I've actually discovered that I end up using a sort of hybrid of both. Although I NEVER turn with the keyboard, I find myself still using the clicker for about 50% of my skills, (usually the one's with longer cooldowns). This keeps my hand primarily centered over the strafing keys, (and the forward key) and I only end up using about 5 key bindings (1-5). I certainly won't claim elite status in pvp, but I've never had troubles navigating a complex battlefield, and am still able to whip off those skills as fast as theoretically possible! Yes, reflexes are important in a mmo, but certainly not as crucial as one might find in a fps or rts.

Strafing: if you can, set it to the mouse wheel so you strafe when you tip it left and right. I found that amazingly convenient when before I quit WoW.

Point and click is nice, but using key bindings can more than double your damage. If you rely want an edge, I highly reccomend picking up a Razer Naga:

http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.169418900

they also have a special wireless swtor version:

http://www.razerzone.com/swtor/mouse

The Naga is designed for MMO's and gives you the advantage of key bindings without ever having to take your hands off the movement keys, also works great in FPS and any other PC game you could think of.

Point and click is nice, but using key bindings can more than double your damage. If you rely want an edge, I highly reccomend picking up a Razer Naga:

 

http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.169418900

they also have a special wireless swtor version:

http://www.razerzone.com/swtor/mouse

 

The Naga is designed for MMO's and gives you the advantage of key bindings without ever having to take your hands off the movement keys, also works great in FPS and any other PC game you could think of.

Logitech G700 isn't bad either. I had the precursor to that with a G15 keyboard for WoW and it was pretty ridiculous what you could program into it all without having to even use the in-game macro system. Still trying to decide whether to go with G700 or Naga though...decisions decisions....not so sure I like the idea of 12 buttons at my thumb though, cuz big hands have trouble with tiny buttons spaced close together.

Tack on the G510 keyboard (the G15's successor, 18 programmable keys with 3 settings each), spend some time really thinking through how you want your mouse and programmable buttons mapped and within a week you'll notice you've gotten 100x better. It's great. My suggestion is using the mouse button assignments primarily for movement and targetting and a couple important "oh crap!" abilities like bubbles or instant heals or something, then do whatever makes sense to you with the 18 programmable keyboard buttons. I pooped totems like a champ in WoW cuz of that keyboard....[nostalgic sigh]...

To be honest I have found myself frustrated with keybindings. I spent the last few hours trying to do keybinds and I can't do it. It doesn't feel right. I mean I got it down to were I can use the numberpad but then the stupid game throws AOE in to the picture that force me to use my mouse and then put my hand back on number pad.

When you get right down to it the game brutally punishes players who use point and click and rewards those who have the ability to use keybindings and remember hordes of ability all in single combat. The idea of gaming is to have fun not to have a brain freeze. Which is were I am currently at. I just don't give a crap any more. Maybe I'm getting to old for this crap.

melee is almost a must to have some key bindings, ranged or healing is much more forgiving in that area.

i can't imagine a good melee that doesn't at least use a couple keybindings.

i can easily do well with ranged or healer without even 1 single keybind but the experience is night and day when i try to melee with and without any keybinding.

especially interrupts, it's extremely difficult to rotate say 3 interrupts with the click method unless you just sit there and do nothing waiting to interrupt. maybe others are able to point and click very well, i'm not saying it's impossible or anything but i find it very difficult without a keybind in some situations. (mainly melee)

i'm no advanced keybinder master or anything just the basics, for example on my scoundrel i'll do something like:

e = for auto shots

q = pistol whip

r = shotgun backblast

f = quick shot

top mouse button = punches

bottom mouse button = dirty kick

that's just my basic keybinding, i haven't really tinkered with it to make it a bit more advanced (adding all my interrupts to keybinding, etc)

it gets the job done for me pretty well though.

Just because your ranged doesn't mean key bindings arent as important as melee. Fact is nothing is better than binds on any class. A good set of binds will destroy a clicker. On my sage every single ability is on a bind, and when I think of the ability it's already firing off cause of muscle memory. It becomes instinctive, clicking is not as fast - simple as that.

Use modifiers like shift or Ctrl, I do this for my heals do shift and 1-4 are my main healing spells. I also use a 17 button mouse for 7-0 keys I can't reach with my left hand and use modifiers for them.

It becomes natural after a short period and you will improve your game substantially.

It always amazes me that there are still people confused on this topic.

Rest assured, if you "point and click" against anyone competent, you will lose, and badly. There is not enough disparity between classes and/or sufficient gear to give you the edge over a decent player who utilizes hotkeys. The additional mobility, screen awareness, and nigh-instant response time (especially for abilities like interrupt, which are off the global cooldown) will give him too much of an edge to be overcome. If you're facing a mirror match, especially with equal gear, this will become even more obvious.

Point and Click really isn't acceptable for anything beyond solo play, and even there, it puts you at a significant disadvantage. Some people argue that they are "really good" at point-and-click. This is basically the same thing as entering a horse race on foot, just because you're a "super fast runner." No matter how fast you run, you'll never be as fast as even the slower horses. You simply don't have the anatomy for it. Similarly, a point and clicker will never be as effective even as the mediocre hotkey users, simply because you're handicapping yourself to too great a degree.

if you can win clicking, then who cares?

