[Imp Game] Playtest results and near final draft

[daMoose_Neo]

Rules: Mischief & Mayhem
Just had a rawkin playtest session (here), I mean we're talkin twenty minutes of non-stop laughter, which is what this game is all about!
The nice thing is, it helped me see what I needed to do exactly with it, and its quite simple- make Abilities easier to use.
To do this, I'm pitching the old system (d6 less than or equal to ranks) and rolling it into the existing core mechanic (2d6 less than or equal to the group Target Number), with a bonus, +1 per rank (up to 3) of the Ability.
With this, I *know* we'll see more use of the abilities, a few more successes with them, and more points rolling into the game.

Will this upset the balance? Don't believe so. The abilities have pretty narrow definitions but the allow for 'Cool Powerz' that can function, or backfire, in all sorts of interesting ways. The regular actions, however, are very broad. So, treating an Ability use as a regular ability nets the player the points, but makes regular actions more apt to failure. Having extra points, on the other hand, means they'll try riskier moves more and more. Really seems to work out ^_^
In the playtests, everyone got the basic premise: roll 2d6 less than or equal to a group/universal Target Number. You can add one or two Guts Points to the effort, and if you win the roll you win points back and the TN resets, but if you lose the roll the TN remains higher and you get nothing. The abilities, on the other hand, proved confusing in the context, and considering how little there is to the game in terms of rules I really question why I felt the need to make a second set of rolls when one would do.
Personally, I think that part of the game is finally ironed out and doesn't feel as alien as it once did. Can anyone else see any issues with this?

Other subject for the topic- an additional rule, but an option.
Discussion on the game earlier has pointed out there is no real reason to force other players to use their abilities, which is true. So, to incentivize it a little, I offer the "King on the Hill" rule:
The Imp with the highest Guts is declared the "Leader" and anytime he or she makes a roll, they have to roll less than TN +1, making it easier for them to succeed.  They also gain the trait "Bossy" while Leader, and all other Imps have to obay him/her, even if it is begrudgingly.
For the other Imps, this can stink royally, so what do they do? Devise situations to get their "leader" into trouble and force a roll or try to make them use an ability when it would be EXTREMELY detrimental and bid them out of points.
Thoughts on this as well? Could it work? From my playtest experiance I'd say yes, but always good to get someone elses view.

[Valamir]

I'd be tempted to try assigning the Leader roll to the Imp with the LOWEST guts.  

A) that seems consistant with the kind of silly atmosphere you're going for.

B) the competition for Leader would thus involve players competing with each other for who can spend the most guts...which I suspect would cut back on any hording tendencies as well as encourage more wackier rolling.

Having the other players try to maneuver the leader into a position where they have to waste Guts seems like one of those really subjective, hard to judge...things...that are really hard to elaborate on in the rules.  But "he who spends the most guts gets to be leader" is pretty straight forward, completely in the player's control and requires no judgement.

Even makes sense in an Impish sort of way...by spending guts on rolls you're demonstrating a take charge attitude...

[daMoose_Neo]

Actually, that does, and does fix a little of the "poor get poorer" syndrome, because if Leader rolls are easier to make, then the player nets more points~
Works it does.