Hotkeys Guide – Building for Speed
Whether you play arena or are a hardcore raider, developing a set of solid keybindings is of absolute most importance. Binding all of your abilities allows for a quicker and more responsive utilization of skills, spells, and attacks. But building the perfect keybinding and hotkey layout is no easy task. It can take days, weeks, or even months to really get used to a new set of bindings, but if constructed properly it will result in vast improvements in your abilities and performance in all aspects of this game.
Layout Basics
Most WoW players are going to use a standard left hand on ASDF (home row) and right hand on the mouse. This allows you to have access to the largest number of potential hotkeys via your left hand, reach of all modifiers (shift, control, alt), and also have your hand always on the mouse for quick movements and change of position. It’s from this base that we’ll build the entire layout from.
Dismantling Blizzard Defaults
By default large portions of keys are bound to something. This is great for new players as it allows them to quickly get acquainted with the world of warcraft user interface, but for more experienced players many of these keys become antiquated. Fortunately, many of these keys are in the optimal position, allowing us to simply add a whole arsenal of potential keys without having to add unnecessary modifiers.
Let’s start off with the movement keys. By default blizzard has 6 movement keys…
Q – strafe left
W – move forward
E – strafe right
A – rotate camera left (move left)
S – move backward
D – rotate camera right (move right)
If you’ve played any other FPS or game which uses and WASD movement system then you know this is a bit unorthodox. But essentially, you do not need the rotate camera buttons. The mouse allows you to adjust your camera position much faster than keybindings, and unbinding these will give you 2 new buttons.
Personally I’ve chosen to move my strafe left and right keys to A and D, as I play a few other games which use the WASD movement structure it was just easier for me to play like this. You can decide if you’d like to move them or keep them as is.
Below is a list of other keybindings which you should consider unbinding. Many of these are unnecessary, and will have alternate hotkey or graphical selection tools in game.
R – Reply
F – assist target
G – target last hostile
V – nameplates
C – character screen
X – sit
Z – unsheathe weapons
B – toggle backpack
T – attack target
F1 – Target self
F2 – Target party member 1
F3 – Target party member 2
F4 – Target party member 3
F5 – Target party member 4
*additionally you may want to use all of the shift states of the above, not going to list all of those out though.
All of these keys are found within reach of left home row, making them ideal for our setup. There are many other unnecessary bindings on the right home row, if you’re a lefty (and play with a left hand mouse) you may consider unbinding these instead and going with a reverse approach. Essentially, unbinding these hotkeys gives us many additional keys that we otherwise would not have. Also, it prevents you from having to use excessive modifier keys in order to accommodate all of your abilities and spells.
Bindings Built for Speed
Ideally, you want to build your keybindings in such a way that you never have to use a modifier. Now, for some classes (especially if you use focus macros to help consolidate abilities) this may be attainable, but there are some that just have no other options than to break out the shift key. That said, it’s best when we can avoid it.
For starters we want to decide the bindings which we used most often. These keys should be given the “sweet spot” (yellow zone) on the keyboard. Now, your individual hand postion (and hand size) may vary this, but for me this sweet spot includes 3, 4, 5, 6, E, R, T, F, G, and Y. All of these keys can be hit very quickly regardless of what my movement and modifier finger is doing, allowing me to continue strafing and positioning while also never missing a beat with my attacks and specials.
Just as a quick example, my elemental shaman’s raid key bindings look something like this…
3 – Lightning Bolt
4 – Chain Lightning
5 – Totem of Wrath
6 – Wrath of Air
E – Mana Spring
R – Earth Shock (Max Rank)
T – Earth Shock (Rank 1)
Y – Frost Shock (Max Rank)
F – Elemental Mastery
G – Grounding Totem
V – Tremor Totem
This takes care of all of my most used abilities right away. Additionally, I’m always a fan of keeping my interrupting spells on my index finger (always just feels more precise). As such, I have my both of my earth shocks located in an optimal position for a fast hit to make sure I nail my interrupts.
Obviously, we still have several others abilities you’d want to have bound, and we’ve got plenty of keys left to bind them (1, 2, Q, E, Z, X, C). Since I don’t use these spells as often I don’t put them in my “sweet spot”.
1 – Lesser Healing Wave
2 – Healing Wave
Q – Poison Cleansing Totem
E – Earthbind Totem
Z – Water Shield
X – Warstomp
C – Purge
This keybinding setup takes care of probably 85-90% of the necessary keybindings you’d need as a pve elemental shaman. Some of these could be considered excessive, but I like to make sure I am prepared for any situation that may arrise. Additional abilities and spells could be added easily using a modifier (I prefer shift, but you may feel more comfortable with alt or ctrl).
