Need a suggestion on how to set my macro bars.

Torsay - Sanctuary

This is what I am gonna do repeatedly for hours:

http://www.xfire.com/video/194a74/

I only use hotkeys when I heal myself while pulling the mobs then after I land I just keep clicking on the marco icons.

From time to time I get too greedy and pull too many mobs. The macros get bugged easily when you click on them. Then in the limited time I got for the combination of skills I need to use to survive, I just die.

This happens like once in an hour or so, If there is not a double exp event I only mostly loose exp this way.

I use ironheart blessing, purify and razor feathers, sometimes wellspring for this aoe grind. But I want to use other skills like cyclone, plume shot, debuffs, etc for dungeon runs.

Any suggestions on how to set up my macros?

Alantor - Dreamweaver

Macros do tend to get "broken" unfortunately...

But the way i use em they have less chance of that. I just put less skills into them...

For example :

Macro 1 : IB - purify - razor - "walk behind"

Macro 2 : IB - purify - tempest (for when you have sparks ready)

Macro 3 : Wield Thunder - Cyclone - plumeshot -......- "walk behind"

Macro 4 : here i put the basic 30min buffs

Macro 5 : here i put the party buffs

with these 5 macros i get everything done.

My first 2 (F1 and F2 ) are however the basic cyclone & plume skills just incase macro3 gets interrupted.
My IB is also placed on a separate Function key.
My pots, sesames and multiflavors are on my regular keybar.

P.S. : consider buying a few multiflavors or something of that kind. With those, your 'hourly" deathratio will disappear quickly... just a thought.

Sevas - Heavens Tear

I would think if you're going to be AoE grinding on poison mobs you wouldn't want a macro since it's very touchy-feely. Carrying some of the event HP pots or HP pots from your level range will help a lot when you need an extra few seconds to heal/purify yourself.

Personally, when I'm aoe grinding on my cleric I like to collect all of my mobs, stack a few IHs and then Tempest. Purify, IH a time or few, and Razorfeathers. Recycle those two. I also like to carry Concentrate Orb to keep my MP from depleting too quickly (since I don't always have an MP charm) and Golden Jade to help regain a spark after Tempest.

Alantor - Dreamweaver

Yep, you're right, it is very "touchy feely" using macro's.

But in a way you're kinda forced using them since you can't begin to place all your skills on the shortcuts... and if you manage to place em, then good luck to your fingers....

I think it's a good idea to have shortcuts to "life-needed" skills like IB and purify on your skillbar(s) just in case a macro gets interrupted.

In my opinion, anyone who wants to aoe decently has to have a hp charm (even the lowest one like bronze) and some event pots or, like you stated, orbs and jade.

I don't die often, rarely even, and that's only in dungeons against bosses (very rare ) or when i make a mistake and get aggrod a lot (even more rare).
The only reason for that is timing your skills and a charm.

Sevas - Heavens Tear

Alantor - Dreamweaver wrote: »

Yep, you're right, it is very "touchy feely" using macro's.

I wasn't talking about the Macros. I was talking about the DoT itself. When I was still figuring out how to do this correctly, I found that some times it's better to purify, stack some IHs, and then use an AoE. Purify again, heal some more, use an AoE skill, and repeat. There were times I scared the **** out of myself because I would stack heal and AoE without purifying first. Hence why AoEing itself is touchy-feely.

Torsay - Sanctuary

I meant the icons or shortcuts or whatever you want to call that, how do i set that up as hotkeys? I guess Alantor gets my point. Look at the vid, mines are all over the place.

XxLady_XelxX - Dreamweaver

I generally prefer to keep grind tools bunched closer together near my left index finger for longer grinds, with attacks up top on the F# keys and heals on the numbers. The less overall hand movement you have to do the better IMO. Especially with longer grind sessions.

At current it's...

