Addon Spotlight: Vuhdo
by Matt Low 
Jan 30th 2010 at 4:00PM
We've received many tips about Vuhdo and it was only a matter of time before it would be featured here. Vuhdo is one of the most popular raid healing addons available. It offers enough features and customization options to keep even the pickiest of UI enthusiasts happy. At the same time, if your entire UI is fried and the raid is about to start, Vuhdo works great out of the box.
What's so great about it? I thought you'd never ask. Let me show you.
Like most healing frames, Vuhdo will show all information that's relevant to you.
- Health remaining
- Mana or energy remaining (Rage, runic power, etc)
- Dispellable debuffs (or non-dispellable ones)
- Rangefinder (If they're out of range, the player becomes transparent)
- Players who have pulled threat
- HoT effects
- Tags (AFK, disconnected, dead, etc.)
Debuff management
One very important feature that healers need is the ability to enter and detect customized debuffs. As you can see above, I entered debuffs that normally wouldn't appear as dispellable abilities for a priest. Having Rune of Blood show up alerts me to which players will be taking more damage than others. Inoculated allows me to see who managed to get the buff and who missed out on it (and thus, giving them a defensive cool down of sorts allowing them to live).
Here's what it looks like on the raid frames. It'll even show things like Weakened Soul so I don't end up wasting my time dropping a shield on someone who can't receive it. The number on the icon shows how many seconds left before it expires. It only shows up when the debuffs are close to wearing off.
Here's what it looks like on the raid frames. It'll even show things like Weakened Soul so I don't end up wasting my time dropping a shield on someone who can't receive it. The number on the icon shows how many seconds left before it expires. It only shows up when the debuffs are close to wearing off.
Key bindings
Click the spell tab on the bottom and this screen will be the first thing you see. This is just one example of how I would set my keys. This is the Mouse screen where you can assign spells, macros items, or commands. Its very easy to set up. Look up the specific key combination you want to use, and then select it and type in the name of what you want it to do. As you can see, in this example, there is no modifier key set. Target is the left mouse button and Prayer of Mending is the right mouse button. If I wanted to cast Flash Heal by using Ctrl + left mouse, I'd just change the panel to Ctrl on the left pane and type in Flash Heal in the same spot.
Easy right?
In the event you're out in the world and you need to blow up some stuff, there is a hostile tab on the right. You can toss in your damage spells instead of healing ones in the same areas. If your target is friendly, it will use the spells and commands that correspond with the healing binds. If your target is hostile, it'll detect and switch over to your hostile configuration as needed.
For those who feel more at ease with a keyboard, the process takes a touch longer. Easy right?
In the event you're out in the world and you need to blow up some stuff, there is a hostile tab on the right. You can toss in your damage spells instead of healing ones in the same areas. If your target is friendly, it will use the spells and commands that correspond with the healing binds. If your target is hostile, it'll detect and switch over to your hostile configuration as needed.
In the first window, type in the different names of the spells you want to use. You can enter in 16 of them. Once you're finished there, you'll need to load up the in game keyboard controls. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and you can then map in your keys individually. Remember, macros and commands work as well.
Voila! Was that so difficult? Now your keyboard abilities have been mapped. Granted, its not as elegant as other bar or binding mods, but it does do the job. It even shows you what spell is in each slot.
Healing over time spells
Vuhdo has an incredibly diverse way of setting up your displays. Grid users may recognize that Vuhdo also uses a small icon display to show various HoTs. Again, you can customize it as you see fit. Healers will have their HoTs preset. I've got Renew, Protection of Ancient Kings, and so forth listed below. I can tell which player has which effect based on where the icon appears on the player's frame. If I see a square on the far left side at some point, then I know they already have a Renew on them and can move on to the next player. A square on the far right of the frame tells me that I've already cast Pain Suppression on the player (and when it wears off).
Bar configuration
You can configure display options like text, health and position below. Vuhdo is extremely flexible when it comes to displays. As a healer though, you need to figure out what you really need. I've configured my frames so that the health bars of the player match their class (for example, the health bar of a mage is blue while a priest would be white). This way, I don't need a text indicator that shows me what their class is. Health percentage is nice to know but I need to know absolute health numbers. 10% health for a warrior tank is different than 10% health for a squishy warlock. I need those hard numbers so I can make a snap decision.
So how does it all look in the end? I took a few shots of myself in action during an Utgarde Keep run, but here's one that shows what it can do. I've cast Renew on the warrior and the rogue. The green bar on them visually shows how much time is left. Its hard to see, but there is also a blue bar above the rogue. You'll notice he has the Weakened Soul debuff. The blue bar indicates how much time is left before it wears off. After hitting the warrior with Prayer of Mending, I can see that its bounced on to the warlock and its going to wear off in 4 seconds. Its safe to say hes probably not going to get hit again so I can refresh it on the warrior.
