Combat Rogue Overview & Changes

Combat Rogue overview

Choose Combat if you want sustained weapon attacks with recurring burst windows. Keep Slice and Dice and any assigned armor reduction up, then spend spare points on damage while your cooldowns tick down. Plan cleave around the enemies the tank has secured, and keep energy for Kick even when Adrenaline Rush lets you attack faster.

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The biggest changes from Classic

Flawless Execution discounts Eviscerate: Flawless Execution reduces Eviscerate's energy cost by 10. The discount belongs to that direct finisher rather than to Slice and Dice, Expose Armor, Kidney Shot or Venom.
Blade Flurry still helps on one target: Blade Flurry gives attack speed even with no second enemy. Its cleave strikes one additional nearby opponent, so check nearby crowd control before you pop it.
Weapon Expertise no longer grants skill: Weapon Expertise reduces dodge and parry chance. Weapon skill is still a separate gearing consideration, and a weapon-family swap changes which skill bonuses apply.

Combat Rogue

Melee DPS and cleave

Combat keeps Classic's Sinister Strike and Backstab choices while changing what happens between cooldown uses. A cheaper Eviscerate gives spare points more reach between bursts, but it still spends points you may need for upkeep.

Build your talents

Spend a discounted Eviscerate without dropping upkeep

Flawless Execution reduces Eviscerate's energy cost by 10. Only that direct finisher is discounted: Slice and Dice, Expose Armor, Kidney Shot and Venom keep their own costs, and the talent does not alter cooldown timers.

Keep Slice and Dice running through sustained melee and maintain Expose Armor if that is your assignment. Letting either drop just to afford another Eviscerate gives up the effect you were responsible for.

When upkeep has enough duration left, use Eviscerate for immediate damage or Rupture when a bleed has time to work. The discount lowers Eviscerate's cost, not a damage school or the size of the hit. Check your remaining energy after spending, especially when a Kick or another utility action may be needed soon.

Do not wait for five points if the target will die before the next builder. A smaller Eviscerate can still deal timely damage at a discount. If another target is ready right away, refreshing a self-buff before switching may instead carry more value into that fight; the discount alone does not make every Eviscerate the better spend.

Use Adrenaline Rush with room to spend energy

Adrenaline Rush doubles energy regeneration for 15 seconds. Spend down enough energy that the faster regeneration has room to land before activating it, and pick a window when you can stay in melee. Pressing it at full energy just before a long run gives up both the resource income and the attacking time.

During AR, watch combo points as closely as energy. At the combo-point cap, spend before using another builder, and do not sit at full energy waiting for a slightly longer buff refresh. If you take Relentless Strikes in Assassination, a finisher can also return energy; look at the bar after the finisher rather than assuming it stayed low.

Kick still needs energy. When an assigned cast is due, leave enough for the interrupt instead of spending everything on the next builder and hoping the faster regeneration arrives in time. If the enemy moves out of range, follow it or handle the mechanic; faster regeneration is not a reason to stay in danger.

Choose a safe Blade Flurry window

Blade Flurry costs 25 energy, increases melee attack speed by 20% and makes melee attacks strike one additional nearby opponent for 15 seconds. The attack-speed benefit applies even on a single enemy, so do not hold it through a whole boss fight just because no add is present.

For cleave, stand where the tank can hold both intended enemies together and keep controlled or unpulled enemies out of reach. Blade Flurry is two-target pressure, not damage across an unlimited pack. A nearby sheep or sapped target can turn the extra strike into a broken control assignment, so reposition or delay the cooldown when necessary.

Pairing it with Adrenaline Rush puts more attacks into the same cleave window. Split them when one pull needs AR to kill a dangerous enemy and the next has a better pair of targets for Flurry. Waiting for both to line up every time can cost uses over a dungeon.

Blade Flurry returns on its own timer, so an early single-target use trades away part of the next window. Save it when a known add pair is about to arrive; an earlier use is not worth missing a more important cleave window.

Match Hack and Slash to the equipped weapons

Hack and Slash folds weapon-family benefits that used to occupy separate Classic talents into one. At rank 5, axes and swords gain a 5% chance for successful melee attacks to trigger an extra attack, daggers and fists gain 5% crit, and maces ignore 15% of the target's armor. Each effect belongs to its listed weapon family; equipping one weapon does not give you all three.

Compare a weapon upgrade by damage, stats, family bonus and the builder you plan to use. A fist weapon can receive the crit benefit without becoming a dagger for Backstab. A mace's armor ignore helps armor-affected attacks, not poisons or Rupture. Neither effect settles the comparison against a much stronger weapon of another family.

