Using an item to simulate /turn type macro command - It works!

[Flekkie]

Hi, long-time lurker here.

I'm questing in Borean Tundra, doing a quest called xxxx[Removed by Flekkie] . The quest item (xxxx), when targeted on any mob, will face my character towards it. The range is not great but not bad. So.. I added "/use xxxx" to the front of all my macros and hey presto, no more facing issues, it works perfectly with no noticeable delay, even if the mob is directly behind [Edit: If the mob is behind then the first press turns you instantly and the second press performs the spell. If in front, then the first press performs the spell.] . Intending to hide the error message the same way as for trinkets.

1 - Don't think this is illegal or anything, right?
2 - Couldn't see this info with a quick search, sorry if it's already out there
3 - If people are already aware of this, what is a good item to use for maximum range? (I handed the quest in on my main, so looking for a replacement item for him >.<;)

[Starbuck_Jones]

That is an impressive find. Reminds me of the 'Bow Dance" from Asheron's call. Does it work on players? Be handy to have against all those rogues who jump around like monkeys on Ritalin.

[XeR0X]

wow that would be awesome if that works!! to bad i finished that quest! =( gotta look for soemthing like it

[Flekkie]

That is an impressive find. Reminds me of the 'Bow Dance" from Asheron's call. Does it work on players? Be handy to have against all those rogues who jump around like monkeys on Ritalin.I haven't PvP'd yet, and never really have.

It turns me toward any mob that I can cast an aggressive spell at, including the other faction guards. I wouldn't be surprised if it worked on players, although it only turns you once at the start of the cast (not continuously throughout the cast like the channelled ones do). So more useful with instant spells when against ritalin monkeys (and rogues). Also: if you cannot cast the spell due to facing you need to press it twice, but the actual turning effect is instant.

However, it does not turn turn me if it is targeted at a friendly NPC, or another team member. So looks like it's only useful for aggressive spells and not healing (unfortunately).


What is the Bow Dance out of interest? WoW was my first MMO.

[aboron]

I have not tried of verified this myself, but I heard that one of these might have the same effect: Dark Jade Focusing Lens ('http://www.wowhead.com/?item=41367')

They come in multiple colors and are made by jewelcrafters, unfortunately they have limited charges before they wear out.

Usually for my facing issues, I have "click to move" enabled and use the "interact with target" function followed by a real quick "backward" to stop them all running in, if needed.

[Flekkie]

A small update:

The quest 'xxxx [Removed by Flekkie]' uses the item 'xxxx', which has the same turning effect, but only within melee range.

It's starting to seem like many quest items might have this effect, but each with a different range.


This is a big improvement to my attack macros, especially when I get surrounded or the mob moves a lot.

[Starbuck_Jones]

AC is very lenient when it comes to automation, bots and the like. The bow dance was a fail safe method of making sure a toon was standing and not in combat. A lot of macros had you lay down to rest faster and no matter what state your toon was in, if you equipped a bow, the animation of that would force you to a standing non combat position. Thus a saftey reset if you like in case your toon was laying down but the macro wanted you to cast spells, or standing doing nothing because you were not in a combat state or vice versa. Later they came up with a 'bowless dance' But the effect was all the same.

[Starbuck_Jones]

If this works against players, it could be a very very powerful pvp tool to always keep your front towards the enemy. Does it interrupt casting if you spam it on non instant cast spells? And for melee spamming that will greatly reduce exposing your back for devastating attacks.

[Flekkie]

It is spammable, in exactly the same way as /use 13 is spammable.
It does not interupt casting.
The keypress either fires the spell, or turns you if you are not facing.

[Flekkie]

And another follow-on:
Made a quick list of WotLK quest items with an effect on hostiles and range >40yd. These might be worth trying, but no guarantee they will work the same. I haven't done most of these quests, so I may even be way out on some of them.

xxxx [Removed by Flekkie]

[Maxion]

It turns me toward any mob that I can cast an aggressive spell at, including the other faction guards. I wouldn't be surprised if it worked on players, although it only turns you once at the start of the cast (not continuously throughout the cast like the channelled ones do). So more useful with instant spells when against ritalin monkeys (and rogues). Also: if you cannot cast the spell due to facing you need to press it twice, but the actual turning effect is instant.

However, it does not turn turn me if it is targeted at a friendly NPC, or another team member. So looks like it's only useful for aggressive spells and not healing (unfortunately).
Good thing you don't need to face your target to cast a healing spell.

[RobinGBrown]

I'd be careful about using this technique as it could be classed as an exploit. Having to turn your toon to face the enemy is a feature of WoW and getting around that feature by using a macro with a quest item that turns you could get you into trouble.

[Flekkie]

I'd be careful about using this technique as it could be classed as an exploit. Having to turn your toon to face the enemy is a feature of WoW and getting around that feature by using a macro with a quest item that turns you could get you into trouble.Yep - the more I think about it the more I'm getting cold feet about it, regardless of what other crafted items / abilities / interface tools do the same thing.

What is the experience of the community with this sort of thing? Should I back off it completely & ask for thread lock / deletion, or should I raise it with Blizz (& best way to do that if appropriate?).

Thanks for the guidance, sorry for potentially controversial first post.

[Otlecs]

I don't see this as especially controversial.

The fact that these items face you towards your enemy is as much a feature of the game as the lack of an explicit "/face" type command. I'm sure that particular rationale has been used to justify more nefarious things in the past though ;)

If it was determined by Blizzard to be an unintended effect, the worst I can imagine them doing is fixing the items.

I fully intend to give this a shot on the team I'm about to start levelling from 70 to 80 (*groan*...) but a general "is it ok to hold on to these items to get this functionality" type post on the Blizz forums would definitely remove any doubt.

