Wow Classic: thoughts on my keybinds?

[Robey]

Hey y'all

Im seeking advise from people who have experience playing endgame content in both PVE and PVP.

Basically, I would need to know whether i have prioritized my keybinds correctly and whether something important is missing (should work for both PVP and PVE). Any input is welcome.

Here are my keybinds: : tinyurl.com/classicshaman

Color coding:

Green: Movement keys
Yellow: Modifier keys. I know that TAB and Capslock cant normally be used as modifiers hence i messed with the registry to make it work. it just feels way more comfortable for me than using Shift and Ctrl. That's a game changer for me which made me want to use modifiers for the first time in my wow life.
Red: Easy to reach and can be used with modifier keys
Light red: OK to reach and can be used with modifier keys
Blue: Ok to reach but cant be used with modifier keys

[birchhh]

As someone who has raided and achieved several server first kills throughout the years my main advise would be to let go of the idea of there being a "correct" setup in the sense that this button should be keybound here etc.

Take the spells you use the most and place them in the most comfortable keybinds for you to mash and work out from there.

I personally like to have my rotation grouped together(1-5), my buffs/utility grouped together (think QERFG) and such. I try to avoid shift modifiers these days, but I def had them in vanilla-wrath as a rshaman and should not be forgotten, ESPECIALLY as a shaman lol

But the main(only?) thing to worry about is it your setup feels comfortable to you personally. Muscle memory will come in time so any setup can technically function given enough time, but having muscle memory AND a naturally comfortable keybinds setup can only lead to success

See I am the opposite. My most used spells are Q and E. For instance on my Elemental Shaman Q is Lava Burst and E is Lightning Bolt. 1/2/3 are my shocks etc.

Everyone is different, whatever is comfortable for you might not be the same for someone else.

[Sinyc]

See I am the opposite. My most used spells are Q and E. For instance on my Elemental Shaman Q is Lava Burst and E is Lightning Bolt. 1/2/3 are my shocks etc.

Everyone is different, whatever is comfortable for you might not be the same for someone else.

Mouse buttons, if MMO style mouse, are very useful as well. I always had one when raiding as Hunter and RShaman mains.

[Mukind]

Only things you'll hit constantly, things off the global, and things that are often time sensitive* need to be on strong binds. Rest you have plenty of time you can put it on Crtl + Shift + D if you wanted. I use that bind.

Q and E are WAYYYY too strong to give up to movement if you can help it. But if you're used to it may be more struggle than it's worth

W - Forward

A/D - Strafe

S - Can rebind.I personally keep it just outta habit and it's useful as a healer when trying to find max range. Also Shift + S is a very viable bind because you're very unlikely to hit it. You can also do Crti/shift/alt WAD as well. I do. I also use Crtl/shift together as a modifier. I use CRtl + W for speed pot for example. Although it is a bit of a risker bind i have hit it on accident a few times. Rare but it happens, riskiest of the ones to add modifiers on is W.

Now if you're used to this set up you've shown us and this is just how you do things...Well whatever. You will need many more trinket binds. And probably a few more potion binds. Probably 25 or so more I would expect including macros. I have over 100 on my paladin on p servers

Some obvious things that are missing - various engineering items. Both types of rocket boots, three reflect trinkets, net, both helms, etc

Some specialty items like the spider belt (i forget the exact name) that removes a cc from you and swiftness boots. And Skull of impending doom* that's a big one.

Some obvious consumes that are missing - resto potion/free action/limited invulnrability would be obvious in combat consumes you might want. I don't remember seen runes/tubers either.

You will need binds for an addon like outfitter that allows you to switch from this gear set to that. And you can also use for weapons....Or more binds for macros.

I would plan for over 100 binds.

Again where you put them doens't really matter because of the global. Only the ones off the global need to be able to hit quickly. And you want ones where timing is important like grounding/tremor to have easy acess too. Insignia would be the most obvious one you want in a good spot because it's off the global. Any cc breaks should have a high prio on the strong binds for you

edit - and your weapon macros are important as a shield user, put them on strong binds. 2k armor (vanilla pre bis shield value) is HUGE in vanilla. Leaving a lot on the table if you aren't actively switching to your shield when needed.

[Mosotti]

Get a mouse with side buttons, much more efficient, not to mention hand damage...

[Vampyr78]

As long as you are comfortable with pressing the buttons you chose and you train your muscle memory to use them the binding would be good. There's no 1 universal best way to bind keys. You just bind how you feel is the best for you.

[Mukind]

Get a mouse with side buttons, much more efficient, not to mention hand damage...

It's not like SC2 tho, the global will protect your hands

Making an action every 1.5 seconds is much less strenuous than typing.

You don't wanna be beholden to a nice numberpad on your mouse. Ruins all other mice

[Alex86el]

some abilities you just need to press ASAP.
like silence, blink, stun, etc...
those i make sure to place then in the "fastest-to-reach" place.

my keybinds for any class are these:

~12345 (also with shift modifier). This is where i place my rotation and "asap abilities"

RTFGCVB (also with shift modifier). This is where i place other abilities.

F2 F3 F4 (also with shift modifier). This is where i place engineering items, potions, bandage.

Shift-Space is for mount.
Ctrl-Space is for eat/drink macro.

I wont get in to mouse-stuff... cause everybody uses a different mouse.
I use mine's side buttons to micro-manage any pets, and for trinkets.

