Originally Posted by
Merendel
ya unlike most other MMO's skills can be fired without a target. If you use an ability it will automaticly try to hit an apropreate target within the skills attack arc. For melee attacks it will hit up to 3 targets in front of you, basicly if your weapon passes through the enemy hitbox it will strike them even untargeted(max 3 targets for most skills) For ranged skills it will try to find a valid target withen range and inside a narrow cone in front of your character. If nothing is there the skill just flyes off into the distance.On the flip side this also means you can waste CD's on thin air if you attack and theres no valid target withen reach.
The main reason to lock on to a target is to ensure that specific target is the prefered one for all your attacks. Your character will auto face up to a point to hit your target if its withen range. This is more useful for ranged attacks as melee your often just as well wadeing in and whailing away. still even for melee if there is one target you want to prioritize if you have a target it will always be one of the 3 your skill attempts to hit if there are 4+ targets you could have hit with the attack. well that and for accurate application of the few single target melee strikes. If you realy want there is an option to promote skill target that will auto lock onto the first target you hit with a spell if you dont have a current target.