TAKED FROM ELITIST JERKS
Rogue guide. This is a full rogue guide!
Talent Specs
Spec Talents
Combat 20/51/0
Mutilate 51/18/2
Rotation, Weapon Speeds, and Poisons
The information posted below is just a quick and general outline of common strategies. Results
may differ for various armor and weapon combinations. Please use the spreadsheet for a more
accurate approach.
PvE Mutilate, fast and flawed advice
Highest DPS dagger mainhand, have at least one fast dagger in either hand.
Fastest dagger - Deadly Poison, Other dagger - Instant Poison.
Priority:
* Ensure that there is a bleed (ie. Rupture, Deep Wounds, Rend) on the target.
* Start up Hunger for Blood.
* Start up Slice and Dice however you please, really.
* Use vanish whenever possible for Overkill buff.
1. Keep HFB up.
2. Keep SnD up (mainly via Envenom).
3. 4+ combo point Envenom.
4. ToT when off cooldown, especially with 2pc T10.
PvE Combat, fast and flawed advice
Mainhand a sword/axe, fist or mace weapon of generally slow speed.
Offhand a sword/axe, dagger or fist weapon of generally fast speed.
Mainhand Instant Poison, Offhand Deadly Poison.
Priority:
* Start up Slice and Dice however you please, really.
* Use cooldowns whenever possible. Killing spree + blade flurry, blade flurry +
adrenaline rush can be used. Adrenaline rush + killing spree is not recommended
due to energy capping.
1. Keep SnD up, no matter what the number of combo points are.
2. 5 point Eviscerate.
3. ToT when off cooldown, especially with 2pc T10.
Combat Ratings
Combat Rating Table
Rating Conversion to 1%
Expertise 32.78998947
Hit 32.78998947
Spell Hit 26.23199272
Critical Strike 45.90598679
Haste 32.78998947
Armor Penetration 13.99572719
Agi to Crit 83.33333333
Expertise Rating
For 6.5% boss dodge chance (26/26 expertise):
26 expertise (214 expertise rating) to cap.
16 expertise (132 expertise rating) to cap for rogues with 2/2 Weapon Expertise.
13 expertise (107 expertise rating) to cap for combat human rogues wielding a sword/mace.
11 expertise (91 expertise rating) to cap for combat dwarf rogues wielding a mace.
11 expertise (91 expertise rating) to cap for combat orc rogues wielding a fist/axe.
The above numbers are the expertise numbers needed from gear to cap.
The character tooltip should read 26 expertise.
Hit Rating
The following values assume that you have 5/5 Precision and that you are attacking a level 83 mob (i.e., boss level).
Extra buffs or debuffs Specials Poisons White
None 99 315 722
Imp FF or Misery 99 237 722
Imp FF or Misery & Heroic Presence (draenei) 66 210 689
The following values assume that you have 2/5 Precision and that you are attacking a level 83 mob (i.e., boss level).
Extra buffs or debuffs Specials Poisons White
None 197 393 820
Imp FF or Misery 197 315 820
Imp FF or Misery & Heroic Presence (draenei) 164 289 787
For PVP, assuming no Precision:
Specials Poisons White
164 105 787
Armor Penetration Rating
Armor penetration cap is not affected by target debuffs (ie. sunder/faerie fire)
so the caps are as follows:
100% armor penetration - 1400 armor pen rating
85% armor penetration (Mace spec) - 1190 armor pen rating
Critical Strike Cap
Crit Cap = 100% - 24% glancing blows - X% dodge chance - X% miss chance
where X% dodge chance is determined by expertise rating and X% miss chance is determined by hit rating.
Haste Cap
There is a haste cap but it is so high that is it not currently reachable with any
gear combination in the foreseeable future.
Equivalence Points
Definition
Equivalence points (EP) is a way to convert various item attributes--such as
agility, crit rating, hit rating, and others--to a single attribute for comparison
purposes. For this guide, all DPS attributes will be converted to attack power (AP),
where 1 EP = 1 AP. To compare items, simply multiply the EP weight with the
desired item attribute and sum up the results.
For example, assuming Agi=2, Crit=1.5, AP=1:
Item 1 - 22 Agi, 40 Crit, 50 AP = (22*2) + (40*1.5) + 50 = 154
Item 2 - 43 Agi, 70 AP = (43*2) + 70 = 156
In this case, Item 2 is better.
Sample EP Weights
Assumes a reasonably T9 geared rogue with JC + one other 80 EP
profession. Combat/Mutilate EP values taken from Aldriana's spreadsheet.
Note: These EP weights are a SAMPLE only and gives a rough approximation
of what to look for in gear. EP weights will change with different gear sets. Also,
the sample EP weights are calculated with full 25 man raid buffs in mind.
Stat Combat EP Mut EP
Str 1.1 1.1
Agi 1.96 1.94
AP 1 1
Crit 1.74 1.72
White Hit 1.86 1.84
Spell Hit 2.65 3.09
Exp 2.15 2.31
Haste 1.81 1.9
ArPen 2.02 1.19
T8 2/5 55.3 79.5
T8 4/5 0 0
T9 2/5 0 0
T9 4/5 81.5 50.8
T10 2/5 163.2 234.6
T10 4/5 40.5 74.6
MH DPS 5.82 3.28
OH DPS 2.45 2.46
Gear
Use the spreadsheets first and foremost for a more accurate approach to
gearing. The lists below use sample EP weights from Aldriana's spreadsheets
for a T9 to early T10 geared rogue.
