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The playtest fireball says "A burst of fire explodes, dealing 6d6 fire damage; creatures in the area must attempt a Reflex save."

The playtest lightning bolt says "All creatures in the area must attempt a Reflex save to avoid taking 4d12 electricity damage."

Both spells then provide information on successes and failures and how to heighten the spells.

As written, I would rule that a fireball also damages objects in the burst area (and don't benefit from the possibility of a save). I would also rule that a lightning bolt does not damage objects in the line area.

I would prefer to rule that the lightning bolt damages objects, but the text ties "all creatures" to the "electricity damage" in a way that the fireball text does not. The fireball text makes it clear (to me) that the fire damage affects everything in the burst area, but creatures may benefit from a save.

How do you read these spells regarding this issue? Do you think that clarification is in order?

Anyone have a rules reference for this? I can't believe I haven't been able to find at least hints of official answers. I figure if I ask a hundred thousand people all at once, the answer will come faster than if I keep looking on my own.

I wonder if a blob of green slime poured from a stone container off the side of a boat would float or sink (and this could vary in fresh water or depending on the salinity of salt water).

Intelligent Object
According to the description, this spell works on "an item or object" but the spell does not give any limitations on this. There is a suggestion in the second paragraph, that the items or objects in question are items or objects that can be wielded, but there's no indication that this is a necessary condition for the target of the spell.

Could I cast this on a bridge? A tree? A door?

What are the intended limits?

I tried the FAQ and tried searching, and I didn't find my answers. So, please accept my apology if this has been answered, but, if it has, please direct me to that answer.

Short version: how does shadow evocation work when, for instance, a fireball is mimicked and some of the targets have resist energy (fire) or protection from energy (fire) and would it matter if such protected targets had reason to believe the caster were an illusionist?

Here's the long version:

Ilyana the illusionist casts a shadow evocation fireball at a group of folks.

Among the group of folks are...

Bob, who doesn't know Ilyana, and who has no reason to believe the fireball isn't entirely a fireball, and is unprotected,
Carol, who doesn't know Ilyana, and who has no reason to believe the fireball isn't entirely a fireball, and who has resist energy (fire),
Rod, who doesn't know Ilyana, and who has no reason to believe the fireball isn't entirely a fireball, and who has protection from energy (fire) at full strength
Cindy, who does know Ilyana, and who has been fooled before, and who has resist energy (fire),
Marta, who does know Ilyana, and who has been fooled before, and isn't resistant to fire,
Jamal, who does know Ilyana, and who has been fooled before, and who has protection from energy (fire) at full strength

Suppose Bob, Carol and Rod all fail their Reflex saves (assume no one has evasion, etc.). What happens to each target? Does Carol take 10 fewer points of fire damage than Bob? Does Carol's resist energy "know" that it's fire damage? Does it "know" that it's not? If Carol misses her save, and takes full fire damage, but knows that she has resist fire 10, does she now have a reason to disbelieve? Does Rod's protection absorb the whole thing? None of it?

What happens for Cindy, Marta and Jamal? Since Cindy is pretty sure Ilyana is using an illusion, does her resistance work regardless of how much she gets burned? What about Jamal? Does Jamal's protection absorb the entire thing? None of it?

After this blast, if there are weird, unexpected differences between them, would that satisfy getting

For reference... (I have made an important phrase bold.)

Shadow Evocation
You tap energy from the Plane of Shadow to cast a quasi-real, illusory version of a sorcerer or wizard evocation spell of 4th level or lower. Spells that deal damage have normal effects unless an affected creature succeeds on a Will save. Each disbelieving creature takes only one-fifth damage from the attack. If the disbelieved attack has a special effect other than damage, that effect is one-fifth as strong (if applicable) or only 20% likely to occur. If recognized as a shadow evocation, a damaging spell deals only one-fifth (20%) damage. Regardless of the result of the save to disbelieve, an affected creature is also allowed any save (or spell resistance) that the spell being simulated allows, but the save DC is set according to shadow evocation's level (5th) rather than the spell's normal level.

Protection from Energy
Protection from energy grants temporary immunity to the type of energy you specify when you cast it (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). When the spell absorbs 12 points per caster level of energy damage (to a maximum of 120 points at 10th level), it is discharged.

Resist Energy
This abjuration grants a creature limited protection from damage of whichever one of five energy types you select: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. The subject gains resist energy 10 against the energy type chosen, meaning that each time the creature is subjected to such damage (whether from a natural or magical source), that damage is reduced by 10 points before being applied to the creature's hit points. The value of the energy resistance granted increases to 20 points at 7th level and to a maximum of 30 points at 11th level. The spell protects the recipient's equipment as well.