Marking Targets - Necessary?

[JibOK]

Just wondering how everyone feels about marking targets. I see it's brought up a lot but it doesn't seem necessary at all. If I, the tank, am not hitting a target why would you be hitting it? I always target the next mob before the first one dies so everyone should already know, unless I use Mercy Stroke.

Just bringing this up because I mainly use PS3 and even if I'm on the computer I use a controller. Seems like a major waste of time for me to switch macro lists, mark the targets, and switch back before pulling. If the vast majority think it's necessary then I'll take the time to get faster at it.

I've gone through everything so far without marking any targets and never had any problems. Last night the black mage would order them...whatever I guess. It actually caused more problems. Mob 3 would wake before mob 1 was dead, so I needed to attack it. There goes the DD waking up mob 2 after 1 is dead because that's the "order."

[arislan]

Marking targets is important for me. I guess it depends on your group. If you can communicate the target order in some other manner then I guess it is not really needed. If you are rolling with PUG's and you are the tank.. why would you NOT want things marked? Makes PUG's that much more bearable. Assuming people should already know has only led me to frustration.

Also, a BLM can sleep the target multiple times.

[Soulburn32]

You only need to mark the target you are attacking you do not need to mark all the targets. Once your target is about to die or is dead mark your new target.

[Jayrune]

I find them very useful, because as a paladin i will be attacking all 3 mobs in a 3 mob pull to make sure i stay ahead of the healer aggro and the summoners friggin dots by smacking each mob with a rage of halone, but i still want my DPS focusing their primary fire on the lowest numbered mob.

That said. numerical order of the mobs is purely an organizational assistant, it is only as useful as it is leveraged, and it is not necessarily going to cause a wipe if you don't use them. If you have a party that is all single target dps you can definitely just have them attack the mob you are attacking and pop a flash (or overpower) every once in a while to make sure the other mobs don't go after the healer. This is even easier if mobs are slept and you use flash since it still "hits" but doesn't break the sleep. This is somewhat more difficult if you have a DoT class going with you and you have to change your target to get the larger hate generator attack off, but still do-able.

Also, a BLM can sleep the target multiple times.

while mobs wont usually live this long, be advised they get diminishing returns at a -25% rate, after the third sleep the mob becomes immune.

[JibOK]

Also, a BLM can sleep the target multiple times.

Lol, I know it can, some people have slower reaction time than others though. I would rather do a combo on the mob than just flash it and wait for it to be slept again when the first mob is almost dead.

[Tronic]

If I, the tank, am not hitting a target why would you be hitting it?

Just bringing this up because I mainly use PS3 and even if I'm on the computer I use a controller. Seems like a major waste of time for me to switch macro lists, mark the targets, and switch back before pulling. If the vast majority think it's necessary then I'll take the time to get faster at it.

Yes it's necessary. If you're an efficient tank you'll be switching targets often to build up hate on each using your hate-building rotation instead of constantly spamming overpower/flash. Doing that, without markers, will confuse DPS as to which mob they should be hitting.

I don't know how it works on a controller, but on a PC there's no time wasted, I mark them as I run towards the group of mobs.

[Vod]

I mark the target so the retard DRG who is hitting the one next to me has no excuse for hitting the wrong one.

[Soulburn32]

DRG are the worst for me, that heavy armor seems to make them think they can take hits as good as me. All this does is make the healer switch targets more and frustrates me because I might as well not be here if you aren't going to let me do my job of holding aggro.

[SerDakota]

im also on controller and I have the Signs skill on my main hotbar I always mark simpky because I like to be in change and since im the one that has to hold hate I like to know whos being attacked next etc though a lot of the time people are smart enough to see what im attacking and follow according however I still mark so its really personal choice I guess though to me makes it easyer

also with all the mass spams it can sometimes be hard to see what the tank is hitting so whith things like that it does help a lot so many effects 0.0

[Sakasa]

I think it depends on the group and how the players logically playout a fight. I tend to order by aoe threat, so enemies that have an aoe normal move, then enemies with aoes in response to damage, special effects (casters), no skill mobs. Then with in that arrangement targetted range aoe trumps cone, cone trumps line, line trumps self aoe. Now there are exceptions like bogys who randomly choose to move into aoe range or stay at long range depending how they link. For people I run with multiple times specially on the same dungeon it is easy to see the patten as I play by the numbers and react to the whole when something goes out of order like a drg jump connects before my skullsunder, or I have a pro active sleeper who assume I am attacking the closest thing to me when it poses the least threat. So I tend to use primary markers for the first target and link markers for order of wake up.