How long does a character get to keep the boost/setback they get assigned from an advantage or threat dice roll results? Does boost/setback stay with the character or “pool” even after that encounter ends – be it a non-combat or a combat? I ask as I am running a campaign and my PCs will use a boost/setback in a combat encounter far removed from the circumstances and/or skill-action that got them that boost/setback. They will even use boot/threat received in a combat encounter, the combat ends, and use it later on in a non-combat encounter skill check. I've had them get boost from a medicine check done prior to resting for the evening, bank it, and go through a couple of scenes where that one character does not have to perform an action, and then when they do perform an action - either in combat or non-combat scene- they then apply the boost they “banked” in a an action/skill which has no connection to the original medicine check..

My mindset is that this is wrong (in general, I can see rare instances where it could be done). How does getting a boost to a character's next action gained from another pc's advantage roll- while shooting his blaster (your shot temporarily blinds the NPC causing him to expose himself giving the next PC a better shot = 1 boost in the “pool”) translate to being able to use that boost in a non-combat encounter situation negotiation roll two scenes removed from the original encounter?

Do boost/setback gained in a combat encounter go away at the end of the encounter if unused? Or do they remain even after the encounter has ended, available in the “pool” for the party or if assigned to a specific character. Again, I am just speaking about boost/setback in general and not specific instances where the boost/setback would be carried over (an ongoing effect, weapon quality, etc…)

Usually "next check" and just that next check. Mostly restricted to the current encounter. SO I am with you when you say that this should be restricted to the encounter, though I don't see a problem with a repair or medicine check giving a single boost once in the next encounter, I mean, why not, it's not a major thing.

It bound to the narrative anyway as the PC needs to describe what his action achieves, which includes the thing which gives a boost. If you blind an enemy and get because of that a boost than it clearly bound to an attack against that enemy within the encounter and maybe even limited to until the end of next turn. Though usually blinding an enemy should give him setback dice anyway and not boosts to your group. ;-)

Generally, I'd expire advantage-based boost/setback dice at the conclusion of the encounter. As you said, there could, conceivably, be instances wherein such a situation might persist, but those would be specific and targeted -- perhaps something about a complex the party is traversing containing multiple encounters, or something about a planet on which they find themselves. However, boosts and setbacks derived from such actions as shooting at a group of Stormtroopers would likely only persist as long as the encounter with the Stormtroopers or, in some cases, only as long as those Stormtroopers themselves persisted.

Usually "next check" and just that next check. Mostly restricted to the current encounter. SO I am with you when you say that this should be restricted to the encounter, though I don't see a problem with a repair or medicine check giving a single boost once in the next encounter, I mean, why not, it not a major thing.

It bound to the narrative anyway as the PC needs to describe what his action achieves, which includes the thing which gives a boost. If you blind an enemy and get because of that a boost than it clearly bound to an attack against that enemy within the encounter and maybe even limited to until the end of next turn. Though usually blinding an enemy should give him setback dice anyway and not boosts to your group. ;-)

Yes, my thoughts are the same. I also agree that there are circumstances where it could carry over and that ultimately narrative has a lot to do with how boost or setback is applied.

Thanks

Usually "next check" and just that next check. Mostly restricted to the current encounter. SO I am with you when you say that this should be restricted to the encounter, though I don't see a problem with a repair or medicine check giving a single boost once in the next encounter, I mean, why not, it's not a major thing.

It bound to the narrative anyway as the PC needs to describe what his action achieves, which includes the thing which gives a boost. If you blind an enemy and get because of that a boost than it clearly bound to an attack against that enemy within the encounter and maybe even limited to until the end of next turn. Though usually blinding an enemy should give him setback dice anyway and not boosts to your group. ;-)

Yes,I am with you on giving the NPC setback, but my group when they get multiple advantages like to pass the extra advantages as boost to the next character or, if enough advantage, to a specific character.

Well, it comes down to why. Why was Player A able to pass along that blue to Player B. "When I was shooting the commander, some of my shots hit the wall next to the Stormtrooper, making him flinch" and the like. So given the right creativity, I don't see why you couldn't get a blue die for something a little more long term than just combat or something immediate. It's all situational, depending on what the player said.

TL;DNR - Yes, but it would depend on why the player was getting the Boost Die.

Usually "next check" and just that next check. Mostly restricted to the current encounter. SO I am with you when you say that this should be restricted to the encounter, though I don't see a problem with a repair or medicine check giving a single boost once in the next encounter, I mean, why not, it's not a major thing.

It bound to the narrative anyway as the PC needs to describe what his action achieves, which includes the thing which gives a boost. If you blind an enemy and get because of that a boost than it clearly bound to an attack against that enemy within the encounter and maybe even limited to until the end of next turn. Though usually blinding an enemy should give him setback dice anyway and not boosts to your group. ;-)

Yes,I am with you on giving the NPC setback, but my group when they get multiple advantages like to pass the extra advantages as boost to the next character or, if enough advantage, to a specific character.

