General DiscussionBest key bindings for ability and item dependent hero's?

Spacebar for items that you use constantly phase/blink etc

i cant get used to qwer so i use legacy key with space, 3, 4, 5, and 2 buttons on the side of my mouse.

1,2,3,4,5,6 for my items. cannot micro teams as a result

standard qwerdf for skills, 1 for main hero and 2-5, f1-f4 for control groups; "a" and "s" for first two items, space, "c" for attack move, "t" for stop "x" and "v" for other items and button on my sensei mouse for the last one. It makes items easier to use because they are all on different parts of the keyboard so it's less confusing.
And I shift my hand to the left so my fingers are on tab q w e, having "r" being set to another mouse button. It's kind of a unique setup, but it's much nicer for micro intensive and 6 active item heroes.

i personally use 30 - 40 hot keys a game depending on the hero. for tinker, i would have:
e for lazor, spacebar for rocket spam, f for rearm, d for march. the rest of my hotkeys stay the same for the most part. items: 234xc{spacebare}. in this case, trade spacebar with z or w as those are my extra hot keys. 1 for hero. F1 for 'All other units', F2 for courier, ATL + Q for courier to go home, ATL + W to go to the secret shop and so on. on my mouse i have Hold, purchase quickbuy, courier bring items, and pull up shop menu. ATL + spacebar is courier burst. z for moving while invis. and like another 14 keys that say shit to the team and other team like gg, ty , buy courier ect. mostly numpad. same thing here a unique setup and every hero i play uses different keys pretty much

I use ZXCVBN for items O_o, I guess I must've changed it when I started playing dota 2, because I don't remember using anything else. Standard QWERDF for skills, 1-4+ for control groups. For tinker early game I put Z:Travels, X:Bottle, C:Soulring, End-Game I put Z:Travels, X:EthBlade, C:Dagon, V:Hex, B:Blink, N:Whatever else. I must've changed because I felt 1-6 was a bit too far up the keyboard, because I'm so used to playing online games with WASD controls.

qwer for abilities and alt-qwer for items for items and mouse buttons, which i find really nice and comfortable to use. You might try to copy purge's hotkeys, but he is using legacy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GHYU7zv2Us

Edit: I read the first and the 3rd comment as one ^^ I wrote this comment too early in the morning

I'm used normal key
QWER
ASDF
1-6 for items

Why does it seem like no one uses ZXCVBN for items? Isn't that the default? It was for me anyways. I usually put frequently used items like hex,blink,phase,bottle etc on ZXCV since they are easy to reach from QWER and ASD, and other not so often used items like tp or bloodstone on B and N where i can still reach out for fairly easily if i need to.

I use Space for the most spammable item and ZXCVB for the rest. Usually the main items are on Space, C and V as I find it easy to use them quickly when needed.

QWERZX for items. ASDCVF for skills, G for attack, H for courier, T for Stop.

I use a razer naga.

My thumb on my right hand (mouse finger) activates items. It is excellent.

http://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-naga is mine

http://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-naga-hex This one is designed for mobas, but i don't like it as much. The 6 key is too far back, and once you get used to the naga, the keybad is great.

the logitech G600 is also an option
http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/g600-mmo-gaming-mouse

^
The buttons are kinda small dont you accidentally press wrong items like force instead of hex or soul ring instead of bottle

^
I have been using the naga for several years, so i am very use to it. I use it for Planetside 2 as well (multiple fuctions and chat channels)

When you buy it, it comes with these rubber trainer stickers that you can help you learn to use it, but once you get it down you dont need them.

I updated/edited that post with the razer naga-hex (only 6 big buttons) and the logitech g600 which has bigger buttons for them big handed fellows.

What a player is used to is often best, but for me, being able to click an item with my thumb and then activate it with the same hands index finger is very fluid, and it helps me at times to distinguish between activates and spells. Heroes like lesherac or storm spirit often end up with 4-6 activate items. (i have never played invoker, he scares me).

Q W E R D F skills

1 2 3 4 Y X Items

item 4,2,3,Z,X,Space . i usualy place force staf or blink on 3.. and put item like bkb on Z and X for item like BOTor tp scroll.. 2/Space for dagon or any other item that important in fight.. 4 for healing item like tango

I use the Naga Hex for the 2 rune spawns, quick-buy, team voice-chat, attack/move, and stop. It works well - I like having commands that are related to "macro" away from the "micro" part of activating abilities and items. It helps me, though I don't play micro-intensive heroes very often.

@Juke 40 hotkeys.

God I haven't laughed this hard in ages.

this is probably one of the most convenient key bindings, trust me. My friends and i use this and we adapted it from HoN (Heroes of legends of newerth).

