I was having a hard time healing in groups till I aded a few macros.

[crank]

Basicly I never played a pc mmorpg so the whole UI was a bit hard to get used to. So I ended up adding and tweaking some stuff till I could finally heal with ease this is what I did if anyone wants to try it.

First I added the Hot bar on the right to the UI. Then in the mode you can move stuff around I moved it to the far left and moved the character graphics on the top left over to the right just a bit so the hotbar was directly next to the players bars. From there I right clicked on remedy 3 then canceled, so that from now on when you right click a blank macro the remedy icon will be in there by default. Now after just a bit of arranging in the UI you can have a macro directly next to each players name. Now you right click that macro name it anything and add the lines.

/targetgroupmember 1 (1 is for you, 2-6 for members obviously going down)
/cast "Remedy III"

Once I added this hotbar I found it alot easier to heal, me being a bear shaman I am needed as a DD as well as a healer so consintrating on getting all my melee and debuffs off would get me a bit disoriented when needing to heal quickly. Now with this hotbar I save a couple steps and take the error out of alot of it.

Im sure this is standard kinda stuff for this game and using UIs like this. But figured if it was helpful to me maybe others could use it as well.

[garath]

Basicly I never played a pc mmorpg so the whole UI was a bit hard to get used to. So I ended up adding and tweaking some stuff till I could finally heal with ease this is what I did if anyone wants to try it.

First I added the Hot bar on the right to the UI. Then in the mode you can move stuff around I moved it to the far left and moved the character graphics on the top left over to the right just a bit so the hotbar was directly next to the players bars. From there I right clicked on remedy 3 then canceled, so that from now on when you right click a blank macro the remedy icon will be in there by default. Now after just a bit of arranging in the UI you can have a macro directly next to each players name. Now you right click that macro name it anything and add the lines.

/targetgroupmember 1 (1 is for you, 2-6 for members obviously going down)
/cast "Remedy III"

Once I added this hotbar I found it alot easier to heal, me being a bear shaman I am needed as a DD as well as a healer so consintrating on getting all my melee and debuffs off would get me a bit disoriented when needing to heal quickly. Now with this hotbar I save a couple steps and take the error out of alot of it.

Im sure this is standard kinda stuff for this game and using UIs like this. But figured if it was helpful to me maybe others could use it as well.

good suggestion :)

[Helichrysum]

Very nice. This would be really handy for people that are perhaps trying a healer for the first time, or aren't that savvy with keyboard shortcuts (assuming you ain to click on the icons - shortcut keys would also be handy here), or for anyone used to those click-to-heal buttons popular in many WoW UI mods :).

[Dashel]

I did the same only I have DroxUI which has a handy NumPad hotbar set up which makes it very easy to do.

More recently I got the G15 keyboard which gives me 3 more banks of 6 keys to map out using DroxUI as well. Very nifty. heals, buffs, finishers... so many buttons to press as a healer. bleh.

[DCpunk]

Good god I need to do this. I have a regular group that is me, 2 bards, and 2 rangers. I'm a spam healing fool.

[DCpunk]

So, I finally got this done, and I have to say it has helped a TON.

[Spottycat]

Basicly I never played a pc mmorpg so the whole UI was a bit hard to get used to. So I ended up adding and tweaking some stuff till I could finally heal with ease this is what I did if anyone wants to try it.

First I added the Hot bar on the right to the UI. Then in the mode you can move stuff around I moved it to the far left and moved the character graphics on the top left over to the right just a bit so the hotbar was directly next to the players bars. From there I right clicked on remedy 3 then canceled, so that from now on when you right click a blank macro the remedy icon will be in there by default. Now after just a bit of arranging in the UI you can have a macro directly next to each players name. Now you right click that macro name it anything and add the lines.

/targetgroupmember 1 (1 is for you, 2-6 for members obviously going down)
/cast "Remedy III"

Once I added this hotbar I found it alot easier to heal, me being a bear shaman I am needed as a DD as well as a healer so consintrating on getting all my melee and debuffs off would get me a bit disoriented when needing to heal quickly. Now with this hotbar I save a couple steps and take the error out of alot of it.

Im sure this is standard kinda stuff for this game and using UIs like this. But figured if it was helpful to me maybe others could use it as well.