[Nolife]

I just tested this item. It does work in PvP but it won't make you face the enemy while you are casting a spell, so you'll be turning only between spells.

[Cuddlez11]

Does anyone know of an alliance version that is confirmed to work?

[blast3r]

I would ask a GM before doing this. To me this looks like exploiting game mechanics. I'm sure this was not how they intended for the device to be used. Be careful!

[DgtlSorcrs]

The only guaranteed safe (non-rule-infringing) way to do this that I know of is an channeled spell like Arcane Missiles. My mage is specifically arcane specced because I find it extremely convenient to have her /assist MY_MAIN followed by /cast Arcane missiles

She stops dead in her tracks and starts casting, and if the action moves around her a bit, while channeling, she always faces the mob. It's terribly convenient, and I can see how folks would be tempted to use some item with similar effects. I can also see how Bliz may interpret using quest items to accomplish this as an exploit "violating the spirit of"...

I'm interested to see if anyone gets feedback though.

[Flekkie]

I have put a post on the EU forums here:

http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=9158128740&sid=1


If this does not get official response, I am open to advice on how to proceed!

[Edit: I won't be logging in for the next week, but when I next do I'll open a ticket about it too if needs be]

[Flekkie]

Does anyone know if the Dark Jade Focusing Lens still turns you when it's charges are gone (eg just no beam)? Or does it just disappear? Thanks.

[Phanes]

Has anyone tried any of these items to see if they work? The one he starts off talking about is apparently Horde only so I cannot test it.

[zanthor]

The jade lenses disappear when out of charges but are dirt cheap to make and non-unique.

[jimbobobb]

You have done more than is necesarry by making a post. Using the item like this will not get you banned, in case that is what you are worried about. You are using an item that you got legitimately through the game. As already stated the worst that will happen is they change the item, or a GM might ask you to stop using it in such a faction, in which case you absolutely should. But until that happens, I say you are simply using an item in the game in a unique and helpful fashion.

[Phanes]

I know the Jade lenses work I was hoping for something spammable so I can just add it to my nuke macro. Worst comes to worst I can have my guys with a bunch of Lenses and just make a seperate button to recover after being charmed or thrown around or something like that.

[Cornelius]

I can confirm that these items are NOT working in our case:
?oldarra Drake Hunt (Daily) Raelorasz's Spear 80 http://thottbot.com/s46607 ?
Borean T Hah... You're Not So Big Now Crafty's Ultra-Advanc 45 http://thottbot.com/s51912 ?

Too bad, I had high hopes on that Crafty gizmo.

For Alliance there is quest rifle for putting animals to sleep in Zul-Drak (it's the quest where you check animals' sex).

But it's range is sorta short and ALAS it won't work when target is in combat (so it's a no-no for spamming shocks).

So please, keep lookin for alliance turning thingies.

[Starbuck_Jones]

http://i.thottbot.com/ic/32/inv_weapon_shortblade_78.png ('http://thottbot.com/i38731')Ahunae's Knife ('http://thottbot.com/i38731')

From this quest in Zul'Drak works. Its range is about 8 yards or so.

http://thottbot.com/q12659

Looks like its at the end of a quest chain so if your looking to get the achievement for the zone, this one should not hold you back. Its also a neutral quest so its open to both Horde and Alliance.

[Cornelius]

Might be good for shocks in melee distance but range is too short obviously.

Keep lookin, fellow boxers, keep lookin!

[Flekkie]

I know the Jade lenses work I was hoping for something spammable so I can just add it to my nuke macro. Worst comes to worst I can have my guys with a bunch of Lenses and just make a seperate button to recover after being charmed or thrown around or something like that.My nightmare week is over, so back to the game :)

The first thing I'll try is getting a lens and putting it at the end of a macro, so it is only triggered if all spells in the macro fail (eg if facing the wrong way). This should solve the above if it works, but it might mean some of my existing [nochannel] macros need rethinking. One test at a time!

I'll also open a ticket some time today. Apologies in advance if it generates a 'no' that people don't want to hear, but if it is a 'yes' we can all be very happy, and silence will at least give those who decide to use quest items the high ground.
(For example, being allowed to 'abuse' quest items would also imply we are allowed to use the 'xxxx' [Removed by Flekkie] from the Zangar Marsh quest, which gives 3 x 60 min water breathing and can be replaced by talking to the quest giver.)

[Flekkie]

Short version:
Quest items: Not OK
Focusing Lens: OK

Long version:

Ticket was worded like this:
I've found a use for some quest items outside the quest they relate to. Is it allowed to use them like this?

EG: 'XXXX' [Removed by Flekkie] can be left in inventory, and Macros with /use XXXX in the first line will automatically turn the character to face the target before the rest of the macro.
EG2: 'XXXX' from a Zangar Marsh Quest.

If not allowed, am I OK to use a 'Dark Jade Focusing Lens' (a regular item) in macros for facing?

Thanks for any help / advice Conversation went like this:
http://xs539.xs.to/xs539/09216/questitemsrbadmkay859.jpg ('http://xs.to')

Glad I apologised in advance ;)
However, hopefully this will stop people from losing accounts by unwittingly exploiting the game. /me stops trying to dig upwards

[Edit:] To prevent anything bad reflecting on me, I have changed the title of the topic, and xxx'ed out specific references in my posts to items which have been confirmed as possible exploits. Honestly, IRL i'm not that straight laced, but I don't wanna get anyone in the brown stuff.

[Phanes]

I never thought to add it at the end so if the guys are facing the wrong way then the castsequence will fail and they shoudl turn or will the castsequence just keep going? I will have to test this.

[Cornelius]

Well, GM response is predictable.

Case dismissed.

[KvdM]

That gm response shows how little education they get about classifying exploits.