Keybinding worth it for casual pvp players?

[Seireeni]

I've have a normal keyboard, normal mouse and really stupid left hand that didn't even learn how to play a piano. I also have a lot of characters that I play with the idea of "hmm, what character do I feel like playing today?"-tactic. But I happen to like pvp a lot, and I've heard that keybinding would be needed if you want to be any good.

 

I haven't felt the urge to keybind since I do just fine with clicking, not that I'd be always at the top of the medal or dps or whatever list but usually I'm not the last either. Only time when I have a problem is when I get pushed down from a catwalk in huttball while carrying a ball and I should pass up fast, I'm ridicously slow in those. Also with my left hand this stupid, I don't think there would be more than 7-10 keys that I can hit without having to move my hand away from the wasd-keys (not nearly as much as abilities as I use in high level characters), and I doubt if my muscle memory is good enough to remember which key does what on every of my 20 characters.

 

So, is it worth the trouble to try to learn keybinds if you don't want to be the best in something, just be good enough to have fun? If yes, should I put my most-used things to the bindings with all my characters and hope my muscle memory is really sharp and fast learner, or put the abilities that many classes share (i.e. interrupt, 4 second stun) in keybinds and click the ones that are pretty much unique to that class?

[AngusFTW]

Yes it is worth it. If your left hand is really that bad you could always get a naga or something..

[Jherad]

So, is it worth the trouble to try to learn keybinds if you don't want to be the best in something, just be good enough to have fun? If yes, should I put my most-used things to the bindings with all my characters and hope my muscle memory is really sharp and fast learner, or put the abilities that many classes share (i.e. interrupt, 4 second stun) in keybinds and click the ones that are pretty much unique to that class?

 

Yes, its absolutely worth at the very least getting used to using the keys around WASD (q, e, r, z, c, v, `, 1-5, repurposing a, d and s) as they are easy to learn to reach with minimal effort.

 

As you have realised, many classes share similar abilities, and all of them have attacks which are used more than others (resource builders, finishers etc). These can all go on the easier to reach keys (I usually start with q, e, ` and r).

 

Don't need to be 'leet' to get some good mileage from binds

[montreau]

I also have a lot of characters that I play with the idea of "hmm, what character do I feel like playing today?"-tactic. But I happen to like pvp a lot, and I've heard that keybinding would be needed if you want to be any good.

You can bind abilities with the same mechanics to one key. Here is the example. I play Mercenary and Gunslinger so powershot=charged burst; death from above=freighter flyby; thermal detonator=sabotage charge etc.

 

I haven't felt the urge to keybind since I do just fine with clicking,

No you are not. Try binding and you`ll see the difference very soon.

 

I don't think there would be more than 7-10 keys that I can hit without having to move my hand away from the wasd-keys (not nearly as much as abilities as I use in high level characters)

in fact you need good, easy to use binds only for your main abilities. 7-10 is more then enough. You can also try alt, shift or ctrl combinations. Or even move to ESDF from WASD to have access to more keys if you need it

 

So, is it worth the trouble to try to learn keybinds if you don't want to be the best in something, just be good enough to have fun?

Yes

[Seireeni]

Yes, my left hand is that bad, but no, I'm not getting some special keyboard because it might improve 1 of the games I play and do absolutely nothing to improve the other things I do on a computer. Waste of money for me, I've got music and books to buy and I consider them more important.

[Belly]

I thought I was doing fine with clicking, and perhaps I was. But it just seems so much easier now after you get your keybinds down. Doubly so, since I prefer meele classes. I'm pretty casual these days, so it's not like it takes a really long time to learn. But, if you take the time, you probably won't be able to go back.

[Keldaur]

Yes, my left hand is that bad, but no, I'm not getting some special keyboard because it might improve 1 of the games I play and do absolutely nothing to improve the other things I do on a computer. Waste of money for me, I've got music and books to buy and I consider them more important.

 

1 - You don't need any special keyboard. Anyone telling you that is just plainly wrong. I have a mechanichal keyboard, i don't miss any feature, if i want macro's i can just download software, and i just enjoy how smooth it is. But if you asks me if it makes me play better i can tell you NO, it doesn't.

 

2 - Keybinding is something you should learn to anyways. It's easy and will help you in eye - hand coordination, give you a faster response, and will also improve you usage of keybindings for other applications you may work with (doesn't matter it is not a game).

 

3 - If you ever feel like you want to get a naga. Don't. Get a different mouse with keys in more ergonomical locations. Naga failure is that most of their buttons can only be used with one finger, while there are many mouses out there that will allow you for 2-3 fingers smoothly. Not to speak the poor quality of razer products in general, just being flashy and good looking.

