This page contains useful hacks to improve your huntering.
If you’re new to the world of macros, then please read the FAQs and Basics sections below. If you are familiar with macros and just want to get to the goods, then click here to get right to it. All macros on this page are copy/paste ready, so have at it!
I hope you find my collection of hunter macros useful. Happy hunting!
Macro FAQs
Q: What are macros?
A: Macros are simple scripts that allow you to combine multiple abilities, tasks and conditionals into one action bar slot.
Q: Why use macros?
A: Macros can improve game play and reaction time by combining multiple useful abilities into one keystroke. Also, some abilities benefit more from being used in a synergistic macro, than they do when used separately. ie: Bestial Wrath + Rabid + Rapid Fire + DPS on-use trinket combined in one keybind = maximum ass-kicking.
Q: How many different macros do I need?
A: That entirely depends upon you and your play style. Some players need only a handful of macros, while others may use dozens or more. Just keep in mind that macro’ing too many abilities can be a detriment, as it leaves you with less control over decision making. Best bet is to read through my list and pick and choose the macros that you think will work best for you.
Q: Can I write my own macros?
A: Of course. Macros are pretty easy to script once you understand the basics. It’s just a matter of playing around with them and finding what works for you.
Q: Do all of these macros work?
A: Yes. As of Patch 5.0.4, all of these macros are current and fully functional.
Q: All this macro stuff looks really great and all, but how can I start using them?
A: No problem, I’ll show you…
How to Start Using These Hunter Macros
All of this macro business may sound great, but if you don’t know how to start using them, then what good are they, right..?! You need to know how to get the macros off this page and into your game so you can start benefitting from them right away, so let me tell you how it’s done.
Click the following link to check out my step-by-step guide on how to implement macros into your WoW gaming experience…
> > > Step by Step Guide onHow to Set Up a WoW Macro< < <
Macro Basics
Here are some of the basic commands used when scripting macros:
- /target – target an enemy, friendly player or npc
- /targetenemy – targets the nearest enemy
- /targetenemyplayer – targets the nearest enemy player (only useful for PvP)
- /focus – focus an enemy, friendly player or npc
- /assist – assist a friendly player
- /stopcasting – cancels current cast
- /cast – casts a spell
- /castsequence – casts spells in a determined order
- /use – use a consumable or item
- /equip – equip an item
Inputting an item or a spell into a macro is very easily done by holding down shift while clicking on the spell or item icon in your skills tab or inventory.
Pet commands are as follows:
- /petpassive – puts pet on passive
- /petdefensive – puts pet on defensive
- /petassist – tells your pet to attack the target you’re attacking
- /petattack – sends your pet to attack
- /petfollow – tells your pet to follow you
- /petstay – tells your pet to stay put
- /petmoveto – throws up a target circle for you to position your pet
Pet micro management is essential for any successful Hunter. The proper macros can make the difference between a raid wipe or arena loss.
There are a few lines you’ll see included in quite a few macros on this page that you may not understand. Here’s a quick explanation…
- [mod:shift], [mod:ctrl], [mod:alt] – Modifiers allow you to add more decision making abilities to macros. By using an additional modifier key in combination with the macro key bind, you’re able to combine added conditionals to your macro. Does that make sense? If not, just read on and I’m sure you’ll start to understand once you see them in the context of the various macros.
- @ – The @ symbol is used to mean target=, so if you see a macro with @focus or @mouseover, this means that the action would be directed to your Focus Target or mouseover target, respectively. The target conditionals are the following:
- @player – Target yourself or your player location to cast a spell.
- @focus – Target your focus target.
- @mouseover – Target your mouseover target.
- @cursor – Casts a spell at your cursor location.
- /use 13 – Use the trinket in your top trinket slot
- /use 14 – Use the trinket in your bottom trinket slot
- /script UIErrorsFrame:Hide() – Prevents an on-screen error message when an ability isn’t ready. This is handy for eliminating the on-screen combat message spam you’ll get when rapid-pressing a macro key when a spell or ability isn’t ready.
Hunter Macros
Hunter MacrosThe following list contains a whole slew of useful macros for Hunters. I don’t use all of them myself, but I can confirm that they are current and functional as of Patch 9.0.1.
The list contains macros that are applicable to all builds and play styles, as well as talent-specific, PvP oriented, engineering-only, racial abilities, and other miscellaneous macros.
