Mouseover Macros

[Lady_Malice]

Lately I've been lurking the forums and saw some discussion on macros, their uses for different classes, and their lack of ability queue. I've been using mouseover macros for healing since I started in 2.0, finding it more streamlined than clicking a person then pressing a button. I've never rarely had a problem with it (sometimes its an issue when I use a macro to switch to/from my DPS hotbar and I'm over eager) but I'm curious: is this a common practice, or am I hindering myself by not taking advantage of the ability queue?

Thank you for your time.

[nexas506]

Macros are more of an issue for dps. From their point of view, not being able to queue is a dps loss.
healing is more reactive, so you macro to your hearts content

[Taika]

I healed with mouseover macros in 2.0 and through first Coil, but I moved away from them because to me they felt clunkier and slower than using abilities directly. So I feel healing is much smoother without them.

[Raminax]

Judging by the forums, macros don't seem particularly uncommon.

Personally, I only use a mouseover macro for Embrace. I find controlling the Faerie and my own actions rather unwieldy otherwise (I'm fully prepared to be assaulted by a gang of Scholars the next time I step outside my home). Other than that, the only macros I use are alerts for important mechanics, or a pull timer so people can prepare themselves.

[Kabzy]

Macros are more of an issue for dps. From their point of view, not being able to queue is a dps loss.
healing is more reactive, so you macro to your hearts content

It says your main is Scholar, I want to cry. ;_;

Do NOT macro to your hearts content unless you want to limit yourself. Healing is not always reactive, ESPECIALLY for Scholars. Not to mention that queuing is just as bad for us. A good healer will never sit there daydreaming, you want to DPS on your downtime or at least mitigate the next attack or do something!!

[Kerrigen]

I dislike mouseover macros for GCD healing, but don't mind them for oGCDs. In fact, I use mouseovers for Benediction, Tetragrammaton, Essential Dignity, as well as Embrace, and have never had a problem with them.

My former WHM co-healer had everything on mouseover. It worked fine most of the time, but every now and then his macros wouldn't trigger due to lag/latency/packet loss and he would miss a GCD, which would result in deaths.

I don't know, I think it's up to everyone's preference but I personally wouldn't risk macroing everything, and I like my GCDs queuing smoothly into one another.

[Mikoko_Miko]

I use mouseover macros for every single-target healing action. I prefer them because I can watch a target ring, enmity bars and buffs/debuffs of target enemy when I heal.

Macros can be pseudo-queued by repeating same commands like this.

/merror off
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/ac "Cure" <mo>
/micon "Cure"

Its pseudo-queueing window is about 0.46 secs in 30 fps.

I found macros useful when I play PvP. When my spells are interrupted, raw spells are simply canceled but macros can be recasted immediately. When I want to cast non-instant healing spells after I move, I can execute macros before I stop. I can also execute macros when the target is out of range or out of sight.

[Rongway]

It worked fine most of the time, but every now and then his macros wouldn't trigger due to lag/latency/packet loss and he would miss a GCD, which would result in deaths.

I don't know, I think it's up to everyone's preference but I personally wouldn't risk macroing everything, and I like my GCDs queuing smoothly into one another.

Communication doesn't happen any differently between using macros and using raw buttons. Those lag deaths would still have happened without macros.

I prefer them because I can watch a target ring

Target rings are the best reason to mouseover macro. Hard targeting heals with party member keybinds can more easily put you in a mob's frontal, and soft targeting requires you to re-softtarget after every action execution. Using mouseovers is the clear winner in terms of maintaining situation awareness.




The real downside is the significant slowdown when you have to move your hand from one manipulandum to another and back, but this can be avoided by adopting a strict right keyboard, left mouse control scheme and consolidating your keybind into chords that are all one handed.

[DarthVella]

I macro a bunch of abilities just for that utility - Embrace and Lustrate on Scholar, Draw on Astrologian, and every variation on Esuna. Also Goad on Rogue, for that matter.

Macros are not always the evil Whatever-Per-Second loss that they are made out to be. If you use them for utility rather than automation, they can prove invaluable.

[Kabzy]

I macro a bunch of abilities just for that utility - Embrace and Lustrate on Scholar, Draw on Astrologian, and every variation on Esuna.

Ewwwwwwwwwwww