Curse

The Virago · Jun 01, 2005, 02:53 AM // 02:53

I am astounded at the number of people playing in the realm who simply do not seem to understand that calling target is a vital component of teamwork.

Granted, I know some use voice chat and some won't even group with you if you do not, but come on -- why assume everyone can read your mind or even hear what you're saying?

CTL+Space is your friend.

Call the target. Call any switch of target. Your team's offense will thank you. You will win more fights. Your team-mates will like you. Your henchies will like you. Life will be good.

C-Tzar · Jun 01, 2005, 02:58 AM // 02:58

Couldn't agree more. But would like to add: please designate a caller (and perhaps a backup should the first caller stop for a nutritional snack of delicious soil). Having 5 arrows in the roster window isn't much better than not having any.

Fultz · Jun 01, 2005, 02:58 AM // 02:58

Actually my healer henchie does all the tanking these days.... Do you think in a parralell universe henchies are gods and everyone plays the game with them? I like to think that they are useful some where in life.

DrSLUGFly · Jun 01, 2005, 03:30 AM // 03:30

Could you guys give me advice on this? I haven't PvP'd and I'd like to know about callin the target. For example, does the caller direct the others to attack someone? Does it make sense to gang up on one and leave the others unoccupied to attack at will?

I know these are uber-noober questions, but the fact of the matter is: I'm a noob. No shame, just desire to learn.

C-Tzar · Jun 01, 2005, 03:44 AM // 03:44

Calling a target lets the group know which mob they are on giving the rest of the group the option to select the same target. And yes, you definately want everyone on one target unil it dies, then on to the next. Even if focusing on one at a time takes the same amount of time to kill everything as everybody getting their own, by taking one at a time out as quickly as possible you have less mobs which directly equates to less damage. But in reality, it not only means taking less damage, it's faster overall as a good healer can just cycle through the group keeping everyone healed while they get chipped away at, but they can't keep up with 8 people unloading on a single target all at once. Furthermore, it's a good idea to not only call a target, but to take mobs down in a sensible order, with pretty much invariably means "get that healer dead as quickly as possible!" followed by "OUCH, that massive-damage-dealing AoE nuker is raping us, make him dead!" and generally ending with "heheh, what are you gonna do, Mr. Tank man, with the call train running over you now that you have no healer".

Tala · Jun 01, 2005, 04:02 AM // 04:02

Something else not mentioned that might be needed; hitting "T" automatically selects whatever the last called target is for everyone else in the party.

So every time your *caller* hits Ctrl+Space you and the rest of your group hit the "T" button to target that mob.

I am rarely a caller, but went out of my way to learn how to call effectively while using henchmen. I found the key to good calling (besides picking the best "die first" targets) is to hit Ctrl+Space on every single mob.

While henchies tend to follow who you attack, after you drop the first target they can wander and try to hit whoever is doing damage to them. I would imagine it's even worse in a PUG.

Practice being a good caller with hencies...your real life team will thank you for it.

Oh...and the first thing I always ask when joining a PUG is who will be calling. If there is silence I usually suggest the warrior since we'd all like him running in first anyways.

The Virago · Jun 01, 2005, 04:13 AM // 04:13

Calling your target is not just a PvP concept, though not using it likely gets people dead far quicker in PvP than in PvE. Here are some uses in PvE:

(non-hench) -- having one person decide which is the first target and the rest using the 'assist' (The letter 'T' after the call with CTL+Space has been made) insures you're all on the same thing and not say... wasting your energy trying to nuke down a melee while there's a healer standing right behind him keeping him alive.

This is something that will really make missions and heavy damage encounters much smoother.

On the etiquette side of things, it is usually THE HEALER of your team who determines attack order, as it is their responsibility to keep you alive during all of it. A good healer will know things like 'Take the healers out, then the ranged fighters, etc'. If your heale isn't up on attack order/priority, this duty is usually take up by whomever is luring/pulling monsters to you or whomever is 'on point' duty (first to attack or be attacked).

(using henchmen) -- use the call target function to switch your henchmen from one target to another. For example, you pop a melee and suddenly realise there's two healers in the group that shows up to fight. Re-targeting puts the henchman's focus where YOU want it.