F1: Plumeshot
F2: Cyclone
F3: Wield Thunder
F4: Razor Feathers
F5: Tempest (I like to keep chi moves away from the others so I don't waste sparks)

1: Fly
2: Wellspring/Jiaozi (Positioning requires me to stay awake or die in most cases, simply because it's not natural to hit keys with my ring finger. If you're finding it troublesome to hit this key during a firefight, it's probably time for a break...but that's just a quirk of mine. XD)
3: Advanced Spark Eruption (See Tempest)
4: Purify (In closer proximity to other keys for easy access, but still requires active hand movement in most cases).
5: Ironheart (My index finger usually rests here anyways...so it's naturally the key I'd assign to my most used spell)

But yeah. Even if that set up doesn't work for you, just keep the big ones close to your primary trigger finger. Makes it less of a chore. Oh...and keep them near the ESC key if possible, for obvious reasons. XD;;;

Sevas - Heavens Tear

On my cleric:


F1: Revive
F2: Plume Shot
F3: Pick up Items
F4: Great Cyclone
F5: Weild Thunder
F6: Razorfeathers
F7: Purify
F8: Tempest

F1 - Giggles and easy access
F2 - Spam attack skill on my Veno is there (Ven. Scarab)
F3 - Pick up -> where I am used to it being
F4 - Secondary attack skill
F5 - Hard hitting attack skill, first attack
F6 - AoE
F7 - Easy access
F8 - Got used to it being there, use it in AoE grinding


1: Ironheart Blessing
2: Jiaozi/MP Pot
3: Mount
4: Wellspring Surge
5: Fly
6: Vanguard Spirit
7: Magic Shell
8: Celesital Guardian's Seal
9: Spirit's Gift

1 - My left pinky rests there or can easily reach it while the others are resting on the F keys.
2 - Habbit
3 - Habbit
4 - Replaces HP pots
5 - Habbit
6 - Easy Access buffs
7 - Easy Access buffs
8 - Easy Access buffs
9 - Easy Access buffs


Speaking of the ESC key, does anyone have a problem trying to cancel a skill. I'll be in the middle of casting a spell and something happens where I'm cursing at my computer. I jam my ESC key like 5 times to get it to cancel, but then my pet (be the case on my veno) or a squad member (be the case on my cleric) dies and then I say "Oh ****!" in squad and break for it. I'm not going to hang around in TT for the boss to bite me... Nor will I hang around to let mobs bite me in an FB dungeon. =/ But I still don't understand why it won't cancel my skill. It will deselect the boss but it won't cancel my skill.,

Alantor - Dreamweaver

Torsay - Sanctuary wrote: »

I meant the icons or shortcuts or whatever you want to call that, how do i set that up as hotkeys? I guess Alantor gets my point. Look at the vid, mines are all over the place.

You have to think logically to setup your hotkeys.

Take a good look at your keyboard. F1 is above "2" , F2 is above "3" ...etc etc.

When i cast a spell/macro on F1, and i get hit slightly, i can simply pot fast by moving my finger just below and press "2" for a heal pot. Or a bit to the left '1' for MP (HP is more important to get fast then mp imo).

When i'm using IB on F4 , i can simply move my finger down again to press "5" to quickly purify.

Place the pots, multiflavors , sesames and such quickly accesible UNDER your skills/macros. That way you can instantly heal yourself or use a quick hp recovery in dire situations.

LEFT handed play (mouse in left hand...):

F1 : cyclone
F2 : plumeshot
F3 : macro (solo mobs)
F4 : IB
F5 : pick up
...etc
UNDER that :
1 : mp pot regular
2 : hp pot regular
3 : multiflavor
4 : sesame
5 : purify

the second skillbar of the function keys is for AoEing (tab for easy access)
the third skillbar of function keys is for seals, single buffs (in a macro) , and partybuffs (in a macro)
the second skill bar of the number keys holds the shortcuts for recovery pots, focus powders etc etc since you don't use em constantly.

Btw, it is easier to go down on your keyboard then move your finger UP.

