I had some people ask to do a post similar to one I did about a year ago where I out-lined what mods I am using, their placement, etc. In addition, one was curious what macros I was using. So I figure it was a decent topic to post about. So let’s toss up my un-annotated UI first of all:
I have been trying to keep my UI very uncluttered.I think a lot of people learned the hard way what can happen if your UI cannot adapt to situations like Teron Gorefiend, or the new vehicle UI in places such as Malygos or what not. That is one of the reasons I opted to use the default action bars. There are few mods more complained about when they break then action bars.
You will also notice I moved my most pertinent health bars to the lower center of the screen. By being able to keep my eyes focused on my surroundings and less time moving them to the corners to see my health or my target’s health. Right above my health bar you will see my pet’s health. The health bar below my health is my focus target. And of course, the one on the right is my target, with my target’s target right above it.
Here is a break-down of my currently used mod as annotated on screen:
To further keep with the thinking of being able to keep my eyes focused on my surroundings you will notice that Quartz, my castbar of choice, is situated right above my health bars, with the ClassTimer mod right next to it to track things such as Serpent Sting and Hunter’s Mark (which I wasn’t in charge of maintaining during this fight). OmniCC is what I used to display cooldown counts on the action bar buttons themselves. It’s light-weight and almost always works right out of the box.
Normally I have Recount hidden during boss fights but I have it displayed for screenshot purposes. What you can’t see in this picture is FuBar and the few mods I have plugged into it. Mainly a button for Recount, an auto-repair mod, Wardrobe, and the menu for ClearFont.
Obviously since I am a DPS class, I don’t feel the need to display the entire raid’s unit frames on my screen. I display my current group and that’s all. Anyone I need to target in a hurry for whatever reason I find faster to just type “/tar someone’s-name” than it is to find them in the raid list. But other than Misdirect I don’t have many causes for that.
As far as my macros go, I definitely implemented some of my favorite ones. On the main action bar I have my Misdirect macro bound to ‘x.”
#showtooltip Misdirection
/cast [help] Misdirection; [target=focus, help] Misdirection; [target=pet, exists] Misdirection
Kill Command is also macro’d into Steady Shot, which is pretty straight forward. Shift-1 and Shift-2 are my trinket macros. Neither one of my PvE trinkets are “on use” so the second one is my Endless Healing Potion. During PvP, trinket 1 turns into my PvP trinket while my second trinket is my Alchemist Stone, so the potion stays there as well. :)
Viper Sting is Shift-3, which is a simple focus harm macro like this:
#showtooltip Viper Sting
/cast [target=focus, harm][harm] Viper Sting(Rank 4)
Rapid Fire and Readiness are a single macro with “R” as my modifier key like this:
#showtooltip
/cast [modifier:shift] Readiness; Rapid Fire
Simple and to the point. My 3 most used Aspects are also bound to ‘H’ as well:
#showtooltip
/cast [modifier:shift]Aspect of the Viper; [button:1]Aspect of the Dragonhawk(Rank 1); [button:2]Aspect of the Cheetah;
The final set of macros is my all-in-one Pet management macros. Well, all-in-2 technically. The first one is bound to Shift-~ and looks like this:
#showtooltip
/castsequence [target=pet,dead][button:2] Revive Pet; [nopet] Call Pet; [modifier:ctrl] Dismiss Pet; Mend Pet;
/click [nocombat] MultiBarBottomRightButton9
You’ll notice it calls a click command to the button right next to it, which clicks the Feed Pet macro which looks like this:
#showtooltip
/cast Feed Pet
/use [pet:Wind Serpent] Mag’har Mild Cheese; [pet:Cat] Mead Basted Caribou; [pet:Wolf] Clefthoof Ribs; [pet:Bird of Prey] Mead Basted Caribou; [pet:Gorilla] Tundra Berries
So that is how my UI is currently set-up. I don’t use any bag mods. For some reason I never liked them. I like things organized and most bag mods seem to be obsessed with making one giant bag. My buff bars are also default. I’ve been playing long enough to know what most of those things means. :)
And for those interested here is a complete list of all the mods currently installed on my rig. Some of them are needed for other mods to run (For example, Auctioneer needs Stubby, almost everything needs Ace3), and things like Runewatch is for leveling my DK. :)
- !Swatter
- Ace3
- ag_Extras
- ag_Options
- ag_UnitFrames
- Align
- ArenaAnnouncer
- Auc-Advanced
- Chatter
- ClassTimer
- ClearFont2
- CT_Core
- CT_MailMod
- CT_MapMod
- DrDamage
- EnhTooltip
- Examiner
- Fishbringer
- FishingBuddy
- FuBar
- FuBar_DurabilityFu
- FuBar_RecountFu
- Informant
- OmniCC
- OmniCC_Options
- Proximo
- Quartz
- RatingBuster
- Recount
- RuneWatch
- SSGCD
- Stubby
- viperwatch
- Wardrobe
Hopefully that didn’t bore you too much.
