With the addition of auto attack there is very little reason to manage active and passive states now.

Stop making us manage our active and passive states to enter and leave combat. Have the system do it automatically as was done in FFXI, and is done any any other MMO that differentiates between being in and out of combat. This responsibility should not be forced onto the player.

Presently this is one of the most awkward things in game to manage. Why is it we have to micromanage what state we are in anyway? Is there a reason we don't have a 'start attack' button, and when combat is over we put our weapon away?

So please.

Change the system so that what is essentially drawing and sheathing your weapon happens automatically.
When we want to auto attack, provide a button to hit so we start beating its face in.

This way hopefully starting and finishing a fight with a monster would go like this:
  • Target monster.
  • Press [start attack key] or activate ability.
  • Weapon is draw, attacks go off.
  • Combat commences and eventually finishes.
  • After a brief delay the game places you back into passive move.

Some probably want to point out that active mode is important to keep mages from constantly regenerating MP while they cast. The solution then is simple: After casting a spell the system keeps the players weapon out for a few seconds. Long enough so that it overlaps the time period within which you would need to cast another spell in combat. If you are waiting longer than that between spell casts then its about the same as it is right now where a caster would change back to passive mode to regenerate a handful of MP mid fight anyways.