At last I have had time to see, what actually is going on in here.
Firstly, we should see for realities: if Legolas is joining, we will be having 10 people attending so far. It does not seem to be a 25-player megagame, starting on Monday, with lots of new characters etc...
I would back The Saucepan Man in that we shouldn't try to revolutionize things too much with the same trial (I'm one of those oldies too...
). But I would be interested in trying something. Both the new "Shaman"-stuff or the Vampire-thing could be interesting. I'm just afraid, that both of those things might make some more trouble to the villagers.
With the pace of recruiting players, we should probably try something with the seer. I'm not sure, if Farael's concern with the Seer having too much power is justified, and his suggestion of spreading the Seer's dreams clearly weakens her/him (there are possibilities for the Seer then also, as Sauce mentioned, but still). But how about, if we strengthen the villagers defence in the case of Seer dreams going around and about, by letting just the ranger and the hunter to PM? Sauce suspected, that they would be easier targets to the wolves then. Maybe, maybe not? If they play in somewhat a "wolvish style" during the days, then perhaps not? What they would gain, would be: trust, new ideas and sharing of concerns + possible tactical things together... Worth trying methinks.
NOTE: only the ranger and the hunter PM'ing - so they wouldn't know the seer and the Seer wouldn't know them (I appreciate Sauce's point about gifteds being in the dark, but I guess the hunter anyhow, is a "lonely wolf"...
).
The rest is only for those interested in speculation about a possible Vampire-game someday in the future:
It could be done. And would not be too complicated. Just would need lots of people to play...
One vampire to begin with, trying to make a friend for her/himself to begin with. Then laying low, trying to influence the game during the daytime to get the village rid of the Weres - and hoping for survival, both day and night, as villagers. If managing it to the end of the wolves, then s/he or they would be falling on the villagers - and the game continues for awhile still. Not too complicated I think? But would need quite a many villagers...
I think Farael's idea of four wolves a bit overstretched. Three wolves + a chance for the one vampire to try and recruit one friend (s/he has quite a chance to miss that one and be revealed to someone) during the nights, so long as no wolves have been lynched (or until s/he has one). Then finito for vampire-recruiting (so max. 2 Vamps for the game).
At this scenario, we would have - in the best/worst possible scene, after the night 1 (one innocent lynched day 1 and the vampire succeeding night 1 + wolf kill on innocent night 1) - 5 "baddies" (3W + 2V), and 2 innocents dead + 1 turned to a Vampire. From the initial players, 8 have been "used" here. So something like 20 villagers required to make a balanced game? Comments?