How do you best optimize playing with the PS4 controller?

[radioactive_lego]

That works well enough if you're never going to do anything other than DPS.

Tank and DPS. The few times this seems "inconvenient" is with PLD where I want to Cover or SS someone on the team. But in 99.5% of situations, TNks an DPS are focued on mobs. even in situations where you have to deactivate the hotbar to "eat" something, it's no more inconvenient than what you proposed.

Reduce and remove the clutch folks. You are making the gamepad way more busy than it needs to be.
Oh and i heal like this too. My hotbars are almost always active, because i like being able to defend myself.

[416to305]

Thanks everyone! It's weird I was doing totally fine until a few days ago when I'd swear my settings all changed, even though they didn't. I had thought turning on filtering like only enemies when weapon is drawn was for the holding R2 and pressing R1, and holding L2 and pressing L1 type cycling as it always seemed to work, and so that's how I got into the habit. Generally enter battle, hit X which usually targets the proper first enemy, then cycle by holding L2 or R2 and pressing L1 and R1 where as before I'd always just use the D-pad. I don't like mixed or toggle mode as I tried that and then did a dungeon and was non stop unable to do actions because I'd forget and the hot bar would still be visible, so have to maybe test it more outside a dungeon.

It seems the D-Pad left and right is what uses your target filter settings, but where I'm having issues is say I'm in a fate and a monster dies. I'll be facing the enemies and press X which usually always automatically selects an enemy, however it ALWAYS selects some stupid NPC doing the fate first instead, and then I have to cycle to find an enemy. Kill that one, press X and sure enough same thing highlights a NPC first. I never used to have that problem, would face the battle/enemy, press X and 99% of the time it would select who I wanted, or would just require a quick left or right tap on the D-Pad. Any idea why that might be? Thanks!

[radioactive_lego]

/chotbar change 2
and
/chotbar change 1

those two macros will allow you to swap hotbars without turing them off.
so, instead of letting go (or turning off a hot bar if you use toggle/mixed) you can switch instantly.

think:
let go of l2/r2
l1+desired hotbar number
engage l2/r2

or

x (or whereever you drop your macro)

From a simplicity standpoint, the choice is obvious.