APPLYING TASK
DIFFICULTY
After determining which skill and related character-
istic are required to attempt the task, the GM then
chooses the level of difficulty for the task by consult-
ing Table 1 -3: Difficulty Levels on page 17. The
difficulty level of the task determines the number of
Difficulty dice that the player must add to his pool.
For example, an Average (••) skill check means the
player adds two Difficulty dice to the dice pool.In some cases, the GM may upgrade one or more
of these Difficulty dice—removing them from the dice
pool and replacing them with an equal number of Chal-
lenge dice. Difficulty dice are most often upgraded into
Challenge dice when facing skilled opposition, particu-
larly challenging circumstances, or when Destiny points
are invested to make a check more challenging.
After setting the difficulty level for the task, the GM
adds the corresponding number of Difficulty dice to
the action's dice pool. If there are no other factors in-
fluencing the outcome of the attempt, the basic dice
pool is now complete and can be rolled to determine
success or failure, as well as any potential side effects.EXAMPLE: SETTING DIFFICULTYFollowing the prior examples, the GM reviews
the table of difficulty levels. She decides that
this terminal is outdated and security is gener-
ally lax in this area, so she assigns a difficulty of
Average [4f 4}) to the task. Two Difficulty dice
are added to the players' dice pools when at-
tempting to slice past this terminal's security.MODIFYING A DICE POOL
If there are no other influences or contributing factors
that may impact the outcome of a task, the dice pool
may consist of dice based solely on the acting charac-
ter's skill and characteristic, along with the difficulty
level set by the GM. However, in a setting as diverse
and action-packed as Star Wars, few actions occur in
a vacuum. In fact, if an action is important enough to
assemble and roll a dice pool, there's a good chance
other factors are involved.
These other factors can affect or modify the dice
pool in a number of ways. The most common ways are
by adding dice, upgrading/downgrading dice, and re-
moving dice. These modifications may be triggered by
the players, the GM, or may simply make sense given
the environment and situation. Any number of fac-
tors may warrant modification of the dice pool, such
as obstructing terrain, poor lighting, tactical advan-
tages, time constraints, superior equipment, specialtalents, unlocked career abilities, investment of Des-
tiny points, or critical injuries. The following sections
describe these modifications in more detail.
It is also important to note that when modifying a
dice pool, players perform the modifications in a spe-
cific order. First, players assemble the basic pool. Then
they add additional dice. Then they upgrade dice. Then
they downgrade dice. Finally, they remove dice.ADDING DICEOne way to modify the basic dice pool is to add
dice to reflect environmental conditions or various
advantages and disadvantages. This is done primar-
ily through the use of Boost and Setback dice. As a
general rule, one Boost die • is added to the dice
pool for each bonus that would help the character
succeed, and one Setback die • is added for each
disadvantage or obstacle impeding success.
A single Boost die • is often enough to represent the
benefits provided by useful gear, ample time, superior
position, or the element of surprise. If more than one
of these advantages are applicable, the GM may allow
multiple Boost dice to be added to the dice pool.
Likewise, a single Setback die • is usually enough
to reflect the impact of detrimental or obstructing ef-
fects like poor lighting, inferior supplies, harsh envi-
ronments, or outside distractions. If more than one of
these disadvantages are applicable, the GM may add
multiple Setback dice to the dice pool.
It is important to note that while these dice are es-
sentially mirror opposites in their use, Boost dice and
Setback dice do not cancel each other out. If the situ-
ation warrants the addition of two Boost dice and one
Setback die, all three dice (• • •) are added to the
dice pool.
The use of Boost dice and Setback dice is a com-
mon resource all players can use to help reinforce im-
portant elements of the story. Players are encouraged
to describe their actions in detail, and point out both
advantages and disadvantages that may influence a
particular action.Some equipment may add Boost dice to a pool to
reflect superior craftsmanship, or certain talents may
allow a player to add Boost dice to a pool to reflect
special training that applies to the situation. Maneu-
vers like aiming may also allow a player to add Boost
dice to a pool. Conversely, some effects may specifi-
cally impose Setback dice, such as the defined effects
of a critical injury, or a penalty for using inferior tools
for a delicate task.While the players may suggest the addition of Boost
or Setback dice, the GM is the final arbiter deciding
which and how many dice are added to the pool. The
GM does have access to helpful guidelines when makingPLAYING THE GAME
EDCE OF THE EMPIRE