We basically have 3 assignment levels of keybindings.
1. Sweet Spot (Yellow) – These are your primary keys and most used spells.
2. Secondary (Red) – These are important keys, but since you may have to use your movement key to access them efficiency it’s best to use spells you do not use as often as you do on your sweet spot keys.
3. Additionals (Not Color) – These are basically going to be modifiers (shift, alt, ctrl) of the two above zones, classes that require many abilities may have to use all of the available modifiers in order to accommodate all of their classes abilities.
4. Movement (Pink) – These are minimum required movement keys.
If you’re comfortable with the reach you may also consider using some of your home row positioned F keys. This typically means just F1-F4 (F5 if you have big hands like me). I would not recommend putting very crucial items on this bars. Personally I found them ideal to load up potions, healthstones, bandages, and water. Kind of like my consumable row.
The Right Equipment
In any competitive activity you’re only as good as your equipment, WoW is no exception. New gaming peripherals are making it easier than ever to take your game to the next level. The mouse is a great way to easily add additional quick access keybindings (I’d put these into your secondary section simply because your primary activity with the mouse should always be movement and camera adjustment). Most new mice come with at least 2 key buttons on the side and a middle mouse. These are great and you’ll definitely want to take advantage of them.
For those of you curious I’m currently using a Razer Tarantula keyboard and a Razer Anarchy Red
mouse. I’ve had the mouse about 8 months and the keyboard for 4 and I’ve been extremely happy with both of them. Razer produces some of the best gaming peripherals out there and they have my 100% approval.
Hey, I was just wondering how you set up your hot keys on your rogue Zug, both as combat and shadowstep? I’m just having a little trouble playing around with mine.
1 – ss / hemo
2 – evis
3 – riposte / ghostly strike
4 – gouge
5 – ks
6 – kick
shift 1 – focus blind
shift 2 – evasion
shift 3 – sprint
shift 4 – bf / shadowstep
shift 5 – ar / prep
shift 6 – distract
mouse button 4 – beserking
mouse button 5 – snd
shift mouse button 4 – blind
shift mouse button 5 – vanish
shift r – rupture
shift e – deadly throw
shift f – throw
shift v – expose armor
shift middle mouse – mount
middle mouse – stealth
shift g – CoS
f – shiv
f1 – small bandage
f2 – large bandage
f3 – potion
f4 – health stone
q – focus kick
e – focus gouge
shift t – top trinket
shift y – bottom trinket
stealth:
1 – cs
2 – sap
3 – garrote
4 – kick
5 – pick pocket
Wow! That was quick haha, thanks man, appreciate it!
no prob!
Hey Zuggy, i was just wondering where, or how you’d set your focus on those key bindings. i’m just starting to try out both keybindings and focus macros, so after all the info you can give. what i’ve read so far is awesome :)
I use F5 to set my focus, a bit out of the way for some, but I have big hands so it works perfect for me.
hey zuggy, im just curious if you have a mage and if so what keybindings do you use?
im looking at using some to lvl my mage
actually I do have a level 60 mage, I haven’t played it in a long time…but I logged on few a few minutes tonight to get an idea of what my hotkeys used to be, and here they are.
1 – fireball
2 – firebalst
3 – frost bolt
4 – nova
5 – sheep
6 – blink
shift 1 – arcane explosion
shift 2 – flame strike
shift 3 – cone of cold
shift 4 – blizzard
shift 5 – counterspell
mouse forward – beserking
mouse backward – evocation
mouse forward shift – arcane int
shift r – mana shield
shift f – wand
shift middle mouse – mount
t – ice armor
f – mage armor
f1 – dampen magic
f3 – conjure water
f4 – conjure food
q – frostward
e – fire ward
shift t – arcane missles
shift y – remove curse
b – amp magic
r – slow fall
Needless to say…I’d probably rework quite a few of these if I started seriously playing this character again. A lot of them really aren’t all that intuitive.
thats kool then, well im frost atm so ill probs change some of them…but thanks alot thats a good start and general outline for me
generally I like to keep my main attacking spells on my middle finger (ie frost bolt) and interrupts on my index finger…which was made a little more clear with my rogue’s key bindings
what is the best way to setup up pvp key bindings for a lvl 73 arcane mage?
don’t take this the wrong way…but did you even read the article, nay? The whole idea behind this post was to allow any class to develop bindings around a functional and efficient system of key mapping, not give a 1 on 1 tutorial.
