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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsAddon Spotlight: Addons for clickers
by Mathew McCurley 
Sep 9th 2010 at 1:00PM
Addon Spotlight strives to educate and empower, bringing you tips and tools to enrich your World of Warcraft experience. Playstyles are as varied as the addons that support them, and as a comprehensive writer, I try to cover everyone's specific setups. One playstyle that is a bit of a foreign concept to me is mouse clicking. Clickers are often derided and ridiculed for their point-and-click interaction with the user interface. Sometimes, you will be watching that YouTube video of a heroic kill, and the cursor is flying around the screen a lot more than you are used to. You've found the elusive clicker.
Now, I'm not a clicker. Like I said before, I never really understood the clicker lifestyle. I've known two clickers in my life, and they couldn't be more different in playstyle; one was fast and furious with ability activation, and the other was the worst hunter I have even known. Addon Spotlight is a neutral, happy and fair ground. I'll give my opinions, sure, but helping people is the true goal. So, clickers, this spotlight is for you. We are here to help you during your point-and-click adventure. Never say I didn't do anything for you!
Tongue-in-cheek clicker comments aside, some people truly need to use a mouse when playing World of Warcraft. In particular, I know at least two people who do not have total motion control over some of their fingers because of injuries sustained while fighting in Iraq and injured in a workshop, respectively. These people have limited motion in their right hands -- enough to use a mouse and click, but not enough to have the range of motion to press multiple buttons with all of their fingers. Let's see if we can help these players out.
Where hydrogen is built into Healium
One of the hardest roles to fulfill as a clicker is healing. Compact setups and Grid/Healbot/whatever can alleviate some of the stress, but the fact remains that two clicks have to do the job of one click and a button press, or potentially just one click. Let's make healing for you clickers a little bit easier. Enter Healium, a healing addon that might not have been created with clickers in mind, but certainly does the job.
Essentially, Healium is a combination unit frames, action bar and healing addon that adds your heal spells next to each party or raid member's unit frame. Clicking on a heal will cast that heal on that specific person. Simple, single clicks for healers who insist on using the mouse. It couldn't be easier.
The bars are all customizable and sizable, which will be a huge boon for larger raids where things could get a bit cluttered. Healium also has the ability to track debuffs and HoTs, adding more functionality to this solid setup. One of Healium's selling points is that people who do have to click for whatever reason can forego the macro and modifier (Ctrl, Alt) button combos that make up so many other healing interfaces.
For your viewing pleasure, here is a video demonstrating Healium:
Healium does its job well, reducing the distance between target and heal. Check it out if it sounds like a solution to that type of distance problem for you.
Download Healium at [Curse].
More like Clique-r, am i rite?
Clique is one of those addons that has become ubiquitous in the WoW community -- it is light, massively helpful and customizable, turning your clicks into complex button presses. For clickers, Clique can make a world of difference with reaction times for healing, taunting and other abilities.
I've talked about Clique before but only in the healing space. Clique is so much more than just a healing addon complement. Clique is a complex button binder that allows you assign abilities, buttons and macros to your mouse clicks. More abilities can be bound using modifier keys like Alt and Ctrl with your clicks.
Clique is one of those addons I wish Blizzard would develop into their own stock user interface, much like how a simple Power Auras setup is coming in Cataclysm (more on that soon). The functionality of Clique blows my mind, and I know it can be done now in the default UI with some finagling and tricks, but a simple interface pane would be wonderful.
Download Clique at [Curse] or [WoWInterface].
Speedy Actions
One of the biggest counterpoints to the clicker playstyle is that reaction times for clickers are lower than that of button pressers, since the time a clicker takes to get to the ability and then use that ability is lengthened by the pointer travel. One way to make actions happen faster in WoW is an addon like Speedy Actions from Shadowed. By default, WoW activates an ability that you click on after you release your mouse click. Speedy Actions changes this behavior by activating an ability, button or skill when the mouse is pressed down, rather than on release. You'll be surprised how much this makes a difference when clicking on abilities.
Speedy Actions can hopefully give you a better responsiveness and quicker actions when using the mouse. The addon is simple and works, two trademarks of Shadowed's excellent addons. Use the commands /sa, /speedyactions or /speedyaction to see Speedy Actions configuration.
Download Speedy Actions at [Curse] or [WoWInterface].
Twitter suggestion: G13 and G15 keyboard
Do you like inane banter, making fun of Mike Sacco, terrible stick figure drawings and pictures of my cats? You should follow me on Twitter at @gomatgo. I talk about Addon Spotlight and WoW there, too! Twitter follower @skisulli reminded me of an awesome clicker resource -- the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard or the G15 keyboard. I am a G15 user myself and cannot recommend it more, if not just for the little screen that tells me when I get whispers in WoW, even when I am alt-tabbed out of the game. Rock on, Logitech.
