Bard Hotbar

Alright guys, I ran through PoTD to see if I would like playing Bard, since you get all the skills since it has its own leveling system, and I fell in love with it. The only problem is my skill layout (PC) looks like a hotmess - even though it kind of works for - but I'm sure it would make bard mains cry.
I was just wondering if I could see how someone else arranged their skills so I could have a nicer set up flow.
Thank you very much. :D

I dont know if I can be much help since, I use a controller and use the crossbar layout... but I'd suggest you make macros to make life easier.

Example being

/macroicon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Empyreal Arrow"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Sidewinder" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>


This way your higher damaging skills will activate when they are available. (Emp Arrow/Misery's end would be first to activate if available)... macros may not be very efficient and many are really against them.. but they help with the daily grind of dungeons and such.. keeping you from going insane with the amount of skills.

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When I used a keyboard.. I had it set up.. sorta like..

Key 1 Straight arrow
key 2-3 DOTS (Venom/Windbyte) ( you dont want these macroed together, incase one dropps off and you only need to refresh the 1.. a macro would force you to cast both)
Key 4 Was my main 'dps' macro. ( the heavy arrow one)
Key 5 should probably be Iron jaws or fire arrow.

From there, you'll want to put skills in order of how often you use them. Songs, self heals.. and buffs can go in the secondary hot bars since you don't use them quite as often. If you have a mouse with buttons, I'd suggest binding things like Blunt arrow (silence) onto it so you can very quickly react when needed, also Iron jaws worked well on the mouse.

Here's my BRD UI Layout

http://cdn.guildwork.net/albums/imag...36af947f87.jpg

The only macro I use is for Flaming Arrow

/macroicon "Flaming Arrow"
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>


So I can put it directly under my target without having to Ground AOE Target

Edited: I also remove "Display Action Help" as I find it effects visibility and I already know what all my skills do.
Under Hotbar Settings:
Hide Unassigned Slots
Remove -> Enable Hotbar Cycling
Remove -> Display Hotbar Numbers
Remove -> Enable Drag-and-Drop Repositioning

That cleans things up nicely and prevents any miss-click issues.

I use a controller, so the only advice I can give is binding your GCD attacks to your symbol buttons and oGCD attacks and songs to your D-Pad inputs.

Also, don't use macros other than the Flaming Arrow one as a BRD. It'll hurt your DPS, which is what you do on your job.

It doesn't really hurt DPS enough to matter. Unless you want to min-max.. its safe to use macros.

There is only one good macro for Flaming Arrow:

/micon "Flaming Arrow"
/ac "Flaming Arrow" <t>

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mb52139

It doesn't really hurt DPS enough to matter. Unless you want to min-max.. its safe to use macros.

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You really shouldn't use macros at all...
And "I use a controller" isn't a very good excuse. I also use a controller; I feel like Bard doesn't have that many buttons anyway and I can seamlessly change between the crossbars. It's not hard, with enough practice...

With both the 8 key bars (left and right) I have 16.. and I use all 8 of the extra cross bar... so 24 buttons and I use all of them. That is with 5 skills sharing a macro. I'm not sure how you can get away with it, but it seems you don't use all your skills.

Sure I could use the other options to switch cross bars over.. but where do we draw the line between a easy pleasurable experience and annoyance for the sake of a few pitiful dps numbers. I've never been accused of having low dps, even being parsed, so my macros don't hurt enough to justify not using them.

macros with wait in them are no-goes (except for craft stuff of course), but ones that simply put two button presses together, you still press the button twice, still wait the gcd time between them. Typical combos work well with this, for example ninja has the 3-button combo that can end with armour crush, aeolean edge or dancing edge. those 3 skills are the only reason to ever use gust slash, so you macro that in front of those 3, still 2 button presses, just no need for gust slash to have a separate button using space. You can still monitor gust slash to make sure it procs on a separate bar and still re-apply spinning if required. There are very similar options for other melees. Bard works more with a priority system, so as long as you keep them simple, macros should work reasonably OK. BLM, don't even think about it :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mb52139

With both the 8 key bars (left and right) I have 16.. and I use all 8 of the extra cross bar... so 24 buttons and I use all of them. That is with 5 skills sharing a macro. I'm not sure how you can get away with it, but it seems you don't use all your skills.

Sure I could use the other options to switch cross bars over.. but where do we draw the line between a easy pleasurable experience and annoyance for the sake of a few pitiful dps numbers. I've never been accused of having low dps, even being parsed, so my macros don't hurt enough to justify not using them.

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Well I mean... what other options? I switch crossbars with the RB+ [button] combo. So for CB1, that's RB+Y, and for CB2 that's RB+B... and for my rarely used CB3/PVP Skills that's RB+A. CB4 is for my Expanded crossbar, which I have set to the same for LT/RT holding. That's 24 Keys for CB1 and and extra 16 for CB2.
Don't forget fast switch by tapping RB quickly instead of holding it down.

So yeah I do use all my buttons.... the only thing I don't have on my bar right now is Shadowbind because it's useless it's so situational and I have no need for it, at all..... even if I did I have room on CB2 for it so if it becomes REALLY necessary I can put it there.

You want a screenshot of them?

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...sqzgvbxlj.jpeg

Sorry for the quality. Thats an old picture before I move to my new PC.

As for macros, I use two. Flaming Arrow and Warden's Paean.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mb52139

I dont controller and use the crossbar layout... but I'd suggest you make macros to make life easier.

