WOW Macros Guide,Macros Spells and Abilities,Macro Tips

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WOW Macros Guide Macros What Is a Macro Creating a Basic Macro Macros Spells and Abilities Targeting in Macros Group and Raid Macros How do I make a macro Macro Tips Captain Jigs' Macro Guide

The Many Uses of the Basic Macro

In our first section, we covered the basics of how to create a simple macro, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. In this section, we'll cover the most commonly used functions of macros: using and equipping items, casting spells and abilities, smart targeting, and improving communication. You'll have an array of shiny new macros lined up across your action bar in no time.

Using, Equipping, and Managing Items with Macros


Items are used in macros with the /use command. No more fumbling around in your bags to find that particular trinket you need to equip, or that consumable you don't have on your action bar, especially when the pressure of time is on. There are several methods and guidelines for the /use command:
  • Using items by name with /use itemname, such as "/use Major Combat Healing Potion." This straightforward format is subject to the same restrictions as the /cast command seen below, such as letter-perfect reproduction of the item name. At least there aren't any ranks to worry about. Shift-click for a foolproof name transfer. If you attempt this macro with a trinket that has a "use" effect, such as the PvP trinket, the macro will first automatically equip the item if it isn't already equipped. After the trinket's initial equip cooldown expires, this macro will then use the trinket if pressed again. Note that if you're in combat or otherwise unable to switch items, this macro will be unable to function.
  • Using items by what inventory slot you have them equipped to is possible with the /use inventory slot command. The slot is a number that corresponds with its identity in game. Trinkets are the most commonly useable equipped items, so this command is most applicable to the trinket slots: 13 and 14 (a full list of slots appears below). Thus, a macro to activate whatever trinket is in your top trinket slot would include the command /use 13. Bags have numerical values as well, as we will see in the next example.
  • The /use bag slot command lets you use an item in a specific bag slot. Each bag in your bottom right "bag bar" has a numerical value from 0 to 4, starting with your backpack and proceeding to the left. When you type two numbers separated by spaces, the macro assumes that you are referencing a bag slot rather than an inventory slot. The second number corresponds to a particular bag slot, starting from 1 and continuing until the last slot in that bag. Slot 1 in a given bag is always the highest and leftmost slot of that bag, and the order continues to the right until the end of each row, at which point the pattern continues on the row underneath. In a 16-slot bag, the slots are assigned as follows:

    1 2 3 4
    5 6 7 8
    9 10 11 12
    13 14 15 16

    For an example of a practical use for this command, let's say you always put your water or food in the top left slot in your leftmost bag. You could create a macro with "/use 4 1" to eat or drink whatever is in that slot. This particular macro illustrates how macros can conserve valuable real estate on your action bars. Instead of occupying multiple slots with different types and ranks of water and food, you could consolidate multiple types into one macro's icon.
  • Finally, macros can equip particular items by name, and equip them to particular inventory slots when needed. The /equip command works akin to the /cast and /use commands. Affix an item's exact name, and the macro will grab it out of your bag and equip it to its default slot: "/equip Nightstaff of the Everliving." The related command /equipslot specifies a particular inventory slot to equip an item to: "/equipslot 12 Naaru Lightwarden's Band" will put that ring into your lower ring slot. The usefulness of this command becomes evident when you are equipping multiple items that would otherwise be placed into the same default slot, such as rings, trinkets, and one-handed weapons. For example, if you created two macros that read "/equip Garona's Signet Ring" and "/equip Ring of a Thousand Marks" respectively, and then pressed the two macros in sequence, the Ring of a Thousand Marks would simply replace Garona's Signet Ring instead of being placed in the second ring slot. The /equipslot command avoids this item "overwriting," which you may already have noticed in-game if you've ever tried to equip two rings by simply right-clicking them one after the other.
The current list of inventory slots and their numerical values is as follows:

  • 0 = ammo
  • 1 = head
  • 2 = neck
  • 3 = shoulder
  • 4 = shirt
  • 5 = chest
  • 6 = belt
  • 7 = legs
  • 8 = feet
  • 9 = wrist
  • 10 = gloves
  • 11 = finger 1
  • 12 = finger 2
  • 13 = trinket 1
  • 14 = trinket 2
  • 15 = back
  • 16 = main hand
  • 17 = off hand
  • 18 = ranged
  • 19 = tabard

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