I'm having problems with dealing with Advantages. For example an Astrogation check results in 4 Advantages.. What kind of advantage would that produce? All I can think of is the next check they make in astrogations will gain 2 boost dice...
Advantages?
It could generate mechanical benefits (reduce compilation or travel time at your discretion) or some narrative benefits such as being in a better position when the ship exits hyperspace going into an encounter.
Edited by DomingoYou could use it to shave time in transit, leave in fewer rounds, arrive closer, arrive secretly, be forewarned of a hazard, etc. Four advantages is pretty good, maybe they found a new route they can sell for credits.
If none of these things, or things like them, are applicable, there's no point in rolling. In other words, if you don't have something in mind as a reason for them to roll other than going from A-B, then don't make them roll.
Advantages, Threats, Triumphs, and Despairs are simultaneously incredibly hard to deal with and totally amazing opportunities for storytelling. They're really what I like best about this system.
Outside of combat, each skill has a list of suggested possibilities for those results. Note that those are not the only options. If you're the GM, it takes some fast thinking to figure out what exactly they get for their advantages and it really can be anything you want depending on the skill. If it's a skill roll that I have pre-planned for the session, I try to come up with ways to use those results. If it's something on the fly for a random roll, I just try to come up with something beneficial for them in addition to the success/failure result. For example, if they're searching for something and fail with advantage, they might not find what they're looking for but find a cache of credits hidden under a bunk in the barracks. If they're chasing someone, they might find a shortcut giving them a boost to a subsequent roll. Note the benefit doesn't necessarily have to be mechanical either. It might just give some bonus information that may or may not be directly applicable to a dice-roll.
Luckily threats and despairs always have the option of "everything seems fine...for now." 
Just don't do that too often without backing it up later when you come up with something.
For Astrogation in particular, what whafrog said.
If both you and your players can't find anything to spend them on ... ignore them and keep playing. Maybe something will come up in the next few minutes that you can retroactively use them on (you come out of hyperspace and a Star Destroyer is unexpectedly parked in orbit ... um, because of the advantages they haven't noticed you yet). If nothing comes up then just keep truckin.
If both you and your players can't find anything to spend them on ... ignore them and keep playing. Maybe something will come up in the next few minutes that you can retroactively use them on (you come out of hyperspace and a Star Destroyer is unexpectedly parked in orbit ... um, because of the advantages they haven't noticed you yet). If nothing comes up then just keep truckin.
Ah! Thats a good one.. I like that idea.
Sometimes I will bank a despair that I can't quite figure out how best to use. Eventually my mind will catch up with the situation and I can think of something fun.
"You didn't realize it while you were charming the bartender for a tip, but some of Baud Biggs' goons were having a drink and overheard you. That's why security around their base seems incredibly tight."
Edited by kaosoeIf both you and your players can't find anything to spend them on ... ignore them and keep playing. Maybe something will come up in the next few minutes that you can retroactively use them on (you come out of hyperspace and a Star Destroyer is unexpectedly parked in orbit ... um, because of the advantages they haven't noticed you yet). If nothing comes up then just keep truckin.
This is a good idea. occasionally, we've banked stuff.
I think it works well because it sort of represents good fortune/bad luck that isn't immediately obvious.
I would put the caveat that you could only bank one roll at a time. No saving up a ton of advantage over a bunch of rolls.
Thanks guys.. this helps alot.
I'd also like to add that advantages don't necessarily need to even be related to the roll.
Perhaps the party was trying to track down someone who had information they needed. Astrogation check succeeded with 4 advantages. As soon as they drop out of hyperspace, what luck! The latest bulletin shows there target was just arrested by local port authorities for an dispute that got real ugly. Time to bail him out and find out what he knows.
Advantages and disadvantages are all about advancing the story in helpful or detrimental ways respectively. Relating to the task at hand is often the easiest to think of when rolled, but if a really cool outcome pops into your head related to the dis/advantages but not the skill check then go for it!
If you can't think of or use any immediate effects of so many advantage points, could you use them to add a Light Side Destiny Point, or flip a Dark Side point over to Light Side? This could be similar to the earlier suggestion of "banking" the advantages for later use.
Edited by DeadBothanSpyOK.. what I'm getting is that a suucees on a die gives you a regular success but an advantage gives you a success as a bonus in strengthening the story line? I dunno how to explain it. You gain advantages so something good happens in the story where a success is just a success in that action? Does that make sense?