Definitely not bad advice for new players. Becoming acquainted with the F-key shortcuts (F1, F2, F3, etc...) certainly helps however, and the sooner the better so one doesn't drown in hotkeys. Again, DroxUI is good about offering lots of options to a player in order to add a few tooltips here and there. :)

[kraznor]

Definitely not bad advice for new players. Becoming acquainted with the F-key shortcuts (F1, F2, F3, etc...) certainly helps however, and the sooner the better so one doesn't drown in hotkeys. Again, DroxUI is good about offering lots of options to a player in order to add a few tooltips here and there. :)

Definitely. I'd suggest this route over making heal for individual hotkeys ANY day.

The problem the OP will run into, is that you'll eventually have multiple heals, HoTs, buffs, etc. If you make 6 hotkeys for every spell, you'll very quickly run out of hotkeys, and that's bad.

Get used to having your heals set up something like this:

1 - small heal
2 - big heal
3 - heal over time
4 - group heal
5 - instant heal

If you use the F keys (1-6 for your group) then you only have to worry about targetting and hitting 1 key. If you don't, you have 24 keys to memorize instead of 11. ;)

[Leto Eu`Acumen]

Definitely. I'd suggest this route over making heal for individual hotkeys ANY day.


I have to agree. It may seem awkward at first to someone who hasn't done healing in MMO's before, but trust me that it would serve you well to get used to using the F-key shortcuts to targeting group members now than to get used to one way then changing later.

Like others have suggested set up your heals along the primary bar, so that your left hand does all the work. F-whatever to target a group member then 1-5 to heal them: Bam-Bam ...pretty soon it is reactionary you don't even think about it.

That frees up your right hand to use your mouse to execute attacks and all the other stuff you need to do. Can put all your attacks on whatever awkward hotbar you want so you don't have to hit some long hotkey combination to execute an attack....hitting heals fast from your left hand, clicking attacks etc from your right.

Pretty efficent.

Definatly better than making hotkeys for individual members and individual heals. You'll thank us for it in the long run, trust me - you have enough stuff to fill hotbars as it is.



And besides, when you do want a specific heal you don't want to have to go looking for it, you want it as a matter of instinct, not thought or looking.



1 - small heal
2 - big heal
3 - heal over time
4 - group heal
5 - instant heal

btw I use almost that exact same lineup except I have the group heal and the insta-heal switched. Just a personal prefernce thing.

[Arturious]

Heres the tool I use for healing, http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=157024

A Belkin Nostromo. Basically all those keys you have there can be set to any key on the keyboard, or set up as a macro. I actually have all my macros programmed through the Nostromo software. I have my movement keys, basic offensive abilities, most of my heals, and all the f keys used to target group members right there.

Basically just a keypad that can put all your keys together.

[Koba]

Heres the tool I use for healing, http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=157024

A Belkin Nostromo. Basically all those keys you have there can be set to any key on the keyboard, or set up as a macro. I actually have all my macros programmed through the Nostromo software. I have my movement keys, basic offensive abilities, most of my heals, and all the f keys used to target group members right there.

Basically just a keypad that can put all your keys together.


I use the G15 and have been thinking about the N52 to go along with it. I think using the two of them together would be pretty cool.

[Arturious]

I also have the G15 (traded my old saitek and a krol blade for it :P). Even before I read this, I was thinking to myself on how I could actually utilize the G buttons.

[sephira]

Definitely. I'd suggest this route over making heal for individual hotkeys ANY day.

The problem the OP will run into, is that you'll eventually have multiple heals, HoTs, buffs, etc. If you make 6 hotkeys for every spell, you'll very quickly run out of hotkeys, and that's bad.

Get used to having your heals set up something like this:

1 - small heal
2 - big heal
3 - heal over time
4 - group heal
5 - instant heal

If you use the F keys (1-6 for your group) then you only have to worry about targetting and hitting 1 key. If you don't, you have 24 keys to memorize instead of 11. ;)

Agree. The only help is a UI mod that displays the F-key near the players bars. What i always missed and still miss is to be able to sort the team. After leaves and rebuilds, link deads and crashes the tank is once on F2 then on F5. This is brainfreezing after a while ;)

I also have, depending on game, 1-3 lowlevel heals on hotbars. Those are for those situations when energy/mana/power is down and i *need* to keep up that tank from what my in-combat regeneration delivers ;) If its on the edge this is a win or loose.

[Sturmlied]

The G15 realy makes a difference. It is not a "must have" but It makes life a bit easier.

I have set up the first GBlock (G1 to G6) to target Player 1 to 6 cast Infuse Health (BMG Fast Heal)

G7 to G12 is the same with Vein (BMG main heal, a lifetap)

G13 to G18 is the same with Blood Gift (Big Heal)

@Koba I was also thinking about getting a Nostromo, But I think that would be a bit to much, especially considering that I will need to move my left hand a lot more.

