Bard Detail

[Raldo]

If DoTs were really more damage than AoEing, you'd be tanking them anyway. DoTs (and HoTs) still generate hate on ticks.

I meant spamming BL (because of the extra DoT procs) would mean more damage, not the DoTs themselves. If you were blowing those BLs on an add that the tank wasn't focusing on (because switching targets constantly sucks), then you'd be the one tanking it.

nvm, I see what you're getting at now. Macros, pah.

[Day]

All that math is prob right, but I can't be assed to break it down that far. All I know is that you're not going to be AoE'ing spam very long before you run out of TP, and the only thing you really AoE is trash anyways. I guess I was talking more about Boss fights where you have a main target and adds spawn as well as single target rotation.

[Judai]

Yea, AoE spam is going to kill your TP, adding dots when you can for increased BL procs is usually better imo. The only time I use AoE is when there is more then 3 adds or shit has to die NOW. ie, Garuda plumes. I've gotten pretty good at switching targets back to the main when BL procs using the Enemy list but during boss fights, they need to die asap anyways and I'm already tanking them.

My Macros are similar though.

Main spam macro is. ME>HS>BL>Barrage (because BL will fire during HS and then you can hit HS again after.)
SS- ME>SS>BL (again, double tap all my macros if BL is up or triple if ME is up)
WB/VB- ME>Internal>WB/VB>BL ( I always want IR on if it's up for dot)
Atk Buffs- Hawk's>Raging>B4B>Internal>Quelling (I usually apply SS/First BL while firing my buffs, so I can try to get the most out of them)
Def Buffs- Feather>Keen>BB (Keen/BB for Archer like I ever use that now)

Everything else is pretty normal though. I don't have BL/ME in my AoE stuff. I do have them after Blunt arrow and Repelling though.

[Niiro]

Re: DoTing additional mobs.

The point I was trying to make is that as you do that for more BL procs it's generally the main target you want to BL, not the adds.

[Deadgye]

I only have a MS>BL>HS macro that I seldom use. I cannot bring myself to not have every single ability available for manual selection.

Spoiler: show

[Seravi Edalborez]

How you layout your keyboard / how nimble your mouse hand or fingers are has a lot to do with how much you're comfortable with automating, I'd say. I can only reach up to 5 or 6 comfortably while keeping in reach of WASD so my layout's like:

1-5
Alt 1-5
Shift 1-5
Q, E, Z, m4, G, and Shift+those

R C V F and T are used for other stuff (map/sprint/mount, char/actions, inventory/armory chest, snap to focus, snap to last enemy) and my muscle memory was too much of a bitch to change for a while.

I keep meds, markings, and Limit on a clicky bar.

[Deadgye]

Yeah, I'm not very comfortable at using my 7,8,9 skills and sometimes end up clicking on them. This would be a null problem if I wasn't forced to use the mouse, but unfortunately they decided to make tab-targeting (it's really targeting in general) retarded.

I did set up some old school ffxi keybinds though. Numpad 8462 moves me, 9 and 3 handle zoom, 7 is autorun, numpad 0 is tab, enter is confirm, * is lock on, 1 is target nearest npc/object. page up/down move the cursor up/down, as does shift+arrow keys. This allows me more flexibility every now and then also.

I can gather easily with only one hand, never touching the mouse. But I've since started using my ps3 controller since I don't even need to have the game in focus with a gamepad.

[Spider-Dan]

TP limitation is certainly an argument against AoE spam, which I have mentioned.

I certainly haven't completed everything in the game yet, but how many situations are there where a DD would be attacking an add that they don't want to do too much damage to? Unless there's an enmity generation sweet spot I don't know about, it seems like if 310 damage right now is going to mess up hate, 640 damage 18 seconds from now would also be an issue.

Anyway, my point was really that my primary motivation for DoTs is BL, so I prioritize using BL over applying DoTs. The difference is not huge, and virtually non-existent if you double tap.

