in the 4E Ruleset the DM can target players by holding SHIFT key and clicking

[JamesManhattan]

Wow, it took me months to figure out that DM's can target players. In a very similar way that players can click monsters to target them.
Just hold SHIFT key and click them, while the creature is the active actor in the initiative tracker.

Very useful when the DM needs to blast everyone with a fireball or dragon breath.

[Griogre]

Glad you got it figured out. Did you know you can use the "Target Enemy Units" (bandit mask) button on the map to do it even faster when its a monster's turn? Often it is faster to click the "Target Enemy Units" button and then Shift Click the PC that isn't in the AOE of the Dragon Breath (or whatever) to untarget them.

The real problem with DM targeting in 4E is you can't do it if its not that monster's turn in the initiative. Bloodied Breath is a good example of the problem. It is extremely rare that it is triggered on the dragon's own turn. At lower levels you can just jump the initiative over to the dragon and make the breath attack, but at higher level there are too many effects/recharges that get messed up if you jump the initiative tracker around, so its simpler/faster to just do individual rolls manually instead of changing the initiative and then having to fix all the recharges, effects and saves that get messed up.

There is a similar problem with monsters that go more than once per round like the newer Dragons, Ettins and Behirs though with them you can put some extra copies of the monster on the tracker to place hold the other times they go. Just make sure not to reveal them or you'll get damage and effects on the place holders. This doesn't always work well because the "real" monster usually should get/trigger recharges, saves and ongoing damage on each of their other turns. So depending on the complexity of the monster and the number of effects the PCs are throwing around it may or may not be easier to use place holders for the monster's other initiatives.

[Moon Wizard]

This will change with v3.0 (in beta now).

Each token can be selected, and targets specified, regardless of initiative. Of course, if no tokens are "selected", then the ruleset assumes that you want to use the active CT initiative combatant.

Regards,
JPG

[Griogre]

I am really looking forward to FG 3.