Survivor 42

No. of episodes
 No. of days
 No. of survivors
 Tribes

## Twists

* **Tribe Division:** The 18 castaways were divided into 3 tribes of 6. No unifying theme was used in dividing the tribes.
* **Shot in the Dark:** By sacrificing one's vote at Tribal Council, a player in trouble may invoke this advantage for a chance to be immune at any vote until there were seven players left. While the chance of a favorable outcome was slim, if successful, the play acted as if a Hidden Immunity Idol was played.
* **Advantage Amulet:** Each player who performed the second leg of the first Reward Challenge had the choice of taking an Advantage Amulet for each of them. If all three amulets were used, they could collectively cast an Extra Vote. If two amulet holders were left, using them together would give them a Vote Steal. If only one active amulet remained, it could be used as a regular Hidden Immunity Idol. The amulets remained in play until there were six players left.
* **Summit and Prisoner's Dilemma:** Castaways from different tribes were taken to another island where they were given a choice between protecting or risking their vote on their next visit to Tribal Council. If all of them chose "protect", they kept their votes. If all of them chose "risk", none of them were able to vote at their next Tribal Council. If there was a split decision, those who chose "protect" get to keep their vote, but those who chose "risk" obtained an Extra Vote which would remain playable until the final six.

* **Idol Nullifier:** On Day TBA, an Idol Nullifier was introduced and hidden at the camp of the tribe that won the Reward Challenge.

* **Beware Advantages:** Game advantages were hidden at camp in packages labelled "Beware Advantage", the contents of which may only be obtained if its finder opened it and fulfilled its demands; otherwise, they would lose their votes. The advantages that were disguised as a Beware Advantage were:
	+ **Knowledge is Power:** At the Day TBA Reward Challenge, a Beware Advantage was hidden for the contestant sitting out to find. Upon opening the advantage, that contestant must then find the Knowledge is Power hidden at camp by sundown; failing which, they would lose their vote at the next Tribal Council. The advantage entitles a player to ask another castaway if they possess a Hidden Immunity Idol or an advantage at Tribal Council. If the target is indeed in possession of the demanded item, the asker may steal it from them; otherwise, the advantage becomes useless. In the event that the target had more than one advantage in their possession, it is up to them which advantage to give up and they do not need to reveal every advantage in their possession. This advantage can be played until there were six players left.
	+ **Hidden Immunity Idols:** Each camp had one idol, that if found, its finder had to utter a certain phrase before an Immunity Challenge, and if members of the other tribes respond with their own code phrases, all three idols will have power. Until then, the idols remained powerless and their finders without a vote at Tribal Council. Unlike in **Survivor 41**, however, the idols had full power after the merge when the vote penalty ended. A regular Hidden Immunity Idol with no restrictions was also hidden after the merge.

* **Double Tribal Council:** On Day 3, only the first place tribe won immunity, sending the two other tribes to Tribal Council to vote out one person each.

* **Team-Based Merge Challenge and Exile Island:** At the final 12, the players were divided into two groups of five, leaving two players to sit out. Each member of the winning team won individual immunity, the right to eat in the merge feast, and to take one of the two sit-outs to join them. The unchosen sit-out was sent to Exile Island until the next Immunity Challenge. This player, along with the members of the losing team, would compete in the first individual Immunity Challenge.
	+ **Hourglass:** The exiled player would be presented with an hourglass. If the player wished to "reverse" the events of the challenge, they must destroy the hourglass, stripping the winning team's immunity. The exiled player and the members of the losing team would be given individual immunity instead, while the members of the winning team would be forced to compete in the individual Immunity Challenge.

* **Double Elimination:** On Day 17, the TBA tribe was subjected to a Double Elimination, where the tribe was divided into two groups of five and two castaways were eliminated through two separate Tribal Councils.

* **Do or Die:** On Day TBA, the first player to be eliminated from the Immunity Challenge was subjected to a game called "Do or Die", the mechanics of which were identical to the Monty Hall problem. At Tribal Council, the player had to select the box with the fire symbol to win individual immunity. If the chosen box contained a skull symbol instead, the player would be eliminated from the game with no official vote taking place and any advantage or Hidden Immunity Idols owned by the player cannot save them. The castaways were given the option to sit out of the Immunity Challenge if they did not want to take the risk.

* **Simplified Final Four Tribal Council:** Instead of a traditional vote, the person who won the final four Immunity Challenge got to choose one person to take with them to the Final Three. The remaining two castaways competed in a fire-making challenge to determine who would be eliminated.

* **Expanded Jury and Final Three:** The Final Tribal Council was held with a Final Three facing an eight-person jury.

* **Reformatted Final Tribal Council:** Instead of having each jury member speak individually, an open forum was held to ensure a more insightful rapport between the jury and finalists. The discussion was divided into three portions ("social", "physical", and "strategic").