Advanced macros?

[Macht]

The idea of having two currently selected target has a lot of utility, especially in beseiged (where people and npcs mysteriously disappear from time to time). However, how would someone swap in mnd equipment into that type of macro? If you want to paralyna someone, you want mp over mnd, and if you want to paralyze something you want mnd over mp (unless you're talking a huge amount of mp loss from swapping).
The only ways you can equip swap with those types of macros are:
/equip
/ma "paralyze" <stnpc>
/ma "paralyna" <stpc>
Consequence: Lose mp if you equip past max
/ma "paralyze" <stnpc>
/equip
/ma "paralyna" <stpc>
or
/ma "paralyze" <stnpc>
/ma "paralyna" <stpc>
/equip
Consequence- you're never in your mp set upon casting paralyna.
/ma "paralyna" <stpc>
/ma "paralyze" <stnpc>
/equip
Consequence- You always paralyna someone before you can paralyze an enemy.
It's just not practical and forces you to make another macro to swap to a mnd set, which is contradictory to the idea of having a single consolidated macro. That's not to say mnd macros are bad... but there's a world of problems that comes from every possible permutation of what you guys are wanting, which I think only overcomplicates things, not simplifies them.

Well my macro's I had for my BLM were of this concept:

Holder 1:
/target <st>
/echo Second <st>

Holder 2:
/paralyze <t>
/equip

Holder 3:
/paralyna <lastst>
/equip

Then I just use Holder 1 at start, the /target will hard target your first object the one that <t> will effect. The echo'd second will soft target your second object and will be the one that <lastst> will effect.

That way I can use Holder 2 to paralyze a mob that I'm hard targeting while Holder 3 will target someone like the tank that I want to keep in good shape. Yeah though I'm not that huge on rolling two contradicting things into one. I keep offensive as Offensive and defensive as Defensive.

For my RNG out of the fact that I can sometimes burn through arrows really quick I made macros of:

/equip ammo "Demon Arrow"
/equip ammo "Wind Arrow"
/equip ammo "Bodkin Arrow"
/equip ammo "Scorpion Arrow"
/ra <t>

This way he pulls whatever arrow of that group are left and uses that. Sometimes I'll pair arrows by effects and damage.

[silentsteel]

Hmmm... I wonder if we should ask SE if they'll increase macro lines >.>

[Nakti]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question, but how exactly does <lastst> <stnpc> <stpc> etc work? What exactly is it targeting? I have only really ever used <t>, it might sound newbish, but the F keys work for me, I have never had an issue with targeting mobs/party members/etc.

I worked out what /echo does from a thread where someone posted a good Provoke macro, but what does /recast do?

<t> = your target

<st> = a blue sub-target arrow which you can Tab around until you get the PC or NPC/mob you want. F-keys will also work. Then press Enter. This won't interfere with your regular target.

<stpc> = sub-target that only allows Tab-ing among PCs.

<stnpc> = sub-target that only allows Tab-ing among NPCs/mobs.

<lastst> = the command is initiated on the last <st>, <stpc>, or <stnpc> you selected

/recast "spell or ability"
gives the amount of time left before you can re-use the spell or ability

/echo Second <st>

It's a neat concept. Unfortunately, you can't use <st> in /echo.

[Sabaron]

A further note on /recast:

/recast is not terribly useful with Job Abilities as they automatically tell you the next time you can use them if you merely attempt to use them. Spells, however, will not--they just notify you that you cannot use them at the current time which is the same message you get if they are otherwise locked out, for instance, trying to cast too quickly after using a medicine with a long usage time such as a Hi-Ether. Therefore, /recast is most frequently used with spells.

[Alshandra]

A further note on /recast:

Spells, however, will not--they just notify you that you cannot use them at the current time which is the same message you get if they are otherwise locked out, for instance, trying to cast too quickly after using a medicine with a long usage time such as a Hi-Ether. Therefore, /recast is most frequently used with spells.

Ohhhhh I see, that makes sense.

so you would use for example:

/recast "Haste"
/ma "Haste" <t>

and it would either cast the spell, or if the timer is not up, it will tell you when it is next ready? What if you put in the third line (/p Casting Haste on <t>)? Would that line still trigger if the timer is not up?

