Combat skills layout - Advice Please

[virgofool]

<DIV>I am currently a lvl 12 Predator and looking forward to becoming a ranger.  As I play and read more, I realize that this class has an insane amount of combat skills that should be used in combination and with very limited timing in between.  This being said, I am concerned about not having enough space to lay everything out efficiently...I don't want to be cycling through the button bars when the time comes to perform.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>With the other classes I've played (Summoner, Cleric, Crusader) there seemed to be a great many skills/spells that could be cast during downtime (buffs, etc.), so it was easy to click a few times, cast, then click back.  The timing was also not so critical from my experience.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>With my Predator, I started out by putting combat skills on one bar, then non combat stuff like "pathfinding", "call to XXXXX", and "Track" on some other random bar.  </DIV> <DIV>As I level up, I know am forced to juggle a ton of combat skills and I've already run out of room!!  I am MUCH faster at using a mouse than keyboard hotkeys, so I am wondering if any more experienced players can recommend an efficient layout.  From lef to right, I currently have Quick Strike, Sneak Attack, Ambush, and Shadowstrike all together, followed by Ensnare, Bleed, and Sneak, then Dirty Tricks, Cheap Shot, and Evade, Lucky Break, and finally Sprint (I use this a lot =D).  The way I execute is I click on the mob in the center of my screen, pull my mouse straight down to ensare, then bleed..drag right, hit lucky break, then whatever skills in a sweeping motion to the left.  If I sneak up on a mob, I drop down, hit sneak, the go to the left for Shadow strike or whatever.  This has been fairly efficient for me thus far, but all my new skills are messing up my rhythm!!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ugh, before I delve into this too much, what I really want to know is how do y'all lay out your buttons?! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Thanks!</DIV>

[Ra]

<DIV>Here is mine, it works well.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><IMG src="http://eq2images.station.sony.com/000/000/097/953.jpg"></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Top macro bar - Non-Combat macros</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bottom 3</DIV> <DIV>1 - Melee, Ranged attacks and HO</DIV> <DIV>2 - Stealths, debuffs, Ensnare</DIV> <DIV>3 - Sprint, Buffs, Group message macros</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Stupid GUI bug - the Journal Helper keeps turning back on... so annoying.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Ravi on <span class=date_text>11-23-2004</span> <span class=time_text>02:01 PM</span>

[virgofool]

<DIV>Awesome Ravi, you've given me a lot of ideas.  One thing is clear, I'm gonna need to up my rez to support all those bars. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Guess it justifies the new vid card after all.  I'm also clearly going to have to read more about macros and stuff.</DIV><p>Message Edited by virgofool on <span class=date_text>11-23-2004</span> <span class=time_text>02:34 PM</span>