Request: Any video or written guides on Tanking/Healing END GAME using only Gamepad?

I've recently started playing on a new character using only the gamepad. My primary character is Tank/Healer (Sch). I'm slowly getting a hang of the controls and will be be doing my first dungeon runs this weekend.

My main has Relic+1 Bravura (War) and i'm getting up there on my Scholar, currently 41.


I have read in many places there are countless people doing Garuda+ (especially Titan and Coil) using a control pad.

I would love to see a tutorial video or even a nice write up on how you approach the control pad. What target settings you use, any macros? How do you switch between cross hotbars and still be as efficient as mouse and keyboard.

Any suggestions on targetting easily in a dungeon/raid situation. Do you have an action bar dedicated to cooldowns on your second cross bar? Especially, how do you manage your pet as a Scholar using a control pad... Do you use Mixed, hold, or toggle mode when activating abilities.

I find myself having an easier time with toggle when tanking because I don't need to ever target party members or pets. I just press L1 and R1 to cycle through targets. Super easy and efficient. HOWEVER, that gets me in trouble with scholar because if cross bar is activated, I can't switch to party targets or pets to heal, buff, debuff. I have to use hold mode to make targetting enemies and party members, and constantly switching between the two easier.

I am LOVING the game on a controller though and I can go for longer gaming sessions without getting tired or burned out because i'm either chilling on my couch and laying back on my computer chair. I've also noticed i'm not spamming as much as I was (needlessly) using mouse and keyboard.

I want to cultivate good habits now so that the learning curve is not as steep when using the control pad for end game content. If you can link some posts by others on how to approach end game using a game pad/controller (especially healing/tanking).... i'd appreciate it.

Edit: Fixed Typo.

My approach as SCH is quite simple; I have set for each "mode", for example healing:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...et_healing.JPG

I currently have a total of 4 sets, idle (stuff like quick summon macros), healing, dpsing and fairy skills+buffs.
I keep the left side fairly static across sets, with buttons being fairy commands, and dpad skills i don't need while moving. Some of skills positioning don't follow the scheme because that shortcut has already ingrained itself so much I end up messing up stuff if I change them.

I also try to keep "oh shit" skills at the same position, in SCH's case, Lustrate. This way even if you're in DD mode, you can quickly heal tank if things suddenly go messy without having to fumble through your bars in panic. Not that it will happen often once you learned your setup.

I'm using the hold mode with filters set to "custom" (minions, pets off) in idle mode, "enemy" in battle mode. The set automatically changes idle <-> healing when going to battle stance. This way holding R2 and pressing L1 switches between enemies (or hold L2, press R1), up/down cycles through party members. According to a recent dev post they will be adding L1+up/down to go up/down the enemy list, which will make targeting even easier

You can rearrange member order via the party members menu for easier healing, I tend to group things like this: <me><tank><offtank><healer><dds>
This way you can reach both tanks easily and support your other healer.

As far as macros go, I'm using Swiftcast+Resurrection (Quick Raise), as well as Swiftcast+Summon (II) macros.
I also have an "apply DoTs"/"apply DoTs <tt>", which is slightly slower than casting them manually, but saves space on the bar. Btw, the virus on my healing bar is a <tt> version as well. Comes in handy throwing that in before a strong boss attack. (<tt> = target's target)

That's about all I can think of at the moment. For Tanks, you'll have to ask someone else, I'm not actively playing them. In general, you'll want to reduce having to switch bars as much as possible. Find what's best for you and give yourself enough time to memorize the layout. It's not really different from the keyboard, and I find the finger acrobatics are much more of a hassle on the kb than gamepad. But to each their own.

Soukyuu... thank you for detailed response and picture to boot!

War +1 who uses controller + keyboard+mouse combo
i generally use everything except defensive cooldowns on my crossbars the rest i click. I keep my left hand on the gamepad so i can still move while clicking the mouse.

heres my setup
http://i.imgur.com/3MIRc2B.jpg

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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Can you go into details why you came to that conclusion?

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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I strongly disagree. In fact, i find healing with a gamepad very easy

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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And why not? I solo heal Titan on SCH with a gamepad. People always diss gamepads for no good reason.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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please I would also like to know why controllers are less effective at healing than mouse and keyboard. cause I use a controller on healing and never once have I had a complaint about my healing lol. getting sick of people that say controller is less effective than mouse and keyboard. it would be different if the GCD was 1.5 secs the yes but the game was built with controller in mind. so saying that makes you sound a sorry to say a prick about this subject. so please stop spilling this crap.

seperate your cd & skills which takes long to recover & skills you use most the time.
Take also into consideration to set skills where you are comfortable with.
It might be useful to organize cross skills,dmg/buff skills each to its own slot.You can always adapt them in dungeons (e.g tank) for mobs or boss.

