Best Way to Time a Skillchain?

[Nomaar]

I'm just curious about how people time their weaponskill activation on skillchains--how many use macros vs. clocks vs. just counting to themselves.

[Teriana]

I dont exactly skill chain much now :sweat:

But my macros consist of something like
"/p Using Shining Blade in 3 seconds!"
/wait 3
/ws "Shining Blade" <t>

and I'd hit that as soon as I saw the person in the chain before me ready his skill.

For magic bursts, I just start casting as soon as I see the ready WS message.

[JamesX]

You execute your WS after the last WS's graphic funishes.

It will get you a SC everytime.

However if you are the log watches, just start counting when you see the yellow text "xxxxx readies xxxxx"

1001
1002
1003

and then execute yours WS.

personally I have moved away form the /wait macros because it is a bit too limiting. You have 2-5 seconds to link, and depending on the situation you might not want to wait a bit longer, or a not as long.

[Hydroponik]

I just count to myself in my head....

[Mosati]

I also just count to three in my head, and it works every time.

[Tidane]

I don't count...its just a skill I've developed. Once you do it a few times, it'll come to you naturally.

[Frarinalga]

All of my WS macros are set up like this
/party (insert name of weapon skill here)!
/wait 1
/ja "Boost" <me>
/wait 1
/ws "(Insert name here)" <t>

I usually start it 1-2 seconds after it reads "Johndoe readies ______". Skill Chains are very easy to do. Annoys me when I go to raise a sub in Valkurm and they still don't have it down

[Thark601]

Originally posted by Tidane
I don't count...its just a skill I've developed. Once you do it a few times, it'll come to you naturally.

yup

[Jroggy]

Originally posted by Teriana
I dont exactly skill chain much now :sweat:

But my macros consist of something like
"/p Using Shining Blade in 3 seconds!"
/wait 3
/ws "Shining Blade" <t>

and I'd hit that as soon as I saw the person in the chain before me ready his skill.

For magic bursts, I just start casting as soon as I see the ready WS message.

thats what i do and imo the best way that way the next person will know when to do their WS(which is esential if you got someone whose not very good with SC's)
EDIT: oh and sometimes if i just haven't set up a macro for a particular WS(if i don't use it often) i just wing it which is pretty easy.

[obmar]

practice makes perfect

i dont count or anything - it just comes to you once you do it right a few times

[Amaterasu]

as a thief/monk i would hit this macro as soon as I see the person before me "ready"

/ja "Sneak Attack" <me>
/wait 2
/ja "Boost" <me>
/wait 1
/ws "Fast Blade" <t>

timing is difficult, gotta make sure u dont hit them before u do the weaponskill.

[Thark601]

once you get higher lvl you'll stop using the
/p Preparing WS in 3
/wait 3
/ws "here" <t>

cause you'll notice it'll fail a lot...
failed renkei hurts you more and more as you advance so i would highly recomend

/p (WS) <call>
/ws "here" <t>

and that you learn the timings

then even if the macro does fail and you have time to notice it you can generally respam the macro and still have time to chain

[Taurius]

Oh if it was only that simple to execute a skill chain #.# No real reason to do a skill chain when no one is "ready" to perform them. What oh what would make a perfect skill chain with the most amount of damage...

Everyone in the PT macros their TPs. WAR has done shield/armor/full Break. RDM has done enfeebles. BRD has done Madrigals. Second tank is ready to allow the THF to sneak/trick. Everyone is ready to Skill Chain. Everyone does ATT up skills. WAR being the second tank does War Cry and Provoke to get the mob to aggo him/her. THF gets behind the main tank. Skill Chain starts. The weakest WS to start, ending with the highest damaging player WS and MB.

Only in a Static PT have I've been able to make the most out of a skill chain.

Another thing I've noticed while experimenting with WS. While using 1 handed weapons, I've noticed when I execute the WS just a split second before my auto swing, the amount of damage I do is a lot more(2-3x more) than if I were to execute the WS while I'm auto swinging or in between swings. What happens when I do this just right, I'll auto swing and then immediately do the TP attack, almost looking as if it was one attack. And with Double attack, it's crazy to see 3 swings in 1 second. As for 2 handed weapons, it seems when I execute WS a second before the auto swing, I'll have the same effect. A super fast WS with 1 to 2(if Double attack is involved) auto hits right after. All in 1 second. It's so fast you'll not see the other auto attacks, and the WS animation is still going on. You'll just have to see the log of it to know you performed all those hits. Again the amount of damage done is more for the WS when done just right. It seems the longer you rest before executing a 2 handed weapon skill, the more damage you can do. This has been consistant for the whole time I've played.

I recommend everyone try to experiment with this. If anything, you'll get a laugh at seeing 3-7 hits in 1 second depending on what WS you are doing. But honestly, you'll see more damage done if you can time your auto swing and WS just right. Who doesn't hate seeing a WS do less damage than your normal swing. >.,<

[Shanti]

Hm usually I just wait for the person's ws animation to end then I immediately hit my ws macro. Seems to work for me everytime.

[Cali]

For starting skillchain, I have a seperate macro which says something like:
[skillchain type in translator] Skillchain Start!! <call10>

then I quickly hit my WS macro, the reason I can't put that in my WS macro is that I already have berserk and boost in it, I also wanna put focus in, but oh well...

For being the 2nd or 3rd in chain, I just stare at the log like no tomorrow, as soon as I see anything related to 'Start skillchain!', I will have my 'cursor' on my WS macro(I use controller, so, I don't press ctrl+1), then wait for the system message that says 'xxxxx readies ABC'... or you can just wait for the WS animation to start, you know how there is light flashes underneath the WS user before using WS, I wait for that moment... and then I hit my macro