As said, that is up the players anyway, the beauty of the system, as GM you don't need much to do with those skill checks, just let them interpret those results themselves, if they like it that way it for sure fine, even when you or I would use this different.

Usually "next check" and just that next check. Mostly restricted to the current encounter. SO I am with you when you say that this should be restricted to the encounter, though I don't see a problem with a repair or medicine check giving a single boost once in the next encounter, I mean, why not, it not a major thing.

It bound to the narrative anyway as the PC needs to describe what his action achieves, which includes the thing which gives a boost. If you blind an enemy and get because of that a boost than it clearly bound to an attack against that enemy within the encounter and maybe even limited to until the end of next turn. Though usually blinding an enemy should give him setback dice anyway and not boosts to your group. ;-)

Yes, my thoughts are the same. I also agree that there are circumstances where it could carry over and that ultimately narrative has a lot to do with how boost or setback is applied.

Thanks

One of the problems is that the "next check" can be in a different encounter than the original one so my players interpret "next check" literally as such as a PC may not get the opportunity to do a check until the next encounter or more later.

Also, as an example, there are occasions where a computers check in a non-combat encounter garners a boost die added to the "pool" by my PCs who then in the combat encounter that occurs next (and that had no relation to the computers check) use that boost (in a blaster fire check, stealth check, etc...)

Usually "next check" and just that next check. Mostly restricted to the current encounter. SO I am with you when you say that this should be restricted to the encounter, though I don't see a problem with a repair or medicine check giving a single boost once in the next encounter, I mean, why not, it not a major thing.

It bound to the narrative anyway as the PC needs to describe what his action achieves, which includes the thing which gives a boost. If you blind an enemy and get because of that a boost than it clearly bound to an attack against that enemy within the encounter and maybe even limited to until the end of next turn. Though usually blinding an enemy should give him setback dice anyway and not boosts to your group. ;-)

Yes, my thoughts are the same. I also agree that there are circumstances where it could carry over and that ultimately narrative has a lot to do with how boost or setback is applied.

Thanks

One of the problems is that the "next check" can be in a different encounter than the original one so my players interpret "next check" literally as such as a PC may not get the opportunity to do a check until the next encounter or more later.

Just tell them no, if the narrative reason is gone. *grin*

The chart is contained within the section on structured game play and the table refers to how results are spent within that context which means within an encounter. The table itself is titled "Table 6-2: Spending A and T in Combat". All results not used within the encounter are null at the end of it

The boost/setback from advantage/threat would probably "wear off" in either that encounter or in an otherwise short period of time.

Note that you can also use Triumph/Despair to grant boost/setback and, in that case, I'd allow that to persist for a while.

My reason for this is the way a few of the skills are described in the books. For instance, a Triumph on a Perception check can grant a boost die to "all future interactions with the noticed element." While that may not actually be intended as "always and forever," it probably is intended to be more than "one check that occurs in the next round or so."

I think your players are really missing the point of Advantages and Boost Dice here. It is not about "banking" them, or saving them until they are "really" needed. It is about how a skill check is not a binary pass or fail thing and grant additional benefits or even repercussions from it. I stress with my players to tell me the narrative of Advantages first, not the mechanical effect.

With my older/more experienced groups, I was very strict about the narrative. Sometimes it seemed like too much work to try to think of something for the Advantange on some checks, so they were gone. Never banked. For my newer players/groups, I let them get comfortable with all this, and if they can't think of a good a narrative, I still allow them the mechanical effect.

While I do allow some effects to last longer, perhaps a commander gave a rousing speech, and the Boost could last the whole encounter, or they have a strategic insight, or some have some info on a NPC, and know about his favorite drink, and brought him a bottle, granting a Boost for the social encounter. Or they got the year wrong, he likes the '52 not '62! Now they have a Setback for the encounter. These ideas represent 2-5 Advatages or even a Triumph; which I could also give a free upgrade, or I have also given out free Light Side Destiny Points, that once spent, are gone and do not convert to DSP.

But yeah, for single or double Advantages the effects should really be limited to either the next check, or sometimes you can pick a particular person in the Round to give the bonus to, but they should never "exist", linger, or be banked for encounters or scenes. Nor should Threats, or Despairs. So I hope you as the GM are not doing this as well. I always make sure that my Despairs tie directly to the skill check. If they roll a Despair in social combat, I don't bring it back later in Space combat, and make the ship gun get damaged. Now maybe, from the social encounter, the guy was so insulted he sent a ship after them!

Anyways, that's what I do, and it seems like most of us here are on the same page about it.

To add some examples of using Advantages:

1-2 Advantages. Give NPC X setback die. "My blaster bolts hits near his head, burning a hole into then duracrete wall, sending hot embers into face, causing him to flinch in pain."

