Shadowblades - what are your feelings about it?

[Deleted]

With MoP we also got shadowblades, how do you feel that worked out?

When I first think about it now, the first thing that came to my mind was it's a great CD.
But the more I think about it, the smaller becomes my appreciation for that skill.

I can't speak for PvP outside of combat because I only did casually pvp this addon and only during 5.4 about 1.8kish arena rating after I quit pvp with the 5.0 disaster.

So I'll just talk about it PvE wise. As Assassination there is some though to it. On the pull you use it with Vendetta and procs and probably lust. And then you can either use it as soon as it gets ready and then with the 3rd Vendetta again or you can wait and line it up with the 2nd Vendetta, leaving it 40-60s waiting, depending on readiness level.
There is some though that has to go into it and I like that - however you can calculate the best timing of that on most of the encounters before pulling the boss, while most people don't bother with that kind of trouble, it's not a decision you have to make during the encounter most of the time, and even if you make that decision during the encounter, after the 5th pull you know when to push the button like a kind of muscle memory.

For Combat its worse in my opinion. Just use it with Adrenaline Rush (AR). When you think about it is just some kind of improved AR, SUPERAR (insert bad pirate joke). No thinking involved, just watch out for 3 CP Sinister Strikes. The only gameplay to it is that AR lasts longer than Shadowblades and therefore the 3 CP Sinister Strikes turn into regular 2 CP at most.

For sub I feel its the most engaging. On the pull you have to decide on how you use it, but once that is settled there does not go more thought into it for the pull. The consensus is to use it on pull during cds, however while I use it without Dance on the pull and delay the first dance until FW almost runs out, some use it with dance. And during the fight itself I use it during FW downtime, unless we need burst or I will have extended periods of FW uptime or I will get a trinket proc from ICD Trinket soon. Hold on to it after a dance or even use it during a dance? Wait for FW to fall off? Just got a Sleight of Hand proc, wait even longer or just go?

Do you think they should leave it as it is? Does it need more to it? Does the sound annoy you? I like the sound, I can always hear when a fellow rogue used it and compare it to my usage^^. Are you happy with the visual?

[Theonebone1]

Um.. it's the MOST useful for combat.. Since adrenaline rush gives you so many more SS uses... you'll get nearly twice as many CP's as the other specs because of Shadow Blades.

[TrollShaman]

Yes it's the most useful on combat; incredible CP generation and Combat autoattacks hit much harder than Assa/Sub autoattacks during SB. I like SB in sub where i can't just use it while Find Weakness is up, basically putting cooldowns (vanish, preparation, SB, Shadow Dance) in rotation. I haven't tried assassination in level 90 so no opinion on Sb in that spec.

While I think Shadow Blades is a great addition to the Rogue's cooldowns, what bothers me about SB is basically what OP said: no thinking involved in Combat despite its greatness. Just mash them into a macro, use it on cooldown and you got yourself a super steroid. I honestly would like to see the cooldowns desynced in the next expansion... not that using one triggers a small cd on the other, just increase/decrease one of their duration and cd.

[Feali]

I like Shadowblades. Like you said: You have to put (some) thought into it for 2/3 of the speccs. Combat never really needed much thought to begin with. It's the most buttonsmash specc of all classes. But I like it, it's quick and fun and you can concentrate on other stuff.

The biggest problem I have with Shadowblades is that it doesn't really feel like a cooldown. Except for Sub you don't really see the benefits it brings like e.g. ShD or AR. I would like it to be a bit more aggressive. And maybe work better with Killing Spree. But that's another story completely.

Visual could be better. Fits the Rogue visuals with being more subtle and all but still underwhelming. Also I play without in-game sound so it doesn't annoy me.

[Verain]

Shadowblades is the best thing mop brought. It's the best cooldown. In addition to it being purple, it brings armor ignore to combat, who thirsts greatly for such an ability. It changes your rotation, which is great. The only spec it seems a bit odd for is sub, who have a similar effect baseline for all their physical, not just their autoattacks, and who generally lack the CPs to capitalize. It's still quite powerful for sub, however.