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Originally Posted by Reinheart

Can you go into details why you came to that conclusion?

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He's bad at playing with a controller, so everyone else must be too.

If you use the Hold trigger mode, my advice is to split your most used actions evenly between the L and R triggers in a way that "makes sense" to you. I used to have all of my most used BRD and MNK skills on the R trigger which would end up with me holding that trigger 90% of the time for very very long periods of time and would strain my finger. I've since split the skills up and haven't had any problems since as I spend much less time on one trigger now.

Of course if you can play well with Toggle or Mixed more power to you and you can ignore this, but I can't stand them lol

Aside from that, if you use the R1 rotation for sets try to plan it so it is intuitive. My best example I can give you is that for WHM, Set 1 has Cure and Cure II in a specific place, where my Set 2 has Medica and Medica II in those spots, so basically when healing my brain goes "R1 for AOE".

People have already suggested having a bar with long cooldown skills that are on your 2nd+ set so you can see their recast times, and I also recommend it.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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Wrong, I can solo heal titan hardmode as SCH while 5 manning it. Gamepad is just as effective as a kb/mouse, I healed WOW hardmodes on a kb/mouse and I feel like gamepad on this game is just as fluid, responsive, and easy to use as a kb/mouse.

Gamepad simply takes more practice and getting used to, but once you get used to it it's just as good as kb/mouse in this game. This games gamepad UI and controls are FANTASTIC and not worse in any situation than kb/mouse once you learn all the tricks and how to fully utilize. Many people try to play with a gamepad, don't know all the hotkeys/tricks/macros you can do with it, and instantly dismiss it from being viable from their very limited experience with it. They have tons more experience with kb/mouse and know all it's tricks and shortcuts and automatically assume it's better because they aren't good with a gamepad like they are kb/mouse.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9rxy2oPjFA

This scholar would like to have a word with you.

For WAR since all the combos start with the same skill, I put them all under R2 so I don't need to release R2 to do a different combo. Any other skill that I use often goes under R2 as well (fracture).
I put the tank buffs (foresight etc) on the right (L2 + xoΔ■) because I'm right handed and I may need them quickly.
Stand-alone skills such as overpower I put on L2 + directional buttons.
Then I put all the skills that I don't use much on the second set (limit break, sprint etc)

For SCH, I have a DPS set and a healing set, similar to what soukyuu has.


I don't actually play WAR much, but this general setup applies to all my jobs

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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I heal with a controller all the time, its so easy lol.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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This is without doubt the DUMBEST thing i have EVER heard on these forums.

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Originally Posted by Sylkis

For WAR since all the combos start with the same skill, I put them all under R2 so I don't need to release R2 to do a different combo. Any other skill that I use often goes under R2 as well (fracture).
I put the tank buffs (foresight etc) on the right (L2 + xoΔ■) because I'm right handed and I may need them quickly.
Stand-alone skills such as overpower I put on L2 + directional buttons.
Then I put all the skills that I don't use much on the second set (limit break, sprint etc)

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I think that's the best scenario for scholar, in terms of dps and healing set. In very hard fights... I can't see myself doing much dps to warrant putting bio/miasma in the same hotbar as all my healing and healing utility skills. It just might become a hassle to switch between hotbars when trying to bust out dps and and healing for WP and AK speed runs. However, I think SCHOLAR has it easier with Bio/BioII/Miasma + Bane vs. White Mage you has to individually cast AOE or holy spam.


I think once I change my abilities to macros with <t> and <tt>, it should make it considerably easier. I'm still learning how to target between mobs and party members efficiently, but the <tt> will help along with the new L1 (up/down) cycling through threat list mobs in 2.1.

My biggest concern is learning how ot macro pets (Eos and Selene).

Do you guys have a macro where I can change my hotbars automatically depending on which pet I summon? Like everything on the hotbar is the same for hotbar 1, expect for the 3 abilities Eos and Selene have different from each other.

Only problem i have with gamepad is the R1's Switch feature to get a little stuck if you try to do it too quick. -Also- if you're too eager and still hold down the R1 button after switching to the second set with for example the Circle button, i can push abilities and they wont respond since i'm still holding down the R1 button on mistake... It's not that fun.
Of course Targeting CAN be a hazzle, but also CAN be easier than with mouse! I've tried both and for me, i think Ps3 is formidable since it can target things of importance whereas PC can stray around too much. Oh and you can run in all directions without looking that way. So good for avoiding AoE.

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Originally Posted by Zell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9rxy2oPjFA

This scholar would like to have a word with you.

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Wow. I have a way to go until I can attempt that.
But still, I'm not having any problems healing anything with a fellow sch/whm on a pad.

