How Gear Swapping Works: Simple Macros for the Simple Minded

This game is not new. The math has been done. Gear-swapping is factored in to the challenge aspect of the game; the difficulty of certain parts of the game assume you to be swapping to certain gear for the situation.

You can refuse to play that way all you want, but really, you're not the only one playing, unless you solo 100% of the time. In a group situation, you are bringing the entire group down. You cannot make any claim to be "working as hard as I can" if you refuse to use even the simplest tools SE provides you with macros. These are not some third-party cheat or hack, these are tool built into the infrastructure of FFXI itself. It's like saying "I refuse to use the Auction House! I only buy gear from NPC shops!"

Greetings All,

Regrettably, we have had to moderate this thread. While general disagreements about macros and gear swapping are bound to happen, please remain on topic and refrain from insulting others. This thread will remain open as long as the FINAL FANTASY XI FORUM Guidelines are being followed. Any disagreements you have had with others earlier in this thread, please consider that the past, and move on. Thank you for your understanding.

GM Bublex

It lives! Thanks mister GM dude for bringing it back, this was a really useful and informative thread that was starting to get off-track. D:

So yes, let's not talk about layout, and let's not fight. Clean slate guys, m'kay? Let's just compare macro ideas and try to help those who want to use them. :3

Excuse me, GM Bublex, but wouldn't it have been a lot easier just to issue bans to the people causing all the trouble? Actually, the ONE person instigating everything? This helpful thread, and many other threads, wouldn't have been ruined if that person was issued the banning they deserve a long time ago. That user has done this time and again, to thread after thread, and refuses to stop. A permanent ban is long overdue.

When a MAJORITY of people in this thread are trying to keep things productive and ONE person keeps disrupting that, it's pretty obvious what the solution should be.

Sure is backseat moderating up in this thread.

How do I lock my other thread now that this one is back? D;

I want my ability to lock my threads back!

No really I rather not have that back, it causes more harm than good.

Wanted to pull this post in from the other version of the guide, that way it shows in both threads, since we don't yet know which one is going to become the more active version:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...l=1#post180564

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cymmina

Did you know that you can use <st> type targeting as a variable length pause? The macro pauses execution until you've selected a target for the 2nd line of this macro, allowing your party enough time to get in range of your buffs:

/p {Gather Together.} {Protectra} & {Shellra}
/target <st>
/ma "Shellra V" <me>
/wait 8
/ma "Protectra IV" <me>

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Byrth (sp?) had also posted some interesting BLM stuff with some good ideas in another thread that seems to have gone off the radar for now. Guessing that thread is down for moderation like this one was. Maybe we can get those macro samples pulled in as well if it shows back up. Will keep an eye out for it to shows up again.

To reply to someones post. Kekkaishi my original character, I deleted when I was forced to quit over money issues and didn't think I'd play ffxi again. Was dnc level 90 and a 80-85 monk. Due to the transfers I can't reactivate them But once they are done I was thinking of getting them back. I also retrieved my old macro data and found something interesting XD.... ya. yall gonna laugh. Apparently (and I forgot this due to a 6 mnth game absence) I did MINOR gear swaping. But only on mnk and sch. More or less used genbu's kabuto for chakra. And had different sets of gear for dark arts (blm mode) and light arts (whm mode) My dnc never had any gear swapping though. Which was the last job I played. I also did most everything with my boyfriend, so he didn't care if I gear swapped or not. Nor have I been asked in various events. (missions etc) (this was just to reply a persons post nothing more )

I think I dislik gear swapping for the hassle I had with sch. Having to remake macros constently got annoying for me.

pretty much mine was

::darkarts::
change body
head
legs
back
r1
r2

same for light arts.
I also changed my macro book sets.