I disagree with your ranking, however.

As mutilate it requires some smarts, and I feel it stands alone most as a cooldown. When you realize you only have one left in the fight, you pool it, and some fights you can learn when you can pool for greater effect without losing a use.

Combat, yes, you use it around the same time as AR. You can actually benefit by pressing AR first, and then blades once you have used AR to transition to a better insight- just as long as the blades is up for all of the AR you are gold. Other times you press it at the same time. The fact that you macro them together and use it that way every time doesn't make it entirely optimal, though, and even if you did, you are still selling it short- combat is a spammy spec, and you will of course want to line it up like that.

Sub I think gains the least out of it. Sub doesn't reward thought as much, because shadowblades isn't nearly as multiplicative with dance as it is with vendetta- yes, it sims higher to use it during, but it's not just flat out strictly better in all ways like it is with vendetta. You basically just press it when it comes up and you have energy to make use of the extra CPs.

Just got a Sleight of Hand proc, wait even longer or just go?

Just go. Sadly, despite looking so engaging, with blades on sub you pretty much just press it when it is available, though pooling energy isn't a bad call.

[Ryme]

Indifferent to it, I know some on this forum openly oppose the ability, some think it's the best thing since sliced gnomes - personally, I barely give it much attention outside of "oh, I need to not go up to so many anticipation stacks now".

[mongoose6]

The uses of the CD aside, Shadow Blades is exactly what the community has been asking for. Rogue's were hollering about wanting a shadowy attack that ignores armor and deals shadow damage since i've been playing the game. So what I like best about the ability is that it shows that sometimes the voice of the community is heard by the developers.

[OyesOyess]

I really enjoy it actually think the idea of the actual ability itself is awesome. I kind of think that they should make each spec it do about the same thing but maybe each one has it's own little perk with the ability. Like for it to be more appealing to assassination when it's up a dark lethal poison gets applied which does slightly more damage than deadly while still keeping it's regular effect. But regardless I like the way it is an as a long time rogue player I don't think any rogue can complain with it.

[Coldkil]

It's nice, powerful and feels rogue-ish. Could use a better animation.

[ymirsson]

. Could use an animation.

fixed.

On topic: I like SB, but it is simply bound to my AR, it simply adds to it, feels strong, but bland.

[Raqubor]

It feels week to me as Assa, mostly cause I end up on 4cps all the time and I cut evis with it... so... not very good for Assa.

If they removed bandit's guile from combat I'd actually play that spec.

[Verain]

It's nice, powerful and feels rogue-ish. Could use a better animation.

100000% this

What happens: Purple balls on hands, same animation from warcraft III bloodlust recolored
What should happen: Your weapons become translucent purple copies of themselves, leaving black trails.

[Johnkie]

Shadowblades is fine, i like it. The additional shadow dmg from auto attacks is quite nice in addition.
Its good to time burst.

[Coldkil]

What should happen: Your weapons become translucent purple copies of themselves, leaving black trails.

Nice idea i was thinking about a smokey animation on weapons, but your idea is better.

[Squirl]

I like the purple glaives idea someone had awhile back. It's like Paladins getting Ashbringer when they pop Holy Avenger.

[Warstar]

Rogues could use a better animations in general.

*Super fixed.

I really enjoy SB. Most other classes either have just a flat +damage talent so nothing actually changes you just hit harder. Or, they have abilities like ferals berserk or BMs beast within that just reduce the cost of abilities so you have to just sit there for awhile pooling energy before you use those CDs or they're bad and once you do run out of resources they're bland.

Combat on the other hand gets adrenaline rush which lets you be super spammy and then shadow blades turns that into super spammy with finishers rather than just fillers so you get a flurry of action plus big numbers. I find that fun and the spamming of finishers to be rather fun.