FASA Games, Inc.

Fireball is targeted, so I think Steel thought can be used.

Our group is having some jokes that Fireball is now a precision instrument, as you can target the group you want to affect, if you read the text in a certain way.

Its a pity there isn't a spirit dodge equivilent for spell attacks. I guess restricting spirit dodge to 'encounter' range and introducing a talent knack that allows it to be used at any disatance for additional strain would be a good balancer.

Based on what I have read, thats not how fireball works according to the Area of effect rules. I understand that interpretations can differ on these things but fireball is given as an example of an area effect spell, and it states that AOE spells spread from a 'targeted' hex and use the higest spell defence of everyone in that AOE as the casting difficulty. Anyone who allows fireball as a 'select effected targets' spell is turning it into a breath weapon type spell. It just feels wrong.

Blizzard Sphere isn't worded well either but does say it targets foes. Flame dart says it targets opponants so that seems to be selective too(Justification for its higher circle designation). Fireball just says target group in the AOE. Most of the time you can hex it to only hit the ones you want anyway, but if you select a group and can't hex it so as not to include a PC then for me, it hits them too.

I have long dissliked the wording of many AOE spells as they mix flavour text with system info and end up becoming very ... Unspecific....

It is the most debated area of ED and could do with better clarification. When 3rd edition was coming out, better spell discriptions was our groups biggest desire.

I think that any AOE spell that targets physical armour should hit anything in the AOE unless it states 'foes' or 'opponants' etc. Thats not how I currently run it but I think it would clear up an aweful lot of confusion.

Its a shame that there isn't a list of key terms that help to better understand the spell desctiptions. Either that or a better description of AOE spells. The very term 'Area of effect' suggests that the entire area is effected, along with anything in it.
It just needs polish.

Sorry to drag this up again, but can you use steel thought if suprised?

Not in my game.

Although there is a knack that in effect enhanced steel thought so that it functions like spirit dodge does against physical attacks and allows a steel thought roll even when surprised.

Steel Thought could do with some polish IMO. If it acts as a automatic 'sense whenever my spell defence is targeted' ability then it destroys any possibility of suruptisious spell casting for both players and NPC's. Spells cast over vast distance or via pattern items (like those cast against King Varulus.) would automatically be detected even if the steel thought roll failed. No detail on what was being cast would be known, but the knowledge that you were just targeted by a magical attack is enough.

Steel thought is and should be a defensive talent against spells that target Spell Defense. I just don't like the idea that it automatically alerts a character that they have been targeted, regardless of anything that is rolled.

If steel thought was "always on" and cost no strain, or required a recovery test sacrificing ritual and a successful roll against a characters natural Spell Defence each day to activate (Similar to Temper Self or Fire Heal) so that it then works all day but also then doesn't alert the adept to an assault on his spell defence, then it would so much better. It's the automatic knowledge that a spell has just targeted the adept that I have always disliked, not the talent protective qualities.

This of course brings in another problem with suprise and steel thought. How do you know if you are having a spell cast against you? If you are of that school of magic you would recognise it etc...but what about non spellcasters? How would they not be suprised by a non visual spell?