How to handle Arcane Missile procs?

[sync00]

For an Arcane Mage you want to cast Arcane Blast 4 times to get the maximum stacks of Arcane Charge. Then you want to cast Arcane Missile X times. X is the number of Arcane Missile charges and can be anywhere from 0 to 3.

Is there some way to write a macro that will cast Arcane Missile X times when you don't know the exact value of X or perhaps some other way to handle this?

[mbox_bob]

So your question is, can I do something [random number of times] when I don't know how many [random number of times] I want to do it?

I thought you could look into http://wow.gamepedia.com/API_GetSpellCharges, BUT it indicates that Arcane Missiles will always return 0. There are a couple of other functions that might report whether it is enabled or not, so you could just keep casting until it is not enabled, if the other functions happen to work.
http://wow.gamepedia.com/World_of_Warcraft_API#Spell_Functions
Possibilities are IsUsableSpell or GetSpellCooldown (this might be stretching it, but hey don't know unless you try), or even IsSpellOverlayed (if you have the spell activation overlays enabled).

Of course seeing as I have NO EXPERIENCE with WOW macros, this may not be possible at all...

[MiRai]

Unfortunately you cannot write an efficient macro, or ISBoxer Mapped Key, to cast arcane missiles when you have the right amount of stacks. You have to just have to hope that you can get something working that is close enough.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

Unfortunately you cannot write an efficient macro, or ISBoxer Mapped Key, to cast arcane missiles when you have the right amount of stacks. You have to just have to hope that you can get something working that is close enough.

+1. Any of the binary proc-based abilities are not "scannable" since, oh, about WoW 2.0 or something. Meaning, you have to just work in the proc as a part of a fall-through/multi-step macro set (where it will always TRY to fire but won't block other spells if it fails) and hope for the best. Paladin Holy Power is another good example of this, as it's unpredictable (within reason) and either wastes resources or blocks macros if you put it in the wrong place. This is where the "art" of multiboxing starts to apply with experience. Sadly, if we (and by proxy, raiders) did have a "fool-proof" method of utilizing procs, you can bet your ass Blizzard would nerf it Into. The. Ground.

Looking at arcane blast/charges/missiles on bnet shows that every blast builds one charge, and arcane missiles maxes out at three. That's not exactly "random" and should be pretty easy to macro up.

[sync00]

Looking at arcane blast/charges/missiles on bnet shows that every blast builds one charge, and arcane missiles maxes out at three. That's not exactly "random" and should be pretty easy to macro up.
Each blast builds an arcane charge. But the arcane missile charges/procs are random.

[HPAVC]

What is the macro you are using right now?

The proc is important to utilize (and using it is much easier than other mage procs, like hot streaks and such) ... using it with lesser stacks is only sub-optimal.

You can use one of the gs / lazy macros and blast and barrage normally, with an extra blast 'step' that is a sequence for a blast and missile or blast blast, that will make sure you always have stacks when you let the missiles fly.

So a sequence for classic blasting and barrage and a sequence for blast and missiles ... that you button mash to 'meh' through.

The lazy macro stuff is pretty much as good as it will get.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

Each blast builds an arcane charge. But the arcane missile charges/procs are random.

I see; thanks for the correction. Been a while since my mage hit 100. I didn't find it all that painful to macro, though I wasn't exactly trying to be top-ten competitive in DPS meters. :p

[Lyonheart]

I use a combo a lazymacro for my mages and a step bar...what i mean by step bar is i have a macro 1-6 buttons (i keep stuff i want to control individually on 7-12) So i have two steps, at least. 1st step hits one of the buttons on my main bar, second spams one or multi abilities placed on my "step bar". My step bar is shift 1-12, and depending on the class i might have several abilities being spammed on step two.

I tested my arcane missle procs and found that i did the most dps this way, over just using the lazymacro. The macro has missles in it and so does the step bar. Im sure i am not getting it perfect, but my mage(s) are always in the top 5 or so on world bosses. ( they are maxed in Tanan gear, no raid gear at all )

[JohnGabriel]

Jamba Proc used to be able to know when a spell procs, does it not anymore?

I used to have two action bars, one with the spell (shift-2 keybind) and one without (shift-1 keybind). Whenever Jamba told me the spell proc'd I would hit shift-2 and after back to shift-1, don't even have to stop spamming my attack key.

I know its an extra step compared to an all-in-one macro but if you can micro manage why not.