Buy a G13 or G15 keyboard at Best Buy, Newegg or your local electronics store.
So, there you have it, clickers. Hopefully these addons can improve your game, help you with reaction times and give you the help you need if you're just one of those people who doesn't want to deal with complicated button combinations. See you all next week!
Addons are what we do on Addon Spotlight. If you're new to mods, Addons 101 will walk you through the basics; see what other players are doing at Reader UI of the Week. If there's a mod you think Addon Spotlight should take a look at, email mat@wow.com.Filed under: Add-Ons, AddOn Spotlight
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 6)
albanesp Sep 9th 2010 1:48PM
As a dps clicker, I think you are being a bit harsh with the "horrid" comment.
I am a clicker and my dps is right up there with equally geared button pressers.
Columhcille Sep 10th 2010 7:36PM
I'm not sure i'd consider healers 'clickers' for choosing healing addons ... uhmm. maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way but when i think of clicker healers, i think of a healer that clicks the person on the screen to target, then moves the mouse to their action bar and clicks the spell to heal.. a very slow process. >
Foxfyr Sep 9th 2010 3:13PM
If you're clicking and doing equal dps to a keybind player in similar gear then you're a better player.
Get a Razer Naga or keybind more skills and start beating them instead of doing the same damage :)
Sar Sep 9th 2010 3:16PM
Believe it or not, there are people out there who heal by selecting the unit they are healing, then clicking the button on their toolbar for the healing spell they want to cast. Some of them are bad, some of them are good, but people who don't use addons, and play with the default UI are pretty much stuck in this boat. Its really only mostly workable for 5 mans, and not for raids, but there are some raiders that do it too.
Jesse Felt Sep 9th 2010 4:06PM
The term "Clicker" means someone who is clicking spells, not using their mouse to target. Grid+Clique / healbot are not really the same thing, and actually, they could easily be mentioned in this article as a solution for clickers.
I was a clicker on my hunter until I started healing on my shaman. As a hunter I would out perform better geared hunters constantly as a clicker. While that may in fact mean I am a better hunter, I don't particularly agree. Hunters are incredibly easy to play as a clicker without worry of it degrading your performance. I mean if it takes you more than 1.5 seconds to get to the next button you have more to worry about than whether you click or bind. The only difficult part about it is movement if you are a mouse turner.
Healing, on the other hand, is incredibly difficult to do as a clicker (I know, I WAS a clicker who tried healing...) you have to click the spell then move to the unit frame, then click the frame, or click the frame to target, then move to the spell and click it to cast.
It was because of this that I decided it was about time to start binding. To be fair, I was a surv hunter at the time, and I wasn't really able to effectively bind until I went MM (surv had too many keys for my fat fingers to keep track of). As I have been binding for about a year now, I could probably go back to surv without issue, but at the time it was overwhelming.
The real advantage to binding is being able to use your abilities on the move. It is far far easier to kite as a binder, imho.
Snuzzle Sep 9th 2010 1:30PM
I'm really surprised that you would recommend Healium to clickers but not Grid(+Clique), Healbot or Vuhdo. Could it be that not being a clicker yourself, you really don't understand the playstyle or these mods?
Healbot and Vuhdo both have the click-to-cast built in, making them wonderful additions to the clicker playstyle. I believe Healbot even has mouseover "trainer tooltips" that tell you things like "Lesser Healing Wave, right click; Chain Heal, left click," etc.
I admit it. I'm a clicker. Oh sure, I have my most urgent spells like Taunt bound to keys but for my threat rotation, I click. I've seen some keybinders who are absolutely abysmal too, like a feral druid I know who would just mash his 1 2 3 4 keys for his rotation. I clicked, but I knew what I was doing, but he wouldn't listen to me when I tried to give him pointers. Oh well.
Anyway, to all you clickers out there, I can not recommend Grid+Clique, Healbot or Vuhdo enough. They're not just for healers Misdirect on the tank? Done. Intervene the healer? You got it. Decurse on LDW? Yup.
Bradley Sep 9th 2010 1:35PM
From the Article: "One of Healium's selling points is that people who do have to click for whatever reason can forego the macro and modifier (Ctrl, Alt) button combos that make up so many other healing interfaces." I believe his intent was that Clicue, Healbot, Vuhdoo, et all use modifier keys a lot, and for the people who can't use their fingers well enough to do so that Healium might be a better solution. It wasn't explicit but it was implied in the article.
Mathew Sep 9th 2010 1:37PM
I talk about Healbot/Grid+Clique/Vuhdo every other column practically. I wanted to give people a reprieve.
