Targeting a Fireball behind enemies?

[argo]

Cool. That means that I GUARANTEE'D hit my target by failing a roll against a square behind him.

:shrug: unlikely. A slingle humanoid opponent would likely not provide a sufficent obstacle to constitute a "narrow passage" and require the caster to make a ranged touch attack.

And if I HIT him with the bead, that means he doesn't get a save, right? He can't possibly escape the blast - the bead itself hit him.

No, he would get a Reflex save as normal. Nothing in the RAW or my post suggests otherwise.

In fact - I aim for his earhole. Then the bead hit him IN THE HEAD and detonated!

3.5 does not support called shots or hit locations.

Which is all stupid.

No, its the RAW. House Rules is the next door to your left.

Creatures do not provide a solid barrier, and therefore fireball doesn't need to roll to miss them.

Or 'accidentally' hit them as the case may be.

Creatures do not provide a solid barrier, and therefore do not block line of effect. However if there are a lot of creatures (DM's judgement as to what constitutes a lot) then it may be reasonable to conclude that shooting past them constitutes shoting through a "narrow passage" in which case the RAW are quite clear that you do indeed need to roll to "miss" them.

Later.