Ok, I'm going to have to write this up in the Play-guide anyways, so let me explain how the system works:
There are 3 Fire-Teams, Team # 1's activities are assigned to the Mouse 4 Button, Team #2's to Mouse 5 and Team #3, which is by default all of the characters in the party, has it's targeting assigned to Mouse 3.
By putting your crosshairs on an enemy and pressing the corresponding button (Mouse 4 for Fire-team # 1, Mouse 5 for Fire-team # 2 and Mouse 3 for Fire-team # 3), you are marking the target for the members of that team to attack.
Then, once you start pressing any attack keys, the members of the teams attack their marked targets simultaneously. Fire Team #1 attacks their target separately from Fire-Team # 2 and the active character (to include the active character if it beongs to one of those). And Fire-Team # 2 does the same for it's target. So you can, in theory attack up to two marked targets (not assuming AOE here) plus whatever target your main is engaging (for a total of three targets) in a single attack.
Furthermore, mouse buttons 4 and 5 have a Shift and Ctrl key modifier for Fire Teams # 1 and # 2, respectively. Shift + the mouse button gives you an AOE heal at the Fire-Teams' location (knockback if your DCs have Divinity mode on or a CW is in that team). Ctrl + the mouse button give your Fire Team an AOE damage spell at their location. This is useful in the event that ads rush your Fire-teams - which happens alot in Neverwinter.
These actions typically give you enough time and doenough damage to allow Fire-team 3 (all characters) the opportunity to quickly eliminate them.
Now, the part that is important to know is, that Mouse 1, 2 & 3 (Fire-team # 3, aka all party members) have two modes of operation:
- If you click on a target with Mouse 3 it marks it for Fire-Team # 3, which is every character - that way you can burn targets down quickly. And successive attacks following a Mouse 3 click are directed to that target, and the targets of Fire-Team # 1 and Fire-Team # 2 are cleared.
- Clicking on Mouse 3 also enables an auto-targeting mode whereby you do not have to re-target each successive time. Every attack will then be directed to Fire-team # 3's target and you can continue to hold the mouse key to strafe the target without ceasing. This is exactly how it functioned in previous NeverBoxers. For example, I press mouse 3 to mark a target for Fire-Team # 3, and after that just double-click mouse 1 or 2, holding on the second click, to enable auto-targeting and strafing. So, for example, I click mouse 1, then press it again and hold it to continue delivering mouse 1 At-wills to the target (which is what we will use most of the time anyways). Mouse 1 and 2 will continue to fire this way until I press Mouse 4 or Mouse 5 to assign new targets to Fire-teams #1 & #2.
Why do this? 95% of the time you are going to use Fire-Team # 3 (everyone) for focused DPS and CC on mobs. You only need to use the Mouse 4 and Mouse 5 Fire-team functions when you want to split into teams to gain position advantage (ie; ambush, elevated position, etc). So this means that 95% of the time, you will come up to a target, double-click Mouse 1 or Mouse 2, holding on the second click and applying CC's and DPSing the target with the whole group (Fire-Team # 3). The only time you will need to target using Mouse 3 is the first time you enter a zone to attack, or you are finished with your Fire Team #1 and #2 targets (they are dead, or whatever) and want everyone back on the remaining target.
I hope this explains things - the best way is to read this, and then go into a foundry and work it out with your fingers. Practice using the Fire-Teams. use the comma and period keys to position your teams and then draw a mob to you and see what you can do with them. My fav is to put two teams at a distance of about 30-40 and then using Divinity mode Mouse 4 and Mouse 5 (with a DC in each Fire-Team) bounce mobs all around. Loads of fun, I promise.
Good luck - and if you have suggestions on how to improve the system, I am always open to listening to suggestions.