Macro Tutorial

In my own opinion, with the vast amount of experiencing in making great MMO games, NCSoft has implemented one of the most useful features in Aion. In this case - Macro, which is a key feature in NCSoft AAA Grade MMORPG Lineage 2.

In this tutorial, we will be exploring how to click and drag the skills into the macro command box. I will also show you the 2 most popular macro examples used by solo and group party players. I have also written down some of the most basic and commonly used macro commands at the bottom of the tutorial. And before I conclude the tutorial, I will share with you the issues arises from using the macro and how to use them so that the chain will not be interrupted.

For new players, do not worry if you think that typing macros may be equivilant to keying in html or C++ command lines. Thank NCSoft for the Click and Drag function that will save you tons of trouble.

Before we go on, please check yourself on the Key Map under Option menu. As each and everyone of us uses different sets of keys that suit us well.

Step 1 : Open your Macro Menu and Skill menu


Step 2 Click on New Macros or Edit(if you want to edit existing Macros)

Step 3 Click and drag the skill icon into the "Enter Macro Command" Box

Step 4 Key in /Delay 1 after every single skill command(or change the number if u wan longer delays. 1 = 1s)

Step 5 Under name of the macro, key in the name you want. And if you want, you may key in a brief description of what the macro do.

Step 6 Select the Icon you like

Step 7 Click save (the save button will remain grey if there is no name in "Name of Macro")

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That is about the juice of it. You can also drag in icons from the Actions or Emotes tabs and the command will be automatically key in for you. It is that simple.

Below are some of the examples I can share with you for Both Solo and Group party. Though there are some listed examples in the macro box, but some of them are either too troublesome or command are too tedious. At this stage I do not have the full macro command list but what I am going to list down will be by far the most frequently used.

Solo Skill Chain :

/Automatic Selection <---Key in this ONLY if you are even too lazy to click on the mob manually
/skill [name of skills]
/delay 2 (set your delay accordingly not more than 4-5)
/skill [name of skills]
/delay 2
/Attack (Resume auto attack)

Group Party Assist Attack Macro :
/select [Nick of the tank] (exclude "[" "]")
/skill Assist Target (will switch target to the one the tank is targetting)
/Group Assisting to attack [%target] now. (Group chat - [%target] will auto change into the name of your target. Must key in "[" & "]")
/Attack

I do not recommend you guys to use skill chain in the Group Party Assist Attack Macro. Dedicate your skill chain using another macro icon. It will save you a lot of headache trust me.

Useful Macro Command

/Select = Target
/Skill Assist Target = If you target your tank and he is in turn targeting a mob, your target will switch to the mob
/Select [%target'starget] = same as /skill Assist Target (thx to Xareny at Official beta forums)
/Group = Group Chat
/Shout = Shout
/General = General chat (actually if you want to chat in normal channel, just type what you want to say in the line will do. You do not need this command unless your chat is in eg Alliance chat mode)
/Legion = Chat will only display among legion members
/Attack = Attack
/Automatic Selection = it will choose nearest mob
/Skill [skill name] = Use the skill as reflected in the skill name (You do not need to key in the "[" & "]")
[%Target] = Will display Target name. You will need to key in "[" & "]"
[%group1] = Will display the player occupying the first slot of the party
/delay 1 = delay set to 1 sec (I recommend you set your delay according to the casting time of your previous skill command)


As for the details or command for the skill names, emotes and action, all you need to do is drag the icon into the "Enter Macro Command" box will do.

Movement while executing macro skill chain

I have read the forums and realise that some players find it difficult to chain the skills when using macros or the macros are always interrupted.

One of the most common mistakes is that players forgot to include /delay command after every skill command. It is a must if you want the skill to chain flawlessly. I recommend you set your delay peg to your cast time. However, I do not set the delay above 4-5 as that is about the maximum waiting time to toggle the next chain skill.

Ok, bad news for spell casters, you cannot move if you are using macros. The macros will be interrupted as your skills are ranged type. You can only move at the 2nd last skill chain you have put in your command lines. BUT you can only start moving 3/4 of the way when you are casting the spells. (Not tested though, it is my theory)

For melee class, if you click on the macros at a distance from your mob and all your skill chains are close range type, I realised the Aion game mechanic will execute the macros command as if the mob is next to it.

What I mean is this - Your character will run towards the mob, but the programme will execute the first line of the skill command. As the mob is still in the distance, the programme may think that the skill has been executed and go for the next line.

For eg :
Your macro commands is as follow :
/Skill Skill 1
/Delay 2
/Skill Skill 2

You click on the macro while the mob is at the distance, your character took let say 2 second to run towards it. When your character reached the mob, it will execute skill 2 (if it is not a chain skill).

For Melee class players : Once you are beside the mob and you click on your macros, as long as your skills in the command are instant type skills, feel free to move around and the skill chain will still be executed. However, if there is a spell type skills in your macro, the macro will be interrupted upon movement.

I have tested the above movement test with my Chanter. Initially I have used smite (spell 2s Cast time) in the first line of my macro followed by my melee chain skills. The macro is always interrupted when I moved the instant I click on macro. When I took the skill smite out, the physical skills (both have instant cast time) chain it perfectly when I move around.

Remember this is only the beta, the macro may be improved when the game is launched. I will update this tutorial once I gotten any more updates. Feel free to leave any comments to point out my errors and I will amend accordingly.

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Hope this tutorial is helpful to you especially if you are completely new to macros.

God Bless and Enjoy
Blackprince