Area of effect

Area of effect (or AoE) is a term used in many role-playing and strategy games to describe attacks or spells that can affect multiple targets within a specified area. Spell Vamp and the slow from have reduced effects when used with AoE abilities.

Types of AoE
There exist a various amount of AoE champion abilities, summoner spells, and effect-granting items in the game and they can all be put in the following categories:

Chain
The term "chain AoE" refers to abilities that start their effect with a single target, but if there is another valid target within the range of the chain, the effect will jump to that target.

This type of abilities usually bounce only a limited number of times and cannot hit the same target twice. There are, however, exceptions:
 * , and  can hit the same target more than one time.
 * can jump an unlimited amount of times, provided there is a target nearby after the current one dies.

Some of the abilities of this type also have a decreased damage per bounce, like and  (when not enhanced by ). on the contrary deals increased damage on the second (and last) target.

Cone
Cone AoE affects a conic area that starts at the feet of the caster. All valid targets in the cone receive the same damage. is an exception - it will shoot line missiles in a cone, with each arrow affecting only the first encountered target.

Some examples:, , , ,.

Ground targeted
With "ground targeted area of effect" ("GTAoE") abilities and spells, the player places a circle on the ground that will be the area of the effect. One carefully places this around the targets and clicks to start casting/channeling. All units that are in that area – or remain in that area for channeled or over-time GTAoEs – suffer the damage and/or effects.

Some examples:, , , , , , ,.

Line
Line-based AoE abilities are the most varied but have 1 thing in common: they only work between point A to point B.

Some examples:, , , ,.

Point blank

 * For aura effects, see here.

Some AoE effects are cast or used without having to target someone or something; the caster is the anchor for the spell. The effect/damage radiates outward from the caster up to a given range, affecting all targets, or the first given number of targets, within the radius. These types of effects are referred to as "PBAoE", which stands for "point blank area of effect".

Some examples:, , , , , , ,.

Single targeted
This type requires atleast 1 target to trigger, and the AoE is placed in an area around the target. The primary target is not always affected.

Some examples:, , , ,.

Hybrid
Given the sheer amount of abilities, some are bound to include more than 1 type of AoE. This is where a "hybrid" classification comes into play.

Some examples:
 * Cone + line:
 * Ground targeted + point blank:, ,.
 * Line + ground targeted: ,
 * Line + point blank: ,
 * Single targeted + line:
 * Single targeted + point blank: ,