Lady has a point on placing your skills accessible. All depends oc if you're left or right handed.
And lastly, when you press ESC to cancel a skill, try moving a bit. Moving cancels the skill animation.(i believe)

Sevas - Heavens Tear

Alantor - Dreamweaver wrote: »

You have to think logically to setup your hotkeys.

Thank you Doctor Spock! b:surrender Okay sorry, I couldn't help it. I've suffered three days of my family watching the "new" Star Trek movie. Trekkie family...

Alantor - Dreamweaver wrote: »

Lady has a point on plcing your skills accessible. All depends oc if you're left or right handed.

Right-handed!

Alantor - Dreamweaver wrote: »

And lastly, when you press ESC to cancel a skill, try moving a bit. Moving cancels the skill animation.

b:thanks Thanks, I will keep that in mind next time.

Bagoly_ - Sanctuary

1-9 bar:
http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/fletlaajn/numeric.jpg

Attacks close to each other, "ohcrap-buttons" close to each other, debuffs close to each other. Chi skills are only available by clicking (so I can't push their buttons accidentally). The macro on 5: grinding stuff (cyc-plume-etc..).

F1-F8:
http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/fletlaajn/F-bar.jpg

Heals are on F-keys for chat window reasons.
Buff macros: Vanguard-Magic Shell, Greater Protective Aura-Aegis Spirit-Arcane Empowerment
Regen buffs are separated because many people use powders/orbs. Spirit's Gift is also separated from my single target macro because it's unnecessary for phys classes.

Torsay - Sanctuary

Thanks all for your suggestions.

I will try a few combinations and see. So far Lady_Xel's setup looks the best for aoe grinding. What I am missing there is just some emergency situations buttons. Like nulify poison (genie skill), hp food, etc.

I will propably put that instead of chi skills (spark and tempest).

I forgot to say that sometimes when I've got spark and the mobs are about to get last hit I use siren's kiss. That is pretty fast skill and effective against wood mobs but takes one spark.

Usually I try to avoid using spark skills like tempest, single or double spark or even siren's kiss because it's pretty time consuming to build up chi after each fight. But in usual grinding, questing or fighting bosses sparks are pretty good to replenish mp at least a bit.

I wish I could switch the numeric macro line somehow like I can switch between alfanumeric (F-keys) macro lines with tab key. Alfanumeric keys are too far from movement keys for me.
I wonder why you guys put the important skills into alfanumeric keys? Just because it is closer to esc? I guess esc key is easily reachable no matter what.

Anyway I will try that, thanks.

XxLady_XelxX - Dreamweaver

Torsay - Sanctuary wrote: »

I wish I could switch the numeric macro line somehow like I can switch between alfanumeric (F-keys) macro lines with tab key. Alfanumeric keys are too far from movement keys for me.
I wonder why you guys put the important skills into alfanumeric keys? Just because it is closer to esc? I guess esc key is easily reachable no matter what.

Elementary my dear Watson~! Just press the '~' key (never been good with technical names and stuff...don't judge me or I eat you!) and you can switch between the Numeric hotkey bars. =D

Xwhisper - Dreamweaver

Sevas - Heavens Tear wrote: »

Speaking of the ESC key, does anyone have a problem trying to cancel a skill. I'll be in the middle of casting a spell and something happens where I'm cursing at my computer. I jam my ESC key like 5 times to get it to cancel, but then my pet (be the case on my veno) or a squad member (be the case on my cleric) dies and then I say "Oh ****!" in squad and break for it. I'm not going to hang around in TT for the boss to bite me... Nor will I hang around to let mobs bite me in an FB dungeon. =/ But I still don't understand why it won't cancel my skill. It will deselect the boss but it won't cancel my skill.,

I figured out the other day that you can also cancel the channeling by clicking the 'x' button to the right on the channelling bar. It's really hard to see though x.x Took me a while to figure that out XD because sometimes the esc button doesn't work at all for me even though I'm like omg click! *presses harder!* go through already dammit Also if you put your mouse over top channeling it says you can exit if you click the button to the right.. something like that

^basically, click the button on the right of the channelling bar to cancel/stop.

