WotLK Rogue Changes – Beta Build 9038

Pretty minor changes this time around for rogues. I don’t recall even seeing the nerf to blade twisting, which had it remained 4 seconds, would be completely unjustifiable. It’s good to see they are changing it back to a full 8 seconds. What worries me about these changes, especially considering how late they are coming during the PTR process, is the fact that they are quite minor.

Let’s face it, combat and subtlety are a far cry from mutilate. Mutilate is without question the best PvP spec, and will be very competitive against combat for PvE purposes (potentially better). Unless we see some major improvements to the other rogue trees I think there will be a complete swing to mutilate builds when patch 3.0.2 goes live.

Rogue

Combat

• Blade Twisting – Your damaging melee attacks have a 10% chance to Daze the target for 8 sec. Up from 4 sec.

Subtlety

• Enveloping Shadows – Reduces the damage taken by area of effect attacks by 10/20/30%. Up from 5/10/15%.

Rogue WotLK: Unfair Advantage Video

All you rogues out there are really going to love this. The following video is a level 71 rogue on the WotLK beta server testing out the new combat talent, unfair advantage. I won’t spoil it for  you, but let me just say it’s pretty damn crazy…can’t wait till patch 3.0 goes live!

Unfair Advantage:

Whenever you dodge an attack you gain an Unfair Advantage, striking back for 100% of your main hand weapon’s damage.

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Zuggy 2 – Rogue Arena Video

Zuggy 2 – Return of the Troll…

This is my 2nd arena video and features myself in all 3 arena brackets. The footage showcases clips from my rogue / priest 2v2 team, rogue / mage / priest 3v3 team, and rogue / hunter / elemental shaman / druid / priest 5v5 team.

All clips were filmed at or above 2300 rating during season 3.

2 talent specs were used in this video, 16/45/0 combat and 20/0/41 shadowstep. (Note: combat is only used for the very first rogue / priest match)

Download Zuggy 2

Rogue Arena Addons / User Interfaces Used

• AG Unit Frames
• SCT
• Proximo
• Quartz
• Bongos2
• OmniCC
• NECB (2s / 3s only)

Other U.I. notes, because several people asked this question about my last video. The large bar which shows cast bars towards the middle of my screen is a focus casting bar. You can see the focus frame to the left of my screen.

I use it to watch for incoming crowd controls / heals so I can adjust before they land.

Music

• Queen – Another One Bites the Dust (intro only)
• Nightwish – Dark Chest of Wonders
• Muse – Assassin
• Trivium – Ascendancy
• The Arcade Fire – Rebellion
• Motely Crue – Kick Start My Heart

Looking for my first arena video? Check it out now! Zuggy 1 – Rogue / Priest 2v2

Combat vs. Shadowstep Arena Spec

This post is in response to a question I received from a fellow rogue. It’s posted here in the event other rogues encounter similar questions.

Rogue Arena Questions…
I started with shadowstep and for the longest time loved it. After playing arenas for a few weeks as combat when I go back to shadowstep it feels like its much harder to kill geared players. Currently, my gear is all season 2/3 and my weapons are maces.

What am I missing?

Perhaps im missing something, but with a geared paladin or shaman spamming heals in shadowstep spec most of my energy is used kicking or kidney shotting to stop him from healing. Thus reducing in barely enough energy to hemo. If I focus on the healers partner, even with cyclone (from my partner) the shadowstep build seems hard to override the healing ability of the healer.

My partner (druid) and I can win most of these games but it always ends in one of the other team running out of mana. With combat spec, we can time a 3 cyclone cycle from the druid with my adrenaline rush when my target is 50-60 percent and its almost guarenteed to kill him.

Except for 5s, I am having a hard time seeing how anyone can feel a shadowstep build is superior, even though its 4 times more popular than combat maces.

Even when I am shadowstep, its not hard to stay on target enough to justify the points in the talent tree. The extra stats are great +attack pwer and agility but I still do way less damage, so to what benefit?

