Are macros necessary?

[tENAxc]

I've heard people swear that they can't go without them but others say "Who even uses macros anymore?". I'm not sure if I need them or not, so hopefully this post shall help me decide

[Legion88]

Short answer: No

Long answer: For some classes/jobs they can be handy, like proc based oGCDs or crafting macros, some healers like mouseover macros, but they are not necessary, some are seen as mandatory, but not necessary.

[Guesswhat]

Yes they are helpful. Maybe not much as battle-commands, but I find them useful in DoH for example. Not to mention as chat commands. If you find yourself typing the same things often in chat macros are great.

Using battle-actions with macros isn't optimal 'cause you can't queue your skills and abilities with macros. Also if you experience lag, they may not even trigger. The only way to make sure how you feel about them is to actually try though. Make some simple macros and see if your battles flow better. Or feels less chaotic, etc.

I use some macros simply because I feel my hotbars gets too populated otherwise.

[Nekotee]

Macro are really helpful in DoH to mass produce things when your gear is high enough.

I also found support skill easier to use with macro
Like virus to be applied on focus target without switch target
Or EfaE to be applied on the target of my target (aka the tank) when i'm dpsing

[Sento-Frost]

You can also make annoying macros with sound effects and a countdown using target numbers on your head when you're tank !
This way you can mess up all number-marking previously done just to showoff !

[Canadane]

You can also make annoying macros with sound effects and a countdown using target numbers on your head when you're tank !
This way you can mess up all number-marking previously done just to showoff !

The annoying countdown macros annoyed me so much I vowed to never count down ever again.
This has annoyed a few groups I've been invited to but hey, the ready check said you were ready! In I go~

[Powe]

Personally, macros aren't necessary. I just use them for reviving someone so the other healer won't revive the guy I'm trying to revive. Also if you're a mage, don't try to macro a rotation. I met a summoner who did this, they had the bio, miasma and Bio 2 in a macro and would recast the macro again if he messes up, just don't be that guy.

[Tanathya]

They aren't necessary in the slightest.

[Atoli]

Text macros tend to make me do the exact opposite of what the macro says.
I'll go out of my way to not despell any WAR who spams the chat and my ears with his annoying sound-based macro about his buff ending and needing despell soon.

Also, if it's purely the healer's fault I died AND they have an insulting raise macro (about how the dead player is lazy and such a fail for dying) I might not get up at all.

But yeah, in general, macros are great to let your group know you are doing something that affects them (raising people, pulling the boss, sleeping certain adds, explaining the strategy, etc.) just don't overdo it.
For skills, usually macros make you a worse player except for very few exceptions the posters before me already pointed out
No idea about crafting, but if they say it's great I guess it is

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

Necessary? No. Helpful? Yes, depending on the situation.

What I suggest is looking up some macros for your job, trying them out, and seeing if they work for you or make a positive difference for you. We can all share our opinions on it, but in the end, if it helps you do better, then it's worth it.