Drotara (or BehemothDan) considers himself a geek on many levels. A web developer and programmer by trade, he has no shortage of geeky hobbies. Whether it's trying to stay current in World of Warcraft raiding, playing competitively in the WoW TCG, Magic: The Gathering with friends, or a night at the local shop playing DnD, it's all good to him!
That’s great! I love checking out other people’s UI and macro setups.
Speaking of bag mods, you might enjoy Baggins. I couldn’t stand any other bag mods (I don’t like the “one bag” idea either) and was forever reorganising my bags so that my consumables were in my first bag, quest items were in my second bag, etc.
Baggins takes quite a bit of configuring initially, but you can set it up to reorganise and display your bags however you like. You can also use a skin that looks just like the default bags, which was a big positive for me!
@Mazil I might have to give it another go. If I recall correctly I tried Baggins once but it kept bugging out telling me I couldn’t place things in certain bags or what not.
I use most of the mods you use as well. One other mod I picked up and happen to love is Mik Scrolling BattleText. The title pretty much says it all… it scrolls text of the damage you do in battle. Of course you can turn that feature on in WoW w/o the mod, but, this mod also announces when your special functions proc and when mana’s low, etc.
Drotara, I’m curious if you use a one in all macro for shot rotations, and if so which one?
@Heloise The only “shot macro” I use is adding in Kill Command with Steady Shot. Everything else is manually cast.
Looks pretty good overall.. I love checking out other people’s UIs as well. I’ve been debating trying out ClassTimers too. Currently I use a very simple, non-popular mod that basically does the same thing, but sadly it’s a little bit buggy and misses applications of serpent sting on occasion.
I was previously using a Kill Command and Steady Shot macro, but I switched over to one that prioritizes Kill Shot over those. Basically, without the error message canceling lines it’d be like this:
- Kill Shot
- Kill Command
- Auto Shot
- Steady Shot
… and the auto shot line basically just starts my auto shot as soon as I press the button, rather than waiting for my steady shot to go off before beginning.
Always nice to see what other people are using out there. After seeing your list it really makes me feel like I am missing out on a few mods, I run four on my hunter, five on my priest. Thought ya might like the one macro I couldn’t live with out:
/target pet
/use frostweave bandage
This really helped out when leveling, and I tend to use it also in PvP. Quick heal pet followed by a bandage = happy kitty, and it can also save ya a lick wounds cast if you have that talent on your PvP pet.
As always great site and thanks for keeping us causal players in the know!
Hey Drotara nice post. Couple questions
1) Can you please post your shot macro?
2) I notice you don’t you use omen or aggro notifier do you just use blizzards default threat? and if so will the % go on top on ag unit frames?
3) Would you say ag unit frames sucks less memory?
I notice more addons you use less fps you get
Also I stop using grid, ORa2 will always have your mt, ot and ma on list , makes it easier to put focus on your current tank
lol at people asking for Dro’s shot rotation macro. l2read previous comments?
Tora’s last blog post..Art – The Survival Hunter
@Stridur ag_Unitframes has Blizzard’s added in aggro functionality. I have never ever had a problem knowing when my aggro has gotten to high. The tooltip over my current target tells me the exactpercentage, or if I am pulling aggro during AoE Blizzard’s combat text as well as frame coloring tells me to feign.
@Weezil One of the reasons I haven’t macro’d in Kill Shot is mainly for PvP. If I am doing Arena most of the time I am not mashing my Steady Shot macro and still need a hotkey for Kill Shot. And sometimes I don’t want it to go off, such as when a player might have blown a cooldown or something. Though that’s not to say that having Kill Shot in there is a bad idea. I just opted not to.
This is my Steady Shot macro:
Drotara’s last blog post..What do you owe your guild?
going by what Weezil said ” and the auto shot line basically just starts my auto shot as soon as I press the button, rather than waiting for my steady shot to go off before beginning.”
and then looking at both your macros you guys have !auto shot, just want is this preference into what weezil said or does having !auto shot in your macro shoot more auto’s and increase dps?
Having the !Auto Shot line ensures that your auto shot is active. Without that line, your auto shot does not fire until after you have fired Steady Shot. In a standstill type of fight it’s the difference of a shot or two right at the start of the fight. When you have to move, perhaps untarget and retarget mobs, then you’re going to pick up a shot or two each time. It’s not a vast increase in dps or anything… but rather just a smidge more.
^ just to clarify…. “auto shot does not fire until after you have fired steady shot” — On your INITIAL steady shot at the start of the fight… not on subsequent firings.
To Fosters,
You might like that macro better if you use:
/use [target=pet] Frostweave Bandage
This will allow you to keep your current target so you can see casting bars (if enabled).
