Priority target
Priority Targeting (i.e. calling, a term used by many players) means to announce gameplay relevant information on team chat. It is located under the "Control >> Targeting" tab in Options of the user interface. The proper use of this feature can exponentially increase the combat effectiveness of a party, as it is a very quick and easy way to distribute crucial information among members of the party.
Priority targeting is most commonly used to spike. This is done by holding down the "Targeting: Show Targets" key ("left Ctrl" by default) and clicking or using the "Action: Attack/Interact (Do It)" key ("Spacebar" by default) on certain objects or elements of the user interface.
Uses of priority target[edit]
More specifically, a player can priority target:
- Conditions, hexes, enchantments, and other effects on their character or hero by clicking on the skill icons in the effects monitor (e.g. "I am enchanted with Mending!").
- Their character's (or their hero's, except for level and experience percentage) health, energy, or level and experience percentage to earning their next level or skill point by clicking the respective bars (e.g. "My Health is 200 of 480.").
- If the target's health is 0, the call is instead "I'm dead!" for the character calling themself or "I'm moving to the corpse of <target>" for other targets.
- Their character's weapon setup by clicking the equipped weapons on the enabled weapon set.
- Their character's skill usage when activating ("I'm using Spiteful Spirit on Spined Aloe!").
- Skill usage of other targets by clicking on the skill icons in the skill monitor (e.g. "Mahgo Hydra is using Meteor Shower!").
- General actions (e.g. "I'm attacking Spined Aloe!" or "I'm picking up a Flag."). Note that it is often helpful to hold down the "Action: Suppress Action" key ("Shift" by default) in combination with this, thus calling "I'm targeting Spined Aloe!" without actually attacking the target.
Priority Targeting[edit]
When a character priority targets a foe, that foe will become the party's priority target, and the foe's location will be automatically pinged red. Characters in the same party can acquire the same target by pressing the "Targeting: Priority Target" key ("T" by default) or by clicking the bright red icon that appears to the left of the caller's name in the party window. If a second character in the same party calls a target, it overrides the prior priority target, though the prior remains visible for a time as a dark red icon.
Henchmen and heroes will instantly engage any priority target that is in range. This is very useful for weaker characters as they can send the henchmen and heroes in first. Henchmen and heroes will also switch targets if a new priority target is called if already engaged.
Players can use target calling to warn their team about certain foes, to focus their attack, or (particularly with the help of a voice chat countdown) coordinate deadly spikes. They can also call skills which cause certain effects on foes, if other players can exploit those effects (e.g. Mark of Pain, Barbs or Fevered Dreams). To prevent confusion on the battlefield, many parties designate a single player as the caller.
