Slaughter Horse 2 – Quick Tips and Tricks for Starters

This guide comprehensively covers most of the game’s mechanics and provides insights into leveraging them to establish dominance as the ruler of your town. I must acknowledge that I don’t possess all-encompassing knowledge on this subject, so please don’t hesitate to share your expertise by leaving a comment!

Introduction

Slaughter Horse 2 offers players a plethora of options and tools to accomplish their objectives. It doesn’t shy away from providing valuable tips and advice but also allows room for players to learn from their own mistakes. Some in-game actions may have thematic significance but not necessarily the most effective outcomes, and their optimal usage might not be immediately apparent. While an element of luck remains in winning the game, understanding how to approach each situation presented can greatly assist in asserting control over your town. Having achieved victory in multiple games, I’ve compiled my insights on various game mechanics and strategies for dealing with the equine residents of your town.

Regarding the guide’s usability, it’s designed to cater to both experienced players looking to clarify specific queries and newcomers seeking comprehensive guidance. I’ve endeavored to minimize redundancy with the game’s wiki, focusing primarily on resource utilization rather than exhaustive explanations of how these resources function.

Pre-Game

Number of Ponies and Days until Thaw

The decision regarding the number of ponies in your town is largely at your discretion, with the primary influence being the specific achievements you aim to attain. In larger towns, there are more townies, making it easier to eliminate ponies. Conversely, smaller town sizes provide a better opportunity to familiarize yourself with the mechanics of different roles, as they constitute a larger proportion of the population. A general guideline is to aim for approximately 1.5 days per pony, falling within the ranges of 20-30, 30-45, or 40-60 ponies.

Optional Settings

Customizing your game settings can enhance your overall gaming experience, but it’s important to note that these customizations typically do not alter the core game mechanics.

General Mechanics

Suspicion (Sus)

Avoiding suspicion is paramount, as it’s challenging to remove once acquired. Maintaining your sanity is crucial to minimize suspicion, and it’s advisable to act swiftly before reaching the yellow threshold. Several actions can increase your suspicion, some of which are preventable:

• Allowing your sanity to drop too low.
• Failing interviews with the Deputy, Sheriff, Alicorn, or Magician.
• The Reporter discovering remains in your house.
• Being sighted by the Lookout/Alicorn during a murder attempt.
• Choosing the “Interrogate” option at your shop.
• Falling victim to blackmail.
• Failing to eliminate the Disciple before they turn on you.
• Attempting to kill a Veteran who is on guard.
• Drawing the Death tarot card later in the game.
• Participating in specific events.

You can reduce suspicion through:

• Selecting the correct holy prayer(s) at church.
• Drawing the Ace of Knives tarot card.
• Engaging in particular events.
• Clicking a silver circle when investigated.

Sanity

Maintaining high sanity is essential, as it positively impacts various game mechanics. You should strive to avoid sanity losses, which can occur for several reasons:

• Failing a murder attempt on a pony.
• Allowing your bloodlust to remain imperative.
• Choosing a holy prayer at church.
• Using the “Gossip” option at your shop.
• Drawing the Moon tarot card.
• Engaging in certain events.

You can regain sanity through:

• Successfully killing a pony.
• Participating in specific events.
• Drawing a specific tarot card (details might require further exploration).

Bloodlust

Bloodlust represents the number of days since your last successful pony kill (Death by Chocolate cake included). It’s critical to prevent it from reaching imperative status, as various factors can hinder your ability to kill. Treat it as imperative at four and aim to kill when it’s at three. Although not ideal, you might have to eliminate a townie to keep it in check. Never invite a pony if your bloodlust is imperative.

Luck

Your luck is determined by your tarot card draw and mainly affects certain events in the game.

Friendship

Friendship gauges your rapport with the townsponies and is vital to gain their trust and avoid potential lynchings.

Remains

This represents the amount of pony flesh stored in your basement. You can acquire flesh by killing a pony or sending your pet to the morgue. Flesh is primarily used for baking cakes but should be disposed of daily otherwise.

Ingredients

Indicates the ingredients you possess, with detailed recipes available in the Recipe Book.

