[phiwum]

I thought that Ward pretty clearly works on up to three hexes (contiguous, I assume).

I haven't seen a PC with Ward in my short time playing TFT, but I too use it a lot for NPCs. That said, only once has Ward been triggered in a consequential way in my game so far. But the other wards (typically cast daily on specific vulnerable areas) are still waiting...

I think players pass over Ward because PCs are active forces usually, and it's the NPCs who sit and wait for something to happen.