Sticky Targeting - How I target my team

[lacitpo]

UPDATE

Graphical demonstration of sticky targeting

Here is a write-up of the targeting method I use for my multiboxing team. I call it sticky targeting.

This targeting method keeps your DPS targeting a single mob while allowing your healer and tank to switch and alternate targets at will, all in a single macro.

The Setup

I'm assuming that one of your characters will be considered the main assist, i.e. will 'pass' targets to the DPS. I think this is a typical setup for most people, with slaves all following (targeting) the master character.

For my examples below, I'll be using ASSIST in place of the name of my assist character.

The magic line

/target [target=target, harm, nodead, exists][target=targettarget, harm, nodead, exists][target=ASSIST, nodead, exists]

How it works
This is the most basic version of the targeting line. Lets explore what this does. Lets start where your slave characters have no targets. On your ASSIST character, you acquire whatever mob you desire your slaves to DPS next. Here's what happens

• 1st keypress - All slaves will target your ASSIST character.
• 2nd keypress - All slaves will target your ASSIST character's target
• 3rd - nth keypress - Slaves will continue targeting this enemy mob until it is either manually cleared as long as the mob is still alive.

Once the mob dies, the next keypress will reset all slaves back to targeting your ASSIST character and repeat the process.

A full example
Lets look at what this would look like in a simple fireball macro for a mage

/target [target=target, harm, nodead, exists][target=targettarget, harm, nodead, exists][target=ASSIST, nodead, exists]
/stopmacro [dead][noharm][noexists]
/cast fireball

You'll see I added a stopmacro line in there to prevent errors from when there is no valid DPS target to engage.

Conclusion
By incorporating this into your DPS macros, you'll be free to cycle targets all you want on your assist character which is useful if this character is a healer or a tank, requiring you to switch off of the focus-fired mob to taunt or heal. During these switches you don't want your DPS switching with you. However, adding another key to force your slaves to acquire a new target adds yet another keypress to what is typically an already complicated setup.

This is my first forum writeup of this method. I'm sure it's not original but I haven't seen it around and wanted to share it, hopefully solving someone's targeting woes.

[Fizzler]

nice write up. I used something similar to this before I went FTL. I loved it and am thinking about going back to it or Focus targetting.

[lacitpo]

I'd probably use FTL if the software tools were available on OSX.

Mac boxers don't have the options PC boxers have at their disposal. This however, I know is my choice not to install boot camp so don't take that as complaining, but rather as a statement of fact.

[owensd]

I'd probably use FTL if the software tools were available on OSX.

Mac boxers don't have the options PC boxers have at their disposal. This however, I know is my choice not to install boot camp so don't take that as complaining, but rather as a statement of fact.

Working on it.

[lacitpo]

I made up this graphical presentation to explain this targeting method a bit better. Maybe this will help someone out.

http://docs.google.com/present/edit?...wY2Q0Yzc&hl=en

[Greythan]

Why not simply have the following at the END of every DPS macro on your slaves?

/cast fireball
/stopmacro [harm,exists,nodead]
/assist {primary toon's name}

With this method you don't ever target your primary toon (a wasted step it seems). Its 2 presses to get the first fireball rolling at your target (if you don't have one already).

[Toned]

Why not simply have the following at the END of every DPS macro on your slaves?

/cast fireball
/stopmacro [harm,exists,nodead]
/assist {primary toon's name}

With this method you don't ever target your primary toon (a wasted step it seems). Its 2 presses to get the first fireball rolling at your target (if you don't have one already).

This is the method that I used before FTL and it works great.

I was messing around with my setup last night on a mixed caster team, and setup the shaman and mage with macros like this. That way they'd dps down the first mob I selected while the shadow priest and warlock would switch targets with my tank to dot up everything(Was trying shadow/affilction for fun).

I will probably be sticking with my current method of FTL and have mouseover macros for taunts and what not on the tank.

[tanknspanker]

very nice and neat ^^
i might use this for pve, for pvp i think, it's a nono

greetingz
<3

[Greythan]

With ISBoxer while leveling up some toons, I switched to its integrated FTL system and love it for plug and play. Just drop a spell on your action bar and its cast on your target.

That said, for dungeon work (PvE) I'll go back to my system above. I just like it better.

For PvP, its a no brainer for me: FTL via ISBoxer.

[sp0000n]

I know the OP put this up some time ago but I just came across it now. I must say that the PowerPoint slideshow was an excellent touch in explaining how this works.

Question. Is @assist a variable defined somewhere or do you have to put in the assist's (tank's) name into every macro. I'm an altoholic so I'd rather not have hard-coded assists.

Thanks.