Does Thor of Higher Avalon: Fighting Dissidents target?

[m4sterp]

Thor of Higher Avalon: Fighting Dissidents reads

While Thor of Higher Avalon is active, at the start of your opponent's attack step, deal 2 damage for each Team Affiliation in their Field Zone, divided any way you choose among their characters.

and targeting is defined in the shiny new comprehensive rules as

3.3.1 When an ability that affects a specific number greater than zero of Character dice requires you choose
at least one Character die, or explicitly uses the term “target die/dice”, it is a targeting ability.

Since Thor's ability does not affect a specific number of Character dice, it seems that it is not a targeting ability according to the definition, so would it be correct to assume this ability gets around things like Thing: The Shield?

While Thing is active, your opponent can't target your other character dice.

Thanks in advance for your answer and thanks for making the comprehensive rules available!

[dmrulesteam]

Correct. Thor of Higher Avalon’s ability does not target.

Thanks in advance for your answer and thanks for making the comprehensive rules available!

You’re most welcome.

[jacquesblondes]

Does this imply that if Babs' ability didn't explicity say 'target', it wouldn't target?

Batgirl: Babs
When Batgirl takes damage, deal 4 damage to target opposing characters divided any way you choose.

[dmrulesteam]

Correct.

[weapono]

The UC Thor of Higher Avalon: Fighting Dissidents reads:
While Thor of Higher Avalon is active, at the start of your opponent's attack step, deal 2 damage for each Team Affiliation in their Field Zone, divided any way you choose among their characters.
This seems like a clear instance of targeting no? The player who control Thor will choose to deal the appropriate amount of damage to the opponents character dice that they "choose".
I'm struggling to see how this can't be targeting?

Also, with the SR Batgirl: Babs, which reads:
When Batgirl takes damage, deal 4 damage to target opposing characters divided any way you choose.
Again when the ability is triggered the player controlling Babs "chooses" targets to take the damage no?
This has always been played as a targeting ability.

[dmrulesteam]

We understand the confusion when comparing these two abilities. Refer to the following:

Rule 3.3.6 An ability that affects a grouping of dice meeting a certain criteria (such as "all opposing Villains") but does not state a specific number of dice is not a targeting ability.

The group in this case is the opposing Character dice in the Field Zone and no specific number of Character dice to assign the damage is cited.

While Batgirl’s ability almost has the same effect, the application of the above rule is precluded because of the following rule:

Rule 3.3.1 When an ability that affects a specific number greater than zero of Character dice requires you choose at least one Character die, or explicitly uses the term “target die/dice”, it is a targeting ability.

The “choosing” of how to assign the damage with no specific number of Character dice cited is not targeting. The key difference is Batgirl’s ability specifically states “target” while Thor’s ability does not.