strange new behaviour with "auto-attack"

[Sukurachi]

OK, the title of the thread doesn't quite describe the problem but it's close.

Normally, I can target a critter (something I'd one-shot if I actually attacked it), then press on my [Cobra Shot] button and fire a single cobra shot at that critter to help regain focus.

Suddenly, today, the minute I press my [Cobra Shot] button, my Hunter does an auto-shot BEFORE doing the Cobra Shot, which obviously kills the critter and renders the Cobra Shot pointless (it doesn't actually fire).

I haven't changed anything. I don't have a macro on that button, it's just [Cobra Shot] dragged from the Spell Book into my action bar.

Has anyone else noticed this odd (and very annoying) behaviour?

[Chimera]

I can't say how far back this has been happening but I'm 99% sure I've been experiencing this since way back before even the name Warlords of Draenor existed. So like, way in early MoP at least. Maybe even Cata. I don't really know though but I've noticed it for what feels like a considerable while its really god damn annoying.

Hunters autoshoot whenever they use a cast-time attack which is frustrating cause it's already hard enough for my pets, even in BM specc with them Tenacity specc'd and all their aggro's on, for them to keep the target locked on them so right off the bat when I try to engage combat and send my pet in at the same time, my char is generating aggro and my pet's trying to get it back. Or as you've been having problems with, trying to generate focus quickly by using focus/cobra shot on something with low health compared to our damage output.

It's extreeeeeeeeeamly frustrating, especially as MM where we use up all our focus in 2 shots, and require using steady shot at least once just to use a 3rd of our core damaging shots (Chimera/Aimed Shot) and you end up killing everything you target either cause you whittled it down to almost-dead with those 2-3 shots or its a critter. :K

[Vephriel]

Hm, I certainly know what you're referring to, but for me it's always been this way. The autoshot usually makes it out before I can finish my cobra shot (or in the past, steady shot). I could be wrong but for me it's been occurring for a while since I often run lower level content and usually find my focus depleted quickly because I could never complete a cobra shot without one-shotting the mob.

EDIT: Ah, as Chimera said then. Yeah, I don't think this is a new behaviour since I recall it happening for quite some time now.

[TygerDarkstorm]

This is something that's been happening for a very long time in WoW. It was either in Wrath or Cata that Blizzard made it so that hunters keep auto-attacking even while they're casting so that way we're not necessarily losing dps mid cast or something like that. (I don't remember the exact reasoning for it, just that it's something that has been in effect for a while now.)

[Sukurachi]

that's so weird.. because I've been dragging lowby alts through dungeons recently and I KNOW that I've been using Cobra Shot to refill my focus and it wasn't doing this just a few weeks ago.

so who knows.. maybe I'm going senile!! LOL

anyway, yeah it's fricken' annoying!

[Anyia]

Unless there's a setting somewhere these days, the best I can suggest is you try to add a /stopattack right after the Cobra cast (in a macro) and see if that is quick enough to prevent the auto shot from going off.

[Sukurachi]

Ok, something even stranger... it's gone back to behaving the way it did before.
I can now press my Cobra Shot button without auto-shot killing a critter.

[Chimera]

Unless there's a setting somewhere these days, the best I can suggest is you try to add a /stopattack right after the Cobra cast (in a macro) and see if that is quick enough to prevent the auto shot from going off.

Unfortunately the auto attack goes off as soon as you begin casting :F

[Krysteena]

I always thought autoattack did that because of tagging issues. Some hunters don't like using arcane shot right off the bat, and will use cobra shot. By the time you've shot the target and your let has finally got there, someone else could've nicked the tag.

But it might be so we don't lose DPS during casting, I dunno.

[Kayb]

it's been happening since there was such a thing as steady and cobra shot

[Danielfboone]

I can't say how far back this has been happening but I'm 99% sure I've been experiencing this since way back before even the name Warlords of Draenor existed. So like, way in early MoP at least. Maybe even Cata. I don't really know though but I've noticed it for what feels like a considerable while its really god damn annoying.

Hunters autoshoot whenever they use a cast-time attack which is frustrating cause it's already hard enough for my pets, even in BM specc with them Tenacity specc'd and all their aggro's on, for them to keep the target locked on them so right off the bat when I try to engage combat and send my pet in at the same time, my char is generating aggro and my pet's trying to get it back. Or as you've been having problems with, trying to generate focus quickly by using focus/cobra shot on something with low health compared to our damage output.

It's extreeeeeeeeeamly frustrating, especially as MM where we use up all our focus in 2 shots, and require using steady shot at least once just to use a 3rd of our core damaging shots (Chimera/Aimed Shot) and you end up killing everything you target either cause you whittled it down to almost-dead with those 2-3 shots or its a critter. :K

I don't understand the problem. I run mostly with a Spirit Beast specced Ferocity and can go full out from the get go and never pull aggro off the pet, especially if I use an Intimidation. Sometimes the mob will start coming towards me but immediately gets picked back up by the pet. Many times I will start the fight by right clicking the target which fires an auto shot but usually the first thing I use is Kill Command which, coupled with Blink Strikes, works very well. I have never started with either Arcane or Cobra. The only time I ever use a Tenacity pet is for pet survivability but that is rarely needed.

