"Rogues are now rogues and not assassins."

[Athael]

I've been seeing this posted a lot lately today following the rogue Cataclysm preview. I don't really get it though, and I'm hoping someone would be willing to explain to me.

How are rogues and assassins not the same, in the context of a video game? What definition are people going by, here?

In the common usage, a rogue is a scoundrelous person. Do you guys mean that Blizzard wants to make the rogue class the class of choice for people who sleep with married women, drink to excess and don't pay their bills on time?

In classic RPG usage, a rogue is a character who sets/disarms traps, opens locks and steals things. Is Blizzard interested in somehow giving rogues the ability to pickpocket loot off of bosses without killing them first?

In computer game usage, rogues are stealth-users that don't do very well in upfront combat, but are great at critically wounding an enemy from the shadows. Like the Thief series of games and, I thought, like WoW so far. But people are saying that apparently that's an assassin, and not a rogue.

So some elaboration would be wonderful. Not trolling, and thank you in advance for your responses!

[Koch]

No clue... kinda confused myself... ???

[Redcrow]

rogues ARE assasins if they are specced assasiniation. /thread

[Wingedtoast]

when you think of an assassin.. Or at least when I think of an assassin.. they are quiet, kill quickly, and then gtfo without being hit. Rogue, for me, is someone who can handle himself in significant hand to hand combat but still highly effective at attacking..

Assassin - Vanishes before being seen and thus attacked

Rogue - Sticks around, goes head to head against the closest target they can kill.. uses their tricks and skill to survive the fight

[Deleted]

That? That's just something I put on my posts so they're longer than the word Beta.

Also, what Winged said.

[Mufasaprime]

hmm, i do have to question, do you mean pick-pocket a boss in a sence, well for example, going into icc 25man, pick-pocket the bonestorm enthusiast and loot a bryntroll? or in the fact how pick pocket works on normal mobs some silver and sometimes a lootbox you can unlock for a chance of items and rarely an epic item

[Magnett]

In the common usage, a rogue is a scoundrelous person. Do you guys mean that Blizzard wants to make the rogue class the class of choice for people who sleep with married women, drink to excess and don't pay their bills on time?

I thought those were the people who played Rogues already.

On a serious note, a rogue (dictionary entries aside) is someone who fights dirty, is highly opportunistic and has no qualms with running away if the fight isn't in his favour. An assassin fits all those three, and can be considered a rogue. At the same time, a violent thug, a bully even, also fits the bill, and can also be considered a rogue.

Rogues aren't assassins. Assassins are rogues. Rogues can be other things.

A Berserker is a type of Warrior, but not all Warriors are Berserkers.

Perfect example to illustrate my point. People forget spec is short for specialisation.

[Asmo]

Not too hard to understand. A rogue can also be a person who resorts to dirty tricks, is willing to do anything to get ahead, and may run away if the situation turns against him/her.

An assassin ALWAYS works from the shadows. They are in and out before you notice them. And you are dead before you know what happened. An assassin seen is a dead assassin.

They're moving more towards the first so that rogues don't get roflstomped if they get caught out of stealth or aren't able to just kill you before you have a chance to retaliate.

*Edit* Magnett beat me to most of my points >.<

[Sidonis]

A Berserker is a type of Warrior, but not all Warriors are Berserkers.

[crayven]

I've been seeing this posted a lot lately today following the rogue Cataclysm preview. I don't really get it though, and I'm hoping someone would be willing to explain to me.

How are rogues and assassins not the same, in the context of a video game? What definition are people going by, here?

Rogue- a normal guy with some skill in weapons, some skill at stealthing, can fight a bit if needed, usually dirty ( blind, sap all that crap ) and is like a thief - in game view.
Assasons - these guys are more skilled, usually in one type of weapon: dagger, poison, fiberwire, etc.
Their work INVOLVES killing a target, FAST, killing it SILENTLY, and then leave undetected.

Imagine rogue - the guyfrom Thief,Garret
Imagine assasin - 47 ( the bald dude )

personally i loved rogue to be more of a quick in quick out kind of guy - always loved this style. Reminded me of the commandos green berret ;D

[Rédempteur]

Is Blizzard interested in somehow giving rogues the ability to pickpocket loot off of bosses without killing them first?

We almost there mon, almost there!

[Voij]

when you think of an assassin.. Or at least when I think of an assassin.. they are quiet, kill quickly, and then gtfo without being hit. Rogue, for me, is someone who can handle himself in significant hand to hand combat but still highly effective at attacking..

Assassin - Vanishes before being seen and thus attacked

Rogue - Sticks around, goes head to head against the closest target they can kill.. uses their tricks and skill to survive the fight

To add:
Everybody who thinks that Assassin's Creed 1+2 actually show how an Assassin is supposed to fight/kill, is wrong.
Altair and Desmond are both Rogues, they just try to assassinate people.

So yeah, Rogue=dirty fighter who ambushes others and uses dirty tricks to win. [No pun intended.]

[Athael]

So, if I understand correctly, what's being done is here broadening the definition of rogue to a more D&D style description of "Rogues can be anybody of any background as long as they're unscrupulous or criminal."

My confusion with regard to the phrase that is the title of this thread is essentially that this implies that this definition of rogue has always been the case, when in fact, in WoW at least, it was something else, and is now undergoing this change apparently.

[Roveredo]

A Berserker is a type of Warrior, but not all Warriors are Berserkers.

A Paladin is a type of Cleric, but not all Clerics are Paladins?

[Sidonis]

You're putting too much effort into trying to define this for your little box of a world where everything has it's place. A rogue is someone who fights dirty (ambushes, cheap shots, dirty tricks, kicks you while you're down, you know, all the things common to a dirty fighter that blizzard uses for ability and talent names?), and isn't above running away to fight another day when things aren't in his favor.

A rogue is the guy who'll grab a busted bottle and slip into a bar room brawl just long enough to stick it in a guy who insulted him earlier, then slip right on back out and go on his way.

Or the guy who drinks your beer while you're taking a whiz and leaves before you come back, and also got your girl's phone number from your phone that you left in your coat pocket hanging on the back of the chair.

[Muffinator]

An assassin isn't always dressed for stealth or a ninja.


I can assassinate someone wearing a suit, or flip flops, shorts and a t-shirt.

1 : to injure or destroy unexpectedly and treacherously
2 : to murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons


Both can be done without trying to be all "I'm-under-water-and-breathing-through-a-bamboo-waiting-to-ninja-kill-you".

An assassin is someone who kills an important public figure.


A ROGUE fights dirty and uses underhanded tricks to defeat opponents, usually involving theft and/or murder.

[Sidonis]

A Paladin is a type of Cleric, but not all Clerics are Paladins?

An illusionist is a type of mage, but not all mages are illusionists?

[Deleted]

You're putting too much effort into trying to define this for your little box of a world where everything has it's place.

Nothing is true, everything is permited.

[Deleted]

An illusionist is a type of mage, but not all mages are illusionists?

Oh dear god, it knows no limits. It could even infest the realm of not making any sense!
All cars are vehicles but not all vehicles are cars?

[Markanis]

All ninjas are awesome, but not all that are awesome are ninjas?