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In World of Warcraft there are many things that can help propel you through
content and ensure you get to the end in one piece. Things like knowledge, skill,
reflexes all play a huge part in your success or failure. This is true for all
classes and roles in the game, but is even more critical for tanks, since as a
tank you have a lot of control over the flow of a group run.
One thing that players of any class or spec can do to help themselves a
little is to create macros. Macros are simply groups of commands that
you could manually type in, but instead program into the macro system
and assign to a button. Macros are easy to create and should be used by
pretty much every player in World of Warcraft as they help simplify controls a
bit and give you time to focus on more imporant things. This is especially true
for Healers and Tanks which have far more to do and worry about than DPS
players.
Even though WoW Macros are simple to create and use, many players are still
confused by them. Hence we here at TenTonHammer have created this guide to
World of Warcraft Tanking Macros.
If you are not a Tank you can base some macros off of these or check out our
other Macro guides here:
General Tankinging Macros
Mouseover Macro
One of the most basic macros that players use is a A mouse over
macro. What this does is allow you to cast a specific spell on a target that
you hovering over with your mouse. This could be over the player or the frame
for there character along the side of the screen. This makes selecting a friendly
target and casting a spell on them far easier. Below is a basic mouse
over macro that a Paladin tank would use. You can simply replace the ability name
with any ability relevent to your class.
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/cast [@mouseover,help] Righteous Defense
Advance Mouseover Macro
If you want your mouse over macro to be of even more use, then I would switch to a more advanced version of the above macro. This is an example of a typical Warrior maco for taunt. It will cast taunt on the mouseover target first assuming it is an enemy, if not it will cast taunt on your target assuming it is allive and an enemy. You can exchange taunt for any number of spells.
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/cast [@mouseover,exists,harm,nodead] [exists,harm,nodead] Taunt
Dual Trinket Proc Macro
Another simple macro, this one allows you to use both trinkets at the same time with one click. This is very useful for health boost or avoidance boost trinkets as a tank for those "oh crap!" moments.
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/use 14
PUG Group Macro
This is a macro I like using when I join a PUG through the LFG tool as a tank. It sets the tone and ensures people know the basic marks and kill order up front. You can make it nicer or stricter as you require or want.
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/p
if you need to stop please call out during a fight and I will not pull.
/p
I expect everyone to follow target marks, current kill target will always have a skull.
/p
CC will be marked as:
/p Square = Trap, Star = Sap / Repent, Moon = Poly, Triangle = Hex / Root
/p If you have questions about a boss, ask while clearing trash towards it.
/p I dont mind explaining before a fight at all, but
/p I will vote to kick if you cause a wipe and had not asked for information.
Protection Paladin Tanking Macros
Divine Shield Macro
This is one of the first macros that you should make as a protection paladin. It allows you to cast Divine Shield and to cancel it all with one button. If Divine Shield is active it cancels it, if it is not on cooldown it casts it. As a tank this is an awesome ability as it allows you to clear a great number of debuffs from yourself, then quickly cancel the Divine Shield so that you get threat back quickly.
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/cancelaura Divine Shield
/cast Divine Shield
Divine Plea Macro
Another really useful little macro that combines two abilities that you will use infrequently but will still want available. By replacing two buttons you free up some space. The macro casts divine plea if it's available or Word of Glory if not.
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/cancelaura Divine Plea
/castsequence Divine Plea, Word of Glory
Cast Sequence Macro
I am not a big fan of all in one macros, but many players do use them. This is a basic attack sequence macro that Paladins can use. You can make it fancier yet by adding in [mod:alt] tags and more attacks, add in your cooldowns, and more. However that really makes you rely on it makeing choice for you instead of you thinking for yourself.
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Hammer of the Righteous,Judgement,Crusader Strike,Crusader Strike
/castsequence Consecration
/startattack
Protection Warrior Tanking Macros
Intercept / Charge Macro
This macro lets you combine a few abilities to one button and helps by switching stances as required. Basically, if you are not in the right stance you just use the button twice! Pure win.
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/cast [nocombat,stance:1] Charge; [combat,nostance:3] Berserker Stance; [nocombat,nostance:1] Battle Stance; [combat,stance:3] Intercept
Intervene Macro
This macro allows you to intervene to a target when you are hovering over them, better yet if you are targeting the enemy that is attacking your friend it is smart enough to target your friend and still activate. Overall a must have macro.
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/cast [mod:alt,stance:2,target=mouseover,help,nodead][stance:2,help,nodead][stance:2,target=targettarget,help,nodead] Intervene; [nostance:2] Defensive Stance
Death Knight Tanking Macros
Spell Interrupt Macro
As a Death Knight you have a few ways to interupt spells, wouldn't it be easier to have them all on one button? Well this macro is just that, it puts them in one place for you. If you are a Blood Elf you have another interrupt that you can use again so make sure you add /cast Arcane Torrent to the list.
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/cast Mind Freeze
/cast Strangulate
All in One Death Grip Macro
Deathgrip is a great spell as it has a bunch of different uses. It can be used to start an initial pull, it can be used to reposition an enemy, or it can be used as a taunt to pull an enemy back off your healer. This macro will pull the enemy that you are hovering over so you dont have to target them, or your focus if you have one, or your target if none of the above are true or if you are holding the alt key. It can easily be modified for Strangulate or any other ability as well.
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/cast [mod:alt] Death Grip; [target=mouseover, exists] death grip; [target=focus, exists] death grip; death grip
Lichborne Macro
Sometimes you need that extra little bit of healing in an oh crap moment. This macro lets you replace your Lichborne ability button with one that casts Lichborne and then if you use it again will use Death Coil to heal you.
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/cast Lichborne;
/cast [@player] Death Coil
Self Heal Macro
When healing yourself with Death Coil just isn't enough, you can summon a pet and then sacrifice him to get your health back. Combining these abilities into one macro make it easier to do this quickly, just tap the macro twice quickly.
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/castsequence reset=60 Raise Dead, Death Pact
Feral Druid Tanking Macros
Dire Bear Form and Charge Macro
This macro changes you into bear form and charges the enemy. It is really useful if you are in some other form (after casting a self heal or something else) and want to engage quickly.
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/cancelform [nostance:1]
/cast [nostance] Dire Bear Form; [stance:1] Feral Charge
Battle Rez Macro
While you do not often get a chance to perform a battle rez as a tank, I always find it best to have a macro for it anyway. Sometimes you will get a few seconds in a fight were you can, usually in raids if you are an off-tank, or in five player instances where you have enough CC to take a quick break and get the healer back up.
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/stopmacro [nohelp]
/stopmacro [help, nodead]
/p <<Battle Rezzing %T, Come back to the light >>
/cast Rebirth
Do you have your own tanking macros
you would like to share with us? Please do so in the comment section
below! We love to hear from you!
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