Focus Macro Guide

Many players are always looking for that secret strategy or technique to help elevate their game to the next level. Typically, there is no secret, and it all just comes down to practice, but in the case of focus macros…well, this just might be it!

Let’s start with the basics, what is a focus macro?

The focus technology is a user interface addition Blizzard added to the game just before the Burning Crusade was released. You can setup a key binding for “focus target” in the Blizzard key bindings option, or you can simply create a macro with the line:

/focus

Advanced users may prefer this method:

/focus [target=mouseover,exists]; target

*this macro will focus your mouseover target, very handy

This will enable you to take advantage of focus macro utility that we’ll get too in just a second. Basically, when you set a focus Blizzard recognizes this as a target you want to keep an extra eye on. Though it is not a part of the default user interface most custom unit frame modification files include a focus frame.

So after you’ve set the focus you can see their unit frame where you have chosen to position it. With this new frame you can keep track of their casts, health, mana, buffs, debuffs, etc. In addition many custom casting bar modifications have a focus’ casting bar, you’ll want to take advantage of both the unit frame and casting bar for maximum effectiveness.

Once you have a focus set and the frame setup you can now execute a variety of macros. For as an example here’s a pretty common one that many mages use.

#show Counterspell
/cast [target=focus] Counterspell

You may be thinking, well all of this sounds fine and well, but what’s the point? The point is you can execute these macros without every having to actually target your focus target. Once you’ve set the focus you can go about your normal duties, this could be healing, attacking the main target you’re team is going for, you get the idea.

Note from Zuggy: I use AG Unit Frames, which handle all my frames including the focus frame. Additionally, I use Quartz Casting Bar to keep track of my focus’ casting bar. I could show the casting bar on the focus frame, but I prefer the free positional bar. You can download all of these from files.wowace.com

Meanwhile you are keeping an eye out for a heal or damage spell on your focus frame, just waiting so you can nail it with a Counterspell, earth shock, blind, what ever the case may be.

Class Specific Focus Macros:

Full Class List

Related posts:

1. Mage Focus Macros
2. Rogue Focus Macros
3. Rogue Macro Guide
4. Best User Interface Addons
5. Mage Macro Guide