macros: bad for DPS?

Okay so I made a thread suggesting adding something so that certain types of abilities can be lit up when used for macro icons. Then another user criticized my example macro (Blizzard III > Thunder III > Fire III > Fire.) I tell her(?) that the macro was used at the end of my rotation and that I added wait periods so that the macros could run. Then she(?) said that introducing macros to rotations hinders the DPS. SO I want to know does using combo macros yield less DPS than learning and flawlessly executing your rotations (because I also made macros to automate my Flare rotation)

Well now the consensus is that, Yes Macros ruin DPS, at least when used to automate rotations. So I've killed my Flare rotation macros but am keeping my buff and MP rotation ones incase I need then (last one would be unlikely but meh)

As for video proof; take a gander at this video by Zisspire

I haven't tried using macros for these things since I haven't seen a point yet.. But why don't you just try it out and see if it works for you? If you feel you're being less efficient then you probably shouldn't do it.

Macros don't work in decimal seconds. Only whole seconds. Any /wait used in a macro is automatically rounded up to a whole second, so a /wait 2.5 would become a /wait 3 to the game. Meaning you're losing up to 0.5-0.7 seconds every GCD, the higher your skill/spell speed, the more DPS you're potentially losing.
On top of this there may be certain situations in which you might not want the entire rotation to be performed, in this case, using a macro would completely screw you over.
Also it should be noted that when using GCD actions before your GCD fully cools down, that it will automatically perform it when the GCD returns, macros do not do this. Try it, it's very obvious to test and notice, press an action when your GCD is around 3/4 full, and you'll see it will be performed as soon as it recharges, try it with a macro and nothing happens.
Macros are for lazy, bad players who put being lazy over doing well.

Macros are absolutely terrible for dps if you are macroing your rotation. You are losing a ton of time in between each attack and it only adds up more the longer the fight. Like someone said, macros only do whole seconds and not 0.5 etc.

Absolutely. Just using macro itself is bad. Mostly because macros can't be queued. Look at your non macro spell and press it. Then as its gcd finishes rotating, press it again before the gcd clock hits 12 (between 9 and 12). Your character will immediately cast the next spell after casting your first one. That's called skill/spell queuing and macro will not be able to do that. Try and see for yourself. Make a spell macro without anything but 1 spell it in it and the /micon and test it.

Imagine [----] is a cast time and ___ is the time for the server to receive your commands after you send it. With spell queuing, it would be something like
[---][---]

With macros, it would be something like
[---]__[---]
because you will have to wait for your first spell to finish before sending out a command that the server will accept and the command will have to travel from your pc to the server in between spells instead before the previous one finishes and it's hugely dependent on your latency to the server. Over time, you will cast less spells than an non macro user and end up with lower dps. I'm not even sure if the /wait is done client side or server side. If it's client side, it's even worse because it'll have the same problems I mentioned above plus the rounded up numbers on /wait. I still use macros but I have cut down on them a lot on my dps classes.

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Originally Posted by Ulathskullsplitter

Macros are absolutely terrible for dps if you are macroing your rotation. You are losing a ton of time in between each attack and it only adds up more the longer the fight. Like someone said, macros only do whole seconds and not 0.5 etc.

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Macros are great for DPS. However you need to know when to use them.
Every class i have has a full rotation of their main abilities. However, the only time these are used, is when there are movement-intensive mechanics where more attention has to be payed to staying alive than pressing your hotbar keys. Being able to just stay within hit range of your target but pay full attention to movement and the surrounding area is a big bonus. Cant DPS if you're dead. So that slower rotation is a good payoff for staying alive.
If you can stand still, or have a relaxed fight, having all your abilities on the bar and using in optimal rotation with that .5 less between everything is awesome.

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Originally Posted by Illrayth

Macros are great for DPS. However you need to know when to use them.
Every class i have has a full rotation of their main abilities. However, the only time these are used, is when there are movement-intensive mechanics where more attention has to be payed to staying alive than pressing your hotbar keys. Being able to just stay within hit range of your target but pay full attention to movement and the surrounding area is a big bonus. Cant DPS if you're dead. So that slower rotation is a good payoff for staying alive.
If you can stand still, or have a relaxed fight, having all your abilities on the bar and using in optimal rotation with that .5 less between everything is awesome.

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I can't believe people that think this exist. I want to cry.

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Originally Posted by saeedaisspecial

Macros don't work in decimal seconds. Only whole seconds. Any /wait used in a macro is automatically rounded up to a whole second, so a /wait 2.5 would become a /wait 3 to the game. Meaning you're losing up to 0.5-0.7 seconds every GCD, the higher your skill/spell speed, the more DPS you're potentially losing.

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I see.

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On top of this there may be certain situations in which you might not want the entire rotation to be performed, in this case, using a macro would completely screw you over.

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Those moments are called "AoEs"

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Also it should be noted that when using GCD actions before your GCD fully cools down, that it will automatically perform it when the GCD returns, macros do not do this. Try it, it's very obvious to test and notice, press an action when your GCD is around 3/4 full, and you'll see it will be performed as soon as it recharges, try it with a macro and nothing happens.

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You have a point

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Macros are for lazy, bad players who put being lazy over doing well.

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You forgot the "Name" and "icon" aspects. Two reasons why players would want to use macros despite that it hinders their DPS. For example Tri-Disater for a macro using all three BLM elements. And probably try to give them a cool sounding name. It should have been "being lazy or changing aesthetics no one but them cares about over doing well"

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Originally Posted by Morningstar1337

Those moments are called "AoEs"You have a point

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It isn't just AoEs. There are certain fights that may require holding off on your DPS, you would not be able to stop in time depending on the macro you use.

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You forgot the "Name" and "icon" aspects. Two reasons why players would want to use macros despite that it hinders their DPS. For example Tri-Disater for a macro using all three BLM elements. And probably try to give them a cool sounding name. It should have been "being lazy or changing aesthetics no one but them cares about over doing well"

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Being a special snowflake is not a good reason.

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Originally Posted by saeedaisspecial

Being a special snowflake is not a good reason.

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Yet square makes it's possible for this to happen at the expence of DPS. Why did they make non-usuable abilities (like Tri-Disaster for non arcanists) useable for BLM macro icons.

Personally I'm probably now gonna use macros only for certain cooldowns and when I'm in a healing class. but now I'm staring to think macros were a bad idea from start to finish.