Song with Instrument Swap

Equips the right instrument, sings, then swaps back to a defensive setup. Instrument swapping mid-song is the signature Bard macro problem and this is the standard solution.

FFXI · Bard56 lines

/equip range "Gjallarhorn"
/wait 1
/ma "Valor Minuet V" <me>
/wait 8
/equip range "Shield Torch"

Where to paste this

Open the macro menu and pick a book, then a Ctrl or Alt slot.
Name the macro — the name is what shows on the palette, so keep it short.
Write up to six lines: /ma "Cure IV" <stpc> for a spell, /ja "Provoke" <t> for an ability.
Add /wait between actions that need to resolve before the next one starts.
Switch books with /macro book, and switch the Ctrl or Alt set with /macro set.

More FFXI macros

Bard macros first, then the rest of the FFXI library.

Assist and Engage
General
```
/assist <p0>
/wait 1
/attack <t>
```
Picks up whatever your party leader is fighting and attacks it. Keeps the whole party on one target without anyone calling it out loud.
Benediction with Call-Out
White Mage
```
/p Benediction now!
/ja "Benediction" <me>
```
The two-hour ability that full-heals the party. Telling everyone the moment it goes off stops other healers from dumping their mana into an already-healed party.
Berserk Opener
Warrior
```
/ja "Berserk" <me>
/wait 1
/ja "Aggressor" <me>
/wait 1
/ja "Warcry" <me>
```
Stacks your offensive abilities with waits between them, because job abilities share a short cooldown and firing them on the same tick loses one.
Blood Pact with Recast Check
Summoner
```
/recast "Blood Pact: Rage"
/pet "Flaming Crush" <t>
```
Checks the blood pact timer, then fires. Blood pacts have long individual timers and firing one that is not ready simply wastes the press.
Call It Out to the Party
General
```
/p Pulling now, hold your hate
/ja "Provoke" <t>
```
Announces an action to the party. FFXI has no combat log overlay by default, so telling people what you just did is how coordination actually happens.
Charm and Send In
Beastmaster
```
/ja "Charm" <stnpc>
/wait 2
/pet "Fight" <t>
```
Charms a monster and orders it to attack your target. Charm breaks without warning, so having the re-charm and the attack order on one macro matters.
Check a Recast Before You Commit
General
```
/recast "Provoke"
/ja "Provoke" <t>
```
A macro fires whether or not the ability is ready. /recast prints the remaining timer to your log, which is how you check without wasting the attempt.
Lullaby on a Chosen Target
Bard
```
/equip range "Horn"
/wait 1
/ma "Foe Lullaby II" <stnpc>
```
Puts an enemy to sleep using a sub-target prompt, so you keep your current target while choosing what to put down. Bard crowd control at its most useful.