Macro syntax & conditions

How WoW Forever macros work — if/else with [conditions], and/or/not, choosing the target with @unit — with every condition explained and examples you can open in the builder.

For ready-made macros and fixes, see Examples & FAQ →

Macro basics

A macro is a list of slash commands that run from top to bottom with one press.

One command per line. Every line runs on each press, in order.
A line starting with # is a directive, not a command. #showtooltip makes the button show the icon and tooltip of the spell it will use.
A line without / is said in chat as it is.
A macro can be at most 255 characters, line breaks included.
The Korean client also accepts English commands (/cast). Spell names must be in your client's language.

Several commands in one press
Warrior
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/startattack
/cast Heroic Strike
```
- Starts auto-attack, then queues Heroic Strike — both on one press.
- Heroic Strike has no global cooldown, so nothing gets in the way.
Choose the button icon with #showtooltip
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip Polymorph
/cast [mod:shift] Frost Nova; Polymorph
```
- Without a name, the icon follows the spell that would be used right now.
- With a name, the button always shows that spell.
Cast and tell your party
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast Polymorph
/p Polymorphing %t
```
- %t is replaced with your target's name.
- Chat lines run even when the spell fails, so the message is sent every press.

Branches: if / else

Write conditions in [brackets] before the spell. Options separated by ; are checked from the left, and only the first one whose conditions match is used.

[condition] A; B — if the condition matches, A; otherwise B (an option without brackets always matches).
[c1] A; [c2] B; C — if c1, A; else if c2, B; else C. Put the most specific option first.
Without a final option (no else), nothing happens when no condition matches.
Options after one that always matches are never used.
/stopmacro [condition] ends the macro there when the condition matches — the lines below it do not run.

Heal friends, attack enemies
Priest
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [help] Flash Heal; Smite
```
- A friendly target gets Flash Heal; anything else gets Smite.
Three spells on one button (modifier keys)
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Frost Nova; [mod:ctrl] Blink; Fireball
```
- Shift: Frost Nova. Ctrl: Blink. No key: Fireball.
- If you hold both, the first matching option (Frost Nova) wins.
Different spell in and out of combat
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [combat] Fireball; Conjure Water
```
- In combat it attacks; between fights it makes water.
Only when the condition matches (no else)
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [nocombat] Arcane Intellect
```
- In combat the button does nothing, so you cannot waste mana on a buff mid-fight.
Stop early with /stopmacro
Hunter
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/stopmacro [noexists]
/petattack
/cast Arcane Shot
```
- With no target, the macro stops at the first line, so the pet is not sent anywhere.
- With a target, the pet attacks and you fire Arcane Shot.

Combining conditions: and, or, not

Inside one [ ], conditions must all match. Several [ ] in a row mean “or”.

, inside brackets is AND — [harm,nodead] is “an enemy and not dead”.
[a][b] is OR — the option is used if either bracket matches. Each bracket can have its own @target.
no in front negates — nocombat, nodead, nomod.
/ between values is OR — mod:shift/ctrl is “Shift or Ctrl”, stance:1/2 is “stance 1 or 2”.
[] (empty) always matches. It is handy as the last bracket: “this target, or else the normal target”.

