Palooza? Pallooza?
BRK’s Non-WoW Thought of the Day: Do you take your glassware into your bathroom at home? Of course you don’t. So why are you taking your coffee cup into the men’s room to clean it at work? There’s a kitchen across the courtyard! A kitchen, by definition, has no male nudity. Isn’t that where you want to wash utensils and ceramics that will eventually be placed in your mouth?
The GM of AC and the Squeekie Priestie are completing Fiopalooza (Fiopallooza?) and on their way home. Soon, the King of All Puns is going to lock horns with the loquacious and eloquent Ego. Drenden may experience latency issues that rival time-travel as the guild-chat explodes in a supernova of catcalls and chat-gagging.
We, for one, cannot wait. /popcorn
ZOMG!! The Running of Da Bulls for Sharvan is this Saturday! Are you ready, are you pumped? The BRK web-bots have been picking up lots of chatter on guild forums across the world about joining in groups. The French and Spanish sites we can sort of read, but the German, Slovak, and Russian ones completely mystify us. Remember, the race starts at 7pm Eastern Daylight Time, not server-time. That’s 11pm Greenwich Mean Time, foshizzle. Don’t screw it up and arrive an hour late, or you’ll get Shovel Detail.
Yes, that was a threat.
We finally captured a Hydross movie we like. We’ll be turning it into a BRK Hunter Guide Movie tonight, stay tuned. The next movie should be either Al’ar or Leo the Blind. The Leo movie will be rated R for all the BRK-screaming and cursing that will take place as Leo puts his Bleed on Hobbes and our pet dies again and again and there’s really nothing we can do about it.
We will be doing a comparison of 3x Tier 5 gear vs. 2x Tier 5 gear + Shoulders of Lightning Reflexes, as computed by Recount during a Dr. Boom session. Time, of course, is our enemy. Do not fret; this is totally on the BRK Honey-Do List.
We played around with a shot-rotation macro last night in SSC. Don’t Panic!
Some immediate observations:
We hate how slowly our shooting started. Every fight felt like an eternity before the first shot was fired.
We loved seeing the Kill Commands automatically being cast. In all honesty, we will never be able to manually cast KCs as efficiently as the macro did.
We missed not being able to throw Arcane Shots in the rotation when we wanted.
We appreciated not having to worry about the other gun-hunter’s sounds interfering with out shot-rotation concentration.
We felt detached from the DPS-experience. It was like driving a Porsche equipped with an automatic transmission.
There can be no arguing that a simple Auto/Steady macro can improve a hunter’s DPS, especially for those hunters for whom shot-rotation theory is a concept they wish not to study in-depth. We would never deride a hunter for not using one, but if their DPS is lacking, we would definitely recommend the one we used.
However we still believe that a shot-rotation macro is not mandatory to provide MQoSRDPS in a raid. We also feel that a properly executed, manual shot-rotation feels like more of an accomplishment than doing warlock-like, keyboard face-smashing.
What was the macro we used? We’ll cover that in a separate post.



Brian on 01 May 2008 at 2:01 pm #
I’d be curious as to how different your DPS was with the macro.
Drotara on 01 May 2008 at 2:02 pm #
Depending on your macro and the order which the commands are, it might take longer to start shooting. My macro leads with Auto Shot and it always feels like it is responsive for me. However it is easy to have the macro start with Steady Shot if you wanted.
I believe it is not a problem to throw in Arcane Shots or Multi Shots into your rotation however. As I use a Wind Serpent, sometimes when I want to drop down to a 1:1 priority rotation, I wait for Auto Shot to go off, fire whichever shot I want and them spam my macro a few times to make sure any Lightning Breaths or Kill Commands are used, and then when Auto Shot is about to fire I let up on the macro, wait for it to go, and then follow with whichever shot I didn’t use previously.
Not sure what your weapon speed is, but mimicking that same style is viable by just letting up on the macro temporarily as Steady Shot is about to cast to throw in whatever shots you would like. I look at it more long the lines of a Porsche with the option to switch to Manual from Automatic if I wanted.
Lotos/Smoke on 01 May 2008 at 2:06 pm #
Yes, what WAS the macro? Inquiring minds want to know… I’ve yet to find one that I like more than manually timing my shots.
For the Pie on 01 May 2008 at 2:30 pm #
Why is Hobbes allowed to stay on Leo during the whirlwind? Pull him out of the fight and send him back in when the tank has grabbed aggro again.
Like most fights, I take my pet off during the demon phase and just attack him once teh lock has aggro and is keeping threat up. Then if I don’t get an inner demon I unload on him, FD right before the change.
