Lower level rogue (and potential endgame) energy management

[Chickensoup23]

Hi there,

I'm a first-time rogue forums poster. I'm currently 75 with my rogue and I had a pretty big question concerning the class itself. I'm what you could consider a veteran WoW player, as I've played my hunter for 5 years and several alts over the course of that time. I started a rogue recently as I didn't really know the class before and I do enjoy it. I have only one issue.

I toyed around in BGs, and felt a little OP in lower levels where I could two-shot people with Ambush. Unfortunately, that effect faded away and I'm on par with the rest of the classes right now. For once, I feel like mostly, balance is restored. At least in that bracket. My only problem is energy management.

I hit mutilate (or the main attack, + cheap shot) once or twice, and I'm flat out of energy. Im left with 3-4 combo points and a big 4 or 5 seconds before I can hit anything else (which, even after 1 other hit, I'm left with another 4 or 5 secs). How do you guys pull it off at higher levels? I feel like im auto-attacking a lot and not hitting buttons a lot (damaging buttons, ofc) and I since I'm lower level I miss most auto attacks and end up not putting a lot of damage on targets. I don't feel like a could solo-kill a target in a rogue/healer comp at higher levels. The initial CC is great, I admit, but damage is mostly crap, no matter which spec I am (after the opener -- I'm talking about sustained dmg).

At higher levels, how do you do it? Is there a higher energy regen rate? Of course, when I open on a target, I watch around, Blind, silence, disarm CoS, Vanish, do whatever I need, but I'm still left with this window where I do absolutely nothing but stay there and watch my character regen energy, waiting for me to be able to spam the next move (be it a combo pts builder or a finishing move, mostly Eviscerate).

Tips, or opinions on how to do better, and put pressure and damage on targets? I hope im not the only one who felt (feels) like that when leveling my rogue.
Thanks in advance!

Chicken

[satori sartori]

I'm guessing you're playing sub and talking only about PvP, and if you're not playing sub, then go play sub.
Sub has energetic recuperation and restless blades, plus a lot of talents that increase CP, like HaT which probably sucks at low levels.
That plus haste helps with low energy a bit, but rogues in PvP are mostly auto attacking and waitint for energy to burst or cc or both, with CDs.

[Chickensoup23]

I've never liked sub. You have to set up so many things, it pisses me off. (position, CC, damage, avoid damage since youre squishy, etc), and I find rogues to be the only pvp class that require this much positioning (cept maybe hunters). I play a warrior at 2100 (hard this season...) and I feel like it has just the right amount of CC, damage, burst and positioning.

As a sub rogue, I feel like im just...spamming. Open, spam, spam, spam, CDs, spam > preparation > rince and repeat. I don't like the playstyle, and I'm hoping that assass will make a comeback in future patches (even MoP). Its just energy.

[Shineycraft]

I leveled as an assassination rogue and I kept with it until it fell behind in raiding to both combat and sub, however, in regards to your question I have two answers for you.

-Firstly you MUST have Venomous Wounds
http://www.wowhead.com/spell=79134/venomous-wounds

It lets your garrote and rupture proc you damage and energy, if you don't want to burn out as assassination you have to maintain your rupture on your target
-Secondly Overkill. Abuse it this is your ability spamming time.
http://www.wowhead.com/spell=58426

The extra energy regen lets you go nuts.

Unfortunately for Assassination rogues you cannot afford utility if you want damage.
to keep your energy up try this opener:

garrote: provides energy regen +overkill
mutilate
Rupture: bleed + energy regen
mutilate
SnD
mutilate
mutilate
Envenom(instant MH, deadly OH)



when you need to burst:
vanish (brings back overkill)
open with garrote(more energy regen)
Vendetta(RAPE!)
spam envenoms (which refreshes snd)(coldkill auto crit on one of these)
don't let rupture drop (or you will have no energy)


The information above is mainly as a PVE rogue, but assuming similar spec and build this will give you the energy regen you are looking for in pvp.