why does my character keep targeting critters?

Arato · November 2021

It's only been since recent updates but every time I use a single target attack, instead of hitting the enemy directly in my targeting reticle, my attacks shoot off to the sides or sometimes even behind me to zap a rat or beetle or some other level 1 critter.
It's obnoxious.

Beilin_Balreis_Colcan · November 2021

Arato wrote: »

It's only been since recent updates but every time I use a single target attack, instead of hitting the enemy directly in my targeting reticle, my attacks shoot off to the sides or sometimes even behind me to zap a rat or beetle or some other level 1 critter.
It's obnoxious.

... and then Bastian has a hissy-fit, which doesn't improve things.

TempPlayer · November 2021

Because you didn't use the tab lock feature.

emilyhyoyeon · November 2021

Yeah it used to be so that you had to go out of your way to hit critter mobs. I swear sometimes I will be standing right in front of an enemy actively hitting me, and my character still randomly fires off a hit to some critter. It's annoying and I sure as hell am not going to tab target every individual trash mob to avoid that. I wish they'd change it back

Bobby_V_Rockit · November 2021

Or my abilities won’t fire at all because the console keeps prioritising other peoples summoned daedra or NPCs

Coatmagic · November 2021

The number of times Flappy's (twilight familiar) wings have gotten in the way of interactions is obnoxious.
There is zero reason for us to be able to target our summons in PvE content.
Not expecting a fix for this due to refusal to separate PvE and PvP and also the state of the code in general,
but yeah, it's a huge pain and always has been.

Arato · November 2021

Coatmagic wrote: »

The number of times Flappy's (twilight familiar) wings have gotten in the way of interactions is obnoxious.
There is zero reason for us to be able to target our summons in PvE content.
Not expecting a fix for this due to refusal to separate PvE and PvP and also the state of the code in general,
but yeah, it's a huge pain and always has been.

This isn't even things getting in the way.
This is me literally shooting a crushing shock behind me to zap a rat that wasn't even on my screen behind me

Gundug · November 2021

This issue has existed for the six years I have been playing. There was a time when a patch resolved this pretty well, but it was reverted some time later. I believe it stems from how targeting priorities for various interactive things are set, like how the interaction with combat pets and the like was adjusted, so they don’t block more important interactions. Why would critters have a higher priority than enemy mobs? Who knows, but maybe there is a good reason for it, or perhaps the developers get a laugh from people dropping ultimates on squirrels instead of bosses.

TwinLamps · November 2021

TempPlayer wrote: »

Because you didn't use the tab lock feature.

If only that worked

VaxtinTheWolf · November 2021

When you start combat by dropping a meteor on a centipede that's by the boss's foot to assert your dominance.

LadyDestiny · November 2021

Bobby_V_Rockit wrote: »

Or my abilities won’t fire at all because the console keeps prioritising other peoples summoned daedra or NPCs

Omg right? I been getting this bad lately. My skills just randomly stop working.

whitecrow · November 2021

This happens to me a lot too but fortunately the companions have stopped complaining about it.

Arato · November 2021

Gundug wrote: »

This issue has existed for the six years I have been playing. There was a time when a patch resolved this pretty well, but it was reverted some time later. I believe it stems from how targeting priorities for various interactive things are set, like how the interaction with combat pets and the like was adjusted, so they don’t block more important interactions. Why would critters have a higher priority than enemy mobs? Who knows, but maybe there is a good reason for it, or perhaps the developers get a laugh from people dropping ultimates on squirrels instead of bosses.

I haven't had it until the patch just before Deadlands was brought in, if I zapped something it was because they happened to be in my sights, it was bad aiming on my part or they overlapped.
Now it's disregarding what I am at and prioritizes level 1 critters intentionally. It never zaps an actual enemy behind me, it 100% targets level 1 critters first if they are anywhere in your vicinity, doesn't matter if you're even facing them or can even see them on your screen, you zap them and see your attack veer off not where you're pointing and find the corpse after the fight.

[snip]
[edited for bashing]

Alinhbo_Tyaka · November 2021

By prioritizing small critters the game is ensuring you always have a ready supply of guts for fishing. After all we all know you can never have enough, right?

TheImperfect · November 2021

It's funny when I accidentally lock the wrong target and use ambush and shoot across the screen only to obliterate a crawler or some other tiny critter.

