# Can we have "Cancel" for Targeting spells, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests and Game feedback\ **Created:** [April 15, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882 "2020-04-15T22:22:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smiling\_Spectre1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/smiling_spectre1/32/7204_2.png) [@Smiling\_Spectre1](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Smiling_Spectre1)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/1 "2020-04-15T22:22:01Z")
I asked it already several years ago, but nothing changed, so I am asking again: There are many cases when the spell is undesirable, and you found it only after pressed “Cast”. Misclick, lack of targets, missed 4-match, damage miscalculation - there can be many reason why I need to cancel the spell. And zero ability to do that. Is it so important to force me to execute the spell, even if I don’t want it? Can it be changed, please? ---
**Author:** ![UKresistance](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/ukresistance/32/7558_2.png) [@UKresistance](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/UKresistance)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/2 "2020-04-15T22:27:34Z")
No. Because some effects trigger at that point. ---
**Author:** ![HugeOgre](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/hugeogre/32/72202_2.png) [@HugeOgre](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/HugeOgre)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/3 "2020-04-15T22:37:31Z")
then effects would need to be triggered later. it’s more work for the devs than adding a “cancel” only, but i would love to have this cancel feature 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lorien1973](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/lorien1973/32/75546_2.png) [@Lorien1973](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Lorien1973)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/4 "2020-04-16T01:03:00Z")
Oh lord yes … cancel button desperately needed. ---
**Author:** ![anhlong1122](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/anhlong1122/32/63110_2.png) [@anhlong1122](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/anhlong1122)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 6:31am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/5 "2020-04-16T06:31:41Z")
I dont understand, i thought the effects should be trigger after the spell have been cast, not before ---
**Author:** ![MarioDaems](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/mariodaems/32/27855_2.png) [@MarioDaems](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/MarioDaems)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 6:31am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/6 "2020-04-16T06:31:46Z")
The effects (traits) to trigger later is practically impossible. Unless the cancel button magically resurrects killed troops and stuff, including even newly summoned troops that triggered on enemy death etc… Also, if it would kill a troop, you would be able to target it while still alive for example (and if this not killed troop will be the only one with no Stealth trait, it’ll prevent you from selecting any other troop, wasting your turn even more) Practical example: Succumb trait on Queen of Sin. It can harm an enemy troop and result in a kill. This kill kan trigger another enemy trait to summon a troop (and even that summon can trigger another trait of them). Practical example 2: the enemy has 2 troops left. One with Stealth trait and one without (which has 1hp left). You cast a targeting troop. The 1hp troop will not die because of Queen of Sin’s Succumb trait. The Stealth trait of the troop with a lot of hp activates. You’re forced to target the 1hp troop. Turn wasted. No, it’ll change A LOT of gameplay which wouldn’t make any sense and cause an insane amount of unexpected results in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![KingKomodo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9c0ed/32.png) [@KingKomodo](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/KingKomodo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 7:43am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/7 "2020-04-16T07:43:29Z")
This ruins me on a daily basis. I frequently find that if an enemy hits me with knockback I won’t notice immediately and I’ll use the wrong troops spell (Was meant to go Fire Lizard, then Lord Ember but I end up using Lord Ember for a weak combo) It would be nice to be able to cancel, I see no reason not to, especially since it’s not like it’s live gameplay, it wouldn’t interrupt any other players cancelling out. I’d understand if you went back and forth a bunch in a live match and the repeated “select” animation caused a player to become bogged down but I see no reason otherwise that spells shouldn’t be cancellable. ---
**Author:** ![UKresistance](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/ukresistance/32/7558_2.png) [@UKresistance](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/UKresistance)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 11:05am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/8 "2020-04-16T11:05:05Z")
First time this topic was posted… Jan '16 > [@Reason behind not cancelling a spell](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/reason-behind-not-cancelling-a-spell/3040): > > So I assume this question was asked and answered way back in the beginning of the game, but because a player asked it on the Steam Discussion boards, what’s the reason behind not being able to cancel a spell once you click Cast? ---