And: out of combat and not stealthed yet
Rogue
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [nocombat,nostealth] Stealth
```
- Pressing again while stealthed does nothing, so you cannot cancel Stealth by mistake.
Or: mouse-over, then target, then yourself
Priest
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [@mouseover,help,nodead][help,nodead][@player] Flash Heal
```
- Brackets are checked from the left; the first one that matches decides who is healed.
- The last bracket has no condition, so you heal yourself when nobody else qualifies.
Not: call, revive or heal the pet
Hunter
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [nopet] Call Pet; [@pet,dead] Revive Pet; [@pet] Mend Pet
```
- No pet: call it. Dead pet: revive it. Otherwise: heal it.
Several values: Shift or Ctrl
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift/ctrl] Frost Nova; Fireball
```
- Same as [mod:shift][mod:ctrl], but shorter.
- [mod:shift,mod:ctrl] would mean both keys held at once.
Empty brackets as the fallback
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [@focus,harm,nodead,mod:alt][@mouseover,harm,nodead][] Polymorph
```
- Alt: the focus. Otherwise the enemy under the mouse. Otherwise your target.

Choosing the target: @unit

By default a spell goes to your current target. Put @unit at the start of the brackets to cast on someone else without changing your target.

@unit and target=unit mean the same. This site writes @.
Conditions about a unit (harm, help, dead, exists) check the @unit of the same bracket — not your target.
Conditions about you (combat, mod, stance…) do not depend on @unit.
If the unit does not exist and there is no other option, the spell waits for you to click a target (or fails).

Units you can use after @

Write	Meaning
@target	Your current target (the default)
@player	Yourself
@mouseover	The unit or unit frame under the mouse
@focus	Your focus (set with /focus)
@pet	Your pet
@targettarget	Your target's target. `target` can be added to any unit (`focustarget`, `party1target`)
@party1–4	Party members, in party-frame order
@raid1–40	Raid members, in raid order
@cursor	The ground under the mouse (area spells)
@none	No unit — the spell waits for a click

Heal the party frame under the mouse
Priest
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [@mouseover,help,nodead][] Renew
```
- Hover a friendly frame or character and press — no click needed.
Always on yourself
Priest
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [@player] Power Word: Shield
```
- Shields you even while an enemy or another player is targeted.
Interrupt the focus
Mage
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [@focus,harm,nodead][] Counterspell
```
- Set a focus with /focus, then interrupt it without switching targets.
Heal whoever your enemy is hitting
Priest
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [help,nodead][@targettarget,help,nodead] Flash Heal
```
- With a friend targeted, heals them. With an enemy targeted, heals the enemy's target.
A fixed party member
Druid
Open in builder →
```
#showtooltip
/cast [@party1,help,nodead] Rejuvenation
```
- party1 is the first member under your own frame in the party list (party1–party4).

All conditions

Write these inside [ ]. Conditions about the unit check the @unit of the same brackets (your target if none).

Every condition can be negated with no (nocombat, nomod, nostance). Values in [ ] are optional unless shown without them.

About the unit (@unit, or your target)

Write	Meaning
exists	The unit exists
harm	You can attack it
help	You can help it (heal, buff)
dead	It is dead
party	It is in your party
raid	It is in your party or raid

About you

Write	Meaning
combat	You are in combat
stealth	You are stealthed (Stealth, Prowl…)
mounted	You are on a mount
swimming	You are swimming
indoors	You are indoors (mounts cannot be used)
outdoors	You are outdoors
resting	You are resting (inn or city)
channeling[:spell]	You are channeling (a specific spell, if named)
stance[:1/2/…]	In a stance or form (by number; without a number, any). `form` is the same
shapeshift	You are shapeshifted
pet[:name/family]	You have a pet (of that name or family, if given)
group[:party/raid]	You are in a group (a party, or a raid)
equipped:type	You have that item type equipped (`equipped:Shields`). `worn` is the same
known:spell	You know that spell
spec:1/2	Your active talent spec
flying	You are flyingLater expansions
flyable	You are in a zone where flying is allowedLater expansions
advflyable	Dragonriding is allowed hereLater expansions

How you pressed

Write	Meaning
mod[:shift/ctrl/alt]	A modifier key is held (that key, if given). `modifier` is the same
btn:1/2/3/4/5	Clicked with that mouse button (1 left, 2 right, 3 middle). `button` is the same
cursor	You are holding something on the cursor (an item, a spell)

Action bars and vehicles

Write	Meaning
actionbar:1/2/…	That action bar page is shown. `bar` is the same
bonusbar[:n]	A bonus bar (stance or form bar) is active
extrabar	The extra action button is shownLater expansions
overridebar	An override bar is shownLater expansions
possessbar	You control another creature (possess bar)Later expansions
vehicleui	You are in a vehicle with its own barLater expansions
unithasvehicleui	The unit is in such a vehicleLater expansions
canexitvehicle	You can leave the vehicleLater expansions
petbattle	You are in a pet battleLater expansions

Conditions marked “Later expansions” belong to features added after the original game (flying, vehicles, pet battles…); on WoW Forever they most likely never match. Conditions are handled by the game client and some have not been tested on WoW Forever.

Common mistakes

The builder warns about each of these when you type the macro directly.

An option after one that always matches
Wrong
```
/cast Fireball; [mod:shift] Frost Nova
```
⚠ Branch 1 always matches, so the 1 after it never run.
The first option has no condition, so it always wins and Frost Nova is never cast. Put the option with the condition first.
Fixed
Mage
Open in builder →
```
/cast [mod:shift] Frost Nova; Fireball
```
Conditions after the spell name
Wrong
```
/cast Polymorph [@focus]
```
⚠ Conditions must come before the spell: “Polymorph [@focus]”.
Brackets must come before the spell. Written after it, they become part of the spell name and the spell is not found.
Fixed
Mage
Open in builder →
```
/cast [@focus] Polymorph
```
A unit without @
Wrong
```
/cast [mouseover,harm] Polymorph
```
⚠ [mouseover] is not a condition.
mouseover is a unit, not a condition. Without @ the game does not understand it.
Fixed
Mage
Open in builder →
```
/cast [@mouseover,harm] Polymorph
```
A misspelled value
Wrong
```
/cast [mod:shft] Frost Nova; Fireball
```
⚠ “shft” is not a valid value for [mod].
Values are not checked by the game — a typo just never matches. Modifier keys are shift, ctrl and alt.
Fixed
Mage
Open in builder →
```
/cast [mod:shift] Frost Nova; Fireball
```

Macro basics

Several commands in one press

Choose the button icon with #showtooltip

Cast and tell your party

Branches: if / else

Heal friends, attack enemies

Three spells on one button (modifier keys)

Different spell in and out of combat

Only when the condition matches (no else)

Stop early with /stopmacro

Combining conditions: and, or, not

And: out of combat and not stealthed yet

Or: mouse-over, then target, then yourself

Not: call, revive or heal the pet

Several values: Shift or Ctrl

Empty brackets as the fallback

Choosing the target: @unit

Units you can use after @

Heal the party frame under the mouse

Always on yourself

Interrupt the focus

Heal whoever your enemy is hitting

A fixed party member

All conditions

About the unit (@unit, or your target)

About you

How you pressed

Action bars and vehicles

Common mistakes

An option after one that always matches

Conditions after the spell name

A unit without @

A misspelled value