Dual Wield Specialization supports off-hand weapon damage and requires Precision. Its fifth rank increases that damage by 25%. Keep the off-hand in your gear comparisons instead of treating every weapon upgrade as a main-hand decision. The removed Classic talent list shows which separate specialization nodes were replaced.

Choose Sinister Strike or Backstab support

Improved Sinister Strike lowers the energy cost of a builder that does not require reaching the enemy's back. That is handy while soloing an enemy facing you or chasing a target whose facing keeps changing. Backstab needs a main-hand dagger and the rear; get behind a tanked enemy before committing to it as your main builder.

Puncturing Wounds gives Backstab 10% more crit chance and a 15% chance to award an extra combo point at rank 1. The extra-point chance is a Backstab effect, not a bonus for every builder. Watch your points before the next attack so a proc does not leave you building at five.

Aggression increases Sinister Strike, Backstab and Eviscerate damage by 2% at rank 1. Improved Eviscerate separately supports the direct finisher. If you Rupture for some of your finishers, those Eviscerate bonuses do not increase the bleed. Pick points for the attacks and finishers in your build rather than assuming every Combat damage talent affects every button.

Rogue talent trees

Hover, focus or tap a talent to read its effects. Each badge shows the talent's maximum rank; this is the full tree, not a suggested build.

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Spend your 51 points, try different paths and share your build in the talent calculator.

Build your talents

Read all talent descriptions

Assassination

Improved Gouge Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the duration of your Gouge ability by 0.5 sec.

Rank 2
Increases the duration of your Gouge ability by 1 sec.

Rank 3
Increases the duration of your Gouge ability by 1.5 sec.

Passive

Remorseless Attacks Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
After killing a non-trivial enemy, gives you a 20% increased critical strike chance on your next Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, Mutilate, or Ghostly Strike. Lasts 20 sec.

Rank 2
After killing a non-trivial enemy, gives you a 40% increased critical strike chance on your next Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, Mutilate, or Ghostly Strike. Lasts 20 sec.

Passive

Malice Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 5%.

Passive

Ruthlessness Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives your finishing moves a 20% chance to add a Combo Point to your target.

Rank 2
Gives your finishing moves a 40% chance to add a Combo Point to your target.

Rank 3
Gives your finishing moves a 60% chance to add a Combo Point to your target.

Passive

Murder Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases all damage dealt by 2% against Humanoid and Giant targets.

Rank 2
Increases all damage dealt by 4% against Humanoid and Giant targets.

Passive

Improved Slice and Dice Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the duration of your Slice and Dice ability by 15%.

Rank 2
Increases the duration of your Slice and Dice ability by 30%.

Rank 3
Increases the duration of your Slice and Dice ability by 45%.

Passive

Relentless Strikes Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Your finishing moves have a 20% chance per Combo Point to restore 25 Energy.

Passive

Improved Expose Armor Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the Energy cost of your Expose Armor ability by 5, and refunds 1 Combo Point when cast with 5 Combo Points.

Rank 2
Reduces the Energy cost of your Expose Armor ability by 10, and refunds 2 Combo Points when cast with 5 Combo Points.

Passive

Lethality Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Mutilate, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities by 4%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Mutilate, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities by 8%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Mutilate, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities by 12%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Mutilate, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities by 16%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Mutilate, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities by 20%.

Passive

Vile Poisons Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the damage dealt by your poisons by 4% and gives your poisons an additional 8% chance to resist dispel effects.

Rank 2
Increases the damage dealt by your poisons by 8% and gives your poisons an additional 16% chance to resist dispel effects.

Rank 3
Increases the damage dealt by your poisons by 12% and gives your poisons an additional 24% chance to resist dispel effects.

Rank 4
Increases the damage dealt by your poisons by 16% and gives your poisons an additional 32% chance to resist dispel effects.

Rank 5
Increases the damage dealt by your poisons by 20% and gives your poisons an additional 40% chance to resist dispel effects.

Passive

Cold Blood Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When activated, increases the critical strike chance of your next Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, Eviscerate, or Mutilate by 100%.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Improved Poisons Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the chance to apply Poisons to your target by 2%, and gives Poison applications a 10% chance to not consume a charge.

Rank 2
Increases the chance to apply Poisons to your target by 4%, and gives Poison applications a 20% chance to not consume a charge.

Rank 3
Increases the chance to apply Poisons to your target by 6%, and gives Poison applications a 30% chance to not consume a charge.

Rank 4
Increases the chance to apply Poisons to your target by 8%, and gives Poison applications a 40% chance to not consume a charge.

