I rule it so the character always has Extra Reloads but can still be affected by Despair to run out ammo. So they have to spend a maneuver to reload. Otherwise, as a GM, I would never choose them to run out of ammo and preferably do weapon damage or some other thing, which I think is scummy. But rule as written, the GM choose to make them run out of ammo and nothing happens.

To me it seems all would depend on the situation, and the narration.

If my players started the game-day mentioning they all powered their power packs and what not, and during the first fight of that day a player narrates his first attack as a well-aimed single shot (Aim maneuver, combined with narrative description of the intent behind the combat check) I would feel like a bad GameMaster if I used a Despair result - at that time and narration - to enforce the weapon running out of ammo. Regardless of Spare Clip talents and what not.

When the umpteenth combat erupts during a prolonged military action, and the players happily narratively describe how they mow down row after row of stormtroopers (single combat check with high resulting damage and critical hits against minion groups) I would feel like a bad GameMaster if I did not use a Despair result - at that time and narration - to enforce the weapon running out of ammo. Regardless of Spare Clip talents and what not.

So, to choose whether or not to use Despair rolled for Out Of Ammo results - in my opinion - don't have to be a matter of random rolls any often as it would have te be a D-move against the players. Simply an interpretation of the info you are given by the players themselves. Would I really never use Out Of Ammo on a Despair from a narrative "single attack with fresh power pack"? Nah. It's okay to do so every once in a while to shake things up, keep the players on their toes. And not just to keep the players from 'gaming the narrative part of the system'. A power pack might not be inserted into the weapon correctly and break loose. It might not have been slotted into the power charger correctly. Whatever. Point is, that I try to apply Out Of Ammo when it would be reasonable to start doing so, such as halfway into the session after a lot of combat.

As for the talent itself, I read the master description on page 157 from the AoR Core book. My interpretation of the talent is simple. The weapons might still get an Out Of Ammo result from Despair and run out of ammo because of it. The book clearly states: " The character does not run out of ammo on a [despair symbol]" (bold emphasis mine). So I would agree with anyone here stating that the Spare Clip talent simply replaces the need for the Extra Reload item.

18 hours ago, Xcapobl said:

To me it seems all would depend on the situation, and the narration.

If my players started the game-day mentioning they all powered their power packs and what not, and during the first fight of that day a player narrates his first attack as a well-aimed single shot (Aim maneuver, combined with narrative description of the intent behind the combat check) I would feel like a bad GameMaster if I used a Despair result......When the umpteenth combat erupts during a prolonged military action, and the players happily narratively describe how they mow down row after row of stormtroopers (single combat check with high resulting damage and critical hits against minion groups) I would feel like a bad GameMaster if I did not use a Despair result.

This is me also.