Using your focus target to cast faster
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 10th 2008 at 12:30PM
Focus is a powerful tool built into the default UI that I just don't use nearly as much as I should. With '/focus" (and a number of key bindings), you can set up a "focused" target that, with one keypress or macro, you can snap back to and cast whatever needs to be casst. Resto4Life has been putting together a great series on Focus and how to use it: They've hit on hibernating, healing with focus, and now using your focus' target to deal out debuffs.The situation is that you're in a raid and you're healing -- you have a little extra mana and you want to use it to throw debuffs on the main tank's target, but you don't want to miss a second of watching the main tank's bar. Using macros, you can actually cast spells on your focus' target (in this case, your focus would be the MT) without ever changing targets -- just set up a macro to cast the spell, put the button on your bar, and rather than ever having to switch targets, you can just run a macro. You can even use "modifier:shift" and "modifier:ctrl" to switch spells and/or targets. And with simple addons, you can watch your focus target even when you tab away.
Focus is such a powerful tool that it's a little overwhelming to think of all the things that it can make easier in game. But whenever you're in a situation where you're always going back to a certain target (whether that be an MT or self or someone else in the group you're playing with) and can set it as focus, then you can often use macros or addons to make everything else easier after that.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Tips, Odds and ends, Raiding
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dakira Apr 10th 2008 12:52PM
Yeah its great for casting polymorph as a mage...
I also use to for Blessing of Sacrifice on an MT or OT...
Matt B Apr 10th 2008 12:58PM
/agree.
If you look around you'll find some Polymorph macros that, when first pressed, will cast the spell and set your focus; and subsequent presses will recast the spell on the initial target without you having to worry about switching.
An essential little feature.
Aaron Apr 10th 2008 12:57PM
Focus is emmensely powerful, especially for mages. I think that's the class that a lot of people usually think of when they talk about 'focus' (or healers). I use a focus frame addon and a sheeping macro to watch my sheep and re-sheep 'em quickly without having to change off of the target that I'm nuking. It makes you much quicker at maintaining you CC, making you a favorite of the raid (and saves you from being killed by you sheep when you're not looking).
Clicking this button (macro) sets your target as your focus, and starts to sheep them if in range (I usually set them when they’re out of range, and hit the button again when they come in range after the tank pulls). You can now target a different mob and wack away, and when you’re sheep pops, just hit this button again (no need to change your target). Shift-clicking will clear the focus (if no new enemy target is selected), or set your current target as your new focus. When your target is dead, hitting this button again clears your focus.
#show Polymorph
/clearfocus [modifier:shift]
/focus [target=focus,noexists]; [target=focus,dead]
/clearfocus [target=focus,help]
/stopcasting
/cast [target=focus,exists,harm] Polymorph; Polymorph
Enjoy :)
peaglemancer Apr 10th 2008 3:34PM
Thanks, that's more customized than my current one, I'm going to try this tonight :)
Cetha Apr 10th 2008 1:00PM
i have heard of focus, and really want to be able to use it, but once macros get multi-lined, my head starts to hurt and I can no longer figure out what's going on...this is where i stand with using focus currently...is there an idiot's guide to using focus somewhere?
con-man Apr 10th 2008 1:01PM
Focus = Win
Its great for me because I just went holy and I have no hit rating so my shackle targets in kara break way more than they used to. Focus lets me keep it up, esp during the Moroes fight when Im busy healing.
Dakira Apr 10th 2008 1:04PM
You have that macro'ed?
con-man Apr 10th 2008 1:07PM
Yeah. Left clicking shackles my target, right clicking reshackles it without me having to switch back to that target.
Tekkub Apr 10th 2008 1:06PM
*cough*
http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/info7797-2.4.0.2%20Beta.html
Focus is the best thing ever.
Dakira Apr 10th 2008 1:12PM
Cool Tekkub...
Will check out your Addon when I get back to my gaming computer!
