How do you move and use skills at the same time?

quantumdreamer · June 2020

Hi, I see in most gameplay videos for ESO that people are moving and using skills at the same time. How is that done?

If I'm moving forward or backwards, W or S, I'm not able to use the skill mapped to the number 2 -- the key just above W and S. I'm physically not able to press both buttons simultaneously. If I'm moving left, A, I'm not able to use the skill in 1. Moving right D, skill 2.

To use the skills in these number slots, I have to move a finger off of a movement key (which stops movement), press the skill key, and then put my finger back on a movement key.

I see people moving and using skills simultaneously in videos. And, it looks like this is the only way to play ESO effectively, with lots of movement and skill usage at the same time.

Is there a special set of keybinds that people are using to do this? Or have people mutated by growing an extra set of fingers on their hand in order to play the game?

FlaviusPK · June 2020

x c v b mouse side buttons

FrancisCrawford · June 2020

It's difficult. I have a mouse with a few extra buttons that do a great job with bar swap, synergies, crouching and so on.

But I fire skills and so most movement with the same hand on the keyboard, and with that set up it's really tough to move and fight at the same time.

Ratzkifal · June 2020

For me my pinky is on Lshift, my ring finger is on A, my middlefinger on W, my index finger on D and my thumb is resting on space.

If I need to walk forward and use my number 2 skill, I move my ring finger up to press 2. If I need to walk left and use my number 2 skill at the same time, I press it with my middle finger instead.

eKsDee · June 2020

In general, I try to lay my skill bar out in a way that makes it easy and comfortable to move while using them. Typically goes:

Tertiary skill, ie main DoT, execute, short buff/debuff, maybe a lesser heal or shield. Fairly easy to reach for, can still move forward and strafe right, is pretty comfortable to use. Skills I use frequently but don't need immediate access to go here.
Auxiliary skill, ie lesser DoT, timed burst, gap closer, fairly long buff/debuff. A bit harder to reach for, can still move forward or strafe right depending on how I press it, a little uncomfortable to use. Skills I use infrequently or situationally go here.
Unimportant skill, ie long buff/debuff, panic heal, etc. I find this one hard to reach for when in an actual fight, so I typically put skills I don't use here. Skills I use fairly rarely go here.
Main skill, ie spammable, main heal, main shield, etc. Easy to reach for, can still move forward and strafe left, is pretty comfortable to use. My main skill I tend to spam or use very frequently goes here.
Secondary skill, ie upfront burst, stun, execute, important buff/debuff, secondary heal, secondary shield, etc. A bit harder to reach for than my main skill, but still allows me to move forward and strafe left. Skills I don't necessarily spam, but still use very frequently and want easy and immediate access to go here.

Aside from 3, I am able to continue moving forward at all times, which is honestly enough in an actual fight, as you can use the mouse to turn for the half second you're not strafing.

Mr_Wolfe · June 2020

I use a gamepad. Playing games with a mouse + keyboard always felt too awkward for me.

You do miss out on some of the potential of using custom keybinds though.

Nestor · June 2020

I am generally not moving towards my target, so the W key is not an issue.

However, an MMO Mouse is what you need for most movement/skill combo usage

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Gaming-Backlit-Programmable-Buttons/dp/B0086UK7IQ

Raisin · June 2020

I personally run ESO with very little keys remapped from the default, and I have zero fancy buttons on my mouse (so there's left, right, and wheel, and I don't use the wheel as a button because the resistance of pressing it is high and clunky).

Raisin wrote: »

When I walk, my middle finger is on W or S, with ring and index finger using A and D respectively for walking/dodging. Although most movement you do by moving the camera, so really you only need one finger for walking. Thus I use index finger for most spells, ring for some and weapon swap, and middle finger rarely for spells also. Try copying that; keep one finger on W the whole time and don't let go, then run circles and try to use spells continuously.

This is how I personally do it. I copy-pasted that from a similar thread -- there's a lot of great advice in there, so I think it's worth checking that out (just don't necro it

).

