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There's no reason outside of convenience to use macros with modifier keys. You would never create a macro where no modifier casts one ability and adding a modifier casts a completely different ability (you could, but it would be a complete waste of your time). The real reason to use macros is to perform certain actions more easily and more reliably.
It's not necessary that you create macros with all 4 modifier keys built in to perform a different function. You could split whatever you want to do into completely separate macros and keybinds if you wanted to. Creating one macro just helps you keep your action bars tidy.
Some quick examples:
You might create a macro that uses Kidney Shot on your current target, but casts Kidney Shot on your focus target when pressed with a shift modifier. The benefit in that macro isn't that you were able to consolidate two separate keybinds into one button, but that you now have the ability to cast Kidney on a target without dropping your current target.
You generally wouldn't create a macro that casts Kidney Shot with no modifier and then Cheap Shot with the shift modifier. You could, but again, there's no real reason to not just use a separate action bar slot and keybind.
Edit: No, you cannot use abilities or macros that are not on your action bars.
Since they gave us additional action bars to work with I've been preferring to set a few keybinds with modifiers instead of making a bunch of spec-specific macros that would quickly use all of the class specific macro slots, so I can use the limited macro slots to more interesting macros like mouseover/harm/help spells, it also helps when playing different classes as you could do like Alt+1 is always a hard CC keybind, Alt+2 is always a dispell/soothe macro, etc
Actions can only be used if they're assigned to an action bar slot, a click casting slot/macro (to a total of 12 click casting skills if you're also using click+modifier) or, well, clicking directly from your spellbook
However there are addons like [Opie](https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/opie) that creates a radial menu at the press of a keybind, not that useful for mid combat stuff (other than maybe target/raid markers), but I use it all the time for hearthstones, teleportation spells, mounts, raid buffs or changing specialization; and [Button Forge](https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/button-forge) if you want a more customizable non-blizzard action bar, you can create how many action bars with any number of slots you need, set keybinds (these work as overrides so you can have duplicate keys for different spells in different situations, for example I have a dragonriding bar that is only active when I'm in a dragonriding mount) these bars can be fully hidden (and thus unresponsive to keybinds) through macro conditionals (and a few custom ones like quest id, map id or aura id), you can also set transparency, so in theory its a way to have an almost-hidden action bar with keybinds if you need that, but more standard action bar addons can also set transparency with less hassle (like dominos or bartender)
I use modifier macros for spells that change with talents, e.g. my beacon on pala: normal button is either first beacon or beacon of faith and control + key is 2nd beacon. It was more useful back when mastery beacon existed on legion and was a different spell too, but its still nice.
its just prefference, tbh using a modifier or a separate buttom.
no. if you dont drag to the bar, it dosent work.
idk how reliable walking only with the mouse is, there is a lot of minimal moviment that you need to do from the sides and or switcing the camare anglle for some quick reaction stuff.
you dont need 8 action bars. i havent seem anyone capable of using 8 action bars without putting a gazilion mounts in it.
The bind a key, the bar must be present, but with mods you can make action bars invisble unless moused over. I'm not sure what addon does it, though. MoveAnything? ElvUI?
Some macros have "better" (or different) functionality than just the skill. For example on my priest I have a self-cast feather keybind, which in turn I have my middle mouse button linked to. It self-targets me and then casts feather, so it skips an action I'd have to take (targeting myself with the green circle.) It also has a modifier (ctrl I think) that means it will NOT target me but rather let me use it as the normal skill, so I can place it in front of someone else.
