World of Macros

Generally, I try and keep all these posts about hunters and wow.  Sometimes I slip up and get personal posts in here now and again.  This one is just about being an efficient player and helping out the hunter community.  (Cause who else reads a hunter blog?)

Below are hunter-centric macros.  They are not only for hunters of course and could easily be extrapolated to other classes.  I didn't highlight my Survival specialization macros as I haven't used them in a few months. I use macros to ease my play.  I have grouped them into sections called "Combat DPS Macros", "Combat Utility Macros", and "Everyday Macros".  I've attached some videos so you can see a few of them in action.

Videos

At The Target Dummies (Click for larger)


At The Farm (Click link for larger)


Mounting Up (Click link for larger)

Combat DPS Macros

Kill Command BM DPS Macro

#showtooltip Kill Command

/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/petattack

/petassist

/cast Bestial Wrath

/cast Rabid

/cast Kill Command

/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()

DoT'm Up Serpent Mouseover Macro

(Nicely keybound to middle mouse button!)

#showtooltip Serpent Sting

/cast [target=mouseover,exists] Serpent Sting

AoE Talents Macro 

(Macro name must be the same as listed in the /run command)

#showtooltip

/use [combat] Glaive Toss

/use [combat] Powershot

/use [combat] Barrage

/run local G=GetSpellInfo SetMacroSpell("AoE Talents", G"Glaive Toss" or G"Powershot" or G"Barrage")

DPS CD Talents Macro

(Macro name must be the same as listed in the /run command)

#showtooltip

/use [combat] A Murder Of Crows

/use [combat] Lynx Rush

/run local G=GetSpellInfo SetMacroSpell("DpsT", G"A Murder Of Crows" or G"Blink Strike" or G"Lynx Rush")

Overloaded BM AoE Multishot Macro

(I don't use this anymore as I tend to do many of these manually.)

#showtooltip Multi-Shot

/startattack

/petattack

/petassist

/cast Multi-Shot

/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/cast Rabid

/cast Bestial Wrath

/use Claw

/use Bite

/use Smack

/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()

Example of Fast Targeting

/target Foul Slime

/cast Multi-Shot

(Or something like...)

or /targetexact Corrupted Fragment 

Target Weird PvE Sub-bosses

#showtooltip

/target boss2

(You might also want to add in something like the following if you'll definitely target it.  Otherwise they'll just do this against your current target.)

/cast Hunter's Mark

/petattack

/script SetRaidTarget("target",1)

Kill Shot Macro

#showtooltip

/stopcasting

/stopcasting

/cast Kill Shot

Combat Utility Macros

Tank Pull Timer Macro
(Requires DBM addon)
/dbm pull 10

Cancel Immunity
#showtooltip
/cancelaura Deterrence
/cancelaura hand of protection

Mouse-Over Punk Macro
#showtooltip Scatter Shot
/cast [target=mouseover,exists] Scatter Shot

Similar Mouse-Over Tranq Macro
#showtooltip Tranquilizing Shot
/cast [target=mouseover,exists] Tranquilizing Shot

Interrupt Then Stun Macro
(Have it on a nice keybind, and replace with just a cast if you don't have Intimidation.)
#showtooltip
/stopcasting
/stopcasting
/castsequence reset=24/target Counter Shot, Intimidation

Set Raid Marker Macro

(Just an example)

/clearworldmarker 1

/worldmarker 1

Self Heal Macro

#showtooltip

/cast [target=Kheldul][pet] Spirit Mend

Free Self

(Yeah.. could be mouseover with default of @player instead.)

#showtooltip

/cast [target=Kheldul] Master's Call

/cast [target=Kheldul] Intervene

/cast [target=Kheldul] Roar of Sacrifice

/cast Bullheaded

The Previously Famous Hunter Healer Macro

(Lame now that dismiss pet is so slow!)

