Assassin skills organization

[HollyW07]

<p>My assassin just turned 25 today <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </p><p> What I wanted to know is this: Is there a particular way to organize combat skills to utilize them in the best way? I don't use hot keys because I have a tendency to look at the keyboard to make sure I'm hitting the right key, then I kind of lose my concentration, so I click on the skill I want to use which has me jumping all over my hot key bars with my mouse. </p><p> Does anyone have any suggestions for organizing skills on the hot bars? I hope I'm asking this in a clear way. </p>

[Recca[BK]]

just put them how you are comfortable with them, thats all you can do. you take 10 assassins youll have 10 diff hotbar layouts.

[-=Hoss=-]

It helped me a lot when i started using hotkeys.  I figured out the cast order i wanted, and then made macros and assigned them to 1,2,3, etc right down the line.  Heck, I'm still experimenting with cast order, but when I want to try something new, its just a matter of changing those macros.  Once combat starts, I'm pushing the same buttons.  I dont really have trouble keeping track of the keys, I might have to look down at the beginning, then I do the rest by feel, because I'm geberally only moving over 1 key.  Now that they're organized like that, it makes it easier even when I'm in the mood to click instead of punch buttons.  But the layout is important.  At 25, you dont have near as many spells to choose from as we do.  So whatever you do with the layout, allow room for expansion.  When I was still new, I liked looking at people's screen shots just to see how they had thier UI layed out.  I couldn't care less about the dragon they were taking down, i wanted to see where thier buttons were, and that went a long way in helping me figure out how to setup mine.  -t

[Jayad]

<p>This is how I have them:</p><p><img src="http://www.xney.com/eq2/assassin-keyboard.jpg" border="0"></p><p>Here's some explanation on them:</p><p> <img src="http://www.xney.com/eq2/assassin-keyboard-explained.jpg" border="0"></p>

[Giem Boelcke]

<p>This is how I have mine set up. </p><p>Basically all the dots and regular attacks are on the top. </p><p>The second row is stealths and sneak attacks. </p><p>Third is debuffs, and buffs/special buffs. </p><p>Fourth is for the occasional time you need to use your bow /grin, and then poisons, to activate quickly when needed. </p><p>I am still working on it, so if anyone else has some suggestions, thank you in advance.</p><p><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f324/Giemmy/EQ2_000198.jpg" border="0"></p>

[Betty]

<p>  Okay this is kind of complex, but you will have to trust me that this is the only way to go, especially since you want to keep your eyes on the game and not your keyboard. The standard keyboard movement keys are I think W,A,S,D. You want to move those keys to F,T,G,H respectfully. You will then have every key on the keyboard to the left and right for hot keys.</p><p>  Wipe out the 1-= keys, and the control 1-= keys and remap them to those keys you have now freed up. (note: you will run into conflicts with default hot keys for opening up windows like Persona etc - when you do, go find that hot key and remove it (the default one). Start with R,E,W,Q, then D,A,S, then C,X,Z onto Y,U,I, and J,K,L, finally B,M,N. Q and K will be a long stretch unless you have long fingers, but you should be able to hit them without removing  your middle finger from T (run forward).</p><p>  Remap 3-7 for commonly used windows like open all bads, persona, AA, Quest log etc.</p><p>  You can map any spell to whatever key makes sense to you. For instance, for me U is stealth, D,A,S are backstabs, R starts a chain, C,X,Z and E are finishers, U,I bridges etc. I realize this is complex, and I it DOES take time before you memorize where everything is (an no pretty pictures to boot) but if you stick with it, eventually you can key off anything without ever looking away from the action. What happens is you stop memorizing the spell placements, and start memorizing the actual key strokes and hand positions, ala " pointer close, left pinky down, left pinky over one, left ring finger middle right, left pointer middle left etc.</p><p>  And yes there are times where I loose my finger placement, or I hit a button that gets stuck on screen or isnt refreshed and I end up looking down, but essentially it's seemless. On my warlock I barely fill one hot box with my hotkeys, but for Assassin I have mapped everything I can, and I still have 6 more skill that are mouse only (ranges and debuffs).</p><p> Give it a try <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Jayad]

That sounds like the most painful arrangement ever.  And there's no real benefit to it. 

[HollyW07]

<p>Thanks everyone. All very helpful suggestions <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p> I've just started using hot buttons on my keyboard and I find it's -not- quite as distracting as I thought, and alot faster than having to use the mouse. Especially when the mouse sometimes sticks on a button and then you have this picture stuck to your mouse pointer and you're trying to fight. Very annoying. Using the 1,2,3,4...etc. keys is easy and fast, though all my main skills are ctr + 1,2,3,4...etc. So I need to do a little rearranging on my hot bars to make things easier. I just have to force myself to use hot keys. It really is nicer. </p><p>lvl 28 now. yay me! I haven't had a whole lot of time to play so for me, 3 levels is exciting. lol</p>

[Betty]

<cite>Jayad wrote:</cite><blockquote>That sounds like the most painful arrangement ever.  And there's no real benefit to it. </blockquote><p> I PVPed for months as a rogue in Wow (Bloodguard) and that's where I came up with the system. Using only the 1-= row of keys severely limits you options, and on a class like Assassin where you have hot buttons coming out the ying yang, it's twice as bad. I know my desription is convoluted, and as I said, it's complex and takes time to get used to, but you really do free up your eyeballs to watch the game and mob / player position.</p><p>I appreciate your opinion, but unless you have tried it (and tried it for more then a little while) you really can't say what the benefit is or isn't, or how painful it is or isn't. It work's very well to be honest, but I guess it's probably best to let 7/10's of the keyboard go to waste so I can have my Persona > Details window with a hotkey /boggle.</p>

[Jayad]

I don't need to look at the keyboard to use hotkeys even when they're 0-9. But if it works for you, it works. I just meant I'd never use it myself and I think it's strange. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Xebed]

<img src="http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/1848/assasskillshs5.jpg" border="0"> <a href="http://img485.imageshack.us/my.php?image=assasskillshs5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Here</a> Mine, but thinking of changing it to fit some of the CA-Orders I've been reading here.