Exactly ... do what wins for you.

There will come a time however when your age kicks in. I am 57, it is just physically impossible for me to compete at the same level I did even 10 years ago because I don't have the same level of twitch skill.

And because the people designing these games are still in their 20s and 30s, they don't understand, or care.

So, every / any shortcut or speed dealer counts, and the mouse is slower than keystrokes. So what I'm saying is, if you can manage to get yourself off the mouse dependency, you'll be a better player for it.

I do have a Logitech G510, and that helps with a lot of games, but its totally useless here. Their client doesn't like USB.

Troll OP is successful.

What was he trolling? I missed it.

A lot of people come from games where PvP was as simple as standing in front of each other and clicking their mouse quickly from 1-9 or running their fingers over those keys, rinse and repeat. I played a game like that about 5 to 7 years ago, Archlord, and really it made no difference whether you were a clicker or used keybinds so it's understandable that some people don't understand the difference.

It's a mindset certain games instil in people from their simplicity and it's no harder to get away from than simply making a toon at level 1, setting up keybinds they think might be comfortable then start playing. Keybinds become habit without thinking about it very quickly, we've all done it whether it was our first, second or third MMO back in the day.

There's no point in asking the question on a forum, there's no point in debating it, just do it and you'll thank yourself.

For what it's worth you may want to check into things like the Razer line of gaming products. The Nostromo, gaming uh... mice? They even have an SWTOR gaming keyboard now apparently. Some people swear by their products though I've never found them neccessary. Not to say I wouldn't be interested in trying some of their stuff out though. I use to have a great sound card from them that was just the ****!

Razer

if you can win clicking, then who cares?

Amen!

It would be better if the game had the feature for both options like other mmorpgs.

Both Mouse Movement and Keyboard Movement...

It has Interface Editor but you are stuck with keyboard movement!!

And we don't have all keyboards and mice with custom and programmable buttons.

I point and click. I always have.

However, I will already have my mouse over the next skill I want to use before the cast time of my current skill is up. I can strafe with the keyboard and rotate and still keep my front to melee DPS if I choose to. I play with my mouse dpi at 6400, so I don't know if that makes a difference or not.

if you can win clicking, then who cares?

This guy is always the random guy that fills up wzs on my side

Keybind > click - that for 99% players, but there are 1 % of players that can do clicking extremly fast .

Just like peace, this is a lie.

Just like peace, this is a lie.

I did not believe until i saw a Gladiator Mage stream in WoW where he clicked his skill so fast and so good that i was realy impressed

I've played a MDPS since launch (valor 100 marauder) and here's my 2 cents on keybinds.

Simple essentials:

WAD for movement (A and D for strafe). Rebound S key to basic attack (assault), no more backpedaling. Some advocate using RDFG since you access more keys to the left side of your hand but I don't find it necessary.

Mouse turning; right mouse button held at all times to keep camera moving; camera zoomed out to about 80% (change that in the game settings). Combined with WASD, this allows for maximum mobility and situational awareness.

Hold down left+right mouse buttons to move forward while doing fast/complex keybinds or when tunneling a healer and feeling lazy.

Now for keybinds themselves:

I tend to put abilties with similar purposes in the same slots across different specs and characters, because muscle memory can work for or against you. Most accessible keybinds for the most-used abilities (FQERZXC12345); I like using shift modifiers for channeled abilities.

S is basic attack (assault), as mentioned before. On healers it can be the basic heal (diagnostic scan), or bubble.

F is my 'opener' key. On the mara it is force charge, on PT it's explosive dart, on sorc healer resurgence etc.

Q is my 'spammer' key, or my most frequently used abilities. On rage mara it's vicious slash, on carnage it is masscre, as anni it's rupture, PT is flame burst, etc

E is my 'finisher' key. Rage mara = smash, carnage mara = scream, anni mara = annihilate, pyro PT = railshot; basically your hard hitting finisher

R is my execute (vicious throw). For classes that don't have an execute i bind it to something stealth or speed related (force speed, sneak).

12345 for common abilities. E.g. 1- battering assault, 2 - force crush, 3 - obliterate, 4 - retaliate

Shift-S for your hard hitting/healing channel. E.g. ravage, unload, dark infusion, kolto injection

Shift-F for primary stun e.g. choke, electro dart, electrocute

Shift-QER for miscellaneous

Shift-Space for primary mez e.g. roar, whirlwind, flashbang

Shift WAD for defensive cooldowns e.g. wz adrenal, cloak of pain, saber ward, energy shield

V for emergency e.g. undying rage, vanish, unnatural preservation

ZXC for utility e.g. obfuscate, snare, interrupt, taunts

Shift-ZXC for grenades

Middle mouse button for force camo on my mara, overload on sorc, crouch on operative

Mouse button 4 (on my mouse its the button under my thumb) for CC breaker

Shift - Mouse button 4 for wz medpack

T for throw huttball

F1-F4 for special abilities. In my case F1=berserk, F2=predation, F3=bloodthirst, F4=frenzy

`(tilde) for regen

ctrl+S for mount, ctrl+D for rocket boost

Shift-mouse scroll up for mark target star, shift-mouse scroll down for mark target reticle, numpad 1-5 for mark target saber/flame/shield etc

Hope this helps