5E - AoE Spells Auto-Targeting & Upcast (FREE BETA)

[Henix]

AoE Spells Auto-Targeting & Upcast (BETA)

Stop manually dragging templates, bring smart, persistent AoE automation to your games!

Hello everyone! I am incredibly excited to announce that the AoE Spells Auto-Targeting & Upcast extension is officially published on the Forge and available right now!

No more manual target swapping for Fireball or other area-of-effect spells. This extension works natively under the hood to handle the math and targeting so you can keep your combat fast, tactical, and clean.

✨ Features & Highlights

Precise Template Auto-Targeting: Automatically calculates and selects tokens within spell templates instantly upon placement. No more dragging targets manually for Fireball!
Smart Upcasting: Handles spell upcasting mechanics perfectly, ensuring the correct damage and scale are applied dynamically for most spells.
Persistent Spell Management: Tracks ongoing, turn-by-turn spell effects seamlessly without cluttering your Combat Tracker.


⚠️ The Beta Rollout Plan
I am launching this as a FREE BETA for the next 1 to 2 months. I want to ensure it is completely polished and bug-free!

Phase 1 (Free Beta - LIVE NOW): Download it for free, test it out in your campaigns, and let me know your feedback!
Phase 2 (Final Release): After the beta period, the free listing will be retired and replaced with the final, paid version (planned for 1000 to 1500 golds).



>>> Download on the Forge <<< (https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/3024/view)
▶️ Watch the Showcase Video on YouTube (https://youtu.be/UxHjJgXg-E0)
▶️ Watch the UPDATE Showcase Video on YouTube (https://youtu.be/e858GJUOcIs)


Support & Feedback
Please drop your feedback, bug reports, and feature suggestions directly in this thread! Your input is incredibly valuable during this beta phase.

[Skexis Chamberlain]

Will this expension work with 2014 or just with 2024?

[Henix]

It's designed to work for both D&D 5e (2014) and 5.5e (2024) Rulesets.

[nephranka]

Will you have an option to consume pact slots before spell slots?

[Ludd_G]

Hi Henix,

Just watched your video for this extension (will give it a try out in game tomorrow) and I just wanted to say how impressed I am with what you've achieved. Excellent work!

Looking forward to seeing it in use at my table.

Cheers,

Simon

[Dax Doomslayer]

Very cool extension. I did notice that with Chromatic Orb, if you roll the same number on two or more dice, the orb bounces to another opponent within 30' where you'd roll to hit again and damage. If the spell is upcast with a level 2+ slot, if that damage rolls the same number on two or more dice, it can bounce again. I'm assuming that this would need to be handled manually?

[Henix]

Will you have an option to consume pact slots before spell slots?

Thank you for the excellent feedback! You are completely right, I hadn't fully accounted for the multiclassing dynamics with Pact Magic yet.

To solve this, I just thought (right now xD) of implementing an option for multiclass characters, likely a checkbox or a toggle button in the interface that lets you switch the active "Pool" (Regular vs. Pact). This way, you can easily choose exactly which type of spell slot you want to consume before triggering the cast. What do you think?



Hi Henix,

Just watched your video for this extension (will give it a try out in game tomorrow) and I just wanted to say how impressed I am with what you've achieved. Excellent work!

Looking forward to seeing it in use at my table.

Cheers,

Simon

Thank you so much for the kind words! I am incredibly happy to hear that you liked the showcase video and the extension.

Please let me know how it goes at your table! I’d love to hear your feedback after your group tries it out in a live game. :)



Very cool extension. I did notice that with Chromatic Orb, if you roll the same number on two or more dice, the orb bounces to another opponent within 30' where you'd roll to hit again and damage. If the spell is upcast with a level 2+ slot, if that damage rolls the same number on two or more dice, it can bounce again. I'm assuming that this would need to be handled manually?

Thank you so much, I'm really happy to hear that! And yes, your assumption is exactly correct.

Because of the unique rolling conditions required for the Chromatic Orb bounce mechanic, there is no built-in automation for it. The best workflow right now is to simply leave the automation popup open, check your damage roll to see if you got matching numbers, and then manually roll the attack and damage again for the new target within 30 feet if it bounces.

[nephranka]

Thank you for the excellent feedback! You are completely right, I hadn't fully accounted for the multiclassing dynamics with Pact Magic yet.

To solve this, I just thought (right now xD) of implementing an option for multiclass characters, likely a checkbox or a toggle button in the interface that lets you switch the active "Pool" (Regular vs. Pact). This way, you can easily choose exactly which type of spell slot you want to consume before triggering the cast. What do you think?




Thank you so much for the kind words! I am incredibly happy to hear that you liked the showcase video and the extension.

Please let me know how it goes at your table! I’d love to hear your feedback after your group tries it out in a live game. :)




Thank you so much, I'm really happy to hear that! And yes, your assumption is exactly correct.

Because of the unique rolling conditions required for the Chromatic Orb bounce mechanic, there is no built-in automation for it. The best workflow right now is to simply leave the automation popup open, check your damage roll to see if you got matching numbers, and then manually roll the attack and damage again for the new target within 30 feet if it bounces.

Sounds like a good solution.

[Lo Zeno]

I think this extension has... deep issues: whenever I add this extension to a new or existing campaign, Fantasy Grounds becomes unable to load the campaign: it stays on the screen with the rolling d20 forever.

EDIT: just to be precise, I tried literally loading ONLY this extension, a campaign with no extension, a campaign with several other extensions but not this, and a campaign with several other extensions AND this extension. It spins forever only when I select this extension, by itself or with others.

