Ha ha! It’s not as bad as it sounds. Macros are there to make your life easier, after all.
I’ve been addicted to my Razor Tartarus for like a decade now. I’ve recently got the Tartarus v2 for the extra row; and the shiny lights. I have my action bars set up in four rows to line up with the keypad’s four rows of buttons.
Nowadays, when you press/use a macro like that, it causes you the player and both your pets + any other companions/guardians you have with you to also Feign Death.
The @player function might be more useful in certain scenarios(PvP?). I know that I never need anything other than the @cursor so…
Note that my MD macro also includes the function to automatically cast it on your Focus target, if you have one.
I usually just put the intended tank as my Focus target and I only need to press the button/macro and it automatically casts it on that tank. No cursor movement necessary.
Also, on another note. An easy way to avoid accidental misscasts(on the wrong target) when you’re using a macro with ‘@cursor’ in it, is to simply push down your left mouse button before pressing the macro. If you do that, it deactivates the cursor functions related to those actions and you don’t have to worry about casting MD on the wrong target, as an example.
I suspected that this would be your reaction as a new(er) player. Especially if you have no experience of using things like macros in other games or programs.
Like Hafthor said, it’s not that bad. It might sound like a lot but these things DO make it easier to play. But like with many things in this game, it takes time to get comfortable using them.
Don’t expect making comprehensive changes to your keybindings or the inclusion of macros(complex or otherwise), don’t expect it all to flow perfectly from the get-go.
Even more experienced players can require one or several weeks(or more) to get used to a new setup.
Ever since I started playing back in the original game I’ve always focused mostly on using keybinds. I’ve never been big on “clicking” abilities. For a while I used to click certain CDs or niche utility that I rarely had a need for. But nowadays, pretty much everything related to combat and more, is bound to a specific key(or key+modifier).
I didn’t know about the left mouse button and @cursor interaction either. Good to know as well!
As for traps and @player, I use these occasionally in Torghast when I accidentally pull agro on packs of unexpected adds, and Misdirection is down. I don’t PvP and this isn’t an issue in raids or M+; so long as the tank is even remotely competent. In the open world, it’s not an issue as things die too fast for it to become one.
I didn’t notice you have focus target logic in your MD macro. Even better!
This is a good thread. I’m learning a few good tidbits as well.
Handy to macro your traps with a modifier.
#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift,@player][@cursor]freezing trap
Just frees up a button.
Right mouse-button works as well^^
And, pressing both simultaneously. For me that mostly depends on character movement and “steering”.
Agreed.
If you’re feeling brave, you have this nugget in the UI & Macros sub-forum:
That link looks like a comprehensive macro guide. I’ll have to read through it later. Thanks for linking!
On the topic of learning new tidbits, is there a specific reason why you have your pet abilities explicitly macroed; as opposed to having the pet auto-cast them?
Sadly, the basic abilities when on auto-cast for some reason have a delay in automatic usage.
Basically, they can come off CD and the pet won’t use them when they do but rather…about 0.5-1 sec after.
In short, doing it this way makes it so I get more casts of Basic Attacks in a set amount of time. I do have the abilities on auto-cast as well. This just allows them to be cast more frequently.
First off, welcome to the Hunter class!
Looks like a bunch of others have already posted some really good info. I just wanted to add one of my personal favorites I use is a macro for misdirect to make it automatically target my pet if I don’t have someone else set as my focus target / targeted.
#showtooltip misdirection
/cast [@focus,help][help][@pet,exists] Misdirection
OP - I can’t lie. I was overwhelmed years ago when I started learning all the things that can affect your game play and some days it still feels like a lot. And I don’t use as much as some of these guys do.
Start simple. The online guides help a lot if you are still learning your rotations and skills. Small changes make a big difference.
I started using just one macro to see how it affected my play style and then slowly added more. I would go places with slightly lower level mobs and try different things so I had a cushion and practiced strafing and using my pet and gathering mobs….how to get things off me and back on my pet….keeping my pet alive. Stuff like that.
Gradually I worked up to soloing elites and determining how to use everything it the tool kit. Honestly I felt a number of spells were useless when I started because I didn’t understand how to use them.
I didn’t use Misdirect for my first 2 years, just sent my pet in first. Lol.
It’s ok to be overwhelmed. Take your time. Start simple and work into more advanced things. Enjoy yourself.
Basically, they can come off CD and the pet won’t use them when they do but rather…about 0.5-1 sec after.
In short, doing it this way makes it so I get more casts of Basic Attacks in a set amount of time. I do have the abilities on auto-cast as well. This just allows them to be cast more frequently.
I never even thought to consider this. That sounds like bad programming on Blizzard’s part. (Not that our favorite game developer would ever release bugged code…) I’ll add this to some of my macros and see if there’s a difference. Thanks again!
I heavily recommend the pet attack macros. They help a lot, add a bit more to your dps, and just make your pets more consistent.
All Macro commands
http://wow.gamepedia.com/Macro_API
The /cast command
https://wow.gamepedia.com/MACRO_cast
Show/showtooltip
https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/MACRO_metashowtooltip
Conditionals/options
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Macro_conditionals
Unit ID in macros
https://wow.gamepedia.com/UnitId
Global Cooldown explanation
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Cooldown#Global_cooldown
Also read the stickies in the “ui and macro forum”. Lots of good info on what macros can’t do
I’ve got a pamphlet that covers every BM Hunter macro you’ll ever need.
BT Friend me (Kaldara#11970) and I’ll get it to you one way or another (probably through my discord).
What you’ll see here are very basic macros that have been passed around for a decade.
I’ve got a master class on them complete with examples for every ability BM Hunters have.
If you prefer, you can copy this link and download it from my MediaFire account:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/yxiy27i2i2o2adt/BM_Hunter_Macro_Class.zip/file
You’ll need to unzip that somewhere convenient - it’s a PDF and a txt file (the txt file is cut-and-paste versions of the macros from the PDF).
Reach out to me in-game if you have questions.
If I may make a suggestion;
Add a ‘nodead’ to your macro.
/cast [pet] kill command; call pet 1
/cast [mod:shift] dismiss pet; revive pet
/use 13
/cast Blood Fury
/cast Aspect of the Wild
/cast [@cursor] Wild Spirits
[@cursor]. You can put /use 14 for bottom trinket instead./stopcasting
/petfollow
/cast feign death
/cast Play Dead at the bottom if you’ve learned the Play Dead spell and want your pet to feign with you./cast [@TANK NAME HERE,exists,nodead][@focus,exists,noharm][@pet] misdirection
/cast [@focus,exists,noharm][@pet] misdirection
/stopattack
/stopattack
/cast tranquilizing shot
/stopattack
/petattack [pet,nodead]
/cast [pet,nodead] Claw
/cast [pet,nodead] Bite
/cast [pet,nodead] Smack
I didn’t know you could have “/use 13” and “/use 14” for your trinkets. That beats having to retype everything if you change between trinkets!
You have to learn the Play Dead spell? <Googling…> Huh… Yup: “Pet Training Manual: Play Dead”. Are there any other training manuals that are worthwhile? Or has Blizzard since made this spell mainline?
Fetch - from the same vendor.
There is also a “Fetch” one which lets you loot corpses from afar by commanding your pet to go and loot it for you. 
As far as I can remember those are the only two “useful” ones. There’s also a “Fireworks” one that lets you shoot fireworks from your weapon on a 10 second CD. Kind of amusing.
I’m pretty sure they’re all sold by the same NPC in the Hunter Class Hall (Legion) in Highmountain.
Oh, I’m totally getting me some fireworks! Thanks!