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Rogue Focus Macros
June 19, 2008 by Zuggy
When I talk about focus macros to other rogues most have no idea what I’m talking about. Many rogue’s simply don’t take advantage of focus macros because they either don’t know what a focus macro is or don’t know how they can be beneficial to rogues.
Let me be the first to tell you, they are crucial! They dramatically increase your ability to land kicks, gouges, shivs, blinds, and other abilities in the heat of combat. If you aren’t sure how to use a focus then make sure you checkout my basic focus macro guide, it answers a lot of general questions you may have.
That aside, let’s get right into some of the best focus macros for rogues. One quick note though, if you’re looking for generic macros check out this, rogue macro guide.
Focus Kick Macro
/cast [target=focus] kick
Focus Gouge Macro
/cast [target=focus] gouge
Focus Shiv Macro
/cast [target=focus] shiv
Focus Blind Macro
/cast [target=focus] blind
Focus Blind / Target Blind Macro
/cast [target=focus, exists] Blind; blind;
*Will cast blind on your focus, if you do not have a focus it will cast blind on your target.
Focus Shadowstep Macro
/cast [target=focus] shadowstep
Shadowstep Kick Focus Macro
/castsequence reset 10 [target=focus] shadowstep, kick
You may be asking yourself, what can these one and two line macros do to really improve my game? The answer is plenty. Using focus macros dramatically reduces the amount of target switching you have to do as your primary crowd control should be set to your focus.
This allows you to easily hit crowd controls while always sticking on the main target. It’s really helped me elevate my game and I know it can do the same for any player who isn’t currently using them.
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Hey Zuggy, I just read this and I would like to say first thx for telling us about focus macros. I had no idea about it till then. I have a question, am I able to compile a focus macro and a normal target macro together? Example, I focus target a druid while I am dpsing a warrior. I want to gouge the warrior but I am using a focus gouge macro and my focus target is still the druid. Anyway I can gouge the warrior with the same macro without turning off my focus target on the druid?
Yes, you can do that. Ideally…here’s how things will look. You’ll have your regular target frame just like always, and in addition you’ll also have a focus frame (you’ll need a user interface addon to get this).
Now, what I usually have is 2 buttons for each of my primary CC skills like that…blind, gouge, kick, shadowstep, etc. One for using on my focus target and one for using on my target.
What you can do however is combine them…for example, here’s the combination macro for blind.
/cast [target=focus, exists] Blind; Blind;
This macro is a focus macro with the addition of a conditional statement if the focus does not exist. So if you currently have a focus target set it’s going to look to blind your focus, if your focus does not “exist” then it’s going to blind your target.
You could create similar macros for all other CC’s as you found necessary.
Hope that answered your questions.
hey zug,
you helped me alot. i have a 70 frost mage .In 2v2 arena i had a 2krating without focus macros but when i learned about them i went to 2300+. with these macros i can silence ppl with CS without even targeting them.These Macros really help to advance your gaming,i advise tht people use them.
Hey Zuggy!
I have a question about the Focus Kick macro. Unlike the gouge macro, i focus changes to my focus target when i kick. But when i use my Focus Gouge macro, i stay on the target other than my focus target.
Example if i explained it badly:
Warrior/druid setup. I put focus macro on the druid, i want to kick him when he does cyclone without losing the warrior as my maintarget. But it changes anyway and my target jumps to the druid. But if i gouge the druid, i stay on the warrior as i want to do. I dont really see why this should be a problem, does it have to do with some game-mechanics?
With regards, Anelya.
Well, I’m not really sure why it’s doing that. You might double check to make sure you have the exact macro, or simply copy and paste what you have here and we’ll see if we can figure out what it’s doing.
I doubt this is the case, but here’s a slim possibility:
If the druid goes back into stealth in cat form, you will lose your focus target because it will register them as nonexistent. That’s about the only thing I would think is happening as to why you will lose your focus target.
Well, the druid was just an example, because it does the same thing to all players and mobs i try it on. I tried delete and replace it – and that worked!
Somehow i got a new line at the end, might have been that which fucked it up.
Thanks for the help tho :)
Trying to make a macro that will blind my current target with a normal push of a button, but blind my focus target when I hold down alt. I’ve tried about 5 times to make the macro, and it ended up with me spamming my guildmates with random text…
/cast [mod:alt, target=focus] Blind; Blind
Zuggy, is it possible to write a macro that will use mutilate whenever it can and SS when it cant mutilate. Trying to write a macro thats spammable for Muti rogues in arena. GJ on the focus macros BTW. Pretty handy :)
That macro you describe won’t be necessary when patch 3.0.2 hits since they are removing the positional requirement from mutilate. If you were basing it purely on energy then you just use this.
/startattack
/cast Mutilate
/cast Sinister Strike
Ah see i tried that and the second /cast never works. ATM i’m attempting it with backstab/hemo and backstab/SS but to no avail. Try testing that macro out ;)
Necro, why exactly do you want this macro?
edit: i’ll take a look at some alternative solutions for this macro this afternoon, but I really don’t see any situation where you would want to use this. Especially considering the position change to mut in 3.0.2.
I was mainly going for it under the premise that they weren’t removing the needto be behind, if they definitely are then i womnt be needing it :P