Key Bindings (Need Advice)

[RiskyBiz]

Approaching 30 as a healer, and I'm totally overwhelmed on what to bind where. Without the ability to mouse-over heal, I'm running out of bindings fast. Can someone give me some insight on what they use to bind? I can't alt or ctrl+anything because it is awkward to get to. I have the following buttons (and shift the same buttons) for abilities:

 

Q, E, F, G, x, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Middle mouse, Mouse 4, Mouse 5, and the shift counterparts. That gives me approx. 26 hotkeys-- and many are hard to get to. I need advice

Edited January 12, 2012 by RiskyBiz

[XtremJedi]

I personally use 1 through to = for the main bar.

 

Then Shift 1 through 6 for the first half of the lower central bar.

 

Then Shift Q, W, E, R, T, Y for the next half of the lower central bar.

 

Healing stuff and Effects (e.g. Shield, Interrupts, Stuns, Knockbacks) are all on my main bar.

 

Damage stuff is Shift 1 through 6.

 

Extra effects like Force Regen, Restoration, Force of Will etc are on Shift-QWERTY.

 

I use central mouse button for Focus Modifier and Mouse buttons for movement.

 

I dunno... it's going to be tough finding the binds for everything without using some modifiers (Shift/Alt etc) somewhere....

 

X

[Leiloni]

Can I ask where you're placing your hands on the keyboard that modifier keys are awkward? For me my left hand is on the keyboard as if I were typing, so Alt is where my thumb usually sits. Shift and Ctrl I'd have to move my hand to reach and although it's not hard, it's not ideal in the middle of combat so I don't use them. But even just using Alt opens up a lot more possible keybinds for me.

[Tuliparta]

I keep all my heals bound to my mouse

 

UWM - Mouse 4

Slow release - Mouse 5

Emergency med - Ctrl+Mouse 4

Kolto pack - Ctrl+Mouse 5 (I hardly use this)

Kolto Cloud - Shift+Mouse 4

Diagnostic scan - Shift+Mouse 5 (I hardly use this)

 

I'm using Logitech G5 mouse so i have all my heals under my thumb. This leaves my keyboard binds pretty much for utility and dps. One thing i might to change is moving diagnostic scan somewhere else and replacing it with Triage.

[E-x-e]

My setup is the following (as a sorc, excuse the fact that even by now I still don't know my spell names):

 

Keyboard (I use tilde key to quickswap to another bar when need to off-DPS:

1 - Shield

2 - Fast Heal

3 - Slow Heal

4 - Channeled Heal

5 - Instant

 

Mouse Buttons:

Middle Mouse Button - Dispel

Shift+Middle Mouse Button - Extrication

 

 

Side Mouse Button 1 - Force Speed

Alt+SideMouse Button 1 - Crowd Control

Shift+Side Mouse Button 1 - Stun

Ctrl+Side Mouse Button 1 - Snare

 

 

Side Mouse Button 2 - AoE Heal

Ctrl+Side Mouse Button 2 - AoE Lightning Thing

Alt+Side Mouse Button 2 - Inquisitor jumping AoE knockdown thing

 

 

T - Cool Down 1 (Sorc crit buff thing)

G - Cool Down 2 (Adrenal)

V - Cool Down 3 (Relic)

F - Target of Target

X - Medpac

R - Reactive Cooldown (Sorc consumption)

 

I think that covers it... might have missed something. Can't figure out what I had bound to shift+Side Mouse Button 2.

[sulphagne]

People always make fun of my for my Nostromo N52 but it really is great for MMOs. I have all of my primary heals set up on the D Pad so that gives me access to 8 abilities (4 presses + 4 with a shift modifier) without having to move my thumb. Add in another 16 keybinds around the pad + movement and targeting keys and I basically don't ever have to move my left hand much while in combat because I have two full action bars worth of binds set up there.

 

You may feel overwhelmed by the number of abilities you have, but if you prioritize them (I feel keybinding your buffs, out of combat regen, out of combat res etc to be silly) you will find that you are only using 6-8 abilities really regularly.

[Valkyriesuki]

logitech MX518 here. i bind my two side buttons to shift and alt. this makes my modifiers right under my thumb, tripling my left hand keys.

[avictor]

I have a Naga Epic and it is the best fricking mouse evah! 17 buttons of love and if you add a shift in there then it is 34 buttons of love. Problem solved!

[thejaga]

First, use RDFG for movement. That frees up A, S, X, and Z for pinkie binds (keys you can hit with your pinkie without ever taking your fingers off movement keys). Use other easily accessible keys for binds, e.g., E, 5, 6, T, Y, H, B, V.

 

Buy a mouse with two thumb buttons (but no more than that -- more is overwhelming and unnecessary). Bind one mouse thumb button to CTRL+ and the other to ALT+. Use CTRL+ and ALT+ modifiers for all of the key binds discussed above. That gives you access to 36 non-movement-impaired keybinds.

 

If you need additional binds, use SHIFT+ the binds discussed above. Shift is a reasonable modifier to use on the keyboard. I rarely use SHIFT+modifier binds for important abilities though, only for buffs, mounts, etc. because the key to effective play is to maintain maximum movement control while accessing all of your abilities.

 

With this setup, you still have keys like W, Q, 1, 2, 3, 4 to use for whatever you like (and you can even use modifiers for these keys also) -- e.g., targetting and assist functions. You also have your mouse-scroll free. (I actually use mouse scroll for target next and previous, ALT+mouse scroll for friendly target next and previous, and CTRL+mouse scroll for camera zoom, since I have to constantly spam zoom out in this stupid game because of camera reset.)