T10 vs T9
The general consensus is that the 2pc T10 is very strong and that the 4pc T10
bonus is decent. The 4pc T9--if a rogue should have it--should be dropped
immediately once 2pc T10 is acquired.
Best In Slot
Rankings
Combat
Mutilate
Trinkets
Trinket Combat EP Mutilate EP
Tiny Abomination in a Jar (Heroic) 643 658
[Tiny Abomination in a Jar] 583 593
Whispering Fanged Skull (Heroic) 659 667
Deathbringer's Will (Heroic) 786 604
[Herkuml War Token] 620 647
[Deathbringer's Will] 694 532
[Whispering Fanged Skull] 582 589
Death's Verdict (Heroic) 608 608
[Death's Verdict] 543 543
[Comet's Trail] 510 551
Dark Matter 437 447
[Blood of the Old God] 420 426
[Mark of Supremacy] 402 400
[Shard of the Crystal Heart] ??? 400
[Mjolnir Runestone] 496 379
[Needle-Encrusted Scorpion] 415 ???
Onyxia Weapons
Rough estimates show that the ilvl 245 weapons dropped from Onyxia (ie. Vis'kag, Deathbringer)
are roughly equivalent to their ilvl 232 counterparts. For example, [Tempered Vis'kag the Bloodletter]
is a sidegrade to [Serilas, Blood Blade of Invar One-Arm].
Glyphs
Spec Major Glyphs Minor Glyphs
Combat [Glyph of Sinister Strike] [Glyph of Safe Fall]
[Glyph of Killing Spree] [Glyph of Vanish]
[Glyph of Eviscerate]
[Glyph of Tricks of the Trade]
Mutilate [Glyph of Hunger for Blood] [Glyph of Safe Fall]
[Glyph of Mutilate] [Glyph of Vanish]
[Glyph of Tricks of the Trade]
[Glyph of Fan of Knives]
Professions
Profession EP
* Engineering 80-89 (Mut), 90-99 (Combat)
Jewelcrafting 84+
Blacksmithing 80+
Leatherworking 80
Enchanting 80
Inscription 80
Alchemy 80
* Engineering EP is highly dependent on using bombs every cooldown. If bombs are
not used optimally, engineering EP can be below that of other professions.
Enchants
Regular Enchants
Slot Enchant
Weapon Enchant Weapon - Berserking
Enchant Weapon - Mongoose
Helm [Arcanum of Torment]
Shoulders [Greater Inscription of the Axe]
Chest Enchant Chest - Powerful Stats
Cloak Enchant Cloak - Major Agility
Enchant Cloak - Greater Speed
Bracers Enchant Bracers - Greater Assault
Gloves Enchant Gloves - Crusher
Legs Icescale Leg Armor
Boots Enchant Boots - Icewalker
Enchant Boots - Cat's Swiftness
Belt Eternal Belt Buckle
Profession Only Enchants
Profession Enchant
Leatherworking Fur Lining - Attack Power
Inscription Master's Inscription of the Axe
Enchanting Enchant Ring - Assault
Blacksmithing Socket Bracer
Socket Gloves
Engineering Hyperspeed Accelerators
Nitro Boosts
Flexweave Underlay
Tailoring Swordguard Embroidery
Gems
Only the most commonly used gems are listed. Please consult the spreadsheet
for more accurate gemming choices.
Type Gem
Meta [Relentless Earthsiege Diamond]
JC Only [Delicate Dragon's Eye]
[Bright Dragon's Eye]
[Fractured Dragon's Eye]
[Precise Dragon's Eye]
Prismatic [Nightmare Tear]
Red [Delicate Cardinal Ruby]
[Bright Cardinal Ruby]
[Fractured Cardinal Ruby]
[Precise Cardinal Ruby]
Yellow [Deft Ametrine]
[Stark Ametrine]
[Accurate Ametrine]
[Pristine Ametrine]
* Blue None
* Use [Nightmare Tear] to activate the Relentless Earthsiege Diamond metagem.
Consumables
Type Item
Flask [Flask of Endless Rage]
Elixir [Wrath Elixir]
[Elixir of Mighty Agility]
Food [Mega Mammoth Meal]
[Poached Northern Sculpin]
[Blackened Dragonfin]
Potion [Potion of Speed]
Raid Buffs/Debuffs
Buff/Debuff Talent/Ability
Major Armor Debuff Sunder Armor, Expose Armor
Minor Armor Debuff Faerie Fire, Curse of Recklessness
Physical Vulnerability Debuff Savage Combat, Blood Frenzy
Melee Haste Buff Improved Icy Talons, Windfury Totem
Melee Critical Strike Chance Leader of the Pack, Rampage
Attack Power Buff Blessing of Might, Battleshout
Attack Power Percentage Buff Unleashed Rage, Abomination's Might, Trueshot Aura
Bleed Damage Buff Mangle, Trauma
Spell Critical Strike Chance Buff Moonkin Aura, Elemental Oath
Spell Critical Strike Chance Debuff Improved Scorch, Winter's Chill, Improved Shadow Bolt
Spell Damage Debuff Ebon Plaguebringer, Earth and Moon, Curse of Elements
Spell Hit Debuff Improved Faerie Fire, Misery
Haste Buff (All types) Improved Moonkin Aura, Swift Retribution
Damage Buff (All types) Ferocious Inspiration, Sanctified Retribution
Critical Strike Chance Debuff (All types) Heart of the Crusader, Totem of Wrath, Master Poisoner
Percentage Stat Buff Blessing of Kings
Additive Stat Buff Mark of the Wild
Strength + Agility Buff Strength of Earth Totem, Horn of Winter