[DCpunk]

Definitely not bad advice for new players. Becoming acquainted with the F-key shortcuts (F1, F2, F3, etc...) certainly helps however, and the sooner the better so one doesn't drown in hotkeys. Again, DroxUI is good about offering lots of options to a player in order to add a few tooltips here and there. :)

Actually, the function keys by themsevles don't work fast enough. I heal for a bunch of offensive fighters (2 bards and 2 rangers), so there is no way in hell I can keep them healed fast enough with a 2 key heal combination when we're taking multiple pull 4 dot yellow encounters. These macros are essential for me.

[garath]

Actually, the function keys by themsevles don't work fast enough. I heal for a bunch of offensive fighters (2 bards and 2 rangers), so there is no way in hell I can keep them healed fast enough with a 2 key heal combination when we're taking multiple pull 4 dot yellow encounters. These macros are essential for me.

I use both.

I use DroxUI and have the group members going across the top of the screen. Under that I have my SHIFT bar with 6 macros to use my 1.5 second heal to heal the cooresponding group member. I use the SHIFT-# hotkeys when its fast and furious 'keep everyone alive' action otherwise I use the F keys to target and use the appropriate heal. I can also just stare at the group section of the GUI and click the heal underneath their name if it gets real desperate but I prefer not to click spells.

[kraznor]

Actually, the function keys by themsevles don't work fast enough. I heal for a bunch of offensive fighters (2 bards and 2 rangers), so there is no way in hell I can keep them healed fast enough with a 2 key heal combination when we're taking multiple pull 4 dot yellow encounters. These macros are essential for me.

I just find it very hard to believe that pushing F2 and then 2 (or w/e) costs you more than 1/10th of a second over just pushing 2. Simply keep one finger on your heal button, and use the other hand to hit the F key. If your tanks die from losing 1/10th of a second, then you need new tanks.

Or do as you wish, but when you see how complicated we get later on and how many spells we get, you'll understand that hotkeys are at a premium. I use a G15, which gives me 54 hotkeys in addition to my original amount the game gives me, and all those are already filled...

[Kovacs]

You want a challenge.. try healing as a left-handed mouse-er... Really odd finger combinations that leave me more sore than a couple hours on the piano.

[garath]

I just find it very hard to believe that pushing F2 and then 2 (or w/e) costs you more than 1/10th of a second over just pushing 2. Simply keep one finger on your heal button, and use the other hand to hit the F key. If your tanks die from losing 1/10th of a second, then you need new tanks.

Or do as you wish, but when you see how complicated we get later on and how many spells we get, you'll understand that hotkeys are at a premium. I use a G15, which gives me 54 hotkeys in addition to my original amount the game gives me, and all those are already filled...

Its not just a time thing, its also margin of error. If I'm not looking at the keyboard (in hectic times you won't be) then I find it FAR easier to perform one keystroke for the heal in a pinch. It also doesn't take a ton of hotkeys, just 6 more. One for each group member (yourself included) with the 1.5 second heal.

[DCpunk]

I just find it very hard to believe that pushing F2 and then 2 (or w/e) costs you more than 1/10th of a second over just pushing 2. Simply keep one finger on your heal button, and use the other hand to hit the F key. If your tanks die from losing 1/10th of a second, then you need new tanks.

Or do as you wish, but when you see how complicated we get later on and how many spells we get, you'll understand that hotkeys are at a premium. I use a G15, which gives me 54 hotkeys in addition to my original amount the game gives me, and all those are already filled...



1) I don't have any tanks in my group. 2 rangers, 2 bards. No tank.

2) In this configuration, yes... 1/10th of a second means life or death on multiple 4 dot pulls.

[kraznor]

1) I don't have any tanks in my group. 2 rangers, 2 bards. No tank.

2) In this configuration, yes... 1/10th of a second means life or death on multiple 4 dot pulls.

1) That's 5 people. You could fill in the last spot with a warrior/DK/Pally. Rangers and bards are mana sponges, everyone knows this. Using your HoTs (if you're not) is highly advisable too, will give you alot more room for error. Also try having one of them tank while another roots or kites one or more. It honestly sounds to me like your group is more responsible for rapid health loss than anything.

Or better yet, since you have TWO bards, why aren't they pulling singles and mezzing adds??? Or charming one? With the dps and CC you have in that group, healing shouldn't be that much of an issue.

