Some general, useful macros

[Quahodron]

Hey guys,

due to the fact that I just found "Class Macros & Other General Macros" posted by 186eclipse (very nice guide, thank you!), i also wanted to share some instructions with you of how to make some general makros (which aren't included in 186eclipse's guide.

I'll start with very easy macros, for those who're not that much into macros yet.(Please keep that in mind while reading)

First you need to open the macro-menu. For those who know how that works, please skip that part:
first enter /m into the chat. a new window will open now.
at the right bottom corner, you need to press new.
Now choose an icon you like an finish by pressing ok.
Now you see your icon and choosen name at the macro menu. By clicking on it, you can write your macro into the blank box below the icon menu.

So here we go, let's start with something easy:


1) Welcome to WoW!
/y Welcome to WoW!

Now drag the icon of the macro into one of your bars.
Click on it...and that's all.

We could also make a macro to make our character make any emoticon; just create a new macro and type:
/dance
/yawn
/bored
/sleep
or similar.

If we typed this:
/yawn
/sleep
in the same macro, our char would yawn and lay down at the same time.

For spells and abilities it's very similar: we have to add the command /cast.

2) Cast a spell or ability
Create a new macro and choose the question mark as icon.
I suggest to choose that, usually, so we'll be always able to see the cooldown of the spells that we link to this macro.
Write in the body this instruction:

/cast
Now open the spells and abilities panel and shift click the spell you wanna link to the macro.
We'll see the spell's name appear near the instruction /cast

Drag the icon of the macro into one of your bars.
In this way the macro will be always linked to the spell or ability we have chosen


Now we'll see something more interesting, don't worry.
Unfortunately, due to the global cooldown, it's not possible to cast multiple spells at the same time, but there are some little tricks that can be found out.


3) More actions at one time
This is very important for classes that have abilities that work "on the next melee attack"(if you have some, you understand of what I'm talking about).
Create a new macro like this:

/cast ability that works "on the next melee attack"
/cast instant attack

Choose carefully the instant spell, we might want it with a very low cost in mana(rage or energy) or with a particular effect.
In this way the two abilities will be casted at the same time.

If your class doesn't use such abilities, you can use this kind of macros to alert people that you are going to cast a particular spell or other funny sentences:
/cast choose spell
/say Gimme time, mom, gimme time...it will be casted
So you'll say this sentence while casting.


4) Castsequencing
We can also link more than one spell to a macro in a different way: using the command /castsequence
Use this carefully, because we won't be able to use the second or third (and so on) spell, before using the first ones.
Create a macro in the usual way and choose the question mark as icon.

In the body write this:
/castsequence spell 1, spell2, ..., spellN
It is very important that we write exactly, or it won't work.
Now move the icon to one of the bars and start clicking in it, so you'll see how it works.


4.1) Conditionals
We can set some conditionals to the macro.
All conditionals are in nested between commands and spells, in this way:
/cast [conditional] spell


5) Reset
For example we can make the castsequence restart every time we have a new target
/castsequence [reset=target] spell
(yes also the square brackets)

or every ten seconds
/castsequence [reset=10] spell
(we can change the number of seconds as we like: two minutes are 120 seconds)


6) Target

6.1) /target
If we want to target Snowflake:
/target Snowflake

Then you can add the other part of the macro:
/target Snowflake
/say What a beautiful nick!!!


6.2) conditional
Target can also be a conditional.
For example:
/cast [target=Snowflake] spell
This will cast the spell only if Snowflake is our actual target


or:
[target=heal] will cast if target is friend
[target=combat] will cast if the target is hostile
[target=nocombat] will cast if the target is not hostile(neutral or friend)


6.3) target commands
/assist ---> targets our target's target
/cleartarget ---> leaves us without target
/targetenemy, /targetfriend ---> does what it says
/targetparty, /targetraid ---> targets our party/raid members one after the other.
/targetlasttarget ---> does what it says

We can always add "target" at the end of the object we are going to target, to get its target.
For example:
/target Snowflake ---> will target Snowflake
/target Snowflaketarget ---> will target Snowflake's target


7) Modifiers
It's better to explain with an example:
/cast [modifier:shift] spell1; [modifier:ctrl] spell2; [modifier:alt] spell3; spell0
this will cast spell1 if we are pressing shift when clicking on the macro button, spell2 if we are pressing ctrl, spell3 if we are pressing alt, spell0 if we are not pressing any key.


8) Stances
Stances work exactly as Modifiers:
/cast [stance:1] spell1; [stance:2] spell2; ...; [stance:n] spelln; spell0
but instead of button pressed it keeps track of the stance we are if we are a warrior, the form if we are a druid, and so on.


9) Trinkets and general items
Very easy:
/use Item-Trinket
It can be used together with other commands, as usual:
/use Item-Trinket
/cast spell



So I hope I could give you some ideas of how to create a macro.
Please feel free to add some more useful macro-commands that you know.

[dj_cRaZy00]

Very well written guide, could be usefull for some players that do not look at macros for optimizing their DPS / PvP skills. Thanks.

[VoTuUS]

Nice guide, and thanks for contributing. +3

[Bladeward11]

Nice post, thanks.

[perssons]

Nice guide, you can also add that /use 13 and /use 14 can also be used to activate trinkets

[Fadelol]

Tip to make Lightwell usage easier:

Step 1. Macro:
/tar Lightwell

Step 2. Key binds
/tar Lightwell macro - Bind this to f.ex. Shift + Mouse4
Interact With Target - Bind this to f.ex. Shift + Mouse5

Step 3. While killing things
Shift+Mouse4 -> Shift+Mouse5.

Step 4. ????

Step 5. Profit