[ZazuuPriest]

rebind S there is never a good reason to backpedal what you can slightly turn still hit the target and strafe. S and SHIFT-S are great for interupts imo

[Knf]

One thing I would avoid for PvP is binding the PvP trinkiet and racial (not very relevant on shaman) with mod keybinds. Too easy to miss click, tho in classic with the 5 min CD that keybind is not offten used, so maybe don't use a "great" KB like "Z" or "X" (what I use on live). Oh and you need to bind Free Action Potion for classic PvP.

PS. I'm in the camp of "don't rebind S", but shift+S is a great keybind. I also use "mod+D" for mounts, but it's not a great bind, I just got used to it, since old-WoW had so many skills that needed bindings.

[Zyky]

whether something important is missing

Probably a bit of understanding of how to play the game at a respectable level, using keyboard bindings to move your character will get you nowhere.

[Fitsu]

As someone who has raided and achieved several server first kills throughout the years my main advise would be to let go of the idea of there being a "correct" setup in the sense that this button should be keybound here etc.

Take the spells you use the most and place them in the most comfortable keybinds for you to mash and work out from there.

I personally like to have my rotation grouped together(1-5), my buffs/utility grouped together (think QERFG) and such. I try to avoid shift modifiers these days, but I def had them in vanilla-wrath as a rshaman and should not be forgotten, ESPECIALLY as a shaman lol

But the main(only?) thing to worry about is it your setup feels comfortable to you personally. Muscle memory will come in time so any setup can technically function given enough time, but having muscle memory AND a naturally comfortable keybinds setup can only lead to success

I'm left handed, and play with the arrow keys and my abilities on numpad/home pad. Fear me and my crazy binds!

[sirethas]

I have some general places for spell on every character I make, so my muscle memory kicks on regardless of the char I play:
123 - rotation (nowadays you barely use more than 3 spells in sequence)
45 - damage cds
QE - dots/procs
R - movement cds
FT - AoE Spells
X - on use item
G - stuns/roots
C - interrupts
F1 - immunities or stuff like evasion etc
Shift+Q - selfheals
Shift+E - big defensives
ScrollUp - HoT/short defensives
MiddleButton - Shields
ScrollDown - charge spells/shadowstep
MouseButton1 - stances
MouseButton2 - HealthStone or Pot

[Fitsu]

I'm left handed too :P

Would you mind explaining how it's more comfortable for you to use the arrow keys? I've seen over the years several left-handed people do something similar for computer games, but I could never wrap my head around it how it functions for the player.

Honestly just what I got used to, played games from a young age before you'd have guides on such things and the arrow keys seemed like the logical direction.

I actually use OKL; for movement in shooters (a mirrored version of WASD), with all my other binds mirrored to suit but arrow keys are to ingrained into my muscle memory for WoW to change now.

[Outofmana]

Best advice is when you truly feel something isn't working (for example you always wanting to press a different panic button instead of the one bound), just switch your binds up immediately until it truly feels great to play. Really don't start learning annoying binds, more often than not you know immediately if you like something, like me still switching a grenade to 4 instead of G in any shooter game, having it hardwired from my cod1 days.

Shaman in raids will involve a lot of totem spamming, I always found that agi/wf being next to each other for proper weaving I required to have my nights be somewhat chill, for example.

As it stands now you would be F-->tab C (on some pulls)---> F --->tab F--> f--->tab F--->f----> tab F..... etc a lot, I really don't see how that will be chill during a raid.

Tab as a modifier I find somewhat lacklustre anyway, you have to leave your movement keys then, as my hand would die having to reach to tab all night with my pinky. You have some shift/ctrl hate?

Lastly don't overdo it on the binds if you find that uncomfortable, mana pots and runes for example can easily be clicked, the slow pacing of vanilla allows this easily. It's often mostly mechanically weak players going off about their keybinds, as if it's this hard for any normal player to manapot inbetween casts.

[Mukind]

Best advice is when you truly feel something isn't working (for example you always wanting to press a different panic button instead of the one bound), just switch your binds up immediately until it truly feels great to play. Really don't start learning annoying binds, more often than not you know immediately if you like something, like me still switching a grenade to 4 instead of G in any shooter game, having it hardwired from my cod1 days.

Shaman in raids will involve a lot of totem spamming, I always found that agi/wf being next to each other for proper weaving I required to have my nights be somewhat chill, for example.

As it stands now you would be F-->tab C (on some pulls)---> F --->tab F--> f--->tab F--->f----> tab F..... etc a lot, I really don't see how that will be chill during a raid.

Tab as a modifier I find somewhat lacklustre anyway, you have to leave your movement keys then, as my hand would die having to reach to tab all night with my pinky. You have some shift/ctrl hate?

Lastly don't overdo it on the binds if you find that uncomfortable, mana pots and runes for example can easily be clicked, the slow pacing of vanilla allows this easily. It's often mostly mechanically weak players going off about their keybinds, as if it's this hard for any normal player to manapot inbetween casts.

never click learn your binds....even if they're uncomfortable at first....WTF lol

You do not want to be clicking basic potions like health and mana

rest is reasonable

[barrsftw]

See I am the opposite. My most used spells are Q and E. For instance on my Elemental Shaman Q is Lava Burst and E is Lightning Bolt. 1/2/3 are my shocks etc.

Everyone is different, whatever is comfortable for you might not be the same for someone else.

That's crazy lol, I use the exact same binds. Bolt on E, Burst on Q, 2,3,4 are shocks.