Hi All,

This may seem like a totally munchkin question, but how many boost dice can I accumulate through the process of aiming?

Good examples would be:

• Sniper waiting in a tower to assassinate the Imperial Governor
• Gunnery Crews aboard a capital ship aiming using the targeting computer to get the perfect shot.

My gut says the most you can get is 2 boost dice, but the rules say:

Gain [1 x BOOST] on the next combat check. If the charac­ter spends two consecutive maneuvers aiming, he gains [2 x BOOST] on the next combat check.

So as long as the next thing you do is a combat check, by RAW, you can just keep adding boost dice.

Now the body of the rules also state:

A charac­ter only gains the benefit of aiming if he remains in his current position and does not perform any additional maneuvers or actions before his next combat check.

So this applies to the sniper. But what about the gunnery crew? They are not moving, but the ship they are in sure as hell is moving around. Having said that, by RAW, as long as the gunners don't move, and just aim, then they can perform the "lets collect boost dice through Aiming" Maneuver.

I should point out that in this last example, I find it silly, but as has been pointed out before, they do have targeting computers to adjust for such things.

Thoughts?

I'd go with 2.

In part because of how ridiculously easy it is to accumulate Boosts anyway through gear or other PCs' combat Advantage expenditures.

And the explicit intent of the game is to avoid ridiculously huge dice pools.

2 is the limit. You get 1 of two benefits. 1 boost if you spend 1 maneuver aiming. 2 if you spend two consecutive maneuvers aiming. That's it. The other option for aim is to hit an item, which gives you 2 setback if you spend 1 maneuver aiming. 1 if you spend two consecutive maneuvers aiming. It isn't 1 for every maneuver.

As for vehicles. Yes, you might be "standing still", but the ship isn't. It is maneuvering which means your aim has to be reacquired each round. So, you get what you build in one round.

It specifies how to get 1 or 2 Boost. It doesn't go on to say another Maneuver gives 3 boost, another gives 4, etc. 2 is the limit by RAW.

As far as movement I would interpret it as movement relative to the target. You can Aim at an exhaust port as you are flying down a trench since the port isn't moving relative to you. You can't Aim at the TIE fighter as you move your X-wing back and forth trying to line up a shot.

If your Pilot started doing Evasive Maneuvers in the middle of your Aim, yes as a GM I would dump the bonus for the Gunner cursing in the back. I recall an episode of Rebels where exactly this happened.

This is all of what I thought. But...

OK, so what about the person who double aims for the first turn, and then fires in the second turn. They take no other actions, and are not disturbed? This would occur if the player was hoping to avoid expending Strain). Is it a case that they cannot gain the benefit of a third manuever for an additional [ 1 x Boost ] before firing or would this third maneuver reset the aiming?

I understand the argument regarding firing from a weapons platform where the ship is moving and jostling around, and I agree that if a gunner has double aimed, this would reset if they attack after the ship has moved again (although the rules aren't 100% clear on that - its just that it makes logical sense). What I don't get is the sniper idea.

All that it would have taken was the following line in the Aim maneuver:

A character can never benefit from more than [ 2 Boost ] for this type of maneuver.

OK, so what about the person who double aims for the first turn, and then fires in the second turn. They take no other actions, and are not disturbed? This would occur if the player was hoping to avoid expending Strain). Is it a case that they cannot gain the benefit of a third manuever for an additional [ 1 x Boost ] before firing or would this third maneuver reset the aiming?

I would say any Maneuvers greater than 2 spent Aiming provide no further bonus. If you want to waste another maneuver, that's your prerogative. Or shoot and Aim again, which is the smarter option.

OK, so what about the person who double aims for the first turn, and then fires in the second turn. They take no other actions, and are not disturbed? This would occur if the player was hoping to avoid expending Strain). Is it a case that they cannot gain the benefit of a third manuever for an additional [ 1 x Boost ] before firing or would this third maneuver reset the aiming?

I understand the argument regarding firing from a weapons platform where the ship is moving and jostling around, and I agree that if a gunner has double aimed, this would reset if they attack after the ship has moved again (although the rules aren't 100% clear on that - its just that it makes logical sense). What I don't get is the sniper idea.