I checked out your page, a nice selection of addons, any chance of some screenies, my mind often works better with pictures attached.
con-man Apr 10th 2008 1:06PM
Yeah. Left clicking shackles my target, right clicking reshackles it without me having to switch back to that target.
K Apr 10th 2008 1:17PM
I'm often the only priest shackling in my guild's Kara run so I've got my shackle target focus'd but I still have to target it again to re-shackle it... do you mind sharing your macro?
Aaron Apr 10th 2008 1:18PM
To Cetha:
It's pretty easy to set up a macro, all you really need to know is how to cut and paste :) Here is the first part of a 'macro' how-to I did for my guild (I've taken out a lot of lines since I'm not posting all my macros here):
Many people are apprehensive about using macros because they look confusing, but in actuality, they are very easy to use.
To start: Type /macro to open the macro creation window. Click on the ‘new’ button. For most of these macros, select the “?” icon, as the macro will automatically select the appropriate picture (if the macro has the "#showtooltip" line in it). Type a name for your macro. Copy and paste the macro from [this page] into your macro text box. Whala! Done. You can also shift-click a spell from your spellbook to put it into your macro text (like linking an item in chat).
A really great place to look for macros is WoWWiki. For instance, their mage page (by doing a google search for wowwiki mage macros): http://www.wowwiki.com/Useful_macros/Mage
It's all really simple, cut and paste :) Good luck!
Jim Apr 10th 2008 3:56PM
In reply to K. There is a fancier way to do this, but what I do is:
1. Make a macro for focus. /focus Keybind that. So, I bind /focus to J.
2. Make a shackle macro. /cast [target=focus]Shackle Undead
Keybind that, I bind it to K. This will always cast on your focus, no matter who you are targeting.
3. Get into Moroes, target whoever they tell you to shackle. Push (your /focus keybinding). Now target the main tank, do your POM/Renew thing, and get ready to spam your shackle macro so you don't get 1 shot.
Kristin Apr 11th 2008 2:37PM
Yay! Thank you, Jim! I had focus keybound but didn't know how to make macro that would make shackle always cast on the focus'd target.
On a related note... if I were to hit the macro with /cast [target=focus]Shackle Undead and I didn't have a focus... what would happen? Would it cast on my current target or just tell me it had no target? (I'll try it tonight but I'm at work right now and curious...!)
Manatank Apr 10th 2008 1:12PM
I use focus in all of my multi-boxing macros. It makes it really easy.
Nick S Apr 10th 2008 2:46PM
for you pvp mages out there (and i must admit, i'm pretty bad at pvp) a focus target can be great for counterspell in arenas
what i've done is set up two macros: one to set and clear focus, and one to stop casting and counterspell my focus target.
when the match begins, i set my focus to the healer and my target to our first dps target and pewpew - when i see a heal i hit my counterspell macro and the healer is instantly silenced, while i can re-cast frostbolt (or whatever) the instant the GCD ends.
kenney Apr 10th 2008 2:57PM
When I am multii-tanking, I set the mob that dps is focusing on as the focus target, and use macros to throw shield slams and devastates at it while I tab through the rest. It's also handy displaying the focus target's target in that situation, because it tells me if I need to switch back and taunt.
I also use focus when I am tanking two casters, so that I can see both their cast bars and interrupt accordingly.
Tom Apr 10th 2008 7:18PM
Do any of the focus addons change the targeting to work like EQ2? Let me explain how it works for that game out of the box.
Situation 1. I have the tank targeted. As a healer I cast a healing spell, and it heals the tank. I cast a damage spell, and it attacks the tanks target. No retargeting needed, it just automatically puts beneficial spells on my target, and damaging/debuff spells on my targets target.
Situation 2. I have a mob targeted who is attacking another party member. I click heal, it heals the party member being targeted by the mob. I cast a damage spell, it damages the mob. Again with no manual retargetting or extra keypresses.
It's something I'd love to have in WoW without a huge macro and extra keystroke setup.
Azzi Apr 10th 2008 9:08PM
I don't think you would be able to achieve this without a macro and/or extra keystrokes.