Anumaril · November 2021

Take your character hunting every once and a while. I find it lets out some steam and sates their appetite for critter blood, at least for a little while.

In all seriousness though, yeah I've noticed this as well where instead of targeting the hostile enemy right in front of me, my character decides to target a random critter behind said enemy.

Elsonso · November 2021

Gundug wrote: »

This issue has existed for the six years I have been playing. There was a time when a patch resolved this pretty well, but it was reverted some time later. I believe it stems from how targeting priorities for various interactive things are set, like how the interaction with combat pets and the like was adjusted, so they don’t block more important interactions. Why would critters have a higher priority than enemy mobs? Who knows, but maybe there is a good reason for it, or perhaps the developers get a laugh from people dropping ultimates on squirrels instead of bosses.

Honestly, this game struggles with providing the right opponent information to the player, and has for a long time.

Destai · November 2021

Ugh, this drives me nuts. Nothing worse than wasting an ultimate on some poor rat. Meanwhile, if I'm just a little off, my skills don't trigger on a normal target. They really need to improve the targeting in this game.

TequilaFire · November 2021

Speaking of priority target, I love it when I look at a player and all it says is "rat". lol

Vevvev · November 2021

Hmmmm..... Maybe this is why the Vestige needs to be constantly reminded over and over again of the most simplest details like a toddler.

PurpleScroll · November 2021

I have noticed this has gotten particularly worse in update 32, to the same as the OP mentions - not even aiming for said critter at all, yet I hit it.

Beilin_Balreis_Colcan · November 2021

TequilaFire wrote: »

Speaking of priority target, I love it when I look at a player and all it says is "rat". lol

Actually, I've noticed that recently. The NPC labels aren't properly positioned, so when I'm looking directly at an NPC I may not see the label, but I'll see it when I move my field of view slightly left or right.

Shawn_PT · November 2021

Well someone has to keep the vermin of Tamriel in check!

In all seriousness, I have noticed this as well although not as blatantly. More like a critter will be in the area where I'm fighting and suddenly it squeaks dead even though I wasn't even looking at it.

What annoys me far, far more, is when I'm trying to target a player (either to check character name or their level or something) but I won't be able. Only thing I see is Enemy (Dead) Critter (Dead) Blade of Grass (Stomped on), Twilight Chicken (CP160)..... For crying out loud I just want to double check that witty character name!!

whitecrow · November 2021

Shawn_PT wrote: »

What annoys me far, far more, is when I'm trying to target a player (either to check character name or their level or something) but I won't be able. Only thing I see is Enemy (Dead) Critter (Dead) Blade of Grass (Stomped on), Twilight Chicken (CP160)..... For crying out loud I just want to double check that witty character name!!

I have often noticed this lately too.

FlopsyPrince · November 2021

They don't get touched by your AOE, but they can soak up your super-duper single target attack.

That is VERY frustrating!

AND Bastion will often whine about it!

FeedbackOnly · November 2021

Where does this even happen to you at? I haven't had same experience .

Elsonso · November 2021

FeedbackOnly wrote: »

Where does this even happen to you at? I haven't had same experience .

Any place ZOS has put a critter near a mob, actually. It could be overland or in a dungeon/delve. You have probably had it happen, but if you have area loot turned on, you get some extra guts or something and may not notice. When Bastian points it out, it does get noticed more.

GrahamJoyce · November 2021

I'm wondering if @ZOS could change the combat system a little bit and make a new combat rule - If we are in combat with anything, critters are untargetable.

I would guarantee that 99.99% of the time that people are not wanting to target the critter near the thing that they are fighting.

GrahamJoyce · November 2021

VaxtinTheWolf wrote: »

When you start combat by dropping a meteor on a centipede that's by the boss's foot to assert your dominance.

I've had that happen a couple of times xD

phairdon · November 2021

My characters are deserving of "ultimate pest controller" title for all the rats and spiders killed in delves. Bloody annoying when characters target critters you did not see a mile behind a npc or somewhere 90 degree off to the side

kendellking_chaosb14_ESO · November 2021

TempPlayer wrote: »

Because you didn't use the tab lock feature.

If you have to use tab lock to hit an enemy and not a lv1 bug then area was not designed right. Lv1 anything should only be targetable with light attacks only you don’t get the resource return from heavy and any other attacks or ultimates just gets wasted.