Please, teach me how to play with a mouse

[Absintheminded]

I don't understand why people feel like they need to move with only the mouse or only the keyboard. Like, they're both there for you to use together at all times.

[Lanrefni]

WASD +mouse to move,most used abilities on mouse buttons 1-3,Alt+mouse buttons 1-3,Q and E for long dps cd's,1-5 F1-F5 used for interrupts,non dps cd's, those keys+Alt for anything else that doesn't fit.
Also since WoW doesn't recognize left and right scroll I bind those to Shift and Alt in Logitech Gaming Software,makes life so much easier.

[Saphyron]

I am using
1 to 6
½qerfv
Mouse button 1-12

My hand never leaves my mouse.

[Mahmeya]

I have been playing like this since I started playing WoW. Maybe is too late to change?

I have been playing with weird keybinds the early years as well. It takes effort but you can change.

I personally use 1-5 for main abilities (sometimes even 6 and 7), F1-F4 for main CDs, Q for interrupt and E for AoE, usually.
TAB for targetting (even though it works in mysterious ways)
+ two extra mouse buttons: one to start/stop autorun and one for another ability
then WASD for movement and mouse (right-click held down) for turning

It's usually enough, I click pre-pots, flasks, gadgets (like glider) and stuff like that.
+ mount macro (chooses ground/flying based on location) on Ctrl-F and dismount on Ctrl-D with mog mount on Ctrl-M

[Nivena]

I only use QWE to move, strafe left, run forward and strafe right. Whenever I have to move backward I strafe and use my mouse to change the walking direction. This safes up some space and lets me use ASD for keybinds.

When I switched from clicker to keybinding that also helped me to avoid backpedalling.

[Bodakane]

Use wheel down for most used ability like shred for a feral or jab for a monk or whatever ability that has the most reactive need but is used a lot like ironfur.

Use wheel up for speed stuff, like roll/blink/heroic leap.

Use thumb button for interrupt.

If your mouse wheel tilts, use that for strafing.

Using wheel down for your most used ability is actually fun and makes the rotation interesting.

[VeteranoNoob]

Damn, so many replies, was not expecting that at all.

Guys I have read them all, thank you very much! I gonna re read and see what I can do about my keys/mouse!

Thanks alot!!! Really appreciated!!

[Cosmic Janitor]

Mice with 12 button thumbgrids even! =P Razer Naga Logitech G600 and Corsair Scimitar are 3 of the top namebrand ones.

I'd argue that overloading your mouse with a ton of akward buttons is usually more of a challenge than just using keybinds.

Personally I have one of these old ass steel series merc keyboards with the more ergonomic breakout. That thing has been a god-send since I bought it like 8-10 years ago. It has essentially wasdqe in the center, 1-6 a row above and 7-12 above that. The other keys are placed around that. Certainly makes accessing all parts of the keyboard and the number binds more comfortable. Should this thing ever break I will end up bying a new one, a serpate one with only the extension or I will hack myself one together with a 3d printer if I have to.

Edit: I just checked their site and and they no longer make these.. damn. Fucking twats.

[Lanrefni]

I'd argue that overloading your mouse with a ton of akward buttons is usually more of a challenge than just using keybinds.

Personally I have one of these old ass steel series merc keyboards with the more ergonomic breakout. That thing has been a god-send since I bought it like 8-10 years ago. It has essentially wasdqe in the center, 1-6 a row above and 7-12 above that. The other keys are placed around that. Certainly makes accessing all parts of the keyboard and the number binds more comfortable. Should this thing ever break I will end up bying a new one, a serpate one with only the extension or I will hack myself one together with a 3d printer if I have to.

Edit: I just checked their site and and they no longer make these.. damn. Fucking twats.

If you are handy with a soldering iron you could buy the parts for an Iris keyboard from keeb.io, top and bottom plates should give you a good idea of the physical layout,you can program the keys how ever you like.

[taishar68]

I switched to the mouse for movement the best way possible; remove the movement from the keyboard (unbind the movement keys), and suck for a few days while you learn. I could not imagine using the keyboard to move again. I use the qwes as well, rarely use a/d for anything. My trouble is spell keybinds; it is really awkward for me to use the shift button for modification, so I remapped the keys to use 12345rf, along with 2 mouse buttons, but I usually only use one. Most classes don't have more than 9 skills that demand keybinds for PvE. Maybe I should practice it but it feels so strange.

[capri sunset]

I tried a naga way back but there wasn't really that ease of spamming the buttons that makes everything flow, it might be fine with the spell queue slider now though. I'd say maybe just putting your frequently used instants on your mouse could help the transition.