Leo isn’t a dps fight, as much as it is a stay alive fight. Your pet dying because he’s staying in too long isn’t good management, BRK!
afallach on 01 May 2008 at 3:20 pm #
One thing that I’ve done with the macro is just leave out arcane until I’m on the move. Say were doing Nightbane and a charred earth ends up underneath me, well I head out of it but instead of losing that shot I fire off an arcane as I’m moving as needed. The one thing I like about it is it frees up alot of action keys. I dont need a seperate button for steady and kill command, it’s all on one button.
Aerthus on 01 May 2008 at 3:22 pm #
I agree that a shot-rotation macro seems almost like there is no reason for me to be at the keyboard at all. I much prefer hitting the buttons myself.
As for having kill commands going off automatically, I’ll let you in on a little secret. If you create a macro such as the following:
/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
/cast kill command
/cast arcane shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
/script UIErrorsFrame
It will cast arcane shot and, if it’s available, send a kill command as well. The benefit of lines 1, 4, and 5 is that you won’t get any error messages if kill command isn’t ready.
Allisera on 01 May 2008 at 3:56 pm #
I use the same sort of script commands to hide the errors. I also have both of my trinkets and Bestial Wrath linked into that same Arcane Shot script. What this does is removes the need to spend time pressing additional buttons or clicking additional icons to invoke the benefits of the trinkets, ensuring that I get maximum ‘uptime’ on my DPS-boosting effects. I then use a two second recast time macro (/castsequence reset=2 Steady Shot, Auto Shot) for spacing out steady shots.
I used to have kill command included in my Arcane Shot macro. However, I’ve since removed it. Questions of mana efficiency aside, I found that macro’ing Kill Command caused an unacceptable risk of triggering a certain bug that has yet to be fixed. This can happen to any class using a number of abilities, but it’s particularly bad for hunters, as it prevents you from using Auto-Shot at all, until you re-use whatever ability caused the lock up in the first place. Given that Kill Command only becomes active when one of your shots crit, you essentially have to wait until one of your steady shots or arcane shots crit - and meanwhile, half of your DPS is gone. The only other thing that seems to work is closing WoW entirely, and restarting - reloading the UI doesn’t do anything.
On top of all that, I find that it can be annoying to have kill command go off when I don’t want it to, such as those times when I have recalled my pet to avoid getting him killed (”No, DON’T run into the Charred Earth/Infernal AoE/Cave-In/Whirlwind/etc, you stupid ravager!), as it will instantly send my pet back off to try and get killed.
Thus, I prefer to keep Kill Command separate. Your mileage may vary, however.
Irshi on 01 May 2008 at 4:04 pm #
Have they fixed the issue with Kill Command locking up when you use it as something dies? I ran into that aaall the time using a macro on trash. Really annoying because it stopped you from auto-shooting/feeding pet. You could only use shots/stings until:
1. Get a crit and successfully use KC on something
2. Exit and restart WoW
I don’t know if anyone else ran into that problem, but it’s pretty much what killed macros for me. One too many times of starting a fight unable to auto-shot or with a less than happy pet.
Allisera on 01 May 2008 at 4:13 pm #
If they have fixed it, it hasn’t been announced. There’s been a lot of complaining/whining/etc on the official forums over it, and Blizzard is aware of the problems (has been for some time), but either it’s not fixed, or was not announced in patch notes.
It’s not just a problem for hunters, though, it’s a problem for everyone. I’ve found it’s only a problem for my hunter with kill command, however. For instance, if my paladin locks up while casting a macro’d Holy Light, she can just… cast Holy Light again. It’s a minor inconvenience. I once had this lockup bug happen to my hunter when I fired a (non-macro’d) Serpent Sting too close to something else going off. Solution? Fire another Serpent Sting. You can tell easily enough what caused it, as the icon becomes highlighted.
The problem with Kill Command is that it has a prerequisite, and thus you can’t just immediately re-click it. Ever since I removed Kill Command from my Macro, I haven’t had any problems with it.
pelides on 01 May 2008 at 4:47 pm #
I’d think with that fancy schmancy gaming pad you have that you would be able to make arcane and multi easy available to weave in after an auto shot goes off. I have a 5 button mouse and I have those two mapped to the two buttons on the left hand side of the mouse for manual weaving. My macro is bound to my back scroll.
If you see the steady shot going off, just lay off on the macro and hit the arcane/multi button after the auto goes off. Begin spamming macro again.
kunukia on 01 May 2008 at 6:23 pm #
Irshi, I HAVE had that happen, so I took Kill Command off my macro.
