Malidiction with Emanation: Targeting Question

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Nedorus

Thank you so much for providing these!
This is exactly the kind of very strong argument (quote, ruling etc.) I was looking for.

Your welcome :)
I searched for Emanation in Powers and found those, several others could have ben referenced too but I thought it was likely enough.
Yeah, Malediction gives several rather significant benefits, hence the high cost increase.

Originally Posted by Nedorus

That still leaves the question on “targets” for a Malediction with Emanation.

This is answered under Area Effect and its various modifiers.
Everything in the area is affected unless you apply another modifier.
Accessibility could limit the targets, such as in Smite which has Accessibility, only evil supernatural entities. Smite wont affect normal people even if the area because of the Accessibility limitation.
Selective Area (p. B108) lets you specify which part of the area is affected. So you could say "dont hit anyone behind me", "affect everyone except whomever might be in that hex over there", etc.
Selective Effect (GURPS Power-Ups 4: Enhancements, p. 16) would let you specify who is affected based on criteria you choose - but you have to be able to see them to exclude them. Worth reading, that page goes into more detail and has a paragraph on Afflictions.

So bottom lining it. Emanation affects everything in its area (except the user who it radiates out from). Think of it as a pulse of energy.
But you can alter that so the pulse only affects certain areas (Selective Area, like a flashlight instead of a simple lightbulb) or it can be set to exclude certain targets (Selective Effect).
Selective Effect is in some ways more versatile but has the drawback of you have to be able to target them, hence taking away some of the advantage of Area Effect.

Let me copy this fromt hat supplement as I tihnk it does a good job.
"Area-effect abilities should generally take Selective Area
(p. B108) instead of Selective Effect, but either one may fit. The
former allows the user to precisely control the area of effect,
while the latter allows him to control the targets affected."

In the case of Smite or something like it using Selective Effect you would need to know who was evil, perhaps with a Detect. The Accessibility on it means you don't need the Detect and the power is overall cheaper, but it can ONLY affect supernatural evil.