How to Select Your Target for Target of target/Focus Target's Target?

[DomiSotto]

Folks, I was wondering how you actually make it work. It is an absolutely awesome concept. But here are the difficulties I ran into in practice. If you have any answers it will be appreciated. I run a ranged DPS.

 

1. I select a ranged DPS as my focus target. I click the bind and nothing happens losing a precious second. Either the guy is out of range or we are not looking at the same thing. Or he is already dead.

 

2. If I select a player right next to me via 'select nearest' and use target of target, what if it is a healer, or worse, the guy just used a CC, so I am going to blow it up?

 

3. If I got jumped on by the melee, is the correct thing to do is to stick on the common target while kiting to avoid scattering fire, or try to defend yourself against the melee?

 

4. Should I aim to pick my long lasting front-line melee to support his target selection over another ranged, because they are more likely to position centre-stage and last a few seconds longer?

 

Thank you. I know it's kindergarten questions, but it just feels more difficult than it should be. I can't be the only one who has the problems with trying to use it smoothly?

Edited November 16, 2015 by DomiSotto

[kcon]

The first thing you have to do is set a focus target. To do this you have to know what the key bind is. I don't remember what the default was but mine was changed to shift+F. Once you have your focus target setup. You use anoth key index to acquire focus targets target. I set this to "F". It's usually best as a ranged class to focus off melee. In that case I would try to focus off a night burst melee class, like a PT or a Jugg.

 

So set one of the melee on your team as your focus and hit your acquire target keybind. Now you can apply some major pew pew and make those healers sweat.

Edited November 16, 2015 by kcon

[DomiSotto]

Yes, I know how my keybinds are set up and I understand what they do.

 

What I want to know is how other people identify the appropriate team member to be their target lead. I am obviously doing it wrong since I am not finding much success with it. That is why I specifically described the difficulties I have encountered when trying to use it (anticipating that it is hard to make the title to fit in the exact questions I have).

 

So, the front-line melee is the best thing to select as your focus. Got it.

 

Now, what about the targeting when you are being attacked yourself (Question #3)? To persist and keep focusing potentially losing the toon, or to switch to self-defense and scatter fire resulting in less team cooperation?

 

What about the cc-breaking concern with taking a target from your lead (Question #2)?

Edited November 16, 2015 by DomiSotto

[Lundorff]

Kudos to you for trying to figure this out. I remember reading a guide once and tried to fiddle with it, but alas, the concept and usefulness still eludes me

[kcon]

There is no range restriction for focus targets. The only thing I can see that would be happening is that your focus target doesn't have a target selected for you to acquire of they are targeting a friendly player. It's not uncommon for a melee dps to target a healer for a defensive leap or AoE taunt.

[DomiSotto]

@Lundorff: I always wanted to get the technique for DPS, because I use focus as a tank or as a healer successfully. But as a DPS for focusing fire I just do not get it, and it is the essential part of the toolbox and the scattered fire is the main reason we screw up.

 

I actually never tried to select a melee, always the senior ranged player on the team. I think what happens that I cannot see his target either by LoS or his target is in his range, but out of mine. On Alderaan or on AHG it is fairly easy thing to happen, because of the central thinggies there.

 

I will try to select a melee & see if it is better.

[Jherad]

Now, what about the targeting when you are being attacked yourself (Question #3)? To persist and keep focusing potentially losing the toon, or to switch to self-defense and scatter fire resulting in less team cooperation?

 

It really depends on the warzone, the situation, and who is attacking you.

 

If it's a tank attacking you, you're probably best off sticking with your original target. Kite them around if you have to, CC them if possible. IF they overextend from their healing support, then it can be worth switching to kill them - but don't get drawn into a lengthy fight, that's precisely what they want.

 

If it's a decent melee DPS attacking you, I'd kite them back to your support, and kill them there (or force them to retreat). They're going to put a significant drain on your healers, and if you're dead you're not DPSing.

