What’s Your Role in the Organization?

The Mafia’s power came from its structure — a clear chain of command where every member knew their role, their responsibilities and their place in the hierarchy. Some were born to lead. Some were born to advise. Some were born to run crews and get results on the street. Which one are you?

The Five Roles — What Each Result Means

The Mafia’s hierarchy was not just organisational structure — it was a reflection of personality, skill and temperament. Here is what each role meant in practice.

Boss — The Final Word

If you get Boss you sit at the top of the pyramid with absolute authority. All decisions of consequence flow through you. All revenue flows to you. The Boss sets strategy, sanctions major moves and resolves disputes that cannot be settled below. The greatest bosses in American Mafia history combined vision with discipline — Carlo Gambino ruled through quiet authority for nearly two decades, Lucky Luciano restructured the entire organisation from the ground up and Al Capone dominated through sheer force of personality. The Boss is not just in charge — he is the organisation. Read more about what the role means at our What is a Crime Boss page.

Underboss — The Right Hand

If you get Underboss you are trusted completely, decisive under pressure and essential to keeping the operation running day to day. The Underboss manages the Capos, supervises operations and steps in when the Boss cannot. He is first in line to succeed — which makes the role both powerful and dangerous. Some of the most consequential figures in Mafia history held this position: Sammy Gravano as underboss to John Gotti, and Carlo Gambino as underboss before engineering the removal of Albert Anastasia to claim the top position himself. Learn more at our What is an Underboss page.

Consigliere — The Trusted Adviser

If you get Consigliere you are the wisest person in the room — the one the Boss calls when the decision is too important to get wrong. The Consigliere is expected to give impartial counsel regardless of politics, mediate disputes between members and represent the family’s long-term interests. Meyer Lansky — though never formally a made member — functioned as the closest thing to a Consigliere across multiple families, providing financial and strategic advice that kept the Mafia solvent for decades. The Consigliere never seeks the spotlight. He shapes events from a position most people cannot even see.

Capo — The Backbone of the Business

If you get Capo you are the engine of the organisation — the field commander who turns strategy into money. The Caporegime commands a crew of soldiers and associates, oversees their rackets and passes tribute up the chain. A Capo who earns well and keeps his crew disciplined is the most valuable person in the organisation below the top ranks. Some of the most feared figures in Mafia history were Capos rather than bosses — men whose crews generated millions annually and whose personal reputations kept entire neighbourhoods in line.

Soldier — Loyal, Tough and Ready

If you get Soldier you are a fully made member of the family — someone who has taken the oath of omerta and proved their loyalty through years of service. The Soldier is the foundation of the Mafia’s structure — without soldiers there are no crews, no rackets and no organisation. Being a made man carries real protection: a Soldier cannot be killed without Commission approval, a right that associates do not have. The Soldier earns, protects and bleeds for the family. In return the family protects him. That exchange of loyalty is the core of everything the Mafia is built on.

About This Quiz

This quiz matches your instincts, decision-making style and leadership approach to one of the five core roles in a Mafia crime family. The hierarchy described here is based on the real structure of the American Mafia as documented through FBI investigations, congressional testimony and historical research. Each role represents a genuinely distinct set of responsibilities and personality traits.