I've been noodling (in a few unrelated threads,
here and
here) about the potential value of allowing players to emulate Thaumaturgy and Evocation when they roll their mundane skills.
DFRPG already allows a character to make up the shifts of an unsuccessful roll by shifting along the Time Chart (each step up adds a shift). For example, picking a specific lock would normally have taken a few seconds, but the player rolled badly, so this time it takes a few minutes instead (during which interruptions can happen, plot advances, villains run away, that sort of thing). You give up time and potential agency, the plot rolls on without you - maybe not a lot, but enough. Sort of like "taking 20" in D&D 3.x. Spellcasters, too, can skip scenes during a prohibitively exhausting Thaumaturgy ritual, giving up narrative contributions in exchange for more sure success on their ritual.
However, spellcasters occasionally trigger Backlash when trying to control their magic, and they have the option to shore up the spell by taking Stress and/or Consequences. Some casters have even built in an automatic "sacrifice" requirement into the Control rolls of their Rote spells, meaning that whenever that spell gets cast, they automatically take an x-point consequence to help power the spell.
What about mundane skills? What if people were able to shore up a bad roll, not only by tagging an Aspect, but by taking a straight Consequence?
Example 1:
A hero is pinned down by a hail of enemy gunfire (enemis made a Block versus Attack, using their Guns skills). Hero wants to shoot the escaping villain, and makes a Guns check. It is two points shy of breaking the Block, and for sake of argument, he has no Fate Points.
How game-breaking would it be if he was allowed to take a 2-point Consequence (Shot in the Arm) narrated as "he braves the gunfire to line up his shot," in order to add 2 shifts to his Guns roll, effectively breaking the Block and allowing a successful Guns hit on the villain?
Example 2:
A spy is dropping down an air vent to sneak up on his enemies. He makes the Athletics check, but misses the Stealth check by 4 shifts. The player, not wanting to be discovered at this time, opts to take a 4-point Consequence "Torn Ankle" to reflect that the spy absorbs and rolls with the fall, but makes no noise other than a quiet snap. He limps painfully but quietly along to the next checkpoint, for the moment, undetected.
Edit: Negative AspectsI completely omitted the bit about using Negative Aspects to balance out positive Aspects, such as:
A) taking a phantom Consequence on an item you acquired with a barely-failed Resources roll, or
B) the thugs you hired with your pitiful Contacts check DO manage to show up, but they have the Aspect "Squirrelly," "Good Help is Hard to Find," or "Completely Uncommitted to This Client."
This tactic came up in the Summoning thread awhile back: the concept being that you could shortcut your summoning spell by intentionally accepting lower-quality Nevernever creatures with hidden agendas, lowered competence, or simple lack of commitment.