#showtooltip

/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/petattack

/cast [@mouseover, pet][pet] Spirit Mend

/cast [pet] Dismiss Pet

/castsequence Call Pet 2, Call Pet 3, Call Pet 4, Call Pet 5, Call Pet 1

/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()

Lazy Concuss Macro
#showtooltip
/castsequence reset=5/combat/target Concussive Shot, Scatter Shot

Extra Action Button Macro

(Example of useful behavior involving the special action button.)

/target focus

/click ExtraActionButton1

/targetlasttarget

Do It All Pet Macro

#showtooltip

/cast [mod:ctrl]Revive Pet; [@pet,dead]Revive Pet; [nopet]Call Pet 1; [mod:shift, @pet] Spirit Mend; Mend Pet

A Proper Death Macro

#showtooltip Feign Death

/petfollow

/stopattack

/stopattack

/cast Feign Death

My Favored MD Macro

#showtooltip Misdirection

/cast [nomodifier, target=focus, nodead, exists, help] Misdirection

/cast [modifier:shift, target=pet, nodead, exists] Misdirection

/cast Misdirection

Everyday Macros

Mount Macro
#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift, mod:alt] Spawn of Galakras
/cast [mod:shift, mod:ctrl] Mekgineer's Chopper

/cast [nomod] Grand Expedition Yak

/cast [mod:shift] Traveler's Tundra Mammoth
/cast [mod:alt] Sky Golem
/cast [mod:ctrl] Azure Water Strider

Farm Gardening Macro
#showtooltip Enigma Seed
/target Tilled Soil
/use Enigma Seed

Fetch Auto Loot Macro
/console autoLootDefault 1
/run if not _Y then UIParent:HookScript("OnUpdate",function() if _Y>0 and GetTime()>=_Y then _Y=0 SetCVar("AutoLootDefault",0) end end)end _Y=GetTime()+5
/cast [@target, exists, dead] Fetch
/targetlasttarget
/cast fetch

Super Fast Auto Quest Dialoger
/script SelectGossipAvailableQuest(1)
/script CompleteQuest()
/script GetQuestReward()

Be Not This Guy

Hunter Arena Nerfs, the HPP, Kheldul and Me

In 5.4.2 Hunters will not be able to dismiss their pets while in arenas.  This is typically done just before a hunter pet is about to die.  It's also done a fair amount in extreme hunter solo'ng.  But in the arena world, it is evidently unfair to dismiss and summon a new pet.

I haven't arena'd at all in MoP, so I can't comment on how overpowered dismiss pet was... but I would have thought that perhaps the long cast time would be enough.  But hey, hunters are top of the charts, right?  No? Oh.

In other news, we're rebuilding our guild raiding group.  We did the first four five bosses on heroic this evening, so that's not too bad.  Especially with a lot of Flex gear in the group.  I got a whole bunch of drops tonight bringing me up to around a 570 item level.

I haven't listened to the most recent two Hunting Party Podcasts.  I did catch the tail end of the Roger Brown show live and got a question in.  I am sad that the podcast is going away, but not surprised.  It takes a lot of work to crank something like that out and people have lives.  I also had some tip-offs.  I really enjoyed guest hosting those times.  I regret never doing it with Arth or Frostheim.  I don't think I could ever do it every week.  I couldn't even make the Live shows, let alone put in the prep work each week that fans deserve.  But it was a blast.

Speaking of having lives, I've made an interesting career choice.  I resigned from my job.  I was there a long long time and the past year was getting old and I wasn't happy.  I'm fine financially, but I'm going to spend some time new-job-shopping.  I have no idea how all-absorbing it may be, but I anticipate it to soak a lot of time.  Wish me luck!

Latest and Greatest

I haven't been posting much here (though you can check my twitter feed).

I have been following all the pre/live/post-Blizzcon news.  I like the approach of having new talents replace or enhance current abilities so as to not perpetuate the actionbar bloat problem.  I generally think that the particular abilities will change, but feel like the three talent choices align nicely with SV (Bolo AoE), MM (the stand still cast), and BM (super pet). Of course they aren't bound to specializations like that, and accommodations were made for different talent pairings (e.g.- no pet out gives a damage bonus) but it feels like they are aligned to a primary specialization.

