I... don't want to be a pirate.

[thottstation]

When I chose to be a combat rogue, I did so because I wanted to be a "weaponsmaster" of sorts. An RPG adventurer, but not a heavily-armored tank, but rather an agile hero that dual-wielded swords, and could move around and be an in-your-face melee fighter. Long story short, I had played Square RPG's most of my life, and I wanted to play as a female Cloud Strife.

And I did. For almost a decade. I was never a fan of daggers, but being a rogue was important because of the in-game Pause button (Stealth). I could just stealth and park myself under a tree or shrub, and leave the computer or Alt-Tab, or cast Vanish and run for my life if things got bad. Although both were vitally important, the "Agile sword-wielding adventurer" thing was paramount. In WotLK, I was slightly sad at having to dual-wield axes (like using maces in BC), but at least I still enjoyed the "awesome armoury of bladed weapons" shtick.

But now, after 10 years, my whole identity has been re-imagined as PIRATE. And I'm not happy about that. If a Pirate class was available at launch.... I wouldn't play it. I wouldn't play it today. And seeing game footage of the Outlaw Rogue in action... I don't see an Outlaw Rogue. All I see is Pirate. A Buccaneer.

Quick Draw, Pistol Shot, Parley, a cannonball barrage from your Ghost Ship, Rolling Bones for a random buff (Shark-infested Waters, Jolly Roger, Buried Treasure), Find Treasure, Bribe...

And I watch gameplay, and I see the Outlaw Rogue kiting enemies and shooting them continuously with your pistol. Here I am watching my spec literally be a hunter; staying at range and shooting the enemy to whittle them down. And when they DO get in close for a full-on, face-to-face melee fight with swords slashing... half of the moves are pistol shots.

I understand that lots of people like the idea of the new Outlaw Rogue. I accept that people have wanted a Pirate class for a long time. But... why couldn't they just make a Pirate class? Why turn Combat rogues INTO pirates?

Basically, they're changing my entire identity from this:

http://imgur.com/yCr97nw

Into this:

http://imgur.com/OWoO9Ej

And that's a HELLUVA change. I don't like it. But it seems I'm the only one.

[Aeula]

Whelp, you're going to have to become one. Combat is more or less removed. Outlaw is the new spec replacing it.

Subtlety is Ninja
Outlaw is Pirate
Assassination is Assassin

Those are the spec fantasies blizzard is aiming for now.

[Mirishka]

I'm in the opposite boat. I think Outlaw sounds insanely fun and it makes me excited to play a rogue again.

[Avar ize]

combat has always been a pirate, the old description for the spec even said it was a swashbuckler

"A swashbuckler who uses agility and guile to stand toe-to-toe with enemies."

[Lex Icon]

aren't only a few of the talents pirate themed? i dont know much about it since i've always felt combat was boring but.. dont take those piratey themed talents and keep being your imagined weaponmaster.

[Flabberly]

I think what you want is a fury warrior tbh. Agile weaponmaster. That ain't a rogue, brah. We are agile specialists.

[Mirishka]

aren't only a few of the talents pirate themed? i dont know much about it since i've always felt combat was boring but.. dont take those piratey themed talents and keep being your imagined weaponmaster.

Arrr! This here be the worst advice I've ever seen! To the plank with ye!

/adjust eyepatch

[shaunika123]

i'd agree with you if combat had any identity at all to begin with
any identity you may have had with it, is some arbitrary identity you gave it but it didnt actually have it on it's own.

Outlaw still plays and flows very similarly to how combat is now, it's just less of a fury warrior in leather and has more unique animations, and style.
but how you actually play the spec wont really change drastically, it's still the dual sword wielding agile fighter, only now you occasionally shoot with your sidearm and cannon barrage is only an optional talent

old combat was so bland for me, outlaw at least has a distinct identity, even if that identity doesnt necessarily appeal to everyone, it just means it has one at least.
to me combat is the spec everyone has as their offspec because they need it for AOE, that's it's identity. im glad it's changing, it's becoming my most favourite spec from my by far least favourite spec(at least stylisticaly, gameplay wise i still like sub better but we barely know anything so i'll refrain from stating anything definite)

plus the top picture is literally what sub is becoming, a ninja.
honestly what you seem to be wanting is the good old classic hemo spec(which i miss to bits and still retain as the pivotal rogue spec that shouldve never been done away with) that was tons of fun and it had it's identity
combat on the other hand doesnt really.

[Austilias]

The thing is that Combat wasn't anything before; you were someone wearing leather, swinging a couple of weapons. The spec had no real flavour.

[Hitei]

1) Don't take Cannonball Barrage
2) Transmog Artifact into not cutlasses.

There you go, you are now the same as combat has always been, except that now you also carry and use a concealed pistol.

[caervek]

I wonder if they will rename all the Defias Duelists to Outlaws XD

[Lesane]

Combat had no fantasy behind it. Pirates are awesome.

I really don't know how Combat rogue ever came close to "female Cloud Strife" considering he's wearing a fucking huge 2 handed sword and uses magical spells.

[caervek]

combat has always been a pirate, the old description for the spec even said it was a swashbuckler

"A swashbuckler who uses agility and guile to stand toe-to-toe with enemies."