You’ll notice there are no /castsequence shot macros in this list. This is because, A: those types of macros suck and you should not use them…ever. Stringing attack sequences together into a macro is never a good thing, as it can never compare with a Hunter’s ability to manually make decisions and adjust on the fly. What this means is, you will not find any shot-combination macros on this page because either: they do not work or are ill-advised. Those of you wanting me to give you a macro for casting all of your shots with one button are out of luck. 😉
Utility Macros
Misdirection
This casts Misdirection onto your friendly focus target (main tank) without deselecting your current target. If you have no focus target (i.e., assist) selected, it will cast Misdirection onto your mouseover target. If no targets are selected, then it will cast MD onto your pet.
/cast [@focus,exists][@pet,exists][@mouseover] Misdirection
Note: This Misdirection macro and a few others default to a predefined focus (usually the main tank). Since it may be necessary to switch focus targets multiple times during an encounter – due to taunt switches, debuff stacks, tank dying, etc… it is a good idea to have your focus target assigned to a keybind. I use F… it’s easy to remember.
Tranquilizing Shot
This macro will dispel a buff or enrage effect from your hover-over target, or your current target if no other targets are highlighted. This is useful for getting off a quick dispel on a secondary target, while maintaining pressure on your current target.
#showtooltip Tranquilizing Shot/cast [@mouseover,harm][harm] Tranquilizing Shot
Flare
This turns Flare into a one-button press spell. Not an essential macro, but not having to fiddle with target circle clicks can be useful.
/cast [@cursor] Flare
Silence Macros
These all add a simple /stopcasting command to ensure the interrupt is available when needed.
This allows for a quick target switching silence. It will look first for a hostile mouseover target and if no target is highlighted, it will silence your current target.
Counter Shot
#showtooltip Counter Shot/stopcasting/cast [@mouseover,harm][harm] Counter Shot
You can simplify it even further if your focus target is always going to be your Counter Shot target.
#showtooltip Counter Shot/stopcasting/cast [@focus,exists] Counter Shot
You can also combine the two to make a mouseover macro where the focus has priority. This macro will first look for your focus target, then for a mouseover target if you have no focus target selected, then your current target if a focus and mouseover target are not available.
#showtooltip Counter Shot/stopcasting/cast [@focus,exists][@mouseover,harm][harm] Counter Shot
Muzzle
The /stopcasting ensures you never delay your silence if you’re in the middle of casting another spell.
#showtooltip Muzzle/stopcasting/cast Muzzle
Survivability Macros
Disengage
Use this macro to make sure Disengage is always cast when needed.
#showtooltip Disengage/stopcasting/cast Disengage
Aspect of the Turtle
This macro will immediately halt any spell cast and activate Aspect of the Turtle. If you’re in turtle and need to get out of it quickly for an execute or a silence, then click it again.
/stopcasting/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cast Aspect of the Turtle
*Additional survivability macros can be found in the pet section below.
Trap & CC Macros
These simple macros streamline the art of trap placement – especially while on the run. These examples use Freezing Trap, but you can use Tar Trap just the same.
One Click Freezing Trap Macro
One press will hurl a Freezing Trap at your cursor’s location.
/cast [@cursor] Freezing Trap
Old School Freezing Trap Macro
This will immediately lay a Freezing Trap down at your feet while moving or standing still.
/cast [@player] Freezing Trap
Hi-Explosive Trap Macro
One-button press macro for Hi-Explosive Trap
/cast [@cursor] Hi-Explosive Trap
Binding Shot Macro
Like the trap macros, this one turns Binding Shot into a one-button press which may make using it a bit smoother.
/cast [@cursor] Binding Shot
Targeting Macros
Tab works great for most situations, but use these macros situationally to make it a little faster and easier to grab the right target.
Target Nearest Enemy Macro
This macro will automatically target the mob closest to you, send your pet on it, start your auto-attack and put your pet into assist mode.
/cleartarget/targetenemy/startattack/petassist/petattack
Note: For the PvP version of this macro, click here.
Assist Macro
As long as you have a focus selected – such as your main tank – this macro will ensure that you hit whatever they’re hitting. If you haven’t assigned a focus then this macro will have you assist your pet.
/assist [@focus,exists][@pet,exists]/startattack/petassist
Offensive Attacks
Note: Basic pet attacks don’t consistently go off when their 3 second cooldown is up, so it’s advisable to bake in the following basic pet attacks below with other Hunter offensive abilities. By doing this you’ll lessen the delay of the in-game autocast which will result in a tiny amount of additional DPS during a longer boss fight, for example.
/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
These macros also include the /petattack command to ensure your pet is always attacking your DPS target.
