Why does chain lightning hit allies?

[amills1]

I just used chain lightning for the first time in game and it hit my allies as well as the enemy. AFAIK the spell is only meant to hit enemies, not allies.

[LJ-the-brave]

When in spell description says creature and not distinctly enemies, you might affect your allies as well.

[6Taylor4]

Lightning is a non-discriminatory force, it embraces all participants; careful aim and timing will make it more effective.

[geolas]

the unfinished business mod has a option to let you choose the targets for chain lightning

[DethRaaj]

This ^

Everyone here is correct.

[Cartesian Duelist]

Unfortunately Solasta does not take the word "target" seriously enough so you only get to choose the initial target and not the three follow-up targets as intended.

[DethRaaj]

I remember way back when you could only specify the initial target for Chain Lightning. Just one more spell that WotC has snowflaked. I miss TSR days.

[Aranador]

Bring back the fireball that would expand to fill a specific volume.

[The Shalafi]

It's called splash damage. Suck it up or complain to the cleric.

[Baked.Bread]

Originally posted by Aranador:

Bring back the fireball that would expand to fill a specific volume.

Still easier to emulate on tabletop.

[fulf]

Originally posted by Aranador:

Bring back the fireball that would expand to fill a specific volume.

you can do this to a degree by changing its elevation while casting, thus detonating it midair (using shift+scrollwheel while targeting)
problem with this is that the aoe highlights for avoiding friendly fire become unreliable.

[DethRaaj]

Originally posted by fulf:

the aoe highlights for avoiding friendly fire become unreliable.

If you are using the UB mod you can change the target highlight color. I did that long ago and it makes the friendly fire issue moot. Targets now glow a bright green that's impossible to miss seeing.

Yes, I use spell target elevation changes all the time. Give this a option a try.

[Sgt. Flaw]

Iirc chain lightening clearly depicts what you are going to hit...

It's kinda on you either way

[shogun00blade]

if there is only 2 enemies in area affect it will hit closed target namely probably you.

[DethRaaj]

Originally posted by shogun00blade:

if there is only 2 enemies in area affect it will hit closed target namely probably you.

That is why you need to remember to aim your AoE target location beyond those 2 enemies so your party isn't in the effect radius. And you can also change target location's elevation if you are having a problem keeping only the enemy in the blast. That will lessen the spell's ground level attack radius.