✔ Guide to Strafing / Movement / Keybindings

I have received many requests for my keybindings and movement setup - i.e. how I control my character.

This is a very complex topic and I felt the best way to explain key concepts was via this HD video, which contains illustrative footage from the game Rift. The concepts are applicable to any MMORPG for melee and ranged classes.

Control setup is very preference-based and subjective. With that being said, any setup should
1. provide the ability to both kite-strafe and circle-strafe a target to keep a target in your facing as much as possible, and
2. enable high fidelity / accuracy for using abilities quickly, and
3. not give you carpal tunnel :)

As discussed in the video, the setup I have landed on after years of iteration and tweaking is:
- right hand on the mouse for character turn, camera rotation, and forward movement
- left hand for left strafe, right strafe, and all abilities

Please note that I do not use a gaming mouse or keyboard, nor do I have any plans to do so.

Control setup is a rather sensitive topic, so I hope that you keep in mind that the intention of this video is to show "one way of doing it." The way that you feel comfortable setting up your controls may be very different and that's fine - what matters is that you are able to execute the 3 points above. I've had other friends adopt my setup and they have reported good success. YMMV.

For more information and dialogue about this video, check out the article on my blog:
http://taugrim.com/2011/04/07/guide-to-strafing-movement-and-keybindings/

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Taugrim
• Rift
• Riftblade
• Warrior
• Kite
• Kiting
• Strafe
• Strafing
• Keybind
• Keybinds
• Keybinding
• Hotkey
• Hotkeys

[KoenigNord]

fundamental mmorpg knowledge, good to have this video. Now I can always send friends, who are new to the game or don't understand specific stuff I do (like strafing), to this vid.

Also I am still curious if moving all keybinding 1 key to the right is effective or not.

[taugrimtaugrim]

@KoenigNord moving all keybindings 1 key to the right is fine if that's what works for you

[OakleafRanger]

thank you!

im a bit of a noob but this helped me a ton

btw, i came across this by searching for a guide on kiting...could someone tell me, what exactly kiting is, and how is it different from strafing?

[taugrimtaugrim]

@OakleafRanger kiting is maintaining a gap from your opponent, and having them "follow you like a kite".

Strafing is merely a way of moving to kite.

You can also jump-kite, which consists of running from your opponent, jumping and in mid-air rotating to face and shoot your target, then running again once you hit the ground

[hobbit135790]

Hi man i´m kinda new to the MMO genre and also started with the standart settings... anyway i´ll try your tips, but what i´m still not getting is, how do i target sombody, now when i use my mouse for the movment? Hope you can help me out on this one too^^

[taugrimtaugrim]

@hobbit135790 I Tab target, or click on my target

[taugrimtaugrim]

@XxDolan420 I learned how to melee strafe and kite strafe opponents because I wanted to improve my gameplay.

Whining is easier than adapting, but you won't improve.

[Sjordijon]

After playing with your keybindings, and making some adjustments, I've found it impossible to go back to traditional set-ups. It's absolutely amazing how natural this becomes... thank you, very much!

[avienated]

Thanks for the tips, while I already have my own special setup, there was some gems here, strafing "backwards" beeing one of them.

[SDavies2010]

Hey buddy, Adopted your style as I was keyboard mover and clicker lol Oh dear! What have I been missing!!! Thanks for your help and advice!!

[Xentaku]

@taugrimtaugrim For my Jugg in SWTOR, I have been using mousewheelup as a charge and mousewheeldown as the ae. Is this particularly bad?

[snarecapdspikes]

Thanks man, good stuff.