Advertisement

Addon Spotlight: Grab bag 5

Each week, WoW Insider brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same.

Grab bags are always popular Addon Spotlight columns. The amount of email I get after each grab bag spotlight is usually leaps and bounds more than any other type of Addon Spotlight article. Why, you may ask? People love lots of addon recommendations in one spot! It's a plethora of new, fun things all in one space.

This week's grab bag is truly a diverse collection of addons, each providing players with a unique function. Do you have any favorite addons that belong in the grab bag? Grab bag addons are usually addons that don't really need too much explanation or write-up to fully grasp. Little utilities, quality-of-life tweaks, and other minor novelties are great for grouping together. If you've got a suggestion for the grab bag, please email it to mat@wowinsider.com with a subject referencing addons!



tullaRange

Simple addons that just work are my favorite type of addon. The range finder on the default user interface is tiny and ineffective -- the size of the little key bind indicator is just too small to be effective in a pinch. That's what I like tullaRange.

tullaRange works by changing action buttons to a set color when a target is out of range for that particular ability. The color defaults to red when an ability is unusable because of range, but players are able to set the color in the options menu. Since the addon is so lightweight and simple, there are only two options in the configuration.

Not only can you use tullaRange to let you know what abilities are unusable because of range, you can also use it to shade action buttons that are unavailable due to lack of rage, energy, mana, or focus. Each color is independently changeable from the options menu. I like having an indicator on my action buttons that let me know what abilities are available because I hate listening to my character scream "not enough rage!" over and over and over.

You might know the developer of tullaRange, Tuller, from his other amazing addons -- Combuctor, Dominos, Bagnon, and more. This addon comes from good stock. tullaRange is simple, memory and CPU light, and provides a valuable function. What more do you need?

Download tullaRange at [WoWInterface].

Vanisher

Rogues, has this ever happened to you? You're happily fighting along, a stab here and an eviscerate there, when suddenly a pesky DOT class stands between you and sweet escape. Your debuff bar fills quickly with icons and vanishing away isn't likely to get you far. When is it safe to vanish?

Vanisher is one of those addons that lives in most rogues' toolboxes as crucial and important. It watches your debuffs and rogue cooldowns and lets you know when it is safe to vanish without breaking. The addon will also let you know what DOTs can be removed with Cloak of Shadows, and even watches your personal cooldowns to see when Cloak is ready.

Non-rogues can use Vanisher as a guide to decide when to use a bandage. DOT ticks will stop a bandage cast, so an addon to accurately time and use bandages is a pretty great feature to have. I know I hate popping a bandage only to have it quit healing me after one terrible tick of health.

Download Vanisher at [Curse].

_NPCScan

Some stalwart _NPCScan fans sent me emails the other week when I was writing and reporting on the new hunter pet taming challenges coming with patch 4.2 in the Molten Front and the Regrowth. If you're a hunter out searching for these new creatures, _NPCScan is an invaluable tool.

You probably already know what _NPCScan does. In fact, I've probably talked about it in a grab bag article in the past! I do that sometimes. However, with a new patch coming that has distinctly rare mobs being added, reminding people about _NPCScan doesn't hurt.

So what does this addon do? _NPCScan will go through your creature cache and see if you've recently seen a special mob. When a rare creature pops into your cache folder, the addon sounds a very audible gong to let you know that the creature is near you. Target, find, and destroy or tame, depending on your proclivities. With the coming of patch 4.2, you can be sure that _NPCScan will be updated to include the new hunter rares. Be prepared, hunters!

Download _NPCScan at [Curse].

Addon mailbag wins every time.

Aka'Magosh, Mat!

Is there an addon out there that lets me see what raid cooldowns are available from my players? We don't always run the same comp week-to-week and remembering everything available to me gets tough when the list keeps changing. Having a list of currently available CD's and seeing a timer that says 'Tranquility available from (Druid name) in 1:45' (for example) would be super.

Thanks!

Touk, H-Spinebreaker (US)

Many people don't know this, but if your raid primarily uses DBM, there is a extra package available that adds on to DBM called Spell Timers. By using DBMs internal timer tools, you can see your raid's spell cooldowns. It's simple to use. Even Matticus uses it, so you know it's good.

The other option is something like oRA3 or RaidCooldowns, both competent addons in their own right.

i love the add on " healers have to die" its great!! its helped win multiple battlegrounds and very few know about it!!

thanks so much
david

Healers Have to Die! is probably the best-named addon ever made for WoW. I am pretty sure I've talked about Healers Have to Die! before but it bears a repeat. This addon watches your PvP enemies and makes a judgement call on who is a healer based on the spells they cast. If the addon "detects" a healer, it puts a red cross on their name plate. Oh, yes, do remember to have your name plates enabled. Have fun mowing down healers in PvP with your new easy healer-notification system.


Addons are what we do on Addon Spotlight. If you're new to mods, Addons 101 will walk you through the basics; see what other players are doing at Reader UI of the Week. If there's a mod you think Addon Spotlight should take a look at, email mat@wowinsider.com.