Example being

/macroicon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Empyreal Arrow"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Sidewinder" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>

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Pls no. Never suggest this. There are soooo many reasons why this is a baaaaaad idea

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yeol

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...sqzgvbxlj.jpeg

Sorry for the quality. Thats an old picture before I move to my new PC.

As for macros, I use two. Flaming Arrow and Warden's Paean.

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How is your warden's paean macro setup? Can you put a party member's name or party number in the <>?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bigsby

How is your warden's paean macro setup? Can you put a party member's name or party number in the <>?

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You can do:
/ac Warden's Paean <6>

and it will always hit slot 6 in the party - then just make sure your party ordering is done such that you always have a warrior there(for me that is true since they added the option to adjust what job comes in what order). Before then I'd have to manually move a war down to slot 6 if there was a drk and war combo.

And yes only 2 macros I use is flaming arrow and paean(though for both I also keep unmacrod buttons available just in case(saved so many people with paean during final boss in weeping city)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bardaboo

Pls no. Never suggest this. There are soooo many reasons why this is a baaaaaad idea

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perhaps it would be a good idea to say what those reasons are. Else, we really have no reason to believe you.

Agreed. I've used such a macro for a long time, and consistently was parsing high/average.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jaer

perhaps it would be a good idea to say what those reasons are. Else, we really have no reason to believe you.

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Macros cannot be queued to the server in FFXIV, which introduces DPS loss. This has been known by the community since the beginning of FFXIV 2.0. This video demonstrates why you should avoid using Macros especially for GCD abilities -> https://youtu.be/czzLF4IfFaM?t=4m19s

The player that uses macros is 0.5 to 1 second behind the player that does not use macros. The longer the fight, the more the macro player falls behind.

There are valid QoL reasons to use macros such as Eye For an Eye, Goad, etc. However, if you use macros, you have weight the pros and cons and make the decision that least impacts your performance and play.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jaer

perhaps it would be a good idea to say what those reasons are. Else, we really have no reason to believe you.

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With this dps macro Mashup of skills you'd be wasting sidewinder all the time. It's harder to line up barrage and emperyal arrow, be wasting lots of bloodletter procs. Empyreal Arrow on a mob that's almost dead is a waste of good damage plus cast time. Bloodletter sidewinder Misery's end are all off gcd so it's better to be able to use these if you have to move, or between cast bar moves.
Stop playing devils advocate. Its bad.

Sidewinder is never wasted.. since dots go up first. Barrage/emp arrow is easy to line up, and I dont honestly ever feel the need to move using blood letter.

It does all come down to min-maxing. I personally am not concerned with having the max dps possible, what matters is enjoying the game, and being forced to have like 10 crossbars worth of skills to work with... nothanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mb52139

Sidewinder is never wasted.. since dots go up first. Barrage/emp arrow is easy to line up, and I dont honestly ever feel the need to move using blood letter.

It does all come down to min-maxing. I personally am not concerned with having the max dps possible, what matters is enjoying the game, and being forced to have like 10 crossbars worth of skills to work with... nothanks.

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Really? So you'd rather use sidewinder without buffs up on a trash mob before a boss than save it for your opener?

There's a big difference between min/maxing and playing well. I'm saying a macro like this is even worse. Min/maxing is things like optimal substats on your gear (do i upgrade to 240, or keep my 230 with way better substats) melding all your gear shit like that. What you are doing is trying to get by by putting in no effort.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mb52139

Sidewinder is never wasted.. since dots go up first. Barrage/emp arrow is easy to line up, and I dont honestly ever feel the need to move using blood letter.

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So with putting your dots up first on every mob what are you doing with you ocd time? You can't use bloodletter. .. ever.
Look you can argue and nitpick all you want, in the end you'll always be average. Now maybe juuust maybe, people asking for advice don't want to be average. So please NEVER SUGGEST THIS

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bardaboo

Stop playing devils advocate.

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No, sorry, I won't. I'm a level 30 Bard who is learning how to play. I won't take advice from somebody just because you say it's bad. Your original post had no reason to listen to it.

Skill placement in the hotbars all comes down to the player's tastes. but I think mine is very organized.

http://i.imgur.com/DQoD0AZ.png

The main crossbar, from left to right: oGCD skills, AOE skills, Skills that have timers, main damage skills.

http://i.imgur.com/0oHrPms.png

Second hotbar, the 'songbar' from left to right: buffs and cross classes I use eventually, all songs together with the exception of WP.

http://i.imgur.com/qZtqBQ9.png

All my cooldowns on the extended hotbar for easy acess.
For macros I only use the FA macro, never had a problem, you just need to understand that it's not queueable and press the button at the right time.

Well truth is, it would seem they've changed some of bard's skills since I started to use a macro. Will be making some changes.

Thank you for those who posted constructive remarks.

Actually thinking.. I can put blood letter onto another macro.. so that it procs instead of my dots... and I just have to double tap my dot button.. this way I'm not wasting this ogcd skill...

Excellent, you all convinced me to make more macros :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mb52139

Well truth is, it would seem they've changed some of bard's skills since I started to use a macro. Will be making some changes.

Thank you for those who posted constructive remarks.

Actually thinking.. I can put blood letter onto another macro.. so that it procs instead of my dots... and I just have to double tap my dot button.. this way I'm not wasting this ogcd skill...

Excellent, you all convinced me to make more macros :P

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Sorry for being a poo head... i can be a bit of a dick. I still love you :)