 

TLDR - There is no point on no keybinding. Keyboard mouse won't make you play better, but give you accesability and don't get a razer product.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Keldaur

[NotAnyOldName]

I was a clicker for a while, but I made the switch to using keybinds and it is so much better and entirely worth it. It allows you to do so much more and be better in PVP and doing better in PVP makes it more fun. At first its going to take quite a bit of getting used to, and you may struggle and think its not worth it but if you persevere you will benefit. Also I use my keybinds in PVE now as clicking feels really weird to me

[ChrisRedmond]

I was a clicker for a year. I then changed to keybinds and it took a good 3 to 4 nights, maybe 10 hours of game time, to lock it all down so it was any good.

 

I'll NEVER go back to clicking, your mobility increases tenfold (very important in PvP), Hitting and moving at the same time is much easier also.

 

I also play many different characters but they have similair abilities. For example, all classes have a stun break, on all my toons this is bound to Q.

Most often used attack abilities are the other keys around ASWD.

Any abilities used before combat proper begins is SHIFT + \ZXC. This would be stealth abilities, or sabre throw/ force leap , mortar volley/ Death from above etc.

Interupting abilities are SHIFT + ASDF. (Force push and Flash bang aren't 'interupts', but they can be used as such)

Other abilities get put in SHIFT + QWER, whatever is left over for that particular toon.

 

Using this method, I only need 13 keys to give 24 abilities. QWER, ASDF, \ZXC and SHIFT. Oh, and I use spacebar to switch target.

 

Like I said above, it takes 3 to 4 days to get used to it, and in 'Oh ****' moments, you will revert to clicking, but stick with it, you won't regret it.

[Seireeni]

Mmm. Have to say that I decided to give keybinds a try with my level 17 pt and I'm already pretty much getting most of the keys in use. This is going to be so hard for any 30+ levels...

[Atramar]

I love keybinds, (I still use WSAD to move since sometimes I need my right hand, sue me), but 1-7, qerty\zxcvfgh and shift 1-5 qerf, is more then enouth (note, I have 5 extra buttons on my mouse I can use - logiteh g500).

 

it's good to have pattern, like many above me already stated.

ALL my chars have C as stun breaker and V as pass huttball

most have shift+4 as stun and shift+5 as aoe mezz, finisher on shift+2, KB on R, single mezz T etc.

[Naej]

The only guy I've seen own with clicking is this friend of mine who had 337 days played on his Hunter 3 years into WoW.

 

I would recommand good key-binds to anyone. I personally use a Belkin n52te (Razer Nostromo replaced it), but I'd say the thing that'll set you appart others is to have as much stuff key-binded to your mouse (i.e. scroll up and down, the 2 buttons, scroll wheel click and ALT, SHFT, and CTRL of all of those)

[foxmob]

So, is it worth the trouble to try to learn keybinds if you don't want to be the best in something, just be good enough to have fun? If yes, should I put my most-used things to the bindings with all my characters and hope my muscle memory is really sharp and fast learner, or put the abilities that many classes share (i.e. interrupt, 4 second stun) in keybinds and click the ones that are pretty much unique to that class?

 

there are only a few ACs that you can play effectively by clicking and none that you play optimally. in addition to making your ability activations slower, it severely handicaps your movement and your ability to change direction (you cannot mouse turn AND click an ability at the same time).

 

it took me about 2 weeks to become as competent with keybinds as with clicking. from then on, it was a massive improvement.

 

however, if you must click, I suggest that you play VG/PT assault/pyro or play a caster/turret (commando dps/heals, sorc lightning/heals, sniper). the rationale is that there are few abils for the VG, so they're easier to spam click, and the other ACs are turrets, so they don't require much movement to play effectively (again, effective is not optimal).

 

edit: I'm a lefty who never got comfortable using my right hand for mouse work. so mice like the naga were useful but really only provided binds for 4 or 5 abils. as a righty, you should have thumb access to all 12/15 (depending on the mouse/model). that alone is enough to show a massive improvement in your reaction time. there's still a learning curve, but you ought to find it easier to train your thumb's muscle memory than the 5 fingers of your offhand.

Edited March 7, 2013 by foxmob

[LarryRow]

Keybinding is worth it for all players. It greatly enhanced the game for me.

 

I almost always hold down the right mouse button so I can swivel where I am looking. While holding right mouse, press left mouse to move forward. Press A and S to strafe.

 

With this you can start to make a lot of keybinds, like q, w, e, r, f, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

 

Try it for a week and see if you like it. You can always switch back.

[Seireeni]

Have to say that the funny thing is, that I've been doing level 50 pvp mostly with three character, and my sniper is the one I did worst, while my assassin tank seemed to be the one I was most succesful. (The third one is scoundrel dps, the success with that one seemed to be good on one day and horrible on another).

 

But anyway, I set up the keybinds for a low-level character and immediately had a lot of troubles with my fingers being stupid (I just can't start running while hitting an ability nor stop running while hitting an ability, both I did fine with clicking.) At least for now all this does is restraining my mobility, but I guess it will change.

