#Looking for a profile? Read this first.

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rugged patrol
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You want to skip the learning process

You're likely here because you downloaded the addon, hopped onto your main character at max level and expected everything to go smoothly. You then realized you don't have any muscle memory for this thing, there are a million settings in the config, you have no idea what you're looking at down at your action bars, and it's almost as if you're playing the game for the first time. Yes, in effect, you are playing the game for the first time. Does a new player immediately start at max level?

Start slow

Playing WoW with a controller has a barrier to entry, which gets smaller as you reduce the number of spells you need to think about, and complex end-game concepts are probably not what you need right now. Therefore, it's highly recommended to start on a new or low level character until you have figured out a setup that works for you. Do Exile's Reach on Retail, or a starting zone in Classic. You will be served one thing at a time to gradually increase the complexity.

A profile is not the solution

What's comfortable and intuitive for you isn't necessarily good for the next person. Downloading someone else's profile is not the solution. As you play, you will start to build up the skills to play the game at a competent level once more, and there's no cheat code to get there faster. Just practice.

How to approach the game

Having all that said, there are some general guidelines I can recommend - more of a philosophy on how to approach the game listed below, and how to best utilize your limited reach of 6 fingers and (hopefully) two thumbs. Let's be real, the pinkies are not doing much.

The benefits

When you have figured out a setup that works for you, you never need to do it again. You can apply the same principles you've learned on every character you play on. Finding a profile specifically for class X with spec Y becomes completely meaningless. Hopefully this post is the only "profile" you'll ever need.

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rugged patrol
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Guide to Figuring It Out Yourself

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1. Identify Conflicts of Interest

  • Understand the distinct gameplay dynamics of each spec:
    • Healer/Caster: Generally requires standing still to cast spells efficiently.
    • Melee/Tank: Requires continuous movement while executing rotations.
    • Healer: Does not need to aim, generally. Needs to allocate space for friendly targeting.
    • Tank: Needs to quickly pick up loose targets.
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2. Setting Up Bindings

For Melee/Tanks:

  • Priority: Enable movement of both camera and character while executing full rotation.
  • Optimal Button Placement:
    • Shoulder Buttons (LB/LT/RB/RT): Resource builders, targeting and movement spells.
    • ABXY: Rotational abilities, resource spenders, but not resource builders (common mistake).
    • DPAD: Cooldowns and situational abilities.
    • Analog Sticks: Movement control.
  • Use one-sided modifiers for flexibility:
    • Anchor hand (usually left) controls movement, modifiers, and long cooldowns.
    • The other hand manages primary action buttons.
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For Healers:

  • Priority: Efficiently casting spells and targeting your group while maintaining positional stability.
  • Optimal Button Placement:
    • Shoulder Buttons (LB/LT/RB/RT): Targeting, movement spells, primary nuke and/or healing spell.
    • ABXY: Healing spells, primary rotation when using raid cursor. Nuke spells and instants when using unit hotkeys.
    • DPAD: CDs, situational spells, and raid cursor control. Casted healing spells when using unit hotkeys.
    • Analog Sticks: Used for movement control; precise targeting not crucial.
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For Casters:

  • Priority: Precise targeting while executing full rotation.
  • Optimal Button Placement:
    • Shoulder Buttons (LB/LT/RB/RT): Main nuke, instants, targeting, movement.
    • ABXY: Rotational spells, instants and short CDs.
    • DPAD: Long CDs, situational spells, long cast spells.
    • Analog Sticks: Utilized for precise targeting and camera control.
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3. Key Recommendations

  • Shoulder buttons are the best: Four fingers rest on these buttons at all times.
    • The shoulder buttons never conflict with either movement or camera control, therefore, they are your most valuable buttons. Use them for your most frequent abilities and bindings, the things you can't sacrifice your character controls over.
  • Don't rely too much on ABXY: They disrupt camera control. Use them for less frequent actions.
    • They are relatively quick to use, but not good for resource builders and aimed spells due to the camera disruption.
  • Don't underuse the DPAD: It's a great place for quick access to less frequent actions.
    • Especially on caster specs, it can be used for main rotational abilities as it does not conflict with your primary goals, which is to maintain targeting and chain spells with cast time.
  • Use Tap Modifiers: A modifier can double as a button press, allowing an extra subset of actions to be placed on the same button.
  • Use Utility Rings: Place situational spells and items here instead.
    • The rings are a great way to offload the things you rarely use, but still need access to. Mounts, buffs, and potions are some examples.
  • Utilize Jump Binding: Assign jump to an easily accessible button.
    • Acts as a buffer during complex actions, allowing temporary release of movement control for other actions.
  • One-sided modifiers are probably better: Keeping modifiers on the left hand side allows your hands to work slightly differently from one another. You can use the left hand to brace the gamepad, control your modifiers and movement simultaneously, and fire off occasional cooldowns. Your right hand can then act as more of a "button masher", allowing easier synchronization between the two. Like a drummer, playing two independent beats.
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4. Targeting Methods