**Author:** ![HugeOgre](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/hugeogre/32/72202_2.png) [@HugeOgre](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/HugeOgre)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/9 "2020-04-16T14:55:43Z")
i think our versions of “later” are different, the traits have to trigger before spell casting takes effect. so ill try to put some more details into my vision. but you do have a good point, there are some situations where it changes the gamely. I honestly dont know how to solve all of those… **casting order of operations** #1 this would only apply to troops that have a player selected option after hitting the current cast button #2 after the player selects casts, during the phase where the player needs to make a choice (lets call this the selection phase), there is a cancel button #3 while the player is in the “selection phase” the traits that trigger on spell cast have not triggered yet #4 once the player has made a selection, the traits must trigger first, before the spell is cast on that selection. **so where this becomes an issue is when a trait basically changes what you would have selected** #1 you selected a troop but then he died to a trait before the cast… does the game send you back to the selection phase but no traits or cancel button this time? does the game make a selection for you? the top most possibly selected troop perhaps? #2 you selected a troop but then traits trigger to summon a troop before the cast… does the game send you back to the selection phase but no traits or cancel button this time? does the game just leave the selection as your original troop? and the summon just becomes part of the RNG aspect of the game? what other cases? traits that move the board, such as destroy or explode? i can definitely see why we are pretty set in with our current spell cast order of operations and as a player you should have already verified what you want to do before clicking on cast. I also believe that we could come up with a set of rules for a cancel button. **However** they would be so complicated for all possible situations given that we already see a ton of bugs around traits and order of operations, this would likely be an unreasonable change to the game and stress on the developers and players. so yeah, i want a cancel button. but i dont see it being feasible based on how many bugs we would expect to see from GoW with a cancel button. ---
**Author:** ![Smiling\_Spectre1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/smiling_spectre1/32/7204_2.png) [@Smiling\_Spectre1](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Smiling_Spectre1)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/10 "2020-04-16T19:39:38Z")
> [@MarioDaems](#): > > The effects (traits) to trigger later is practically impossible. > [@HugeOgre](#): > > i think our versions of “later” are different, the traits have to trigger before spell casting takes effect. so ill try to put some more details into my vision. but you do have a good point, there are some situations where it changes the gamely. I honestly dont know how to solve all of those… I think, you make it unnecessary complicated, guys. It _is_ unnecessary complicated already, so you need not tangle it more, but untangle. Because it’s actually very simple. What it really requires is that order of action: #1: Select spell target. ( **Skipped if there is no target** ). Can be cancelled, without _any_ effect. #2: _Cast_ spell, trigger traits, etc, as it is now. That’s all, and only change that is required is the change of current logic “spell triggered when you pressed “cast”, not when it’s _actually_ triggered”. ---
**Author:** ![UKresistance](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/ukresistance/32/7558_2.png) [@UKresistance](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/UKresistance)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/11 "2020-04-16T20:41:04Z")
> [@Smiling\_Spectre1](#): > > #1: Select spell target. ( **Skipped if there is no target** ). Can be cancelled, without _any_ effect. > #2: _Cast_ spell, trigger traits, etc, as it is now. That doesn’t work for: Select target, ‘effect happens’, you choose target or it affects potential targets based on ‘effect happens’. Once ‘effect happens’ it’s too late to take back a selection. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/jonathan/32/66724_2.png) [@Jonathan](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Jonathan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/12 "2020-04-16T21:36:45Z")
> [@Smiling\_Spectre1](#): > > What it really requires is that order of action: > > #1: Select spell target. ( **Skipped if there is no target** ). Can be cancelled, without _any_ effect. > #2: _Cast_ spell, trigger traits, etc, as it is now. > > That’s all, and only change that is required is the change of current logic “spell triggered when you pressed “cast”, not when it’s _actually_ triggered”. I agree. Essentially, anything that would happen when you click “Cast” for a targeted spell now happens when you select the target (and execute the spell) instead. ---
**Author:** ![Smiling\_Spectre1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/smiling_spectre1/32/7204_2.png) [@Smiling\_Spectre1](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Smiling_Spectre1)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/13 "2020-04-17T16:35:34Z")
> [@UKresistance](#): > > That doesn’t work for: Select target, ‘effect happens’, you choose target or it affects potential targets based on ‘effect happens’. > > Once ‘effect happens’ it’s too late to take back a selection. _grimly_ I put it into the separate point. I highlighted “before any effect”. Then, to emphase that, I explained that only proposed change is exactly _this_ change: you need to trigger any effect _after_ you selected the target, not before that. Didn’t work, as I see. 😐 ---