[-=Hoss=-]

Is there a reason to have stealth and slip away still in your toolbar?  Are there times when you still need em both? -t

[Xebed]

Harvesting shineys in agro areas for one (Drop stealth to harvest, slip away when done...fine a quiet spot and switch back), not so much now but i used to have issues with stealth breaking just before pull (grp reactive/wards/proc or something) and having both available was important...messy situations in combat when no other for of stealth is up except 'stealth' - no hard fast reason, but they both there when i need them.

[seigwahrheit]

Hella@Lucan DLere wrote: <blockquote><p>  Okay this is kind of complex, but you will have to trust me that this is the only way to go, especially since you want to keep your eyes on the game and not your keyboard. The standard keyboard movement keys are I think W,A,S,D. You want to move those keys to F,T,G,H respectfully. You will then have every key on the keyboard to the left and right for hot keys.</p><p>  Wipe out the 1-= keys, and the control 1-= keys and remap them to those keys you have now freed up. (note: you will run into conflicts with default hot keys for opening up windows like Persona etc - when you do, go find that hot key and remove it (the default one). Start with R,E,W,Q, then D,A,S, then C,X,Z onto Y,U,I, and J,K,L, finally B,M,N. Q and K will be a long stretch unless you have long fingers, but you should be able to hit them without removing  your middle finger from T (run forward).</p><p>  Remap 3-7 for commonly used windows like open all bads, persona, AA, Quest log etc.</p><p>  You can map any spell to whatever key makes sense to you. For instance, for me U is stealth, D,A,S are backstabs, R starts a chain, C,X,Z and E are finishers, U,I bridges etc. I realize this is complex, and I it DOES take time before you memorize where everything is (an no pretty pictures to boot) but if you stick with it, eventually you can key off anything without ever looking away from the action. What happens is you stop memorizing the spell placements, and start memorizing the actual key strokes and hand positions, ala " pointer close, left pinky down, left pinky over one, left ring finger middle right, left pointer middle left etc.</p><p>  And yes there are times where I loose my finger placement, or I hit a button that gets stuck on screen or isnt refreshed and I end up looking down, but essentially it's seemless. On my warlock I barely fill one hot box with my hotkeys, but for Assassin I have mapped everything I can, and I still have 6 more skill that are mouse only (ranges and debuffs).</p><p> Give it a try <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p></blockquote><p>If you could pull that off in pvp it would give you a major edge... But even the slightest error when in combat with another player and it means the difference between winning and losing 90% of the time. But if you have it perfected you'd be feared.</p><p>I doubt i have the aptitude for it as i can barely manage 3 hotkeys;but i'd like to know how it workds out if you ever go pvp. </p>

[-=Hoss=-]

<cite>Xebed wrote:</cite><blockquote>Harvesting shineys in agro areas for one (Drop stealth to harvest, slip away when done...fine a quiet spot and switch back), not so much now but i used to have issues with stealth breaking just before pull (grp reactive/wards/proc or something) and having both available was important...messy situations in combat when no other for of stealth is up except 'stealth' - no hard fast reason, but they both there when i need them. </blockquote>Does stealth work in combat?  Slip away doesn't, but can't say I've ever tried stealth.  -t

[killuminati23]

   Stealth does work in-combat. takes two seconds to cast tho.

[silentpsycho]

Sushi@Lucan DLere wrote: <blockquote><cite>Jayad wrote:</cite><blockquote>That sounds like the most painful arrangement ever.  And there's no real benefit to it. </blockquote><p> I PVPed for months as a rogue in Wow (Bloodguard) and that's where I came up with the system. Using only the 1-= row of keys severely limits you options, and on a class like Assassin where you have hot buttons coming out the ying yang, it's twice as bad. I know my desription is convoluted, and as I said, it's complex and takes time to get used to, but you really do free up your eyeballs to watch the game and mob / player position.</p><p>I appreciate your opinion, but unless you have tried it (and tried it for more then a little while) you really can't say what the benefit is or isn't, or how painful it is or isn't. It work's very well to be honest, but I guess it's probably best to let 7/10's of the keyboard go to waste so I can have my Persona > Details window with a hotkey /boggle.</p></blockquote> Another option that is similar and slightly less obtrusive is to leave your ADSW keys for movement and add mappings for the numeric keypad 0-9, . and - keys to your abilities.  This allows you to move with the left hand and fire off abilities with the right.  If you are a mouse-pointer, you are sort of hosed either way until you grow a 3rd hand.  I picked this up as a fairly successful pvp bard in EQ1, and it works pretty well for me in EQ2, with the additional benefit that you can keep the normal keymappings as well.  All you lose is some stupid camera angle stuff that you never use anyway.