Macros and forming bad habits - UI, Addons and Macros - Hunter Forums
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6:34 am
So, as you know, I'm totally new to WoW and thus being a hunter. I did quite a bit of reading about the class as I was leveling up, macros were one of the first things I learned about. Doing a brief stink in Python and some other coding languages, I was actually able to create a simple one on my own…
/cast Hunter's Mark
/petattack
I know now this is far from revolutionary, but it just seemed intuitive to me, so it was reassuring to see that it wasn't some jank I just made up. Anyway, as time went on, I began to see quite a few that appear to put he player on auto pilot. Something tells me this is not the optimal way to be doing things.
Don't get wrong. I love my Hawk/Viper toggle, and I'm quite a fan of the following:
/petattack
/use 14
/cast Bestial Wrath
/cast[@pettarget,exists] Kill Command
/cast Call of the Wild
/cast Rabid
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
I don't think I'd ever remember to pull of that sequence in the heat of battle, so it can be really useful in a pinch. What I am concerned about are the ones I see that focus on shot rotations. I'm curently BM, so hitting Sting>Arcane/Multi>Steady>Steady>Steady>repeat isn't such a big deal. Perhaps when faced with a more difficult MM rotation, I'll change my tune, but I was curious to what other's opinions were on the subject.
Do you feel that too many macros become a crutch? Is it better to get into a rhythm so you instinctively know what to do between varying cooldowns or is it more important to perform better no matter what method is employed?
8:42 am
After having played WoW since open beta, I can tell you this…do NOT resist the MACROS!
All joking aside, I have learned that there are tremendously useful macros out there, as I am sure you have found while looking around. The cast sequence macros I can't seem to get behind. As you put it, it puts you on auto-pilot, and personally I don't like being "locked" into a rotation like that. What ends up happening with me is, I end up putting the sequenced spells on the bar anyway and then end up having more buttons instead of less.
9:55 am
Officer
May 29, 2010
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I don't really have any macros aside from targetting ones that I use in PvE. In PvP I do use a few, but they aren't stuff like cast sequence ones.
10:16 am
Lodge Muse
July 3, 2010
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I use macros to start a pull, and i have several bloodlust/tweak the dps ones that I use, but most of the time, I rely heavily on what i think should be best at the moment in time. There are many macros that I just love, like my pet's Oh Sheist! button that dashes her back, mends her, and tosses her a treat for being a good doggie.
11:03 am
Ah, cool. Like I said, I certainly see the benefit, I just didn't want to rely on them and suffer for it in the end.
Pandorina said:
What ends up happening with me is, I end up putting the sequenced spells on the bar anyway and then end up having more buttons instead of less.
That sounds like a great idea. I like that macros free up action bar space, but maybe having the macro as well as the actual parts are a good idea. I'm using one that stops me from breaking my own freeze trap, and I have it mapped to the same icon, so I don't think I need to have the default freezing trap itself on there as well, but keeping say BW even though it's macro'd to others is for the best.
@Niika: Ah, I was just clicking (yeah, I click some stuff still) "passive" to get her back. I totally forgot about about dash.
12:23 pm
Officer
May 29, 2010
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Niika said:
There are many macros that I just love, like my pet's Oh Sheist! button that dashes her back, mends her, and tosses her a treat for being a good doggie.
This made me grin! 
1:25 pm
Gangsta
August 16, 2010
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I use a fair number of macros when I play. I love to play PvP and I'm primarily a clicker. I use macro's to combine abilities that I never use alone. Such as Wing Clip and Disengage or a toggle between tracking types. I leave my shots alone because I'd rather control how much damage I can do when. I think all in all I use 11 or so macros with 2 being melee, 2 being MD, 2 being ground effect, 3 being pet related, and 2 being tracking or aspect toggles.
2:01 pm
Lodge Muse
July 3, 2010
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This made me grin!
hehehee good. it is usually accompanied by an in-real-life " >.> <.< … did the other hunters see me almost loose Daisy?" and a guilty laugh.
