Tapping aspects / spending chips in defense?

[JohnCook]

Hi.  Recently got the game, our group did creation night, and we made it to game three before a "hows does this work" thing broke out.

Here's the problem: can you spend chips and tap aspects when making your defense roll? The book seems unclear, but leaning to no.

The "no, you can" side points to the bit in spell casting where you work out all the steps you need, then add 4 for the highest defense roll possible.  If you can tap "I'm a wizard detective" for a +2 then the highest roll would be +6.  Most characters would have at least on aspect to tap so the highest posible defense roll would be +6 or +8.

The "yes you can" side says a roll's a roll and can be modified.

Who's right - and have we missed a second in the rules where this is covered?

Thanks for your help

John

PS
Why do I have to enter a capa and answer a question when I post?

[Mr. Death]

You can use a fate point to invoke for any roll, provided there is an aspect that applies to the roll.

Hell, I've heard it said somewhere you can use an invoke to add +2 to anything involving numbers if there's a relevant aspect.

[Ghsdkgb]

PS
Why do I have to enter a capa and answer a question when I post?

Probably because it's your first post. Prevents spambots.

Shouldn't happen a second time.

[Orladdin]

A Fate Point can be spent at any time to provide a +1, aspect or not, to any roll of the dice or any "effort".¹
"Gain a Bonus: A fate point can be spent to add 1 to any roll of the dice or to improve any effort (such as an attack or defense) by 1. In practice, this is the least potent way to use a fate point—you're usually much better off using one of the other applications discussed below." ²
A Fate Point can be spent to invoke or tag any aspect for a +2 to any roll of the dice or to re-roll all of the dice.^{1 & 2}

"Characters may, at any point, spend a fate point to gain a bonus, invoke an aspect, tag an aspect, make a declaration, or fuel a stunt." -- Both SRDs<sup>1 & 2



1</sup> The Spirit of the Century SRD: the father of all FATE games
² The slightly less user-friendly DFRPG "Basics" SRD.

[Radecliffe]

You can use a fate point to invoke for any roll, provided there is an aspect that applies to the roll.

Hell, I've heard it said somewhere you can use an invoke to add +2 to anything involving numbers if there's a relevant aspect.

This is pretty much the way I understand it too.  If you can make the case that the aspect applies and you have a FP to spend then it doesn't matter what the roll is for. 

[Orladdin]

You can use a fate point to invoke for any roll, provided there is an aspect that applies to the roll.

Hell, I've heard it said somewhere you can use an invoke to add +2 to anything involving numbers if there's a relevant aspect.

This is pretty much the way I understand it too.  If you can make the case that the aspect applies and you have a FP to spend then it doesn't matter what the roll is for.

This is generally the accepted practice.  If your player comes up with some cool way to tie in his or her Aspects and is willing to spend FPs, you should generally let him/her.

[JohnCook]

So that bit about "best defense roll" is wrong, and spell casters should add extra steps in case the target spends for his defense roll?

Thanks!

[Mr. Death]

Well, no. The best defense roll is still only +4. That's an addition to the roll.

[Rougarou]

It seems to me that that part of the book was speaking about targeting NPCs... At least primarily. Most NPCs don't have any fate points to spend.