLES & POWERS

WEREWOLF (Rogue Scientist) - 1 player

Loyalty: Against CDC

Goal: Cause Pandemic loss condition

Night Action: See other Werewolves (if 2 in game)

Secret Sabotage Powers (choose ONE per night phase):

Contamination: Add +1 disease cube to a city during next infection phase

Intelligence Leak: Look at and rearrange top 3 Player Deck cards

Supply Disruption: Remove 1 card from Infection Discard Pile

Between Night Phases: No secret sabotage allowed - can only play your Pandemic role poorly

VILLAGER (Enhanced Operative) - Most players

Loyalty: CDC (Loyal)

Goal: Cure diseases AND identify Rogue Scientist

Night Action: None (unless activating upgrade power)

Upgrade Powers (choose ONE at game start):

🎯 Strategic Reserve (Recommended - Most Balanced)

At setup, draw 1 extra city card immediately

No timing decisions needed

Guaranteed value from start

⚡ Emergency Response

Choose any night phase to activate

That round, take 5 actions instead of 4

Powerful but timing-dependent

📦 Resource Cache

Choose any night phase to activate

That round, draw 1 extra Player card

Helps get cards you need

🚑 Rapid Treatment

Choose any night phase to activate

That round, can treat disease in adjacent city without moving there once

Saves critical actions

SEER (Intelligence Analyst) - 1 player

Loyalty: CDC (Loyal)

Goal: Cure diseases AND identify Rogue Scientist

Night Action (choose ONE per night phase):

Investigation: Look at one player's loyalty card OR two center cards

Pattern Recognition: Look at and rearrange bottom 3 cards of Player Deck

Information Network: This round, can share 2 cards instead of 1 with Share Knowledge action

MASONS (Coordinated Partners) - 2 players (always paired)

Loyalty: CDC (Loyal)

Goal: Cure diseases AND identify Rogue Scientist

Night Action: See who your partner Mason is

Upgrade Powers:

Coordinated Sharing: Can Share Knowledge from adjacent cities (not just same city)

Joint Operations: Once per game (choose night phase), both get +1 action that round

Information Sharing: Can show hands to each other privately anytime

REGULAR PANDEMIC GAMEPLAY (Between Night Phases)

This is where most of the game happens!

Play standard Pandemic with these additions:

Standard Pandemic Actions (4 per turn):

Drive/Ferry, Direct Flight, Charter Flight, Shuttle Flight

Build Research Station

Treat Disease

Share Knowledge

Discover Cure

What Rogue Scientist Does:

Plays their Pandemic role somewhat inefficiently

Makes "mistakes" that look accidental

Gives suboptimal strategic advice

Positions themselves poorly

Cannot do secret sabotage (must wait for night phases)

What CDC Operatives Watch For:

Pattern of poor decisions

Inefficient use of character abilities

Suspicious positioning

"Mistakes" that always hurt the team

Calling Discussions:

Any player can call a 5-minute discussion anytime

Question suspicious actions

Review card hands (face-up per Pandemic rules)

Analyze decisions

Seer may reveal investigation results if they choose

VOTING TO EXPOSE ROGUE SCIENTIST

Calling a Vote:

Any player may call for a vote

Cost: Player who calls vote loses their entire next turn

All players discuss for 5 minutes, then vote

How Voting Works:

All players simultaneously point at suspected Rogue Scientist

Majority required (4 players = 3 votes, 5 players = 3 votes, 6 players = 4 votes)

If CORRECT (Rogue Scientist exposed):

✅ Rogue Scientist reveals Werewolf card

✅ Rogue Scientist eliminated from game

⚠️ Penalty: +1 Outbreak, Infection Rate advances by 1

➡️ Game continues with remaining CDC operatives

If WRONG (Innocent player accused):

❌ Accused reveals loyal card

❌ Player continues normally (not eliminated)

⚠️⚠️ SEVERE PENALTY:

+2 Outbreaks immediately

Rogue Scientist gets 2 secret actions per night phase (instead of 1)

No more votes allowed this game!

WINNING CONDITIONS

CDC Operatives Win:

Discover all 4 cures before any loss condition, OR

Expose Rogue Scientist, then complete cures

Rogue Scientist Wins:

8 outbreaks occur, OR

Disease cubes run out, OR

Player Deck exhausted

1. Pandemic Board Setup (Standard)

Set up Pandemic exactly as normal:

Place board in center of table

Add research station in Atlanta

Set Outbreak marker to 0

Set Infection Rate marker to 2

Place cure markers on "uncured"

Shuffle Infection Deck

Infect initial 9 cities (3-2-1 cube pattern)

Create Player Deck with 4-5 Epidemic cards shuffled in

Deal starting hands (2-4 cards based on player count)

2. Pandemic Character Assignment (PUBLIC - Face-Up)

Deal Pandemic character cards face-up so everyone sees:

Choose or randomly deal one character per player

Medic, Scientist, Operations Expert, Dispatcher, Researcher, Quarantine Specialist, etc.

Place character cards face-up in front of each player

Everyone knows who has which Pandemic ability

3. ONUW Loyalty Assignment (SECRET - Face-Down)

For 4 Players:

1 Werewolf + 2 Villagers + 1 Seer = 4 cards

Add 2-3 extra Villager cards face-down in center

For 5 Players:

1 Werewolf + 2 Villagers + 2 Masons = 5 cards

Add 2-3 extra cards face-down in center

For 6 Players:

1 Werewolf + 3 Villagers + 2 Masons = 6 cards

Add 2-3 extra cards face-down in center

Deal Loyalty Cards:

Shuffle loyalty cards

Deal ONE card face-down to each player

Place remaining cards face-down in center of table

Players look at their loyalty card secretly - never reveal!

Place card face-down in front of you

4. Villager Power Selection (Immediate)

If you have a Villager card:

Mentally choose your upgrade power (write it down if needed)

If you chose Strategic Reserve: Draw 1 extra city card right now

If you chose other powers: Remember which power you selected - you'll activate it during a night phase later

5. Choose Night Phase Method

Decide as a group:

Using ONUW App? Open app and select your roles

Self-managing? Designate someone to call out roles

Simultaneous? Prepare paper for writing actions

6. Begin Night Phase 1

Conduct first night phase following your chosen method!