I generally always had all my skills that I would use in combat bound to easily accessible keys. I got a
Fang gamepad a long while ago, and I used that for playing (obviously I still had a keyboard for typing and such). I like the fang because of the layout. The double row of buttons above the movement keys is priceless, and they have a better feel than any keyboard that I have used (not necessarily because of the press... just because of the placement). The thing has enough keys that I could bind everything (normal moves, finishers, general cooldowns, racial abilities (WotF), hell even to toggle the raid/guild pane, character pane, screen shot, open all bags, mount, etc...). The shape is such that you can do everything easily without moving your hand very far... which is great. In combination with general mouse turning/movement, it feels very natural.
I also have a
Nostromo n52; however, I will say that I never really got used to the shape. My hand is a little bit too big for that thing, and it wasn't nearly as comfortable as the fang for longer WoW session (though it had plenty of cool features).
My biggest gripe with normal keyboards is that there aren't enough buttons above the movement keys. Also, all the keys feel the same. The first problem can be solved by completely changing all your binds and moving them over and down a row (or whatever). However, I like the compact and tactile feel of the game pad a lot more. I like the synergy between mouse turning / normal movement buttons / and all the keys within a finger's reach so you never have to move your hand in the slightest to reach something. The downside is (obviously) that you need a separate keyboard. I'm a fairly big guy, and when I naturally put my arms on a desk (shoulder width apart), there is plenty of room for a smaller keyboard between my mouse surface and my gamepad. However, I could see this being a problem if you had limited desk space or if keeping a keyboard in the middle of the two devices would cause your arms to be out at an unnatural angle (something to think about really if you are raiding or what not for several hours on end... you want to be comfy!).
lol... now I rock out a few feet from a 40" monitor and kick my feet up... mucho relaxing for farming :P