Combo Action Button

[Hercub]

A trend I've noticed whenever we start to near a new expansion is hot bar bloat. It's something I've noticed to be a problem with some classes right now as they've allowed all ten Role Actions to be utilized at once. We have a solution already in the game and I'm not entirely sure why it hasn't been extended to regular game play. I am referring to the Combo button we have access to while in PvP. If that was added to regular game play it would make things a lot cleaner for our hot bars. Looking at Dragoon for example, you would reduce 8 buttons to 2. Paladin and a number of other jobs would reduce 6-7 buttons down to 3. No more would we (maybe it's just me) fat finger our Red Mage enchanted combo if those three buttons were neatly sorted into one! Is there any chance we could see this added to regular game play by the time Shadowbringers rolls in? Sometime after? Does anyone else think this would be great? If not, please elaborate why you think otherwise. Thanks for your time reading this!

I'm a relatively new player, but you are presenting a valid concern. Completely valid. I'm not very techi but I believe there are things like Macros in this game. I don't know how to use them at all, but that might be the solution. So, can anyone explain macros? Please explain like we are five.

I, myself, am concerned because I already have six hot bars running and all the skills are valuable. Thanks to anyone who replies.

[Rongway]

I'm a relatively new player, but you are presenting a valid concern. Completely valid. I'm not very techi but I believe there are things like Macros in this game. I don't know how to use them at all, but that might be the solution. So, can anyone explain macros? Please explain like we are five.

I, myself, am concerned because I already have six hot bars running and all the skills are valuable. Thanks to anyone who replies.

Macros shouldn't be used for most combat for several reasons.

• They slow you down because they block the action queue system. Unmacroed actions can be pressed up to a second in advance, and will execute when the current action is finished. Macros must be activated after the current action finishes.
• They slow you down because waits can only be whole seconds. If you try to wait partial seconds, the system rounds to a whole number. If your GCD is 2.1s long, you have to use a <wait.3> to make a macro execute actions in sequence. This means you'll only take 70% as many actions as you could. This is a huge loss.
• If a sequence is interrupted, you need the next action somewhere on your bar anyway, since you can't start from the middle of a macro.

The exceptions are macros targeting secondary targets for buffs, heals, and raises, which allow you to do things like raise "whoever is dead" without specifically targeting them, or quickly manashifting a healer without changing targets; and macros for ground target AoEs, which will center them on the designated target and are faster than pressing the button, placing the cursor, then pressing the button again.


tl;dr: don't use macros for combat actions.

[Hercub]

Macros shouldn't be used for most combat for several reasons.

• They slow you down because they block the action queue system. Unmacroed actions can be pressed up to a second in advance, and will execute when the current action is finished. Macros must be activated after the current action finishes.
• They slow you down because waits can only be whole seconds. If you try to wait partial seconds, the system rounds to a whole number. If your GCD is 2.1s long, you have to use a <wait.3> to make a macro execute actions in sequence. This means you'll only take 70% as many actions as you could. This is a huge loss.
• If a sequence is interrupted, you need the next action somewhere on your bar anyway, since you can't start from the middle of a macro.

The exceptions are macros targeting secondary targets for buffs, heals, and raises, which allow you to do things like raise "whoever is dead" without specifically targeting them, or quickly manashifting a healer without changing targets; and macros for ground target AoEs, which will center them on the designated target and are faster than pressing the button, placing the cursor, then pressing the button again.


tl;dr: don't use macros for combat actions.

Perfect, macros are not for Combat but may be appropriate for Healers? I think this is really important for all of us that are just getting into things like WHM. I've only played DPS in this game, but I'm starting to explore Healer.

Can you or anyone else recommend links to sites explaining How Macros Work and How to Create them not just for Healers but for other appropriate situations. I'm starting as WHM, but I've always wanted to try Astrologian and I fear that particular Job cannot be done without Macros. This is for anyone who has ever been confused by the Astrologian class.

Thanks!

[Sylve]

I'm a relatively new player, but you are presenting a valid concern. Completely valid. I'm not very techi but I believe there are things like Macros in this game. I don't know how to use them at all, but that might be the solution. So, can anyone explain macros? Please explain like we are five.

I, myself, am concerned because I already have six hot bars running and all the skills are valuable. Thanks to anyone who replies.

There are no macro commands that would work for what I'd like to see. Closest is what I managed on Monk, which simply has attacks that require specific forms macro'd to be cast together. The system just automatically uses whichever skill fits the Form I happen to be in. That just let me use 1 2 3 8 for my main combos, just in different orders depending on where im at with buffs/debuffs. Cut down the keybinds a little with zero negative effects on my rotations.

The command for it is as simple as
/ac "Twin Snakes"
/ac "Demolish"
For one, and the other is
/ac "True Strike"
/ac "Snap Punch

So if I press 1 2 2, its Dragonkick - Twin Snakes - Demolish. But if I don't need Demolish, I can hit 3 for Snap Punch instead for a finisher, or True Strike if Twin Snakes is up.
Which is basically a dodgy, Monk only version on what I would very much like. A simple reduction in keybinds without dumbing down the way weaponskills combo together.