The Ultimate Newbie Macro Thread for Newbies to Macros like me.

There have been older threads going back to 2013 discussing macros but I don't feel it's appropriate to necro those threads. You can find them through a Google Search. So, instead I created this thread to 1) learn more about Macros 2) introduce Macros 3) demystify Macros and 4) share macros.

Here is what I know about macros at this point being completely new: (remember, I'm not a definitive expert on this. I to am asking for guidance)

1) Some classes like Healer require Macros. I played this game almost exclusively as a DPS but now that I'm exploring Healer, there really is no way to be a Healer without Macros. Remember in creating a macro you create a push button icon. So, you press the push on the Hot Bar and it gets the job done.

2) The Macros screen is on the System screen and it really is a streamline platform. There is a code box there to enter text. So, for those not familiar with things like Excel (I used to work as an accountant) the term Macro I associate with is something like VBA programming which is a really easy streamline language. In this game the language is way easier and intuitive especially if I can do it.

3) There are certain commands that are set like /ac which means "action" which is a physical action like a strike or a heal. So, for WHM the primary healing spell is Cure. So, to signal to the Hot Bar Icon created to Cure you would type in /ac "Cure" Replace "Cure" with any name of the action on your Hotbar and it will do that action (for archer as an example it could be "Straight Shot").

But that action needs a target so the third element of the macro is the target. So, for example /ac "Cure" <2> means Cure the second person in the party with /ac "Cure" <me> being yourself in the game. So, for a healer there would be four buttons to Cure yourself and three members of a party. This prevents you from having to click on people to Heal them, especially if everyone is crowded together. (remember you have to literally click on people to cure them, except if you use this set of macros. <me> needs to be there otherwise you will have to click on yourself)

As an emerging Healer this is the only macro I use. Another would be similar for "Esuna." Example: /ac "Esuna" <3>

This is the bare basics, but it can get much more complicated than this for things like rotations in other classes.

4) What typically happens in these old threads is people share code they created. So, please share code you created.


Thanks for the help and thanks to anyone who participates.

TL;Dr
Share Macros for individual classes and tell us what they are supposed to do. I myself need Bard and Healer Macros, but others will have different needs. Ask questions about Macros so others can answer them, Macros are not intimidating once you get to know them.

Dark Knight

/ac "Power Up"
/p "Give me your energy..."
/ac "Plunge"

Reasoning: Maximum edge

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nora_of_Mira

Dark Knight

/ac "Power Up"
/p "Give me your energy..."
/ac "Plunge"

Reasoning: Maximum edge

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Well, you are doing it wrong. First "Power Up" is an emote, so you have to use the command /powerup to use it, not /ac "Power Up", that only works for skills.

And second: It's /ac "Dark Arts"

It's technically the same animation as Power Up, but with more darkness, so more edge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tint

Well, you are doing it wrong. First "Power Up" is an emote, so you have to use the command /powerup to use it, not /ac "Power Up", that only works for skills.

And second: It's /ac "Dark Arts"

It's technically the same animation as Power Up, but with more darkness, so more edge.

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ah, a fellow macro scientist.

I wanted to used the emote but i forgot the proper macro language. I have another Cool macro that is

/tomestone
/wait
/wait
/wait
/wait
/tomestone
/wait
/wait
/wait
/wait
/tomestone
/wait
/wait
/wait
/wait
/tomestone

the most efficient way to ignore my FC mates.

Well, here is one of the threads I was talking about exclusively for Healers. It's old and goes back to 2013. So, my only problem is I can't go back and ask these men and women questions. So, here is the link to this forum:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Healing-Macros

So, for example I don't understand the target command <mo> which means Mouse Over. I assume what that means as a Healer One Button One Macro will allow the Healer to select anyone on the Party Bar instead of actually selecting the Physical PC (Playing Character). But I don't know if that's accurate. And I don't know if at this point in 2018 there is something better. Remember Macros evolve over time.

So, you could look at that thread and ask questions here.

Thanks.

As healer in Eureka I use the /assist (aka target of target) macro a lot, since it works both ways. Target a monster, then hit the /assist macro, and it will target the person that's being attacked ie. the person the monster is targeting. This is very useful in Eureka, where there's often huge hordes of players around, making it very difficult to pinpoint who's actually taking the damage. Is the person okay? Just hit the macro again and it'll target the monster he's attacking, so you can do some DPS. Great for when he pulls lots of monsters and you don't want to pull aggro, especially when he switches targets a lot.

Not to provoke people, but the ignore function is everyone's friend on here. You can go to a person's profile and block their messages, it's called the ignore function. This FF14 community has so many great members, if all the people who sign onto the forum with bad intent are ignored then we'd have the most easy streamline conversations.

