"Goes around corners" removed from spell descriptions?

2014. https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2102-fireball

2024. https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2618887-fireball

Is there a mechanical difference with "goes around corners" removed?

I am wondering if "goes around corners" was intended to mean cover provides no bonus to your dex saving throw....

Quote from SunIsGettingRealLow96589 >>

 

2014. https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2102-fireball

2024. https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2618887-fireball

Is there a mechanical difference with "goes around corners" removed?

I am wondering if "goes around corners" was intended to mean cover provides no bonus to your dex saving throw....

The mechanical effects of "goes around corners" were never super well-defined, which may be why it got removed.

The 5.5e rules on AoE spells say:

If all straight lines extending from the point of origin to a location in the area of effect are blocked, that location isn’t included in the area of effect. To block a line, an obstruction must provide Total Cover.

Which to me says that in 5.5e, Cover does provide protection against a spell like Fireball unless the spell explicitly says otherwise, regardless of how it was meant to work in 5e.

I haven't read the new PHB with that much detail as I'm playing 5e myself, but I guess that would fall on the DM (like everything).

I would argue that with 5e rules you can't hide behind a rock to avoid a Fireball, but with 5.5e you can just based on that text. A Fireball is an explosion originating from a point. You might say things that are not on direct trajectory from the point of origin are not hit.

Edit: wagnarokkr beat me to it.

I was also curious about this change, and I made a list of other spells (probably not a complete one) with a similar update, if it's interesting to anyone:

Quote from Tarod_ >>

Quote from SmiteMakesRight_3_5 >>

Quote from TarodNet >>

Quote from AntonSirius >>

Quote from Xukuri >>

There's a really important phrase in that sentence about total cover (emphasis mine):

A target with total cover can’t be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. 

 The intention there is that spells with AoEs may be able to go around obstructions, not through them -- the classic fireball expanding around a corner, or catching someone behind a wall by casting the ice storm to a point in space above it

If your wall of force is completely blocking the corridor, that isn't an option

 I'm still curious why the 2024 Fireball doesn't spread around corners. Is it just for easier adjudication, or is there another reason? Does anyone know?

2014 didn't either in the same way. The area of effect sections both say that the effect extends from the point of origin in straight lines.

Think of AoE spell effects as summoning a light bulb to which everything solid is opaque (oversimplification a bit). If it's in shadow, it's not affected.

 Yes, an AoE usually works that way, but in the 2024 version of the spells, the wording "spreads around corners" has been removed from some. I'm also guessing the reason is the one Thezzaruz mentioned.

Other examples are:

• 2014 Cloudkill vs 2024 Cloudkill
• 2014 Delayed Blast Fireball vs 2024 Delayed Blast Fireball
• 2014 Fog Cloud vs 2024 Fog Cloud
• Explosive Rune in 2014 Glyph of Warding vs 2024 Glyph of Warding
• 2014 Incendiary Cloud vs 2024 Incendiary Cloud
• 2014 Insect Plague vs 2024 Insect Plague 
• 2014 Meteor Swarm vs 2024 Meteor Swarm
• 2014 Stinking Cloud vs 2024 Stinking Cloud

EDIT: "spread" as a word still appears in Darkness, Daylight, and Storm of Vengeance.

I can see cover working against an explosion but not working against a gas.