Bard Hotkeys
 

What hotkeys do you experienced bards use? I feel like hotkeys are more important for bards than the average class because we often have to hit a lot of keys while moving and we have to be careful about the strain we put on our hands from hitting so many keys. I assume most bards use macros for their 8 songs of the form /stopsong, /cast n. Here's what I used until recently when I started experimenting more:

Movement
forward: w
back: s
left: a
right: d
strafe left: shift + a
strafe right: shift + d
autorun: q

Targeting
target nearest NPC: ` (backtick)
cycle NPC's: tab
target nearest PC: shift + `
cycle PC's: shift + tab

Messaging
incoming: ctrl + q
charming/mezzing: ctrl + 1

Physical Attacks:
autoattack: e
ranged attack: alt + e
assist: alt + q

Song Macros
1: 1
2: 3
3: 3
4: 4
5: alt + 1
6: alt + 2
7: alt + 3
8: alt + 4

Pet Commands
attack: r
back: alt + r
follow: f
guard: alt + f

Camera
first person: mouse button 4 (Logitech MX518)
user defined: mouse button 5

The main reason I want to switch to a new setup is because it's too awkward to twist songs while holding down w, which can be important when pulling, kiting, or just chasing after a tank who likes to move around a lot. I saw one bard, for example, who bound his song macros to 4, e, r, f, and shift + 4, shift + e, shift + r, and shift + f, which is better, but still suffers from putting too much of the strain of twisting on the index finger.

For kiting/swarm kiting you don't even need the mouse, so back in the day I used numpad keys 1-8. Worked well for me.

zxcvqatg for spells 1-8. esdf for movement keys. Works good for enchanter, so probably would work for bard setup as well. It keeps me from awkward wrist movements e.g. hitting backtick, alt+#, etc. Targeting hotkeys, consider, camera, autorun, few other macros are bound to mouse buttons (shares some stress on other hand).

I wasn't going to post anymore, at least not argue in off topic. But I lurk every so often and I think this will really help you. Its a guide I made with the best hotkey setup that allows you to twist, autorun, change the camera etc. And other info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtcdLugVf4g

But of course you can bind whatever you want.

autoattack on E sounds like an easy way to fatfinger yourself into a death by a friendly rapist npc

oh and i use alt+8

Surprised you didn't do more videos. No real videos on bard PvP at all.
Do you have a list of your key binds? You do stuff pretty quick in that video.

Yeah I had a few clips but didn't upload them because I wanted to make a compilation but never did. And bard pvp is pretty lame on this server because everything "fun" like mez, snare, fear, charm, etc constantly resists. So its basically spamming like 2 dots (since melee isn't viable because other melee out box you and casters will out dps you) until they zone or gate with no ability to stop it. Maybe its different at 60. But I prefer making pvp videos as you can see from some of my older ones with other games.

The main binds are these:

Autorun: Q

Songs: 4, E, R, F, shift 4, shift E, shift R, shift F (allows you to kite one direction twisting any of the 8 songs you want, otherwise you have to change directions)

Strafe: A and D, shift A and D. (check the video. This lets you let go of the right mouse button while still strafing to swap instruments or switch cameras.)

Camera: C and shift C (first person and user defined)

Autoattack: T

Other binds don't matter so just bind your hotkeys to whatever is left that you prefer. I like to start with the "easy" keys like 1-5 and everything around WASD with shift or ctrl modifiers. And make macros for your songs with /stopsong so you only have to press the button once.

And I got a new computer but I havn't played in months because I can't justify wasting more time on this game (or any game) even though I enjoy it. Same thing with the forums but I still check every so often, which i'll also stop doing soon. I need to focus on things that actually matter.

I have two hotbars, so Hotbar 1 is mapped to the 1-0 number keys and Hotbar 2 is mapped to the number pad. Most of the time I twist off the number pad, which has the /stopsong, cast # macros, for 1-8, and /stopsong on 9. Hotbar 1 includes my primary, secondary, range and #8 inventory slots, which hold my weapons and instruments for easy swapping without the inventory slot being open. 5-9 contain whatever macros I need, like group messages or pet commands, and 0 tied to the macro tied to my right turn key, for forage and direction and track.

If I change page son my hotbars, I can twist from 1-8 on the keyboard and do commands from the number pad.

So basically I can twist and move, twist and mouse, or move and mouse.

Movement keys are basic WASD, with Q and E strafing left and right, R as autorun, F selects nearest mob, G cycles through mobs, Z sits, X ducks, C considers, TAB switches between self and target, B switches between last two selections, and ` is way out of the way autoattack.

I might have to add a few things from your ideas, like an easier camera switch.