Skills - standard QWER
Items - alt + Q + W + E + A + S + D.

If you don't understand the item bindings, here's how it works. See how the inventory has 6 slots: 3 slots top and 3 slots down? well my item bindings exactly follows that. Alt + Q, Alt + W, Alt + E, are the three top slots of the inventory (yes they are in order), and ALT + A, ALT + S, ALT +D for the three slots at the bottom. So just imagine your QWE and ASD as the inventory slots/boxes.

I never have any troubles with item usage since i never have to reach hard places. And i also play a lot of item dependent heroes (e.g. invoker).

My hands are still in a completly wrong position (ASDF , same when typing, anything else is weird for me, thats why i still cant play WASD games correctly xD) so I use:
QWER23 for skills but I only play 4skill heroes atm
A attack, F target my hero
SDXCV SPACE for items
Y for chatwheel
T for buy tp, G for buy sticky
Z for select all other unit but Im a noob so its usually necros, or rarely manta/dominator
I have something binded to other keys too, but always forget where they are :D

I need keys for all my inventory couse I only play support and all my items have some active (yes, wards are active!!! i want them on key), I have some logic for it, so i wont forget, like Mekanism is always on C, invis detection is on SPACE thats easy to press fast, panic item is on V (force staff or cyclone usually), other support item usually drums or urn is on X, and my boots are on D. wards/tp is where I have free spot, but i prefer using C/V for them while i dont have anything else there. So if my Mek is on X for whatever weird reason I will countiue wasting my TP before realizing what im doing -.-'

Sorry for offtopic, my keybinds arent useful for anyone, but Im also interested in ideas and maybe someone can give me a tip too, like what useful keybind im missing that I should def have somewhere.

Skills: qwerdf (All smartcast!)

Stop (LH-easy-mode): s-key

A: Attack (-move)

Items: TAB, spacebar (most important two, extremly easy to find with your fingers), y (z for qwerty-keyboards), x, c, v (All not smartcast!)

Control Groups (Visage, Ench, Enigma, LD, NP, ...): 1,2,3 (1: Everything; 2: Creep, Familiars, Bear, ...; 3: Hero)

Works for me most of the time. I don't know why most people don't use TAB for an item, SO easy to use.

key binding doesnt matter with enough practice your body will adapt and control everything without problem

hmmm, I got the QWER thing as well, with items being on 1,2,3,4,5 and spacebar. I sort items depending on their importance and comboes close to each other. For example on Enigma, I would have Blink on 1, BKB on 2 and mek on 3. Or Sven: BKB 1, MoM 2, eventuallly blink on 3. Its pretty easy to handly the items then because you basically just need to roll over the first few numbers in order to get everything.
Spacebar on the other hand is what I use for items that need to be turned on and off constantly (for example armlet)
Then I have "n" for my hero, "m" for units and "," for everything. As a result I cant play Chen/Enchantress rly well but have not found myself missclicking anything in ages.

But usually you gotta figure out your own thing and get used to it by doing it all the time.
http://dotabuff.com/players/87786142/matches?hero=lifestealer&game_mode=&match_type=real
Just take a quick look at it and you will get what I mean ;)

Veal, rather weird keyboard set up imo. As I said in my previous post, I use the following configuration:

1 - Hero
2 - Summoned unit;
3 - Summoned unit;
4 - Summoned unit;
Q - First spell;
W - Second spell;
E - Third spell;
R - Ultimate;
D - Forth spell;
F - Fifth spell;
S - Scroll through units under my control.
, - Chatwheel, I usually don't use it at all.
TAB - Microphone.
F1 - Select Hero;
F2 - Select Courier;
F3 - Courier deliver items;
Space - Most spammable item; Usually Phase Boots when I play (semi-)carries. In other situations either Mek or Blink Dagger. Also Diffusal Blade, Buckler, Armlet etc.
Z - Less spammable items or items with limited usage; Anything like Drums, Soul Ring, Hands of Midas.
X - Same as Z;
C - Spammable items with rather low CD - For carries (in some cases supports) Blink, Manta, Orchid, Hex, Refresher, Abyssal Blade, Satanic.
V - Anything that I can spam quickly because I find it easy to move my finger from R to V - Force Staff, Eul, Dust of Appearance, Wards;
B - Probably same as C but generally I place Hex, Refresher there and items with long CD.

For example, here's a screen shot of my items as a support:
http://oi39.tinypic.com/sausll.jpg

Here's a screen shot of my items as a carry:
http://oi41.tinypic.com/vwzlav.jpg

I don't have set controls for buying any items since I use the shorcut for buying items in the bottom right of the screen. Hope this post will help you decide how to set up your controls properly. At the end of the day it's just down to getting used to where you place your items and which keys are assigned to these slots.

