GearVars

Stop editing macros every time you replace a weapon or shield.

GearVars stores your Main Hand, Off Hand, and Shield item names once. Any macro that uses the tokens {MH}, [OH], or <SH> is automatically rewritten with the current item names whenever you change gear. Great for warriors who stance-dance and swap shields, but works for any class.

Tested on WoW Classic Era 1.15 (Interface 11508).

Quick start

1. Type /gv to open the window.
2. Click Detect from Currently Equipped — fills the three slots from what you're wearing.
3. Click Auto-Bind Macros (Convert to Tokens) — scans every macro you have, replaces literal item names with {MH} / {OH} / {SH} tokens, and stores them.

Done. Next time you replace a weapon:

• Drag the new item onto the matching slot in the GearVars window, or
• Equip it and run /gv detect.

Every macro that uses that slot updates instantly.

Example

Before:

#showtooltip Shield Block
/cast [stance:1/3] Defensive Stance
/equipslot [noequipped:shields] 16 Sequoia Hammer of Power
/equipslot [noequipped:shields] 17 Heart of Agamaggan
/cast Shield Block

After Auto-Bind, GearVars stores the template:

#showtooltip Shield Block
/cast [stance:1/3] Defensive Stance
/equipslot [noequipped:shields] 16 {MH}
/equipslot [noequipped:shields] 17 {SH}
/cast Shield Block

The macro your client actually runs is still the fully expanded form — GearVars writes the expanded body back to the macro whenever your gear changes.

Tokens

You can write tokens in any of three styles, whichever your keyboard makes easiest:

• {MH} {OH} {SH}
• [MH] [OH] [SH]
• <MH> <OH> <SH>

Square brackets are safe here — MH/OH/SH aren't real macro conditionals, and substitution happens before WoW ever parses the macro.

Inspecting bound macros

The right side of the window lists every macro GearVars is managing. Hover a row to preview the stored template body:

Right-click a row to unbind that macro (the macro itself isn't deleted — only GearVars forgets it). Orphaned templates — where the macro was renamed or deleted outside GearVars — are flagged in red.

Slash commands

Notes

• Combat-safe. EditMacro is blocked by Blizzard during combat lockdown. If you change gear mid-fight, the update is queued and applied the instant combat ends.
• 2H detection. Setting a two-handed weapon as Main Hand grays out and clears the Off Hand slot.
• Per-character storage. Each character has its own gear + templates.
• No external libs. Pure Lua, no LibStub/LibDBIcon/Ace dependencies.
• Macro size limit. WoW caps macro bodies at 255 characters. If your expanded macro overflows, WoW will truncate it.

Install

From CurseForge / Wago

(Once published) Install from the CurseForge or Wago client.

Manual

1. Download the latest release zip.
2. Extract so the folder lives at: -macOS:World of Warcraft/_classic_era_/Interface/AddOns/GearVars/ -Windows:World of Warcraft\_classic_era_\Interface\AddOns\GearVars\
3. Restart WoW (or /reload). Enable GearVars in the AddOns list at character select.

License

MIT — see LICENSE.