I’ll admit it, for a long period, I didn’t use the Focus Frame.  Partly due to the fact I used AG_Unitframes as my unit frame addon and it (for some strange reason) didn’t support the Focus Frame for me.  I tried setting it and would simply get a message that it had been disabled with AG_UF and to use it I’d have to disable the unit frames and go back to the standard Blizzard ones.

I’d heard good things about using Focus Frames, being able to track the health and ‘actions’ (such as casting, target switching) of a mob whilst you deal with others but I’d always got by without it and never thought it could be so useful that I’d have to do something about it.

I recently changed my unit frames addon to ‘Pitbull’, it has the Focus Frame enabled (and is accessed by typing /focus while having a target selected).  Not only is Pitbull more customisable, but I’ve realised the power of the Focus Frame.  I’ve setup a hidden bar with keybindings for a macro:

/focus [target=mouseover]

I have this key-bound to ‘Shift-F’ and all it does it use my current mouse-over target to set my focus, no need to even switch targets to create a focus and enable my focus frame!

So what can you now do with a focus frame?

In terms of a boss fight, it can be as simple as tracking the HP of a boss while you deal with adds, pair it with a nice cast-bar addon and you can track casting of the boss to (for interrupts if needed) as well as tracking the focus’ target to ensure that it’s targetting and / or attacking the right thing (which will mostly be me as a tank).

You can setup macros to use your focus target to cast abilities, again without switching targets, an example for a rogue or hunter could be using Tricks of the Trade or Misdirection respectively.  As such they could set the Main Tank as their focus, then without needing to switch targets, they can cast their respective abilities on them to help boost threat etc.

There are many other ways to use your Focus Frame, so in what ways do you use yours?  What do you have showing for your focus?  Cast bars? Focus’ target?

-Brunty