[Ludd_G]

I think this extension has... deep issues: whenever I add this extension to a new or existing campaign, Fantasy Grounds becomes unable to load the campaign: it stays on the screen with the rolling d20 forever.

EDIT: just to be precise, I tried literally loading ONLY this extension, a campaign with no extension, a campaign with several other extensions but not this, and a campaign with several other extensions AND this extension. It spins forever only when I select this extension, by itself or with others.

Hi,

whilst my session does eventually boot into game, I do experience a much extended load time with this extension active. I'm on Windows 10 if that's useful info for debbuging.

Cheers,

Simon

[Ludd_G]

Hi,

a little feature request: I would love it if all spells, including cantrips, used the same pop out. I know you can't actually up-cast cantrips but I'd rather have the consistency that 'all' spells use the same interface, even if a lot of the functionality is greyed out and not usable, if that makes sense?

Cheers,

Simon

[Henix]

Thank you both for the feedback, and I am very sorry to hear that the extension is causing long load times and freezes on the startup screen! I will look into this issue to figure out what is causing that.

[Ludd_G]

Hi,

a little feature request: I would love it all spells, including cantrips, used the same pop out. I know you can't actually up-cast cantrips but I'd rather have the consistency that 'all' spells use the same interface, even if a lot of the functionality is greyed out and not usable, if that makes sense?

Cheers,

Simon

also... is there any chance in the future to use spell graphics that fill the targeting circle/line etc. I presently use Bratch9's Spell Tokens extension ( https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/149/view ) and to combine that functionality with your extension would be amazing.

Cheers, and thanks for all your hard work,

Simon

[Henix]

Hi,

a little feature request: I would love it if all spells, including cantrips, used the same pop out. I know you can't actually up-cast cantrips but I'd rather have the consistency that 'all' spells use the same interface, even if a lot of the functionality is greyed out and not usable, if that makes sense?

Cheers,

Simon

Yes, that makes sense for the sake of consistency! I will look into that and let you know.

Aside from that, how did the rest of the automation feel? Was your table comfortable using it, or did you have any other observations during play?


also... is there any chance in the future to use spell graphics that fill the targeting circle/line etc. I presently use Bratch9's Spell Tokens extension ( https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/149/view ) and to combine that functionality with your extension would be amazing.

Cheers, and thanks for all your hard work,

Simon

Thank you, Simon! I will look into this as well to see if it's feasible down the road.

But for now, my main focus is completely on finalizing the core extension and squashing any bugs or problems during the beta phase, but compatibility with great extensions like Spell Tokens is definitely something I can explore in the future!

[Skexis Chamberlain]

It's designed to work for both D&D 5e (2014) and 5.5e (2024) Rulesets.

Nice. I will test it on the next session :D

[nephranka]

also... is there any chance in the future to use spell graphics that fill the targeting circle/line etc. I presently use Bratch9's Spell Tokens extension ( https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/149/view ) and to combine that functionality with your extension would be amazing.

Cheers, and thanks for all your hard work,

Simon

I would second that request.

[Lo Zeno]

Thank you both for the feedback, and I am very sorry to hear that the extension is causing long load times and freezes on the startup screen! I will look into this issue to figure out what is causing that.

Unlike Ludd_G, I am on Windows 11 (should that make any difference, but I doubt it).
After reading that he eventually manages to boot into the session, I tried waiting for longer than I did in my previous tests and it does indeed seem the case that it's not actually frozen but just very, very slow at starting. I had to wait almost 10 minutes before an empty campaign booted, but eventually it did.

[nephranka]

Unlike Ludd_G, I am on Windows 11 (should that make any difference, but I doubt it).
After reading that he eventually manages to boot into the session, I tried waiting for longer than I did in my previous tests and it does indeed seem the case that it's not actually frozen but just very, very slow at starting. I had to wait almost 10 minutes before an empty campaign booted, but eventually it did.

On Linux Fedora here and I too am experiencing very long load times.

[nephranka]

In addition to using "alt" to cast for free, maybe have an option for ritual casting. It is free as well but increases the casting time by 10mins.

[Lo Zeno]

In addition to using "alt" to cast for free, maybe have an option for ritual casting. It is free as well but increases the casting time by 10mins.

That's one of those things I don't think needs "automating": it doesn't happen in combat, so you just need the DM to tell you "after 10 minutes of ritual, you cast the spell. Click alt and the spell you need". Done, wham bam thank you ma'am.

[nephranka]

That's one of those things I don't think needs "automating": it doesn't happen in combat, so you just need the DM to tell you "after 10 minutes of ritual, you cast the spell. Click alt and the spell you need". Done, wham bam thank you ma'am.

I was thinking more of just a note like the free casting

[Henix]

In addition to using "alt" to cast for free, maybe have an option for ritual casting. It is free as well but increases the casting time by 10mins.

I was actually just about to reply and ask what exactly you meant by ritual automation. If it is just a visual note (like the FREE tag) or a simple reminder string, I could technically add a small checkbox like "R" for Ritual in the popup window.

However, I do need to evaluate this carefully. As LoZeno mentioned, since rituals don't typically happen under the pressure of active combat, I want to make sure I don't clutter the popup interface with extra buttons for no major mechanical reason.

I'll write this down and keep it in mind as I refine the UI! Thanks for the discussion, everyone.

[bwatford]

One thing I noticed with AoE targeting.

