Cards that do not target

[RyanVal22]

Immortals are sometimes hard to deal with because they cannot be targeted. But cards like Fire storm, plague, pandemonium, unstable gas, and thunderstorm all do not target but still do not affect immortal creatures. Why is this and i the only one who thinks this should be changed? Also shields the fire shield do not target either and they work on immortals so why dont spells also work.

[ddevans96]

Technically, RoF, Plague, Pandemonium, UG, and TS target all creatures on your opponents field (and yours for Pandemonium and UG) so immaterial creatures aren't effected, because they can't be targeted. Fire Shield doesn't target creatures, because it's a shield effect, so it does hurt immortals.

[Asris]

I don't remember who I got it from, but I always thought of immaterial creatures as existing in a different dimension and "phasing" to this one to attack, then quickly going back.
Spells wouldn't work because they were immaterial but shields would because they'd have to materialize.
Bad example would be, immaterial being a window. You'd be safe from projectiles (spells) but if you rolled down the window to punch a porcupine (Thorn Carapace), you'd still get a hand full of quills.

[jmizzle7]

I don't remember who I got it from, but I always thought of immaterial creatures as existing in a different dimension and "phasing" to this one to attack, then quickly going back.
Spells wouldn't work because they were immaterial but shields would because they'd have to materialize.
Bad example would be, immaterial being a window. You'd be safe from projectiles (spells) but if you rolled down the window to punch a porcupine (Thorn Carapace), you'd still get a hand full of quills.

That's just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo that somebody made up to try and win an argument about why immaterial creatures can't be hit by spells that "don't target." The truth is that Firestorm, Plague, and all spells that have a blanket effect like this really do target, and immaterial status prevents said targeting. Shields affect all creatures because all creatures must get past the shield before they reach the elemental (that's you).

[RyanVal22]

i always looked at targeting as being 1 specific target, not just affecting everything because there is no specific target

[Bloodshadow]

i always looked at targeting as being 1 specific target, not just affecting everything because there is no specific target

An AoE spell specifically targets everything on the field. That sounds oxymoronic, but it's how AoE spells work.

I don't remember who I got it from

I'm pretty sure it was me who originally thought of that argument. 8)
@Jmizzle: You're probably right. That was the only logical explanation I could think of, but it's not officially a part of the game.