BLM Macro set-up

[lacrimosaangel]

Hey guys,
I'm currently level 43 BLM and getting started with macros, but I'm a little confused, as a lot of them seem to be one-time only settings, like equipping, accepting party invites etc, all of which I can do very quickly and comfortably using the UI and the ps4 controller.

So, my question is, which macros would be useful to make playing as a BLM more efficient?
Can I set up macros to automatically run a set of actions, or self-heal once getting below a certain amount of health, like with the Gambits in FFXII?

I'm hoping to get a nice efficient crossbar setup ready for end-game but am confused as to how to start with the macros.

Oh, and I don't suppose there's a way to simultaneously use the ps4 controller AND the plug in keyboard to maximise options is there?

(Yes, I'm a MMO noob )

[ChameleonMS]

While you cannot create gambits. You can bind multiple actions to a single command.
I personsally do not use this macro, this is just to give you an idea what you can do. I do not use it because the wait times and GCD (time spent waiting a command to finish are more efficient when done manually) as some command can be execute during this waiting time.

/micon "Flare"
/ac "Raging Strikes" <wait.1>
/ac "Swiftcast" <wait.1>
/ac "Flare" <wait.2>
/ac "Convert" <wait.1>
/ac "Flare" <wait.4>
/ac "Transpose" <wait.1>
/ac "Quelling Strikes"

I do use the first part on a regular basis
/micon "Swiftcast"
/ac "Swiftcast" <wait.1>
/ac "Flare"

FYI, /micon changes the display icon, I use Swiftcast to let me know when I have an "insta" flare available.

[Kaze3434]

While you cannot create gambits. You can bind multiple actions to a single command.
I personsally do not use this macro, this is just to give you an idea what you can do. I do not use it because the wait times and GCD /micon "Flare"
/ac "Raging Strikes" <wait.1>
/ac "Swiftcast" <wait.1>
/ac "Flare" <wait.2>
/ac "Convert" <wait.1>
/ac "Flare" <wait.4>
/ac "Transpose" <wait.1>
/ac "Quelling Strikes"

/micon "Swiftcast"
/ac "Swiftcast" <wait.1>
/ac "Flare"

FYI, /micon changes the display icon, I use Swiftcast to let me know when I have an "insta" flare available.

that macro with quelling at the end is largely bad, because quelling doesnt work like shroud of saints. it lowers the aggro of each move you do, and is not an aggro dump for anything you have gained.as an aside, putting gcd moves into a macro is usually a very bad idea. usually.

[ChameleonMS]

I thank you for the correction on Quelling Strikes.

I did preface the macro with a warning about wait and GCD, I just clearly did not emphasize this enough. The macro's purpose was demonstration of what could be done.

[lacrimosaangel]

Thanks! I haven't unlocked flare yet, but looks like a good setup! What does the <wait.1> do btw?

[ChameleonMS]

The <wait.#> tells the game how many seconds it wait before doing the next action. FYI, the game will only honour up to 60 seconds of wait for a single wait command.
The macro system does not honour 0.# seconds, it will round the number to a whole second. Thus, 2.4 would be 2 seconds and 2.5 would 3 seconds.
All skills triggered and honouring GCD in the game take 2.x seconds of cool down. This is why macros are less optimal than actually pressing the buttons yourself.
If a macro command is triggered while the action is on cool down, the game will just say it cannot perform the action and move with the rest of the macro, "skipping" that step.

[radioactive_lego]

@OP
Just out of curiosity, do you use L1/R1 for enemy targeting or the (ugh) D-pad? There are a lot of targeting macros that are useful, depending on your targeting style.

[lacrimosaangel]

@OP
Just out of curiosity, do you use L1/R1 for enemy targeting or the (ugh) D-pad? There are a lot of targeting macros that are useful, depending on your targeting style.

I use the L1/R1 targeting system, can't be bothered with the D-pad, it's so inefficient!

As for my cross-bar set up, my combat bar (#1) has The following:
L:
swiftcast
Manaward
Thunder
Virus
Teleport*
Sprint
Physick
Transpose

R:
Scathe
Sleep
ThunderII
FireIII
FireII
Fire
BlizzardII*
Blizzard

X-bar 2:
L:
Companion actions (summon,dismiss,healerstance)
Manawall*
Leve actions (beckon, soothe)

R:
Lethargy*
Raging strikes*
Apocastasis*
LB

Ruin
Freeze
BlizzardIII
Convert*


Then my macrobar and finally the main command bar...

It's proving to be an OK set up at the moment, I can switch between bars rather fast and don't seem to notice any huge delay between abilities, Although the abilities marked * above, I'm going to need to shuffle around as I don't like their placement much... Am considering switching Teleport onto the main action bar and replacing it with Convert, and putting Manawall in Convert's slot. I don't really use Manaward very much..

Would be interesting to see other BLM's setups. The macros for cooldown etc I'm not fussed about as I tend to hit the action buttons as soon as they refresh anyway, but the buffs/debuffs I tend to forget about so anything to help target party members for those would be great as I find switching from enemy to party is annoying in the middle of a hoarde!

Is there a macro so that I can target the tank immediately without unfocusing from the enemies? (for the buffs etc)

[ChameleonMS]

Neither of these is 100% to guarantee for targeting the tank but they are reasonably reliable.

<tt> - target's target, as the tank should have all the enmity, your target's target should be the tank.
<2> - player 2 in the team list, as usually are 1, and then is goes Tank, Healer, DPS
e.g. Macro usage
/ac "action" <tt>

For you cooldown reminders, you might want to experiment with /echo
E.g.
/ac 'Buff' <wait.60>
/echo "Buff is ready for use"

What this does, you execute the buff, then a wait counter occurs in the background, set the wait equal to the buff cool down.
Then it displays a message in the chat that only you can see saying the buff is ready again.

Another thing you can do is use no waits, and just button spam.
e.g.
/ac "Raging Strikes"
/ac "Quelling Strikes"

Button press one will activate first available buff for sure, and might but not usually the second. Button press two will definitely get the second one. Even commands off GCD do have a partial second delay before you can activate then next one, which is about the length of time needed press the button a second time.

[lacrimosaangel]

Neither of these is 100% to guarantee for targeting the tank but they are reasonably reliable.

<tt> - target's target, as the tank should have all the enmity, your target's target should be the tank.
<2> - player 2 in the team list, as usually are 1, and then is goes Tank, Healer, DPS
e.g. Macro usage
/ac "action" <tt>

Oh sweet, this might actually work, in the Character settings, if I set tank to p2 in the party order list then using the <2> macro would work? And so on for the Healer and DPS buffs I assume?

Does the tt and 2 etc have to be in <> in order for it to work?

I don't think I'll worry about the cooldown macros, I find it difficult enough to keep an eye on the chat box while casting >_< haha,