A Razer Naga setup

I’ve had my Razer Naga for a good while now. I came from using a Razer Deathadder, as it was one of the few Razer mice that had support for Macs. When the Naga came out with Mac support, and I actually saw it in-store, I was sold.

I have relatively small hands (being a girl), and the Naga is about a centimeter smaller (shorter) than the Deathadder: it was definitely a better fit for my hands, but still weighty and solid enough for gameplay. The number of buttons as well as the need to use another addon to map them for WoW kind of turned me off initially, but the buttons grew on me, and I discovered I didn’t really need to use another addon.

And this is my setup.

Addons in use

Just one: Bartender. I’ve been using Bartender even before I had my Naga, so being able to use it for Naga programming is just nice. I should probably also say that I use Clique, but for the purposes of Naga programming, it’s not really relevant: Clique programs mouse buttons, but the additional 12 buttons on the Naga are numeric keys (either the numeric keypad, or the numbers on top of the keyboard).

Theoretically, you should be able to use any action bar mod, as well–or even none: you just need to be able to keybind your numeric keypad. Bartender is just really nice for me here.

I put my Naga bindings on a separate Bartender bar, and have it all lined up at the right side of my screen. This way, I can easily swap things around if and when I need: according to which skills/macros I find I’m using more, and which ones need to be more accessible.

Naga setup

I have the Naga’s numeric buttons set to use the numeric keypad (this is changeable using a switch at the bottom of the Naga), partly to make the learning curve smaller and also because more easily available buttons = win. And it’s difficult to spam buttons while moving the mouse–my thumb isn’t that good.

That means I have the number keypad within easy reach (in varying degrees) of my thumb. I have around six keys (inclusing the tilde key) easily accessible with my left, and 12 with my thumb.

In general terms:

Key 1 is my vent button. I’ve never found it easy to have the vent push-to-talk button on my keyboard, because I’d be busy spamming spells. Admittedly, that’s because my main is a DPS; my priest (who is a through-and-through healer) relies heavily on the mouse for healing (through Clique and mouseover macros, which I’ll get to in a sec). I usually need a lot more focus when I’m healing in a raid, though, with hardly any time for venting.

Keys 2-3 are my “oh sh*t” buttons. I sometimes swap them out when I have a special need for a particular encounter, like if I’m on Counterspell or sheeping duty.

Keys 4-6 as well as 8 are the most accessible keys for most ordinary uses. This may be due to the specific size/shape of my hand, though. For 8, it lies just below the joint on my thumb, so I can easily press it by putting pressure on the middle of my thumb instead of the tip.

The other keys usually end up being stuff like rocket packs, strudels, vanity pets, and the like.

The Naga Bar usage sample

As DPS, the most important thing for me is to deal damage. So my 4-6 keys are AOE spells, easily clicked if on the move or to quickly position a targeting circle where my mouse pointer is. Melee-range AOE is at Key 4 (Arcane Explosion) because it’s easier to move when my hold on the mouse is firmer/more stable.

For my priest, Keys 4-6 become cleansing/cooldown buttons–specifically, mouseover macros for these cleansing/cooldown buttons. This is great in conjunction with my Clique usage–it feels quite seamless, treating the numeric keypad buttons on the mouse just like any other mouse button.

(My baby Paladin is a tank, but I’ve yet to really come into using the Naga for her. I’m still confused with all the possible Hands the Paladin has, and I’ve not really looked into utilizing them. So, no tank sample for Naga!)

On the image on the left you can see the settings I have for Eilonwyn and Talá, who I both raid with. From bottom to top:

Talá (left): Fade, Psychic Scream, mouseover Dispel Magic, mouseover Abolish Disease, mouseover Pain Suppression, mouseover Fear Ward, Holy Nova (for quick damage-dealing+healing in CoS, for example), Levitate, mouseover Power Infusion, Shackle Undead, drinks, and my Flask of the North.

Eilonwyn (right): Ice Block macro, Invisibility macro, Arcane Explosion, Blizzard, Flamestrike, Core Hound Pup (lol), Mirror Image macro, blank, lock candy for swapping in case the lock has a lower healthstone, lootship rocket pack, Fish Feast, and focus Counterspell macro (for swapping).

The honest opinion

I’d have to say the Naga was one of the best things I purchased for my gaming. That isn’t exactly saying much: the only equipment I have that is specifically a gaming device would be the Naga and my headset. But it’s certainly been worth its purchase price.

If there’s anything that I don’t like 100% about the Naga, it’s the position of buttons 4 and 5 on the mouse. They’re on the top of the mouse, near my pointer finger. That means that to press these buttons, my finger would need to move to the left. Which means my whole hand shifts/contracts in order to reach those buttons, which, in addition to being a bit far away from any finger, is on the edge/corner of the mouse. You over-estimate the finger move, and your finger slides right into empty space. You under-estimate, and you end up clicking both the button you were aiming for and the left mouse button.

Which means these buttons don’t get used anymore.

They’re a shame, really. I loved those two extra buttons on the Deathadder, but then one could argue that those two buttons were replaced by twelve, and so then there is no reason to complain. Of course, I also used buttons 4 and 5 for other things outside WoW, like shortcuts for various Mac OSX-related things like Spaces and Expose…but not anymore.

But is that any reason to dis the Naga? Nope. I’d still heartily recommend it to anyone–anyone who doesn’t have big hands, that is.