Hey Zuggy ,
I need some help.I got this world of warcraft mmo gaming mouse.How can
you put the hotkays on the mouse? I you can help
you bind keys to the mouse the same way you bind your keyboard. Just click the binding in your key bindings menu and then press the mouse button you want to bind.
You may need to install and configure any software that came with the mouse. In the past I’ve had to setup a key for the mouse bindings using the manufacturers software…then bind to that key, say the number “8″.
I did that.Im geting know where.Im thinking about to get my money back? do
you have the moues.
alright?
but its still confusing like what action bar did you put the key bindings on?
It did not work.The mouse is crash.But i will try your way.It looks hard.Im new to
the game just got it about 2 weeks ago.thanks for the help
@nay – what action bar they are on is completely irrelevant. You can put them on any of the bars as you should have your hot keys memorized within a matter of a few weeks at the very most
@braskog – okay, I’m going to try and lay this out in the most simplistic way I can, so try this…
hit esc > click key bindings > scroll down and find the action bar button slot you wish to bind the key to > click that action bar button slot (this button is now active) > press the key you wish to bind on your mouse, the key should now be bound > click ok
if this doesn’t work you’re need to go into your device’s software properties, assign each of the mouse buttons a key on the keyboard and then assign that keyboard key to one of the action bar button slots as described above (IE, your mouse click would in reality be a keyboard click).
Hey!
I got an destro lock but im not so used 2 key-bindings yet but I dunno rly were I should put out my spells and that…. (I’m a Human)
Do u got some tips on glyphs or specc maybe 2 but i got glyph of shadowflame, CB, and Soul Link, and im 0/20/51 Specc…. btw do u know some good class that I can play 2v2 with…
//Thx Anyways m8 for ur key-binding basics:)
Here’s some stuff on talents, http://wow.zuggaming.com/2009/06/23/warlock-talent-builds/
I don’t have anything with regards to warlock glyphs though
hey! how do you use ur fingers? i’m confussed.. do you only use your ‘whats it called?’ “movement finger” ??
Thanks for the guide! :)
regards.
read the article…it explains everything
thanks! but i still don’t know witch fingers you use to move ur charater, sry :/ can you tell me? … (A)
can you please answer me? witch fingers you use to move.
Thanks!!!
I move with the mouse…which, as aforementioned, is discussed within the body of the article
Hey Zuggy! I’m starting WoW and I’m instantly going to use the same keybindings as you as you can own up heaps more since you don’t need to click and they are all ‘in range’. Ok so I have 2 quick questions for you, Zug.
1. What do you recommend, Rogue or Mage?
2. On your rogue do you enjoy playing on it, as I want to play something that is fun and little downtime.
Thanks so much Zuggy! Keep the AWESOME work up!
1. Well, I’m going to have to say rouge there. Though it’s really just my preference. I think you can have fun with any class if you enjoy that particular play style. I played a rogue for years and loved every minute of it. I’ve leveled a mage to 70 as well and had fun with it, but I just didn’t enjoy it quite as much, so I never went beyond that.
2. I did enjoy playing my rogue, but as with any class it can get boring. Granted, it took nearly about 2 and a half years before this happen, but I loved playing my rogue for the vast majority of the time.
After I stopped playing the rogue I moved onto a shaman, which provided me a unique challenge to conquer. I loved the shaman as just as much as the rogue, if not more.
Hey Zuggy, i was juss wondering if you have/had a warrior, and if so what keybindings did you usee?
I do, but only to level 25 or so, so the keybindings really never got to a level that would be very much help.
Hey, I was wondering if you had any idea on a good elemental shaman keybind setup for pvp as of patch 3.2? Ive tried to do my own but the setup was not working very well.
There is no “secret keybinding setup” that all the pros use…trust me, you have to keep changing things that work for your play style and ability with a keyboard.
For example, I have extremely long fingers…so hitting a shift 6 or shift y isn’t a problem for me. If you can’t hit these keys then your setup may be different.
Bottom line, keep the most used keys on non-modified buttons (ie, no shift / alt states). So since you use abilities like lightning bolt and shocks should be some of your primary keys…while long cd totems or other cd abilities might be on mod keys.
Just find out what works for you.
Hey Zuggy..im a hunter (huntard) on Bladefist. im a serious pvp player and im sad to admit but im a clicker..my friends say ask Zuggy so here i am asking you..
can you help me out on keybinds for a MM hunter. ive looked at 1000′s of sites if you dont know its okay
I would encourage you to through this guide and build something similar for you. I don’t know enough about hunters to say put X ability on Y key.
The transition from pure clicker to a more traditional setup can be difficult, so I would suggest only starting with a few at a time. Maybe just numbers 1-5 for really essential abilities. As you get more comfortable you could add shift states of those, or add additional non-modified keys within easy reach of the left hand.
