Here is my process for magic in my games. Spells take one to three actions. The less actions used the more risk and less power of the spell.
Focus, minor action. As in the core book, this action is used to prepare for spell casting, it is optional but if a spell isn’t focused the difficulty to cast is raised one level.
Channel Magic, standard action (I may call this evocation or just ‘spell casting’) The player makes a D1 sorcery test, additional successes create momentum that may only be spent on the players spell. The six momentum limit still applies. The spell does not take effect on this action. Channeling is also optional.
Release spell, standard action. The player makes a sorcery test, difficulty based on the spell attempted. The spell takes effect on this action with any bonus momentum from channeling applied.
I feel this works thematically, the sorcerer slowly builds up the power of the spell. It also has an action economy element.
For most spells I love this as an idea. Especially taking a minor action to focus as spells can be incredibly over powering sometimes. That being said I don’t know that I agree with increasing the difficulty for all spells. I say that for the simple fact that there are some spells that are meant to be used in combat and weakening those spells or making it harder for them to be used can decrease their usefulness as well as downplay the sacrifices that a sorcerer already has to make to simply be able to use them.
Minor action is RAW. Minor action or increased chance of complications.
Spells being D1 and building based on momentum is also RAW unless casting for consequences. There is the occasional spell in the book that has been built with the effects, but there is no reason to try and cast the higher difficulty when you could build it from effects.
Spells taking a second standard action is sorta RAW, as it was explained last week, there is nothing wrong with this, especially powerful spells. However in doing so some spells are rendered incredibly weak. Ie a Sorcerer’s main attack spell Dismember now requires 2 standard actions to make an attack that is not more devastating than a battleaxe, and you could make a great argument that the momentum needed to cast that spell in a single round could be used to make 2 attacks with the battleaxe.
The biggest complaint we saw on the forums based on the second standard action is those spells suddenly become exceptionally weak compared to weapons of steel.
My goal was to keep it 95% RAW, just to clarify what happens when and give the players more risk / reward options. If the if the player takes the time to fully cast a spell, using two actions it will be suitably powered. Or if she is pressed/desperate she can try casting in one action while moving (using her minor) and her spell will be weak…if it works at all.