I actually use a cast sequence macro that starts with Kill Command and then goes Arcane, Cobra, Arcane, Cobra and then repeats. It will also reset after 4 seconds of inactivity.

[Sukurachi]

It's extreeeeeeeeeamly frustrating, especially as MM where we use up all our focus in 2 shots, and require using steady shot at least once just to use a 3rd of our core damaging shots (Chimera/Aimed Shot) and you end up killing everything you target either cause you whittled it down to almost-dead with those 2-3 shots or its a critter. :K

I don't understand the problem. I run mostly with a Spirit Beast specced Ferocity and can go full out from the get go and never pull aggro off the pet

two things:

1) this thread isn't about having trouble keeping aggro.
2) Chimera specifically mentions MM, while you (obviously) are running BM, which probably affects who gets aggro first between Hunter and pet.

Now back to the original topic:

I have never personally had any trouble like this casting Cobra Shot before. I could always target a critter, shoot off one Cobra, regain focus, shoot off another Cobra at a different critter and regain more focus. Obviously, my autoshots would kill critters before anything else. But my autoshot never went off before.

This was - for me, at least - the first time this behaviour showed up. I was dragging one of my alts through Stonecore, and was out of focus. I targeted one of those shale spider critters and every single time I tried to Cobra it, my autoshot would go off killing it before I could regain any focus.

This happened for approximately 2 hours. I logged out soon as my alt had hit 84. I returned a couple of hours later, and dragged her through Lost City, and suddenly, it was all back to the way it was before: I was targeting critters (in this case now, little butterflies) and my Cobra Shot was having time to fire and refill my focus.

So in my case, this was something temporary and unusual.

I DID have trouble a couple of weeks ago keeping aggro on my pet (as BM), but once Blizzard did a restart that problem went away.

[TygerDarkstorm]

That is really weird that the behavior seems to be turning itself on and off. o_O Either way I'm glad it went back to working the way you'd like it to.

[Tankperson]

Yup I was having the same issue back before WoD. But it seems to actually be better now for me then it was before.

[Chimera]

I don't understand the problem. I run mostly with a Spirit Beast specced Ferocity and can go full out from the get go and never pull aggro off the pet

two things:

1) this thread isn't about having trouble keeping aggro.
2) Chimera specifically mentions MM, while you (obviously) are running BM, which probably affects who gets aggro first between Hunter and pet.

Aaaactually, I did mention the auto attack is both difficult for me to generate focus, but also draws aggro immediately onto me that my pet, even in BM specc with a tenacity specc pet, cant take off ^^;; My problem with the auto attack is two-fold. My aggro problem may stem from a different source though and I just happen to notice it most when I'm using shots that have cast times.

I actually use a cast sequence macro that starts with Kill Command and then goes Arcane, Cobra, Arcane, Cobra and then repeats. It will also reset after 4 seconds of inactivity.

I'll try this when I run BM next time~ I have a couple BM hunters-- I've never been fond of the specc but Blizz makes it difficult by putting so many pretty pets I want to have at my side in Exotic so I've destined a few of my char's to be BM main xD I really don't know why my pet cant hold aggro when either of us are in any specc and all I can think of. I've never used a suggested routine for using spells, I develop them by playing the class which was doing perfectly fine till Timeless Isle came out. That's the earliest I can remember noticing the auto attack while casting and also when I noticed I can't hold creatures that are elite or group-required, on my pet. :F They still die, my output is still strong, but it takes much longer and requires a lot more feign death's and deterrence's than I used to use.

Back to topic at hand though... ^^ It's turning off and on, wat? o.O Is it changing just randomly while playing or does it change after a loading screen?

[Sukurachi]

So far, Chimera, it seems to have changed after I logged out and back in.

I'll be running some alts through Stonecore tonight and see if it happens again.

[Danielfboone]

It's extreeeeeeeeeamly frustrating, especially as MM where we use up all our focus in 2 shots, and require using steady shot at least once just to use a 3rd of our core damaging shots (Chimera/Aimed Shot) and you end up killing everything you target either cause you whittled it down to almost-dead with those 2-3 shots or its a critter. :K

I don't understand the problem. I run mostly with a Spirit Beast specced Ferocity and can go full out from the get go and never pull aggro off the pet

two things:

1) this thread isn't about having trouble keeping aggro.
2) Chimera specifically mentions MM, while you (obviously) are running BM, which probably affects who gets aggro first between Hunter and pet.

Wrong, he specifically mentions aggro problems even as BM with a Tenacity pet which you left out. Therefore my post is valid.

[Sukurachi]

Wrong, he specifically mentions aggro problems even as BM with a Tenacity pet which you left out. Therefore my post is valid.

How about not escalating threads, as has been wont to happen now on Petopia for a little while, by sidetracking discussions?

[Danielfboone]

I didn't side track anything. I just responded to it with my experience.