Macro Vs. Hotbar

[Spoolx]

Hey guys,
I am a long time FFXI player who took complete advantage of the macro system.

I have been implementing macros in FFXIV but they just dont feel as useful as FFXI. It feels as if I should be using the hot bar. I mean they are nice because I can stack abilities before spells that otherwise might not get taken advantage of (ie dark seal before a spell)

What do you guys use, and any tips on getting used to the hot bar?

FWIW I use a gamepad to play.

[Asiaine]

Hello little Taru, and welcome.

The macro system here is not as 'sharp' as in Vana'diel. The big thing you might notice after a while is if you try to stack two spells together, they may not both go off. And you may need to wait more. For example, if you:

Dark Seal
Thunder

You may get the dark seal off, but thunder may not process. Resulting in you hitting it twice (after a pause where you realize it did not process).

The big important tip you need for macro here is, if you want to execute multiple lines with high success rate, wait after every line (especially with gear swapping!).

For the Macro/Hotbar debate, I struggled with this for a while and have come up with the following:
My hot bar contains all the actions that do not typically need a target (they work on me) AND actions that have a timer that I need to monitor closely (so I can always see if it is available).

For example, for BLM I have:
Necrogensis, Excruciate, Dark Seal, Parsimony, Convert, Second Wind, etc.

So as soon as they are available, I can see it and quickly use it. Also they do not require a target, so no worries about needing a macro to help select target.

For my macros, I reserve that for my actual spells (vs. actions). For example:
Thunder, Thundra, Thundaga, Fire, Fira, Firaga, Burst, Blizzard, Blizzara, Freeze

Then I can go: CTRL-1, CTRL-2, CTRL-3, to combo them nicely.

When the macro contains a single action it has a very high probability of processing. ALSO, you can hit the macro again while that spell is in progress and it will not count as a cancel (which is different from hitting the button on your hotbar which would actually cancel the spell).

Oh, I also add a :
/recast "Spell"
At the begining of each macro to see how long it will take to recast it (in case I want to see how long till burst is ready or if I am early on trying to re-use Thundaga).

Hope this helps!

[Dzian]

i pretty much use the action bar exclusively. my macros are mostly gear swaps for all my classes and jobs or informative information. things like
/p target >> furryfoot.
/p hellfire 60 seconds.
/p gather together battle voice.

[Estellios]

Action bar is best for Gamepad, IMO. It's easy access and just works better with a gamepad. All I use macros for are for items (which I will use the action bar for once they let us put items on it), gear swaps, and specific stuff like a "Gather together" message.

KB players will get more mileage from macros, especially if they turn off subtargeting for their ease of use.

[Spoolx]

I guess I just really like the ability to put multiple things in one button click


for example I have dark seal before every one of my spells, this way it will always get used when ready.
I do the same for parimony.

After convert I use second wind...

[Asiaine]

I guess I just really like the ability to put multiple things in one button click


for example I have dark seal before every one of my spells, this way it will always get used when ready.
I do the same for parimony.

After convert I use second wind...

After a while you may want to fine tune your strategy for specific situations. For example:
I tend to use Parsimony with level 3 or 2 spells, or only when I am low on MP, rather than any time.
In battle, for Convert, I do not use Second Wind, I prefer to go Necrogensis -> Convert -> Burst -> Second Wind (which usually gets me fully healed again).

So the upside of macros: Convenience
The downsides: Less fine tuning of what commands you want when, and lag ; ;

[Kinseykinz]

Hi Spoolz,
I used macros for almost everything in FFXI (was a blm so staff swapping was like constant) but for this game, I only have macros set up for gear changes atm. I do use a gamepad. What I have found is you can lay out your action bar in such a way that is is usally quicker with a gampad to click into a spell/action that way than it would be to cue an action. The trick is to align your action bar in such a way that you have spells/abilties side-by-side or up and down from each other you use often. Also, my main Class/Job is CNJ/WHM so it is VERY important my spells go off when i want them too (I can't afford double-clicks because a macro didn't fire or tripped up a spell).

WHM Action BAR
Cure/Cura/Curaga/Esuna/Shroud of Saints/Blissful Mind/Sentinel/Stone/Aero/Repose
Protect/Regen/Sac.Prism/Stoneskin/Second Wind/Featherfoot/Cleric Stance/Stonera/Aerora/Holy
Benediction/Presence of Mind/Raise/Empty/Empty/Empty/Empty/Empty/Empty/Rampart

Keep in mind: It is super easy on a game pad to go from Cure to Repose with my setup by clicking to the left on your directional pad (at least with my setup) and again from the top action bar to the bottom simply by clicking up one time. This means that one click up or down and you can see the next action bar set. Also, by stacking my Stone one slot above Stonera, I can cast stone, click down one and be on Stonera, ready to roll.

I do basically the same sort of set up for BLM... I stack my spells so Fire is on action bar one, Fira on action bar 2 right below it and Firaga on action bar 3 making me a little fire column. Each spell in the combo being only one click up or down. Also, I have both Excruicate/Dark Seal on my top action bar so I can see them. Also as it does make sense to use them after you cast a tier 1 but before the tier 2, having them on the top bar works spell+Excruciate + tier 2 spell in combo.

Some people prefer to keep abilities on longer timers on top bar, but as both Benediction and Sacred Prism tend to be used by WHM in 'oh poop' moments, they are okay to keep on a bottom bar. At any rate, with a game pad, I think organizing your action bars in a way that makes sense to you, and allows you to quickly click what you want will win out over macros.

[Asiaine]

How do you specify the person you want to Cure?

I use macros 1-7 to cure <p1> to <p7>

[Kinseykinz]

How do you specify the person you want to Cure?

I use macros 1-7 to cure <p1> to <p7>

Were you asking me? I have my UI set up for Option B for targeting. I switch my mode to 'party' and target the tank (unless it's on of those instances where the tank isn't going to be taking the most damage/I'm not the tank healer). Then all I need to do to heal different party member is select cure, tab up or down on my gamepad to target who i want to heal (it targets up or down based on their order in the party list, so usually I just watch my party list), and hit A (which is the button that is Enter on my Gamepad). It's basically just as quick as tabbing over in macros <p1>- <p7> with the added bonus that I dont' need to remember who's <p4> etc.

[Estellios]

How do you specify the person you want to Cure?

I use macros 1-7 to cure <p1> to <p7>

I hit Cure on the Action bar then Up/Down on the D-pad to cycle through the party list (You need subtargeting on to do this though, and really subtargeting is only good for gamepad users). Unlike Kinsey I'm almost always on "enemy" filter though. I like to be able to see how much hp/what status effects the target has on it so I know when to do stuff like recast Aero. Since up/down is always reserved for party targeting I don't need to use left/right for it.

I have an assist macro, too, "/assist <stparty>". After I hit it I can select a party member with up/down.