All that it would have taken was the following line in the Aim maneuver:

A character can never benefit from more than [ 2 Boost ] for this type of maneuver.

That would be taking the same maneuver twice and given the precedent that things can be done multiple times and gain the benefit only if they say so (recover strain from Advantage, suffer strain from Threat, etc...) I'd say, Aim doesn't stack with itself. So, when you use two maneuvers with the Aim ability, you're really just continuing the first choice made when first declaring Aim. So, still capped at 2.

In combat/structured time I'd allow as many Aim manoeuvres as a character would care to take - knowing full well that I could take them away from him with a single hit from just about any weapon. Out of structured time I'd cap it at two, mostly to avoid the "I aim for 25 rounds, thereby giving myself 50 boost dice"-situation.

In combat/structured time I'd allow as many Aim manoeuvres as a character would care to take - knowing full well that I could take them away from him with a single hit from just about any weapon. Out of structured time I'd cap it at two, mostly to avoid the "I aim for 25 rounds, thereby giving myself 50 boost dice"-situation.

Oh, you can keep taking it one after another... the boost just don't stack from one use of Aim to the next.

I thought this one was submitted to the devs?

The rule isn't clear. Personally though imo if you're aiming you've selected a target which has initiated the process of performing a combat check which is an action and it all happens at once. I don't see the Aim maneuver and combat check as separate from one another. So in other words if you don't perform the combat check on your turn you've forfeit the action imo.

On a practical note aiming doesn't get better the longer you do it, in fact you get tired and your aim typically goes to crap, or the target moves eventually.

Edit

It also seems to me it violates the fact you can only perform two maneuvers in one turn rule, which I realize they are technically performed in a previous turn but it certainly I think paints the idea as rule loopholing.

In most of their rulings if a rule doesn't say you can do something, typically you can't.

The rule says 1 Maneuver gives a Boost. It then says 2 consecutive Maneuvers can give 2 Boosts. What it does NOT say is "each consecutive Maneuver grants another Boost". So, don't do it that way. An additional explanation of "you can't take more then 2 Boosts" is not needed because it's already specified the only two ways you can use Aim.

You have your answer right in the quotes I thought. I really don't see where it's confusing, I thought it was quite clear.

Gain [1 x BOOST] on the next combat check. If the charac­ter spends two consecutive maneuvers aiming, he gains [2 x BOOST] on the next combat check.

A charac­ter only gains the benefit of aiming if he remains in his current position and does not perform any additional maneuvers or actions before his next combat check.

The second paragraph clearly says you can't take any additional maneuvers or actions before the next combat check. Aiming again is a maneuver. The first paragraph gives the single exception to that rule for aiming two consecutive maneuvers.

So, if you did Aim (maneuver), Aim (maneuver) you get 2 Boost dice. If you do anything after that except a combat check, including Aim (maneuver) again, you lose that benefit.

Thank you Admiral. That clears that up perfectly.

I am also pretty sure you can't do 2 maneuvers on 1 turn aiming for a shot on your next turn. The Aim maneuvers must be in the same turn the shot is taken.

I am also pretty sure you can't do 2 maneuvers on 1 turn aiming for a shot on your next turn. The Aim maneuvers must be in the same turn the shot is taken.

As it is written I don't see anything that limits it to happening within the given turn. As long as you take no other actions or maneuvers between the aiming and your next combat check it should be valid. It does mean you are taking an entire round to aim and not doing anything else during that round in order to gain 2 boost dice however. Or potentially something like firing a shot then using your maneuver to start aiming more carefully, and leaving yourself open to return fire.

I am also pretty sure you can't do 2 maneuvers on 1 turn aiming for a shot on your next turn. The Aim maneuvers must be in the same turn the shot is taken.

I don't think so, otherwise there would be no need to specify that getting wounded in between aiming and firing causes you to lose your aim bonus. If you aim and fire on the same turn there's no way for anyone to interrupt you.