I don't think you understand what swashbuckler means, examples would be the hero from the Princes Bride, the three musketeers, Robin Hood, Zorro, etc. The OP is completely correct in combat always being the duelist/swashbuckler archetype, Blizzard are redesigning it's lore/theme with outlaw (well technically they are removing it and adding a new spec with new lore/theme)

[Pengalor]

And I watch gameplay, and I see the Outlaw Rogue kiting enemies and shooting them continuously with your pistol. Here I am watching my spec literally be a hunter; staying at range and shooting the enemy to whittle them down. And when they DO get in close for a full-on, face-to-face melee fight with swords slashing... half of the moves are pistol shots..

Lol you can't be serious. First off, they have 2 pistol abilities. Two. Dos. The vast majority of their abilities still use their swords. Second, I don't care what you 'saw' anyone doing. The expansion isn't even in proper beta yet, there are full classes that aren't even available yet, if you are taking anything you see as a remotely complete product then you really don't have a place to talk (not that I believe you anyway, anyone doing that would not only be doing garbage DPS but is probably only doing it because it's new).

As for the rest, you're just gonna have to deal with it. This is why you don't ever attach yourself to one spec of one class in a MMO. MMOs change, sometimes drastically. Unfortunately for you, this happens to be a change for the betterment of the game and you're going to be one of the small minority in the crossfire.

[Feali]

Whelp, you're going to have to become one. Combat is more or less removed. Outlaw is the new spec replacing it.

Subtlety is Ninja
Outlaw is Pirate
Assassination is Assassin

Those are the spec fantasies blizzard is aiming for now.

And what do any of those have to do in the Sewers?

[jishdefish]

When I chose to be a combat rogue, I did so because I wanted to be a "weaponsmaster" of sorts. An RPG adventurer, but not a heavily-armored tank, but rather an agile hero that dual-wielded swords, and could move around and be an in-your-face melee fighter. Long story short, I had played Square RPG's most of my life, and I wanted to play as a female Cloud Strife.

And I did. For almost a decade. I was never a fan of daggers, but being a rogue was important because of the in-game Pause button (Stealth). I could just stealth and park myself under a tree or shrub, and leave the computer or Alt-Tab, or cast Vanish and run for my life if things got bad. Although both were vitally important, the "Agile sword-wielding adventurer" thing was paramount. In WotLK, I was slightly sad at having to dual-wield axes (like using maces in BC), but at least I still enjoyed the "awesome armoury of bladed weapons" shtick.

But now, after 10 years, my whole identity has been re-imagined as PIRATE. And I'm not happy about that. If a Pirate class was available at launch.... I wouldn't play it. I wouldn't play it today. And seeing game footage of the Outlaw Rogue in action... I don't see an Outlaw Rogue. All I see is Pirate. A Buccaneer.

Quick Draw, Pistol Shot, Parley, a cannonball barrage from your Ghost Ship, Rolling Bones for a random buff (Shark-infested Waters, Jolly Roger, Buried Treasure), Find Treasure, Bribe...

And I watch gameplay, and I see the Outlaw Rogue kiting enemies and shooting them continuously with your pistol. Here I am watching my spec literally be a hunter; staying at range and shooting the enemy to whittle them down. And when they DO get in close for a full-on, face-to-face melee fight with swords slashing... half of the moves are pistol shots.

I understand that lots of people like the idea of the new Outlaw Rogue. I accept that people have wanted a Pirate class for a long time. But... why couldn't they just make a Pirate class? Why turn Combat rogues INTO pirates?

Basically, they're changing my entire identity from this:

http://imgur.com/yCr97nw

Into this:

http://imgur.com/OWoO9Ej

And that's a HELLUVA change. I don't like it. But it seems I'm the only one.

I'm in the same boat. I'm not thrilled about it either. But of course, [Roll the Bones] and [Cannon Barrage] are talents and completely optional. The pistol and blunderbuss abilities I hope can be glyphed to change the animation to something more old-school like a thrown, or less obtrusive like a handheld crossbow (or a glyph for either).

Edit:

To those saying combat had no archetype, because all rogues fought 'in combat' that's essentially saying arms has no archetype because 'all warriors use weapons'. That was combat's schtic. We were the 'Arms' Rogue. Just look at the vanilla talents. [Mace Speciallization] [Dagger Specialization] [Sword Specialization] Combat was a terrible name, sure, but Combat was a master of any armament and not just tiny kitchen knives like the other two specs.

[Mystile]

I wanted to play as a female Cloud Strife.

Why are you playing a rogue then lol... Cloud had that ridiculously oversized sword. Not to mention came equipped with a Lightning Materia. Neither of those really scream out "super agile guy swinging two swords around."

snip

C'mon, dude, really? You're going to quote the entire OP for give half a paragraph for a response?

[Pengalor]

I don't think you understand what swashbuckler means, examples would be the hero from the Princes Bride, the three musketeers, Robin Hood, Zorro, etc. The OP is completely correct in combat always being the duelist/swashbuckler archetype, Blizzard are redesigning it's lore/theme with outlaw (well technically they are removing it and adding a new spec with new lore/theme)

Er, you do realize that three out of four of those listed are outlaws, right? Also, one of them is a pirate. You also don't seem to realize that there are more modern depictions of swashbucklers like Jack Sparrow (was a pirate, also used a gun occasionally).

[Deleted]

Still have 2 other specs. Play Sub or Assassin.

You don’t have to be a pirate...using transmog, you can look like anything you want and avoid a pirate-look.
As for weapons, you can still dual-wield swords.

Seems like people don‘t like Blizzard changing a spec name and trying a new approach to one of the three rogue specs.

[Hitei]

And what do any of those have to do in the Sewers?

Plan unsavory things away from prying eyes but close to the battlefront, supplies, transportation and money.