Rogue Opportunity Changes – Build 8982

There’s been some pretty big changes to the rogue class during this wotlk beta, none larger than the change to mutilate and positional attacks, but blizzard just tossed out yet another curve ball…take a look at the rogue changes for beta build 8992.

Assassination

• Focused Attacks changed to : Your melee critical strikes have a 33/66% chance to give you 1 energy. (Old – 100%/100% , wasn’t implemented)
• Find Weakness damage increased reduced to 2/4/6%. (Old – 3/6/9%)

Combat

• Killing Spree cannot hit invisible or stealthed targets anymore.

Subtlety

• Opportunity now works all the time. (Old – Only increased the damage of attacks from behind)

Not quite as major as taking the positional requirement off mutilate, but certainly close. With this change mutilate and backstab rogues will enjoy the benefit of both opportunity and dual wield spec 100% of the time. This is a pretty huge change as it firmly places mutilate at the top of all rogue specs in my opinion, certainly for PvP purposes.

Combat still may , and in all likelihood will, remain a narrow first as far as PvE DPS is concerned, but considering all the buffs mutilate is receiving it won’t be far behind. It’s great to see a virtually unused rogue talent build such as mutilate getting some love for expansion, but I can’t help but wonder if they’ve taken it to the other extreme.

What do you think about the mutilate changes? Too much too quickly or just a generally bad build getting some much needed improvements?

WotLK Rogue Talent Changes – Build 8970 Changes

A lot of pretty interesting changes here. The deadly brew change is very nice and will allow you to seamlessly apply 3 poisons, though I’m still not sure how the single stack wounds are gong to be. I really like the idea of main handing wound poison / off handing deadly with an extra off hand for shiv macro wound for casters.

The combat tree was pretty “meh” this time around. Blizzard allowing gouge to award a combo point again is justified, the change previously was completly ridiculous and it’s good to see this changed back. The change to aggression is pretty stupid, at least for PvP rogues. It was never worth it to put 3 points into aggression anyway and changing it to 5 doesn’t help at all.

If blizzard really wants to help aggression they should change it to 10% for 3 points. On one final note, filthy tricks is frankly pretty crazy. Prep on 5 minute cool down on top of the other talents that reduce your main cool down abilities will truly bring meaning to the phrase “cool down spam”.

Assassination

• Deadly Brew revamped – Now when you apply Instant, Wound or Mind-Numbing poison to a target, you have a 50% chance to apply Crippling poison.
• Improved Poisons – Now increases the chance to apply Instant and Deadly Poison to your target by 2/4/6/8/10% (down from 3/6/9/12/15%).
  
• Hunger for Blood – now only attempt to remove a Bleed effect. (Old – any harmful physical effect)
  

Combat

• Gouge – Now awards one combo point.
• Aggression – Moved from Tier 6 to Tier 5. Increased from 3 points to 5. Now increases the damage of your Sinister Strike, Backstab, and Eviscerate abilities by 2/4/6/8/10%.
  
• Endurance – Now also increases your total stamina by 2/4%.
  
• Blood Poisoning renamed Savage Combat – Now also increases your total attack power by 2/4%.
  
• Vitality – has been changed now increases your Energy renegeration rate by 3/6/10%.
  

Subtlety

• Tricks of the Trade – Now has a cost of 15 energy.
• Filthy Tricks – Now also reduces the cooldown of Preparation by 2.5/5 min