Slythyl on 01 May 2008 at 6:36 pm #
Interestingly enough, i have more issues manually using KC and having it lock up. When it does lock up I pull out my shot macro and spam it until it unlocks.
But I hates the macro spamming. Its not as fun as manually timing shots.
GHOSTKID on 01 May 2008 at 7:11 pm #
I assume we will be able to see the screen shots of the puntifications (and the macro) soon.
Allisera on 01 May 2008 at 7:21 pm #
It’s not purely a macro issue. From what I understand, it’s a timing issue, and can happen with just about anything. However, it’s not usually a major problem, except with Kill Command - not because KC is necessarily more likely to trigger it, but that fixing the issue when it arises from KC is vastly more difficult. Personally, I tend to only rarely use KC as a result, and never put it on a macro. The reason not to put it on a macro is that macros tend to make it more likely (or so it seems) because of the triggering in rapid sequence.
Boobah on 01 May 2008 at 7:37 pm #
As far as the Kill Command lockup issue, Hortus (spotted via Mania) is asking people to test Bliz’s fix attempt on the PTR, and the response in Mania’s comments is positive on THAT tweak.
Garryl on 01 May 2008 at 10:37 pm #
Hey, BRK, don’t knock the ‘lock! Keeping five DoTs up all the time is a much harder and experience than simply firing Steady/Arcane Shot between Autoshots and hitting Kill Command whenever it lights up (I’ve played both in raids and small groups). Us ‘locks have similar issues to other gun shots, what with all the Sunders, Judgements, Demoralizing Shouts, Ruptures, Rips, Stings, Stormstrikes, Vampiric Touches, and even DoTs from other Warlocks all lying on top of each other in an ever shifting heap of debuffs hiding the lack of a needle in that haystack. Keyboard face-rolling tends not to work so well, in my experience, for any class, spec, or setup.
That being said, I shouldn’t be here to gripe, and I’m sure you meant no offense to your Warlock overlords when you wrote this blog. I enjoyed this post, like most. Keep up the good work (and don’t knock the ‘lock)!
Pike on 01 May 2008 at 11:52 pm #
Macros definitely detract from my hunter experience. Weaving my shots is really one of my favorite aspects of the class. But I don’t mind people who choose to use them… they’re just not my thing.
The other day I was having severe lag issues in a heroic and it was really driving me up the wall. The reason? Because it was making my manual shot-weaving near impossible and sucking away my little huntery joy. =(
Uhh on 02 May 2008 at 2:43 am #
I recently converted from SV/MM and the adjustment was rough for me to be honest, I’m not the greatest of hunters in my own opinion but I can hold my own I think. One of the biggest help for me was the shot rotation macro with the kill command. I have to refer to a post I read not long ago.
“You want to DPS the Skull, of course. You tab-target and accidentally select your trapped mob but are able to keep from shooting it. You see the Skull mob and try to select it but there are too many things in the way and you cannot get a good click on it. With a growl of desperation, you tab-target through the mobs… circle, moon, Skull! Yes! Start firing! OMG it’s been 10 seconds and we we haven’t sent our pet yet! Get going you! We’re not topping the DamageMeters today as it seems we’re always a bloody, bleepin’ step behind.”
Courtesy of http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/06/13/bigredkitty-basic-hunter-macros/
That was so me, and I would invariably smack my own trap
I felt I was the stereotypical huntard. /cry
Then I hooked up with the shot rotation, then the focus, then the / , commands and wow, things were much less huntard, much more commander of all I survey!! /wakeup Ok, well much more confident and less self spankage occurred
I found that when I use the macro below I just demolished the mob! DPS is insane and it’s the macro that tunes it
#showtooltip Steady Shot
/castsequence reset=3/target !Auto Shot, Steady Shot
/castrandom [target=pettarget,exists] Kill Command
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear();
My favorite however is my Boom Boom Macro
Makes me feel tingly to watch
/castsequence reset=120 Bestial Wrath
/stopcasting
/castsequence reset=60 Intimidation
/stopcasting
/castsequence reset=120 Bloodlust Brooch
/stopcasting
/castsequence reset=180 Rapid Fire
/stopcasting
/use Drums of Battle
All go off instantly!
Thanks for the blog BRK!
