Help a new Rogue

[RodrigoTxc]

Hi guys,

I need your help choosing a spec for leveling. I've never played a rogue so I have no idea what are the differences between their specs... According to what I understand, it seems the best option for leveling and PvE in general is sub, is this correct or am I mistaken?
Thank you very much for all your help in advance

[Rigapples]

It's been ages (and patches) since I leveled as a Rogue so I can't give definitive advice on what the leveling is like today. However what I can tell you is that sub is probably the worst of the 3 specs, due to the need of being behind your target at all times for good damage. Both combat and assassination do their normal rotations behind or in front of the enemies, but sub requires you to be behind. When you are questing, pulling multiple mobs, or pull aggro in a dungeon, your DPS as sub will be significantly impacted due to the enemies turning to face you.

In PvE at 90 sub is the hardest rotation to maintain and use properly. It does not far outdamage (if at all) assassination and if you look at the majority of top raiding guilds, none of their Rogues use the spec in T15 raids. I would avoid the spec until 90 and then learn it in case it becomes relevant, but unless you really like to make things harder on yourself you are better with Assassination or Combat.

[RodrigoTxc]

Mmm I see, so I was brutally wrong :P, thank god I came to the forums before trying to level as sub.
So my options are Assassination or Combat, one is for daggers and the other is for the rest of melee weapons, right? therefore, the desicion on which one is better should be based on which weapon I like the most (on gameplay), right? or is one of those two specs doing better DPS?

Thanks for your help, and sorry for my bad english, is not my native language

[Squirl]

Leveling as Subt isn't too bad, especially early on. You basically oneshot things with Ambush (at least you did last time I played a low-level rogue). Even later on, you have stuns and Gouge to get behind your target. That said, it's definitely less efficient than the other two specs. Additionally, Subt is rarely played in PvE at max level, but it is the de-facto PvP spec.

If you're leveling on a PvP server, Subt might be a good idea. Otherwise I would roll one of the other two specs. I prefer Assassination because Venomous Wounds means you have no downtime due to energy starvation while Combat is usually empty on energy after killing something. Combat is better equipped to pull more mobs at once with BF and KSp and AR, but that worsens the energy downtime (and we're too squishy to do that constantly).

[RodrigoTxc]

Mmm anyway I don't want to use the sub spec for the fact that I have to be behind the target most of the time: (
I think I'm finally going to use assassination, but only because I like daggers more ... when I can get the dual spec, I'll try combat to see if it proves worth.
Anyway, if anyone thinks I should go with combat from the start, I'm all ears to hear more advice

[Tsuna]

I leveled up as combat in MoP, and of my four characters who have run the gauntlet from 85 to 90 my rogue easily has the most deaths while questing (warrior and paladin went deathless). But regardless of what spec you choose you'll find a few things constant. As a rogue you're squishy, everything that hits you hurts and you will regret overpulling unless you have several cooldowns. But leveling as a rogue greatly encourages full use of their spellbook, from managing their short duration buffs, using all of your resources, kiting and self preservation, and of course, being stealthy. It's a fun road to 90, so pick your poison (all puns intended) and good luck

[shadowboy]

In PvE at 90 sub is the hardest rotation to maintain and use properly.

That's not really true anymore. Cata sub is LONG gone.


OP: Try all 3 specs, play the one you find most fun. They're all fine to level with and each has its strengths and weaknesses.

Note: my character with the most deaths was my shaman. (but then again, my rogue was much much more geared than my shaman for the 85-90 trip. My rogue started MoP at 407 ilevel and my shaman started at like 390). For what it's worth, I did 85-90 as Combat.

[Battlebeard]

Anything beside Sub for leveling and PvE works, Imo, you should go combat, with Blade flurry you do great aoe, and level faster

[Ryme]

Whatever spec you go, get a hold of the deadly momentum glyph as soon possible, it's a huge boon.

[Kuniku]

I'm currently leveling as sub, (hit 73 last nite) and its not too bad at all, early levels (with heirlooms anyway) you one shot most things with ambush, you don't get backastab which is only ability you need to be behind your opponent for, until level 40, and if you use subterfuge and open with cheapshot then ambush by the time the mobs is unstunned and turns to face you they're pretty much dead before you even get to use eviscerate anyway. Its even quicker once you get cloak and dagger as well!

I find as sub you don't have same skill sets as other classes to just faceroll as you level, so you actually ahve to play a rogue as you level, using stealth and other utility abilities etc.

However you don't get any aoe until level 66, so I can see combat being good for more aoe stuff with blade flurry, but I've not played it myself.

Glyph od Deadly Momentum is great for leveling, it annoys me in dungeons though as I often don't get the killing blow so it doesn't refresh and then I end up going for several packs before I realise =p

[RodrigoTxc]

Well in the end I think I'll start as assassination because I have the heirloom daggers. Anyway, when I can get the dual spec I'll try combat to see if I like it more, but, is there a problem if I use the two heirloom daggers with combat spec?
I have a few justice points out there that I could use to buy heirloom weapons for the combat spec, but I have no idea which ones should I buy ... Any advice on which heirloom weapons should I use as combat?
Thank you very much to all for the help

[undeadrogue]

Don't ever use a dagger MH as combat. You will be the butt of many jokes.
The only exception to this is the legendary daggers b/c it compensated for different specs.
I think there's either a mace or sword you can use as combat? I would choose the sword just b/c of nostalgia's sake - I remember running UBRS forever to get the 2 swords way back when.

[RodrigoTxc]

lol ok so no daggers for combat. Then, there is no difference which weapon I use as combat? I can use the mace or the sword in either hand and wouldn't see any difference? Or is there a combination that is best for heirloom weapons for combat spec? :O

[slime]

Not sure about other classes- but for rogue it doesn't matter in the slightest. Pick the one you like, play the best. Combat might be the best for aoe damage, but even assassin can FoK his heart out and do good dps. The issue here is while leveling in WoW - is there ever a moment that can be considered difficult? Maybe if you are leveling w/o the leveling gear - but mostly everything will be faceroll.

[Kael]

lol ok so no daggers for combat. Then, there is no difference which weapon I use as combat? I can use the mace or the sword in either hand and wouldn't see any difference? Or is there a combination that is best for heirloom weapons for combat spec? :O

Mainhand any 2.6 (fist/sword/mace) agi weapon for combat, Offhand any agi weapon (1.8 or 2.6). 1.8 (dagger) is better until you get killing spree and use it a lot, 2.6 is *slightly* better when you're using Killing Spree on cooldown.

[RodrigoTxc]

Thank you very much guys. With all this info I have more than enough to start my rogue without problems
I hope to start later when I leave the dungeon of my office and I can log in my house: P

Btw, thats some sexy looking panther Mugajak

[Kael]

Thanks ^_^

I picked it in honor of http://shadowpanther.net/, which is also still a very useful leveling resource, although the creator has left it to rest.

[RodrigoTxc]

The office proxy will not let me enter that web ¬¬... stupid proxy...

[Ahveros]

Combat

sword/axe/fist weapon for mainhand and dagger for offhand

Seriously that's the smoothest leveling spec because it actually gives you a chance to live when you pull multiple mobs from 80-90. Adrenaline rush, killing spree, and blade flurry are the best moves for leveling. I would love to go into more detail but I'm kind of pressed for time right now but trust me, my main is a rogue and my alt is a rogue so if there's anyone that knows about rogues it'd be me.

[RodrigoTxc]

I'll try to get the heirloom weapons for combat, if I can't, then I'll just start as assassination and change to combat when I get the dual spec... I'm sure that at that time I'll have enough justice points with my main to buy the heirloom weapons