How about this macro/rotation for Paladin off tanking?

The other thread about tank changes got me thinking. Since Paladins don't have an actual off tank rotation (other than to spam our enmity combo), what if we worked in a Riot combo with a <tt> Stoneskin as the finisher? Or would that not be MP efficient?

So, the Macro.

/Macroicon "Stoneskin"
/ac "Stoneskin" <tt>

And then, the rotation would be.

FB-SB-RoH-SS<tt>-FB-RB-SS<tt>, repeat while only using the SS<tt> after each RB.

I normally try to throw some Stoneskins on the MT anyway, but if this rotation is MP efficient, it would give us a two combo rotation while OTing that adds more utility to the group as a whole and gets us away from spamming RoH. Which is what the Warrior already gets to do since their off tank rotation of SP,SE adds the damage debuff, slashing debuff and healing debuff.

What do you think? I guess if it ends up being MP inefficient, we could always do two FB-RB before each <tt> Stoneskin.

It's a good idea, but I think it would end up being inefficient, and not from a mana standpoint.

The chances that your one stoneskin every 3-6 GCDs is going to be 100% effective without you timing it is pretty low. My general OT rotation is more like a BRD priority list than a rotation:

0 - Would it make sense to use cover? > Cover
1 - Is RoH on mob? > RoH
2 - Do I have less than 500 mana? > RB
3 - Is the MT in a high dmg phase? > SS MT
4 - Are healers/dps going to be taking dmg? > SS healers/DPS as I can
5 - Am I going to be taking damage? > SS myself
6 - Do I have full mana? > SSs on MT>Healers>DPS>me

I think its a good idea if you want to go on auto-pilot and add a little more utility to the group, but you will get more effective results from being cognizant of what's happening in the battle.

Well, I didn't mean to use it as a way to go into auto pilot and not pay attention to what's happening in the fight. I was thinking about it as more of a utility rotation to use when you're normally just spamming the RoH combo. Which I see way too much of with Paladin off tanks. Heck, part of the reason I can't rotate in SE when I'm warrior main tanking is because of Paladins staying in Shield oath and spamming RoH non stop.

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Originally Posted by Versiroth

....Paladins staying in Shield oath and spamming RoH non stop.

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Yeah that's annoying as all hell.

I get what you are saying for sure, this is a nice bit of conventional wisdom for people who don't feel like min/maxing on their performance for PLD. I felt I couldn't let it float out there without the more involved strategy being toss in though, haha.

Edited out my other sentiment because I'm going to make it its own thread.

I really puzzles me why players wants to macro every single job..

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

I really puzzles me why players wants to macro every single job..

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Because in a lot of cases, they save lots of time and are better than the alternative? Especially for controller users. I play on controller and this macro allows me to SS the MT instantly instead of having to let go of the trigger, hit up or down on the controller to select him, repress th e trigger and then throw out a SS.

My question to you is this... why are macros so demonized on this board? They've been a huge part of MMOs forever now. Just because some people place all of their abilities into one macro, which can seriously mess you up, doesn't mean all macros are useless.

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Originally Posted by Versiroth

Because in a lot of cases, they save lots of time and are better than the alternative? Especially for controller users. I play on controller and this macro allows me to SS the MT instantly instead of having to let go of the trigger, hit up or down on the controller to select him, repress th e trigger and then throw out a SS.

My question to you is this... why are macros so demonized on this board? They've been a huge part of MMOs forever now. Just because some people place all of their abilities into one macro, which can seriously mess you up, doesn't mean all macros are useless.

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I can't speak for others.. but say you have one macro to specifically macro the MT, then I assume you also have placed the usual stoneskin skill to SS other players if need be?

To me it just seem like gonna be crap load of icons :/ I'm really not too sure about controller/PS3 gaming either since I'm on the PC platform but personally I prefer using the least number of icons as possible just in case I clicked the wrong one and screw myself up. The only macros I use are communication macros only.

Make a stoneskin macro that only targets player number 2
move the other tank if your group to always be player number 2 in the party list
now you dont have to target them

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

I can't speak for others.. but say you have one macro to specifically macro the MT, then I assume you also have placed the usual stoneskin skill to SS other players if need be?

To me it just seem like gonna be crap load of icons :/ I'm really not too sure about controller/PS3 gaming either since I'm on the PC platform but personally I prefer using the least number of icons as possible just in case I clicked the wrong one and screw myself up. The only macros I use are communication macros only.

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Controller users have quick access to 32 slots by holding the triggers. 8 for L, R, L+R and R+L. So, space really isn't an issue on controller. Honestly, the only real advantage KB/Mouse user likely have in this game is targeting and mouse overs. And targeting is where macros really help while using a controller (like <tt> macros for DPS when healing).

Well, targetting your party members with a controller is really easy.
Use up/down to reach your partner in the list, press spell button... magic you're already back to your default target.
It's even easier if you sort your party member list

Targetting ennemies is easier too: with the L1/R1 switch or with L1+up/down through the enmity list.

I think the only situation where mouse users have an advantage is when healing alliance members.

Also, I'm not fond at all of the "L2 then R2" and "R2 then L2", cause it's messy, so I just add 8 extra slots with L2+R2.
That makes 24 slots, which is already enough.

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Originally Posted by Versiroth

Controller users have quick access to 32 slots by holding the triggers. 8 for L, R, L+R and R+L. So, space really isn't an issue on controller. Honestly, the only real advantage KB/Mouse user likely have in this game is targeting and mouse overs. And targeting is where macros really help while using a controller (like <tt> macros for DPS when healing).

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I see, that's a lot. Mouse/KB users like me have only 24 slots at once - first 12 are then standard "1" to "=" while the next 12 you hold shift + your "1" to "=", so space can be quite an issue for us. Especially for jobs like DRG or healers.

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

I see, that's a lot. Mouse/KB users like me have only 24 slots at once - first 12 are then standard "1" to "=" while the next 12 you hold shift + your "1" to "=", so space can be quite an issue for us. Especially for jobs like DRG or healers.

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You can just add hotbars and do ctrl+# or alt+#.

A lot of people have their 2 bars ready, then they have a 3rd but to click to hit off-gcd abilities, cooldowns, etc.

I have 2 stoneskin button: one is a classic stoneskin t, the other is a macro stoneskin tt. Allows me to do everything. While i have the monster targetted (most of the time), i can stoneskin myself with a classic stoneskin (if the target is nonvalid it defaults to you) or with the tt one if i am main tanking; if i am off tank i can stoneskin the other tank with tt. Whenever i need to stoneskin someone else, i can just pick them in the list and hit the normal stoneskin -- i need to switch target, but this case is much less frequent.