So I started using targetting macros as soon as I started doing 8-man content. Trying to essentially tab my way through the party just got really tiresome and felt ridiculously slow. Still my solution is a little different, I'm pretty sure I mentioned it at least a little bit in another thread, but I essentially 5 targeting macros. That's enough to target anyone in the party with 1 or 2 clicks. It doesn't exactly solve the "claw" problem for me because my macros are mostly on the dpad anyway, I haven't ran into much trouble with the claw, they could always be moved to the face buttons though.

I think your idea is interesting but taking up all 8 bars just doesn't work for me.