The 50% Rule: According to the official 5e Dungeon Master's Guide, if an AoE (like a Fireball or Spirit Guardians) covers at least half of a creatures square, the creature inside it is hit.

The targeting for this extension is triggering if it touches any of the square/token from what I can see.

[Lo Zeno]

I'm really loving this extension so far, but the time it takes to launch a campaign when it's enabled is really way too long.
Is there a chance that whatever initialization you do for the extension can be split, maybe having the bare minimum done at load time and the remaining parts during the game? e.g. the first time a character sheet is opened, or the first time an Actions tab is selected, or the first time a spell is used, something like that?

[bwatford]

From looking at it in the vault, this one is loading a literal ton of graphics files that is causing the slow initialize.

[Henix]

Thank you all for the feedback and observations, here are some updates on those points:


One thing I noticed with AoE targeting.

The 50% Rule: According to the official 5e Dungeon Master's Guide, if an AoE (like a Fireball or Spirit Guardians) covers at least half of a creatures square, the creature inside it is hit.

The targeting for this extension is triggering if it touches any of the square/token from what I can see.

Regarding the 50% Rule for AoE Targeting:
From my understanding of the grid rules, the 50% coverage applies to the individual grid squares themselves rather than the total size of the creature's token.
The 50% coverage rule applies to an individual grid square, not the creature's entire token area. If a spell’s AoE covers at least half of a 5x5 grid square, that specific square is considered fully within the effect.

Right now, the most reliable technical method the extension uses to determine this is checking if the AoE template covers the exact center of a grid square (which represents that 50% threshold). If it touches the center point of any square that a creature occupies, it counts as a hit.


I'm really loving this extension so far, but the time it takes to launch a campaign when it's enabled is really way too long.
Is there a chance that whatever initialization you do for the extension can be split, maybe having the bare minimum done at load time and the remaining parts during the game? e.g. the first time a character sheet is opened, or the first time an Actions tab is selected, or the first time a spell is used, something like that?


From looking at it in the vault, this one is loading a literal ton of graphics files that is causing the slow initialize.

Regarding the Campaign Load Times & Graphics:
It is completely true that the extension loads a literal ton of graphics files, which is exactly what is causing that heavy initialization lag.

I am still brainstorming the best architectural way to completely optimize this initialization process so it doesn't slow down the initial boot sequence. However, I have just pushed an optimization update to the Forge that should drastically improve things for now, it should reduce the current loading time by about 2/3.

Please grab the latest update and let me know if the campaign startup feels significantly faster on your end!

[nephranka]

Thank you for the excellent feedback! You are completely right, I hadn't fully accounted for the multiclassing dynamics with Pact Magic yet.

To solve this, I just thought (right now xD) of implementing an option for multiclass characters, likely a checkbox or a toggle button in the interface that lets you switch the active "Pool" (Regular vs. Pact). This way, you can easily choose exactly which type of spell slot you want to consume before triggering the cast. What do you think?




Thank you so much for the kind words! I am incredibly happy to hear that you liked the showcase video and the extension.

Please let me know how it goes at your table! I’d love to hear your feedback after your group tries it out in a live game. :)




Thank you so much, I'm really happy to hear that! And yes, your assumption is exactly correct.

Because of the unique rolling conditions required for the Chromatic Orb bounce mechanic, there is no built-in automation for it. The best workflow right now is to simply leave the automation popup open, check your damage roll to see if you got matching numbers, and then manually roll the attack and damage again for the new target within 30 feet if it bounces.


I see the note about pact slots but I don't see a way to indicate which to use? Is the intent to just have a note or is there a setting somewhere?

Also, loads are much better now.

[Henix]

I see the note about pact slots but I don't see a way to indicate which to use? Is the intent to just have a note or is there a setting somewhere?

Also, loads are much better now.

Glad to hear that the load times are feeling much better on your end! Thank you for the update on that.

Regarding the Pact Magic slot selection, that feature is actually not present in the current build yet (that is a bug that occur when a PC have both Pact slot and normal one). I am still actively working on it and other features.

[nephranka]

Glad to hear that the load times are feeling much better on your end! Thank you for the update on that.

Regarding the Pact Magic slot selection, that feature is actually not present in the current build yet (that is a bug that occur when a PC have both Pact slot and normal one). I am still actively working on it and other features.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Lo Zeno]

Can confirm, load times are an order of magnitude shorter now
I'm testing it with one of my players together with the new Sorcerer automation, everything looks great so far

[bwatford]

Can we make things a bit more consistent across all spells? if the spell doesn't produce a popup then players still have to do it the old way and check off a spell slot manually, with the popups it does it for them. They are a bit confused when to do what.

Perhaps if all spells triggered the popup to activate and confirm then they are always doing it that way?

Or perhaps make the "Use Power" icon different for those that trigger the popup so they know when to use the "Use Power" button and when to do it manually?

Just trying to offer some consistency for casting spells this way.

[Henix]

Can confirm, load times are an order of magnitude shorter now
I'm testing it with one of my players together with the new Sorcerer automation, everything looks great so far

The loading time was my absolute primary concern, so knowing it is significantly shorter now is a huge relief. I am still going to keep looking under the hood to see if I can reduce it even further, but I'm glad it's at a great playing state for you and your player alongside the Sorcerer automation! Thank you for testing it.


Can we make things a bit more consistent across all spells? if the spell doesn't produce a popup then players still have to do it the old way and check off a spell slot manually, with the popups it does it for them. They are a bit confused when to do what.