A Murder of Crows
#showtooltip A Murder of Crows/petattack/cast A Murder of Crows/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Multi-Shot (Beast Mastery / Marksmanship)
#showtooltip Multi-Shot/petattack/cast Multi-Shot/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Kill Shot (Beast Mastery / Marksmanship)
This macro will ensure Kill Shot is available when ready.
#showtooltip Kill Shot/petattack/stopcasting/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cancelaura Hand of Protection/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cast Kill Shot/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Chimaera Shot (Beast Mastery / Marksmanship)
#showtooltip Chimaera Shot/petattack/cast Chimaera Shot/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Kill Command (Beast Mastery / Survival)
#showtooltip Kill Command/petattack/cast Kill Command/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Barbed Shot (Beast Mastery)
#showtooltip Barbed Shot/petattack/cast Barbed Shot/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Cobra Shot (Beast Mastery)
#showtooltip Cobra Shot/petattack/cast Cobra Shot/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Burst Macros
The following macros maximize each Hunter spec’s burst cooldowns:
Note: Aspect of the Turtle is a lifesaver, but it can also prohibit a good opportunity for a killing blow – same goes for Hand of Protection. I make sure I have a way of quickly canceling out both of these spells if necessary, in the event that I need to cast a crucial ability against a target. The best way to do this is to add the following lines to an ability macro:
/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cancelaura Hand of Protection
Beast Mastery: Bestial Wrath Macro
One button press will ensure your Big Red Pet is on your DPS target, any attack-preventing immunity auras are cancelled, Aspect of the Wild is up, any DPS racials are up, and your burst trinket is popped.
#showtooltip Bestial Wrath/petassist/petattack/cancelaura Hand of Protection/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cast Aspect of the Wild/cast Blood Fury/use 13/use 14/startattack/cast Bestial Wrath
Marksmanship: Trueshot Macro
Similar to the Bestial Wrath macro, this macro ensures all DPS cooldowns are lined up with your primary Marksmanship Hunter burst ability, Trueshot.
#showtooltip Trueshot/petassist/petattack/cancelaura Hand of Protection/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cast Blood Fury/use 13/use 14/startattack/cast Trueshot
Survival: Coordinated Assault Macro
Like the Trueshot macro, this macro ensures all DPS cooldowns are lined up with your main Survival Hunter burst ability, Coordinated Assault.
#showtooltip Coordinated Assault/petassist/petattack/cancelaura Hand of Protection/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cast Blood Fury/use 13/use 14/startattack/cast Coordinated Assault
Hunter Pet Macros
Basic Pet Attack
This macro just makes sure that your pet is in defensive mode and on follow when it goes to attack.
/petdefensive/petfollow/petattack
PetManagement Macro
This macro will call Pet 1 to your side if you don’t have apet out, cast Mend Pet on your current pet, or Revive your pet (with shift modifier) if your pet is dead. This is avery handyHunter macro.
/cast [mod:shift] Revive Pet/cast Call Pet 1/cast Mend Pet
Quick Pet Safety + Dismiss Pet
This is a handy macro for pulling your pet back if they’re in danger. If Dash is needed to get them out of harm’s way quickly, then press the alt key as well. I’ve also added Dismiss Pet to this macro to save a little action bar space. Pressing the shift key will Dismiss your current pet.
/cast [mod:shift] Dismiss Pet/cast [mod:alt] Dash/petpassive/petfollow
Master’s Call Macro
This adds an additional mouseover effect for Master’s Call, allowing for a quick freedom for a teammate or party member. If no friendly player is highlighted, then it just activates Master’s Call as normal.
/cast [@mouseover,help][@player] Master's Call
Roar of Sacrifice Macro
Functions just like the Master’s Call macro, but for Roar of Sacrifice.
/cast [@mouseover,help][@player] Roar of Sacrifice
Beast Mastery / Survival: Intimidation Macro
This macro adds versatility to Beast Mastery and Survival’s Intimidation spell. This will order your pet to stun your focus target if you have one, or your mouseover target if no focus is defined, and if no focus or mouseover targets are selected then your pet will stun your current target.
#showtooltip Intimidation/cast [@focus,exists][@mouseover, harm][harm] Intimidation
Beast Mastery: Spirit Beast – Spirit Mend Macro + All-In-One Exotic Pet Ability Macro
This macro provides a little more control over your Spirit Beast’s Spirit Mend ability. Pressing it will heal you – or a mouseover target (e.g., flag carrying teammate) if you have one highlighted. It will also cast Ancient Hysteria when your Core Hound’s out, and give you a little more control over your Silithid’s and Shale Spider’s snares.
