fix(rules): point-cast cones/lines no longer demand line of effect to the aim point (SRD aiming-a-spell.md: a cone/line 'shoots away from you in the direction you designate' and 'starts from any corner of your square' - the LoE-to-the-space rule binds targets and burst origins only) - _point_target_rejection now requires in-bounds for every area and caster->point LoE only for bursts (and area-less spells, conservatively); template LoE stays enforced by cone_cells/line_cells

src/pf1e_simulator/combat.py

@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ from pf1e_simulator.loaders.combatant import CombatantLoadError, load_combatant
 from pf1e_simulator.models import PREDEFINED_SKILLS
 from pf1e_simulator.spells import (
     AreaEffect,
+    AreaShape,
     BuffEffect,
     CastTime,
     ConditionEffect,
@@ -4778,7 +4779,7 @@ class CombatEngine:
             )
             return None
         if target_pos is not None:
-            rejection = self._point_target_rejection(state, target_pos)
+            rejection = self._point_target_rejection(state, target_pos, spell_name)
             if rejection is not None:
                 return rejection
         if spell_name is None:
@@ -4789,13 +4790,26 @@ class CombatEngine:
         )
 
     def _point_target_rejection(
-        self, state: CombatantState, target_pos: tuple[int, int]
+        self,
+        state: CombatantState,
+        target_pos: tuple[int, int],
+        spell_name: str | None,
     ) -> ActionResult | None:
-        """U7b gate: a point-targeted area must be in bounds and reachable."""
+        """U7b gate: a point-targeted area must be in bounds and reachable.
-        if self._grid.in_bounds(target_pos) and has_line_of_effect_cells(
+
-            self._grid, state.occupied_cells(), frozenset({target_pos})
+        The point must always be in bounds. Line of effect caster -> point is
-        ):
+        required only for a BURST (or a spell with no area, conservatively):
-            return None
+        the burst's point of origin is that space and SRD aiming-a-spell.md
+        demands "a clear line of effect ... to any space in which you wish to
+        create an effect", and a burst "can't affect creatures with total
+        cover from its point of origin". A cone or line instead "shoots away
+        from you ... in the direction you designate" and "starts from any
+        corner of your square": the aim point only names a DIRECTION from the
+        caster's own space, so no line of effect to it is required — LoE is
+        enforced by the template itself (the cone drops cells it cannot reach
+        from its origin, the line stops at the first barrier).
+        """
+        if not self._grid.in_bounds(target_pos):
             self._log(
                 f"round {self._current_round} {state.combatant.id}: "
                 f"cast_spell rejected ({_REASON_INVALID_DESTINATION})"
@@ -4803,6 +4817,32 @@ class CombatEngine:
             return ActionResult(
                 kind="cast_spell", ok=False, reason=_REASON_INVALID_DESTINATION
             )
+        if self._point_cast_area_shape(spell_name) == "burst" and not (
+            has_line_of_effect_cells(
+                self._grid, state.occupied_cells(), frozenset({target_pos})
+            )
+        ):
+            self._log(
+                f"round {self._current_round} {state.combatant.id}: "
+                f"cast_spell rejected ({_REASON_INVALID_DESTINATION})"
+            )
+            return ActionResult(
+                kind="cast_spell", ok=False, reason=_REASON_INVALID_DESTINATION
+            )
+        return None
+
+    def _point_cast_area_shape(self, spell_name: str | None) -> AreaShape:
+        """Shape of the spell's top-level area: 'burst' when it has none.
+
+        A spell with no AreaEffect never honours ``target_pos`` downstream;
+        the gate keeps its historical burst-grade strictness for those.
+        """
+        spell = self._spell_registry.get(spell_name) if spell_name is not None else None
+        if spell is not None:
+            for effect in spell.effects:
+                if isinstance(effect, AreaEffect):
+                    return effect.shape
+        return "burst"
 