 

These keybinds will give you maximum flexibility to use all of your abilities without being distracted from other important functions like constant spastic camera panning (if you're me).

[avictor]

First, use RDFG for movement. That frees up A, S, X, and Z for pinkie binds (keys you can hit with your pinkie without ever taking your fingers off movement keys). Use other easily accessible keys for binds, e.g., E, 5, 6, T, Y, H, B, V.

 

Buy a mouse with two thumb buttons (but no more than that -- more is overwhelming and unnecessary). Bind one mouse thumb button to CTRL+ and the other to ALT+. Use CTRL+ and ALT+ modifiers for all of the key binds discussed above. That gives you access to 36 non-movement-impaired keybinds.

 

If you need additional binds, use SHIFT+ the binds discussed above. Shift is a reasonable modifier to use on the keyboard. I rarely use SHIFT+modifier binds for important abilities though, only for buffs, mounts, etc. because the key to effective play is to maintain maximum movement control while accessing all of your abilities.

 

With this setup, you still have keys like W, Q, 1, 2, 3, 4 to use for whatever you like (and you can even use modifiers for these keys also) -- e.g., targetting and assist functions. You also have your mouse-scroll free. (I actually use mouse scroll for target next and previous, ALT+mouse scroll for friendly target next and previous, and CTRL+mouse scroll for camera zoom, since I have to constantly spam zoom out in this stupid game because of camera reset.)

 

These keybinds will give you maximum flexibility to use all of your abilities without being distracted from other important functions like constant spastic camera panning (if you're me).

 

That may work for you but I have to disagree with your movement control comment and your mouse comment.

 

I feel as though movement is done with the mouse and if you are driving with the keys then you are reacting to slow.

 

Also 3 more mouse buttons may be confusing for you but to most it isn't. I would get a mouse with a lot of button because it frees up your left hand to press more button and we all know pressing more buttons = awesome!

 

PS you have one crazy setup. If it works for you then power on!

[thejaga]

Your thumb is less dextrous than your other fingers. Precision key pressing is not what it is designed to do -- ask any guitarist. Not sure why you'd use your fattest finger to setup a control system designed around avoiding fat fingering keys.

 

Regarding movement, when I say to use RDFG for movement, I do not mean that you should be a back-pedaling, keyboard turning baddie. I only mean that you should shift WASD over to create more keyboard space and utility. You use your mouse to turn (obviously) and to pan your camera (which you should be doing all the time unless you're horrible).

 

Edit: Separately, I support the use of Nostromo because you can set it up so that your left thumb does all of your movement, which is a nice feature. I tried it though and had issues with the craftsmanship and other issues with the design that I could not get past. (That, and I never want to give up my mechanical keyboard.) I do not support the Naga, which to me is an abomination of a design.

Edited January 17, 2012 by thejaga

[Glazz]

A couple of keybinds I didn't see mentioned so far but that are really convenient to use:

 

Shift + Space

 

Ctrl + Space

 

Since I suspect most people have their left thumb hovering around the space bar anyway, it is really easy to use these. I bind the shift one for my mount and the ctrl one for my regenerating ability.

[Dashall]

Q, E, F, G, x, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Middle mouse, Mouse 4, Mouse 5, and the shift counterparts. That gives me approx. 26 hotkeys-- and many are hard to get to. I need advice

 

Q, E, R, F, G, Z, X, C, V, `,1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + Alt modifier, + 5 mouse buttons and Alt Modifiers.

 

I agree it's a lot though.

[Crimestick]

i change my movement to "S" for forward, "A" and "D" for strafing.

 

my other key bindings are set to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, q, w, e, r, t, y, f, g, h, z, x, c, v, b.

 

pretty much have all of my heals under my index with f, g, c, v, b, h.

combat moves are 1-6 and q-t

 

everything else is escapes, push backs and other utility.

 

oh, i forgot that i binded "`/~" to my aggro dump.

[Isxossk]

First, use RDFG for movement. That frees up A, S, X, and Z for pinkie binds (keys you can hit with your pinkie without ever taking your fingers off movement keys). Use other easily accessible keys for binds, e.g., E, 5, 6, T, Y, H, B, V.

 

Buy a mouse with two thumb buttons (but no more than that -- more is overwhelming and unnecessary). Bind one mouse thumb button to CTRL+ and the other to ALT+. Use CTRL+ and ALT+ modifiers for all of the key binds discussed above. That gives you access to 36 non-movement-impaired keybinds.

 

If you need additional binds, use SHIFT+ the binds discussed above. Shift is a reasonable modifier to use on the keyboard. I rarely use SHIFT+modifier binds for important abilities though, only for buffs, mounts, etc. because the key to effective play is to maintain maximum movement control while accessing all of your abilities.

 

With this setup, you still have keys like W, Q, 1, 2, 3, 4 to use for whatever you like (and you can even use modifiers for these keys also) -- e.g., targetting and assist functions. You also have your mouse-scroll free. (I actually use mouse scroll for target next and previous, ALT+mouse scroll for friendly target next and previous, and CTRL+mouse scroll for camera zoom, since I have to constantly spam zoom out in this stupid game because of camera reset.)

 

These keybinds will give you maximum flexibility to use all of your abilities without being distracted from other important functions like constant spastic camera panning (if you're me).

 

I might have to try this.

[Isxossk]

I might have to try this.

 

Holy cow, I just started using the mouse (right button) for movement and love it. Why didn't I do this a month ago ?