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Originally Posted by Zell

My biggest concern is learning how ot macro pets (Eos and Selene).

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It is not possible to macro pet skills, coming in 2.1

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Do you guys have a macro where I can change my hotbars automatically depending on which pet I summon? Like everything on the hotbar is the same for hotbar 1, expect for the 3 abilities Eos and Selene have different from each other.

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You could theoretically do it. Going by my setup, I'd have a 5th set for Eos, 6th for Selene and would use the copy functionality in macros to automatically copy it to the 4th (fairy) bar as part of the quick summon macro.

I don't like managing the fairy that much though. I usually place her strategically and let her do her thing. In dungeons, with a decently geared tank, you can go full dps and let the fairy main heal. Placing her makes her resistant to cast cancels due to following you taking priority. I also usually put Selene into Obey stance and manage the skill/spell speed buffs manually. This prevents her from going off in AK to silence Succubus. But that's about all.

Eos is mostly auto mode, I learned to work around her blowing all her cooldowns on a papercut bu forcing her to move before the tank aggroes mobs. This makes her reach her placement the moment the tank gets the mob, a Rouse while en route enhances the Regen. Of course this is not as optimal, but I've yet to encounter a situation where that regen made or broke a fight.

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Originally Posted by Crysuphom

Oh and you can run in all directions without looking that way. So good for avoiding AoE.

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To be fair, you can do that with keyboard by selecting legacy control type as well. Unless they made it pad only since beta.

Not a real guide to tanking, but its where I put my abilities so they feel comfortable.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...-%28Paladin%29

Hi there,

Controller player here too. I use out of combat hotbars and in combat ones. Normally when tanking, I put the target marking on the out of combat set. I use a few macros, noramly either hate grabing (provoke and ranged abiltiy in 1) or self Buffs (Like Defence (Rampart, Foresight, etc) is one, and just plane buffs(Tempered Will, Awareness, etc) on another)

But, I just made a post kinda on this very subject. Showing how I setup my summoner, but I have also done the same for my SCH.

Link is as follows...

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...80%93-Summoner

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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I'll definitely just stop playing the game entirely then since I don't have a strong enough PC and have no plans to play any other class. Thanks for the heads up!

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Originally Posted by Zell

My biggest concern is learning how ot macro pets (Eos and Selene).

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There isn't much you can do about the pets. Even if you use obey, it will use 2 of its skills. I just put them on auto.
I almost never use Selene, so can't say much about that.
The only 2 pet skills I use are heel and place.

This is my current setup
(there was a mistake in the first image, fixed it now)

http://i.imgur.com/dnzMZuT.jpg

Honest question: Every single tank I've met on DF that didn't mark (excluding the bad/lazy ones) said they couldn't mark mobs because they were on gamepad, is there a way to help them with that? I try to wait and see which one he is attacking to not make it a hell to keep aggro, but sometimes I get a bit lost myself.

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Originally Posted by Edenholt

Honest question: Every single tank I've met on DF that didn't mark (excluding the bad/lazy ones) said they couldn't mark mobs because they were on gamepad, is there a way to help them with that? I try to wait and see which one he is attacking to not make it a hell to keep aggro, but sometimes I get a bit lost myself.

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All they need to do is target mob and press square, select mark then double tap x to assign [1] to it
There is also a macro but I can't remember what it is exactly. /mk attack1 <t> or something

If you have HP bars set to disappear at full, you can just look for what mob has a HP bar.
You can also macro your skills and use <tt> with the tank targeted

You can place markers on a hotbar (maybe hotbar 3 or 4) and use it to mark.

You can also mark targets by selecting them, pressing Square on PS3, and it will open up two choices (mark) being one of them. Same goes for Xbox controller, it's which ever is equivalent to Square on PS3.

There's multiple ways to mark. You can even create a macro that Toggles 1, 2, 3, 4. You select one target, click confirm and will mark it as 1. Select next target and click confirm twice, and it will mark it as 2.

There's many ways to skin a cat.

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Originally Posted by Edenholt

Honest question: Every single tank I've met on DF that didn't mark (excluding the bad/lazy ones) said they couldn't mark mobs because they were on gamepad, is there a way to help them with that? I try to wait and see which one he is attacking to not make it a hell to keep aggro, but sometimes I get a bit lost myself.

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Tell them to find the "Signs" menu (I am on PC and use the PC mini-menu thing, not the PS3 fullscreen one so I am unsure whre it is). All they have to do is push Square on the sign they want to use and they will get the prompt to add it to their action bar.

Personally I only use one sign and move to the next enemy a little before the previous one dies, works fine.