     def _execute_maneuver(
         self,

tests/test_conformance_point_aim_loe.py

@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+"""Point-casting a cone/line does not require line of effect to the aim point.
+
+PF1e SRD "Aiming a Spell" (aiming-a-spell.md): a cone "shoots away from you
+in a quarter-circle in the direction you designate" and a line "shoots away
+from you in a line in the direction you designate" -- both "start from any
+corner of your square", so the aim point only names a DIRECTION from the
+caster's own space. The line-of-effect-to-the-point rule ("You must have a
+clear line of effect [...] to any space in which you wish to create an
+effect") binds targets and burst origins, not the direction a cone/line is
+pointed at; LoE is enforced by the template itself (the cone drops cells it
+cannot reach from its origin, the line stops at the first barrier). The
+engine therefore gates BURSTS on caster->point LoE and cones/lines on the
+point merely being in bounds.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pf1e_simulator.combat import CombatantState, CombatEngine
+from pf1e_simulator.dice import parse_dice
+from pf1e_simulator.grid import Grid
+from pf1e_simulator.map import MapSpec, TerrainType
+from pf1e_simulator.rng import ScriptedRng
+from pf1e_simulator.spells import AreaEffect, AreaShape, DamageEffect, SpellSpec
+from tests.test_observation_enriched import make_combatant, make_state
+
+_FLOOR = TerrainType(type="floor", move_cost=1)
+_WALL = TerrainType(type="wall", move_cost=None, blocks_los=True)
+
+
+def _walled_grid() -> Grid:
+    """8x8 open floor with a solid wall column at col 3 (rows 0..7)."""
+    rows = tuple("." * 3 + "#" + "." * 4 for _ in range(8))
+    return Grid.from_spec(
+        MapSpec(name="wall-col", terrain=rows, legend={".": _FLOOR, "#": _WALL})
+    )
+
+
+def _area_spell(name: str, shape: AreaShape) -> SpellSpec:
+    return SpellSpec(
+        name=name,
+        level=3,
+        school="evocation",
+        range="long",
+        save="none",
+        base_dc=10,
+        effects=(
+            AreaEffect(
+                shape=shape,
+                radius_ft=30,
+                effects=(
+                    DamageEffect(formula=parse_dice("1d6"), types=("cold",)),
+                ),
+                save_for_half=False,
+            ),
+        ),
+    )
+
+
+_CONE = _area_spell("Cone of Cold", "cone")
+_BURST = _area_spell("Chill Sphere", "burst")
+_REGISTRY = {_CONE.name: _CONE, _BURST.name: _BURST}
+
+
+def _caster() -> CombatantState:
+    spec = make_combatant(
+        "caster", spells=[_CONE.name, _BURST.name], spell_slots={3: 1}
+    )
+    return make_state(spec, "players", (1, 1))
+
+
+def _engine(
+    states: list[CombatantState], registry: dict[str, SpellSpec] | None = None
+) -> CombatEngine:
+    return CombatEngine(
+        ScriptedRng([]), _walled_grid(), states, spell_registry=registry or _REGISTRY
+    )
+
+
+def test_burst_behind_a_wall_is_rejected() -> None:
+    """The burst's point of origin is the aimed space: no LoE -> rejected,
+    the slot is NOT spent."""
+    caster = _caster()
+    engine = _engine([caster])
+    result = engine._execute_cast_spell(caster, None, _BURST.name, target_pos=(1, 5))
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result.ok is False
+    assert result.reason == "invalid_destination"
+    assert caster.spell_slots_left[3] == 1
+
+
+def test_cone_aimed_behind_a_wall_casts() -> None:
+    """The aim point only names a direction: the cast proceeds (slot spent)
+    even though the caster cannot see the point; the wall simply blocks the
+    template's line of effect from the origin."""
+    caster = _caster()
+    engine = _engine([caster])
+    result = engine._execute_cast_spell(caster, None, _CONE.name, target_pos=(1, 5))
+    assert result is None
+    assert caster.spell_slots_left[3] == 0
+
+
+def test_line_aimed_behind_a_wall_casts() -> None:
+    line = _area_spell("Lightning Bolt", "line")
+    caster = make_state(
+        make_combatant("caster2", spells=[line.name], spell_slots={3: 1}),
+        "players",
+        (1, 1),
+    )
+    engine = _engine([caster], {**_REGISTRY, line.name: line})
+    result = engine._execute_cast_spell(caster, None, line.name, target_pos=(1, 5))
+    assert result is None
+    assert caster.spell_slots_left[3] == 0
+
+
+def test_cone_aimed_out_of_bounds_is_still_rejected() -> None:
+    caster = _caster()
+    engine = _engine([caster])
+    result = engine._execute_cast_spell(caster, None, _CONE.name, target_pos=(9, 9))
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result.ok is False
+    assert result.reason == "invalid_destination"
+    assert caster.spell_slots_left[3] == 1
+
+
+def test_cone_reaches_a_target_beyond_the_wall_gap_direction() -> None:
+    """Sanity that the direction-aimed cone still works normally when the
+    aimed cells have LoE from the origin: a creature at (1,2) is caught."""
+    caster = _caster()
+    victim_spec = make_combatant("victim", hp=20)
+    victim = make_state(victim_spec, "monsters", (1, 2))
+    engine = _engine([caster, victim])
+    effect = AreaEffect(shape="cone", radius_ft=30)
+    affected = engine._area_creatures(effect, caster, (1, 5))
+    assert victim in affected