Since I can't update my thread right now,
I thought I'd do something a little different and share some hotkeying tips and examples.
This is especially useful for anyone who still uses the default F1 to F12 keys, like I used to.
When I started playing again last year, I realized how much better I could configure my hotkeys
to allow me to play the game so much more effectively and, even better, truly excel at hardcore.
So first I'll share some useful tips and tricks and then I'll give a compete rundown of what I find to be the most effective hotkey setup for me.
1) The BIGGEST game changer was changing where the inventory hotkey is. since the D1 days I've just been reaching for the i key every time.
I changed it to CTRL. it changed everything. Now your inventory screen is always instantly accessible, yet out of the way with a click of your left pinky finger. its effortless.
2) Disable the skill scrolling via mouse wheel and instead, set skills to your mouse wheel. You can set one for when you click the mouse wheel (great for energy shield especially or popping a juv!)
--you can also set a skill to when you scroll the mouse up, and down. I always set both up and down to be the same skill, like telekinesis. godmode telekinesis skills now. for other characters, it varies.
I never thought to do it in the past, but I've always disabled the skill scrolling. Too many accidents with it on.
3) This is the biggest one overall. I don't use the F keys anymore at all, (except for F10-f12 solely for casting BO. just force of habit.)
but otherwise, all hotkeys are changed to be accessible from left hand resting position.
These are what I recommend replacing your F1-F8 keys with:
(Listed in order of skill priority)
Z, X, F, E, A, G, H, V
And then I personally added: U, J, K for prebuffs other than BO)
Now here's the rundown:
Z and X are your two main Left click skills. (i.e. zerk and conc, ib and glacial, dragon tail and dragon talon, lightning and chain lightning, nado and the stunny nados, zeal and charge, whatever you want.)
F is your main right click skill. (i.e. blizzard, main paladin aura, etc)
Other right click skills go on these hotkeys: (in order of ease of access)
E, A, D, G, V
E is for teleport. or leap attack / leap.
I avoid using S, C, B, due to overcrowding, and any further to the right of the keyboard than that
Some hotkeys I will always leave at their game defaults::
R is always to toggle RUN / WALK.
P party (even though I only play SP now)
O merc
Q quest log
Space Bar clear screen
TAB mini-map
ALT show items on ground
SHIFT hold position
1, 2, 3, 4 will always be belt slots.
~ tilde will always be show belt.
Now for my exact example, for the case of my blizz sorceress they look like this:
CTRL- Open inventory
F12 - BC
F11 - BO
U - Frozen Armor
J - Thunder Strike
MW Click - Energy Shield
Scroll MWU / MWD - Telekinesis
Z - Ice Blast
X - Glacial Spike
F - Blizzard
A - Static
D - Nova
E - Teleport
1 - Healing pots
2 - Juvies
3 - TP / ID Scrolls
4 - Mana pots
and that's a wrap