How to Set Up Focus Target Macros in WoW Retail

A focus target lets you keep track of a second unit in World of Warcraft Retail. Set the enemy you are assigned to interrupt as your focus, then keep attacking your main target. A macro with @focus can direct your interrupt at the focus without changing the enemy you have selected. Start with a strict focus button so a missing assignment doesn't turn into an interrupt on the wrong mob.

Set a focus and make the interrupt button

1. Select the enemy you are assigned to watch. Type /focus or use the focus option in the target's menu.
2. Check the focus frame for the enemy's name. Then select a different enemy as your main target.
3. Open the macro window with /macro, make a character macro, and paste the example below. Replace Counterspell with the exact name of your interrupt if you aren't a Mage.
4. Drag the macro to a bar and assign a key. Keep your normal interrupt available on a separate key until you are comfortable with the focus setup.

#showtooltip Counterspell
/cast [@focus,harm,nodead] Counterspell

This version checks whether your focus is hostile and alive. It doesn't check whether the enemy is casting, whether the cast is interruptible, or whether you are in range. Read the focus cast bar before pressing the button. If you get a range or line-of-sight error, reposition instead of assuming the macro is broken.

Set and clear the assignment quickly

You can put focus selection on its own key. For instance, this macro sets the hostile living unit under your pointer, or uses your selected hostile unit if the mouseover doesn't match:

/focus [@mouseover,harm,nodead][harm,nodead]

Test it with two different targets before a dungeon. Hover one while selecting the other, press the key, and check which name appears in the focus frame. Then move the pointer to empty space and repeat. The selected target should become the focus in the second test. If you want only one way to set it, keep the direct /focus command and select the enemy yourself first.

Use /clearfocus when your assignment ends or before setting up a new pull. A clear button is especially useful if the previous enemy survived and the group is now dealing with a different pack. Verify the name again after setting a replacement. Two enemies can have identical names, so also check the frame and the unit you actually selected if the assignment is ambiguous.

Practice on a pull with two targets

Set a caster as your focus, then attack another enemy. Watch for a cast on the focus frame. When the caster begins the interruptible ability you intend to stop, press the focus key. Check that the cast stopped and that your normal target stayed selected. Use an easy outdoor encounter or a low-pressure group to learn the timing.

Avoid using the macro to interrupt the first cast you see if the group agreed to save interrupts for something else. The focus frame helps you track the assigned mob. It doesn't tell you which spell matters. Agree on the cast name or interrupt order before the pull when multiple players are watching the same target.

Fix a failed or unexpected interrupt

If the button does nothing, confirm you have a focus and it is still hostile and alive. Check the spell's name, cooldown, and range. If the focus frame is hidden or hard to read, move it in Edit Mode and try again. It is difficult to use a dedicated focus interrupt when you can't see what the focus is casting.

If you add a fallback to your main target, remember that the game uses the first condition group that matches. It won't switch to the main target just because a matching focus is out of range. Separate buttons make it clear which target you are trying to stop. Practice with the strict version first, then choose the arrangement that fits your role.

Before a key pull, do three checks: the right name on the focus frame, an interrupt that is ready, and a position from which you can reach the caster. Those checks cover mistakes a macro alone can't prevent.

If the group changes your assignment halfway through the fight, set the new focus deliberately and confirm it before pressing the interrupt. Keep your regular interrupt accessible for a different enemy that needs an immediate stop.