So, I am a new GM and have only played through the Beginner game about 4 times with different groups to teach the basic game to people. Most love it! But as a new GM I am trying to grasp such a complex and detailed game. So, one key question is:

When PC's roll advantages and threats do they choose to spend them, or does the GM?

In the past I was always creating a story-like explanation of the outcome of their role (You gain 1 strain after a confident shot to his foot; or You missed your shot however hit the computer next to them sending sparks in the air blinding them for a brief time).

Any thoughts?

In general, I think most GMs handle it differently in combat and out of combat.

In combat, the player spends his own advantage and the GM spends the threat.

Out of combat, the GM tends to take the lead more often, but should be asking for input from the players. This ensures the game stays on track (assuming the GM has some type of goals and plans in play) while still letting the players contribute.

This has been my experience anyway with my real life group and an online group that has had a rotating cast of GMs.

Ideally whoever comes up with the best explanation.

There are lists of possibilities but you'll have to decide what works or sounds better in that situation.

So if a player asks if they help an ally they get to suggest what happens and you factor in whether they got enough advantage to pull that off or if dealing with threat how that changes their situation... does it add setback dice to the next few allies because they were distracted by the PC messing up or does a potential exit open to reveal more enemies approaching?

Sometimes the best suggestion comes from the most unlikeliest person.

For my table:

- for the PC rolls, they get to spend Advantage and Triumph, I get to spent Threat and Despair

- for the NPC rolls, I get to spend Advantage and Triumph, they get to spent Threat and Despair

However, it's just a guideline...as copperbell says, best explanation wins

I encourage the players to be the one to spend anything they can. It's their story after all....

I believe it really depends on the experience of your players. If they are new they may need suggestions from you as a GM. I find printing out the chart in the book where it describes how to spend advantages, and giving each player a copy helps a lot. I also encourage them to spend their advantage by awarding a few extra xp if it's creative and inline with their character (motivations, etc). The way I explain it to them is "Who else would know the character better than they would. Their mannerisms, their pet peeves, and other characteristics?"

TH3 RULEZ state that, by default, the PCs spend their own Advantage and Triumphs. The GM, by default, handles all Threat & Despair rolled, as well as Advantage & Triumph rolled by any NPCs.

That said, the core rulebook itself says that the GM should be open to player input and creativity on adjudicating such things. I especially appreciate player input on spending Threat & Despair that the enemies roll, but usually disallow them from spending the Threat & Despair they generate themselves.

There are also a number of talents that allow PCs direct control over NPC Threat & Despair for certain effects. These are exceptions to the general rule (GM adjudicates all Threat & Despair), and IMO the GM should have a pretty darned good reason for overriding the PCs in these circumstances.

As always, the GM is the final arbiter of the rules, which means that it's his responsibility to make sure everyone's having fun. So if you're gonna override your PCs and spend their Advantage & Triumph for them, make sure that you're doing with the intent of everyone having a better time.

I tend to think the story is shared, so it falls to all at the table to take the effort to build the story up.

The GM just adjudicates this process and can reign back those players that are trying to create too much from what they have on the dice, or he can build upon a players suggestion to make it better if he feels the player has more to spend that he is.

Also be mindful that sometimes the GM knows what he is putting in front of the players with respect to the mission or adventure. So sometimes he will have a better way to spend the dice than the players because he can move the adventure forwards with a result.