Utility Master Strike

[Tyrant Invict]

<DIV>Many people have probably already created this, or something like it, to help them manage their hotkey bars without having to have a million different spells up at once, but for those who haven't thought of it, here it is...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For my wizard I created what I called a "Utility Master Strike" macros.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's fairly simply; the macros program is basically this:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>line 1 --->    : ; useability Orc Master's Strike ; useability Skeletons Master's Strike</DIV> <DIV>line 2 --->    : ; useability Goblin Master's Strike ; useability Giant Master's Strike</DIV> <DIV>line 3 --->    : ; useability Whatever Master's Strike </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM>et cetera</EM>.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You can get two of them per line, so one key can take the place of six mastery spells.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You'll get spammed with "This spell does not work against this creature." but quickly enough it will get to the one you want.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also I keep one Mastery Strike icon up just so I know when it's recharged.  It doesn't matter which as they are all on the same timer.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Tyrant Invictus on <span class=date_text>02-24-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:21 AM</span>

[Stavenh]

Good post, good idea.I also have hotkeyed spells to chain cast, so as to maximize casting time. Fizzles play havock with these, but basically, you can get two spells on one key this way.

[Tyrant Invict]

<DIV>What I'll do with fizzle is just write the spell twice, so my root macros is:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/g attempting to root %t</DIV> <DIV>/useability Tether</DIV> <DIV>/useability Tether</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>my HO is</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/useability Arcaen Augur</DIV> <DIV>: ; useability Plasmatic Pulse ; useability Plasmatic Pulse</DIV> <DIV>: ; useability Ball of Fire ; useability Ball of Fire</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If it fizzles, it tries again immeadiately, if not well then it's on a recast queue and I'll probably cast something before then anyways, thus removing it from the queue and moving on</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Dainger]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><FONT size=3> <HR> Tyrant Invictus wrote: </FONT> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>line 1 --->    : ; useability Orc Master's Strike ; useability Skeletons Master's Strike</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>line 2 --->    : ; useability Goblin Master's Strike ; useability Giant Master's Strike</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>line 3 --->    : ; useability Whatever Master's Strike </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV><FONT size=3> <HR> </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Hello, I love this macro and have been using something akin to this for some time.  I can't remember which post i saw that i originally saw this in but it has been very helpful.  I do have one question for you though....For the life of me i can not get 2 of them to attempt to cast on one macro line.  I've been limited to having only 3 master's strikes in the macro.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Here's an example of the error i get.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>:; usea Giant Master's Strike ; usea Golem Master's Strike</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  A line like this in one of the macro spots will give me the following error.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>"Could not find spell book entry for <FONT color=#ccff00>Giant Master's Strike ; usea Golem Master's Strike</FONT>"</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  So basically the macro is not recognizing this ';' character as a command seperator and is instead assuming that everything after the /usea command is the name of the ability it's supposed to look for.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  I have done this with the full command "useability" written out as well and i recieve the same results....i've also tried other things like surrounding the name of the ability in quotations or paranthesis but nothing is working.  I suppose you are not experiencing anything similair to this as it seems you can get both commands functioning properly on one line.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  So i guess my questioned is, are those lines you posted above exactly what's in your macro command?</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Dainger]

<DIV>Just solved my own problem, if any other's have the same issue</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>: ;usea Giant Master's Strike ;usea Golem Master's Strike</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>works</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  The only difference here is that i did not include a space after the ';' character and the "usea" command.</DIV> <DIV>For some reason if it had a space in it the macro would search for the ';' as part of the ability name.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now i've got all 5 in my macro --- woot!</DIV>

[Zcenicx]

<DIV>; is not a command line separator in EQ2.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You can afaik only queue 3 commands in a macro, and god knows I've tried to queue more.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Example: Heroic</DIV> <DIV>--</DIV> <DIV>/useability Arcane Augur</DIV> <DIV>/useability Ball of Flames</DIV> <DIV>/useability Westfend's Ice Spear</DIV> <DIV>--</DIV> <DIV>Will either finish a Arcane Fury HO or leave it at advanced. I normally dont fizzle these though (Westfend is white to me, BoFl yellow).</DIV>