OK.. what I'm getting is that a suucees on a die gives you a regular success but an advantage gives you a success as a bonus in strengthening the story line? I dunno how to explain it. You gain advantages so something good happens in the story where a success is just a success in that action? Does that make sense?
Advantages just determine that something good comes out of a check, even failed ones. Disadvantages determine that something negative comes out of the check, even successful ones. That's it.
It's just advised that they move the story forward in someway as any dice roll should, but they don't have to. Could be as simple as, "Your character was able to pick the lock in half the time she expected."
Although I found it an educating thread.. My question was more focused on the use of Advantages not so much Astrogation.. I just used Astrogation as an example. Like say a KNowledge Check.. How do advantages improve that situation?
For knowledge there is an Order 66 podcast on knowledge skills that gives really good info. Also check out the Skill Monkey podcast.
Although I found it an educating thread.. My question was more focused on the use of Advantages not so much Astrogation.. I just used Astrogation as an example. Like say a KNowledge Check.. How do advantages improve that situation?
In that case, more information is obtained, maybe even some obscure knowledge that would really benefit the character, or some sudden realization. Even on failed checks, some things can still be obtained. Again they don't even need to be related. Disadvantages would represent misunderstanding information, failing to recall certain details, or the like.
Examples:
Xenology check failed but with advantages, "You really messed up by thinking it was customary to stare unblinking at a wookie during negotiation, but luckily you recalled how to 'belly-up' for forgiveness and it worked. You were lucky...this time."
Underworld check succeeds with disadvantages, "There's a small outpost you remember hearing about which is in desperate demand for the spice you are carrying, it's not too far off route." *later* "Unfortunately you failed to recall that the demand was due to a large imperial presence cracking down on smuggling and now that you are docked, the port authorities are demanding to inspect your ship."
The results are only limited by the GM's creativity.
Every GM should probably have a short list he carries around to use for spending advantage and threat on for specific checks.
Sort of a mini-encounter shortlist.
"Darn, looks like that 4 threat you got on the Astrogation check means you drop out of Hyperspace in a restricted zone and now you're going to get boarded by the Imperials."
"This thug isn't the best shot, but he sure is lucky. His blaster misses you, but hits the door controls you're trying to hack and damages the computer. Now your slicing checks will incur a bunch of setback die."
Every GM should probably have a short list he carries around to use for spending advantage and threat on for specific checks.
Sort of a mini-encounter shortlist.
"Darn, looks like that 4 threat you got on the Astrogation check means you drop out of Hyperspace in a restricted zone and now you're going to get boarded by the Imperials."
"This thug isn't the best shot, but he sure is lucky. His blaster misses you, but hits the door controls you're trying to hack and damages the computer. Now your slicing checks will incur a bunch of setback die."
That would be a good list for every gm to have on hand. I know I could use that list. Sometimes I just can't think of anything, and my players are just as stumped amny times. But then they kinda feel left out when they can't think of somehting to do with them.
Every GM should probably have a short list he carries around to use for spending advantage and threat on for specific checks.
Sort of a mini-encounter shortlist.
"Darn, looks like that 4 threat you got on the Astrogation check means you drop out of Hyperspace in a restricted zone and now you're going to get boarded by the Imperials."
"This thug isn't the best shot, but he sure is lucky. His blaster misses you, but hits the door controls you're trying to hack and damages the computer. Now your slicing checks will incur a bunch of setback die."
That would be a good list for every gm to have on hand. I know I could use that list. Sometimes I just can't think of anything, and my players are just as stumped amny times. But then they kinda feel left out when they can't think of somehting to do with them.
that is what is great about the Skill Monkey Podcast. it does this type of stuff for all sorts of situations
I cant find the skill monkey podcast all links I find are dead.
Skill Monkey Here:
http://www.madadventurers.com/category/field-recordings/skill-monkey/
Here's another thread to look at:
http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/125865-help-letting-the-players-decide-what-to-do-with-advantages/
Skill Monkey Here:
http://www.madadventurers.com/category/field-recordings/skill-monkey/
Which article has the info? There is so much there I cant find anything about advantages.
I don't recall specifically, sorry, I was just providing a link to the podcasts.
I know you want an answer to this particular question right now, but they're all worth the listen...except maybe the drunken one... 