Finding Ingredients

You have a chance to find ingredients through actions like killing a pony in their house, attempting a murder in their house, or having your pet investigate a house with an unknown occupant.

Lynch Mobs

As the town’s anger escalates, they’ll work towards erecting a gallows and may attempt to hang ponies once it’s complete. The mayor can typically deter or reduce lynchings, so it’s advisable to leave the mayor alive until you’re confident that the town can descend into internal chaos. Certain roles can also prevent lynchings unless the town is actively seeking vengeance, which becomes evident in the news bulletin. Lynchings are an enduring threat in the game, underscoring the importance of maintaining high Friendship, Sanity, and low Suspicion.

Menu Resources

These resources are accessible at all times and serve as valuable references for determining your targets and strategies throughout the game.

Hit List

The Hit List is a valuable tool for tracking the status of different roles that are currently active in the game. It’s useful for assessing which roles are still alive and operational. Additionally, it can help ensure that you have collected the cutie marks of all deceased ponies, totaling 14 in the list. The Changeling Spy makes it 15 in total.

Roster

The Roster provides detailed information about each pony in the town. While most of the in-game information is consolidated here, some specific details, such as a pony’s gender or race, are not recorded. It’s important to take note of these particulars mentally.

Notes

The Notes section keeps a log of crucial information from each day, including your tarot card, information obtained from your disciple and pet, and the current day of the week. Certain information, especially your nightly actions, may not be recorded here.

Town Map

The Town Map displays the town’s layout and contains essential information that you can gather through your Disciple or pet. Some key details can be quickly assessed from the town map, but others may require you to enter free view mode. Notably:

• White house number: No information available.
• Blue house number: Name known but not the role.
• Green house number: Ponies on your hit list (excluding the Disciple).
• Yellow house number: Townie with no revealed role or hidden role.
• Red house number: The pony is deceased.
• Red X near house number: You attempted to murder at this address unsuccessfully.
• Magical forcefield around a house: Indicates the Magician is actively protecting themselves.
• Rubble instead of a house: The house of a deceased Changeling.

Recipe Book

The Recipe Book contains instructions for crafting each of the six cakes in the game, with the recipes randomized. You can bake a cake when both non-flesh ingredients appear in blue, and cakes you’ve previously made are crossed out. This resource helps you manage your cake production effectively.

Overarching Strategy

Early Game

In the early game, you have the opportunity for several free kills, and it’s crucial to use them wisely. Eliminating one or more critical roles during this phase can greatly benefit your long-term strategy. Delaying a full investigation by the town is key, as it makes the rest of the game more manageable. Gathering information is vital at this stage. You can freely target all roles except the Naturist and Preacher (who is searching for the Changeling). Killing the Lookout or Magician early can be particularly advantageous. Success in the early game can be achieved through both cautious, calculated play and more aggressive blind killings before the Investigation phase.

Full Investigation (Mid Game)

Triggering a full investigation by killing the Noble, Mayor, Deputy, Detective, or Sheriff introduces additional challenges. Certain roles become active, and you become susceptible to investigations that can raise your Suspicion. Careful selection of targets becomes necessary, and you might have to abstain from killing due to the Lookout. This phase may also allow you to start baking cakes, balancing it with strategic killings. It’s crucial to locate and attempt to eliminate the Magician, Disciple, and Veteran during this period to prevent complications later in the game.

Late Game (Regular Lynch Mobs)

In the late game, lynchings become frequent, and your primary focus should be maintaining high Sanity and low Suspicion since the town is becoming increasingly hostile. By this point, you should ideally know the roles and addresses of all ponies in the town. This knowledge allows you to kill only when necessary to eliminate your targets or manage your Bloodlust. Save your cakes, Death Letters, and possibly Invitations for this phase, as they are most effective here. If you run out of Death Letters and have all the information, consider checking ponies who tend to stay home, increasing your chances of success.

Balancing Kills and Intel

Collecting information about the ponies in town takes time. Whenever possible, it’s best to kill blindly to minimize the research required to identify roles and addresses. While targeting key roles when the opportunity arises is ideal, blind killings can be effective as long as you avoid the Veteran. If the location of the Veteran remains unknown in the mid to late game, prioritize safe targets or eliminate known Townies if no other options exist. Once the Veteran’s location is known, you can resume blind killings as needed.