[Dainger]

<DIV><FONT size=2>Actually it is a command line seperator.  I know this because for the last 30 someodd levels i've had a mezz macro that looks exactly like the following</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2>:; useability Capture Mind ; gsay [%T] is Mezzed!</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>  This actually has 3 commands in it --- the ':' generates an emote that does nothing....somewhere along the line it was discovered that to get multiple commands to work you had to have an emote at the beginning (or something of that nature).....i used to use a macro for mezz that looked like this</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><STRONG>/point ; useability Capture Mind ; gsay[%T] is Mezzed! </STRONG>-- but from browsing the forums i found out that ':' worked in place of point.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The problem i was having was that i couldn't figure out how to get 2 /useability commands to work, using examples like the OP's or trying to use the formula that worked for my mezz macro.  In the end the problem i was running into was that after the semicolon ';' i was using a 'space' before i'd type the useability command....this would make the first useability command treat the whole line like the command i was searching for.  Take out the 'space' and it works flawless.  Also i learned from somewhere else on the forums that you can shorten the /useability command to just /usea.  As the EQ2 command engine will work for abbreviated commands that give you at least enough info to head in the right direction.  So the following macro is exactly how it looks in my macro command book and it is working wonderfully.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>:;usea Skeleton Master's Strike ;usea Elemental Master's Strike</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>:;usea Golem Master's Strike ;usea Giant Master's Strike</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=4>:;usea Orc Master's Strike</FONT></STRONG></DIV>

[Trojan7474]

<DIV>Can not get the master strike Macro to work for the life of me and i have exactly what u guys have...any ideas.</DIV>

[Dainger]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Trojan7474 wrote:<BR> <DIV>Can not get the master strike Macro to work for the life of me and i have exactly what u guys have...any ideas.</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>  If you could please post for me a few things and i will try to help you.</P> <UL> <LI>an exact copy of your macro</LI> <LI>I would like you to target yourself, and click "test" on the macro button - when you do this, if you could please post exactly what is sent to your chat box (e.g. "can not find ability Lizard Man Master's Strike ; /useability Elemental Master's Strike")</LI></UL> <P>  If i have this info i can help you workaround SoE's funky excuse for a Macro command system.<BR></P>

[Trojan7474]

<DIV><FONT color=#ffffff>I got it to work.....i just played around with a bunch of different combos untill it worked, i added spaces between everything thats what the problem was.  To keep the thread going lets toss out our ideas for different Macros, so far i have a Root says in group rooting "target" then casts tether. Also i have HO that tells group caster HO inc then castes the starter. Also have a mez 1 that says mezzing "target" then casts mez and the master strike Macro. I am interested to see what else people have come up with. </DIV></FONT><p>Message Edited by Trojan7474 on <span class=date_text>02-24-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:35 AM</span>

[Crono1321]

<blockquote><hr>Dainger wrote:<DIV>Just solved my own problem, if any other's have the same issue</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>: ;usea Giant Master's Strike ;usea Golem Master's Strike</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>works</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV> The only difference here is that i did not include a space after the ';' character and the "usea" command.</DIV><DIV>For some reason if it had a space in it the macro would search for the ';' as part of the ability name.</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>Now i've got all 5 in my macro --- woot!</DIV><hr></blockquote>I am sorry, I feel stupid but I am doing everything in this post as described, and I can't link two abilities in the same line. I am 33 Swashbuckler, and I am trying to get all my masteries in one like you guys have. Here is what I am typing into the command prompt::;usea Goblin Master's Sinister Strike ;usea Skeleton Master's Sinister StrikeNo space after the semicolon. And those are the exact names of the Abilities; when I put Skel strike on the 2nd line, they both work; on the same line, they do not. Can you help me? Thanks.