This is something I'll test out tonight after work!

Thanks

[Nakti]

so you would use for example:

/recast "Haste"
/ma "Haste" <t>
/p {Casting spell} {Haste} >> <t>

and it would either cast the spell, or if the timer is not up, it will tell you when it is next ready? What if you put in the third line (/p Casting Haste on <t>)? Would that line still trigger if the timer is not up?

If Haste is ready, you'll see

[Haste] 00:00
You start casting Haste.
{Casting spell} {Haste} >> <name>

If Haste still has 20 seconds to go, you'll see

[Haste] 00:20
Cannot cast spell at this time.
{Casting spell} {Haste} >> <name>

The /p line will display whether or not you were able to cast the spell.
(For some reason I can't remember the exact syntax of the lines right now.)

If you use <stpc> instead of <t>, ...

/recast Haste
/ma Haste <stpc>
/p {Casting spell} {Haste} >> <lastst>

If Haste isn't ready, you can ESC from the macro when you get the blue sub-target arrow. Then the /p line won't show. If Haste *is* ready, you can select your sub-target using F-keys or Tab, hit Enter, and the spell will cast and your party will know who you're Hasting.

[Feenicks]

I'm fairly certain (although not 100%) that if you put two equip macros right after the other, when you use that macro it'll swap between the two. For example

/equip body "Noble's Tunic"
/equip body "Blessed Briault"

If you're wearing Noble's, then it'll equip the Blessed Briault, but if you're already wearing Blessed Briault then it'll equip the Noble's. If someone could test this out then it may come in handy for some people.

Also, one of the most useful macros I've used as a WHM is this one:

/target <stnpc>
/assist <t>

It'll let you tab around all NPCs until you get the monster you're fighting then once you select it, it'll change the target to the player which the mob currently has hate on. It's really useful for Dynamis or other situations where there's heaps of people fighting and it's difficult to see who exactly is being hit by that big bad NM you're fighting.

[Nakti]

My husband and I were curious about Macht's <st> idea and did a little testing...

While you can't use /echo to set the sub-target, you can use a fictitious /ma or /ja line.

/ma "Non-existent spell" <st>
/echo Sub-target = <lastst>

You'll get an error for the non-existent spell, but the sub-target gets set.
You can then refer to <lastst> in other macros.
btw, The sub-target info is erased when you zone.

***************************

I'm fairly certain (although not 100%) that if you put two equip macros right after the other, when you use that macro it'll swap between the two. For example

/equip body "Noble's Tunic"
/equip body "Blessed Briault"

I remember swapping between bait and lures this way in the past. I believe it still holds true.

[Srxjo]

Haste -
/recast "Haste"
/ma "Haste" <stpc>

Refresh -
/recast "Refresh"
/ma "Refresh" <stpc>

are what i use so i can see the casting time and it wont cast until you select a target ^^

[Macht]

My husband and I were curious about Macht's <st> idea and did a little testing...
While you can't use /echo to set the sub-target, you can use a fictitious /ma or /ja line.
/ma "Non-existent spell" <st>
/echo Sub-target = <lastst>
You'll get an error for the non-existent spell, but the sub-target gets set.
You can then refer to <lastst> in other macros.
btw, The sub-target info is erased when you zone.
***************************
I remember swapping between bait and lures this way in the past. I believe it still holds true.

Hmm, intresting that echo doesn't work with it. Was that a change? That or I'm forgeting how I set that up. I'll have to check my BLM macro's again it seems.

But yeah, the sub-target is erased just as the main target would. So zoning, or when sub-target no longer exists, I can't remember exactly but I think it even happens when the sub-target does something that would cause main-target to loose focus such as changing equipment related to visual display (headgear, weapon, body, gloves, feet, legs, ranged, ammo, and sub weapon)

[Alshandra]

Wow thank you for that, I tested the /recast and its very handy!!!

75 levels of white mage... and I never knew about it... *sheds a tear*
oh well. now i know~ and will also test the <stpc> also thanks so much for your help on this!