Pet Actions

Your pet can play a crucial role in gathering information and assisting with various tasks. Here’s a breakdown of pet actions and their strategic uses:

Investigate House

Use this action to determine who resides at a specific address or, if known, whether they will be home or at work. This is the default choice when you already know the full addresses of all ponies in town.

Investigate Pony

Choose this action to uncover a pony’s role and obtain additional information. If you already know a pony’s full address but not their role, or if you have narrowed down a critical role to a few possibilities, this should be your default choice.

Plant Remains

This action is generally not very effective because the chances of the Reporter discovering planted evidence are slim. Prioritize gathering intel instead. Consider using it only when the town population is significantly reduced (1/4 or less) and the Reporter is alive and active.

Deliver Cake

Be cautious when sending cakes, especially Death by Chocolate, as it can trigger a cake ban. This action is more relevant in the later stages of the game.

Raid Morgue

Your pet will always retrieve a set of remains from the morgue, and there’s about a 50% chance of acquiring the cutie mark of an important pony if applicable. This action can be useful for collecting remains for baking purposes, especially if you intend to bake and are low on remains.

No Action

Choosing no action for your pet is usually not the most productive choice, as there are typically valuable tasks they can perform.

Praising or Scolding your Pet

While it may not have a significant mechanical impact, it’s advisable to praise your pet, as it fosters a more positive interaction.

Confectionery Shop

Your interactions with ponies who visit your confectionery shop can significantly impact your game. Here are the available options and some strategic insights:

Chat

Chatting with customers can raise your friendship level and provides minor information. This option is generally suitable for early-game interactions when building friendship is a priority.

Gossip

Gossiping yields better information but comes with the risk of reducing your sanity. It’s typically not advisable unless you have a specific reason to prioritize information over sanity.

Interrogate

Interrogation provides the most valuable information but carries the risk of increasing suspicion. It’s advisable to use this option sparingly, primarily in the early to mid-game when you have the Star tarot card active.

Send Invitation

Sending invitations to ponies can be inconsistent and challenging to use effectively. For a successful invitation, it’s often necessary to invite a pony who is at least friendly towards you and is not working that night or already being visited. Townies are generally more reliable targets, but occasionally, important roles like the Reporter, Deputy, or Preacher may accept invitations. Keep in mind that ponies can decline for seemingly no reason, especially if they are working. Don’t rely heavily on this mechanic; instead, appreciate it when it works but use it sparingly.

Gaslight

Gaslighting is a safe option when available but is generally more useful in the late game when lynchings become more frequent. It becomes the default choice when the town’s population is reduced to around a quarter or less.

Friendship

Friendship is a highly valuable option, offering various benefits throughout the game. Maintaining at least decent friendship with the town is essential. Some roles, especially investigative ones, may not warm up to you much, if at all. Focus on building friendship with Townies and friendlier targets like the Visitor, Reporter, Mayor, and Preacher (if roles are known). If a pony consistently refuses friendship, consider having your pet check their role, as this refusal might be a sign of their suspicious nature.

Night Phase

During the night phase, your actions are critical to advancing your objectives in the game. Here’s a breakdown of your available options:

Commit Murder

In the early game, it’s often advisable to kill blindly for the first few nights, unless you have already identified a valuable role worth targeting early, such as the Lookout or Magician. As the game progresses, aim to eliminate roles on your hit list when feasible. Exercise caution once a full investigation is underway, especially if you don’t know the Veteran’s location later in the game. Attempting to kill the Veteran without knowing they are standing down can lead to a game-ending scenario. Be cautious when targeting a house with a red X unless you have confirmed the role and are certain you can succeed in the murder attempt. Keep in mind that some roles must be killed at specific times to avoid negative consequences for your sanity or suspicion.

Torture Victim

If the Reporter is alive, prioritize torturing the victim right away. Otherwise, you can choose to do it on a later day. Victims will eventually die from neglect, but it’s unclear if this resets your Bloodlust.

