keybind and hotbar setup suggestions for SCH?

[Taerra]

I'm in the process of optimizing macros and hotbars/keybind on SCH and was wondering if people have suggestions.

For strict healing I don't have an issue, it gets more complicated when I want to add dps into the mix, or micro my fairy. Not enough room for a single hand.

3 horizontal bars + pet bar.
I use 1-5 for phy,adlo,suc,leeche,lustrate, then 6-7-8-9-0 and - = for dps
ctrl +1-2-3-4 for virus, e4ae,bane,sustain,drain (too clunky past number 4)
alt +1-2-3-4-5 +8. aether,stoneskin,rouse,Soil,swiftcast, alt 8 is for cleric stance
I use F/G for place and heel. I usually click for obey. Tilde is used for embrace.
I don't use shift combos atm

Any suggestions ? num pad maybe ? shift/ctrl beyond 4 and q-e are clunky to me.

tl:dr ... GOD do I wish for a healbot app for ffxiv. Would make my life simpler lol. Not enough room for a single hand.

[Taerra]

Also what's the deal with guard/steady and sic/obey ? I hear people talking of stances reverting to guard and such, I normally can micro it just fine simply by clicking obey ( Eos blows her regen CD though )

[FinagleABagel]

Also what's the deal with guard/steady and sic/obey ? I hear people talking of stances reverting to guard and such, I normally can micro it just fine simply by clicking obey ( Eos blows her regen CD though )

You nailed the issue with your last statement. Obey lasts until she does something. Then its back to blowing CDs. You can micro Embrace just fine though - assuming you don't drop below 80% hp.

[harkinate]

Two things will help you: Macros, and a mouse with extra buttons. People will recommend the MMO Naga, but I personally find that to be a bit too cluttered. The RTS Naga is quite good (only 6 buttons) and you can use alt/ctrl/shift modifiers with them giving you up to 18 buttons. I don't use them all, but they can be quite handy with mouseover (<mo>) macros. I also use Place and Heel on those mouse buttons.

Other handy keybinds - always have a button to swap to target of target. That'll make it easier to swap between a boss and the tank. You'll also want Set Focus for macro use.

Some other handy macros for my DPS rotations as SCH include all my DoTs, Energy Drain, Virus, and even Bane to cast on these priorities: Target, ToT, Focus Target. This will ensure that my offensive abilities cast on a boss without having to move my target from the tank.

Hopefully that helps give you some ideas of what you can do.

[Taerra]

You nailed the issue with your last statement. Obey lasts until she does something. Then its back to blowing CDs. You can micro Embrace just fine though - assuming you don't drop below 80% hp.

Really ? I never noticed that she goes back to sic after using Mdef or healing potency after hitting one once? Perhaps I never paid enough attention and assumed she was staying on obey while blowing ONLY the regen CD?

Some other handy macros for my DPS rotations as SCH include all my DoTs, Energy Drain, Virus, and even Bane to cast on these priorities: Target, ToT, Focus Target. This will ensure that my offensive abilities cast on a boss without having to move my target from the tank.

Yeah I included a couple macros to make sure my e4ae or virus and such fire normally. I still feel limited though. In WoW it was easy thanks to Healbot. shift/ctrl/alt was accompanied by a click, not another button

very interesting the mouse, but a bit pricey.

[Garnatian]

Beginning from the Top-left 4x4 grid:

1,2,3,4
CTRL + 1,2,3,4
ALT + 1,2,3,4
R, CTRL + R, Alt + R

Then the 2x4 grid in the Top-right corner is:

F1-F4
CTRL + F1-F4

It is important to note that my CTRL key is actually my TAB key (I swapped them around since the TAB key is much more comfortable).

Protect/Stoneskin buttons are never bound as they are rarely used and even when they are, it's pre-meditated and without rush.

The bottom-right Embrace is just there so I can quickly swap it with the Embrace in Ctrl + 2 depending on which Fairy I have out.

As for Obey/Steady, I never use them. They serve no benefit. I do use Place if the fight asks for continuous movement as the pet doesn't like to cast Embrace on the move.

It is important to make sure Embrace is on a comfortable key for you since you'll be spamming that key every second of every day.

[harkinate]

Yeah I included a couple macros to make sure my e4ae or virus and such fire normally. I still feel limited though. In WoW it was easy thanks to Healbot. shift/ctrl/alt was accompanied by a click, not another button

very interesting the mouse, but a bit pricey.

The mouse is an investment. It won't make you a better gamer in general but it certainly doesn't hurt and gives you some options.

I never really used Healbot before (didnt' heal much in WoW), but I can guess at some functionality. Are you aware of mouseover macros and what they do? You can hover the cursor over a party-member name or player name in the field and press the macro, casting whatever spell you set it to cast on whoever the mouse is hovering over - no clicking necessary. Is that something you're looking for?

[Taerra]

It is important to note that my CTRL key is actually my TAB key (I swapped them around since the TAB key is much more comfortable).

This is genius ! lol, never thought of that. It would certainly take a little getting used to, but that makes TAB 1-6 and maybe even 7 MUCH more confortable.

[Taerra]

I tried them, and despised them frankly. I use to put in priority <mo> <t> <me> ... but oftentimes when I tried to heal the tank and my cursor happened to hover over someone on screen, that would take priority and I didn't like that at all. Almost cause a wiped once because I kept healing the dps instead. Clicking is fine for me, I target the name frames, not the actual characters.

[Sinaloa]

My bindings are quite different but I´m using similar buttons. e.g. I do have Lustrate on my mousewheel. This grants me 100% freedom of movement. Leeches is on F for fast reacting. Combinations I do use quite often but are on long CD´s are near each other or do not interfer. e.g. Swiftcast "C" + Succor "MB-Thumb" or Shaddowflare "V". I dont´t use 6-0 (Basicly I do but for potions which I rarely use) I scatterd the dps arround in semi-good reach Shift 1-3, G, T, 1,3,4.