Columhcille Sep 10th 2010 7:36PM
The heal addon highlighted by the article doesn't look like it requires other button usage similar to healbot.. i haven't used grid or vuhdo ever [tho i'd like to try vuhdo], however, maybe the point was that healium addon requires no use of keyboard. healbot can require it if you mouse bind more than three or so spells, by using the shift+mouse or cntrl+mouse or alt+mouse.
uhmmm... personally I keep 9 abilities bound through healbot to my mouse and i have backups on number pad keybinds so that if my UI freaks out for any reason, i have backup keys for my healing.
Lee Weaver Sep 9th 2010 2:27PM
The game is designed to click. the whole key binding thing is a unintended playstyle. clicking does not slow you down, the global cooldown is far longer that it takes me to move my mouse to the next button. I heal, tank amd dps I have toons of all classes, i'm in the beta, and have never had problems clicking. yes i use Healbot for healing, it helps. but i never need a key modifier. most of the time you only need 2 heals, and for the other times, I have 15 buttons on my mouse. it's not like we are stuck in the dark ages of mouse tech anymore. I have tried the backwards method of play using keybinding, what a cluster trying remember all of that crud with 15 toons of all classes, spread accross all levels from just starting to lvl 80. I even bought a Belkin Nostromo n52te SpeedPad Game pad, to try this out. It lays collecting dust, unused.
Snuzzle Sep 9th 2010 3:13PM
@Bradley, I guess that makes sense. I didn't really get that message, so I apologize. Still, even with limited use of one's fingers I don't think using a "cleaner" addon like Healbot or Vuhdo would be any more difficult.
Usually clickers use their keyboard for at least some movement (otherwise you can't cast on the move), and myself personally when I am resting my hand on the WASD keys my pinky naturally rests on the shift. Still, I don't deny that Healium works for lots of people, I myself was considering it while on the search for the perfect healing UI (finally settling on Grid+Clique, after a brief stint with HB in TBC when my main healer was a Holy Pally.)
@Mathew, Understood :D But this would have been the perfect article to talk about them, ironically.
Monki Sep 9th 2010 6:30PM
Yeah, healium is really great for those of us that can't move fingers so well to use the mod buttons for mice (i.e. I can't bounce between ctrl/shift/alt so well), and also all the gaming mice are designed for people with larger hands than I have, so it's not a good option either.
Healium (so far) has worked really well in 5 mans, and I don't think it'll be too bad in 10man
SamLowry Sep 9th 2010 8:58PM
Seconding what Lee said--the GCD is longer than the amount of time it takes for me to move my mouse arrow from ability to ability.
The only alt of mine who uses the keyboard when fighting is a rogue, yet after just a few minutes in a dungeon I start to feel the old carpal-tunnel flaring up again.
xvkarbear Sep 9th 2010 1:34PM
I am a hybrid keyboard-clicker.
When I'm healing I use the keyboard (I have mouse-over macros on all my heal spells).
When I'm dpsing, I use the mouse.
Fox Van Allen Sep 9th 2010 1:34PM
yo Mat, imma let you finish
but the IBM model M keyboard was the best keyboard of all time
Hëx Sep 10th 2010 9:22AM
I have two M's, one for my servers KVM switch, one to keep behind my door in case I need it to beat off burglars. My main computer uses a G-15, and it beats the M even in feel, still solid keypresses. Plus backlit keys, programmable keys, and neat but less useful: the screen. My only complaint, the feet to adjust the angle are flimsy.
albanesp Sep 9th 2010 1:34PM
My name is Scathbais and i am a clicker. I have been a clicker ever since I started playing WOW about a year ago.
I have tried to give up the habit, through the loving encouragement and support of my guild mates, but I have yet to overcome my addiction.
Clicking has cost me my job, my marriage, my friends, everything.....
But seriously, these add-ons are really interesting, especially Speedy Actions.
I thing Clique might be really useful as well and I will definitely give it a shot.
Btw, I use buttontimers, which works well, except for the fact that when I need to move and change camera angles, I sometimes lose a second or two moving the mouse pointer back to the cast bar. Also I sometimes lose sight of the mouse which is why I think Clique might be a great solution.
Verine Sep 9th 2010 1:36PM
Healium looks nice for 5 mans but I couldn't see doing a raid with it.
AltairAntares Sep 9th 2010 1:55PM
Totally agree, in a 25 (or even a 10 man) the number of bars would be so massive that you wouldn't see anything going on around you, healbot is too large as it is...
CodeMunki Sep 9th 2010 1:49PM
If you don't have the physical ability to hit Ctrl, Alt, or Shift, then using Vuhdo or Healbot to heal would be very difficult. Healium is a pretty elegant solution to that problem.
The Razer Naga is also a good solution, assuming you are right-handed and have use of your thumb. You can macro any ability to one of the 12 keys, which is enough for your most critical abilities.