Can you stop auto-attacking but keep targeting a boss?

Is there a way to stop auto-attacking a boss but keep them targeted? I thinking of the Arcanotron in the Omnitron Defence Council when at 50% it puts up its shield and you need to stop attacking. What I do is press escape so as not to target it (and keep pressing escape when it is automatically targeted after hitting me). But this means I cannot use rebuke to interrupt his arcane anhilator spell. What I would like to do is keep him targeted, so I can quickly interrupt but not deal any damage (as that buffs his damage while his shield is up). Anyone know how or got any advice on this?

Try -

#show Rebuke
/stopattack
/cast Rebuke

I think "T" is the default keybind for toggling auto attack

Hang on a second, when the boss targets you you start auto-attacking it? That is not the default behaviour. I thought you were after an interrupt macro that doesn't start auto-attacking the boss...

So when any mob hits you, you start auto-attacking it?

lythac wrote:So when any mob hits you, you start auto-attacking it?

I am not sure - maybe I am misinterpreting what is going on. The way I have stopped attacking in the past is to stop targeting the boss (e.g. clicking on the ground or pressing escape). However, whenever such a boss hits me, it seems I automatically re-acquire him as a target. Whether I actually auto-attack him I don't know - I assumed I did (hence I keep pressing escape). However, you might be right that this is not what happens and I can let him be my target without risking bad stuff happening from hitting his shield.

When I tank that fight, I hit escape to stop attacking, then click on the boss to target him. Then I just rebuke when necessary, without resuming autoattack.

Also I have just seen - Rebuke no longer initiates Auto Attack since Patch 4.0.3a seems to have snuck under my rader.

So yeah what Koatanga said, hit Esc then re-target him.

There is a keybinding option for "Stop attack" or so in the keybinding menu.

The default attack button is 1, I know you have proably remapped this but I believe you can re drop this in from the general tab on your spellbook. I tend to just hit 1 again to stop attacking but keep the boss targetted. If you are auto-attacking this has the advantage of highlighting around the "attack" box if active.

This would also apply to the other Omnitron defense system bosses as they all have shields at 50 energy that you don't want to hit. The shield does however go down after about 8 seconds so you can start attacking again.

fuzzygeek wrote:I think "T" is the default keybind for toggling auto attack

This. Hit T, stand there while boss smacks you around.

lythac wrote:Hang on a second, when the boss targets you you start auto-attacking it? That is not the default behaviour. I thought you were after an interrupt macro that doesn't start auto-attacking the boss...

So when any mob hits you, you start auto-attacking it?

If you have no target and a mob hits you, you target it. I think that's the default behavior and it can probably be changed. But I'm 98% sure it doesn't also turn on autoattack.

Personally, I just hit the escape key and either wait till it attacks me or I left click on the target if I don't want tot wait that long. Its a rare use thing, mostly Omnitron with a shield up.

I hit the 1 key. Just kidding. I believe I always hit escape and retarget. You'll still dodge and jump around from enemy attacks even though you aren't attacking.

The autoattack spell is in your general-spellbook.
I got that on my screen for Omnitron Defense System.
Dont even have to cancel targetting the boss by esc.

What I do on that fight is target which ever the kill boss is at the time so I do not end targeting shielded boss and i have a onmouseover rebuke macro i use, make sure you set focus to arcana and i use quartz for cast bars as well. works well for me