/cast [@mouseover,help][@player] Spirit Mend/cast Ancient Hysteria/cast [@mouseover,harm][harm] Venom Web Spray/cast [@mouseover,harm][harm] Web Wrap
PvP Hunter Macros
PvP Hunter MacrosTarget Nearest Enemy Player Macro (Anti-Stealth)
Spam this macro if you think you’re about to get jacked by a Rogue or Feral Druid, or if you simply need a target quickly. It makes sure your pet gets on the target ASAP, ruins your target’s opener by putting them in combat, places Hunter’s Mark on them and sends a bullet or arrow into their dome if they’re in front of you. This is pretty much the same target enemy macro I’ve been using for about a decade.
/targetenemyplayer [noharm][noexists]/cast Hunter's Mark/startattack/petassist/petattack
Cancel Aspect of the Turtle and Hand of Protection
Aspect of the Turtlee is a lifesaver, but it can also prohibit a good opportunity for a killing blow – same goes for Hand of Protection. I make sure I have a way of quickly canceling out both of these spells if necessary, in the event that I need to cast a crucial attack against an opponent.
The best way to do this is to add the following lines to a burst ability or execute macro:
/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cancelaura Hand of Protection
For example:
#showtooltip Kill Shot/petattack/stopcasting/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cancelaura Hand of Protection/cancelaura Aspect of the Turtle/cast Kill Shot/cast Bite/cast Claw/cast Smack
Versatile Bandage Macro
Use this macro to heal your mouseover target, or yourself – if no target is selected. Just swap in the type of bandage you have in your inventory.
/use [@mouseover,help][@player] Deep Sea Bandage
Guard Dog Macro
I like using this while I’m on the run. It puts my pet in defensive mode and throws out the PetMoveTo target circle. Not a hugely necessary macro, but I like to keybind all of my abilities if possible. It’s so much better being free to use your mouse for all movement; not having to ‘click’ on any abilities.
/petmoveto/petdefensive
Healthstone / Potion Macro
This macro will use a Healthstone if you have one, or a healing potion if you do not. Substitute in the appropriate healing potion type. I rarely use health potions in BGs, especially now since they’re so costly, but a handy macro nonetheless.
/use Healthstone/use Runic Healing Potion/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
Battle Standard Macro
I’ve been toting my Battle Standards around for years, but I seldom use them, which is a shame. This is partly because I often forget, but also because using one always meant opening my inventory to click it.
So, I decided to make a super simple macro that would plant either myStormpike Battle Standard(if in AV) or myAlliance Battle Standard(if in any other BG) with one key press. Now I use them all the time. 🙂
/use Stormpike Battle Standard/use Alliance Battle Standard
One Button Battleground Bomb Macro
This is a handy all-in-one macro for placing bombs in battlegrounds.
/use Huge Seaforium Bombs/use Massive Seaforium Charge/use Seaforium Bombs/click ExtraActionButton1
Racial Macros
Racial MacrosSome of the races in WoW have traits that can provide more powerful benefits – or have some added use and versatility – when placed in a macro.
Draenei: Gift of the Naaru
This macro brings some added flexibility to the Draenei’s Gift of the Naaru racial. Pressing it will heal you – or a mouseover target (e.g., main tank, arena partner) if you have one highlighted.
/cast [@mouseover,help][@player] Gift of the Naaru
Night Elf: Shadowmeld
I macro Shadowmeld with Spirit Walk for a nice stealth macro for when I want to surprise enemies in PvP, or if I just want to go afk and not be bothered by any npc mobs. 😉 I use a Spirit Beast with this, of course, but if you use a cat, then just swap in Prowl for Spirit Walk.
/cast Shadowmeld/cast Spirit Walk
Orc: Blood Fury
Blood Fury is a powerful DPS boost that is best used when combined with other burst abilities such as Bestial Wrath, Trueshot or Coordinated Assault, like this:
/petassist/petattack/startattack/cast Blood Fury/cast Bestial Wrath/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
Troll: Berserking
The Troll’s Berserking racial is another great DPS cooldown. Combine it with other burst cooldowns for maximum burstage.