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Originally Posted by Zell

snip.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9xGruTtzvQ

its not a guide per say.. but here is a video of me and my friends.. I am SCH and this video will show you how i have my bars setup and how i use them..

cross hotbar is not enough and switching sets can trip you up.. so make bars 1 2 3 and 4 visible in the character menu.. i then make bar 3 and 4 shared which means they dont change when my class changes and put all my emote macros, recruitment, menu buttons and minions/mounts on there..

ctrl and alt bars work even with gamepad

edit.. all my damage and dot spells are macro set to

/micon "Name"
/ac Name <t>
/ac Name <tt>

that way you can use them while targetting the tank or tartgetting a mob

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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oh dear >.>

yea it hinders us.. no it doesn't make us bad healers..

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Originally Posted by DenzelTaru

yea it hinders us.. no it doesn't make us bad healers..

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It doesn't even hinder me to be honest. Unless it was sarcasm, I'm getting sleepy.

here my video on Coil Of Bahamut using only Gamepad (white mage)

Binding Coil Of Bahamut Turn 1 HD 1080p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqUvh9CCSjY


Binding Coil Of Bahamut Turn 2 HD 1080
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqhOP0e05Vk

Binding Coil Of Bahamut Turn 4 HD 1080p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2CAzauzo-8

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Originally Posted by Evangela

Healers shouldn't play with a gamepad... no matter how good you can use it.

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(I don't know how to answer that question.)

Guys, Evangela screwed up, we know that. Posting witty replies gets redundant after one or two posts.

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Originally Posted by Sylkis

The only 2 pet skills I use are heel and place.

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I'm still getting used to SCH at 34 and I have been trying to use "place" on my gamepad, but it's really awkward to target (since it moves your camera at the same time). I've used the same system with BLM lbs but since using "place" is so frequent, I was wondering if there was a way that other SCHs on gamepads deal with this. Thank you!

There is, you can also switch to virtual mouse mode (l1+r3) and place the circle with the right stick. This leaves you immobile and unable to quickly switch back to gamepad mode should you suddenly have to move though. All I can say is give it some time, it will become your second nature. I usually have my camera pre-positioned so that I can quickly place a Sacred Soil around a tank, this becomes important around titan HM.

edit: I think I read somewhere they considered allowing to place the circle with a mouse, however that would be PC only, so they don't want that. They are currently unhappy with the way the placement is done on gamepad and are looking for a way to improve it

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Originally Posted by Zell1226

And why not? I solo heal Titan on SCH with a gamepad. People always diss gamepads for no good reason.

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I use a gamepad, I have in every MMO I've played that offers gamepad support since FFXI. I say this so you can't argue that I'm blindly hating gamepads. Keyboard and mouse is just more effective for healing than a gamepad. When you have you change target between 8 party members on a second by second basis, gamepad is just slower than a mouse. I'm not trying to say that gamepad can't work just fine as the game was designed with it in mind, but it's still slower to switch targets than a mouse. I love it as a DD. You can probably do longer rotations, such as Dragoon, with less effort than with a keyboard as all your actions are compacted to a few button combinations, but DD aren't constantly switching targets. As a tank, you only really switch targets when you are fighting three or four monsters and the R2+R1/L1 target switching is very handy in that situation.

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Originally Posted by Genevive108

I'm still getting used to SCH at 34 and I have been trying to use "place" on my gamepad, but it's really awkward to target (since it moves your camera at the same time). I've used the same system with BLM lbs but since using "place" is so frequent, I was wondering if there was a way that other SCHs on gamepads deal with this. Thank you!

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Usually the group that I want to limit break is in front of me and I'm facing it, so the circle that appears will appear very close to the group.
I think they are going to make it easier to place the circle with the next patch.

I like how you only have to highlight something to cast a skill on it.

Up/down for party members, left/right for monsters. If a person in the last party slot needs healing, you can just press up two times, heal, and you never lose your current target.
On the keyboard you'd have to press F8, cast, then F2 again (back to tank) just to heal a person. The physical distance between F8 and F1 is huge.
Also, between the CTRL/ALT keys and the numbers, there's a lot of space. Using Alt + 7 for example is quite a chore. While on controller there's no physical distance to travel. You have 16 skills under your thumbs. 16 more in a mere R1 press.

Personally, I've never got used to playing on a Keyboard. Even with one and half years of WoW, I adapted to FFXIV's controller scheme and I think it's almost perfect.

I'm on turn 5 in coils as a pld tank with a controller, not sure if you were looking for WAR specifically but if not, I'll be happy to upload my UI when I get home.

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Originally Posted by Sephirah

I'm on turn 5 in coils as a pld tank with a controller, not sure if you were looking for WAR specifically but if not, I'll be happy to upload my UI when I get home.

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Kudos to you man :D and, please do share!