Rank 5
Increases the chance to apply Poisons to your target by 10%, and gives Poison applications a 50% chance to not consume a charge.

Passive

Vigor Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your maximum Energy by 5.

Rank 2
Increases your maximum Energy by 10.

Passive

Mutilate Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Instantly attacks with both weapons for 75% weapon damage plus an additional 13 with each weapon. Damage increased by 20% against Poisoned targets. Awards 2 Combo Points.

60 Energy | Melee Range | Instant

Improved Kidney Shot Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Enemies Stunned by your Kidney Shot ability take 5% increased damage from your poisons and attacks.

Rank 2
Enemies Stunned by your Kidney Shot ability take 10% increased damage from your poisons and attacks.

Passive

Seal Fate Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your critical strikes from abilities that add Combo Points have a 20% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Rank 2
Your critical strikes from abilities that add Combo Points have a 40% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Rank 3
Your critical strikes from abilities that add Combo Points have a 60% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Rank 4
Your critical strikes from abilities that add Combo Points have a 80% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Rank 5
Your critical strikes from abilities that add Combo Points have a 100% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Passive

Venom Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Finishing move that increases the damage of your Poisons by 30% and your chance to apply Poisons by 10%. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point : 9 seconds 2 points: 12 seconds 3 points: 15 seconds 4 points: 18 seconds 5 points: 21 seconds

25 Energy | 100 yd range | Instant

Combat

Improved Eviscerate Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Eviscerate ability by 7%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Eviscerate ability by 13%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your Eviscerate ability by 20%.

Passive

Improved Sinister Strike Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the Energy cost of your Sinister Strike ability by 3.

Rank 2
Reduces the Energy cost of your Sinister Strike ability by 5.

Passive

Lightning Reflexes Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your Dodge chance by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases your Dodge chance by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases your Dodge chance by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases your Dodge chance by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases your Dodge chance by 5%.

Passive

Puncturing Wounds Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 10% and your Mutilate by 5%, and gives Backstab a 15% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 20% and your Mutilate by 10%, and gives Backstab a 30% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 30% and your Mutilate by 15%, and gives Backstab a 45% chance to add an additional Combo Point.

Passive

Deflection Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases your Parry chance by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases your Parry chance by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases your Parry chance by 6%.

Passive

Precision Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Improves your chance to hit by 1%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to hit by 2%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to hit by 3%.

Passive

Endurance Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Sprint and Evasion abilities by 30%.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Sprint and Evasion abilities by 60%.

Passive

Riposte Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
A strike that becomes active after parrying an opponent's attack. This attack deals 150% weapon damage and disarms the target for 6 sec.

10 Energy | Melee Range | Instant | 6 sec cooldown

Improved Sprint Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Gives a 50% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when you activate your Sprint ability.

Rank 2
Gives a 100% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when you activate your Sprint ability.

Passive

Improved Kick Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Gives your Kick ability a 50% chance to Silence the target for 2 sec.

Rank 2
Gives your Kick ability a 100% chance to Silence the target for 2 sec.

Passive

Flawless Execution Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Reduces the Energy cost of your Eviscerate ability by 10.

Passive

Dual Wield Specialization Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your off-hand weapon by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your off-hand weapon by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your off-hand weapon by 15%.

Rank 4
Increases the damage done by your off-hand weapon by 20%.

Rank 5
Increases the damage done by your off-hand weapon by 25%.

Passive

Blade Flurry Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Increases your melee attack speed by 20% and your melee attacks strike an additional nearby opponent. Lasts 15 sec.

25 Energy | Instant | 2 min cooldown

Hack and Slash Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 1% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 1%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 3% of your target's armor.

Rank 2
Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 2% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 2%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 6% of your target's armor.

Rank 3
Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 3% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 3%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 9% of your target's armor.

Rank 4
Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 4% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 4%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 12% of your target's armor.

Rank 5
Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 5% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 5%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 15% of your target's armor.

Passive

Weapon Expertise Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the chance for your attacks to be Dodged or Parried by 1%.

Rank 2
Reduces the chance for your attacks to be Dodged or Parried by 2%.

Passive

Aggression Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage of your Sinister Strike, Backstab, and Eviscerate abilities by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage of your Sinister Strike, Backstab, and Eviscerate abilities by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage of your Sinister Strike, Backstab, and Eviscerate abilities by 6%.

Passive

Adrenaline Rush Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 sec.

