PLD MACROS - PS4

[Canadane]

Macros were programmed to intentionally be worse than manually executed moves. Not just combos but for oGCD abilities as well. They cannot use the skill queue that helps you use one ability after the next. So if you were in the middle of something else, a macro simply will execute at all if it's poorly timed.

In all honesty, maybe outside fishing, and some crafting, you shouldn't use macros at all.

[kashi11]

Macros were programmed to intentionally be worse than manually executed moves. Not just combos but for oGCD abilities as well. They cannot use the skill queue that helps you use one ability after the next. So if you were in the middle of something else, a macro simply will execute at all if it's poorly timed.

In all honesty, maybe outside fishing, and some crafting, you shouldn't use macros at all.

What's the skill queue and how does it work? And are you sure MACROS aren't cued? I played around with a MACRO before that allowed me to use 3 different abilities depending on when I executed the MACRO during the GCD timer. Unless Skill Cue lets me input, Fast Blade, Savage Blade, Rage of Halone, before Fast Blades GCD timer and execute all 3 I don't understand. With timing a MACRO will execute during lock stun and finish reading on the correct skill with about the same speed as me manually switching hot bars to execute a skill.

[Canadane]

What's the skill queue and how does it work? And are you sure MACROS aren't cued?

Yes 100%. There was even a developer post explaining why they decided on this. They do not want automatic play, they want players to be there, controlling the aspect of the fight move by move.

[Hammerhorn]

Alot of you are very closed minded to macros , Ive been using similiar macros since this game launched as PLD and clearing end game content with them. I dont macro things to combos however but to the OP believe me when I say your on the right track and take these negative comments with a grain of salt!

[aleph_null]

The Oath MACRO switches between the two instantly, not really sure why it works, it just does.

Doesn't that actually show that the macros may skip lines for some reasons, making it not very reliable for crucial skills? I've had bad experience with macroing defensive cds before so I never went back.

Alot of you are very closed minded to macros , Ive been using similiar macros since this game launched as PLD and clearing end game content with them. I dont macro things to combos however but to the OP believe me when I say your on the right track and take these negative comments with a grain of salt!

People can clear contents as pld while sitting in shield oath 24/7 and rotating 1-2-3 halone combo from the start until the fight ends. That doesn't mean it's a good way to play the class. I'm saying that when you play at a high level the delays and reliability issues related to macros make them undesirable. Unless you can prove me wrong, by showing parse/video of someone performing really well in end game raids with macros (in which case I'll stand corrected) I'm quite convinced it's impossible to play optimally with those macros.

[kashi11]

People can clear contents as pld while sitting in shield oath 24/7 and rotating 1-2-3 halone combo from the start until the fight ends. That doesn't mean it's a good way to play the class. I'm saying that when you play at a high level the delays and reliability issues related to macros make them undesirable. Unless you can prove me wrong, by showing parse/video of someone performing really well in end game raids with macros (in which case I'll stand corrected) I'm quite convinced it's impossible to play optimally with those macros.

Once I hit 60 I'm going to test my DPS via Stone Sky Sea. Test what numbers I'm putting out MACRO vs non-MACRO. I'll probably make the switch, I just the time delay from MACROS can't be that bad in comparison to manually switching/cycling crosshotbars. If I lose .2 seconds on a MACRO I could easily loose similar time switching between bars, unless I am playing flawlessly.

[aleph_null]

You won't lose time since every gcd is 2.5s (or around 2.4 at medium skill speed at lv 60), you can press a gcd, switch and press the second gcd maybe 0.5-1s before your actual gcd cycle is complete, and that 2nd gcd will come out exactly when the 1st gcd completes, that's what people meant by "queuing gcds."

Yes of course it's better to test it yourself to see if you're happy with the performance of macros. Personally I probably haven't spent as much time as you when it comes to testing macros so take my comments with a grain of salt, like what the other person posted earlier.

[Thoro39]

On a lv 60 PLD, Fracture is a dps-loss 99% of the time and only makes PLD's TP sustain in raids so much worse, it's best you just ditch fracture from your crossclasses entirely.
For a short breakdown, Fracture, if ticking for the full duration, is 220 potency per GCD, Royal Authority combo is averaged down to 230 potency per GCD (150+200+340 divided by 3) and Goring Blade combo comes down to 306 potency per GCD (150+230+540 divided by 3), so using fracture has no benefit at all once you hit lv 60.
Until then, spamming goring blade is actually your best dps option( at 226 potency per gcd), even above using fracture, even if it means clipping your Goring Blade dot.

On another note, Hallowed Ground does NOT work with cover. It negates any damage you receive, but any damage that hits your cover target will bypass hallowed ground. Any other cooldowns like Sentinel or rampart do work with Cover however, hallowed ground not counting for cover is just one thing the devs did to avoid cheesing mechanics.

Otherwise, using a macro has some reliability issues and has been proven to not be queueable at all. So everytime you use a macro on a GCD skill like savage blade, you get an additional ping towards your usual 2.4~2.5 GCD. Essentially, the worse your ping, the worse are your macros, so mileages may vary. It also means that macros are that much more susceptible to lagspikes and other internet issues.
It is workable, people will still live in dungeons, but entirely unoptimal if you ever care about your performance and a bad habit to get accustomed to, to boot.
Later on in high end raids, there are occasions, where you might want to use Bulwark for the first tankbuster, and sentinel for the second, just convalescence afterwards and sheltron + foresight for the last one, so having direct access and control to all your individual defensive cooldowns and when you want to use each one specifically, can directly make you a better tank controlling the battle.
With the macros as you have now, you cant really control which Cooldown you want to use specifically, except if you want to pop absoluty everything (which is bad).
Take for example your sentinel macro. What if you want to use only bulwark, but not sentinel, because you will need sentinel for a different tankbuster within the next 30 seconds?

The same also applies to offensive OGCDs like Circle of Scorn or Spirits within. Sometimes you want to save them for specific moments within the next 20 seconds instead of blowing them alltogether as soon as they get ready to use, like for example, an add pack popping up really soon, or a casted skill being interruptible by Spirit within's Silence effect.

If you want some video proofs on how macros delay your skills in combat, look at this:
https://youtu.be/czzLF4IfFaM?t=4m18s
It's a monk video, but the same concept of how macros delay your skills applies to paladin as well. And you can easily see, that the macro monk is almost 1 whole GCD behind the no macro monk in the first 30 seconds already. Apply that to longer 10 minute fights, and you look at one guy doing 10~20 attacks or more than the macro guy, just because he doesnt use macros.

[kashi11]

On a lv 60 PLD, Fracture is a dps-loss

I only use Fracture in duty roulette at lvls when it's still a slight DPS increase, otherwise I just ignore the skill and it never gets used.

On another note, Hallowed Ground does NOT work with cover.

Good to know.

...you might want to use Bulwark for the first tankbuster, and sentinel for the second, just convalescence afterwards and sheltron + foresight for the last one.
What if you want to use only bulwark, but not sentinel, because you will need sentinel for a different tankbuster within the next 30 seconds?

also applies to Circle of Scorn or Spirits within.

With 1 button push I only use the CD at ether top of the list, 2nd press activates the next. I can hit the MACRO once for bulwark, and again to use sentinel when its needed.

As for CoS or SW, I can make a hotbar for those specific raids with them removed from the MACRO.

[hakurou46]

With 1 button push I only use the CD at ether top of the list, 2nd press activates the next. I can hit the MACRO once for bulwark, and again to use sentinel when its needed.

And what about, for example, when you want to use Sentinel but not Bulwark, e.g. for a magical tankbuster?