At the end, once all the face up cards have been used and you're in the endgame, how exactly does the turn structure work? From the manual it sounds like when a token is drawn that belongs to a non-tied-for-favorite Toy, that player may choose whether to aid or oppose one of the tied-for-favorite Toys, but then the current Narrator sets up the conflict for that tied-for-favorite Toy, with the non-tied-for-favorite Toy either helping them or aiding the Opposition... at least that's what I extrapolated from the text, which isn't exactly clear.

Also, I assume whichever Toy wins a conflict for the ultimate Stakes wins the game... but what if they fail? Do they get to keep trying? Does another Toy get to try? Or does the Bad Thing just happen and everybody loses?

I'm gonna pitch UTB and IWAMD at game night tomorrow, hopefully I can get one or the other going, but I'd like to make sure I have the game down tight before firing it up, y'know?

Thanks!

Here's the official word: the endgame mechanics are stupid and have been expunged from the second ed. Don't worry about it. I don't think anyone's ever used that rule.

Here's what you do: judge from the feeling in the room. Would the Child losing these Stakes make sense? If not, take another turn as, normal. If so (pretty rare, and pretty hardcore) then think about what happened.

I hade a game with Clinton R. Nixon, Russel ("Gains", around these parts) and his wife Jenn Rodgers where a little child wound up being responsible for Grampa's depression. But you don't have to play it that way. I wouldn't recommend it the first time out.

Um... okay... at which point should we start doing this? Now I'm completely lost.

OK, laid all out:

When one player has six (though I now recommend four) Favorite tokens, every time that player confronts a Conflict, the Story Stakes are what's really at stake.

When all the free Characteristics are taken, every time any player takes a turn, what's really at stake is the Story Stakes.

When a Toy wins the Story Stakes, the game ends. Discuss what took place and maybe some denouement.

If a Toy confronts the Story Stakes and loses, sometimes you can't possibly get them back. "Does the Child prevent hir dad from finding out what we did?" for instance, is determined in one conflict. He either found out or he didn't.

But sometimes, it's more open. "Does the Child get hir big sister's respect?" can happen over multiple Conflicts so it's probably OK for a Toy to lose those Stakes and then someone else can try again.

Dig?

So... basically play it by ear, is what you're advocating?

Check.

Well, phrase your Conflicts appropriately, is what I'm saying. If you want the kid to have another shot sometime, don't phrase it in final terms.