Perhaps if all spells triggered the popup to activate and confirm then they are always doing it that way?

Or perhaps make the "Use Power" icon different for those that trigger the popup so they know when to use the "Use Power" button and when to do it manually?

Just trying to offer some consistency for casting spells this way.

Regarding consistency across spells: right now, only cantrips do not trigger the popup interface. As mentioned earlier, I am already planning to add cantrips to the popup system too, which will give players that exact 100% routine consistency across everything they cast.

Because of how the extension is built, if your players are encountering a leveled spell (Level 1+) that does not open the popup when they click "Use Power", it means one of two things:

The spell is not properly prepared/active in the spell list, meaning the "Use Power" button shouldn't normally be appearing or clicked.
It is a bug.

If it turns out to be the second case, please let me know which specific spells or actions are failing to trigger the window so I can jump on it and see what's causing the issue.

[Lo Zeno]

The lack of popup for cantrips is basically the main feedback I got from my players during the tests I did, so I'm happy to read that it's in the plan already.
Other than that, one player noted that it would be convenient to have the Area of Effect token disappear on turn change for the spells that are instantaneous (e.g. Fireball); but, I'd rather leave that as a "nice to have" in the future, as deleting tokens is no big deal, plus there are situations where the DM would actually like to keep it around.

[Henix]

The lack of popup for cantrips is basically the main feedback I got from my players during the tests I did, so I'm happy to read that it's in the plan already.
Other than that, one player noted that it would be convenient to have the Area of Effect token disappear on turn change for the spells that are instantaneous (e.g. Fireball); but, I'd rather leave that as a "nice to have" in the future, as deleting tokens is no big deal, plus there are situations where the DM would actually like to keep it around.

Glad to hear the cantrip alignment will solve that main point of feedback for your players!

Regarding the instantaneous AoE templates (like Fireball): right now, they are actually designed to disappear automatically the moment the spell is cast and damage is rolled. If the templates are staying on your map after the spell resolves (and its not a permanent spell), that might actually be a bug!

Just so I can make sure I understand the suggestion correctly, are you proposing to intentionally leave instantaneous templates on the map until the end of the turn? I'm just curious to know if there are specific or useful use cases you have in mind for that? I'd love to hear them so I can evaluate the idea properly.

[metaldm007]

Any chance you might implement the ability to use custom spell tokens for the targeting areas like b9's old Spell Tokens extension (https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/149/view)? IIRC there was another extension that did the same thing but actually let you use the token for targeting purposes.

[GKEnialb]

Ran a session with this yesterday - it was a big hit. Good job on this!

[GKEnialb]

Is there any possibility custom effects could be handled? For instance, Aid as written doesn't really match the spell, as it adds temp hp instead of max hp. So I use Life Ledger to have the effect be "Aid; MAXHP: 5". This extension will do that okay, but the upcasting doesn't do anything different (so raises the max hp by 5 no matter what level of upcasting you do).

[Henix]

Any chance you might implement the ability to use custom spell tokens for the targeting areas like b9's old Spell Tokens extension (https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/149/view)? IIRC there was another extension that did the same thing but actually let you use the token for targeting purposes.

As mentioned just a little bit earlier in the thread, I agree that supporting custom spell tokens would be a really cool implementation! However, for the time being, my absolute main focus is entirely on ensuring the core functionality of this extension is stable and working perfectly. I will definitely look into compatibility options once the foundation is rock-solid!


Ran a session with this yesterday - it was a big hit. Good job on this!


Is there any possibility custom effects could be handled? For instance, Aid as written doesn't really match the spell, as it adds temp hp instead of max hp. So I use Life Ledger to have the effect be "Aid; MAXHP: 5". This extension will do that okay, but the upcasting doesn't do anything different (so raises the max hp by 5 no matter what level of upcasting you do).

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words, and I'm thrilled to hear the extension was a big hit during your live session!

Regarding the management of custom effects and spells that aren't currently fully automated or scalable with upcasting under the hood, I am already working on a major update addressing exactly this.

If everything goes smoothly with testing, that update should be ready to roll out in about a week or so. Stay tuned!

[GKEnialb]

Great to hear! Looking forward to trying that out.

[Lo Zeno]

In the last game we found an edge case that the extension doesn't manage properly:

when a cantrip has multiple choice of damage, for example Toll the Dead, it only applies the increased damage due to level according to the FIRST type of damage; moreover, the parsing is incorrectly applying the total number of dice as the "extra dice".

Explanation follows:
this is the text of the spell:

You point at one creature you can see within range, and the single chime of a dolorous bell is audible within 10 feet of the target. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d8 Necrotic damage. If the target is missing any of its Hit Points, it instead takes 1d12 Necrotic damage.

Cantrip Upgrade.
The damage increases by one die when you reach levels 5 (2d8 or 2d12), 11 (3d8 or 3d12), and 17 (4d8 or 4d12).
When clicking the "use power" icon, the extension writes this in the chat for an 8th level character:

[Toll the Dead] Cast as a cantrip [+2d8 due to 8° Character Level].
And it indeed adds +2d8 to the damage, for a total of 3d8; this is, as you can read in the description of the spell that 2d8 is the TOTAL damage, not the damage to add ("the damage increases by one die when you reach level 5").
Additionally, if the target is missing hit points and the character clicks the second damage action (the one with 1d12), it should roll 2d12, instead it rolls 1d12 + 2d8 (because the extension applies a +2d8 to all the damage actions of the spell).

