luxlunae

​If you are not already using Like A Pro to implement your hotkeys, you should be. A reliable, universal way to handle spec swaps was actually the thing that forced me to it, and I haven't looked back. Because Like a pro depends on macros that do not change based on spec (all of the shadow, disc, and holy macros are loaded at the start for my priest characters, for example), by merely switching the virtualized combat keymap on the fly we can spec swap without any reloading, exporting, or re-opening of characters.


My system involves 2 hotkeys and 2 isboxer macros.


First the macros. These are very simple and part of a universal ISBoxer macro set, rather than a class specific macro set:

SpecOne:

Code:

/equipset SpecOne
/usetalents 1
/run print("Selecting Spec One")

SpecTwo:

Code:

/equipset SpecTwo
/usetalents 2
/run print("Selecting Spec Two")

For any characters where you wish to use the equipment swapping, make sure you name a gearset "SpecOne" and a gear set "SpecTwo". Otherwise this line will be ignored.


The first hotkey that is important is Buff. Buff must be a member of your Like a Pro set, and in addition to any actual buffing you have it do, it should create a popup text that says the spec. Mine as you can see here, gets a little bit fancier with {Character} Discipline Priest. You should make sure that you have this Buff/Spec identification key in all of your virtualized keymaps, it lets you know the current state that ISBoxer thinks the character should be in and allows you to adjust accordingly if that isn't true.


Finally my system has the actual SpecSwap key. This must also be in your virtualized keymap. This moves your character between virtual keymaps (you no longer need to use class ATGs, thank Pro and Lax)


PriestDisc > PriestShadow
PriestShadow > PriestDisc


It looks like this:



As you can see there are three components:


First we trigger the correct SpecOne or SpecTwo macro that we created earlier.
Second we have a popup text telling us that what we want to happen is happening
Finally we have reassigned the virtual combat key map to the other spec. This example is my priest.

This is what it looks like the other way (going back from shadow to disc):



Subtleties: you must have every possible keymap your character might use for this system already marked for that character (see circled). Only the keymap that is currently virtualized will be used, so there is no conflict.



Advanced: more than two specs


The best way to handle this system for multiple specs depends on the purpose. No character will manually be able to switch specs (in game) if you move them while casting the macro, so for classes where I use more than 2 specs (across multiple characters, obviously) one way to handle it would be to chain them and then select the correct spec manually once you have stairstepped ISBoxer to the right configuration.


DruidResto > DruidBalance
DruidBalance>DruidBear
DruidBear>DruidCat
DruidCat>DruidResto


If I played a lot of druids in a lot of different specs I would probably completely take out the Isboxer SpecOne and SpecTwo macros, and always set the in game spec by hand.


The other place that the system is quirky is alternative keymaps for the same spec, I handle this by directly loading my character into the alternative keymap (if you look above you can see PriestDiscPG, just like the normal map my Proving Grounds configuration feeds into shadow and then shadow will feed back to normal disc. If I want to get back to PG I re-load the character or re-export from ISB).


Launch box: Priest virtualized combat as PriestDiscPG


PriestDiscPG > PriestShadow
PriestShadow > PriestDisc


Please let me know if there is anything unclear about this system.

Related Posts: Crafting Like-A-Pro, ISBoxer Discovery: Close Window Command

Interested in trying ISBoxer? Use my referral link or the code #6653-luxblog and we both get some extra time if you decide to sign up!