Question to my thoughts...

[Yagamoth]

Hi there

I'm Boxing since last week and by now have a team that consists of 4 Locks and 1 Pally - Currently at level 21 or so because no RAF in my country - And I was wondering, how our successful Arena players are targetting the enemies. I've noticed, that there is quiet some latence between the time I target an enemy with my current leader and the time, where it is being displayed to my followers, that I do have (another) target.
Basically that's my main concern. How to instantly switch targets for fast spike damage on another enemy without having to wait until the server says: "Hey, the Leader has now the Druid targetted". So I came up with the following.

5 vs 5 Arena
I'll target one enemy after another and assing each of my toons one enemy to target. That way, I'll be able to switch focus in an instant on any of my toons. So - Focus will be used to direct the attacks to the enemy.

Thinking about the buttons, referring to the current leader to be assisted:
F1 = Toon1: /assist
F2 = Toon2: /assist
F3 = Toon3: /assist
F4 = Toon4: /assist

So, the macros would be on all toons:
NumPad1:
/focus Toon1
NumPad2:
/focus Toon2
NumPad3:
/focus Toon3
NumPad4:
/focus Toon4
Except, in case they would focus themselves, use /clearfocus instead.

Then the attack spells would look like:
/cast [target=focustarget,exists] Curse of Agony
/cast Curse of Agony
(*Note*: I don't know, whether this would work, but with that, I'd basically would like to simply cast any spell - CoA here - in case I've got no focus, if I have, cast it on the target of the focus)

So, now there are my problems I can see by now:

1. In case, I can't target every enemy, because they are currently invisble, I may not be able to assing each of my toons a target
2. I probably won't be able to direct my attacks towards all of the enemies, since I lack one target my healer would have
3. If the enemies use feign death, stalk, etc... I'd have to retarget

Good thing:
I can still simply use my current leader to target any enemy
Bad thing:
That would be the latency I'd like to avoid..

I'd like to know, how our top rated players can handle this, what do you think about my idea? ^^

edit: I'd basically switch my focus to target another enemy.

[Elektric]

Your on the right path.

Using a focusless Leader setup is a must in arena. There are several ways to do it so do a search and find something you like.

Once you can set an enemy as your focus you have some new options with the patch. I am currently using the shift modifier in the interface options to make my damage spells cast on my focus, rather than my current target. Or you can also create a macro "/cast [target=focus] spell."

Im big on shift modifiers, I use the normal keyboard typing hand position for my left hand and just make capital letters (lshift modifer) damage my focus if theyre damage spells or I keybind the shift modifier to another key. I use the numbers to change leaders and have it page my action bars so that my "/target leader1, /follow leader1" button is appropriate depending who is leader. I lose 4 bars (1 bar for each leader) for the same spells doing this but its worked great for me. Plus I see more of the screen since I now hide the 2 bars on the right side of the screen.

And you'll notice as you move up in arena that people learn real quick that standing in front of a multiboxer almost certainly = death. So they counter this by anticipating were your damage is going (they just watch your main). They're healer will create a "/cast [target=targettarget] heal" and target your main and just spam heal away or they'll just run out of LoS when you target them. And trust me against good teams, you'll feel helpless. Not to mention the Lag you will get with your alts as they can't react from the round robin tactics fast enough.

But dont worry, with the focus damage spells you just wait for them to get sloppy and stand in LoS. Target another toon form the opposing team and start casting a focus damage spell. Theyll stand in the open thinking they dont need to LoS your damage and boom theyre dead before they know what happened. Not to mention once you set a focus theirs ABSOLUTELY NO targetting lag.

My favorite kill in all arena is when I take the middle of the Bridge in Blade's Edge. 99% of teams Hide behind the Pillars on the other side. Occassionally you'll find a group that thinks its okay to stand on the ramp side of the pillar, out in the open. I set one of the poor souls on the ramp as my focus and retarget one their members directly behind the pillar. I then proceed to jump up on the edge of the bridge within range of their team. I then cast my LB+CL combo on the focus who doesnt move because he doesnt think he has damage incoming and BOOOOOM they drop instantly. Theyre team goes into panic mode and I move in for the win.

I can't stress enough, on any Arena map against LoS Humping Queers or just teams that heal through your damage, setting a focus will make dropping warriors, druids, and paladins a breeze. You cannot heal through Quadbox shaman burst damage when you dont see it coming. I imagine setting a focus with your setup will make getting DoTs on targets much easier if theyre playing the LoS game. You know those teams that send in the MS warrior you cant kill because right when you get him to 10% he gets healed to full health? Set him as your focus, then target and damage they're healer, then wind up a Spell combo on your focus and watch the Warrior drop.