[Henix]

This is an excellent catch, and it is actually the exact type of scenario I was referring to in my previous post when I mentioned: "Regarding the management of custom effects and spells that aren't currently fully automated or scalable with upcasting under the hood, I am already working on a major update addressing exactly this."

The current parser struggles with multi-option cantrips like Toll the Dead, miscalculating the base progression and incorrectly overlapping the scaling dice across the different damage actions.

The good news is that this is precisely what the new system fixes! I am currently putting the finishing touches on it, and I think I should be able to push this big update by tomorrow. Because it is a very massive update with a lot of structural changes, it will be accompanied by a video explaining all the new features and how the custom upgraded scaling logic works.

Thank you for the detailed breakdown, the fix is right around the corner!

[Henix]

Hi guys,

The massive update is actually postponed for a couple of days because I have some things to manage IRL. I will let you know as soon as it goes live!

[SmackDaddy]

Is this still in beta or will this be released as paid soon?

And how does this differ from the updated AoE Targeting extension recently updated?

[Lo Zeno]

And how does this differ from the updated AoE Targeting extension recently updated?
The AoE Targeting extension does just that, adds functionalities to target tokens with areas of effect spells instead of manually targeting each token.

This extension does what it says on the first post:
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?87374-5E-AoE-Spells-Auto-Targeting-amp-Upcast-(FREE-BETA)&p=763888&viewfull=1#post763888



Precise Template Auto-Targeting: Automatically calculates and selects tokens within spell templates instantly upon placement. No more dragging targets manually for Fireball!
Smart Upcasting: Handles spell upcasting mechanics perfectly, ensuring the correct damage and scale are applied dynamically for most spells.
Persistent Spell Management: Tracks ongoing, turn-by-turn spell effects seamlessly without cluttering your Combat Tracker.


The upcasting popup is the key differentiating point, IMHO. But also the way they handle AOE targeting is different.

[Henix]

Is this still in beta or will this be released as paid soon?
And how does this differ from the updated AoE Targeting extension recently updated?


The AoE Targeting extension does just that, adds functionalities to target tokens with areas of effect spells instead of manually targeting each token.

This extension does what it says on the first post:
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?763888-AoE-Spells-Auto-Targeting-amp-Upcast

The upcasting popup is the key differentiating point, IMHO. But also the way they handle AOE targeting is different.

To answer the first part: Yes, the extension is currently in beta while I work through these major feature implementations and ensure everything is rock-solid. I estimate it will remain in beta for roughly another month and a half before the official release.

Regarding the comparison, Lo Zeno explained it perfectly!

The core difference comes down to the scope and design philosophy. From what I understand, the other AoE Targeting extension is a good, more generalized targeting system. This extension, however, is built from the ground up to focus on COMPLETE automation specifically tailored for D&D 5e (fully supporting both the 2014 and 2024 rulesets).

Instead of just calculating token targeting on the map, this extension integrates the shapes directly into the underlying 5e mechanics. It handles the interactive upcasting popups, automates slot deduction, manages complex dynamic damage/effect scaling based on spell levels, and tracks ongoing persistent spell.

Essentially, it aims to be a comprehensive mechanical overhaul for how spells are cast and resolved in 5e, rather than just a targeting aid!

[Henix]

The Update v0.2 is LIVE!

The massive new update is officially live on the Forge!

I won't paste the giant walls of technical documentation here since you can find all the specific tag details on the Forge description page itself, but this update introduces a complete overhaul for spell management, advanced custom upcasting/tags, and full NPC Combat Tracker support.

I’ve put together an update video explaining all the major changes, new tags, and features in action, so be sure to check that out for the full walkthrough!


Watch the Showcase Video on YouTube (https://youtu.be/e858GJUOcIs)

I really hope this update addresses the edge cases we've been diving into and makes everyone happy with the new level of automation. Please pull down the latest version and let me know how it performs in your upcoming sessions!

Happy gaming!

[MrDDT]

Wow this is super awesome! Nice work.

[MrDDT]

Can you make it so that the targets when they are AOE permanent, can't be targeted? I can see when people using AOEs they might target stuff by mistake.

They can be targeted by AOEs and other AURAs. Maybe put an option in for it?

AOE Effect ext also has built in that if you have the creature type "Object" it will not be targeted by AOE Effects. Also using type Object, will not trigger on self (when it's the bearer of that). So if you are placing an AOE Effect on an "Object" NPC place holder. You can use the basic coding of

NameofAoE; AURA: 10 all; AOE Effect Name; Effect of AOE.

Example:


Flaming Sphere; AURA: 5 all; AoE Flaming Sphere; SAVEE: [SDC] DEX (M); SAVEDMG: 2d6 fire


When this is placed on a normal NPC that has a type other than "Object" it will trigger each end of turn, however, if the type is "Object" it will not place the "AoE Flaming Sphere" on that Object. Also it will not place that on any Object type.

That make sense?


So much good stuff in this update. Thank you for the video.

[Lo Zeno]

The Update v0.2 is LIVE!


