Mechanics Question: Machinist - Rook Auto-Turret

Is anyone familiar with how the Rook Auto-Turret's targeting system/AI work. Does anyone know the rules.

Do they target based on proximity when they are activated?
Do they try to target what the machinist is targeting?
Do they ever swap target or stay on target until it or the target is dead?

I've tried looking into it and couldn't find any info.

The Rook autoturrent always targets what you are if you use a weapon skill on another target the turrent will also change target.

Rook's tooltip states that it attacks the Master's target and using a weaponskill on a new target will cause it to switch.

It will always try and hit the target you are currently hitting. If you both are attacking something already and you switch targets, the turret will also switch targets on its next attack.

The latter is useful to know if you have it hypercharged and want to put the vulnerability debuff on multiple enemies (in the double faust fight in A5S for example).

Thanks everyone. This is good info, I've been wasting precious GCDs redeploying to force a target swap.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Resieni

The Rook autoturrent always targets what you are if you use a weapon skill on another target the turrent will also change target.

---

This is quite a lie actually. In groups if you summon your auto turret and a teammate initiates the atk the turret will start attacking as well. Seen it happen so many times it is ridiculous.

A funny example: Summon turret, BLM starts his cast on the boss, turret already did a shot when I only had it targeted and haven't pressed anything else, the boss's target is my turret xD

Kinda wish we had pet actions for the turret.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MagiusNecros

Kinda wish we had pet actions for the turret.

---

Rather have a Mammet with pet actions.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ranox

This is quite a lie actually. In groups if you summon your auto turret and a teammate initiates the atk the turret will start attacking as well. Seen it happen so many times it is ridiculous.

A funny example: Summon turret, BLM starts his cast on the boss, turret already did a shot when I only had it targeted and haven't pressed anything else, the boss's target is my turret xD

---

Isn't this because you have the boss targeted when the fight is started? The turret needs a target, and takes it from you; it'll do the same if you switch targets and it's current one dies, even if you haven't attacked the new target yet.

Did tests.

Solo. Sight aggro A. Sight aggro B. Turret does not attack.

Solo. Attack-claim A. Sight aggro B. Turret attacks A.
--Targeting B, no auto-attack. Turret does not attack B when A dies.
--Targeting B, AA active but still not auto-attacking because Gauss Barrel. Turret does not attack B when A dies.

Solo. Attack-claim A. Attack-claim B. Turret attacks A.
--Not targeting B, turret attacks B when A dies.
--Targeting B, turret attacks B when A dies.

Party. Not targeting A. Party member attacks A. Turret does not attack A.
Party. Targeting A. Party member attacks A. Turret does not attack A.
Party. Not targeting A. Party member attacks A. Turret does not attack A. A hits turret with AoE. Turret attacks A.
Party. Not targeting A. Party member attacks A. Turret does not attack A. A hits MCH with AoE. Turret attacks A.

Party. Not targeting A, not targeting B. Party member attacks A and B. Turret doesn't attack. A hits turret with AoE. Turret attacks A.



Conclusion
The turret will not attack anything that is not in the enemy list, no matter what you target. If you perform no actions, the turret will attack the earliest enemy on the enemy list.

This means the turret will not attack unless one of the following is true:
--you performed a hostile action on the enemy.
--you buffed or healed someone who is already engaged with the enemy. (Due to the actions available to MCH, the only way this is possible is if someone else first heals or buffs you, then you buff yourself)
--you activated Promotion, causing your turret to buff someone else who is already engaged with the enemy.
--you or your turret were hit by an AoE.
--the enemy is a raid boss.

Raid bosses are automatically added to everyone's enemy list as soon as one party member engages, but standard bosses follow the same rules as normal enemies. This is why a turret will begin attacking a raid boss without any MCH input.

However, the earlier mentioned scenario where the turret begins attacking after a BLM begins casting cannot happen; someone else must have engaged the mob before the cast finished.

Still holds true to to turret attacking things you yourself haven't attacked. They should really change the wording in the description.

I believe you are seeing anomalous behavior against raid bosses because it is raid bosses that are the exception. You and everyone else get put into a combat state the moment someone engages the boss - so it's not that you attacked the boss, it's that the boss has started attacking you :p.

It'll start attacking when you generate any form of enmnity (they appear on your list). You can see this in action by popping open a treasure chest mob with a turret out.

It'll change when you use a weaponskill on a different target.

I get the emnity part, I mean the part where it says it will only attack targets you are casting an ability on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MagiusNecros

Kinda wish we had pet actions for the turret.

---

I think SMNs would take issue with that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ShaolinMike

I think SMNs would take issue with that.

---

I was thinking more basic actions of attack this so I can attack that. I doubt SE will be giving any new pet actions anytime soon since SMN in HW got none and SCH got a pet action that kills their pet.