Having to try and keep the power level of pcs balanced wont be a problem, just make sure to have a few well fleshed out npcs that she can call in when needed. Possibly start a few aspects short as your world suggests for just such a situation. Personally i would suggest encouraging her to play a wizard of some kind as they are generally agreed to be near the top of the power scale, and its best to have a more than average power level character for solo games.

Back to the topic of breaking down sponsored magic. i took the time to attempt to break down the ones in the book using the current system.

Seelie: Cost:  4 which can be reduced by -2
*Reducing the effectiveness of a specific type of creature's toughness powers [1]
*Broad types or themes of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds [+1]  upgrade to standard
Access to Rituals for the sponsor's theme [1]
Access to Channeling for sponsor's element [1]

Unseelie:  Cost:  4 which can be reduced -2
*Reducing the effectiveness of a specific type of creature's toughness powers [1]
*Broad types or themes of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds [+1]  upgrade to standard
Access to Rituals for the sponsor's theme [1]
Access to Channeling for sponsor's element [1]

Kemmlerian Necromancy: Cost: 4 -2 for not receiving the standard benefits.
*Bonus of +1 (power or control) and complexity to more than one type of magic (i.e., hellfire applying to any damaging spell) [2]
*Specific types of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds [1]
*The ability to use a specific thaumaturgical school's complexity bonus on evocations that fit the theme [1]
Does not receive the standard benefits -2

Helffire:  Cost: standard 4 which can be reduced -2
*Bonus of +1 (power or control) and complexity to a specific type of thaumaturgy [1]
*Specific types of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds [1]
Access to Rituals for the sponsor's theme [1]
Access to Channeling for sponsor's element [1]

Soulfire:  5 -2 if applicable.
*Reducing the effectiveness of all creature’s toughness powers [2]
*Broad types or themes of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds [+1]  upgrade to standard
*The ability to serve as a common form of catch [1]
* Access to Thaumaturgy [+1] upgrade to standard
*Access to Channeling for sponsor's element [+0]
this is zero because it already gives you all forms of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds so a specific element for channeling is redundant.


Example place of power:   4 -1 if applicable, -2 if applicable.
*Intellectus [2]
*Bonus of +1 (power or control) and complexity to a specific type of thaumaturgy [1]
*Specific types of thaumaturgy at evocation speeds [1]
*If the sponsor can only be accessed occasionally - either because it is a place of power or some other reason the GM agrees with - reduce the cost by one.
Should be noted that it does *not* receive the standard access to rituals or channeling for sponsors theme.

Interestinngly, if the wow player is a "top" raider and an officer he likly has remarkably high discipline, conviction, and endurence as well as several social skills necesary to keep a guild going and play for 10+ hours a day on top of a minemum wage job.

Ren have you considered that by doing this kind of thing your player is telling you that he wants you to take the kiddy gloves of?

The big bad now has 4 more fate points then when the combat started. this should be on topof every fate point the pcs have used against its minions up to this point.

If its okay for the pcs to unload fate points in such a way its equally okay for the bad guys to do so.

If high teen level evocations are the norm, then there is no reason why level 20-30 thaumaturgical prep spells aren't as well. Give the big bads some kind of defensive ritual with 1-2 charges that has a block rating of 25.

If 22 some strength evocations are common for the pcs to use there is no reason that npcs with comparable stats shouldn't be doing the same.

What he did, bad math aside, is completely in the rules. Its just that most players/sts don't want to deal with an "arms race" scenario so tend to agree not to go that direction.

Hopefully something in there will be of help. if you would like advice on how to stat and implement vilains just let me know im pm and ill see what i can do.

Honestly I'm a bit mystified there. Powers are concatenated stunt effects, by and large. So you already have the rules.

I believe its the difference of exactly how much better a supernatural power should be then a stunt that people have trouble with.

Okay cool, wanted to make sure i was dealing with the right numbers. so here is how i would suggest breaking it down to discourage abuse.

So here's the breakdown, as far as I recall;
Shift 6 spell declared, well within the range of his conviction (+4) + focus item(s) to control and cast.
The roll nets him +2 for a total of +8

Power 6 Control 8  one mental stress       All is well and good.

power increased by three. one mild consequence taken. Power 9 Control 8  Two mental stress

Make sure he is aware that this is an increase to power not control.

Accepted one point of sponsor magic to invoke his high concept. Power 9 Control 10  Two mental stress, one mild consequence.

Sticking to a one sponsor debt per spell will help keep the numbers down.

Used four fate points to tag his own aspects or other available ones in the scene. Power 9 Control 18  Two mental stress, one mild consequence, 4 fate points

Honestly if hes got 4 fate points to burn on this spell i don't see it as a problem, finding aspects to use shouldn't be all that hard. I am curious as to how a caster has that many laying around though, i know i never have more then one.

2 Wool-gathering Maneuvers for the additional +4
So the total ended up at 39.

Took the first free tag of off 2 aspects created in this scene. Power 9 Control 22  Two mental stress, one mild consequence, 4 fate points, two tags previously set up by himself or other pcs.

Little blip on my math, he tagged 2 aspects here not 4, fixed it in the above quote.

So what where looking it is a player who has saved up 4 fate points, either had the time to set up two tags or 2 other players are helping in this spell somehow, and taken a mild consequence.for a power 9 controll 22 attack

Assuming hes fighting a big bad level boss, we'll reduce hit by 8 [its assumed defense roll] bringing us to a power 9 control 14 attack. You mentioned that this attack bypassed the big bads toughness powers so hes only got a 4 box stress track. bringing it down to a four stress hit and 19 more stress to handle. an extreme +8, severe +6, moderate +4,  minor +2. brings it down to a 3 stress hit.

If its toughness had counted it wouldn't have taken several of those consequences, [as many as half]

Consequence of this attack are that the player is presumably out of fate points, and out a minor consequence slot. A very easy way to avoid this player one - three shotting your bosses is to give them goons, or even have a five bad band instead of just one major villain.

I like Thaumaturgy and Sponsored Magic they add flavour and options.

Certainly that doesn't change the fact that they very rapidly break the system.

this is a difficult situation to handle. From what little you've given us it sounds like you have a player whose looking for a different style of game then the others. Can you give us a bit more detail,  perhaps describe the moral dilemma you gave him and what his reaction was to it?