Watch the Showcase Video on YouTube (https://youtu.be/e858GJUOcIs)



Massive update indeed! I'm still going through the video but it already looks like a lot of great stuff

[SmackDaddy]

I am still doing some testing to figure out the conflict, but with this update, me nor my players get the pop-up (or shapes that pop-up) any longer when clicking use power. My player said he was getting this in his logs:

[6/12/2026 11:20:52 AM] [WARNING] window: Anchored static width ignored for control (targeting_add_button) in windowclass (ct_section_targets)
[6/12/2026 11:20:52 AM] [WARNING] window: Anchored static width ignored for control (targeting_clear_button) in windowclass (ct_section_targets)
[6/12/2026 11:20:59 AM] [WARNING] window: Anchored static width ignored for control (targeting_add_button) in windowclass (ct_section_targets)
[6/12/2026 11:20:59 AM] [WARNING] window: Anchored static width ignored for control (targeting_clear_button) in windowclass (ct_section_targets)
[6/12/2026 11:21:00 AM] [WARNING] window: Anchored static width ignored for control (targeting_add_button) in windowclass (ct_section_targets)
[6/12/2026 11:21:00 AM] [WARNING] window: Anchored static width ignored for control (targeting_clear_button) in windowclass


UPDATE: Disregard - I ended up not realizing the name changed and it was unloaded in my extensions (normally if the name stays the same, it doesn't unload it) I loaded it, and it's working now. Thank you! (maybe this will help someone else which is why I left my post intact)

[Vaall]

Congratulations again on the extension. This latest update is impressive.

I'm still testing and trying to adapt my modules to use your new tags.

Here's a small note:
Regarding cantrips for NPCs (2014 version), there is no automatic upcasting.

Example with the mage (2014):
Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation

==> The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster --> Fire Bolt should roll 2d10

Do you think it would be possible to search for spell level cast for NPCs and use that value if it is defined for HCULVL or the upcast of cantrips?

[Henix]

Wow this is super awesome! Nice work.

Can you make it so that the targets when they are AOE permanent, can't be targeted? I can see when people using AOEs they might target stuff by mistake.

They can be targeted by AOEs and other AURAs. Maybe put an option in for it?

AOE Effect ext also has built in that if you have the creature type "Object" it will not be targeted by AOE Effects. Also using type Object, will not trigger on self (when it's the bearer of that). So if you are placing an AOE Effect on an "Object" NPC place holder. You can use the basic coding of...

That is actually a fantastic idea! Handling the "Object" creature type to prevent self-targeting and accidental AoE clutter makes perfect sense, especially for placeholder tokens. I will absolutely look into integrating this logic or adding an option for it in a future build. Thank you for the detailed suggestion!



Massive update indeed! I'm still going through the video but it already looks like a lot of great stuff

Thank you so much! I'm really proud of this update and glad to hear you are liking the new features and the showcase video. I appreciate the support!



UPDATE: Disregard - I ended up not realizing the name changed and it was unloaded in my extensions (normally if the name stays the same, it doesn't unload it) I loaded it, and it's working now. Thank you! (maybe this will help someone else which is why I left my post intact)

Glad you got it sorted out! Just out of curiosity, did the name actually look different to you in the FGU launcher? It shouldn't have changed between the old version and the new one, but I'm happy to hear it was just a quick loading issue and that everything is working perfectly for you and your players now. Thank you for leaving the post up to help others!



Congratulations again on the extension. This latest update is impressive.

I'm still testing and trying to adapt my modules to use your new tags.

Here's a small note:
Regarding cantrips for NPCs (2014 version), there is no automatic upcasting.
==> The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster --> Fire Bolt should roll 2d10

Do you think it would be possible to search for spell level cast for NPCs and use that value if it is defined for HCULVL or the upcast of cantrips?

Thank you for the compliments, Vaall!

And thank you for the excellent report. Since the NPC support feature is brand new, there are bound to be a few edge cases like this that pop up. The parser isn't currently checking the NPC's descriptive text line to grab their overall spellcaster level for cantrip scaling. I will definitely look into the code to see how I can account for this and pull that caster level properly for NPC cantrips. Thanks for catching it!

[SmackDaddy]

Glad you got it sorted out! Just out of curiosity, did the name actually look different to you in the FGU launcher? It shouldn't have changed between the old version and the new one, but I'm happy to hear it was just a quick loading issue and that everything is working perfectly for you and your players now. Thank you for leaving the post up to help others!

Name is too large in the extension screen so I am not sure. The only other extensions that do this are the WOB (World of Bethica) extensions....each new version shows at the bottom of my screen (because "W" is the last letter in the extension list) -- I just didn't think yours would have changed, but I am glad it wasn't a conflict, because my entire party have been shown what this can do (5 of 6 party members are spellcasters), and are super excited for Sunday's game day!

[GKEnialb]

Used this for today's session and it worked beautifully - great job! Preparing for a different group for tomorrow, I found an issue with Searing Smite. It has damage that does increase with upcasting and damage that doesn't increase with upcasting, but there's nothing in the config, so I can't do any mods to make it work correctly. And even though it says it's going to increase damage with upcasting, it doesn't.

67826

Looks like that's true of all paladin spells.

[Henix]

Name is too large in the extension screen so I am not sure. The only other extensions that do this are the WOB (World of Bethica) extensions....each new version shows at the bottom of my screen (because "W" is the last letter in the extension list) -- I just didn't think yours would have changed, but I am glad it wasn't a conflict, because my entire party have been shown what this can do (5 of 6 party members are spellcasters), and are super excited for Sunday's game day!

That's awesome to hear! I really hope your group has a blast with it. With 5 out of 6 players running spellcasters, your table is the ultimate proving ground for this kind of automation! Please let me know how Sunday's game day goes, how your players enjoy the extension, and if there are any specific areas where you feel it can be improved.



Used this for today's session and it worked beautifully - great job! Preparing for a different group for tomorrow, I found an issue with Searing Smite. It has damage that does increase with upcasting and damage that doesn't increase with upcasting, but there's nothing in the config, so I can't do any mods to make it work correctly. And even though it says it's going to increase damage with upcasting, it doesn't.

