Aside from keybinds, macros are probably the most important thing you could ever learn to do in this game. Macros combine various moves into one keypress to maximize the usefulness of your abilities by making your action bars cleaner and more efficient.

In this post I will give you a list of useful Hunter macros and give you the basic tools to write your own!

Macro Basics

The macro window can be accessed by typing /macro or by opening the Game Menu and selecting Macros.

Basic macro commands:

• /target — selects a target
• /targetlasttarget — selects the last thing you had targeted before performing the action
• /targetenemy — targets the nearest hostile target
• /targetenemyplayer — targets the nearest hostile player
• /focus — sets your focus target
• /cast — casts a shot/spell
• /use — uses an item
• /assist — assists a friendly target
• /equip — equips a piece of gear

Basic pet commands:

• /petassist — puts your pet in Assist stance
• /petdefensive — puts your pet in Defensive stance
• /petpassive — puts your pet in Passive stance
• /petattack — commands your pet to attack
• /petfollow — commands your pet to follow you
• /petmoveto — brings up the targeting circle to command your pet to move to a specific place
• /cast [Pet:PET TYPE] SPELL NAME

Extras for your macros:

• #show SPELLNAME — shows the icon for specified spell name
• #showtooltip SPELLNAME — shows the icon and tooltip for specified spell name
• [mod:shift], [mod:alt], [mod:ctrl] — allows you to slightly modify the action of the macro when pressing a modifier key
• [@self], [@target], [@focus], [@mouseover] — specifies a target for your macro
• /script UIErrorsFrame:Clear{} — removes error messages from being displayed when you spam an ability/item that isn’t ready yet

Gear slots for equipping/using items that have an on-use ability:

• 1 — helm
• 2 — neck
• 3 — shoulder
• 4 — shirt
• 5 — chest
• 6 — belt/Engineering belt tinker
• 7 — legs
• 8 — feet
• 9 — wrist
• 10 — gloves/Engineering glove tinker
• 11 — first ring
• 12 — second ring
• 13 — first trinket
• 14 — second trinket
• 15 — back/Engineering parachute cloak tinker
• 16 — main hand/2H
• 17 — off hand
• 18 — ranged
• 19 — tabard

PvE and general use

“Clean” Kill Shot
This macro ensures you are set up for maximum damage when you’re ready to execute: it stops your casting, puts you into Hawk, removes anything that could prevent you from firing the shot and fires Kill Shot, all in one button. Its also handy for removing BOP when a paladin in your raid thinks they are being clever by stopping you from attacking [they never suspect you’ll have a BOP-cancel macro on your bars!] or if you accidentally fat-finger your Deterrence.

#show Kill Shot
/stopcasting
/cast !Aspect of the Hawk
/cancelaura Hand of Protection
/cancelaura Deterrence
/cast Kill Shot

All-in-One Burst Button

#show Rapid Fire
/use 10
/use 13
/use 14
/cast Rapid Fire
/cast Call of the Wild
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()

Basic Misdirection
Set your MD target as your focus and all your MDs will go to them.

#show Misdirection
/cast [@focus] Misdirection

Misdirection for multiple tanks
This is useful on fights where you’re going to MDing to multiple tanks. Set the add tank as your focus and manually type in your main tank’s name into the macro.

#show Misdirection
/cast [@focus] Misdirection
/cast [mod:alt, @MAINTANKNAME] Misdirection

Synapse Springs power shots
Makes sure you use your glove tinker every time it’s off cooldown in combination with your “power” shot. If you are SV, replace Chimera Shot with Explosive Shot. If you are BM, replace with Kill Command.

#show Chimera Shot
/use 10
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear{}
/cast Chimera Shot

Tranquilizing shot
Super useful for both PvE and PvP, this allows you to maintain DPS on your current target while purging a buff off a second target without dropping target on the first one. If you aren’t hovering over a second target, it will Tranq your current target.

#show Tranquilizing Shot
/cast [@mouseover, harm][harm] Tranquilizing Shot

OH SHIT button
All-in-one button for saving your ass. Casts your self-heal, activates your Engineering belt tinker [assuming you have the Grounded Plasma Shield], uses your Healthstone and a health pot, all at once. Add and subtract lines of this macro based on your race and whether or not you want to be using a potion cooldown [okay in PvP… probably not for a raid].

/cast Gift of the Naaru
/use 6
/use Healthstone
/use Mythical Healing Potion

PvP

Anti-Stealth macro
This macro is great for pulling a stealthed Rogue or Feral Druid out before they are able to open on you. Make sure you have Track Hidden turned on!

/cleartarget
/targetenemyplayer
/petattack
/cast Hunter’s Mark
/startattack
/petassist

Freeeeeeedommmmmmm!!!!
Allows you to cast Master’s call on yourself or give a teammate your pet freedom by simply mousing over them.

#show Master’s Call
/cast [@mouseover,help][@player] Master’s Call

Disengage + Wing Clip
Slows a target within melee range then Disengages away. Drop an Ice Trap first for maximum melee-kiting!

#showtooltip Disengage
/cast Wing Clip
/cast Disengage

Mouseover CC macros
These macros will CC your current target or a secondary target you mouse-over without dropping target on your original target

#show Silencing Shot
/cast [mod:shift,@focus][@mouseover,harm][harm] Silencing Shot

#show Scatter Shot
/cast [mod:shift,@focus][@mouseover,harm][harm] Scatter Shot

#show Wyvern Sting
/cast [mod:shift,@focus][@mouseover,harm][harm] Wyvern Sting

Flare spam
Allows you to spam your Flare button without losing the targeting circle.

#show Flare
/cast !Flare

Pet recall
Recalls your pet to safety if it is in danger. VERY essential hunter macro!

/petfollow
/petdefensive
/petattack
/cast Dash
/cast Dive
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear()

Pet Snare
Depending on what pet you PvP with, you’ll want to pick out your specific pet’s particular special attack and have that one macroed.

/cast[Pet:Crab] Pin
/cast[Pet:Dog] Lock Jaw
/cast[Pet:Monkey] Bad Manner
/cast[Pet:Shale Spider] Web Wrap
/cast[Pet:Silithid] Venom Web Spray
/cast[Pet:Spider] Web

This is by no means an all-inclusive list, there’s a massive realm of possibilities with macros out there. This is merely the tip of the iceberg to get you started!

Thanks to Garwulf @ The Hunstman Lodge and the plucky Dwarven Huntress Revisions for some of these macros!