Instant | 5 min cooldown

Subtlety

Camouflage Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces your speed penalty from your Stealth ability by 3% and reduces its cooldown by 2 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces your speed penalty from your Stealth ability by 6% and reduces its cooldown by 3 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces your speed penalty from your Stealth ability by 9% and reduces its cooldown by 4 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces your speed penalty from your Stealth ability by 12% and reduces its cooldown by 5 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces your speed penalty from your Stealth ability by 15% and reduces its cooldown by 6 sec.

Passive

Master of Deception Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while in Stealth mode as if you were 1 level higher.

Rank 2
Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while in Stealth mode as if you were 2 levels higher.

Rank 3
Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while in Stealth mode as if you were 3 levels higher.

Passive

Opportunity Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the damage dealt by your Backstab, Garrote, Ambush, and Mutilate abilities by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage dealt by your Backstab, Garrote, Ambush, and Mutilate abilities by 10%.

Passive

Setup Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives you a 33% chance to add a Combo Point to your target after Dodging an attack or fully resisting a spell.

Rank 2
Gives you a 67% chance to add a Combo Point to your target after Dodging an attack or fully resisting a spell.

Rank 3
Gives you a 100% chance to add a Combo Point to your target after Dodging an attack or fully resisting a spell.

Passive

Elusiveness Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Vanish and Blind abilities by 45 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Vanish and Blind abilities by 90 sec.

Passive

Dirty Tricks Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the Energy cost of your Sap and Blind abilities by 25%.

Rank 2
Reduces the Energy cost of your Sap and Blind abilities by 50%.

Passive

Improved Ambush Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Ambush ability by 15%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Ambush ability by 30%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Ambush ability by 45%.

Passive

Initiative Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives you a 33% chance to add an additional combo point to your target when using your Ambush, Garrote, or Cheap Shot ability.

Rank 2
Gives you a 67% chance to add an additional combo point to your target when using your Ambush, Garrote, or Cheap Shot ability.

Rank 3
Gives you a 100% chance to add an additional combo point to your target when using your Ambush, Garrote, or Cheap Shot ability.

Passive

Ghostly Strike Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
A strike that deals 125% (180% if a Dagger is equipped in your Main Hand) weapon damage and increases your chance to dodge by 15% for 7 sec. Awards 1 combo point.

40 Energy | Melee Range | Instant | 20 sec cooldown

Improved Distract Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the radius of your Distract ability by 3 yds, and further reduces the Stealth detection of distracted enemies as though they were an additional 1 level lower.

Rank 2
Increases the radius of your Distract ability by 5 yds, and further reduces the Stealth detection of distracted enemies as though they were an additional 2 levels lower.

Passive

Heightened Senses Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your Stealth detection as if you were 1 level higher and reduces your chance to be hit by spells and ranged attacks by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases your Stealth detection as if you were 3 levels higher and reduces your chance to be hit by spells and ranged attacks by 4%.

Passive

Premeditation Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Adds 2 Combo Points to your target. You must add to or use those combo points within 20 sec or the combo points are lost.

20 yd range | Instant | 2 min cooldown

Serrated Blades Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Causes your attacks to ignore 3% of your target's Armor and increases the damage dealt by your Rupture ability by 10%.

Rank 2
Causes your attacks to ignore 6% of your target's Armor and increases the damage dealt by your Rupture ability by 20%.

Rank 3
Causes your attacks to ignore 9% of your target's Armor and increases the damage dealt by your Rupture ability by 30%.

Passive

Dirty Deeds Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the Energy cost of your Cheap Shot and Garrote abilities by 10, and your Garrote ability no longer requires you to be behind your target.

Rank 2
Reduces the Energy cost of your Cheap Shot and Garrote abilities by 20, and your Garrote ability no longer requires you to be behind your target.

Passive

Preparation Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When activated, this ability immediately finishes the cooldown on your other Rogue abilities.

Instant | 10 min cooldown

Hemorrhage Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
An instant strike that deals 100% weapon damage (145% if a Dagger is equipped) and causes the target to take 15% increased Rupture damage from the Rogue. Lasts 15 sec. Awards 1 Combo Point.

35 Energy | Melee Range | Instant

Quietus Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 2% more damage against targets below 35% health.

Rank 2
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 4% more damage against targets below 35% health.

Rank 3
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 6% more damage against targets below 35% health.

Rank 4
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 8% more damage against targets below 35% health.

Rank 5
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 10% more damage against targets below 35% health.

Passive

Cutthroat Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your Backstab has a 3% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.

Rank 2
Your Backstab has a 6% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.

Rank 3
Your Backstab has a 9% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.

Rank 4
Your Backstab has a 12% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.

Rank 5
Your Backstab has a 15% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.

Passive

Thousand Cuts Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When your Rupture ability deals periodic damage, the Energy cost of your next Hemorrhage or Backstab ability within 10 sec is reduced by 3, stacking up to 5 times.