As it is written I don't see anything that limits it to happening within the given turn. As long as you take no other actions or maneuvers between the aiming and your next combat check it should be valid. It does mean you are taking an entire round to aim and not doing anything else during that round in order to gain 2 boost dice however. Or potentially something like firing a shot then using your maneuver to start aiming more carefully, and leaving yourself open to return fire.

This is how I do it and I think it is as intended. Aim doesn't specify you must take the attack Action within the same round. It only says it must be the "next" Action. It's easier to do it all at once during your turn especially if going for a single boost. If you want to go for the double boost without the strain cost then sure save the shot for the next round. However, you have a great risk of getting interupted by an enemy and have to convince other players to let you get an early Initiative slot in order to try to avoid such. Unless of course you are at long range from the combat, well hidden, "sniping", which I think is what a double Aim kind of represents.

I am also pretty sure you can't do 2 maneuvers on 1 turn aiming for a shot on your next turn. The Aim maneuvers must be in the same turn the shot is taken.

I don't think so, otherwise there would be no need to specify that getting wounded in between aiming and firing causes you to lose your aim bonus. If you aim and fire on the same turn there's no way for anyone to interrupt you.

I am also pretty sure you can't do 2 maneuvers on 1 turn aiming for a shot on your next turn. The Aim maneuvers must be in the same turn the shot is taken.

As it is written I don't see anything that limits it to happening within the given turn. As long as you take no other actions or maneuvers between the aiming and your next combat check it should be valid. It does mean you are taking an entire round to aim and not doing anything else during that round in order to gain 2 boost dice however. Or potentially something like firing a shot then using your maneuver to start aiming more carefully, and leaving yourself open to return fire.

Agreed, and this works well with the E-11 blaster in Enter the Unknown, which is "slow-firing". If you're a sniper in a nest, you don't want to have to spend Strain each turn to maximize your shot, only to have to wait for a turn. Clearly the intent is to begin your Aim in the turn when the gun can't fire, possibly even converting your Action to a Maneuver to Aim a second time. Then on your next turn, shoot, then start your Aim again so:

First turn: Aim, Aim (spend Strain), Shoot

Second turn: Aim, Aim

Third turn: Shoot, scratch itch

Fourth turn: Aim, Aim

Fifth turn: Shoot

I am also pretty sure you can't do 2 maneuvers on 1 turn aiming for a shot on your next turn. The Aim maneuvers must be in the same turn the shot is taken.

I don't think so, otherwise there would be no need to specify that getting wounded in between aiming and firing causes you to lose your aim bonus. If you aim and fire on the same turn there's no way for anyone to interrupt you.

I have always wondered what they meant about that aspect of the maneuver . It makes me wonder if an opponent actually went before you turn and wounded you does that mean you can't aim at all that turn ? Like I said good question submitted to the devs.

The way I read it was always that if you aimed in your turn during round 1, and didn't shoot until your turn in round 2, there was a chance for someone to shoot you in the meantime and thus disrupt your aim. There could be a more complicated explanation, but that one seems fairly straightforward (and realistic) to me.

I think it represents 'lining up a shot' but waiting until the right moment (your next turn) to actually fire it. If you get distracted in between you lose the bonus.

I take it as written in clause's, which clearly define the states in which the bonus(es) are given, and when they are removed. In order to see what bonus you get (or have taken away), simply check your current state by clause. The only ambiguous part for me is the use of the word "additional" instead of "different", but I think the interpretation of "additional" there is acceptable.

If you take a maneuver to Aim, did not spend your previous maneuver to aim (when ever that was), and have not taken damage/moved/acted (other than Aim) before you take your combat check, then you get +1 boost die to the check.

If you take a maneuver to Aim, and did spend your previous maneuver to aim (when ever that was), and have not taken damage/moved/acted (other than Aim) before you take your combat check, then you get +2 boost dice to the check.

If you have taken damage/moved/acted (other than Aim) before you take your combat check, you lose your bonus boost dice from aiming.

In this reading, you can aim as long as like (GM not imposing Strain or Resilience checks for inordinately lengthy aiming sessions aside), sustaining the +2 Boost dice across multiple turns until you are ready to take your shot. To me this is balanced as it does not allow aim to stack boost dice to extreme values, but it does allow for the "sniper in a nest" scenario.