BTW, I was using Tank as a general term. Whoever is holding agro in your group is your tank, regardless of class. When I solo, I am the tank. Ie. "I can tank this mob."

2) I doubt that very seriously. If it were true, you'd wipe quite often just due to server lag, which can easily result in more than 1/10th of a second. If it's REALLY that much of an issue, then click and cast. That will lose you 0 time. You can target each group member by clicking their name in the group window. I just prefer not to use my mouse unless I have to.

My point was that you will very quickly find out that too many hotkeys is a bad idea. Choose not to believe me (and the others that have agreed with me) if you like, it will only hamper you and make things tougher.

Before knocking what end game players have proven as a winning method (in many many other MMOs), why not try it? You're not the only one out there pulling multiple 4 dots ya know... You never know, you may even thank me!;)

[DCpunk]

1) That's 5 people. You could fill in the last spot with a warrior/DK/Pally. Rangers and bards are mana sponges, everyone knows this. Using your HoTs (if you're not) is highly advisable too, will give you alot more room for error. Also try having one of them tank while another roots or kites one or more. It honestly sounds to me like your group is more responsible for rapid health loss than anything.

We don't feel like wasting time looking for a tank that is pretty elusive. We have our regular group. If we stumbled across an LFG tank our level, we'd invite him/her.

I don't have any HoTs yet. Level 16 shaman.

Or better yet, since you have TWO bards, why aren't they pulling singles and mezzing adds??? Or charming one? With the dps and CC you have in that group, healing shouldn't be that much of an issue.

the mez doesn't last long enough and neither does my root to take down a 4 dot yellow. My root DOES last longer than the bard mez though. I don't think either bard has a charm yet. One just made level 15, the other is level 17.

2) I doubt that very seriously. If it were true, you'd wipe quite often just due to server lag, which can easily result in more than 1/10th of a second. If it's REALLY that much of an issue, then click and cast. That will lose you 0 time. You can target each group member by clicking their name in the group window. I just prefer not to use my mouse unless I have to.

We do. About 2 - 3 wipes per session.

And really... why exactly is a 2 key combination faster or better than a single key heal? I can't figure this out yet.

My point was that you will very quickly find out that too many hotkeys is a bad idea. Choose not to believe me (and the others that have agreed with me) if you like, it will only hamper you and make things tougher.

I've been playing healers in MMOs for... 8 years now. EQ, EQ2, DAoC, CoH/CoV, AO, WoW, and now VG. I know what I'm doing. As a shaman in EQ I was the PRIMARY healer in a regular group in BoT. I've tried it the other way, which is why I made the first two posts that I made in this thread. Der.

You're not the only one out there pulling multiple 4 dots ya know... You never know, you may even thank me!;)

true, but we're one of the few groups doing it without a tank.

[kraznor]

the mez doesn't last long enough and neither does my root to take down a 4 dot yellow. My root DOES last longer than the bard mez though. I don't think either bard has a charm yet. One just made level 15, the other is level 17.

Bards have this cool thing called lull. Makes pulling singles very easy. Tell one or both of your bards to try it and you won't have to worry about multiple 4 dot pulls...

We do. About 2 - 3 wipes per session.

Not good. Nothing much more to say here.

And really... why exactly is a 2 key combination faster or better than a single key heal? I can't figure this out yet.

Quite a few people here have stated why... multiple times. The reason is because it takes up WAY too many hotkeys, which are valuable (I'd have figured that an 8 year vet like yourself woulda figured that one out by now...:confused: ). You being level 16 don't feel this atm, cus you don't have many heals. But when you DO, then you'll understand.

But hey, if you wanna have just 1 spell taking up 6 hotkeys, knock yourself out. :) People like me here are only trying to help.

true, but we're one of the few groups doing it without a tank.

I wouldn't be so sure. We have several groups in our guild that 2, 3 and 4 man full group content. They know how to be efficient.

[DCpunk]

Bards have this cool thing called lull. Makes pulling singles very easy. Tell one or both of your bards to try it and you won't have to worry about multiple 4 dot pulls...

Neither of them have lull yet.

Not good. Nothing much more to say here.

We're not afraid to take on content that pushes us to the limits. Some are.

Quite a few people here have stated why... multiple times. The reason is because it takes up WAY too many hotkeys, which are valuable (I'd have figured that an 8 year vet like yourself woulda figured that one out by now...:confused: ). You being level 16 don't feel this atm, cus you don't have many heals. But when you DO, then you'll understand.