Bake Cake

Baking a cake is a valuable action, especially when you have the necessary ingredients and believe it will be useful. However, avoid baking a cake if your Bloodlust is nearing imperative status. Note that once you add ingredients to the pot, you cannot go back, so only do so if you intend to bake and can do so that night.

Destroy Remains

It’s essential to destroy remains whenever you have them unless you plan to use them immediately to bake a cake that night. This should be a routine action, regardless of whether the Reporter is alive or not.

Examine Cloak

This action is primarily useful if you are actively working to complete the cloak, which rewards you with a new knife. If you’re not pursuing the cloak, it may not be necessary.

No Action

While committing murder is often your objective, it’s crucial to ensure that you can do so successfully to avoid suspicion or sanity penalties. Choose this option if you’re uncertain about your ability to execute a successful murder. You may need to select this option several times throughout the game.

Primary Roles

Here’s a breakdown of the primary roles in the game and strategies for dealing with them:

Magician

• Extremely dangerous and typically at home.
• Best to kill as early as possible or when the Magician tarot card is active.
• Failing the Magician’s mini-game can be a near-instant game over.

Noble/Alicorn

• Mostly harmless as Noble.
• Consider killing when reasonable, especially when they are at home and unprotected.
• If killed, the Guard may become depressed and get lynched or commit suicide.
• If left alive too long, they transform into the Alicorn, which can be somewhat annoying but can also be left alive for a while.
• Can be killed directly only when the Princess tarot card is active; alternatively, consider using Death Letters or a cake to deal with them.

Guard

• Mostly harmless and sometimes at home.
• Feasible to kill directly, especially early in the game.
• Don’t worry too much about them, as they will eventually die if the Noble/Alicorn is killed.

Veteran

• Extremely dangerous and always at home.
• Can be killed directly only very early in the game or when they are known to be standing down.
• Be cautious about killing blindly in the mid to late game if the Veteran’s location is unknown.
• Killing the Veteran is less important than avoiding them.

Lookout

• Somewhat harmful and rarely at home.
• Difficult to kill directly.
• Recommend killing if the opportunity arises, as they can thwart your plans if your luck is not high enough.
• Sometimes, the lookout can be invited to a private party, but otherwise, you may need to throw suspicion their way later in the game.

Naturist

• Harmless and always at home.
• Cannot be killed directly under any circumstances.
• Must throw suspicion at them with letters or a cake to have them lynched (Death by Chocolate is unnecessary).

Mayor

• Mostly harmless and usually at home.
• Can typically be killed directly.
• Recommend killing later in the game, as they keep lynch mobs in check.

Visitor

• Mostly harmless and rarely at home.
• Difficult to kill directly.
• Can usually be ignored, as they often get lynched or can be killed when they visit your house.
• Rarely necessary to use any resources to kill.

Preacher

• Mostly harmless and usually at home when the Changeling Spy is dead, and vice versa.
• Recommend killing later in the game, as having the church as an option can be helpful.

Deputy

• Minor threat and rarely at home.
• Tricky to kill directly.
• Recommend killing once other investigative roles are dead.

Sheriff

• Moderate threat and rarely at home.
• Tricky to kill directly.
• Home more often than other investigators.
• Worth expending some resources to kill by constantly checking up on them and throwing suspicion.

Detective

• Moderate threat and rarely at home.
• Tricky to kill directly.
• Worth expending some resources to kill.

Reporter

• Mostly harmless if you consistently destroy evidence.
• Sometimes at home and somewhat tricky to kill directly.
• Don’t worry too much about killing them unless you have a good opportunity, as they often get lynched.

Hidden Roles

These roles appear as Townies but are revealed once they die. Here’s an overview of these roles:

Disciple

• A major threat if left alive for too long, always at home, easy to kill directly, but challenging to identify.
• Killing Townies becomes important once half the town is dead to increase the chances of targeting the Disciple.
• Their rumors can be game-ending, so eliminating them is crucial.

Changeling Spy

• Generally harmless, always at home, easy to kill directly, but difficult to identify.
• Can be identified with the Knave tarot card, although this process can be a bit tedious.
• Killing them provides full information on two ponies, making it a fortunate outcome if you manage to do so.