The million button mice are dumb because the point of macro/hotkeys is to effectively hit it with minimal effort, moving your thumb in circles around the side of a mouse will wind you up with severe RSI and a 5-7 button mouse is all you really need.

Two buttons on the right side - Controlled by tip and curvature of thumb.
Button L/R - Controlled by Index and Middle finger respectively.
Middle Mouse Wheel - Controlled by swift movement from right click to middle.
Left side button controlled by Pinky/little finger.

Anymore buttons rotate your hand on a mouse too much and can cause issues.

Ty :)

Can someone be that nice to explain "I don't have set controls for buying any items since I use the shorcut for buying items in the bottom right of the screen." what this means? I click the item Im going to buy so it appears in the bottom right next to TP scroll, and I have a keybind to buy that thing thats there. Is there a way to like.. buy wards with a keybind without opening shop and clicking it or making it sticky? I use this as "Im def gonna die, lets start panicing" button, so when I plan to buy my manaboots, I make something like bracer sticky and try not to forget how much unreliable gold I have and press this button that much -> I wont lose money. Only when I think I would lose all that, so why not spend it? :D Sometimes I just buy a tp and drop it on base if i have 1-2 on me already, otherwise its waste of gold. Would be nice to somehow be able to decide if I want to buy wards/dust/tp just in a half second when Im ganked.

I changed somethings. Now I have TAB and Y for my extra 2 abilities, if Ill ever play heroes with more than 4 spells I may remap them again but for now it should do... Also MouseButton4 thats easy to reach and I dont use for anything now is to tab throu controlled units, alt+MB4 to select all units, MB5 thats not that comfortable for me is for select courier and alt+MB5 to deliver items.

I use my keyboard with hungarian key mapping, so y is next to x (on english version, its z), and z is at y's position. I also have a key next to y, its í, and I cant bind that in Dota... I could use it in wow and its in an easy-to-reach position. :(

Isnt there a way to use SHIFT+key? I can bind ALT+key just by pressing it, and I guess CONTROL is already used in some cases so I cant use that, thats fine. What's with shift? EDIT: okey shift stupid question, never tried to play micro heroes, now Im reading some topics.

legacy keys

and then personal preferences for items

i use 1 2 3 q w and space for items and changin g them if playing invoker or smth like that to others like alt + something

I have extra buttons on my mouse so i use them

legacy keys

Items: numpad4, ALT+W, ALT+D, SPACE, MOUSE5, MOUSE4
1,2,3,4,5,6 - control groups
0, P , [ - shop controls

I am sure someone has already posted an answer similar to this...... But in my opinion, the easiest way to do this is to buy a mouse with some extra keys on it. Razer makes the best gaming equipment (also my opinion) and most of their mice have extra programmable hotkeys for gaming. My set up now is a Razer Imperator and the 2 side keys are set as the first two item slots in my inventory. Spacebar is set as my third slot and 1,2,3 is set as item slots 4,5, and 6. Usually I will not have to use 2 or 3 unless I am playing an intelligence carry.

qwer for skills

TYGH for items. T and some times G for most frequently used targetable items like diffusal / hex / blink. (put these items in your first item slot, which is T, that is a natural extension of your qwer->t)
and mouse side buttons for the most frequently used non-target items like mek/magic stick/ phase boots.
sometimes g for self-use items like mjoin. so you can hit gg .

space is for the quick event by default. i keep it that way. so you can double hit space and have a quick look and go back
HOLD Tab for talking
HOLD ~ for the scoreboard
z for upgrade skills
caplock for upgrade stats. (not so often used)

x for missing (missing bot/top/mid)
n for nice (nice/ well done / good job)
b for back
c for careful
p for place wards (never used)

B, C, X are set to be very easy to reach. because those command are very important in pub game.

F1 for open shop
F2 for quick shop whatever on the shopping list (do this b4 u die.)

1 for hero
2 for all unit other than hero
3 for the courier

backspace for the defense GLYPH (never used)

Vael, about the bottom right of the screen purchase - that's what I meant as well, I usually put all the items I'm about to buy there however I don't use any shortcut what's so ever, I just hover it with my mouse and click to buy it. :)

use whatever works well for you. Dota only has like 12 keybinds you really need, assuming you aren't playing a hero with more than 4 skills like invoker or doom stealing creep ones.

I use 1-6 for items, z is my push to talk, I remapped the missing macros to jkl, x is select my hero, c is my controlled units, rest is all default.

Standard Skills: wert 34 (extra skills)

Items: sdf
xcv

P2T: y

Select Hero: 1 Select Courrier: 2

Scoreboard: `

Fortification: i

That's all i can think of. I really like the sdf/xcv layout because it just matches how it shows in the inventory.