Subtlety Rogue Beginner's Guide

This is intended to be a simple guide to the basic rotation and dynamics of the spec that gets you up and running without requiring more advanced optimization.

Information on hero talents will be coming soon, but in general know that overall they add a minor layer on top of how each spec plays, and most of what’s here should be applicable regardless.

Talent Build #

This is a simplified talent build designed to avoid complex interactions and skip unnecessary abilities. While not optimal in all cases, it should be a great way to get started learning the spec and should work reasonably well in world content, delves, dungeons, and raids. Abilities and talents not chosen in this build are not described here, and the rotation information assumes you’ll be using the build.

Copy the text below to import the recommended build:
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Resources #

Energy – The first of two primary resources all Rogues use. Nearly all of your rotational abilities use some amount of Energy. You’ll regain it automatically over time, and through a variety of other talent interactions.

Combo Points – Rogue’s second primary resource. You’ll generate combo points with basic abilities like gloomblade and shuriken storm, then spend them on finisher abilities like eviscerate and black powder. Each Combo Point spending ability will consume all available points, becoming stronger the more points are used. You’ll have 5 points baseline and can gain 2 more via talents.

Stealth #

Using Stealth is a central aspect to all Rogue specializations. While in stealth you are undetectable to normal enemies, though some that have glowing eye marker can still detect you and must be avoided. You can freely enter and exit stealth when out of combat. Certain abilities can only be used in stealth, namely shadowstrike, sap, and cheap shot. Through talents you’ll also gain a number of other bonuses in stealth like increased movement speed and enhanced damage or other effects from various abilities.

As a Subtlety Rogue stealth related abilities and bonuses are especially important, as shadow dance will let you benefit from them during much of your rotation.

Poisons #

Rogues have access to a number of poisons they can use. These are basically 1hr buffs you apply to yourself that give your attacks a chance to affect enemies with the given effect. Poisons are grouped into lethal types that do damage in some way and non-lethal types that have non-damage effects. You can only have one lethal and one non-lethal poison applied.

We’re listing only the poisons that you have available in the recommended build. Generally speaking you’ll want to have instant poison and atrophic poison active at all times in most content.

Lethal Poisons

instant poison – Deals immediate bonus damage

wound poison – Does bonus damage and applies a debuff that reduces healing the target receives. More niche uses than instant poison since enemy healing is rarely a major problem.

Non-Lethal Poisons

crippling poison – Applies a debuff that slows movement speed

atrophic – Applies a debuff that reduces damage the enemy does

Core Abilities #

gloomblade and shadowstrike – Gloomblade spends energy to do minor damage and generate combo points. Shadowstrike is the in-stealth version that does more damage, teleports you from a short distance behind the target, and generates two combo points. You’ll use these as filler in single target to rebuild your combo points. Note that the teleport effect on shadowstrike is very useful for moving from enemy to enemy while solo.

eviscerate – Combo Point spending finisher that does significant damage to the target, with damage increasing as more points are spent. Will also extend the duration of your active slice and dice via cut to the chase. This will be the primary way you spend combo points in single target, but using it periodically to refresh Slice and Dice is still useful in AoE.

rupture – Combo Point spending finisher that applies a moderate DoT that does increasing damage for an increasing duration with more points. Worth keeping active if you can, especially in single target, but ultimately not a huge contributor to damage.

shuriken storm – Spends energy to do area damage around you and generate combo points per target hit. Used as filler in AoE.

black powder – Combo Point spending finisher that does damage in an area around you, with damage increasing as more points are spent. This is the primary way you’ll spend combo points in AoE.

slice and dice – Combo Point spending finisher that gives you a buff increasing your attack speed. Duration of the buff increases with more Combo Points spent. With recuperator provides some healing while active. You should keep this active all the time, but Cut to the chase lets you extend your currently active Slice and Dice whenever you use eviscerate, meaning once you first activate you generally don’t need to think about it.

Cooldowns #

secret technique – Combo Point spending finisher that does significant damage to your target and reduced damage to surroounding enemies. 1m cooldown that is reduced with each combo point you spend. Use this whenever available but try to line it up with other cooldowns to maximize the effect.

shadow dance – Grants you all abilities and benefits from being in stealth for 8s, as well as increasing all damage done. 1m cooldown with 2 charges. The cooldown can be reduced via deepening shadows each time you use a finishing move. Use this liberally, especially when lined up with other cooldowns or strong attacks. Note that this will give you easy access to cheap shot to stun enemies.

symbols of death – Generates energy and increases your damage for 10s. 30s cooldown. Duration can be extended via gloomblade and shadowstrike through inevitability. You won’t be able to keep this up continuously, but use it frequently especially when lined up with other cooldowns.

