diff --git a/common/ruletypes.h b/common/ruletypes.h
index e9599e09b..11a55c423 100644
--- a/common/ruletypes.h
+++ b/common/ruletypes.h
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ RULE_BOOL(Spells, FlatItemExtraSpellAmt, false) // allow SpellDmg stat to affect
 RULE_BOOL(Spells, IgnoreSpellDmgLvlRestriction, false) // ignore the 5 level spread on applying SpellDmg
 RULE_BOOL(Spells, AllowItemTGB, false) // TGB doesn't work with items on live, custom servers want it though
 RULE_BOOL(Spells, NPCInnateProcOverride, true) //  NPC innate procs override the target type to single target.
+RULE_BOOL(Spells, OldRainTargets, false) // use old incorrectly implemented max targets for rains
 RULE_CATEGORY_END()
 
 RULE_CATEGORY(Combat)
diff --git a/zone/beacon.cpp b/zone/beacon.cpp
index 27f86fce7..e5ea9f38f 100644
--- a/zone/beacon.cpp
+++ b/zone/beacon.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ Beacon::Beacon(Mob *at_mob, int lifetime)
 	resist_adjust = 0;
 	spell_iterations = 0;
 	caster_id = 0;
+	max_targets = 4; // default
 
 	if(lifetime)
 		remove_timer.Start();
@@ -93,10 +94,10 @@ bool Beacon::Process()
 	)
 	{
 		Mob *caster = entity_list.GetMob(caster_id);
-		if(caster && spell_iterations--)
+		if(caster && spell_iterations-- && max_targets)
 		{
 			bool affect_caster = (!caster->IsNPC() && !caster->IsAIControlled());	//NPC AE spells do not affect the NPC caster
-			entity_list.AESpell(caster, this, spell_id, affect_caster, resist_adjust);
+			entity_list.AESpell(caster, this, spell_id, affect_caster, resist_adjust, &max_targets);
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -126,6 +127,8 @@ void Beacon::AELocationSpell(Mob *caster, uint16 cast_spell_id, int16 resist_adj
 	this->resist_adjust = resist_adjust;
 	spell_iterations = spells[spell_id].AEDuration / 2500;
 	spell_iterations = spell_iterations < 1 ? 1 : spell_iterations;	// at least 1
+	if (spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets)
+		max_targets = spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets;
 	spell_timer.Start(2500);
 	spell_timer.Trigger();
 }
diff --git a/zone/beacon.h b/zone/beacon.h
index b79ed318c..c22189dfd 100644
--- a/zone/beacon.h
+++ b/zone/beacon.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ protected:
 	int16 resist_adjust;
 	int spell_iterations;
 	Timer spell_timer;
+	int max_targets;
 
 	uint16 caster_id;
 private:
diff --git a/zone/effects.cpp b/zone/effects.cpp
index e7933a833..0585f3c50 100644
--- a/zone/effects.cpp
+++ b/zone/effects.cpp
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ void EntityList::AETaunt(Client* taunter, float range, int32 bonus_hate)
 // causes caster to hit every mob within dist range of center with
 // spell_id.
 // NPC spells will only affect other NPCs with compatible faction
-void EntityList::AESpell(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster, int16 resist_adjust)
+void EntityList::AESpell(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster, int16 resist_adjust, int *max_targets)
 {
 	Mob *curmob = nullptr;
 
@@ -709,9 +709,13 @@ void EntityList::AESpell(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_
 
 	bool bad = IsDetrimentalSpell(spell_id);
 	bool isnpc = caster->IsNPC();
-	int MAX_TARGETS_ALLOWED = 4;
 
-	if (spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets)
+	if (RuleB(Spells, OldRainTargets))
+		max_targets = nullptr; // ignore it!
+
+	int MAX_TARGETS_ALLOWED = max_targets ? *max_targets : 4;
+
+	if (!max_targets && spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets)
 		MAX_TARGETS_ALLOWED = spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets;
 
 	int iCounter = 0;
@@ -789,8 +793,10 @@ void EntityList::AESpell(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_
 		}
 
 		if (!isnpc || spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets) //npcs are not target limited (unless casting a spell with a target limit)...
-			iCounter++;
+			iCounter++; // should really pull out the MAX_TARGETS_ALLOWED calc so we can break early ...
 	}
+	if (max_targets)
+		*max_targets = *max_targets - std::min(iCounter, *max_targets); // could be higher than the count
 }
 
 void EntityList::MassGroupBuff(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster)
diff --git a/zone/entity.h b/zone/entity.h
index 94078691a..e2224d05d 100644
--- a/zone/entity.h
+++ b/zone/entity.h
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ public:
 
 	void	AEAttack(Mob *attacker, float dist, int Hand = EQEmu::inventory::slotPrimary, int count = 0, bool IsFromSpell = false);
 	void	AETaunt(Client *caster, float range=0, int32 bonus_hate=0);
-	void	AESpell(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster = true, int16 resist_adjust = 0);
+	void	AESpell(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster = true, int16 resist_adjust = 0, int *max_targets = nullptr);
 	void	MassGroupBuff(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster = true);
 	void	AEBardPulse(Mob *caster, Mob *center, uint16 spell_id, bool affect_caster = true);