Auto-targeting biggest threats: PVE only

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a customizable auto-target key to immediately spot the biggest threat to our party?

For creatures in the game we have variations/different names of the primary professions.

OPTION #1: Progression of targets to eliminate

Let's say that 'G' is the key you press for that auto-target. That key would be related to a UI containing a list of all 10 professions. We could drag and drop those professions from top to bottom (1 to 10) in order to establish a progression of targets to eliminate, depending on a particular mission.

From what you had set in your 'hit' list, let's say that the moment all monks were gone, 'G' would target the nearest Elementalist; then the nearest necro and so on.


OPTION #2: Key-bindings that target specific professions

You could set keys to target professions of your choosing.
Press 'M' to target monks
Press 'N' to target necromancers, and so on...


OVERALL

This could help to better coordinate a PVE team.

And I don't think it would make life too easy for players. It would privilege tactical depth over battlefield confusion.

For newcomers, it would ease their learning curve on the different creature types. For experts, it would just be an optional way to set bearings in the middle of all the carnage.

It would also be emphasizing the entertainment part of an online game, over frustration for getting mauled because you couldn't make heads or tails from that mass of creatures that wiped your entire team.


YOUR FEEDBACK

Well guys, thank you for your comments, honestly.

They have been valid as well as constructive.

This collective brainstorming is good in a way that challenges one to think of better ideas and suggestions from the ashes of others that don't

Of course, it would also give that pug one more excuse when he hits G, and targets a monk in the next, non-agro'd party on the screen and brings all 8 of his friends over for a visit before you've cleaned up the first 8.

/notsigned

That's something that MAY happen already, when you target the nearest enemy...

I was thinking on creating an option to simplify targeting and give more focus to tactics, without discarding all other options available; including taking care not to aggro other groups and once in a while choose a target manually.

Yeah, because it's just that hard to identify the monk in the mob. More crutches for noobs plz!

/notsigned

Hmmmm. Sounds an awful lot like an "autopilot." That would take the game one step closer to being an animated movie, and one step further from being a game where I actually have to think before I crush/smash/kill/buttonmash.

/notsigned - because i like to decide what the threat is, and the best way to go about crippling the current mob.

This would make PvE more stupid than it currently is. Half the time, a monk in a group won't even be healing, and it'd be mobbed by stupid warriors using pure strike while the party gets completely owned by casters.

Good players know who to target.
/nosign

If you just want the game to decide targets for you, just Raise a Flesh Golem and target whatever it targets.

They are really wise choosing targets, trust me.

Um....no.

you have a cruise control already. its called C+Space bar

I dont think that is something that game could accurately judge for us. Plus it depends what you consider the main target to take out first...

The monk for healing?
The ele for damage?
The necro for degen and MMing?
The Mesma for draining energy and interupting?
The ranger for snares?
The warrior for not stop agroing?
etc ect ect...

..those arent things the game should be left to decide I dont think. Plus certain situations dictate when one class is more of a threat then another.

In some instances the healers might use a different skill set to another instance. Ele's might be ward or damage depending on their location. Necros could be MMs or SS depending on location.

We dont have generic creature profession builds throughout the game, so while a elemental could be the biggest threat in one location.....

...in another the greatest threat could be the Necro!

Plus it would make people lazey, and not bother using their own intelligence to judge who is the greatest threat. One thing I love about the game is knowing which enemy to pick off first in certain locations.

There are even times when Im in a mission and I assume to target the monk, but then someone says "leave monk, hes only protection" so I do. Me assuming it was healing!

Its better to rely on your own judgement and the judgement of your team to call targets!

plus we already have a system to target closest and next and previous targets! I dont think we need more aid in that area!

How-ever.....

.....if we were able to set key-bindings that targetted certain professions. That might work more for your idea.

This wouldn't work because 70% of the guild wars population is stupid and would identify the monk as the biggest threat instead of an actual threat.
And it's not needed at all.

My lady! Your comments are always worthy of the attention of the Gods themselves! (a bit of roleplaying here ) I never though about the golem like that… This is really a new perspective. Thanks!

Thank you for your suggestion. It’s right on the top as option #2.

Dude, let me start by saying that I really like your picture. Bob Marley forever, man...

If you keep dying all the time due to bad tactics, you’ll eventually realize that something must change. I can’t agree that most players are just dumb to learn any new tricks.
A respectable opinion. Check out the all-new option #2.

I don't know how heros and henches choose their targets, but often times, I just follow their leads. They don't always turn to the closest enemy, they may target the Ele in back, or the ranger throwing Ignite arrows our way. Sometimes they know how to control the situation. Lay dead on the ground and watch them. Be sure to thank them, lol, when they res you after the last enemy is dead.

Jup. When facing Afflicted. They go first for the Ritualists, not the monks.

Why? I think they can 'detect' they have resurrection skills, like own Henchmen with resurrection skills detect other party member with available resurrection to resurrect them first.

So... the best option in PvP is to see their skills under their names, and set priorities based on that.

In PvE you already know the enemy, you can see their skills in wikies. You you'll know wich one you'll target first.