In Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, effectively managing your Action Bars and keybinds is crucial for smooth and efficient combat. Here’s a detailed overview of how you can optimize your setup depending on whether you use a PC or a controller.

Hotbar Setup
1. Default Hotbars: You can customize up to three default hotbars, providing a total of 36 buttons to assign your abilities or macros. This is typically adequate for most jobs, but you can add additional hotbars if needed for specific macros or consumables.
2. Visibility: Hotbars can either be permanently displayed on your screen or configured to toggle with specific shortcut keys, depending on your personal preference or screen space requirements.

Cross Hotbar for Controllers
1. Functionality: For players using a controller, the cross hotbar is a key feature, allowing you to segment abilities across different areas accessed by holding down the left or right triggers and selecting with the d-pad or face buttons.
2. Double Cross Hotbar: By enabling the “double cross hotbar” feature, you can double-tap the triggers to access an additional layer of hotbars, significantly expanding the number of abilities you can use during combat.

Utilizing Modifier Keys
1. Accessing Alternate Keybinds: The use of modifier keys such as Shift, Ctrl, or Alt lets you access different hotbars or keybind sets, allowing more abilities to be assigned to a limited number of keys.
2. Controller Modifiers: On controllers, you can utilize the triggers as modifiers to access different sections of the cross hotbar, similar to how you would use keyboard modifiers.

Recommended Layout Tips
– Placement Strategy: Place single-target abilities on the right side of your hotbar (for instance, right trigger 1 on a controller) and AoE or utility abilities on the left side to aid muscle memory and quick access.
– Disable Default Switch Keybinds: Avoid using the default hotbar switching keybinds (like Shift+number keys) during combat. These can often lead to accidental hotbar switches, so consider unbinding or reconfiguring these in the settings.
– Accessibility: Bind frequently used skills, including cooldowns and essentials, to easy-to-reach keys or buttons to enhance your reaction time in combat situations.

Macros
– Efficiency: Macros are excellent for consolidating multiple actions into a single button press. This not only saves space on your action bars but also makes executing complex actions more straightforward.

Practical Setup Steps
1. Configure Settings: Open Character Configuration > Hotbar Settings to customize which hotbars display and how they’re accessed.
2. Assign Actions: After determining your layout, assign abilities and actions to the buttons or keys on your selected hotbars.
3. Use Modifiers: Incorporate modifier keys (or triggers on controllers) to establish layers within your hotbar system.
4. Enable WXHB: For controller users, enable the “Double Cross Hotbar” (WXHB) to maximize your combat options.
5. Rebind Default Configurations: To reduce confusion and accidental switches during gameplay, consider re-binding or disabling the default hotbar switch keys.
6. Review and Adjust Regularly: As you evolve in your gameplay, regularly review your keybindings and adjust them to better suit your playstyle and job requirements.

By applying these strategies, you can create a combat interface that allows for rapid execution of actions, enhancing your overall gameplay experience in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.