In PvP here, healers die first at all costs, followed by ranged classes, then the close melee last. Well, when things 'go well', anyway. Part of the skill in PvP is knowing how and when to adjust or take advantage of weaknesses you see in the opposing team (e.g., they aren't guarding their healers, they are too spread out or too packed together, etc.).

But assist is a very basic concept that is a huge contributor to success in either environment.

Mistress Eyahl · Jun 01, 2005, 04:28 AM // 04:28

I posted a thread all about this called Auto Asissit and why you should use it. Tells the basics

The Virago · Jun 01, 2005, 04:31 AM // 04:31

Hmm. You did? I don't see it in your profile listing... where is it? Linkage!

Wait, you didn't mean today, did you? -grin-

Mistress Eyahl · Jun 01, 2005, 04:35 AM // 04:35

Naaa it wasn't today but I have three pages in my posts page and I've made a few replys so it should stick out

The Virago · Jun 01, 2005, 04:39 AM // 04:39

Ah, found it. Not bad at all.

I agree that healer's in PvP especially do not have time to be callers. And note the post by someone who points out that you can call WITHOUT attacking by using CTL + SHIFT + TARGET. In PvP, this is great for pointing out healers for the team to pre-target. In PvE, it is good for getting your henchmen to run in while you hang back (ranged fighters/casters take note!).

Mistress Eyahl · Jun 01, 2005, 04:55 AM // 04:55

I have actually just started a monk and I agree there is too much to do to call. It was okay in EQ2 but this IS a different game. The quickfire calling by the monk when something's attacking the monk is a good alert signal though.

buggsy · Jun 01, 2005, 05:48 AM // 05:48

I ascended 3 characters before learning that pressing "T" targets the last called target by another player.

I just thought it was ego and spam, and im suppose to guess which Devourer im suppose to start hitting? Theyre all called Devourer you know...

Golgotha · Jun 01, 2005, 06:10 AM // 06:10

To be an effective team, this is a must. Having an entire mob at half health doesn't help when the entire party is laying in the dirt. I usually do the calling just because of the delay on my nuke spells, and I still run into about ten people a day that think I'm just spamming, without clue of what I'm trying to do.

Almost as bad as when I ctrl + click my Energy Bar to let the pullers know to wait, only to be responded by a "wow, you have a lot of energy" as he pulls the mob my way.

Mistress Eyahl · Jun 01, 2005, 08:30 AM // 08:30

Lmfao

1three3zero · Jun 01, 2005, 09:35 AM // 09:35

i never knew about this! this is helpful!

Yukito Kunisaki · Jun 01, 2005, 12:22 PM // 12:22

In the betas, target calling sentences included "Press T to select my target".

By taking out that little sentence, Anet has caused quite a bit of hassle to the lazy noobs who won't read the online manual/instructions. I suppose it's their punishment for a) not playing in the BWEs.
b) not reading...

THERE'S AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL ON AND OFFLINE! READ IT PLEASE! YOU CAN READ RIGHT!?!?

Sir Maddox · Jun 01, 2005, 12:36 PM // 12:36

I for one am a very big fan of calling, for all aforementioned reasons.

Phantom Force · Jun 01, 2005, 01:14 PM // 13:14

Not calling targets will get those new players (and their group) killed in the last few missions. You need to be well organized and to pull carefully in some of those missions otherwise you or your whole party will be laying on the ground face down ass up. I've already read about this in another post and I have to say what this kid says makes complete sense. "I play 90% of the time holding down the control button." You know that makes perfect sense, and I had a group last night who didn't call targets. A ranger and the tank would go attack 2 groups not even the same one. I managed to keep them alive but we were lucky. I'd have to say if it was Alesia her AI capabilities aren't equipped for that. Also I think either a mage or ranger should call targets. IMO they have best view standing back, can pick them out better. I suppose warrior calling targets is ok, but when I do NPC group I can call target before mob even gets in aggro range and NPC tanks attack. Most people by now know order of which to attack softies then hardies.