I've never used the ignore function before in other forums because no matter how much I disagree with someone I still want to hear what they have to write. But, come on, when people are writing complete jibberish all the time (the same people) and others are using this forum for something other than the video game itself or the community itself, or people are just overly technical in talk for a simple video game (clearly they don't want someone like me to read their comments) then, well, the ignore function is appropriate.

Feel free to put me on ignore.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe_Schmoe

As healer in Eureka I use the /assist (aka target of target) macro a lot, since it works both ways. Target a monster, then hit the /assist macro, and it will target the person that's being attacked ie. the person the monster is targeting. This is very useful in Eureka, where there's often huge hordes of players around, making it very difficult to pinpoint who's actually taking the damage. Is the person okay? Just hit the macro again and it'll target the monster he's attacking, so you can do some DPS. Great for when he pulls lots of monsters and you don't want to pull aggro, especially when he switches targets a lot.

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Well, in that thread they refer to the command object as <tt> for this function, but I still don't know how to use the object <tt> which means target of target. How is /assist different than <tt>?

Can anyone else clarify. And please use simple terms.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

Not to provoke people, but the ignore function is everyone's friend on here. You can go to a person's profile and block their messages, it's called the ignore function. This FF14 community has so many great members, if all the people who sign onto the forum with bad intent are ignored then we'd have the most easy streamline conversations.

I've never used the ignore function before in other forums because no matter how much I disagree with someone I still want to hear what they have to write. But, come on, when people are writing complete jibberish all the time (the same people) and others are using this forum for something other than the video game itself or the community itself, or people are just overly technical in talk for a simple video game (clearly they don't want someone like me to read their comments) then, well, the ignore function is appropriate.

Feel free to put me on ignore.

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idk who this post is for, but i will take the advice. o/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nora_of_Mira

idk who this post is for, but i will take the advice. o/

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It's great advice and I would have done the same, because bandwagon mentality. This thread is too funny though.

My personal advice on macros: Don't use them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

Not to provoke people, but the ignore function is everyone's friend on here. You can go to a person's profile and block their messages, it's called the ignore function. This FF14 community has so many great members, if all the people who sign onto the forum with bad intent are ignored then we'd have the most easy streamline conversations.

I've never used the ignore function before in other forums because no matter how much I disagree with someone I still want to hear what they have to write. But, come on, when people are writing complete jibberish all the time (the same people) and others are using this forum for something other than the video game itself or the community itself, or people are just overly technical in talk for a simple video game (clearly they don't want someone like me to read their comments) then, well, the ignore function is appropriate.

Feel free to put me on ignore.

---

I must admit, I am also confused where this post even came from. Didn't seem like anything nefarious was being said prior to your posting this.

Help a confused lizard understand.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

Well, here is one of the threads I was talking about exclusively for Healers. It's old and goes back to 2013. So, my only problem is I can't go back and ask these men and women questions. So, here is the link to this forum:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Healing-Macros

So, for example I don't understand the target command <mo> which means Mouse Over. I assume what that means as a Healer One Button One Macro will allow the Healer to select anyone on the Party Bar instead of actually selecting the Physical PC (Playing Character). But I don't know if that's accurate. And I don't know if at this point in 2018 there is something better. Remember Macros evolve over time.

So, you could look at that thread and ask questions here.

Thanks.

---

<mo> means you can mouseover their name in party list rather than full click it. Can make things easier not having to detarget boss.

You just shouldn't really use combat macros. They keep skills from queuing properly and almost always guarantee clipping. Until you have a strong understanding of a job and how it actually plays I would say just don't do it as you may form some bad habits that are hard to break later on.

Obviously it's preferable to avoid most macros (auto target macros for ground AoEs are a big exception), but if you're really determined to heal using Macros then you should be using the <mo> target instead. This will make it so whatever party member your mouse is over on the party list will receive the heal without you changing targets. I highly recommend this with Embrace from both fairies.

Macros are for crafting, not healing.

I tend to only macro embrace so that Eos/Selene will have a better chance at having her heal hit the person i'm targeting with my main heal. Also back when T2 enrage was a thing it helped a lot to have some of the other fairy abilities tied to sacred soil or succor that would help if you got a double sch run.

As Corbin has said macroing by many is to be used with crafting more than battle classes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

there really is no way to be a Healer without Macros.

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Yeah, that's completely not true. While there are healers who use mouse over macros to great effect, there is absolutely ZERO requirement for it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

So, for example /ac "Cure" <2> means Cure the second person in the party with /ac "Cure" <me> being yourself in the game. So, for a healer there would be four buttons to Cure yourself and three members of a party. This prevents you from having to click on people to Heal them, especially if everyone is crowded together. (remember you have to literally click on people to cure them, except if you use this set of macros. <me> needs to be there otherwise you will have to click on yourself)

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So question for you: have you considered how healers work on controller, where clicking isn't always an option? Because you don't have to click on people, that's just ONE method.

