Just a question to clear something up

[JediDresden]

Here is the set up:
When a wizard casts an evocation attack he decides how much damage he wants the spell 'weapon to be, right?  So say he decides to put 7 shifts of power into it - making it an effective weapon:7 attack.  He can control that much due to ability and bonuses to specialization and focus items, so he only takes the one stress.  He then needs to make a discipline check to control and target with.  Let's say he has a +4 on his discipline and rolls +3 on the Fate dice, for a total of +7.  The target rolls not so good and only come up with a +3 total to defend against it.   
Here is the question:
If I understand the mechanics then the target takes the 7 stress from the weapon/spell and the 4 stress for the difference between attack and defense roll, for a total of 11 shifts of stress/damage the target would take.  Is that right?  I ask this because there was some debate about it in our last game, and I think I am right, that is the way I have always read the rules.  So let me know if I am really off base please.

[devonapple]

That is correct.

Compare result of Discipline roll to the result of the defense roll (whatever it is).
If Discipline roll is less than defense roll, no stress inflicted.
If Discipline roll is equal to defense roll, only spell damage is inflicted as stress (7 in your case).
If Discipline roll is greater than defense roll, then that difference + spell damage is inflicted as stress (7 + 4 = 11 in your case).

[Katarn]

Ok, here's a side question (I should probably know the answer to):

If in those 7 shifts, he had spent 2 to make it into a Weapon: 5 zone effect, would everyone in that zone take 5+x stress theoretically (based on their individual defense rolls), or would it be split among those in said zone?  Pretty sure it's the former, want to be sure.

[devonapple]

If in those 7 shifts, he had spent 2 to make it into a Weapon: 5 zone effect, would everyone in that zone take 5+x stress theoretically (based on their individual defense rolls), or would it be split among those in said zone?  Pretty sure it's the former, want to be sure.

Normally, everyone in that zone rolls their own defense roll, then each result is compared to the result of the caster's Discipline check to determine damage, as above. You have it right.

Your second option sounds like a Spray Attack. Certain non-magic attacks, such as machine guns, allow the character to make Spray attacks: the attacker rolls their attack skill, and then splits the resulting shifts among the targets to determine success: then those targets roll defense, and if the attack is successful, take Weapon+excess shifts in Stress damage. This technique is the way to selectively attack people in a Zone, if you don't want to inadvertently damage your allies.

Making a Spray attack with a spell works a little differently: not only do you split the results of your Discipline check between all of the intended targets - you also split the shifts of damage among the targets. I believe your total Discipline check still determines the success of the spellcasting.

Note: all of these examples assume the caster's Discipline check was high enough to allow them to successfully cast that 7-shift spell in the first place.

[computerking]

Ok, here's a side question (I should probably know the answer to):

If in those 7 shifts, he had spent 2 to make it into a Weapon: 5 zone effect, would everyone in that zone take 5+x stress theoretically (based on their individual defense rolls), or would it be split among those in said zone?  Pretty sure it's the former, want to be sure.

It's the former. If the 2 shifts had not been spent to make it zone-wide, the weapon rating and Discipline Roll total would each have to separately be divided among however many targets you want to hit.

_{Edit: Devonapple beat me to it.}

[JediDresden]

OK, that's what I thought and then I started questioning my thinking when confronted with it in our game.  Thanks guys.

[Becq]

Here is the set up:
When a wizard casts an evocation attack he decides how much damage he wants the spell 'weapon to be, right?  So say he decides to put 7 shifts of power into it - making it an effective weapon:7 attack.  He can control that much due to ability and bonuses to specialization and focus items, so he only takes the one stress.  He then needs to make a discipline check to control and target with.  Let's say he has a +4 on his discipline and rolls +3 on the Fate dice, for a total of +7.  The target rolls not so good and only come up with a +3 total to defend against it.   

I agree with devonapple's answer.  Just to throw in a different twist, however, lets say that the spellflinger rolled only +0 on the dice, which means he had a net of +4 against the target's +3.  In this case, he still hits the target with one shift to spare, but he has failed to control the spell to the tune of three shifts (he needed to control 7 shifts of power, but only managed 4).

So now he has a choice.  He can either accept it as backlash, in which case he (the wizard) takes a 3 stress hit (physical or mental, player's choice), and the spell is considered fully controlled and resolved.  In this case, the target would get hit by the 'full' 8 shifts of damage (7 from the weapon rating of the spell, and 1 from the net shifts on the attack roll).  The other option is to go with fallout.  In this case, the weapon rating of the spell is reduced to the amount actually controlled (weapon 4) and the target gets hit with the resulting 5 shifts (the reduced weapon rating plus the net shifts on the attack roll).  The wizard doesn't take any additional stress (maybe), but the GM gets to choose what form the 3 shifts of fallout take.  If this was Dresden and the spell was a Fuego! spell, then the building would be on fire.

Not the question you asked, but it is a likely result for a discipline 4 wizard casting a power 7 spell, so I thought it worth mentioning...   

[JediDresden]

Thanks, good to remember.

[CottbusFiles]

Can i make a weapon 0 attack doing only Discipline Shifts of damage?

[UmbraLux]

You'll need to assign at least one point of power to the effect - damage in this case.

[computerking]

You'll need to assign at least one point of power to the effect - damage in this case.

Or you can do a special effect attack, with at least 1 shift dedicated to the effect, so only Discipline successes do stress.

[Tedronai]

Is there a reason why you would WANT to inflict less stress?
edit: apart from silly houserules that mandate certain effects for high-stress attacks

[sinker]

Personally I could see the use in a sort-of "I can only control 8 shifts and I want to hit four zones" situation. It's an interesting question. I figure as long as there actually are shifts in the spell (I.E. shifts devoted to something other than damage) then that could work.

[devonapple]

Maneuvers are basically 0-shift attacks, from a certain point of view.

[sinker]

...They are both contests, but from a mechanical standpoint they do have significant differences, especially in evocation.