Actually, I have 2 heals on hot keys like this but I can probably scrap one of them. Basically, I use the macro to target the group member in need to get off a quick heal and then use my 3 regular heal buttons (1 ward+heal, 1 big heal, and my group heal) if needed.

But hey, if you wanna have just 1 spell taking up 6 hotkeys, knock yourself out. :) People like me here are only trying to help.

I have 4 hotbars up now. I have UI mod that makes of them super tiny and take up almost no screen real estate. The tiny ones are used for buffs and utilities. The regular sized ones I use for (right now) heal macros, heals, and melee abilites, as well as slow, root, and my Mordebi mez. the 2 tiny ones have slots open that I can move things into and I can easily set them up for ctrl-# or ctrl-shift-# for melee abilites, which are obviously secondary to healing. I really see this "taking up "too many" hotkey slots as a non-issue. Hell, I have at least 4 more hotbars that I can open up thanks to my UI.

I wouldn't be so sure. We have several groups in our guild that 2, 3 and 4 man full group content. They know how to be efficient.

and I bet most of them have a warrior/tank/pally/dk in their ranks. They also (obviously, as per your previous post) have abilities and utilities for cc that we don't yet. So, your point here is moot, really. At this level, with offensive fighters tanking, there isn't any question as to this being the most efficient method. single click healing. Read that again:

Single

click

healing.

Or, if you prefer:

Single

button

healing.


If you are using 2 keys for one heal, you are therefore less efficient.

It's not like hotkeys are at a premium like there were in EQ. If they were, you would have an incredibly valid point, and I would be a buttwad. but they're not, so you don't, and I'm not. :)

[kraznor]

Neither of them have lull yet.

Hmm. You never thought that pulling with a mez would be a good idea??? 1 bard mez to pull, the other mez the 2nd add if there is one? You say you have TWO bards, yet you're pulling multiples? Sorry, that means either your bards are retards, you're a liar, or you just don't know what you're doing.

We're not afraid to take on content that pushes us to the limits. Some are.

Wow. You're level 16... Way to push the limits. You're really accomplishing something there...

I have 4 hotbars up now. I have UI mod that makes of them super tiny and take up almost no screen real estate. The tiny ones are used for buffs and utilities. The regular sized ones I use for (right now) heal macros, heals, and melee abilites, as well as slow, root, and my Mordebi mez. the 2 tiny ones have slots open that I can move things into and I can easily set them up for ctrl-# or ctrl-shift-# for melee abilites, which are obviously secondary to healing. I really see this "taking up "too many" hotkey slots as a non-issue. Hell, I have at least 4 more hotbars that I can open up thanks to my UI.

Sorry, I woulda thought an 8 year vet such as yourself would know the difference between hotbars and hotkey space. Here, let me explain:

Hotbars are on your screen. Hotkeys are on your keyboard. Without a G15 or other special gaming keyboard, you are currently (I THINK this is fact, but can't check in game atm so it's from memory) limited to 48 hotkeys. That would be 1 thru =, same + cntrl, same + alt, and same + shift + cntrl. I really think it's only 36, but again, I may be mistaken there.

Using 5 (6 when you eventually get enough friends to make a full group...) per heal, that's 20-24 that are taken up by only 4 heals (you'll get 4 you use once you get all growed up) fast, small, big, and HoT. That's HALF of your available hotkeys. Clicking is for losers.

and I bet most of them have a warrior/tank/pally/dk in their ranks.

You'd be wrong.

They also (obviously, as per your previous post) have abilities and utilities for cc that we don't yet. So, your point here is moot, really. At this level, with offensive fighters tanking, there isn't any question as to this being the most efficient method.

Not surprisingly, you're wrong again. I'm completely baffled that you would think any group, except maybe one with 5 psionicists in it, would have MORE CC than a group with 2 rangers, 2 bards and a shaman. Do you even know how to root or mez?

single click healing.

Again, clicking is for losers. You simply can NOT react as fast AND be as accurate moving a mouse and clicking it as someone who is familiar with and using a keyboard. It's impossible and you can argue it all you want, you're still wrong. Anyone with experience will validate this.


If you are using 2 keys for one heal, you are therefore less efficient.

Again, not surprisingly, you're wrong yet again. In the time your mouse hovers over to your hotbar bank, my heal has already gone off. Nice try though.

It's not like hotkeys are at a premium like there were in EQ.

They are at even more of a premium as we have many more options to cast in this game over EQ. EQ had a base of spells that simply kept upgrading, this game has much more variety.

I would be a buttwad.

FINALLY you got something RIGHT!!! :eek: