Keybind Tips

[Swampertguy 5]

Hey, so I started using new keybinds a few weeks ago and I have just gotten used to them, but I am only using the actual keys, not any modifiers (shift, control, etc...) and when I heal its not too much of a problem (I use a few binds with shift for LoH, BoP, Bubble, etc... [yes I'm a pally]) but when I tank I find that I have a problem with how many different buttons I need to be hitting (two taunts, lots of short CD damage mitigation tools, lots of AoE damage abilities). The worst one tho is crusader strike/hammer of the righteous. I can't bring myself to using two different buttons for such similar abilities. Anyways I was wondering which modifier people here use, my movement keys are esdf if that helps you at all. I use a, c, v, b, g, q, and z most frequently. That probably isn't important but it may be so I might as well put it down. So which (if any) modifier do you use? I'm stuck between shift and control but I'm willing to give anything a chance. I'm of course looking for ease of use but also to prevent my hand form being "stuck" in an odd form.

Thanks for your help (if you give it)!

[Stoove 347]

I personally use shift and control, and all four of my mousebuttons as extra buttons. I got some ideas from a really good keybinding guide here;

http://www.methodwow.com/board/showthread.php?10501-Keybinding-Guide-World-of-Warcraft

It's by one of the dudes from Method. Don't feel like you have to copy it perfectly, just look at it and see what ideas you get :)

What do you use for your healing binds? Do you use a click-to-heal addon like Healbot or do you select a target and press a keybind?

[Swampertguy 5]

I select a target and then press the bind. My binds: a=divine light v=holy shock b=word of glory c=holy radience g=light of dawn t=holy light q=flash of light shift+b=bubble shift+v=divine protection shift+a=lay on hands shift+g=blessing of prtection shift+q=aura mastery shift+c=hand of sacrifice shift+t=hand of freedom

[Damien 1,514]

I'm not a fan of the ESDF setting, as I feel it makes shift and control too hard to reach. So I mostly use 1 2 3 4 q w e t a s d f g and the shift modifier. If really necessary, I'll add a few bindings with control + one of the keys I've just mentioned. That said, I mostly play my Mage as Arcane or Fire, so it's not like I need to bind a ton of keys :P

[lmendonca 16]

i had problems with this and all of them were resolved by getting a razer naga (yea 12 buttons). I think I can't play without it any more. few months later i bought the razer nostromo and make a profile to have more things with the other hand.

I recomend the investiment. I'm very happy with both for the last 2 years.

[Swampertguy 5]

I'm not a fan of the ESDF setting, as I feel it makes shift and control too hard to reach. So I mostly use 1 2 3 4 q w e t a s d f g and the shift modifier. If really necessary, I'll add a few bindings with control + one of the keys I've just mentioned. That said, I mostly play my Mage as Arcane or Fire, so it's not like I need to bind a ton of keys

I might try going back to this setup as it is a similar set of keys as one I use for another game I play, but I do enjoy having the a and q and z keys easily available with the esdf movement. Also, just checking but you use the r key right? Not trying to correct you or anything, just making sure.

i had problems with this and all of them were resolved by getting a razer naga (yea 12 buttons). I think I can't play without it any more. few months later i bought the razer nostromo and make a profile to have more things with the other hand.

I recomend the investiment. I'm very happy with both for the last 2 years.

I have thought about this before but I'm saving my money for other things, (college among them), especially a new computer (slightly more important than the mouse IMO). Thanks for the tip though, I'll definitely think about it.

[Damian 26]

I can touch type so I thought using keybinds would be fairly easy. However, I cannot do it. I suspect my hands are too big. Well that is my excuse anyway :-)

[Boodizz 10]

As a warlock I use as many binds as I can get my fingers on. I definitely agree that having a mouse with a few more buttons can make life easier.

Modifiers (shift, ctrl & alt) are a must have imo. I use these for all binds that are reachable.

First of all, good on you for keybinding. I 110% guarantee you it will improve your play.