 

If it's a RDPS attacking you, get LOS on them when possible and continue attacking your target.

 

If they suck, kill them where they stand, or ignore them. Either works.

 

Different warzones call for different priorities. In arenas, you're going to want to stick on your target as much as possible, unless you see a very real opportunity for a kill on an overextended or low health player. In huttball, you may need to focus a ball carrier down even if it costs you your life. In Hypergate, you're going to want to maximise kills while minimising deaths - so looking for squishy overextenders is a big priority, even above killing healers in many cases.

 

TLDR: It depends. Be flexible. Stay on target when you can, but don't get tunnel-vision. And don't overextend yourself.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Jherad

[DomiSotto]

Okay, I see. I guess, it's like the healer that has to kite towards the tank, instead of kiting away as the instinct tells you.

[Jinre_the_Jedi]

You have to enable the Focus Target frame in your interface editor screen.

[DomiSotto]

You have to enable the Focus Target frame in your interface editor screen.

 

Yes, yes, it's working, it has always been working for me. I am asking about the reasoning and better ways to select a player in a particular role that I should designate as my (perfectly functioning) focus target (or my target) as a (fledgling) ranged DPS player.

Edited November 16, 2015 by DomiSotto

[jedi_newb]

I've been running into this issue a bit in trying to choose targets.

 

Seems the rule of thumb around focusing healers is a good start, but then you get into situations where you have multiple healers all healing themselves, or the healer is double guarded, etc.

 

When would you switch to focus the tank vs. the healer? when would you take down the dps first? Is there an order among DPS that you'd take out, ie. grab the ranged first then melee?

 

I know a lof of this is situational, but helps to know of some tricks or rules people try to adhere to.

[Lhancelot]

If it's a decent melee DPS attacking you, I'd kite them back to your support, and kill them there (or force them to retreat). They're going to put a significant drain on your healers, and if you're dead you're not DPSing.

 

Playing a dps commando in mids now, level 43... High lvl melee shred me like lettuce through a grater in secs, it's hilarious getting hit for 15-16k from juggs with no real way to get them off me.

 

Anyway... I find this about all I can do, I will *try* to kite them to other dps and hope that they get picked off me or at least they chase me far enough to where by the time I do die, they then get killed by our team.

 

I like gunslingers for this purpose. Often times, I will lead the melee on me to our teams gunslingers. They will see them and begin dpsing on them. The melee on me then tend to trail off and run away or die if they continue chasing.

 

Those are best case scenarios though. Typically I get melted within 10-15 secs, and the jugg/marauder happily engages the next target to kill.

[Jinre_the_Jedi]

Yes, yes, it's working, it has always been working for me. I am asking about the reasoning and better ways to select a player in a particular role that I should designate as my (perfectly functioning) focus target (or my target) as a (fledgling) ranged DPS player.

 

As ranged dps, focus target the enemy healer to interrupt/mezz them during their casts while killing the target the healer is attempting to save.

[DomiSotto]

So I do not preset one on my own team to take target of of him? Basically, I should look around and find a healer instead, have him on focus and swap the focus target's target and the focus target when I see the healer going into a casted ability?

 

What if I am the only person doing that, which, again, will result in scattered fire? Is not it better to focus even if the focus is incorrectly selected?

Edited November 16, 2015 by DomiSotto

[Jherad]

So I do not preset one on my own team to take target of of him? Basically, I should look around and find a healer instead, have him on focus and swap the focus target's target and the focus target when I see the healer going into a casted ability?

 

What if I am the only person doing that, which, again, will result in scattered fire? Is not it better to focus even if the focus is incorrectly selected?

 

In pugs, it's probably best to take the initiative and mark a target (like a healer) for everyone. As Krea says, you may want to set that target as your focus (instead of a friendly), to facilitate easy switches to them, or cast interrupts/CCs.

 

If there isn't a bothersome healer, it can be useful to set a friendly node guard as your focus too, so it really stands out if they start to take damage or cast when they haven't yet called for help.