"My wild shots force NPC X from his relative cover into PC B line of sight granting him a Boost"

"My amazing melee flourish (missed attack, but tons of Advantages) amazes the captive audience (NPC Baddies), austounding them and they stop for a second to watch my amazing display!, giving everyone a Boost, you get Boost, you get a Boost, everybody gets a BOOST!!!"

"As I talk to the NPC woman, I pull a small chain from pocket, asking her if she lost a necklace." Boost on social check

"I grit my teeth together, pushing through the pain, and wipe away the sweat from brow." Spending Advantage to recover Strain

I made my medical check with a few extra Advantages, on my next check, I will get a Boost, because I left the needle thing is his arm, so I just have to use the QD fitting, not find the vein again.

As you see, these narratives describe a quick blurb which will quickly loose the benefit from the skill checks. That is the intent of Advantages, not to become a currency or stored commodity.

... Nor should Threats, or Despairs. So I hope you as the GM are not doing this as well. I always make sure that my Despairs tie directly to the skill check. If they roll a Despair in social combat, I don't bring it back later in Space combat, and make the ship gun get damaged. Now maybe, from the social encounter, the guy was so insulted he sent a ship after them!

Anyways, that's what I do, and it seems like most of us here are on the same page about it.

Nope, I don't do this with my threats or despairs, I use them in the encounter generated only.

The most important thing is that the results match the reason for the boost. Threat and Advantage come up all the time, you probably don't want to track most of them. However, if it's something important, and it fits the narrative, sure. If a character is wounded in combat and you make a medicine check to stabilize him before dragging him off the field, you might have a good reason to hang on to those Advantage/Threat results. "You finally get your friend to the med station. The doctor puts him under and inspects the wound site. He gives you a respectful nod. 'That's the best occlusive dressing I've seen in a long time, Medic. You just made my job a lot easier.' He gets to work, and receives two Boost dice to heal the Crit." That right there is fine, even if they take place a few scenes apart.

I have trouble seeing how most attack rolls can be narrated to carry over a Boost to a later encounter. If Doc Holliday rolls a bunch of advantage when blasting a thug, I might get a Boost when I make my Coercion check on my turn. "You see that?! We got enough blaster juice for all of you, so unless you really want a taste, I suggest you get our of here!" It's going to be tough to explain how that Boost comes up at the dinner party later. "So you see, Senator, Doc shot the hat right off the guy's head. It was totally badass, but I guess you kinda had to be there. Now, how about this railroad deal?"

Triumph and Despair are a little bigger. It's okay to let them carry over for a bit, as long as the results relate to the roll. If the slicer rolls Despair while hacking into the bank's computer, it's fine to smile, take a note, and have a security detail waiting at their cloud car when they get back an hour later. Why? because the Despair triggered a security alert, but for whatever reason, they couldn't immediately locate the terminal being sliced. They did, however, find the getaway vehicle parked in the alley, so here's some trouble to deal with.

Typically; I expect any boost or setback dice to be used within an encounter. They are not a resource that is intended to be banked but used immediately by openings created by others; thus usually one has to have a narrative reason, no matter how small for generating a boost. Once the situation changes, it's gone

The exceptions are boost as a result of preparations, good materials, right tools e.c.t. They can be banked to make a super check (slicing a banking droid being one super difficult check that might warrant the elaborate set-up.), but it has to be fairly clear that the prep done makes the check easier. It's fairly logical.

The option of using a single advantage to pass a boost must go to the very next action by any PC, so i cant imagine that hanging around all that long, at least someone will be making a Cool/Discipline check to recover strain at the end of every encounter.

The other option to spend 2 advantage to pass a Boost to any PC is a little bit more open, but the person who rolled the advantage should be nominating exactly who will receive that Boost when they get that result. The recipient MUST use it on their NEXT check too, be that initiative, strain recovery or a simple charm check to get bast the doorman that just "happens" to stop the particular individual. Its not like there is a bowl in the middle of the table that Players can drop dice into whenever they get advantage and then take from whenever they want, thats the entire purpose of the Destiny pool.

As you can probably tell i'm completely against this idea of carrying boost across multiple encounters. In reality Players should be trying to pick up those dice as often as possible, especially if they are skilled at a task, that way they increase the number of benefits they receive as much as possible.

I also stick quite closely to the notion that passing on some benefit or obstacle to another character should have a narrative explanation, if it does then you have more reason to say it no longer applies. in this way when the last check of an encounter is rolled and 2 Triumph with 3 advantage come up the Player has to get creative in explaining the way those all affect the respective characters.

@greenspectre, so I as just wondering what justifications and reasonings do your players use to do this. As many have pointed out, One Advantage is passing the next person to act in the round one Boost die, and two Advantages, you can pick the player in the round. Also, the book clearly states the everything in the books are a guideline, and the GM has final authority over the game. (Something by he way that none of the WotC book had in them!) So even when players can try to argue, which they should never do with the GM, the GM always has the final authority.