Eugh, sounds convoluted. The easiest strategy would just to make your basic attack be your auto attack, f would still put you into active and passive, only difference being instead of spamming 1 over and over, it'd just continue to hit it while you work on placement of your character, TP moves and spells.

Although on that subject of working outside of active mode, I kinda wish I could cast spells without whipping out my staff.