[blowfin]

Running with this at the moment for the heavy shot macro

/micon "bloodletter"
/action "Heavy Shot" <t>
/action "Misery's End" <t>
/action "Bloodletter" <t>

Changed to the bloodletter icon last night from Heavy Shot. It's great, you get to actually see when it's up, translating to less wasted BL's. GCD timer is visible on plenty of other skills to know when you should fire HS.

[Gulkeeva]

Most tanks (I've ran with) are usually using some form of aoe threat ability, so its usually not an issue.
As mentioned, I like to dot most things up, having both the +10% crit and the pug +25% crit buffs, and just using poison arrow on everything (with like 5 or so buffs up, you do insane amount of threat, so i found this to be better then windshot + poison). You still get a ton of procs, while not pulling aggro on everything machine gunning out Bl, literally on cooldown.

I'm sure the few I've grouped with in BG can tell you just by how much I tank even the main tanks target at times that its a lot of threat O_o

[Zeb]

Most tanks (I've ran with) are usually using some form of aoe threat ability, so its usually not an issue.
As mentioned, I like to dot most things up, having both the +10% crit and the pug +25% crit buffs, and just using poison arrow on everything (with like 5 or so buffs up, you do insane amount of threat, so i found this to be better then windshot + poison). You still get a ton of procs, while not pulling aggro on everything machine gunning out Bl, literally on cooldown.

I'm sure the few I've grouped with in BG can tell you just by how much I tank even the main tanks target at times that its a lot of threat O_o

Get better tanks.

[Wulfgang]

The fights where you're pulling hate from AOE spam are ones where your damage output is worth more than the damage you're taking; the instances where you need this are also few and far between. Turn 4 elevator is like just about the only serious time (not including something like AK/CM) BRDs are cranking out as much AOE DPS as possible, and it's only for two waves; spiders also don't hit particularly hard anyways, and BRD's evasion with Featherfoot up is surprisingly good. Using Invigorate early (as soon as you hit 400 TP, not when you hit 0) alleviates some of the TP issues.

Pulling hate on BRD for anything outside of trash mobs is somewhat difficult in my experience. The first ~10 seconds after engage are typically where you'll manage it and Quelling Strikes largely eliminates that unless you go crazy. I've never pulled hate on something like Caduceus if the tank has had it for more than 15 seconds or so, but I am typically #2 on the hate list ahead of the WHM. The only person who should possibly pull hate on sustained fights is the healer and it typically only happens if the tank is mismanaging his cooldowns or you're dealing with an overstacked Caduceus / Dreadnought. The soldiers on Turn 4 can be annoying since I think only Flash and Provoke generate hate on them until the stoneskin is broken.

[chichicha]

My case on hate issue.. If I pulled the mob at start, tank rarely be able to get it away from me. Unless I popped QS. This is like 8/10 happened. And the 2/10 were with good tank.

And all I did as SS-> WS -> BL -> VB
And spam HS until BL and or SS proc.

If you want to find out your tank is good or bad... lol

Another tips, this might be known...

When you are in AK or later dungeons, where mobs take a little while get killed.
What I did is SS -> BL
Then apply WS and VB on each mobs. (Usually 2 to 3 mobs)
You'll be surprised how many BL you are spamming

[chichicha]

Btw, as I'm leveling my Goldsmith to 50.
Just want to know this...

What is the capped of HQ Spinel Ring to meld things like DEX or Crits ?

[Seravi Edalborez]

HQ stat rings are generally capped on the primary attribute (DEX in this case). Think it's capped on crit too but not gonna cite that as fact.

[chichicha]

HQ stat rings are generally capped on the primary attribute (DEX in this case). Think it's capped on crit too but not gonna cite that as fact.

I see...
It is best to put on something else like acc or determination.
But what's the cap on them to meld in it?
12 ? Or More ?

[Seravi Edalborez]

Whatever the crit is on the HQ should be the cap for secondary stuff like Acc or Det. You won't really need Acc before Coil.

[chichicha]

All right!
Thanks!
If I'm correct it's 11.

[fren.]

I've read through most of this thread, but what are some basic macros I can use at level 20?

[Appie]

I just used the ones here in the thread for lv50. Disabled error messages in log and once you get stuff for higher levels you don't have to redo macros.