[Trojan7474]

<DIV><FONT color=#ffffff>: ; usea giant master's strike ; usea golem master's strike</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>try spaces that should get it to work, space everything, when i get home later from work i will doubke check.</DIV>

[Dainger]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Crono1321 wrote:<BR><BR>I am sorry, I feel stupid but I am doing everything in this post as described, and I can't link two abilities in the same line. I am 33 Swashbuckler, and I am trying to get all my masteries in one like you guys have. Here is what I am typing into the command prompt:<BR><BR><FONT color=#ffcc00>:;usea Goblin Master's Sinister Strike ;usea Skeleton Master's Sinister Strike<BR></FONT><BR>No space after the semicolon. And those are the exact names of the Abilities; when I put Skel strike on the 2nd line, they both work; on the same line, they do not. Can you help me? Thanks.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>  Put a space after the first colon ':' , otherwise it'll treat the rest of the command like an /emote.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/emote;usea Goblin Master's Sinister Strike ;usea Skeleton Master's Sinister Strike</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The following will be sent to the chat box.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>"Dainger ;usea Goblin Master's Sinister Strike ;usea Skeleton Master's Sinister Strike"</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>so i think if you just ditch that first space, it'll work.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Dainger on <span class=date_text>02-25-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:39 AM</span>

[Theodis]

<DIV>Quick question regarding setting up a multiple line macro.  In essence, you should only have to press the key once to cast all spells in the macro correct?  For instance, I set one up for my debuff/dots (Chilling Wind, Incinerate, Icy Coil, etc), but to get the macro to execute the second line of spells, I am having to press the key again.  I don't have the exact text of my macro, but I will post it later once I get home from work.</DIV>

[Dainger]

<DIV>  The problem is that as the macro and queuing system is set up right now, you can only effectively fire off 2 spells or abilities per macro.  Which 2 fire off will probably be the first spell you have in the macro, and the last spell.  This is because there is no pause command.  If we had an ability to tell a macro to "/pause 4" (so it pauses 4 seconds) we could than build a macro that would cast a spell....queue a spell, wait 4 seconds (or however much time you need to cast both the first and second spells) and than cast a 3rd spell, followed by queuing a 4'th spell.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  Right now with out a /pause # command the only reason you can get 2 spells to trigger from a macro is because of the qeueing system SOE has set up.  If you're trying to cast 4 different spells, at the very instant you press the macro button - the macro will begin casting the first spell (which let's say has a cast time of 4 seconds) while the first spell has begun casting, it queues the 2nd spell, than it queue's the 3rd spell (removing the queue from the 2nd spell), than it queue's the 4'th spell (removing the 3rd spell from queue'd status).  All of this switching between wich spell is queue'd happens in much less than a 1 second.  So the result is....you finish casting spell 1, and spell 4 is the next spell queue'd....off it goes....not realizing that you had intended for all 4 of the spells to be cast.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  The only reason the Mastery Macro makes so much sense and is very useful is because when you are using this macro....you only intend for one of the spells to fire.  The macro instantly attempts to cast each one of the spells until it comes to one that it can begin to cast.....after it starts casting it will continue to search the remaining spells to cast in the macro...attempting to cast them on the target which would place them in the queue....no other's will fire of course do to the nature of the Mastery spells, and hence no other spells are queue'd.</DIV>

[Theodis]

<DIV>Hey Dainger that makes perfect sense.  Thanks, I wasn't thinking about the hard pause command.  If memory serves me correctly, they did have such a pause command in EQ didn't they??  Seems to reason it wouldn't be hard to implement such a feature in "the Duece" would it?</DIV>

[Dainger]

<DIV>  Yes i believe you're right that they had a pause command in eq1....though i haven't played it in such a long time that i'm not sure if it's still in game or not.  The only thing i've heard or thought of as to why they would not want to implement a /pause command, is because along with easing the mechanics for players.....they also ease the ability for "team-botts" to be more efficient.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  Maybe they will implement it one day....as of right now though i don't think there is one.</DIV>