(I specifically and totally wanted to avoid saying, "Balls for bolt spells." :)

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We already have the cast/channel mechanics set up to do things differently with the same spell. How about if the Ball spells (spirit flare, major fire, major cold) were 'cast' exactly as they are now...
...but if you 'channel' the spell, when you calculate splashiness you get ALL OF THE SPLASHES ON THE TARGET. (Die roll says 12 splashes possible, die roll says you hit 4, MOC says you hit +5 more == 9; target gets nine (9) splashes. Just him. No-one else.)

All of the other mechanics work exactly the same, as I just indicated: two die rolls, one affected by Lore and one by MOC... it's just that the ball ignores all of the other physical targets in the room, and splashes JUST THAT ONE poor bastard.

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And, of course, the other way around: we're getting splashy effects on Slow, for crying out loud, or Mana Disrupt and Mind Jolt. Why can't some of the bolt spells become splashy, using the same mechanic? Cast they remain as they are, but if you 'channel' you get some splashy love.
I am looking specifically at Minor Water and Minor Acid--because, liquids--but also Hurl Boulder. It's a rock. Know what happens when a rock hits hard? Shrapnel.

Exactly the same mechanics as Major Fire and that lot. Chance for splashiness.

The only thing that I might do differently is with Hurl Boulder, and include a randomizer for the flare type.
Vibration/Earth, but also Slash (when a fragment of rock burrs away along the surface), Krush (when a larger fragment thumps into you) or Puncture (like when you're standing too close to where the stone cannonball just impacted and, you know, the fragment just blasts right through you).

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I would say the abilities should be unlocked, like at <level of spell> + 20 or 30 ranks in the list, AND 20-50 ranks of <that bolt's> Lore. If anything, I would go higher on spells and lower on Lore.

I thought the skill limitation might be enough of a limiter, but I could see either a cooldown or other costs (like +X mana or something).

I don't think so.
(I'm quite sure someone would have mentioned getting 9 flares on a single target with a ball spell before. Like, "Duskruin champion" springs to mind.)

Currently, I'm pretty sure splashes only occur if there are multiple targets.

Thanks, Kardios; that was kind of what I thought.

So I'm looking to get extra bonus splashiness inflicted on that one poor S.O.B. that I actually target. I mean, I've got the Lore (to generate the splashes) and the MOC (to make use of 'em). I just want to get them all concentrated <right here>, rather than all spread around. :)

So kind of like a ball-based focused mstrike? Hmmm, I like that thought. Maybe the limitation should be extra mana per additional splash, which would then be removed with appropriate skill in lore and/or mana control?

Also I really want Hurl Boulder to be a ball spell, definitely with crush and stab related damage. But also vibration could work, since it's a magic rock. Though I also had this vision before where if it hit a limb on the first enemy, it would just keep flying to others and continue that way until it missed or hit a torso/shield, which then shatters it.