In game, we spent three weeks on a large number of very very long attempts on Garrosh.  P3 will get easier and easier the more gear you get.  The week after killing him, we got Heroic Immerseus (basically nine-manning it).  The next week (this week!) we got him again and three new heroic bosses.  We're pretty happy about those kills.  We'll be trying Heroic Iron Juggernaught tonight on our third raid night of the week. 

So far no gear upgrades in the past month...

Mount Pet: Hunters as Main Tanks

Thesis
Hunters should have a main tanking ability.  Hunters should be able to queue as a tank and do it well.  Right now we obviously don't have the ability.  We can do extreme solo'ng and can tank content that we over-gear (e.g.- 5man heroics and lesser tier raids).  We could become tanks.  Here is how.

Mount Pet
Hunters have a non-magical ability which allows them to mount their pets.  MountPet() is both their new travel form and tanking form.  Mount pet has a two second cast time and a three minute cooldown.  Dismounting a pet only requires a global cooldown.

Tanking Abilities
While mounted, hunters lose their normal humanoid abilities, but generally gain improved versions of their pet's abilities.  The hunter and pet fight and operate as a single unit with a single health pool.  That health pool is the pet's, but if a pet dies then the hunter is stunned for five seconds.

Mounting a ferocity or cunning specialized pet is possible, but it is not a good idea to attempt tanking without a tenacity specialized pet.

All mounted pet abilities do more damage and are more effective while mounted than while unmounted.  However only tenacity abilities are improved beyond just numbers:

• Growl becomes a real taunt.
• Avoidance and Cower are proactive defensive cooldowns.
• Basic attacks generate extra [3x tank] threat.
• Charge (Tenacity) is on a shorter cooldown.
• Last Stand (Tenacity) is on a much shorter cooldown.
• Thunderstomp (Tenacity) does more damage and generates more threat.
• All Tenacity pets will have a new interrupt ability.  Pets with existing interrupt abilities (e.g.- the Special Ability, Pummel) will have two.
• Special abilities are slightly improved.
• Bonus abilities are slightly improved.
• Exotic abilities are slightly improved.
• Movement speed is greatly improved. 
• Pet health, armor, and dodge values are recalculated at a higher value than just the normal values inherited from the hunter.  Hunter gear and buffs do apply here, but don't double-dip.
• Additional abilities may be also available for flavor and variety.  Being able to summon a stampede of the same pet would be a useful cooldown.  Dire-beast might also be useful but have a suicidal taunt effect.

Tanking UI
Abilities on a cast bar are arranged once for tenacity pets, once for cunning pets, and once for ferocity pets.  If a mounted pet does not have an exotic ability or a bonus ability, then that button will be blank.

Items like potions and healthstones may be plausible.  But generally all hunter abilities are not usable.

Dismounting
When the hunter dismounts, the pet's stats, abilities, and most notably health are brought back to normal levels.  Dismounting only costs a global cooldown.  The new pet current health should be established as a percentage basis from it's while-mounted health percentage.  After dismounting, threat toward the pet is not immediately removed, but fades like normal threat fades.  As the pet is much weaker this can be detrimental.  If a hunter accidentally dismounts, they may also have a problem with the three minute cooldown on the Mount Pet ability -- and if that isn't an issue -- they may have a problem with the two second cast time of Mount Pet.

New Talents and New Glyphs
These would be far too speculative an area to discuss.  But suffice it to say these would be quite fun to dream up.  All new talents should be useful whether you're tanking or not -- but certainly more useful when you are.  Many new talents could enhance Survivability.  Many new talents could enhance Beastmastery.

New Specialization?
EDITED TO ADD: I wrote this yesterday in one sitting.  Thinking about it a bit more, the model Blizzard uses to determine roles is not one of choice and assignment.  It is based on Specialization.  So it would seem that hunters would need to have one specialization which is specifically oriented around tanking.  This would not be easy to just fold under BM.  I find the word "Huntard" horrid, but it makes me think that an entirely new Specialization would be more suitable than pushing all BM hunters into a tanking role.