I decided to buy myself an MMO mouse for the very first time and I am trying to learn how to use it by leveling a character. Having all of the usual buttons on my thumb instead of my left hand is throwing me for a loop. So I decided that I’m going to try to level a character while using the mouse in order to ease myself into it, but I don’t know which class I should do.
I already have a hunter, a druid, and a shaman. I would prefer to not level one of those again, but people think that’s what’s best I guess I don’t have a choice.
I would prefer something that is extremely simple and that does not require a lot of high-speed button pressing. That way I can still do the full rotation of the class but not frustrate myself in the process. That way by the time I hit level 50 I will be used to the mouse.
Also any tips or advice regarding the use of an MMO mouse would also be welcome. Having the 12 buttons on the side is just the strangest feeling in the world and I am having an immense amount of trouble trying to train my brain into using it properly.
Thank you in advance for any advice or recommendations.
what I do is I use the back 3 for either burst macro or nitros. Everyone of my toons has the same nitro macro
#showtooltip 6
/use 6
It’s also good for situational macros/cc’s. I’d advise using any type of repetitive action on it because it can be a bit cumbersome to use your mouse /target and press a button all with your right hand. Generally I guess, anything utility related seems to be the best use (atleast for me)… So like barksin, defensive cds, engineering item like boomerang, potion’s/consumables you use in battle, burst macro, interrupts, worgen speed racial… If you are into arena quite a bit, using those back 3 buttons can help for interrupt arenatarget1/2/3… Sheep target/1/2/3… Or you could set button 7 as /focus and then the button right behind it as /sheep @ focus…
To be honest, I have a corsair, has 12 buttons on the side, I had to make hotkeys for them all so I use ctrl f1-f12… On razor I believe they count as their own buttons. I don’t use about 6 of the often because reaching for the front 6 is a bit harder and slower. I have another MMO game I play that uses way more hotkeys then this and will use it to equip/uneuip weapons, attack last, drink agility/strength potions, equip cross bow and attack last in one button, craft a specific potion etc. ITS VERY useful if you get use to using it and there’s no way I could go back.
You can also condense some of your other buttons with some strategic macros…
On my priest I use #showtooltip psychic horror
/cast headless horseman’s mount
/cast psychic horror
so it doubles over as a mount macro if im not in combat actively targeting an enemy…
i have a 12 button mouse as well. I would advise to map your mouse buttons to keys you won’t press on your keyboard and leave your left hand button layout as is. Mapping your mouse buttons to things you would do I your left hand kind of defeats the purpose of having extra buttons. Best advice while leveling is to make a your first action bar left hand keybinds and your second your mouse keybinds and put spells into both.
Don’t put your rotation on your mouse – keep it at your left hand. Put misc stuff on your mouse like targeting macros, autorun, or addons. I use Opie and like 3 of my naga mouse buttons are just for Opie wheels.
If you really want to put abilities on your mouse, do situational things rather than rotation. Interrupt. Lust. Defensive CD. Stuff like that.
As for the mouse, I have a Corsair and have used it for several years. I definitely don’t completely move everything to it though. Not sure that’s the purpose. I use those keys for simple things. Mounts, stealth, movement buffing abilities, and targeted AOE type abilities (rain of fire, blizzard, metamorphosis, etc).
I’d level the same class as your main. That way you gradually add more hotkeys into your rotation until you are familiar with it again. Leveling a different class wont help gain the muscle memory.
I don’t use one of the keypad mice like you have but I do use an MMO mouse, a G604 which is similar.
The way I do this is try to think about it logically. The buttons near the back, closest to your wrist, I use for things that come back into my character, so for my Mage that is ice block, frost nova…could be a quick self heal proc, shieldwall, etc. I use the front buttons for things that go forward. Sheep, blink, sprint, that kind of thing.
This logic helps put a real world meaning to it. The middle ones I use for real spells that aren’t on 1,2,3, or 4. You should put the ones closest to the natural resting position of your thumb to spammy keys, like scorch for moving, flash heal, something you cast a LOT and need it super easy to reach.
Use another one of those middle ones for your interrupt, or like me, use the mouse wheel click.
This is just how I do it. Helps it feel a little better.
I use the ten key on the side for:
Shift-Ctrl-alt
Tab targeting
Map, backpack, character screen, skills, etc.
Jump/space is to the right of right mouse click.
Esc is on top of the mouse.
Center click is self-target when I need it.
I use a razer orbweaver for ‘regular’ keys for rotation (so for me, 1-0 and numpad 1-0).