I don't have rage, runic power, or energy bars displaying. As a healer, its not really necessary nor is it relevant to what I need.
Those customized debuffs I mentioned at the beginning of the post? They'll usually show up where the Weakened Soul debuff is here. If there are different debuffs, they'll show up side by side.
If you want, you can have it display specific group configurations like:
- Tanks only
- Healers
- Ranged or melee DPS
- Pets
- Vehicles
- Group number
Resources
Curse.comWoW Interface
Plus Heal Vuhdo forums (Note: Iza is incredibly active in the community and if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to post them there as well)
If you're a new healer who is looking for a healing addon to use, I strongly urge that you give Vuhdo a try. There are other setups and addons of course, and I'll be writing a post comparing them all at some point in the future.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Add-Ons, Raiding, AddOn Spotlight
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Steampunk Jan 30th 2010 4:14PM
Grid + GridStatusRaidDebuff > Vuhdo
Greg Jan 30th 2010 8:10PM
Here's a perfectly good comment that doesn't need to be rated down. It's not inflammatory and it isn't trolling.
I for one agree. Grid + Gridstatusraiddebuff seems better. But I haven't used Vuhdo.
Instead of just voting this down, how about someone respond with a worthwhile comparison of the two? I for one would greatly like to see a reason to switch.
OIK2 Jan 30th 2010 4:51PM
Out of the box, no, not at all. There are so many features that Vuhdo has by default that you need to download another addon and then configure correctly to get Grid to do it nearly as well. Grid allows you to get into the greater detail of the settings, but is much easier to break.
Druidski Jan 30th 2010 5:07PM
I've used VuhDo for some time now and love it.
Here is a full screen shot of VuhDo incorporated into a UI.
http://ia341339.us.archive.org/1/items/azzanewui/AZZANEWUI.jpg
Philip Jan 30th 2010 6:20PM
damn you steampunk how dare you have a different opinion
RATE DOWN
Lissanna Jan 30th 2010 6:37PM
Getting a healing UI is like buying new shoes. You can say that X shoe brand is always better, but it may not "fit" other people the way that it fits you.
toddcore Jan 30th 2010 6:48PM
I think it's more likely he's being rated down for making a baseless statement and offering nothing to indicate why he feels that way. What does Grid + any combination of it's 8,000 optional plugins and add-ons accomplish that you can't do with Vuhdo?
Using Grid you may be able to eventually achieve the same effect, but only after you've found the right plugins, made sure they're updated, and configured them all. The most fun part is on and after patch day waiting and hoping that the authors of all those plugins will be quick with the updates.
One big advantage Vuhdo offers to me is the vast options to customize the appearance. I've fully customized my UI and it's important that everything fit into it's place, be functional, and be aesthetically pleasing. I never found a way to accomplish that with Grid or Healbot or X-Perl or sRaidframes. Some are functional, some look nice, some are highly extendable/customizable, but only Vuhdo is all of those things.
JC_Icefox Jan 30th 2010 6:56PM
Listen, Phil. Buddy. Pal. Champ.
There is something I feel I ought to tell you, because you don't seem to be capable of getting it on your own.
No one cares.
Your little fingerquotes "rebellion" fighting the Wow.com "Man" is quite frankly getting old and I promise you accomplishes nothing.
People aren't looking at your post and thinking 'Wow. How bold. How profound this little guy is, standing up for no good reason. Man, I wish I was an Internet activist too'
No, the vote you down, kick your post in a hole, and go on their merry way.
Perhaps you're just a bit misguided as to WHY the initial post was downvoted, hmm?
Firstly, it had zero positive influence on the story at hand while also utterly -failing- to stand for an argument as to WHY Grid>Vuhdo. Second, as was pointed out with sensible evidence in an immediate reply that Grid is in fact not better, and said in a much less demeaning tone.
To sum up, stop wasting precious Internet pixels, go make friends with anaughtybear and e-rage somewhere else.
Valt Jan 30th 2010 6:58PM
Sorry Philip. I didnt rated it down because he disagreed with the blogger. Not because "I like this addon over grid and im fanboy".
But because he didnt give ANYTHING to the discussion. He didnt explain why he likes 2 addons over 1. He didnt give anything to enforce hes opinion.
So for me he could've just say "lololololol" and I would get same amount out of that comment than "addon + addon > this addon".
dan Jan 30th 2010 7:04PM
@toddcore,
That out of the box trifecta costs you in terms of overall control and footprint. Yes, grid requires additive features to do the rest but that's the point: add what features you want and add to your footprint AS YOU CHOOSE.