2:13 pm
Officer
May 29, 2010
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Bobàfett said:
I use a fair number of macros when I play. I love to play PvP and I'm primarily a clicker. I use macro's to combine abilities that I never use alone. Such as Wing Clip and Disengage or a toggle between tracking types. I leave my shots alone because I'd rather control how much damage I can do when. I think all in all I use 11 or so macros with 2 being melee, 2 being MD, 2 being ground effect, 3 being pet related, and 2 being tracking or aspect toggles.
Sounds a lot like me. Oh and I'm a clicker as well.
10:26 am
I DO think they CAN become a crutch! I use a couple of simple macros, and leave the rest to my own talent!
hunter's mark/pet attack
SS/chimera
a MD on focus
Thats it. Not so much to free-up bar space, or make me lazy, just enough to make sure me and my pet are on same target to start… I never miss a SS cd, and to be sure I never accidentally MD on a healer! Yes I have done it before lol.
~Malice
10:36 am
Lodge Muse
July 3, 2010
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Malice… shhhh… you SAY that it's an accident, but we know better *winks*
10:40 am
Oh i'm NOT saying I have never done it on purpose *insert innocent look here* lol, but I have no problems owning up to it when I do… accidentally doing it you really feel kinda stupid lol.
~Malice
2:41 pm
Proprietor
June 22, 2008
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The basic idea with using macros is to combine multiple abilities into one command, so as to make the effect more beneficial, and to free up action bar slots. I think they're invaluable, but often times finding good ones can be a struggle.
That's why all of the macros I have posted here on the site are ones I personally endorse. 
I don't use every single one of them, but I see value in all of them.
If macros can make your game play more efficient, then they are not a crutch. If they prevent you from making important decisions, then that would be considered crutching.
As Niika mentioned, things like:
/petpassive
/petfollow
/cast Dash
or… one of my favorites:
/targetenemy
/cast Hunter’s Mark
/petdefensive
/petattack
/startattack
…are macros you should definitely utilize, as they combine multiple complimentary and necessary commands into one keystroke (or click ).
Even simple macros like:
/cast !Flare
/cast !Volley
/cast !Freezing Arrow
…are invaluable.
Don't hesitate to incorporate macros into your game play. Just like an addon, they're another item in the toolbox that we can utilize to enhance our huntering abilities.
4:00 am
Garwulf said:
Even simple macros like:
/cast !Flare
/cast !Volley
/cast !Freezing Arrow
…are invaluable.
These are absolute win. They've saved me countless times when smashing a button in PvP to get that rogue out of stealth before he opens on a partner or to freeze that pesky bugger in place.
10:32 am
Don't get me wrong, I'm using quite a few, actually. Most of them are from here. As I said above, I would probably never remember Kill Command if it weren't macro'd to my Steady Shot. The "/cast Volley!" is a total life saver as well. I just wanted to be sure I knew what I was doing before using a bunch of macros that didn't make sense to me first. I guess what I'm saying is I'd prefer to memorize all my friends phone numbers before I put them on speed dial. 
I'm curious about this one though?
/targetenemy
/cast Hunter’s Mark
/petdefensive
/petattack
/startattack
What does that do that plain old…
/cast Hunter's Mark
/petattack
…doesn't?
1:37 pm
Lodge Muse
July 3, 2010
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It puts your pet on defensive so that when the attack is over, it runs faithfully back to your side, rather than heading off to another target.
2:36 pm
Proprietor
June 22, 2008
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It's more of a PvP macro Kurozu. I call it the anti-rogue macro.
You spam it if a rogue is near, and it will make sure you tag him, sick your pet on him and start attacking.
What it does outside of your macro is:
-Makes certain that the pet is on defensive… if the rogue vanishes, then reappears to attack, your pet will start chomping on him again.
-It targets the nearest enemy automatically.
-It starts yours and your pet's attacks immediately, initiating combat as quickly as possible.
5:41 pm
Ah, very cool! So many different macros for so many different situations and many of them sharing the exact same parts! It's a little mindboggling at first. I have two or three good macros all with targeting involved. I'm sketchy on which one I should be using, and that's just to initiate the attack! I'll get it eventually.
Thank you for the clarification.
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