so i can assign skills to my left and right side, assign them to asdf keys etc. but i don't know how to actually use skills. clicking the icons does nothing, i don't see any keyboard keys activating them, so how do i actually use the skills i have assigned.

Left and right click for the left/right side skills. I usually put the basic attack skill for left and whatever seemed best at the time for right side.

Weird thing is the buff / heal / element boost skills with a duration. These will show as being a glowing ball over the characters head or a ring at the characters feet. You can only have one of each active at the same time, so one overhead and one ground.