[Ridickilis]

My best piece of advise for making the keybind conversion is to get intimate with mouse movement and tab targeting. That was the most important for me, the keybinds fall into place once you're comfortable with your mouse movement and how tab works with regards to facing.

 

At level 17, I would go back to your starter planet, or find any mob that has no chance at taking you out, and just run around hitting each of them once before hitting the same one again. Get the feel for how fast/slow you need to flick your wrist to turn into an enemy then turn around again and hit the one behind you. I found once I got that down, it was like a eureka moment where everything else just seemed to fall into place for me.

 

Everyone has their own system of keybinds so I won't go into great detail but I would agree with those that say put similar abilities on the same keybinds across all toons. Mezz's/stuns always in the same place, defenses in the same place etc. Oh and interrupt as mouse-3 (wheel press) FTW!!

Edited March 7, 2013 by Ridickilis

[Killtastrophe]

I feel bad for you because I'm left handed/pretty ambidextrous, with keybinds up the yin-yang and I bought a Naga and bound those extra keys as backups if my left hand is feeling lazy.

[Expostar]

If you have the money...

 

Naga + Nostromo = Win

[johnnyreece]

I found using a practice dummy worked, as well. Even though it was stationary, I had enough room to run around safely and practice casting on something that absolutely would not hit me, and wouldn't die before I was done practicing.

[SOULCASTER]

After playing on the PTS (public test server) last night for a few waroznes, I can say with full certainty that:

"there will be no place for clickers and non-keybinders after update 2.0 comes out"

 

The new combat is VERY fast paced. Almost everyone has movement boost, speed increases and snare

breaks of some kind. If you get a 6v6 or 7v7 in a warzone fighitng for the same node, it looks like mass

chaos. There will be no room for casual clicker players once this update goes live. As far as pvp warzones

are concerned anyway.

[JustinxDuff]

I would definitely try to get used to binding, especially if you PvP a lot. It may take some getting used to but once you get the muscle memory down its like a whole new game/class.

[ace_boogie]

I'm a clicker too... I know I should learn keybinds, but I work 9-10 hours a day. Plus I live on the west coast but play on an east coast server so I miss pretty much all my guild OPs and events. All I really have left is pvp and when I get home, I just wanna get on my sniper and peel caps for an hour or 2. Don't have much time to really sit and learn it.

 

Plus I'm one of those people who still looks down at the keyboard to type lol. I just admit to myself that ill never be that bad *** in pvp and try to go have fun with it.

Edited March 7, 2013 by ace_boogie

[Seireeni]

After playing on the PTS (public test server) last night for a few waroznes, I can say with full certainty that:

"there will be no place for clickers and non-keybinders after update 2.0 comes out"

 

The new combat is VERY fast paced. Almost everyone has movement boost, speed increases and snare

breaks of some kind. If you get a 6v6 or 7v7 in a warzone fighitng for the same node, it looks like mass

chaos. There will be no room for casual clicker players once this update goes live. As far as pvp warzones

are concerned anyway.

 

If it's that chaotic, it's probably too much for a casual pvper like me to handle, no matter if I click or bind. I never use stuff like force speed while dueling etc., I'd get a few second pauses simply because I'd have no idea where my character is and where is the node/enemy/own players if I'd try to go fast and turn and attack at the same time.

[Ridickilis]

Honest to God, don't let the 2.0 combat pace scare you off from trying to keybind. If you get used to the pace now, it'll be that much easier to adapt when 2.0 hits.

 

I too am a 'casual', meaning I work the 9 hour shifts everyday so I only get on 2-3 hours a night myself. So you don't need to be on 6-8 hours a day to get good with your movements and keybinds.

 

In one 2 hour session, you will notice that you're getting a good feel for your movements, after 2 days you'll have your keybinds down and after 5 days or so (10 hours) it will become second nature. That was my experince and I've seen others in this thread posting similar learning curves. Trust me, you'll never go back and wonder why you didn't do this earlier.

 

EDIT: Oh and make sure you zoom your camera all the way out to max distance. It helps out tremendously, if you're in too close it can look like a chaotic mess. Also put your CD's on a countdown timer (text) as well. Max zoom and coundown timers are in your preferences (ctrl-p).

Edited March 7, 2013 by Ridickilis

[islander]

Dear OP:

 

Yes, look I was like you. Heck I was still using WASDQE to move/strafe at release. I'm far from the youngest gamer or PvPer. I never did keybinding (serious keybinding) until this game.

What I did, was I started a lowbie (marauder) - a melee class I'd have to do more work at, and trained myself on him. It's the ideal setup. You start with few skills, gradually increasing them as you level (and your competency grows).

Edited March 7, 2013 by islander