  • With shadowcraft Symbols of Death will also empower the combo point generation of shadow techniques. Essentially you’ll have a significant influx of points while it’s active.

shadow blades – Increases your damage and causes each combo point generator to fill your points for 20s. 2m cooldown. On a long enough cooldown you’ll need to be more strategic with its use but make sure to fit it in on long-lived groups or enemies.

vanish – 2m cooldown with 2 charges. When used puts you into stealth while in combat and lets you stay in stealth for 3s even while using damage abilities. Given how easily you can access stealth abilities via shadow dance this isn’t often used for that purpose, but via invigorating shadowdust it will also reduce all your cooldowns by 30s, so should be used whenever you have several cooldowns waiting.

Effects #

These are some of the more notable effects, interactions, and passive talents that you should be aware of. It’s not covering effects (even if they’re very strong) that provide flat bonuses or that don’t require much thought to use, and it only includes those used in our recommended build.

mastery: executioner – Your mastery increases the damage of all finishing moves the more Mastery points you have. Underscores the finisher-heavy style of Subtlety but otherwise doesn’t require active thought.

shadow techniques – Your auto attacks help you regenerate energy and “bank” combo points. While these banked points can’t be used directly, whenever you generate a point normally the banked ones will be added, letting you quickly refill.

Rotation Overview #

This is an overview of the core rotation. It’s not a strict priority order but rather an outline of how the different abilities interact and are used. It assumes you’re using the recommended talent build above.

Single Target:

AoE:

Defensives #

feint – Spend a small amount of energy to substantially reduce damage from area of effect attacks for 6s. 15s cooldown with 2 charges. This is a powerful defensive on a short cooldown so look for every opportunity to benefit from it.

evasion – 2m cooldown. Substantially increases your dodge chance for 10s. A major defensive on a longer cooldown, though it only affects melee damage so use it if you’re solo or otherwise have enemies attacking you directly.

cloak of shadows – Removes all harmful spells from you and makes you immune to spells for 5s. 2m cooldown. This is a very powerful effect that lets you outright ignore many boss abilities and mechanics so look for good opportunities to benefit from it.

Crowd Control #

kick – Melee interrupt on a 15s cooldown. Use this whenever an enemy is casting something dangerous.

kidney shot – Combo Point spending finisher that stuns the target for an increasing duration with more Combo Points. 30s cooldown. Useful in a pinch if you urgently need a stun or interrupt, but otherwise your combo points are better spent on damage abilities.

cheap shot – Stuns the target for a short while and generates a Combo Point. Only usable from stealth. Situationally useful if you really need combat to start with an enemy stunned, or along with vanish as another emergency stun/interrupt.

sap – Incapacitates the target for 1m, but damage will break the effect. Only usable from stealth. Helpful when solo to keep an enemy you don’t want to deal with out of your hair, but less commonly used in groups since it requires substantial coordination so people don’t break the effect with damage.

Mobility #

sprint – Doubles your movement speed for 12s on a 1m cooldown. Can be used while in stealth. Useful for getting around the world more quickly, or if you need to move somewhere in a hurry mid-combat.

shadowstep – Teleports you behind the targeted enemy. 30s cooldown with 2 charges. Great to jump from enemy to enemy without spending time moving around so try to get in the habit of using it.

Utility #

shuriken toss – Does minor ranged damage and generates a combo point. Useful when solo to pull enemies or if you’re stuck outside of melee.

shiv – Does minor damage but more importantly removes enrage effects from the target.

crimson vial – Heals you for a decent amount over 4s. 30s cooldown. This is a strong self-heal that should be used anytime you’re taking damage to keep yourself alive and help your healer out.

shroud of concealment – Grants stealth to all out-of-combat allies in an area around you for 15s. 6m cooldown. Very powerful to skip enemies in coordinated groups that can plan where/how to use it and keep everyone in the affected area, but tricky to use otherwise.

Quality of Life #

distract – Makes nearby out-of-combat enemies stop what they’re doing and face the targeted point for 10s. Usable in stealth. Niche utility to help you sneak by enemies while solo since they’re less likely to detect you when they’re facing away, or to help keep a patrolling enemy away from you or your group.

pick pocket – While in stealth, steals a small amount of gold or other minor junk item from the enemy. The amount of gold gained is pretty trivial so this is mainly a flavor ability.

pick lock – Lets you open locked chests and doors. There’s not too many of these around these days so this is ultimately another flavor ability.

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