Is it me, or is the only real choice for this talent Negotiation, as that is the only skill that has a tangible benefit for uncancelled successes, for the others the Triumph would usually be a better choice.

The options listed under the skills in question are not meant to be exhaustive.

" Game Masters and players are encouraged to work together to create alternative ways in which extra & might appropriately and dramatically modify a given situation."

Smooth Talker is handy for any of those skills, especially once you've picked up multiple ranks.

While the additional successes may not have the same degree of benefit as Negotiation, a timely use of Smooth Talker can turn what would have been a failed skill check into a successful one, which is the real strength of the talent, especially if the PC is rolling multiple yellow/proficiency dice, thus increasing the chances of rolling a Triumph.

For instance, a PC that choose Deception for Smooth Talker talent and has 3 ranks in it can turn a normally failed Deception skill check where they were left with 2 failures and a Triumph into a successful skill check, where under normal conditions it'd be a failed check but with some kind of significant boon.

Smooth Talker is handy for any of those skills, especially once you've picked up multiple ranks.

Except that you need to pick one skill and all future purchases of the same talent will only improve that one skill

mely use of Smooth Talker can turn what would have been a failed skill check into a successful one, which is the real strength of the talent, especially if the PC is rolling multiple yellow/proficiency dice, thus increasing the chances of rolling a Triumph.

That part is a given, I am talking about in the assumed situation where you already have at least 1 uncancelled success.

" Game Masters and players are encouraged to work together to create alternative ways in which extra & might appropriately and dramatically modify a given situation."

So how many extra Successes will equate to the Triumph. In most of the social skills, except Negotiation, It make no difference if you have 1 uncancelled success or 100. While the Triumph, especially for Charm where a Triumph will make you a friend for life.

Really I think you have missed the point of Smooth Talker. It's not supposed to be used every single time you roll a Triumph. It's supposed to be for when your facing a ridiculously hard check and without those 3 extra success you would have failed. Triumph is almost always better than success... so long as you actually succeed.

Imagine pulling off the lie of a lifetime and all your buddies saying "Dude! how on earth did you get away with that!!!"

You just convinced Darth Maul to light the candles on your cake and sing happy birthday to you.

You stood up on the back of a pickup and declared "We will not go quietly into the night"

Jaba just peed all over his sled and lifted the 1 million credit bounty on your head.

Smooth Talker is handy for any of those skills, especially once you've picked up multiple ranks.

Except that you need to pick one skill and all future purchases of the same talent will only improve that one skill

Why do you think this?

It says when you purchase the skill you select one talent. Not that you select one skill and all future purchases of the tallent must be the same skill.

Smooth Talker is handy for any of those skills, especially once you've picked up multiple ranks.

Except that you need to pick one skill and all future purchases of the same talent will only improve that one skill

Why do you think this?

It says when you purchase the skill you select one talent. Not that you select one skill and all future purchases of the tallent must be the same skill.

Smooth Talker only impacts a single skill, which you do choose when you pick up the initial rank.

Problem is that JalekZem took my remark of "useful for all those skills" far too literally. My statement was a retort to his complaint that Smooth Talker was only useful for Negotiation checks, and as such picking any of the other available skill choices was a waste, something that is categorically not true. While it is possible that picking Negotiation might get you the most bang for your buck in terms of what the extra successes do, as myself and Richardbuxton illustrated, being able to spend a Triumph to get those extra successes can make Smooth Talker useful no matter what skill was chosen.

@OP: To say the sentiment of other posters a different way: Like many of the talents, Smooth Talker puts the choice on the player on when to use at and when not to. The most obvious choice is when it'll make the difference between a failed check and a successful one. In other times, how badly do you need a Triumph vs how good are those extra successes going to be is the choice. If your GM is literally giving zero benefit to extra successes (aside from negotiation) then I would certainly consider them remiss.

At my table, extra successes have tangible benefits. Basic success on Charm might get someone to like you, but 4 success gets them attached to your hip and following you around. Basic success on Coercion might get someone to give up information after a night of torture, but 3 successes puts the fear of the force in them and they tell you in only an hour. Basic success on Deception gets them to believe you for now, but 5 success means they won't realize you lied to them until next week!

The number of successes determines the degree to which you succeed in anything related to the task at hand. If you want to just scrape by only just pulling things off then fine. Sometimes you'll need to do something well and it's those times you'll want to consider using smooth talker.

Our Smooth Talker has it on Charm and she's doing just fine.

Negotiation is probably the last skill I'd take for this talent. Sure, it gives you some more money when bartering, but that's not really that important in the greater scheme of things. Being able to earn a few hundred extra credits is nice, but being able to talk your way out of some ridiculously dangerous situation is much, much better.

Using the social skills against a Nemesis with good attributes/skills and potentially ranks of Nobody's Fool highlights the attractiveness of Smooth Talker. You can easily be rolling against 5 Challenge dice in those cases.