/petassist/petattack/startattack/cast Berserking/cast Rapid Fire/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
Equipment Macros
Equipment MacrosEach piece of gear that we wear is assigned a number, as follows:
1 = head
2 = neck
3 = shoulder
4 = shirt
5 = chest
6 = belt
7 = legs
8 = feet
9 = wrist
10 = gloves
11 = finger 1
12 = finger 2
13 = trinket 1
14 = trinket 2
15 = back
16 = ranged / main hand
17 = offhand (can’t equip)
18 = ranged
19 = tabard
Using the gear slot number as opposed to the actual item name is a more practical way of doing things. It not only makes for easier macro scripting, but it also allows for more freedom when swapping out gear.
The most important equipment slots to remember are:
13 – Trinket 1
14 – Trinket 2
Adding an equipslot # to your macro will activate the respective on-use trinket. For example, if you have an Ancient Petrified Seed equipped in your bottom trinket slot, you could macro it in with Bestial Wrath, like this:
/use 14/cast Aspect of the Wild/cast Bestial Wrath
Now, let’s say your PvP gear setup uses a Prideful Gladiator’s Badge of Conquest in the bottom trinket slot instead. No problem, you don’t have to change a thing. Which ever trinket is located in that equipment slot, will be the one that’s used in the macro.
If you want to have more control over your trinkets, as would be the case with a PvP trinket, you can make simple macros such as these:
Top Trinket Slot
/use 13
Bottom Trinket Slot
/use 14
The nice thing about these macros is that they’ll show you which trinket you actually have equipped. Last thing you want to do is realize after the start of an arena match that you’re wearing your proc-based DPS trinket and left your PvP trinket in your backpack. Of course, this is harder to do these days with luxuries like the equipment manager.
Engineering Macros
Engineering MacrosEngineers have additional on-use items associated with these equipment slots:
1 – Helmet
6 – Belt
8 – Boots
10 – Gloves
15 – Back
Glove Tinker Macro
If you have a Tazik Shocker attached to your gloves, you’re going to want to fire that sucker off as much as possible. Best way to do this is to macro it in to your shot(s) like this:
/use 10/cast Chimaera Shot/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
As long as the gloves you’re wearing have an on-use engineering enchant of some sort, you never have to fiddle with the item name in the macro.
You can even combine the on-use engineering gadgets into one macro. For this example, let’s say we’re a BM Hunter who has the Hand-Mounted Pyro Rocket on our gloves, as well as the Gnomish Lightning Generator equipped in our bottom trinket slot.
/use 10/use 14/cast Kill Command/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
Note: There is a 10 second burst-ability cooldown that activates when using one of the engineering DPS items. You can still combine the abilities into one macro, but they will fire off no sooner than 10 seconds apart from one another. This little mechanic was added in 3.1 to prevent engineers from gaining an unfair burst advantage in arena.
Disengage + Cloak Tinker Macro
The Disengage + Flexweave Underlay macro can really add some distance to your Disengage.
/cast Disengage/use 15
Miscellaneous Macros
Miscellaneous MacrosThe following are a few other macros that I use – not necessarily hunter-specific – that make little tasks in WoW just a bit easier…
Garwulf’s Fishin’ Macro
This is a super-handy-dandy macro I created for some expert angling. This one little macro will equip all of your fishing gear, apply a lure to your pole and even cast it. Just use this same button to fish — when your lure buff expires, the macro will immediately know to reapply a new lure. Customize it to suit your particular fishing gear setup, then have fun fishin’!
#showtooltip Fishing/equip Mastercraft Kalu'ak Fishing Pole/equip Anglin' Art's Waders/equip Weather-Beaten Fishing Hat/use Weather-Beaten Fishing Hat/use Fishing/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
Handy Daily Quest Macro
Back in WotLK I grew tired of having to rummage through my inventory each time I needed to use an item for a daily quest, so I created a macro that would cover all of the quest items I’d need to use on a daily basis. My Cataclysm one doesn’t contain nearly as many items, but I still find using it much more convenient than having to open my bags and click on the items every time.
This macro uses the following items: The Tahret Dynasty Mallet for the “Thieving Little Pluckers” quest, the Magnetized Scrap Collector for “Magnets, How Do They Work?”, the Enchanted Salve for “Burn Victims”, and it also places Seaforium Bombs in Strand of the Ancients and Isle of Conquest.
/use item:63351/use item:62829/use item:69240/use item:39213/use item:46847/use item:47030
The items listed in this macro are not very relevant to the current retail version of WoW, but you can easily switch these item #s to whatever. To change out the items, or to add additional items, just find the item’s ID by searching for it on WoWHead, then add it to the macro. The item ID can be found in your browser’s address bar, like so:
Alright folks… so there ya are… Hunter Macros. Start using ’em!