Rogue Arena Strategy Answers..

It’s hard to judge without really watching a match all the way through. Generally speaking I would guess it just comes down to managing your energy consumption a bit better.

One of the big strengths of combat spec is the raw damage output, while shs doesn’t have quite as good of output it’s still solid. But you absolutely must keep your slice and dice up, without it you’re really going to have difficult time taking out healers.

In my experience when fighting healers virtually 100% of my energy goes to stopping heals, because I know if I can get ahead briefly I can immediately send the healer into a panic mode situation.

So I basically open up, get a slice and dice going with my initial CPs then just play the position game making certain to always stop the healer.

Here’s the interrupt sequence I use.
1) kick
2) KS
3) gouge
4) vanish / CS
5/ blind

preferably I’d rather not get to 4 and 5, but If it means stopping a heal in a clutch situation it’s something I have to do.

Additionally you might enlist the help of your druid here to help stop heals. You can very easily just cyclone one target, go through all your rogue CC…kick, into, ks, into gouge…then you switch targets, pressure the other guy with just good auto attacks, get another slice and dice going.

Meanwhile your druid is putting a 3 cyclone combo on your previous target. Once DRs are up on the cyclones you can switch back to your previous targets, now you’ve got a SND cooking, hopefully full energy and all your CDs.

I would say with virtually any rogue spec keeping a constant slice and dice up is an absolute must. There just is no better use of energy or combo points.

Even though you don’t have imp. snd and not as much +hit, it’s still an insane amount of damage. Consider the fact that your rupture does…well just using round numbers let’s say 2000 damage over it’s duration.

If you get just 4-5 extra attacks you’ve probably already exceeded the damage of your rupture. Toss a trinket + mongoose proc on that…you’ve got some serious white damage coming out.

About the only time I think rupture is the better finisher is vs. a defensive stance warrior / feral spec’d bear druid / protection paladin.

Similarly the only time I really use expose as shs is vs. priests and some warlocks.

Shadow Priest / Rogue vs. Priest / Rogue 2v2 Arena Strategy

This match is a hard one, so don’t feel too bad losing to them. Luckily I play this combo, so I’ll start by breaking them down.

The opposing rogue will either be: Mutilate, Shadowstep or Deep Combat. In BG:Ruin, Shadowstep is definitely the most common of the three for this setup.
Now as for the priest they will 9/10 times be deep disc meaning they have pain suppression. If they don’t, then this match just became ridiculously easier. If your opponents are undead that just lowered your chances of winning by a very good amount…

Rogue Arena Strategy
Much like the warrior/priest fight you will be doing your best to lock down the priest via stuns and kicks. Before moving on the priest keep your eyes peeled for the opposing rogue and get the sap off. Chances are if he’s mutilate or combat he’s going to be a far distance away from his priest, so explore a good amount of turf. Once the other rogue is sapped proceed to open up on the priest. For this combo you’ll want to look out for a blind/sap combo on whichever target has their trinket on cool down. You must also be careful of them pulling a blind/sap combo on you. Also you can drive-by gouge the opposing rogue as needed, because no opponent even with their trinket up is going to pop it on that.

Priest Arena Strategy
Well if your rogue didn’t catch the opposing rogue you’re pretty much done(if he’s shadowstep maybe not). With Combat you have to be careful of Ar/BF you have to try and keep the guy busy so he doesn’t get a full duration to just bomb you. Mutilate you can’t give him too much time either especially with the Imp KS. It turns into a battle of outlasting the disc priest, but chances are you will lose this. Now if you did manage to catch the rogue first then hop on the priest with your rogue. Dispel spam, DoTs, fear bomb when the opposing rogue comes back. You will want to try and find a time for your partner to do a blind/sap, but if you can place a well timed silence the priest will be under pressure to perform.

Need more strategies? Check out the full shadow priest / rogue 2v2 arena guide!

Strategy courtesy of S-Scythe