DPS macros

Hi everybody,

First of all, thank you for all the help I've gotten so far. I'm slowly getting to the point where I feel ready to try some instances (my toons are level 30 now). I have some questions regarding macros for my dps toons.

My dps toons are:
Warrior
Hunter
Mage

1) Do one make those fancy attack macros in Isboxer or in WoW?

2) I was wondering if someone with a bit more experience then me might have have some tips and pointers for a decent setup for macros for my toons?

The above questions are just to cover the basics so I can get started to try some instances. I also have some follow-up questions as well:

3) When tanking, is it better to click on buttons for tanking and save the hotkeys 1-5 for dps toons?

4) How do you guys set it up so that a hunter use a freeze trap and mage use polymorph? Is it possible to make it so that my tank marks a target with square and one with moon and then my hunter and mage will target those with their cc but no one else will touch them?

Any other tips and pointers are also welcome. So far I've just smashed button 1 to kill one mob at a time on quests, but the whole point for multiboxing for me is to do instances and I figured I better start early so I can get the hang of it.

[Alge]

I would like to preface these comments by saying that getting my teams set up to do their roles effectively is one of the things I most enjoy about multiboxing. Many would not agree with me... Additionally, you will have trouble finding ready-to-use macros for characters as they are leveling. With that said...

There are two general approaches here...

1. Use multiple key bindings and try to put abilities with similar effects or cooldowns on the same key bindings. This method can work in some situations where you only have one or two classes but tends to work worst when you have mixed classes. In some games without macro systems you are limited to this method.
2. Try to combine as many abilities into a single keypress using a combination of in-game macros and isboxer functionality. In this method you will still need to group similar abilities onto the same button but the number of buttons should be smaller.

My setup uses a small-ish number of keys:

Assist
Single Target DPS
AoE DPS
Pull
Taunt
Interrupt
Crowd Control
Offensive Cooldowns
Defensive Cooldowns

Most of these just involve a single ability on a hotbar and a mapped key set up to send the appropriate key combinations to the appropriate characters.

The single target DPS key (Spam DPS) is probably the most complicated. I use a variation of the 2 step DPS macro which you can read about over in the stickies at http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums/14-Macros-and-Addons.

For my mage I use two macros:

Code:

/stopmacro [target=target,noexists] [noharm] [dead] [channeling]

/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/castsequence reset=6 Arcane Blast,Arcane Blast,Arcane Blast,Arcane Barrage
/cast Presence of Mind
/cast Mirror Image
/use Mana Gem
/cast Arcane Power
/use 13
/use 14

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

and

Code:

/stopmacro [target=target,noexists] [noharm] [dead] [channeling]

/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/castsequence reset=3 Arcane Missiles,Arcane Blast

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

I use this same set up with 3 different mages: levels 26, 45 and 74. As long as any abilities they are missing are not in the castsequence part of the macro there are no issues.

These macros go in to a Macro Set under Game Helpers, World of Warcraft. see http://isboxer.com/wiki/World_of_Warcraft_Macro_Library

Then you need to make a mapped key with 2 steps set to activate when "pressed OR released". Step 1 uses a Named World of Warcraft Macro Action with your mage as the target to do the first macro. Step 2 uses another Named World of Warcraft Macro Action with your mage as the target to do the second macro.

Then you set the hotkey for that Mapped Key to be something you are comfortable spamming during combat and you press it repeatedly.

For the hunter...

Code:

/stopmacro [target=target,noexists] [noharm] [dead]
/startattack

/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/castsequence reset=target Serpent Sting,Steady Shot,Arcane Shot,Steady Shot,Arcane Shot,Steady Shot,Arcane Shot
/petattack

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

and

Code:

/stopmacro [target=target,noexists] [noharm] [dead]
/startattack

/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/cast reset=target Hunter's Mark,NULL

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

are the macros I use at level 26. You add some additional actions into your DPS Spam mapped key with the hunter as the target.

New post...

[Alge]

While the above is not a detailed step-by-step guide it should get you going in the right direction.

I use the same setup for my druid tank. Here are the macros:

Code:

/stopmacro [target=target,noexists] [noharm] [dead]
/startattack

/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/castsequence reset=target Faerie Fire (Feral)(Feral),NULL
/cast Swipe(Bear Form)

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

and

Code:

/stopmacro [target=target,noexists] [noharm] [dead]
/startattack

/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0

/cast [nostance:1] Bear Form
/castsequence reset=combat/8 Demoralizing Roar,Mangle(Bear Form),Mangle(Bear Form),Mangle(Bear Form),Mangle(Bear Form)
/cast Swipe(Bear Form)
/cast !Maul

/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1

For healing there are a couple of options. I know some people just use a macro that targets and heals the tank repeatedly. Other use some form of Click Healing setup - check the guides section of isboxer.com.

Finally, for CC, I use a focus system that also marks targets using a multi step mapped key. Step 1 has Slot 2 assist the lead character and mark the target. Step 2 does the same for Slot 3, etc. To cast the spells I use a [@focus] modifier in my macro to ensure the right target is crowd controlled.

ok, well I am starting to ramble and this response is far too long...