Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Chain Trapping

Trapping, something all hunters can do, but only a few seem to be able to do it effectively. To trap in a grroup requires a bit of preparation. First, make a few macros. I always have my trap mob as my focus, that way I can fire a shot at it without having to target it and then retarget the DPS mob. So my first macro is:
Focus
#show
/focus

Use of this one is simple, target your trap mob, hit this macro, and you're good. The targeted mob is now your focus, and you can target it for your shots with a simple [target=focus] line in your shot macros.
Next one is my pull/threatbuilding macro. I use Distracting shot because it gives a good bit of threat, and I can hit a trapped mob with it without breaking the trap.
DistShot
#show
/cast [target=focus, exists] Distracting Shot(rank 7)
/stopcasting

OK, for a line by line breakdownof the macro:
#show-this is so when you mouse over the macro, your tooltip will show the name of the macro.
/cast-tells the game that you want to cast something
[target=focus, exists]-targets your focus, IF it exists, for whatever the macro is casting.
Distracting Shot(rank 7)-tells the game to use your rank 7 Distracting Shot, you only need the rank part if you want to downgrade the spell, ie. rank 6, rank 1. If no rank is specified, it will choose the highest rank of the spell.
/stopcasting-just in case you have your trap target targetted, this will stop your autoshot, so you don't break your own trap. This is mainly for when you are using distracting shot to build extra threat so the mob comes after you instead of your healer.
I also have macros for Concussive Shot and Scatter Shot:
ConcShot
#show
/cast [target=focus, exists] Concussive Shot
/stopcasting

And
ScatShot
#show
/cast [target=focus, exists] Scatter Shot
/stopcasting

I use those two to buy myself time while my trap is still on cooldown and the mob is out of the trap.

OK, now that you have the macros made, time to go get used to them. I like to practice on the ravagers outside of Toshley's Station in Blades Edge Mountain because then I can farm ravager flesh for Ravager Dogs while I'm practicing, but go wherever you want to. Before you begin, remember to put your pet on passive to prevent him from bailing you out. So go out, target a mob, and hit your Focus macro. Drop a Freezing Trap, and hit your DistShot macro. While the mob is running towards you, hit your ConcShot, it slows him down so you burn up a bit more of your cooldown. Now take a few steps away from the icecube and wait. As soon as you can, place another Freezing Trap. Once the mob breaks free, hit your ConcShot, and watch as it slowly makes its way to your trap. For fun, if you have it, hit it with Scatter Shot before it gets to the trap. Now for the challenging part, start farming while keeping a mob trapped, extra points if you skin the mobs as well.

This is how I learned to chain trap. It cost me a few deaths, but in the end, the compliments that I have gotten have far outweighed the corpse run and repair bill.

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