Looks like that's true of all paladin spells.

Thank you so much! I'm thrilled to hear it worked beautifully for your session today.

Regarding Searing Smite and certain other Paladin spells, you've hit on an edge case that the default automatic parser can't perfectly automate on its own.

However, you can manually adapt these spells right now using the new custom effect features introduced in the latest update! You can code the upcast damage modifier directly into the effect line like this:

DMG: 1[+1/HSULVL]d6 fire

Here is how that works under the hood with the new system:

When cast at its base level (1st level), HSULVL (Henix Spell Upcast Level) evaluates to 0 because it is cast at its base slot, so it adds 0 to the 1 before the tag and remains 1d6 fire.
If you upcast the spell to a higher slot, HSULVL will equal the number of levels it was upcast by (1, 2, etc.), which dynamically updates the dice count—adding 1 die for every upcast level, resulting in 2d6, 3d6, and so on.


I hope this helps clear up your doubts and gets it working perfectly for your group tomorrow! Let me know if you run into any issues.

[Vaall]

Hey, first of all, great job!

I had a lot of fun testing your extension all weekend from every possible angle.
I can confidently say that ASD has become completely unnecessary given the quality of what you've built here.
Here are a few notes and suggestions:


Effect duration on caster (persistent AoE)
Would it be possible to automatically add a duration to the effect applied to the caster of a persistent AoE spell ("Spell Name (x° Level)")?
Ideally, this duration could be pulled from the "Duration" field in the spell description.
Another point: even when I manually set a duration (e.g. 1200 for 2 hours), a short rest removes the effect entirely.
I observe the same behavior when advancing time (https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/2931/view).


Concentration tag (C)
I noticed that the "(C)" tag is automatically added to this effect, even when the spell does not require concentration.
This isn’t a major issue (and maybe no non-concentration persistent AoE spells even exist), but it might be better to only add it when the spell actually requires concentration.


Template effect on summoned NPCs
Regarding the template effect: applying it directly to the summoned NPC is a great idea, and it works very well
However, this effect does not go through the standard FGU pipeline, so other common tags are not interpreted.
That’s not really a problem since your system already covers most use cases — I’m just stress-testing edge cases 


Aura visualization on temporary NPCs
This might not be possible due to the temporary nature of the summoned NPCs, but aura visualization doesn’t seem to work.
Whether using default or custom colors, even with an effect like:

AURA: 20 !self, all, green; X
the aura keeps the original actor color instead of the defined one.


New AoE type (rectangle)
All existing AoE types (cone, cube, line, sphere, emanation) are working perfectly
Do you think it would be possible to add a rectangle type?
The idea would be something similar to line, but with the origin point centered instead of placed at one end.
This would allow behavior closer to the 3DRect shapes from AoE Effects (and thus have an exact visualization of the walls of fire, for example)


AoE Automator window trigger
Small detail (maybe already documented and I missed it):
For the AoE Automator window to appear, the "School" field must be filled in.
Otherwise, nothing happens when clicking Use Power.
Once defined, it works perfectly for all spells and even powers with limited uses.
The automatic popup on click feels really great

[bwatford]

Aura visualization on temporary NPCs
This might not be possible due to the temporary nature of the summoned NPCs, but aura visualization doesn’t seem to work.
Whether using default or custom colors, even with an effect like:

AURA: 20 !self, all, green; X
the aura keeps the original actor color instead of the defined one.

Aura visualization will be baked into the AoE Effects extension on the next version 1.1 released on this coming Tuesday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eViydHtsQb0&lc=UgxirKf15pyKsdWQKcl4AaABAg

[GKEnialb]

I hope this helps clear up your doubts and gets it working perfectly for your group tomorrow! Let me know if you run into any issues.

Works great - thanks. It was a big hit today.

[Vaall]

Aura visualization will be baked into the AoE Effects extension on the next version 1.1 released on this coming Tuesday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eViydHtsQb0&lc=UgxirKf15pyKsdWQKcl4AaABAg

Yes, I was a bit hasty in my description; I meant "Auras Visualized."
https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/620/view

I'll update this point when you release version 1.1 of AoE Effect ;)

[Lo Zeno]

Speaking of AoE Effects and auras visualizations... I don't know how feasible it is, and it's not something of a "must have", but it would be kind of a killer feature if you could do it: if 5E AoE Spells Auto Targeting could be compatible with AoE Effect in a way that would allow to add the aura visualization effects to the spell targeting template for permanent spells, that would be HUGE. AoE Effects includes visualizations for more than just auras (see Web, Grease, Silence...) and allows to define custom visualizations (including animations) so allowing this extension to apply those same visualizations (assuming AoE Effects is active at the same time) would make the targeting templates much more immersing during play.

[nephranka]

Speaking of AoE Effects and auras visualizations... I don't know how feasible it is, and it's not something of a "must have", but it would be kind of a killer feature if you could do it: if 5E AoE Spells Auto Targeting could be compatible with AoE Effect in a way that would allow to add the aura visualization effects to the spell targeting template for permanent spells, that would be HUGE. AoE Effects includes visualizations for more than just auras (see Web, Grease, Silence...) and allows to define custom visualizations (including animations) so allowing this extension to apply those same visualizations (assuming AoE Effects is active at the same time) would make the targeting templates much more immersing during play.