You'd be amazed at how he rarely gets a single heal, let alone enough to keep him up.

[Yagamoth]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts ^^... The actual interesting part is - How do you switch focus in stress situations? Do you have a direct nuke or sth. like that?

[Elektric]

What usually goes down is I drop my focus target. And then I quickly find the next dangerous player and set him as my focus. Target the Healer apply damage, and then kill my focus with focus damage spells.

I can set a focus for all my toons from the main. My main has "/focus target", while my Alts have "/focus [target=targettarget]."

And of course these macros rotate depending on who is leader because I have them on the paging action bar.

Im not really sure what your asking, but hopefully that covers it.

[Thulos]

Elektrik are you using Keyclone and the hotstring ability or are you just using the paging functions?

[Elektric]

Keyclone and the built in wow paging function.

[Yagamoth]

Im not really sure what your asking, but hopefully that covers it.

That's about exactly what I was asking for - knowing, how more experienced players are handling this. Thanks :)

[Ualaa]

So...


Your main targets the toon you'd like to drop. The /Focus Target on your main sets that as their focus target.
Your alts are targeting who, when they run the /Focus [target=targettarget]?

If I understand your macro correctly, your Alts are all targeting your main.
The main chooses their Focus, and the Alts focus on your mains target.

[Elektric]

Ualaa,

You are correct. This makes it possible for me to make a focus for all my toons even in the midst of a fight.

For those of you that are quadboxing and noticing that things arent dying its because the healer is watching who your main is targeting. By eleminating this and using focus to do your damage, they cant counter your switch in damage.

[Yagamoth]

Well, I think that does not exactly solve what I'd like to have a solution for ^^...

You are taking the following steps:

1. Targetting an enemy with your main
2. Server sends Information to everyone what you are targetting
3. Set you mains target as focus

basically I'd like to erase step 2, do you think that's possible? ^^

[Elektric]

Well, I think that does not exactly solve what I'd like to have a solution for ^^...

You are taking the following steps:

1. Targetting an enemy with your main
2. Server sends Information to everyone what you are targetting
3. Set you mains target as focus

basically I'd like to erase step 2, do you think that's possible? ^^
Yes it is.

You want to avoid letting the opposition knowing who your focus is.

Do this first:

1. Get Proximo.
2. Copy the target all macro from arenajunkies.com (looks somthing like tar /a, tar/b, tar /c, etc...).
3. Normal use of this macro consists of spamming the button as the gates open to everyone's name.

Then how to execute:

1. Type /focus (name of the target you want focused)

Assuming you dont have the keys in their name that you have on round robin it'll work. Or you'll need to keybind the Round Robin bypass to a key and then type.

Not easier. Not More Efficient. But Possible.

And trust me. The good teams know who you're going after long before they catch on to who you are setting as a focus. But just for good measure I set my focus and then just click around to keep them on their toes.

[Yagamoth]

Does proximo allow keybinds? I mean, it lists the enemies. Can I assign any keys to the targets being listed?

Example:
1. Spamming the Macro so I get the list of my enemies --> One toon shares this information equally to each person
2. I get 5 enemies in my list (maybe less)
3. I press one button, to assign every toon an enemy to target
--> 1st toon = 1st enemy in list, 2nd toon = 2nd enemy in list, and so on...
4. Through targetting one enemy on each toon I basically could switch focus without being noticed to do so I'd guess.

Even easier would be to be able to set direct focus on the different enemies on the list.... In case proximo allows keybinds ^^

[Elektric]

Yes Proximo Allows keybinds to do just that.

But you have to target each toon before setting focus. And on another note, Proximo would bug out when ever i ran more than one copy on my computer. I can only run it on my main or it works for a couple of matches and then bombs out.

But if you're willing to give it a try, it could be the solution you are looking for.

[cherzra]

Thanks Elektrik those are some awesome posts!

I'm currently only lvl 65 with my 5-box, having been at it for just 4 weeks, but already see the need for an FTL setup. I need to be able to deal with my main being sapped or CCed but have been scared off by the complexity of FTL compared to a regular focus setup. I'll get around to it in the near future though.

With FTL, I'm not sure how to get all your slaves to follow the new leader as you change around leaders - how do you do that?