In regards to tips, here's a few:

• Make as many binds as possible available to you. Unless you are tanking, in my experience, you should never backpedal/turn left & right using your keyboard. On all my toons I have W as move forward, A as strafe left & D as strafe right. This frees up 3 amazing binds (Q, E & S), and I believe helps you move a lot better. If you really like keyboard left & right, I would still recommend unbinding strafe from Q & E, and simply hold down right click + A/D to strafe. This applies to freeing up C (instead of open character panel) etc.
• Use easy to reach keys for abilities you use often. E.g. I find 1 2 3 4 Q E F easiest to press buttons in your general rotation
• Use modifiers logically. E.g. I use F for fear, shift+F for focus fear & alt+F for Howl of Terror. Similar spells, similar binds
• Make cooldowns easy to press when you need them, but when possible, away from other keys you may fat finger. This isn't integral, but it can help to not have Lay on Hands bound right next to something you will be spamming a lot
• Bind everything. Pots, Buffs, Res etc. This will make you faster/more efficient in all aspects of the game.

Edited August 14, 2012 by Boodizz

[Damien 1,514]

I might try going back to this setup as it is a similar set of keys as one I use for another game I play, but I do enjoy having the a and q and z keys easily available with the esdf movement. Also, just checking but you use the r key right? Not trying to correct you or anything, just making sure.

I should, but I've grown so used to using r for replying to people that I tend to avoid rebinding it :P

[Dementii 10]

I can also recommend the Razer Naga, it helps me tremendously by adding 12 buttons which I can use for my rotation.

[Oobi 1]

I personally think that R-key is the most convenient key to press, so I bind the "spam-this-while-not-doing-anything-more-important" ability (like Smite on disc and Mind Flay on shadow priest) to this button, while using my Razer Naga buttons for other abilities. And, most important, I bind the Ultraxion extra action button to Shift+R on all my chars :)

[Stoove 347]

I'm not a fan of the ESDF setting, as I feel it makes shift and control too hard to reach. So I mostly use 1 2 3 4 q w e t a s d f g and the shift modifier. If really necessary, I'll add a few bindings with control + one of the keys I've just mentioned. That said, I mostly play my Mage as Arcane or Fire, so it's not like I need to bind a ton of keys

I don't like that regime either, but my point was more like;

You should take some ideas from this and use what you think is good for you. A lot of the ideas will be useless, but some will be useful and by that measure, this guide is useful to you.

Rather than saying that particular method is the single best way to do it (it certainly isn't for me) =]

[aparthia 0]

MOuseover macros and

q w e r

a s d f

< z x c

+ modifiers for keybindings

alt is self-heal

ctrl is focus

shift is for a wide range of rare usage buttons(mounts, professions, utility spells etc)

[Archimage 98]

I know this is an ancient topic, but I would rather post here than opening a new one. (since so many people ask for "Rezz" ingame)

Like Boodizz said, you should keybind things where you would expect them. 

 

Keybinds are like shoes; It gets more comfortable the more you use it. Don't expect to instantly become a pro when you copy a pro's keybindings.

 

I suggest to only use keybind modifiers (Shift and Alt) on "Easy-to-reach" buttons like 1-4, Q-R, A-G, Z-V

I remember Alt is for Alternative, and Shift is "Upper case Spells"

 

How I keybound my spells, take it if you want:

W,A,S and D are general move keys. I removed S recently since backpedaling is bad.
Numpad 1-6 (mouse) are the DPS rotation spells
1 for "first place" movement (Blink / Roll / Sprint)
2 for "second chance" Trinket or Heal spell
3 for "three is a crowd" AoE Rotation spell 1
4 for "four is a crowd" AoE Rotation spell 2

Now here is how I allocate spells according to a general allocation from playing different games:
Q - "Go qq" interrupt button. Alt for target focus.
E - "Use It" button for Stuns / Disables
R - "Reload" for recovery spells like Evocation, Healing Surge. Shift for Cold Snap and other instant heals.
S - "Shield" spells like Ice Barrier.
F - "Area" control/damage spell like Frost Nova
G - "Grenade" control/damage spell like Pet Freeze
Z - "zZzZ" Controlled Sleep.
X - "marks the spot" for either Alter Time macro, Transcendence or grounding totem
C - "Control" / "Cover"
V - "for Vendetta" Major Cooldowns
Shift+Space - "Wake up" Anti-CC trinket
Ctrl+Space - "Controlled movement" like slow fall, water walking etc

Edited December 17, 2013 by Archimage