Efficient targeting is essential for effective gameplay, especially in fast-paced scenarios such as raids or PvP encounters. Understanding and utilizing different targeting methods can significantly improve your performance. Here are the five common targeting techniques:

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Enemy Targeting

Target Scan (soft/action targeting):

  • Description: Targets enemies within a narrow cone in front of the player, prioritizing precision over distance.
  • Advantages: Offers precise targeting even at a distance.
  • Usage: Ideal for scenarios where accuracy is crucial, such as aiming at specific enemies amidst a group.

Tab Target:

  • Description: Traditional targeting method resembling keyboard and mouse tab targeting.
  • Advantages: Provides intuitive target selection based on proximity and center of focus. Loosely prioritizes casting targets for interrupts.
  • Usage: Suitable for casual content where quick target switching is necessary but precise targeting is less critical.
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Friendly Targeting

Raid Cursor:

  • Description: Utilizes a cursor that appears on unit frames, controlled via directional pad, redirecting spells to the selected target.
  • Advantages: Enables targeting specific allies or enemies while maintaining focus on another target.
  • Usage: Valuable for healers in raid scenarios, allowing them to heal allies without losing focus on the primary target (e.g., boss).

Unit Hotkeys:

  • Description: Assigns hotkeys to unit frames when held down, facilitating quick and filtered target selection.
  • Advantages: Streamlines target selection process by filtering out non-applicable targets.
  • Usage: Provides a rapid and efficient way to switch between preferred targets during combat.
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Niche Targeting

Crosshair/Cursor Targeting:

  • Description: Least efficient method, accessed through mouse emulation buttons, allowing players to manually aim and select targets.
  • Advantages: Offers flexibility in targeting, particularly in niche cases where precise manual selection is required.
  • Usage: Utilized sparingly due to its lower efficiency but may be useful in specific situations where other methods are impractical.

Understanding and utilizing these targeting methods according to the demands of the situation can greatly enhance your gameplay experience and effectiveness in various game scenarios.

rugged patrol
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Examples

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Affliction Warlock (mix between melee and caster philosophy)

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Mistweaver Monk (left-handed healing with unit hotkeys)

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humble night
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yes

brittle nova
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wow, great guide

cosmic hill
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Just wanted to say a massive thank you, Munk.
Thank you for the addon and thank you for the guide.

ashen vapor
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how do you actually import the profiles? I can't find the setting in the addon

rugged patrol
patent falcon
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@rugged patrol Just wanted to say thank you. Playing Wow on controller allows me to play the game when I wouldn’t be normally. And this guide improved my gameplay significantly. Huge, thank you!

signal minnow
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Any profiles someone can share or is this not allowed here?

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Can't figure out how to set the ui tbh, bars are just all over the place

rugged patrol
rugged patrol
signal minnow
# rugged patrol Use the config.

Oh yeah the binding i did take my time to make mine, but i get a lua error when trying to use this other option menu for the action bars

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Forgot the name

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Cant find a way to set the cooldown manager up, will ti ker in the evening again, thanks for the addon by the way, as a father of too many, this is godsend

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I can play in my tablet while hiding on the toilet

rugged patrol
signal minnow
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I did, it might however conflict qith something. Will upload a screenshot later to the support channel

quartz sparrow
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Has anyone got a video of anyone healing with hotkeys?

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Struggling to understand how it works as I heal but I use the normal raid curser

quartz sparrow
bold horizon
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I am following your instructions and starting over from level 1 with a survival hunter. Let’s see how this journey goes.

hollow pike
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anyone have some link for used profile for xbox controller ?

wind shoal
wind shoal