Mule

• Harmless and has no effect if killed directly.
• Always an earth pony Townie.
• If hanged, they unleash a curse that kills another pony. You remain unaffected.
• Good to be aware of, as the curse can eliminate one of your difficult-to-kill targets.

Cakes

Cakes become more valuable as the game progresses, especially when there’s a consistent presence of lynch mobs. However, their effectiveness varies based on different roles.

Moon Cake

This cake is most effective for roles that tend to stay away from their homes, though there’s an element of luck involved in successfully carrying out a kill that night. If I have the choice, I prefer baking and using other cakes before resorting to this one. It’s important to note that Moon Cake doesn’t work with roles like Naturist or Magician.

Pound Cake

Send this cake to roles that visit other characters at night, like the Sheriff, Deputy, or Alicorn (technically a visitor, but they are susceptible to alternative methods of elimination).

Fruit Cake

An excellent choice for roles that are difficult to eliminate. However, it’s advisable to use Fruit Cake during the late game when lynch mobs are active.

Sachertorte

Sachertorte is used in a similar way to Fruit Cake.

Red Velvet Cake

Primarily tailored for the Veteran role. It’s uncertain if it works with other roles, and I don’t recommend experimenting with it.

Death by Chocolate

Consider this cake as a last resort. Once it’s used, you won’t be able to create or send any other cakes. I typically reserve this cake for the Magician (or, to a lesser extent, the Alicorn, as they are relatively easier to eliminate).

Regular Events

These recurring events can happen multiple times per game, and your choices in these situations can influence your progress:

Attending Church

It is strongly recommended to attend church every time. You can click through without engaging in any holy prayers. Consider clicking prayers only if you have suspicions (Sus), but avoid doing so if your sanity is already compromised.

Interrogated by the Sheriff, Detective, or Alicorn

When interrogated by these roles, you need to click on several circles. It appears that having low Sus and high Sanity/Friendship increases your chances of encountering green or silver options. Keep in mind that the circles are randomized, so don’t worry if you make a wrong click.

Interrogated by the Deputy

With the Deputy, you only need to click once. It’s worth noting that choosing the option in the upper right corner often leads to success.

The Lookout/Alicorn Patrol

It’s advisable to rely on luck for these events when your luck stat is between 9 and 12. Alternatively, consider trusting your luck if you urgently need to perform a kill for bloodlust or if you’re targeting a key role like the Magician or Alicorn.

Probed by the Magician

During this event, you must attempt to match symbols blindly. Be cautious, as this event frequently results in a game over, making the Magician a dangerous adversary.

Special Events

These unique events occur only once per game, and your choices during these events can significantly impact your gameplay:

Pony entering your house alone (2 separate events)

It’s generally safe to eliminate a pony that enters your house, whether it’s the Visitor or another pony rummaging through your belongings. There’s only a small chance that someone might have seen them, typically noting their last presence on your street rather than necessarily associating them with you.

Overhearing Gossip

Avoid inquiring about the specific ponies being discussed. The information you gain is usually limited to their roles, which isn’t particularly useful and isn’t worth the risk of increasing your Sus.

Preacher

Choose to agree to attend church. As mentioned earlier, attending church carries no risk and can improve your standing.

Target Practice

Do not attempt to sneak up on the Veteran. This is a risky move that can lead to negative consequences.

Customer Service

Avoid promising a pony a cake. You have limited cake-making opportunities (typically 1-2 cakes), and it’s better to use them strategically rather than sending them to anyone who asks.

Personal Insult

If two ponies claim to know the identity of the town butcher, agree with them. This aligns with their suspicions and can work in your favor.

Personal Invitation

If a pony invites you to get together with them sometime, accept the invitation. There don’t appear to be any negative effects from this choice, and it might even lead to the pony visiting your house alone, which can be advantageous.

Public Breakdown

Comfort a pony who has a breakdown in the streets. This choice may reduce your Suspect (Sus) by one, making it a favorable option.

Changeling’s Revenge

It seems that either option works fine during this event. It triggers if enough Knave tarot cards are drawn after the Changeling Spy dies.

Crime of Passion

If you attempt to kill the Mayor on Canterday night and find them in bed with another pony, choose to eliminate them both. This choice reflects a crime of passion scenario.