I like your ui, a bit too much on the screen thou but i ve seen worse. i for myself am playing without most of the macros, doing things by hand gives me the feeling to smash more than 1 button and regarding your killkommand / ss macro.. after some raiding i found it to be more efficient to weave kill kommand in when u do beast within etc for some higher dps.
regards
ps: u using old flasks ? :D
@Wylde For that raid, yes. :) I procced 2 during my Northrend Alchemy Research and decided to use them during Naxx. :)
I could spend hours organising my bags, bank and my alt banks and I would consider it time well spent. There’s that little bit of OCD in all of us.
I have a onebag mod, I love it. Since I use a mouse button just to open and close all my bags at once, putting everything into one window really works for me.
The more useful function I use Bagnon for though is inventory. It can track items across alts and in banks (not gbanks unfortunately). Immense help, although I’m sure you could get the functionality without a onebag mod.
i personelly like mrplow its light weight and it organizes everything to the left it also groups everything togather with like items
Since we’re swapping macros, here are a few of my tips. I’m mainly a PvPer and survival spec. One of the key things is that I’ll often need to run around or kite with Aspect of the Cheetah but it’s really important to switch it off in melee and not to forget to switch it off. The “cancelaura” command is really useful. Similarly, if you’ve had Viper on between fights to regain mana, you want it off when you start a new fight. Here’s my “Mark” macro, which is my PvE opener (bound to X):
/cancelaura Aspect of the Cheetah
/cancelaura Aspect of the Pack
/cancelaura Aspect of the Viper
/cast Hunter’s Mark
/petattack [modifier] [btn:2]
/cast [modifier] [btn:2] Kill Command
Note that right now you _can_ cast aspects free in macros with other abilities, but they’re going back on the global cooldown in 3.0.8. I’ve removed them from macros again so I don’t get used to the luxury. However, you can always cancelaura for free.
Similarly, here is my Raptor Strike macro (bound to 2):
/cancelaura Aspect of the Cheetah
/cancelaura Aspecf ot the Pack
/cast [modifier] [btn:2] Deterrence
/cast Raptor Strike
and something similar for Mongoose Bite. What?! Melee? Yes! With Savage Strikes and a big slow two-hander you can run-in while pressing Raptor and then Mongoose when you get there for a really big burst. Often they both crit for 15-25% of your opponent’s HP, especially if you have lots of AP like I do. Then it’s Wing Clip and you’re off again for the next instant jump-shot. Or, more recently, an Immo trap (which often snares due to Entrapment) and _three_ explosive shots in the next six seconds from Lock and Load.
I use the default UI, with CooldownCount (so I can see a big flash when my traps are up) and things like Recount to see how I’m performing. However, none of my keys are bound any more to non-fighting functions such as bringing up the character sheet. The most important keys are the ones around the movement keys, i.e. 1234, RFV, ZXC, F1, F2, F3, F3, and then TGB. For PvP you’re moving and doing stuff at the same time so you need your important stuff on these. I have:
1: attack macro (with Deterrence on shift)
2: raptor strike macro (with Deterrence on shift)
3: mongoose bite macro (with Deterrence on shift)
4: serpent sting
R: disengage (often gets spammed!)
F: explosive shot
V: wyvern sting macro (with mouseover targetting and automatic setting of focus target)
Z: shoot macro (plain old auto-shot with rapid fire on shift)
X: mark macro (see above)
C: wing clip
T: PvP trinket
G: racial ability (arcane torrent/shadowmeld/stoneform)
B: scatter shot macro (with mouseover targetting)
N: viper sting macro (with mouseover targetting and automatic setting of focus target)
5: arcane shot
6: concussive shot
7: multi-shot
`: set/clear focus
F1-F4: aspects
Arcane and Concussive are key to PvP kiting and could go closer to the movement keys, but I’ve been doing it for so long with 5 and 6 that I’m used to it now. Also, Explosive Shot with TNT talent is a great kiting shot, since it often stuns and therefore slows your target.
The control key on my keyboard is left of A, right under my little finger giving:
c-Z: immolation trap
c-X: freeze trap
c-C: frost trap
c-V: explosive trap
The other interesting ones are:
c-T: other trinket (e.g. Heart of Noxxion if I’m dealing with a rogue)
c-R: PvP trinket + disengage macro
Also, for PvP I recommend binding “target next enemy player” etc. which I have on alt-tab, alt-shift-tab, etc. and avoids targetting pets or mobs.
Steady Shot, that PvE hunter mainstay, isn’t a lot of use in PvP except as a sneaky opener, and after traps I use 3 x Explosive with Lock and Load. So Steady Shot is over on Y.
I find the default UI fine these days, whereas in 1.0 you couldn’t see things like cooldowns at all! I’ve resolved to learn to use it and not worry about addons, which take away from play time. To me, macros and keybinds are far more important. But if you enjoy customising, go ahead!
Oh, and as a survival hunter, my pet is mainly there for its special abilities, the key ones being disarming or slowing effects, damage mitigation (Roar of Sacrifice) or mana restoration. Other than that it’s just a kind of minor DoT or caster interrupt. If it dies (paladins seem to enjoy killing it most) I’m not seriously disabled.
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