Macros are game commands that you can assign to keys on your keyboard. They can be especially handy for tasks your character does often, but where a script may be impractical or overkill, and hand-typing the commands just gets tiresome. This is where programming macros into your front end can save the day, and your fingers.

To begin, enter your front-end's Edit Macros menu and select a key you wish to assign a command(s) to and hit the Edit button, or if that key is not on the list, the Create button. Then in the Command box type the command you wish to assign to the key, ending your command with \r (this simulates hitting the Enter key). Example: If you wanted a key that grabs your arrows, you could program your macro with the line stow arrow in my sheathe\r as your command. Imagine you've just slaughtered a gang of field goblins and now you've got 30 arrows laying on the ground. Simply hold down that key for a couple of seconds and you've just grabbed them all!

Macros can even contain multiple commands. For instance, if you wanted a key that would put away your sword and get your bow ready, you could use the line sheathe scimitar\rremove longbow\r . Notice that you don't need to include a space after that first \r. You can have as many commands as you dare to on a single macro key, but remember, the game can yell at you if you try to input too many commands at once, especially if you have a slow internet connection.

Now, where do you stick these things so that they don't interfere with your regular typing? A great place to start assigning macros is your numeric keypad, since many (if not all) keys on the keypad are just duplicates of keys elswhere on the keyboard anyway. Let's have a look at it:

Assuming we leave Num Lock alone, we have sixteen keys at our disposal. Let's get cracking! A good place to use macros is combat, where entering commands in a timely fashion can mean the difference between life and death. Now, let's say you use a scimitar and you've managed to train your stats high enough to where you have the minimum roundtime with the weapon (1-2 seconds per swing). Hand-typing one full cycle of the preferred balance-positive combat combo (feint, draw, sweep, slice, chop) for ME (medium edged) slicing weapons takes 28 keystrokes, including hitting the enter key after each command. That's all within 9 seconds! This can get very tiring, especially after putting in a good half hour of hunting. Now, what if we assign each of those combo elements to five consecutive keys?

Suddenly, entering those same five commands into the game has gone from 28 keystrokes to 5. That's a big difference! So now that we've got shortcuts for our attack commands, what about some of the other commands you regularly use during combat? Let's throw them on there!

With this setup, you've got a pretty strong control over your character's combat situation. The problem is, now you're being corrupted with your newfound power, and though you desire more, you've run out of keys! Well, as stated before, you can have multiple commands on one macro key.

Since your Attack Stance is probably programmed in-game to use 100% of your offensive skill (type stance help if you have no idea what this is all about), let's go ahead and link that to your feint key, since that's the one you're going to hit when you start your combo, anyway. When you feel like chilling out and working those defenses, why not switch into one of your other stances, like evasion or parry? And if you're going to change your stance, isn't it likely that you'll want to also dodge or parry on top of that? Let's link those together, too. On to face next and engage. Perfect pair, if you ask me. And in the situation that you want to face someone new without engaging them? Just quickly follow up that keystroke with your retreat key. Finally, let's just combine exp and assess, to basically act as a "status" key. Now how's it looking?

Holy cow! That's five keys we've just cleared up, without losing any functionality! Now, what on earth are we going to do with this new capacity? Let's add our bow to the mix! How about we have two weapon-swapping keys; one to stash the blade and grab the bow, and one to wear the bow and whip out the blade. One more key to grab an arrow(s) and load (to get that reduced load time), and another key to shoot. Finally, since we were talking about it before, let's put that arrow-grabbing key on there so that your post-postal clean up will be a walk in the park.

You've now become a killing machine, all without having to rely on some elaborate combat script that will most likely get you killed while you're fixing that mayonnaise sandwich. And now that you're not wasting all of your time in combat typing your hands to death, now you can actually focus on other things, like conversing with other characters or paying closer attention to the battle.

What else can you do with macros? Well the sky's the limit. How about assigning all your different enchantes, spells, cookies, roars, or speculates to your F keys? Just kidding on that last one; I can't imagine why anyone would actually want to play a trader.

Mind you, these are all just suggestions meant to point you in the right direction; surely you'll want to customize your macro-ing experience to your tastes. Be creative, and have fun!