For me, when I'm walking forward (W) with my middle finger, my ring-finger uses keys 1 and 2 for skills. For walking left, they just switch -- ring finger for walking, middle finger for casting -- but then I can't think of any situation where I would prefer walking left over adjusting the camera and continuing to walk forward. I use my thumb for space and X (where I remapped tab target). All of this is fairly simple and just requires practice IMO. The only thing I was happy to put on my mouse is synergy on wheel-down (I also have wheel-up for bash, but that's not the biggest change away from the default). Overall there is definitely a personal note to this and it's good to mess around a bit, but I don't think deviating from the default key maps is in any way a necessity. Important is that you commit at some point and give yourself time to get used to it. You won't get anywhere if you keep changing it up.

idk · June 2020

I have an MMO mouse with 12 buttons on the side. Those buttons control my skills, bar swap, ultimate, quick slot bar, and more which leaves my other hand free to focus on movement 100% of the time when in combat.

deleted221106-002999 · June 2020

The default setup for keyboard is too spread out to use effectively. so, mostly this:

keyboard number pad: skills
arrow keys - move
delete - activate
end - ultimate
page down - synergy
ctrl - jump
insert - crouch
del[number pad] - quickslot
number pad key 7 - interrupt
' or # - bar swap (I need both because little finger stabbing this will hit either key/is inaccurate
shift - sprint
home - map
page up - mount
insert - inventory

Only use mouse(nothing special) for attack/block & looking.Essentially, keyboard hand just kind of does stuff because keys are all close.

Experiment to find out which combination of keyboard/mouse/controller works for you - as others have pointed out, set up for what is comfortable/usable for you. I think lots of players use a 5 million button mouse; there certainly seem to be a few multi-button mouse devices labelled as 'mmo' - but I wouldn't know, never used one.

MellowMagic · June 2020

I use E, F, C, R, X for 1-5
For ult and quick slot I use two side mouse buttons.
I use my middle mouse button for the action key.

Lumsdenml · June 2020

I use an older, similar mouse to this one:

https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-mice/g604-lightspeed-wireless-gaming-mouse.910-005622.html

Has 6 buttons on the side which I map to 1-5 + R. Has two buttons on the left of the left click which I use for mount and stealth. The only thing I use the keyboard for as the A S W D and E keys. Really easy to move sideways and fire off an ability and change looking directions at the same time. This is the major advantage KBM has over controllers (which I use for most pve stuff, but pvp, gotta use KBM)

FakeFox · June 2020

I use WASD with 1-5 for skills, so the standard layout and don't have any problems. I can use any skill while moving in any direction. The trick is alternating which finger presses which key, depending on what combination of keys I press.

Sitja · June 2020

With 5 fingers you should be able to press different buttons at the same time. Don't think like one finger is assigned to one button for each skill, it has to change depending on what finger is used to move.

redgreensunset · June 2020

FakeFox wrote: »

I use WASD with 1-5 for skills, so the standard layout and don't have any problems. I can use any skill while moving in any direction. The trick is alternating which finger presses which key, depending on what combination of keys I press.

This one right here, that's what I do as well. Just switch up the fingers depending on combination needed and it works well enough for me.

Magdalina · June 2020

I'm lazy and just use good old WASD and mostly (can technically use most skills when moving sideways with some practice but this isn't even necessary) alternate between moving and actually using skills. I mean, you really shouldn't be casting skills non-stop, it should be 1 skill+LA (which is very out of the way of movement keys) per second so there's plenty of time to move, you only gotta pause for split second required to cast a skill. This generally gets me all the movement I need.

Oreyn_Bearclaw · June 2020

If you are playing this game on PC, get an MMO mouse. Just my 2 cents. Big fan of the Razer Naga Trinity.

My rotation other than my light attack and my ultimate is all done with my thumbs.

I use my right index finger for LA, my middle finger for block and thumb for all skills dodge roll, and quickslots.

I use my left ring through index for WASD and use my left thumb for jump, bash, barswap, tab target, and probably something else I am forgetting. My left pinky is for sprint, push to talk, tab/menu, etc.

VoxAdActa · June 2020

I picked up a cheap 7-button mouse for $30 and put all my skills on it. 1 and 2 become the thumb buttons on the side (spammable and execute), 3 is the mouse wheel click, and 4 and 5 are the buttons just below the mouse wheel (long duration skills I don't have to use as often).

Bar swap is shift, so I can hit it with my left pinky. Potions and ultimate stay on q and r. Roll dodge goes to Cntrl (also left pinky's responsibility). Sprint goes to Alt (although I really wish sprint was a toggle).

Now my left hand never has to come off WASD (except to use a potion or an ultimate, for a split-second).

The number buttons that used to control my skills now control my menus. 1 for inventory, 2 for skills, 3 for map, etc.

AcadianPaladin · June 2020

I have to take a compromise approach. Two thumb buttons on my mouse is the max I can deal with. Old thumb joints start hurting if trying to manage more than that. I do cut the 'move while using skills' problem in half though by remapping forward and backward to spacebar/B (so my keyboard thumb takes care of that). I still have to manage move/cast for left/right but at least forward/backward is no conflict.

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How do you move and use skills at the same time?

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