When a talent or force power sure to add force dice to a check what does that mean?

When a talent or Force power says to add Force dice to a check, then you add Force dice equal to your Force rating to the check. If you have any Force dice committed to ongoing effects, then you treat your Force rating as lowered by that amount.

For example: Frank Kenobi has a Force Rating of 3 (started at 1, and he's got 2 Force Rating talents purchased). He's also got the Draw Closer talent, which allows him to make a Lightsaber (Willpower) check and add Force dice up to his Force rating to the skill pool. Now, Frank also has the Sense Force power, and he's got 1 Force die committed to the "defensive" ongoing effect and 1 Force die committed to the "offensive" ongoing effect. That means he's only got 1 Force die left to add to his Lightsaber (Willpower) check when performing the Draw Closer talent.

37 minutes ago, awayputurwpn said:

When a talent or Force power says to add Force dice to a check, then you add Force dice equal to your Force rating to the check. If you have any Force dice committed to ongoing effects, then you treat your Force rating as lowered by that amount.

For example: Frank Kenobi has a Force Rating of 3 (started at 1, and he's got 2 Force Rating talents purchased). He's also got the Draw Closer talent, which allows him to make a Lightsaber (Willpower) check and add Force dice up to his Force rating to the skill pool. Now, Frank also has the Sense Force power, and he's got 1 Force die committed to the "defensive" ongoing effect and 1 Force die committed to the "offensive" ongoing effect. That means he's only got 1 Force die left to add to his Lightsaber (Willpower) check when performing the Draw Closer talent.

And you add the applicable Force pips as Successes or Advantages as described by the Power (I think there's both types, yea?).

1 hour ago, emsquared said:

And you add the applicable Force pips as Successes or Advantages as described by the Power (I think there's both types, yea?).

Not always. The talent or Force power will prescribe what effects your Force points or pips will garner. Some treat the pips as Force points (complete with the strain/conflict/Destiny Point rule for converting black pips to usable Force Points), and you can use those Force points to fuel certain effects. But others treat the pips as just pips (not Force points), with different effects for white and black.

OK that's what I thought, your rolling for pips, and spending pips for some bonus.

5 hours ago, TheShard said:

OK that's what I thought, your rolling for pips, and spending pips for some bonus.

Yep.

As awayputurwpn noted, each power or talent will cite what you can spend those pips on. Usually the short description will cover it, but if there's any doubt then go with what's in the long description in the Talents section of the relevant book.

do remember for the influence power only lightside pips can be used for positive emotions and darkside pips for negative. IE you can't really use darkside pips to charm...

59 minutes ago, Daeglan said:

do remember for the influence power only lightside pips can be used for positive emotions and darkside pips for negative. IE you can't really use darkside pips to charm...

Using influence to cause confusion, however (perhaps the most common use of this in canon), may utilize either light or darkside pips.

2 hours ago, Edgehawk said:

Using influence to cause confusion, however (perhaps the most common use of this in canon), may utilize either light or darkside pips.

correct.