I switched to the mouse for movement the best way possible; remove the movement from the keyboard (unbind the movement keys), and suck for a few days while you learn. I could not imagine using the keyboard to move again. I use the qwes as well, rarely use a/d for anything. My trouble is spell keybinds; it is really awkward for me to use the shift button for modification, so I remapped the keys to use 12345rf, along with 2 mouse buttons, but I usually only use one. Most classes don't have more than 9 skills that demand keybinds for PvE. Maybe I should practice it but it feels so strange.

How do you strafe or use the mouse to target swap/heal frames while you want to move?

[taishar68]

How do you strafe or use the mouse to target swap/heal frames while you want to move?

I, um...don’t? There’s a reason I’m not a Mythic raider (well more than one), but for my level, it hasn’t been an issue. I guess I’ve adapted my own ways to work around things. I’m trying to think of a fight recently where this would be a huge issue, and if it was something that hindered the fight for my group. Playing the Mage has often let me cheese certain mobility issues, like during WoD when we had blazing speed and double blink.

[capri sunset]

I, um...don’t? There’s a reason I’m not a Mythic raider (well more than one), but for my level, it hasn’t been an issue. I guess I’ve adapted my own ways to work around things. I’m trying to think of a fight recently where this would be a huge issue, and if it was something that hindered the fight for my group. Playing the Mage has often let me cheese certain mobility issues, like during WoD when we had blazing speed and double blink.

Ah right yeah you do you, didn't mean to condescend.

[taishar68]

Ah right yeah you do you, didn't mean to condescend.

No offense taken. I am sure I could be a better player if I really put my time and energy to it. If I had more time and the opportunity to do harder content, like Mythic raids, I’d certainly have to improve, but my wife is having baby next month (hows that for timing!), so I’ll be happy if I have time for LFR

[Taurous]

I use z, x, c as strafe left, backpedal, strafe right. Then I use asdf, qwer plus shift of all those for abilities, and I have a gaming mouse with buttons on the side for CDs and more stuff I dont use as often. I almost never unclick my mouse.

[vsb]

I'm using W-A-D for moving forward and strafing. I don't use back, it's stupid, it's easier and faster to turn and strafe (and of course I don't turn with keyboard, when I can do that with mouse 1000 times faster). I'm using qertsfgzxcvb as main binds, 123456 as secondary binds (usually dps cooldowns) and f1..f6 as defensive cooldowns and CC. I have few binds with control (e.g. ctrl+g sets my soul for monk transcendence, g teleports me) where appropriate. My right hand is always on mouse. Additional mouse buttons are not for me, I bought expensive Logitech mouse with dozens of those buttons and in the end didn't use a single one of them, only left and right buttons (and scroll).

[Zafire]

I play like a grandpa. Everyone I have ever spoke to makes fun of me for it, but I don't really want to change it since I'm so comfortable already and see little benefit.

I use the arrow keys to move/strafe, numpad4, numpad7,Delete,Pagedown,ENTER for extra keys. numpad 0 to jump, Numpad DEL for map, numpad 1 for auto run. I'm probably the only person left who plays like this lul.

Honestly though, the real trick is just getting a gaming mouse. Just keybinding stuff to mouse wheel scroll up/down with CTRL/SHIFT variances is eight keybinds. My Logitech G600 has 15 extra buttons besides the mouse wheel (And a mouse wheel tilt left/right, but I don't use that because if I scroll too aggressively I trigger it by mistake. I'll usually use it for mounting since you can't do that in combat.) This in total, with SHIFT,CTRL, and CTRL+SHIFT gives me 17*4=68 keybinds WITHOUT THE OTHER KEYS. I still have a lot of keybinds I'm not using.

[capri sunset]

No offense taken. I am sure I could be a better player if I really put my time and energy to it. If I had more time and the opportunity to do harder content, like Mythic raids, I’d certainly have to improve, but my wife is having baby next month (hows that for timing!), so I’ll be happy if I have time for LFR

Poor planning on blizzard's part for sure, I wish you all the best man.

[Heladys]

I switched to the mouse for movement the best way possible; remove the movement from the keyboard (unbind the movement keys), and suck for a few days while you learn. I could not imagine using the keyboard to move again. I use the qwes as well, rarely use a/d for anything. My trouble is spell keybinds; it is really awkward for me to use the shift button for modification, so I remapped the keys to use 12345rf, along with 2 mouse buttons, but I usually only use one. Most classes don't have more than 9 skills that demand keybinds for PvE. Maybe I should practice it but it feels so strange.

Here's the secret though: wasd+12345 for rotational stuff, with the Naga 12 buttons for cooldowns, aoe triggers, movement/escape abilities, ranged-pull spells, interrupts, etc.

[XangXu]

You play with Mouse and Keyboard?

That’s like a baby’s game.