Edited Nathan Long (Jan. 22, 2014 11:40:36 PM)
608.2b
This rule talk about how a resolving spell or ability checks to see if its targets are still legal. If a spell or ability has multiple targets, it can still resolve as long as at least one of its targets is still legal. Here's where it gets fun. The rule specified that the spell or ability couldn't perform any actions on an illegal target, make that target perform any actions, or make another object perform any actions on the illegal target. This was a technical way of saying that illegal targets aren't affected by spells and abilities.
But there was a problem: spells and abilities could affect an illegal target without performing any actions. Consider Frost Breath. If one of its targets was illegal when it resolves, both creatures wouldn't untap during their controller's next untap step. This feels very wrong, so when Sudden Storm appeared in the Born of the Gods set, it seemed like a great time to address it. The change to this rule shuts down this hole. Illegal targets of Sudden Storm (and Frost Breath) won't be affected and will untap as normal.