Sevas - Heavens Tear

Xwhisper - Dreamweaver wrote: »

I figured out the other day that you can also cancel the channeling by clicking the 'x' button to the right on the channelling bar. It's really hard to see though x.x Took me a while to figure that out XD because sometimes the esc button doesn't work at all for me even though I'm like omg click! *presses harder!* go through already dammit Also if you put your mouse over top channeling it says you can exit if you click the button to the right.. something like that

^basically, click the button on the right of the channelling bar to cancel/stop.

I don't have time for that when I need to stop the skill right then. I play with my keys, not my mouse. Plus, I play on a laptop and use a touchpad. =/ Not convenient to use my mouse to cancel, especially when most of my skills only take a few seconds to channel. I cancel my BB with that X or by ESC and stumbling a step away. Oh well, I guess I will suffer through more deaths on my herc. b:chuckle At least I can make a speedy getaway.

XxLady_XelxX - Dreamweaver

Sevas - Heavens Tear wrote: »

I don't have time for that when I need to stop the skill right then. I play with my keys, not my mouse. Plus, I play on a laptop and use a touchpad. =/ Not convenient to use my mouse to cancel, especially when most of my skills only take a few seconds to channel. I cancel my BB with that X or by ESC and stumbling a step away. Oh well, I guess I will suffer through more deaths on my herc. b:chuckle At least I can make a speedy getaway.

The fact that you're playing on a laptop might be part of the issue. I had the same problem before mine died and I switched back to the clunker I was using initially, but now skills will cancel immediately at the touch of the escape key. I dunno...some keyboards are just ornery I guess?

ewingoil

I would try narrowing your bars down to 1 or 2 if possible.

Sevas - Heavens Tear

XxLady_XelxX - Dreamweaver wrote: »

The fact that you're playing on a laptop might be part of the issue. I had the same problem before mine died and I switched back to the clunker I was using initially, but now skills will cancel immediately at the touch of the escape key. I dunno...some keyboards are just ornery I guess?

I would not be surprised. What irritates me the most is when the cursor gets stuck on the game screen or behind it and I can't do anything to unlock it. b:cry I tried so many things to fix it. I even pilfered a mouse from a computer at my school and hooked it up to see if it would reset my mouse. Nada. I generally solve this by restarting my laptop. b:sweat Not fun... nor is it efficient. (I did replace the mouse at its proper computer.)

Torsay - Sanctuary

XxLady_XelxX - Dreamweaver wrote: »

Elementary my dear Watson~! Just press the '~' key (never been good with technical names and stuff...don't judge me or I eat you!) and you can switch between the Numeric hotkey bars. =D

Never knew that. I've got to switch to english keyboard to be able to use that key. But I use that one for guild chat so that isn't much trouble.

Thanks again.

Sabella - Harshlands

http://www.n52te.com/ a clerics best friend b:chuckleb:chuckleb:chuckle (i play on a lap top too, no issues esc from channeling with it XD)

Bagoly_ - Sanctuary

Sabella - Harshlands wrote: »

http://www.n52te.com/ a clerics best friend b:chuckleb:chuckleb:chuckle (i play on a lap top too, no issues esc from channeling with it XD)

b:dirty tenchar

Black_lce - Heavens Tear

i'll stick w/ the basics:
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/6213/httpusbbrandocomusbbamb.jpg

this is my set up and yes i use all of them on a daily bases o.o
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6130/20091126182529.png

i am a clicker btw, i don't like to just sit bak in a chair and hold the "1" button. i will fall asleep -.-'.
yes i have marcos; chi marco, DD marco's, and healing marco for when i need to afk for a bit.

Alyyy - Sanctuary

i use macros only for kiling 1 mob at a time lol


EDIT: same as above post(well similiar)