Hi!

I'm learning about the Force rules from the book so that I may start gamemastering soon.

I've come upon a passage that has me a little confused:

"...a Force power is always successfully activated, even if the check does not generate any Force points to spend on the power."

Mechanically, what does this mean if it's a power that requires points to use? Like for example, Battle Meditation is about spending force points to add to others' checks.

If the force user attempting the power didn't get any points from his check the power activates, but doesn't give the bonus?

Basically yes. You meditated, but the Force didn't come to your aid, so... if the power requires force points to make it have an effect, nothing happens.

Think of using a Force power like turning on the lights. Flipping the switch enables the power to flow to the lamp, but if there's no power in the house, the light doesn't come on.

I have the same answer for you, but a slightly different way of thinking about it.

Yes, any time you roll Force dice to use a Force power, you automatically succeeded at your attempt (unless the power requires a skill check as well and you fail that; then you actually have failed). The reason is because no matter what, you generate Force points. You just might not be able to use those Force points, or may not want to.

For example, you roll your Force Rating of 2 and get a result of 1 black pip and 2 black pips. Hurray, you called on the Force! And it gave you three whole Force points, too! Except...you're a Light Side Force user, and only the Dark Side came to help you. You can use those points if you want, but it'll cost you a Destiny Point and up to 3 strain (depending on how many of them you use), and you'll get some conflict for your troubles, too. If that cost is worth it to you for what you're trying to do, say, saving your friend from falling down a 100-meter chasm, then pay the cost and use the points. If that cost is too much, don't pay it, but then you can't spend the points at all. It doesn't change the fact that you called, and the Force answered. You just didn't like the answer !

Also, narratively, don't think of this as nothing happened. If you were trying to Move something, but you don't spend any points, it shakes and rattles, maybe scoots a little ways in the direction you wanted it to go, but you just couldn't get it to do what you wanted. Were you trying to see the future? You get hazy visions and vague impressions, but nothing that your mind can really latch onto to interpret. The Force still showed you what was coming, you just weren't listening hard enough!

You have 1 strength upgrade and the hurl control upgrade.

say you want to toss a starfighter at someone but only generate 2 light side and one dark. So instead you throw a crate with those 2 points instead.

The powers always activate ie they always work. What happens is entirely up to the dice roll though. But each time you use the Force you always tap into it.

Also, narratively, don't think of this as nothing happened.

I think this is crux of the issue, the point of the passage cited by the OP, and probably the best bit of advice to give people running force-users.

You used an action to call on the Force, so you call on the Force. There was some idiotic notion on these boards that on a roll that didn't generate enough pips to trigger the declared force power meant that the PC stood there with his thumb up his exhaust port, doing nothing. SMH. Failure is part of life and part of games. Failure is okay. Deal with it.

You have 1 strength upgrade and the hurl control upgrade.

say you want to toss a starfighter at someone but only generate 2 light side and one dark. So instead you throw a crate with those 2 points instead.

Again, raises an excellent point. We've found the game (specifically the 'narrative dice') actually works better when you keep the action declarations relatively vague, e.g. nothing beyond 'I use Move to attack the Droid' or 'I activate Misdirect', then let dice results + interpretation dictate specifically what happens.

Awesome, guys. It's clear now! Thank you!