Regardless, this is a waste. There are ALREADY keybinds (they are the F keys by default, but can be changed) that will target a specific numbered member of your party immediately when pressed. You can click on their names in the party list as another way as well. Cures will automatically target you if you do not already have a target selected, or have an enemy targeted.


Macros in general are a bad idea for combat. While some accompanied by a party message are helpful (such as someone inforiming other members they are raising another, or a tank is using their invulnerability), or ground targeting abilities, you want to avoid using them. The battle system queues your next attack when pressed as much as a half second in advance, and will execute it immediately when it's available. Macros cannot do this, and thus are slower to execute. Over long fights, this adds up, and it's MUCH clunkier to play like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

there really is no way to be a Healer without Macros.

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The only combat macro I use is one to announce who I am raising.

Macros severely hurt your DPS because they prevent skill queuing. And I doubt you're going to have hotbar space for 8 macros (for 8-man content) for every single-target skill you have at end game. Each healer already has over 30 skills...

Save yourself now, delete your macros. They will teach you very bad habits.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe_Schmoe

As healer in Eureka I use the /assist (aka target of target) macro a lot, since it works both ways. Target a monster, then hit the /assist macro, and it will target the person that's being attacked ie. the person the monster is targeting. This is very useful in Eureka, where there's often huge hordes of players around, making it very difficult to pinpoint who's actually taking the damage. Is the person okay? Just hit the macro again and it'll target the monster he's attacking, so you can do some DPS. Great for when he pulls lots of monsters and you don't want to pull aggro, especially when he switches targets a lot.

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If your macro is just /assist with nothing else, you might want to just use the keybind for this, save yourself some bar clutter. It'll also help avoid weird macro interference issues.

OK, so the sense I am getting is that Macros are problematic maybe one day this will be fixed as I see the potential for them.

As for me I normally Bard or Monk. I'm completely new to healing so I figured maybe macros would be the right direction. So, as this is still questionable for me what I will do before I do a dungeon (my Healer is only level 20 and only qualifies for Tam-Tara I believe) I'll do guildhests with Macros as a Healer to see how this works and to see if this is optimal.

I've been looking at that thread and I find that thread really inspiring. It seems at one time Macros were a thing even if they are not now. They are so easy to create on the logic is so accessible that I just wanted to inform people of these things.

I'll do a guildhest in the future can't really play FF14 tonight because I'm having a drink and betting on horse races.

Thanks for anyone who replied. I'll check in this thread probably tomorrow.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Akonyl

If your macro is just /assist with nothing else, you might want to just use the keybind for this, save yourself some bar clutter. It'll also help avoid weird macro interference issues.

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I know about it, but thing of it is is my button setups are different for each class. It's easier to just macro it, since I can put it to wherever I need it to go. Whereas the keybind menu is universal - keybinding "alt +`" might work on my scholar, but not on my melee classes, as an example - unless I'm missing something.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

OK, so the sense I am getting is that Macros are problematic maybe one day this will be fixed as I see the potential for them.

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I doubt they will be, only because there's nothing to be fixed. It's not broken.
They were specifically designed this way in order to have the player play the game, not have a macro play the game for them. They didn't want macros to be close to actual player skill.

There was a dev post about it a number of years back when ARR launched.

TL;DR Don't use macros in combat aside from maybe targeting ones. Especially if you do some annoying shit with it like spam messages or sounds. I remember when Ninja players were telling other Ninja players to macro their mudras. Lol... that still blows my mind.

Yeah... I only ever used macros for Blood Weapon/Blood Price, and for Thunder back when it was 4 or 5 different skills. I've never used macros for healing, not even for reviving. Some people rely on them and they do well with them, but I prefer to have an immediate response to my key presses, as well as uninterruptible. I have switched, for the time being, to using macros for mouse targeted skills to center around my target, mostly because I just have a habit of losing track of my mouse cursor.

Fellow macro hater chiming in here. I have one macro, and it's to slap Salted Earth directly under my current target. It takes me far too long to fiddle around with the ground target marker, so the macro actually makes it faster for me. I'm so glad they got rid of Flaming Arrow.

/ac "Salted Earth" <t>

Here's a set of macros that will become even more useful with the addition of new jobs next summer:

https://i.imgur.com/lToF8Zk.gif

While we think of only "hotbar 9" as a single hotbar, there is actually a hotbar 9 for each class and each job, and additionally a separate hotbar 9 for "shared". These macros take advantage of the distinction between a class/job hotbar and the shared hotbar to store the many versions of one hotbar on various classes/jobs and switching which currently occupies the shared hotbar.