Would like to inform everyone that the guide is approaching its maximum character limit. I should have reserved a post under it for more additions; I didn't expect it to be this big. inb4thatswatshesaid

I have a feeling people needing macro advice will read through the thread, so this isn't a huge deal. I just wanted to tell some of you why all of your good ideas aren't in the OP. ^^

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Originally Posted by Zatias

Would like to inform everyone that the guide is approaching its maximum character limit. I should have reserved a post under it for more additions; I didn't expect it to be this big. inb4thatswatshesaid

I have a feeling people needing macro advice will read through the thread, so this isn't a huge deal. I just wanted to tell some of you why all of your good ideas aren't in the OP. ^^

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You could always make more posts here in the thread and put links to the pages in here in the first post :D!

you should see if you can include that changing gear in the ammo slot will not make you lose TP, only if you change gear in the main, sub, or ranged weapon slot :D

I never knew that changing the ammo slot only wouldn't lose TP for the longest time, now I'm :D because I can use charis feather or thew bomblet for WS while still swapping to plectrum for waltzes and fenrir's stone for evasion, etc. (I'm slow, I know.)

ummm what did I say to get that post deleted ^^;; i'm pretty sure I was just agreeing with the post above me. ^.^;;

Hey just keeping this on page 1 Good luck with it

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Originally Posted by Chuchuroon

you should see if you can include that changing gear in the ammo slot will not make you lose TP, only if you change gear in the main, sub, or ranged weapon slot :D

I never knew that changing the ammo slot only wouldn't lose TP for the longest time, now I'm :D because I can use charis feather or thew bomblet for WS while still swapping to plectrum for waltzes and fenrir's stone for evasion, etc. (I'm slow, I know.)

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I knew this since cop when my bf Leveled rng. People would switch to those 1 time arrows for ws in combo with that ability for no ammo used. As well as him playing thf and switch the bolts. I woulda put it if I remembered it. But ty for the reminder ^^

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kimara

You could always make more posts here in the thread and put links to the pages in here in the first post :D!

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Ooh, I think I will at that. Thanks ^^

Misc. Macros not related to equip change
•Use /echo! I can't tell you how many times I have blacklisted a party member for spamming party chat up with frequent "talking" macros. You summoners are the worst. Keep that ritual chanting inside your own log, please! I don't understand, my SMN is only lvl2.
~You know I love you guys, I merely jest ;P~

Echo Example:

Provoke
/ja Provoke <t>
/wait 30
/echo Provoke's ready!

Using echo allows you to put text into your own log, no one else's. This is convenient for frequently-used macros and useful for seeing when your job ability is ready for use again.

•Ever try to buff your party all at once to save MP (and time), but they scatter in a way so infuriating that you can't tag them all from any given position? Fear no more with this macro!

Buffga
/p {Gather Together.} {Protectra} & {Shellra}
/target <st>
/ma "Shellra V" <me>
/wait 8
/ma "Protectra IV" <me>

As long as your party can read, they should gather to you for their buffs. The <st> is so that you can wait until you see your party around you before actually casting the first spell.

•Pet jobs have the choice of several different pets. Summoners in particular might find this macro attractive as it allows you to put several different pet abilities in the same macro, saving other macro space.

RagePact
/pet "Predator Claws" <t>
/pet "Rush" <t>
/pet "Chaotic Strike" <t>

Just add the most damaging of the abilities into this macro (one for each pet) so that no matter which companion you have out, it will attack with its most effective pact.

--Reserved for more--

Why the /target <st> in the buff macro?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gokulo

Why the /target <st> in the buff macro?

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It's explained in the text under it.

You can have the blue arrow over yourself and wait till your party is together, then click confirm once they are.

Ah sorry, saw the macro itself and responded too fast :p

ok so I tried <stpt>, and that is pretty cool. Minus the color of the arror icon. ^^;; I play with wind skin 6 on the 360, and the <stpt> arrow icon is a dark purple. And hard to see. But I understand how it works.

Instead of using a cursor (sp?) icon to click on the avatar, you just click their name on the PT list. I can see how it helps the blinking, since your not clicking on the persons avatar. (character, player character etc) If the arrow was a bit more noticeable Id use it. But ya it is pretty good, sorry I doubted (sp?) ppl

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zatias

Ooh, I think I will at that. Thanks ^^

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You're welcome, Also good job on the guide extension!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rosina

ok so I tried <stpt>, and that is pretty cool. Minus the color of the arror icon. ^^;; I play with wind skin 6 on the 360, and the <stpt> arrow icon is a dark purple. And hard to see.

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You can try adjusting the brightness or contrast of your screen.

Or the gamma options found in the config menu.

Thank you for trying! ^^