Hero Control Panel

Outside a town or outpost, you can see more information about a Hero in your party by using a Hero Control panel; you can also use it to change that Hero's combat mode. A button to the left of the Hero's name in your Party panel opens (or closes) a Hero Control panel. Click and drag on a panel to change its location on your screen.

How much you use Hero Control panels is entirely up to you. You do not need to open Hero Control panels every time you play the game; instead, each panel gives you more information about and control over a Hero. Each Hero Control panel contains these elements:
The upper-left corner of the panel shows the Hero's name and picture.
The upper-middle of the panel shows the Hero's Health and Energy.
The upper-right corner has icons for selecting from your three choices of combat modes, as described in Part One.
The bottom of the panel shows a small skill bar for this character. You can see when the Hero's skills are activated and watch to see how long they take to recharge.
Your Hero's AI determines when skills are used, but you can interrupt that routine by clicking on a skill on the Hero's small skill bar. By clicking on a skill, you prioritize that skill; you'll see a green check mark over that skill on the small skill bar. The Hero will not use any other skills until successfully using that skill. The Hero will attempt to use your target.
Directly under the panel to the left, you can see the Hero's Morale Boost (or Death Penalty), if there is one. Next to that icon, you'll see a list of Conditions and Hexes affecting that character.
When you call a target (that is, hold down "Crtl" and double-click on it), all of your aggressive Heroes attack it. Defensive Heroes attack it if they're in range. Passive Heroes do not attack it. The same condition applies if you assist with another character's attack (After a character in your party calls out an attack, you can assist with that attack by clicking on the target symbol next to that character's name.) http://www.guildwars.com/gameplay/gwnfeatures/heros1.php