Overview:

• Turn on hotbar sharing for the bar(s) you want to use for switching. (/characterconfig, Hotbar Settings, Sharing)
• Create macros for each class/job/menu category you want to use.
• Make multiple versions of the bar, each with a different category "expanded", saving them on classes or jobs.

Example macro set:

Code:

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Magic DDs  : /hotbar copy thm 9 share 9
Ranged DDs : /hotbar copy arc 9 share 9
Melee DDs  : /hotbar copy pgl 9 share 9
Healers    : /hotbar copy cnj 9 share 9
Tanks      : /hotbar copy gla 9 share 9

Crafters  : /hotbar copy crp 10 share 10
Gatherers  : /hotbar copy min 10 share 10
Hunt Bills : /hotbar copy fsh 10 share 10
            Aside: my example shows this macro with the Battle Stance icon: /micon "Battle Stance" emote

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Set up hotbar 9 as your caster gearsets, then put the macros for each other job category on the bar so it looks something like

RDM BLM SMN Healers Tanks Rangers Meleers

in whatever order you prefer. Then save the bar to where your magic DDs macro says it should be, which is just manually running the reverse command:

Code:

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/hotbar copy share 9 thm 9

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Then set up hotbar 9 for healers, something like

Casters WHM SCH AST Tanks Rangers Meleers

Then save the bar to where your healers macro says it should be:

Code:

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/hotbar copy share 9 cnj 9

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etc.

Once finished, you'll be able to click a category to "expand" it, and therefore be able to fit all your jobs on one bar. If you want all combat jobs and all non combat classes on one bar, you'll need to combine (healers and tanks) and/or (casters and rangers) to make them fit, since the number of categories plus the highest number of options in an "expanded" category can't exceed 12. Or, you can put two hotbars together, and have each macro switch both bars.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rongway

Here's a set of macros that will become even more useful with the addition of new jobs next summer:

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Well, that's fancy and all... but why not simply use this one (especially for people on Playstation):

Code:

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/gearset

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It opens the list with all gearsets and you can select from there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tint

Well, that's fancy and all... but why not simply use this one (especially for people on Playstation):

Code:

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/gearset

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It opens the list with all gearsets and you can select from there.

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It's cleaner than searching a list of forty gearsets for the one job you want, activating the submenu, and choosing "Equip Set". Besides, they're not all just gearsets. One of the categories in my example is a collection of combat checklist activity key items (hunt bills and wondrous tails), and each gatherer activates a bunch of stuff on equip, so I can see all nodes of any type regardless of which class I'm on:

Code:

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/macroicon 31 gearset
/gs change 31 <wait.1>
/ac "Triangulate" <wait.1>
/ac "Fathom" <wait.1>
/ac "Truth of Mountains" <wait.1>
/ac "Truth of Forests" <wait.1>
/ac "Truth of Oceans"

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

So, as this is still questionable for me what I will do before I do a dungeon (my Healer is only level 20 and only qualifies for Tam-Tara I believe) I'll do guildhests with Macros as a Healer to see how this works and to see if this is optimal.

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Why is it still questionable? It isn't optimal to heal via macros outside of fairy micromanagement. Far more experienced players have come forward and told you this, after healing for years. It's no wonder people who offer advice get so frustrated and come off as "elitist" when sound advice backed up with experience and proof just fall on deaf ears. Go ahead, go and do your macro guildhest, enjoy your waste of time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hercub

Thanks for anyone who replied. I'll check in this thread probably tomorrow.

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I promise you you will not every be able to play a healer competently this way. At all.

At cap most content features 8man parties. That would mean for every targeted healing ability you would need 8 separate macros. On WHM that means 8 times 8 just for the native targeted healing skills (Cure/2/3, Tetra, Bene, DB, Raise, Regen) not to mention things like E4E and Rescue from the cross-role section. This takes WHM from around 25-30 buttons up to a conservative estimate of about 80 buttons.

You will literally never be able to play even semi-competently this way. At all. I guarantee you. I'm not trying to be harsh but you need to understand how bad this entire venture will go. Do not do it. It is objectively a horrible idea.

I use a gaming keyboard with extra keys to the left of the rest right now and often use tab to target enemies while having I believe Q and W mapped to quickly target the first two members in my list other than myself? This covers both tanks in 2/2/4 content and the tank and other healer in 1/2/5 things. Find something like this that works for your existing keybinds. Don't do this macro thing, it is awful.

My job change macros that allow me to personalize each job.

/micon "Soul of the [job]" item
/gearset equip [gearset #]
/title set "[title name]"
/minion "[minion name]" <wait.1>
/bstance motion