Paul Jan 30th 2010 7:26PM
Another thing to add. His comment wasn't stated as an opinion. It was stated as a fact.
"I prefer grid" - opinion
"Grid is better" - fact
When ANYONE states their opinion as a fact, all they're doing is annoying those that disagree. He's not opening up a debate, he's walking into a room, telling everyone they're wrong then walking off again.
Who is that useful to? How does that prove that grid is better?
If he said, "Grid is better for me because suchasuch", people wouldn't rate him down because he's not having a negative affect to the discussion.
Personally, both grid and vuhdo are pointless to me because of a highly customisable UI mod and some simple macros, but I'm always on the looking out for something better. Saying something as pointless as Steampunk did offers me NO information on this. So why bring it up?
Philip Jan 30th 2010 7:30PM
Listen JC. Pal. Buddy. Champ.
Did you enjoy your
RATE DOWN?
The stuff readers do on this site to discourage any critical thinking is worth bringing attention to.
Most forums encourage various viewpoints, no matter how trifling or silly they may seem. Those forums are often NOT moderated by every person who visits, either.
While you may be content to have your brain fed with whatever tripe the fanboys are dishing out today, others seek both critical and prismatic viewpoints.
Even you JC, lil buddy pal and champ, got the RATE DOWN for trying to be witty with me. And you know why? All you had to do was ignore what I said if you didn't agree with it.
Looking forward to my next
RATE DOWN
for pointing out how simple-minded people can be when encountering opposite views that may or may not be phrased in the manner THEY deem worthy.
beaubruno1 Jan 30th 2010 11:14PM
you mad, brah?
lockanon Jan 31st 2010 1:15AM
I think what I'm enjoying about this discussion is Philip coming off like some kind of celebrity with his
RATE DOWN
thing...
See, now I'm not even sure if I did that right; can you use it in the middle of a sentence? Philip?
Anyways, I'm aware and sorry I fed the troll and in the future
RATE DOWN
damnit the button is stuck now...
RATE DOWN
gah...
archbaotho Jan 31st 2010 2:17AM
It was down rated because he didnt make the comparison. not because he was just dumb.
A question about VudHo, is there a way to save button configurations? for example its a pain when switching from holy to disc to change all my button mapouts
Caylynn Jan 31st 2010 3:06AM
I've tried both Grid and VuhDo, and I have to respectfully disagree with you. I MUCH prefer VuhDo. I HATE the little boxes that Grid uses - I'm a very visual person, so I much prefer the little icons I can have with VUhDo.
It all comes down to a matter of personal preference. IMO VuhDo > Grid by a LONG shot.
Gothia Jan 31st 2010 3:40AM
I have used healbot for a very long time and the functionality of does look about the same. Personally, Grid is a pain to set up and it breaks frequently so I never was a convert of that UI.
I would also like to know what makes Vuhdo superior to Healbot because the UI's look very similar and I did not see anything in the authors write up that distinguished a difference between the two. Is the addon less memory intensive? Does it have functionality that Healbot does not?
@ Punk
Unix's file structure and realiability is said to be superior to Windows, but people would rather use Gui vice command line. What makes Grid superior to Vuhdo and Healbot?
Mayran Jan 31st 2010 5:33AM
Well ... I for one find Vuhdo's configuration dialog impossible to work with. While, yes, Vuhdo is nicer out of the box, it simply cannot compare to Grid when it's about personalizing what you see, where you see it and when you see it.
Personally, I use Grid + GridStatusRaidDebuff + Click2Cast (Clique works well, too). Once you set everything up it's nice and clean, and you can be sure to have mana bars where they belong, have icons for lifebloom that are still visible and you can tell apart if it's one or three stacks (when I tried Vuhdo, that one was a killer. It just didn't work with my hots at all). My setup: http://www.abload.de/image.php?img=wowscrnshot_010110_215ewjz.jpg
Para Jan 31st 2010 8:18AM
STOP FEEDING THE DAMN TROLL!!!!
All they are after is attention so dont reply to their comments and it will annoy them more than ever, actually talking to them is giving them what they want and so so SO many have fallen for it here.
Greg Jan 31st 2010 8:47AM
I'm interested to hear any feedback on how intensive Vuhdo is on system resources. Does it require more to run than Grid?
I can heal just fine without Grid, but it is the one addon that doesn't make me lose a single frame in Dalaran, or when the AOE starts on the whelps in Ony 25, so I choose to use it.
Anyone have any feedback on this?