Passive

Budget for Adrenaline Rush and side-tree talents

Flawless Execution is available after 15 points in Combat, while Adrenaline Rush takes at least 31 Combat points. A deep-Combat build can take both and has at most 20 of Forever's 51 points left for other trees.

Assassination's early choices include Malice, Improved Slice and Dice and Relentless Strikes. A longer Slice and Dice leaves more time between maintenance finishers. Relentless Strikes can help fund the next action after spending points. Cold Blood now takes at least 16 Assassination points, so it can fit with AR if you want a timed crit opportunity for Eviscerate or another eligible attack.

Mutilate needs 21 Assassination points. Pairing it with AR would cost at least 52, one more than the budget. In an AR build, take Puncturing Wounds for its Backstab benefits rather than its Mutilate crit bonus. For a Mutilate-centered alternative, use the Assassination guide.

Inside Combat, Riposte requires Deflection, and Weapon Expertise requires Blade Flurry. Check those paths before spending discretionary points. Taking parry support to reach Riposte costs points that could instead go to damage or movement when enemies normally attack your tank.

Separate hit, avoidance reduction and weapon skill

Precision gives attacks and poisons 1% increased hit chance at rank 1. Weapon Expertise instead reduces the chance for attacks to be dodged or parried by 1% at rank 1. A miss and a dodge are different results, so the second talent is not another point of hit.

Original Classic Weapon Expertise granted skill with swords, fists and daggers; Forever's version grants no weapon skill at all. Skill still matters under Forever's itemization rules, with smaller amounts on individual items, so after changing weapon families check whether your skill gear still supports what you equipped. Keep attacking a tanked enemy from behind when possible rather than treating parry reduction as permission to stand in front.

Shared item hit and crit support weapon attacks and poisons, but do not establish poison scaling with spell power. Compare the complete melee weapon and its effects instead of choosing a caster weapon for an assumed poison coefficient. Armor-ignore effects also do not strengthen bleeds or Nature poison damage. See Rogue gearing for the broader stat changes and Rogue races for weapon-based crit and escape options.

Use movement, interrupts and defensive cooldowns

Improved Sprint removes movement-impairing effects when Sprint activates, with a 100% chance at rank 2. Use it to break a root or snare when that gets you back onto a caster or out of a dangerous position. It removes the effects present at activation; do not treat it as lasting immunity to the next snare.

Endurance shortens Sprint and Evasion's base cooldowns. Once you have spent Sprint to cross a gap, check the remaining timer before volunteering for a second movement job rather than assuming the cooldown has already recovered.

Improved Kick adds a two-second silence, guaranteed at rank 2 against targets that can be silenced. Use Kick on the dangerous cast itself; a target's silence immunity does not make an interrupt assignment disappear. Coordinate the order with other interrupters so two players do not spend their stops on the same cast.

Riposte becomes available after a parry, costs ten energy and deals 150% weapon damage while disarming its target for six seconds. Use it against susceptible weapon users attacking you in solo play or PvP. Do not chase a raid boss's frontal attacks to make it available. Evasion helps against melee pressure, and Vanish can handle threat or an escape; a shorter cooldown does not make either a substitute for letting the tank establish control. The parent group-utility section covers armor-reduction and control assignments.

Combat Rogue questions

Does Flawless Execution discount other finishers?

No. Flawless Execution reduces only Eviscerate's energy cost, by 10. Slice and Dice, Expose Armor, Kidney Shot and Venom keep their own costs.

Does Rupture receive the Flawless Execution discount?

No. The discount applies to Eviscerate only, so Rupture keeps its normal cost. Compare the two by what the target's remaining life supports: Rupture needs time to tick, while Eviscerate lands immediately.

Do maces still stun through their weapon-specialization talent?

Hack and Slash gives maces armor ignore, not Classic Mace Specialization's skill and stun proc. Use Kidney Shot or another appropriate control ability when you need to stop an opponent; do not wait for a mace stun.

Combat Rogue overview

The biggest changes from Classic

Combat Rogue

Spend a discounted Eviscerate without dropping upkeep

Use Adrenaline Rush with room to spend energy

Choose a safe Blade Flurry window

Match Hack and Slash to the equipped weapons

Choose Sinister Strike or Backstab support

Rogue talent trees

Assassination

Combat

Subtlety

Budget for Adrenaline Rush and side-tree talents

Separate hit, avoidance reduction and weapon skill

Use movement, interrupts and defensive cooldowns

Combat Rogue questions

Rogue spec guides

Plan the rest of your character