Uhh and Choo
Silverhand
Heffer on 02 May 2008 at 3:56 am #
I was topping dmg meter in kara (until my guild stopped raiding - resting before WotLK). I use a manual shot rotation…. and I’m an clicker; everything is done with my mouse :s
Bloodtrip on 02 May 2008 at 5:01 am #
I use a shot macro… the basic Auto/Steady with KC embedded. Hands down, great macro. I used to have the same problem with KC sending my pet in (in reference to a comment), but i realized that if your pet is on PASSIVE, Kill Command in your macro WILL NOT send your pet in. (like i learned from you, ALWAYS keep it on passive… good hunter/pet management). so now it makes it easier to mash that macro to my hearts contempt!! I too however, for a long time felt i was missing out on “manually” doing my shot rotation, but most of us know… Blizz does not have that many buttons and action bars… making a macro just frees up some space. same with “Hunter’s Mark/Pet Attack” macro, right next to my shot macro.
Anonymous on 02 May 2008 at 7:18 am #
I agree with Bloodtrip. Macro with kill command (autoshot first for quicker start) and pet on passive.
Petattack and hunters Mark Macro’d to button 3 and the SS macro to button 4.
So it’s Tab target, 3 then mash 4, leaving my right hand and mouse free to click pet management buttons, pots, trinkets etc. This way i can DPS, enjoy the encounter and the game without staring at buttons.
It’s a simple matter to stop mashing button 4 right after a Steady has been cast, then wait for the auto shot, before slipping in a manual Arcane shot. Repeat this if you want to really go for it and weave in an Arcane every time the CD is up and you have mana to spare.
Dave on 02 May 2008 at 9:40 am #
Well said Garryl. As an affliction lock, maintaining a set of DoTs + shadowbolting + watching threat is far more involved than Auto/Steady plus a few specials and feign deaths thrown in for good measure. BRK’s repeated slamming of warlocks is pretty uninformed.
Allisera on 02 May 2008 at 10:13 am #
Hmm. I always default my pet to passive in instances - it’s a habit I picked up when I first started running heroics (too much risk of my pet breaking traps otherwise). I do sometimes put my pet on defensive, but that’s only so I can call it back (by then returning it to passive mode). What might be the solution is to edit the macro so that it only fires KC if the pet is in combat, I’m thinking.
Again, though, I’ll only consider re-adding KC if they fix the issues with UI lockup.
loldps on 02 May 2008 at 10:37 am #
As a tank in a raid environment … you locks should get over yourselves! DPSing is so much more relaxing than tanking (or healing) will ever be. Doesn’t matter if you’re a warlock, a hunter, a rogue, a [fill in the blank] … DPSing is pretty easy.
Dave on 02 May 2008 at 4:31 pm #
No one said that lock or hunter dps was more difficult or more stressful than tanking, so I don’t know why you are getting your underwear in a knot
Tanking is the most stressful role, IMO. DPS is easy - it’s just that it’s crazy for BRK to make the absurd claim that hunters are supposedly more involved and locks are easy/simple.
But since you bring it up, most people that I know that play both healers and dps say that healing is the easiest role of all.
Felandra on 04 May 2008 at 6:13 pm #
I think the reason is that you shouldn’t really be bringing more than one Aff warlock, hence BRKs Warlocks (and most of the ones the rest of us meet too) are Shadowbolt spamming Destro locks that could be done in the sleep… *yawn*
mm on 05 May 2008 at 2:42 pm #
This one gnaws on me since I’ve seen it said by you several times (and a few other non-lock bloggers). It takes much attention and timer micromanagement to play a lock well.
I have a 70 BM hunter and UA lock (or destro depending on raid needs and composition). I have to say that the hunter is massively MASSIVELY easier to play than the lock. I just send in the pet and spam the steady/auto/kc macro for 1k dps (or spam the steady/auto/multi/kc macro when safe to do so). As the lock, I have to keep up 5 dots, tap, drain, decide if it’s better to refresh a dot or sneak in one more SB, and finally time a shadowburn to sneak in more dps while returning my shard. I’d put playing a lock for max dps as one of the harder classes.
I challenge BRK to borrow an affliction lock (TJ?) and see how much massively busier it is to play to max dps. Make sure you have all your rotations down…will the mob live for 10 secs? 15? 30? 10 mins? All that varies what and how many dots to drop. For a hunter, the answer is all the same: send in pet, spam macro (or for the purist, weave in steady shot between auto shot timer).
Even as the easier-to-play destro lock, you still have to manage immolate, agony/doom/CoS/CoE dots while shadowbolting, tapping, and timing that last shadowburn.
Aggro? Hunters can FD frequently for complete aggro dumps. Locks? We have a 50% aggro dump that takes a shard and is on a 5 min timer. If we pull aggro? We’re cloth and are probably candidates for a one-shot. Hunters have mail and can often take a hit or two.
As stated previously, don’t knock the lock. Or at least master one before bashing them.
Other than that, keep up the good hunter work. Just leave the really skilled dpsing to the real class - the lock (j/k there) =)