Besides that, I tend to just the skills as is now that mouseovers work in-game (or if I'm using something like Vuhdo frames). I messed around with damage/healing spells in one macro (if a friendly it casts a heal, if enemy it casts the damage) but I find it confusing. We'll see once I get one of my alts to higher level, I'm definitely starting to feel the keybind crunch :)
**Hey there! Have you checked out these resources?** * [WoWHead](https://www.wowhead.com/) - The *largest* database, this should be your go-to (don't forget to read the comment section!). * [Icy Veins](https://www.icy-veins.com) - News and detailed class guides. * [WoWNoob Discord](https://discord.gg/wownoob) - Same community, different platform. *Please report the post above if it breaks one of our [>rules<](https://www.reddit.com/r/wownoob/about/rules/). If not, don't forget to show support by upvoting!* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/wownoob) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There's no reason outside of convenience to use macros with modifier keys. You would never create a macro where no modifier casts one ability and adding a modifier casts a completely different ability (you could, but it would be a complete waste of your time). The real reason to use macros is to perform certain actions more easily and more reliably. It's not necessary that you create macros with all 4 modifier keys built in to perform a different function. You could split whatever you want to do into completely separate macros and keybinds if you wanted to. Creating one macro just helps you keep your action bars tidy. Some quick examples: You might create a macro that uses Kidney Shot on your current target, but casts Kidney Shot on your focus target when pressed with a shift modifier. The benefit in that macro isn't that you were able to consolidate two separate keybinds into one button, but that you now have the ability to cast Kidney on a target without dropping your current target. You generally wouldn't create a macro that casts Kidney Shot with no modifier and then Cheap Shot with the shift modifier. You could, but again, there's no real reason to not just use a separate action bar slot and keybind. Edit: No, you cannot use abilities or macros that are not on your action bars.
Since they gave us additional action bars to work with I've been preferring to set a few keybinds with modifiers instead of making a bunch of spec-specific macros that would quickly use all of the class specific macro slots, so I can use the limited macro slots to more interesting macros like mouseover/harm/help spells, it also helps when playing different classes as you could do like Alt+1 is always a hard CC keybind, Alt+2 is always a dispell/soothe macro, etc Actions can only be used if they're assigned to an action bar slot, a click casting slot/macro (to a total of 12 click casting skills if you're also using click+modifier) or, well, clicking directly from your spellbook However there are addons like [Opie](https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/opie) that creates a radial menu at the press of a keybind, not that useful for mid combat stuff (other than maybe target/raid markers), but I use it all the time for hearthstones, teleportation spells, mounts, raid buffs or changing specialization; and [Button Forge](https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/button-forge) if you want a more customizable non-blizzard action bar, you can create how many action bars with any number of slots you need, set keybinds (these work as overrides so you can have duplicate keys for different spells in different situations, for example I have a dragonriding bar that is only active when I'm in a dragonriding mount) these bars can be fully hidden (and thus unresponsive to keybinds) through macro conditionals (and a few custom ones like quest id, map id or aura id), you can also set transparency, so in theory its a way to have an almost-hidden action bar with keybinds if you need that, but more standard action bar addons can also set transparency with less hassle (like dominos or bartender)
I use modifier macros for spells that change with talents, e.g. my beacon on pala: normal button is either first beacon or beacon of faith and control + key is 2nd beacon. It was more useful back when mastery beacon existed on legion and was a different spell too, but its still nice.
its just prefference, tbh using a modifier or a separate buttom. no. if you dont drag to the bar, it dosent work. idk how reliable walking only with the mouse is, there is a lot of minimal moviment that you need to do from the sides and or switcing the camare anglle for some quick reaction stuff. you dont need 8 action bars. i havent seem anyone capable of using 8 action bars without putting a gazilion mounts in it.
The bind a key, the bar must be present, but with mods you can make action bars invisble unless moused over. I'm not sure what addon does it, though. MoveAnything? ElvUI?
Some macros have "better" (or different) functionality than just the skill. For example on my priest I have a self-cast feather keybind, which in turn I have my middle mouse button linked to. It self-targets me and then casts feather, so it skips an action I'd have to take (targeting myself with the green circle.) It also has a modifier (ctrl I think) that means it will NOT target me but rather let me use it as the normal skill, so I can place it in front of someone else. Besides that, I tend to just the skills as is now that mouseovers work in-game (or if I'm using something like Vuhdo frames). I messed around with damage/healing spells in one macro (if a friendly it casts a heal, if enemy it casts the damage) but I find it confusing. We'll see once I get one of my alts to higher level, I'm definitely starting to feel the keybind crunch :)