More WotLK Rogue Changes

If you’re having a hard time keeping up with the flood of changes pouring in, well I can’t blame you…there seems to be some sort of game breaking change every 12-24 hours. Make sure you check out my full WotLK News Wrap Up to get caught up on all these changes.

Take a look below at the newest changes to the rogue class.

Overall I’m very happy with these changes. One of my biggest concerns with the last round of rogue changes was changing cloak of shadows from 1 minute to 2, but they’ve split the difference at 90 seconds now (with elusiveness taking it down by 30 seconds with 2 points). I think this is a fair change to both rogues and casters alike.

Additionally the disarm trap range is awesome, and well over due. The whole disarming trap mechanic has been a joke since it was introduced, but this change should really help add a new level of hunter vs. rogue intrigue.

The rest of the changes, which are mostly talent combines and tree position movements, look pretty solid. It should give the rogue class many additional options as far as hybrid specs are concerned. Ideally I’d love to see changes like this with other classes, as it further helps to escape the endless cycle of cookie cutter perfection that WoW talent builds have been sucked into.

General

• Cloak of Shadows cooldown changed to 1.5 min.
• Disarm Trap range increased to 20 yds, cast time reduced to 1 sec, now requires stealth.
• (NEW – Level 75) Tricks of the Trade: The current party or raid member becomes the target of your Tricks of the Trade. The threat caused by your next attack and all actions taken for 6 sec afterwards will be transferred to the target. In addition, all damage caused by the target is increased by 15% during this time. 30 sec cooldown. (Surprise! Yes, this is the new group/raid utility ability. We haven’t put any stacking protection on it yet but we’ll need one type of solution or other to prevent the need for 5 rogue Trick rotations. Note also that you cannot use this ability on yourself.)

Assassination

• Vigor moved to Tier 3.
• Relentless Strikes moved to Subtlety Tier 1, made 5 ranks for 4/8/12/16/20% chance.
• Murder moved to Tier 6, now increases damage by 2/4%.
• (NEW – Tier 7) Overkill: Abilities used while stealthed and for 6 seconds after breaking stealth cost 10 less energy.
• Focused Attacks and Turn the Tables have swapped locations.
• Master Poisoner moved to Tier 9, no longer increases chance to hit with poison attacks, now increases the critical hit chance of all attacks made against any target you have poisoned by 1/2/3% and reduces the duration of all Poison effects applied to you by 17/34/50%. (This does not stack with the Paladin talent Heart of the Crusader.)
• Hunger for Blood duration increased to 30 seconds.

Combat

• Precision now also increases chance to hit with poison attacks by 1/2/3/4/5%.
• Nerves of Steel will now reduce damage taken while stunned or feared by 15/30% rather than reducing duration.
• Improved Sprint moved to Tier 4.
• Blade Twisting now slows movement speed by 70%.
• Mace Specialization now ignores 3/6/9/12/15% of target’s armor.
• Throwing Specialization now also has a chance to interrupt target when Fan of Knives is used.
• Unfair Advantage: Whenever you dodge an attack you strike back for 50/100% of your main hand weapon’s damage.
• Stay of Execution removed, replaced with Blood Poisoning.
• (NEW – Tier 9) Blood Poisoning: All physical damage caused to enemies you have poisoned is increased by 1/2%.
• Prey on the Weak now increases critical strike damage of all attacks.
• Killing Spree is the new name for Murder Spree and should be working much better very soon.

Subtlety

• Shadowstep will no longer be usable while rooted.
• Elusiveness moved to Tier 3, now reduces cooldown of Cloak of Shadows by 15/30 sec.
• Premeditation cooldown reduced to 20 sec.
• Preparation no longer refreshes the cooldown to Premeditation.
• Master of Deception reduced to 3 ranks.
• Opportunity reduces to 2 ranks for 10/20%.
• Camouflage reduced to 3 ranks for 5/10/15% speed and 2/4/6 sec off the cooldown of Stealth.
• Initiative moved to Tier 4, increased to 33/66/100% chance.
• Improved Ambush moved to Tier 4, reduced to 2 ranks for 25/50%.
• Serrated Blades moved to Tier 3.
• Wrongfully Accused replaced with Filthy Tricks.
• (NEW – Tier 9) Filthy Tricks: Reduces the cooldown of your Tricks of the Trade and Distract abilities by 5/10 sec.
• Slaughter from the Shadows now also reduces the energy cost of your Hemorrhage ability by 1/2/3/4/5.
• Shadow Dance redesigned, now allows the use of Sap, Garrote, Ambush, Cheap Shot, Premeditation, Pickpocket and Disarm Trap regardless of being stealthed. Those abilities all gain a cooldown of 2 sec. Lasts 10 sec.