 

#pugproblems

[DomiSotto]

I am more or less used to memorizing the name (and checking it once in a while on the map) for the offnode guard and his/her position on the frame, b/c for me it used to compete big time with our healer as a focus target when I played as a tank. It, of course, competes with your heals as a DPS too, since the idea is to make sure they are not hurting. I wish we had an additional 'observation' option for one more player for things like that, without a targeting option even.

 

So I think what should work is having the front line melee selected on approach, start shooting what s/he leaped to, and aiming to add their healer as a focus target as soon as I find him/her. Well, one of their 2 healers.

 

Sure, #pugproblems but since everyone complains how everyone is so bad and all, is not it for the best to try to figure out what to do in advance before your 6 teammates are all dead in a space of 5 seconds?

Edited November 17, 2015 by DomiSotto

[Plicitous]

In cases where there are multiple healers and your team is having trouble burning one down, as a ranged dps one of the most useful things you can do is set the healer who isn't being focused by your team as your focus target and then use the focus modifier to interrupt him on cooldown while still pressuring the primary target.

 

Also pay close attention to the Trauma debuff on your primary targets. If you notice that it's not being applied consistently then make the decision to own it and make it your job to keep the target debuffed. It's a thankless job but once you start doing it you'll see pretty quickly how much a 20% healing debuff can impact the course of tight games.

 

In regs you should generally do whatever it takes to keep yourself alive unless the enemy healer is under 30% in which case I'd ignore the attacker and try to finish the target off.

 

Generally, it's much easier to target melee targets because you can keep them in front of you and stay within range. If you're working with another ranged dps and have voice comms then two ranged working together will always be preferred. The lead dps just needs to announce his target switches so you can re-acquire the new target efficiently. If you ever do this, try to stack mostly on top of the lead dps but a few meters behind him so you can tail him easily while still maintaining a common LoS (this works well when playing with random players too -- it's much easier to tell when they've switched targets if you're behind them! Plus, they almost always end up being your meat shield ).

Edited November 18, 2015 by Plicitous

[MusicRider]

Follow focus target was always the case back in the days of ranked warzones. Every team had a primary and secondary target select leader and usually that was a combat sentinel back then, i.e. a high burst melee., The mission of the tank/healer was to identify who was leading the target selection as it allowed really fast reactive counter. Basically focus target is part of organised team play.

 

This though does not mean it cannot be used effectively in pugs. Pick a teammate that is a dps whore and preferrably in burst spec. It also greatly helps if you are in burst spec also (BW when are you going to fix telekinetcs btw?), Keybind your follow focus target, mine is scroll up so you can imagine that when I follow someone on focus and there is lack of voip I "refresh" every few secs. The alternative use is to put an enemy on your focus target and use target modifier. Taunt a dps, interrupt a healer, etc.

 

Focus target is not exception to the dynamic and situational play. When you follow focus you might want to consider delaying your burst which just came off cd waiting for the target swap to an unguarded target; yes this will lower your dps but it has more impact, it's what I call "objective dps". Your teammate is out of range, then think how to re-establish los and whether it is worth putting yourself at risk there. You are being attacked, inevitably you will have to deal with it. You can always CC your attacker and kill your focus target's target. With one less enemy the pressure on you is less.

 

Basically eveyrthing comes with practice, but a couple of things are for sure. Do not follow someone who can't even break 1k dps and do not follow a balance sage.

Edited November 18, 2015 by MusicRider

[DomiSotto]

Guys, huge thanks on the thoughts on how to think about it & for the positioning tips. I am really looking forward to trying the few ways you guys outlined.

 

I think I do not have the trauma debuff as a mando/mercenary (I will double-check, but I think it’s only VG, Sent and Slinger) but I can either e-net or re-dot the unfocused healer. And, yes, I know, more damage would be better.

 

Fingers crossed I can work it in.