Ok…yeah ive tried it by my self and im not getting it so ill take a look at the guide.
thx!
Hey Zuggy! Just wanted to say that I am in the same boat as Hearzus. I play a Blood Elf DK and I am a PvP person, raiding got boring to me. People always ask me how I can PvP while clicking and they suggested I look into keybindings. Everyone referred me here.
I was just wondering a few things,
Is there a way to HELP remember what your keybindings are?
If you aren’t looking at your bars 24/7 what should you watch?
How do you know if you are in range for something if you aren’t looking at your bars?
How do you know when a GCD is over?
and lastly….
Being a DK, I go by runes….how would I tell when a rune is off CD without counting down?
1. Practice, this is the only way you’re going to truly remember your bindings. You don’t learn how to type on home row by looking and you can’t learn to playing without looking unless you truly practice it.
2. You should be watching your character and the other characters around you. What are your enemies doing? Casting? Attacking? What are they getting ready to do? In essence…mentally preparing yourself to counter what they do.
3. I think this is also something that comes down to practice and feel. After over 4 years of playing WoW I could make the exact spell cast yardage out to around 100 yards or so. Initially you may need to look on occassion, but as you get better with your bindings and truly “feeling” the battle I think you’ll begin to play these yardages more by memory.
4. This is also just by feeling, most of your abilities are going to be on the standard 1.5 sec GCD, those that are not you’ll just have to memorize as well.
5. Find a mod that offers a HUD (Heads Up Display) for your runes, position this frame more towards the center of your screen so you can always easily see it.
Bottom line, almost all of these things just come down to memorizing. The best PvP’rs play based purely on memorization, reaction, and intuition. It’s through this memorization that they are able to make decisions faster and execute them.
wow…now that is helpfull thank you so much for that.
that was what i needed help with..
thanks so much zuggy
No problem at all, glad I could help.
Yeah found that a very very useful guide to get me started mate, nicely done :)
Dude u rock, I like the keyboard pic really helps, only thing i still dont get is i got big hands but i cant click shift y for example and then put my hand back in the right spot without looking… does this just take practice :S hand positioning and demonstration is the only way i can think of explaining this to me
@Dr.Evil – I’d say more than anything it just takes practice. I have pretty big hands, but the shift + Y still is at the edge of my reach. I generally have my pinky on the very edge of the shift key.
Once you get some practice with it and get more comfortable making that move I think you’ll be fine with it.
Great guide. However I am still confused about how to target while only using the mouse to move and change camera position. I know some spells automatically target enemies however I’m having problems targeting the exact npc or player I want to with out completely stopping and/or getting lost camerawise for a second or two. This is a huge downfall in my pvp game especially where the previously stated 1 or 2 seconds means dead druid.
Sorry if this is a repeat question. I did my best to scan the comments before asking
@Valkyr – I manage this problem with a combo of 1) using tab when possible and 2) using some of the default movement keys to allow me to continue move while I target the next target
Cool, I got it down. Thanks for the advice. I decided to move the strafe keys to A and D like mentioned in the guide while keeping W (thinking about using S instead) as move forward. This allows me to keep moving and looking around while choosing a target with the mouse. I don’t know if its the best solution but for now it is working great. Also thanks for the Tab tip. I forgot about that.
As a side note I was playing around with some stuff too and found that if you move A and D to either S/F or D/G it opens up more keys to you little finger. Using D/G gives you easy reach to QWAS and a small stretch to 1/2 for extra buttons.
i dont understand how people can reach shift+1 with one hand, i cant use my little finger for shift because its too strenuos, and if i use my thumb i cant reach the rest of the keys. any help?
It is a bit uncomfortable for some people…what I generally do is shift my pinky from the middle to right side where it normally sits to the left side of the shift side and hit 1 with the ring finger.
This may help, I setup my Mouse 4 and 5 as Ctrl and Alt modifiers to keep the pinky activity to a minimum E R F are spammables, shift E R F are stop to cast spells and Ctrl E R F are CC etc, and only on my lock does ALT ERF do something other than focus or self cast center click is useful for pet attack and Pre Spams ie Power Word: Shield
I always use F E R T G , 3 4 for my main spells. Whatever spell I use most on any given character it starts at F and works out to the rest of the mentioned keys. Those are the core starters for me though.
@Rick – Those are good keys. I wrote this guide some time again, but now-a-days I find myself using a setup simlar to yours.
Anything that’s infrequently used or has a long CD it is going to be on shift somewhere. Frequently used stuff is 1-6, F, E, R, T, G, Q