**Author:** ![Bitter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/bitter/32/60547_2.png) [@Bitter](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Bitter)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 11:11am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/14 "2020-04-22T11:11:43Z")
With an option to cancel a spell, you would also need to confirm to cast a spell. Always. Which means, you have to tap/click twice to cast a spell, which would have a great impact on the flow of the game. I also wanted a cancel option in the beginning, but it makes sense not to have it. The game is turn based, so you have all the time in the world to check the enemy. If you missed changes in your team, you propably like to play fast (like me). Confirming each spell cast would be much more annoying and not add anything to the gameplay. You would propably still make the same mistake. You’ll have to check if it makes sense to cast a spell at a certain point, so why not before the first tap/click? ---
**Author:** ![UKresistance](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/ukresistance/32/7558_2.png) [@UKresistance](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/UKresistance)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/15 "2020-04-22T12:29:34Z")
> [@Smiling\_Spectre1](#): > > _grimly_ I put it into the separate point. I highlighted “before any effect”. Then, to emphase that, I explained that only proposed change is exactly _this_ change: you need to trigger any effect _after_ you selected the target, not before that. > > Didn’t work, as I see. 😐 So, that we may never have this topic again. YOUR IDEA DOES NOT WORK. Your ‘idea’ would change how many troops currently work and would alter gameplay. So, can you add a cancel button without breaking how game play currently works? Answer: No you can not. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/jonathan/32/66724_2.png) [@Jonathan](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Jonathan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/16 "2020-04-22T22:32:59Z")
> [@Bitter](#): > > With an option to cancel a spell, you would also need to confirm to cast a spell. > Always. > > Which means, you have to tap/click twice to cast a spell, which would have a great impact on the flow of the game. I don’t think so? The suggestion is only for spells that require targeting, which already require a confirmation step (clicking the target). ---
**Author:** ![Smiling\_Spectre1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/smiling_spectre1/32/7204_2.png) [@Smiling\_Spectre1](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Smiling_Spectre1)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 6:46am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/17 "2020-04-23T06:46:35Z")
> [@Bitter](#): > > Which means, you have to tap/click twice to cast a spell, which would have a great impact on the flow of the game. No. As it was already noticed, you _already_ have this confinmartion. In form of selecting the target. My only suggestion is to add “cancel” to this confirmation. I don’t propose to add the same to the all other casts - it will really slow the flow. ---
**Author:** ![Smiling\_Spectre1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/smiling_spectre1/32/7204_2.png) [@Smiling\_Spectre1](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Smiling_Spectre1)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 6:54am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/18 "2020-04-23T06:54:35Z")
> [@UKresistance](#): > > Your ‘idea’ would change how many troops currently work and would alter gameplay. Sorry, but you didn’t hear what am I talking about. Ok, I’ll repeat especially for you: What am I propose is to add confirmation/cancellation step to the targeting skills (and only targeting skills) before skill trigger (as it must, actually, because, you see, nothing happened yet before you actually casted the skill). And only after you selected the target (and so confirmed your action) all this traits and triggers woud fire. In this way nothing will change in the current mechanics, and nothing need to be redone - because nothing happened before I confirmed my action. Is it still too complicated? ---
**Author:** ![CyberZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@CyberZ](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/CyberZ)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 9:56am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/19 "2020-04-23T09:56:03Z")
it’s definitely a must have !!! ---
**Author:** ![Slypenslyde](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/slypenslyde/32/30373_2.png) [@Slypenslyde](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Slypenslyde)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882/20 "2020-04-23T12:41:31Z")
The spirit of this thread isn’t an “undo” button. That’d be _interesting_ but is more clearly a feature that would dramatically affect gameplay and warrant a lot of redesign. The spirit of this thread is removing a point of no return. Say you have a troop that says, “Choose a gem color. Explode all gems of that color.” As-is, if you push “cast”, nothing has happened to the battlefield yet but you are now unable to change your mind. So if you were mistaken and the target you wanted to select isn’t as good as you thought, too bad, you’re casting. So the request is to be able to go back at that point. It’s not a dramatic gameplay change because you haven’t cast the spell yet. There is no trigger for “when the player is about to select a target” so there aren’t things it’d break. Remember, UKResistance has openly stated that this forum needs more drama and fighting. He’s probably not stupid enough to link a thread that clearly stated the opposite of his argument, it’s more likely he’s just trying to have fun stirring people up in a way that can’t be modded “off-topic” without creating even _more_ drama that derails the thread. Here’s a good rule of thumb that’s hard to follow: if someone attacks your view and you think you can address their statement, go ahead. If, after you address it, they continue to mount the same attack, stop responding. They’ll do all the work of making it clear who doesn’t have a point for you. [Next page](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/can-we-have-cancel-for-targeting-spells-please/62882.md?page=2)