I second this request. The new AoE Effect ext adds an inline command to add graphics to the AoE and this ext adds the token with the Aura code but the graphic is not coming through.

[bwatford]

@Henix, let me know if you need anything from me as far as AoE Effects go to make this work. We are just placing a bitmap image in the area and letting them customize graphics by keyname in the Aura itself, should be pretty easy to tap into for you.

[nephranka]

Additionally, I notice the token is dropping off the CT but staying on the map if you log out and return?

[Henix]

Hey, first of all, great job!
I had a lot of fun testing your extension all weekend from every possible angle.
I can confidently say that ASD has become completely unnecessary given the quality of what you've built here...

Thank you so much Vaall! Hearing that this extension has made ASD completely unnecessary for your table is an incredible compliment. I'm thrilled you had fun stress-testing it! Let me address your notes:


Effect duration on caster & Concentration (C) tag: I will definitely look into these. It should be fairly simple to extract the duration dynamically from the spell description text and ensure the "(C)" tag only applies if the spell actually requires concentration.
Template effect on summoned NPCs: Could you give me a few specific examples or the exact text/steps you are using for this? I'd love to try and reproduce it on my end to see exactly why it's skipping the standard FGU pipeline.
New AoE type (rectangle): Fair point! Having a centered-origin rectangle for exact wall spell visualizations (like Wall of Fire) is a great idea. I'll do some testing and see how feasible it is to implement alongside the current shapes.
AoE Automator window trigger: I may have left this out in the showcase video, but you are 100% correct. The "School" field is the key database node the automation checks to enable the upcast popup. Great catch! I will absolutely add this requirement explicitly into the documentation so others don't get tripped up by it.


---


Aura visualization on temporary NPCs ...


Speaking of AoE Effects and auras visualizations... if 5E AoE Spells Auto Targeting could be compatible with AoE Effect in a way that would allow to add the aura visualization effects to the spell targeting template for permanent spells, that would be HUGE...


I second this request. The new AoE Effect ext adds an inline command to add graphics to the AoE and this ext adds the token with the Aura code but the graphic is not coming through.

Regarding the aura visualization issues on temporary AoE spell tokens, I am already actively working on it! I noticed this exact visual behavior during my own testing. Bringing those immersion graphics, maps overlays, and custom animations directly into the targeting templates would be an absolute killer feature. I'm currently preparing another cool update that tackles exactly this, I'll share more specific details a bit later once it's closer to ready! ;)

---


@Henix, let me know if you need anything from me as far as AoE Effects go to make this work. We are just placing a bitmap image in the area and letting them customize graphics by keyname in the Aura itself, should be pretty easy to tap into for you.

Thank you so much, bwatford! I really appreciate you reaching out and offering to help make these two extensions play nice together. For now, everything is going smoothly as I dig into it, but if I run into a wall or need a specific help from your end, I will definitely drop you a message. Thanks again!

---


Additionally, I notice the token is dropping off the CT but staying on the map if you log out and return?

Regarding the token dropping off the Combat Tracker but remaining on the map upon logging back in: I've run several tests on my end and I unfortunately cannot reproduce this behavior in a clean environment. It sounds like it might be an extension conflict. If you manage to narrow down which other extensions are active when this happens, please let me know so I can investigate further!

[nephranka]

Thank you for the update.

[MrDDT]

67882@Henix

I love this ext so far, I've been really testing it out and so far this is the closest I've seen to working how I expect automation should work, gives a lot of options and whatnot.

I did have a question in this picture this is a "LINE" attack AOE. Much like Lightning bolt (this one is called Aganazzar's Scorcher which is only 30ft).

But the AOE targeting is not targeting any of the creatures in the image. Now my question is how are you ruling/judging/determining what creatures are being targeted? It appears you are using the FG targeting system of where it must reach the center of the creature to be targeted. I'm not sure why FG uses this as no rules I know use this rule.

Is there going to be options for targeting better in the ways that normal game play works? From my understanding normal gameplay is "If a creature is any part in an affected area it is affected". Then you can also look the 5E rules of a circle have a clear view of what a circular (like spheres also). It says "If a grid is at least 50% or more affected the whole grid is affected", now this makes it hard to figure out this in FG, how we did it in AOE Effects EXT is we calc'd the distance from the center of the token to the corners.
We also gave people some options to choose how refined they want to be. Default is 25% of the token in the AOE, but it can go up to refinement of less than .1 overlap (AKA .1 of the creature in the AOE is affected).

In the image, I would expect in normal gameplay all these creatures would be affected by this line attack spell.

[bwatford]

That’s exactly why configurable options matter. On my table, I wouldn’t rule that a 5-foot line barely grazing the edge of a square affects the creature in it.

The standard D&D 5e grid interpretation is that at least half of a square must be covered by the area of effect for it to count as affected. The approach you ask for in the image is quite generous to the players by comparison.

Because exact coverage can be ambiguous on a grid (as we’ve already seen with the AoE Effects extension), it would be ideal if this feature could either replicate those same user-configurable options or automatically use AoE Effects’ settings when that extension is installed. That would let every table choose the method that matches their preferred style.

The options from AoE Effects are:

- Edge
- Close to Edge
- Quarter (default)
- Center

That would get my vote.

[MrDDT]

The standard D&D 5e grid interpretation is that at least half of a square must be covered by the area of effect for it to count as affected. The approach you ask for in the image is quite generous to the players by comparison.

I agree this is the 2024 rules, the 2014 rules are not the case.


I think the best option is to have options of how people play, which is why I like how AOE Effects ext does it.