Subtlety Rogue
Strike from the shadows.
The stealth rogue: Ambush, Hemorrhage, Preparation, and WoW Forever's new 31-point Death Mark, which stores your damage and lands it 6 sec later.
Three things to remember
Openers win
Premeditation and Ambush from stealth start every fight ahead.
Garrote from any side
Dirty Deeds: Garrote no longer needs you behind the target, and Cheap Shot and Garrote cost 10 less.
Death Mark at 40
Your 31-point finisher: it stores part of your damage (Garrote and Rupture count double) and deals it after 6 sec.
What changed for you
Shank
New: an off-hand strike that cannot miss, cheap, on a 10-sec cooldown, and it gives you energy back. Several talents build on it.
Poisons are a secondary skill
Like First Aid, and Lockpicking is its own skill too. Train them up as you go.
Poised
New: at full energy out of combat, your next ability costs 10 less. Free value on every opener.
Death Mark
A new finisher that stores your damage and releases it 6 sec later.
Boot Knife
Shank has a 20% chance to give 2 combo points.
Dirty Tricks and Quick Getaway
Cheaper Sap and Blind, a second Sapped target, and a speed boost after you Sap.
Low-level tips and what to press as you level
- Sinister Strike to build combo points, Eviscerate at 3 to 5 points.
- Open from Stealth when you can; it is your free first hit.
- Use the fastest dagger or sword you find in the main hand.
- Take Opportunity (stronger stealth openers) and Master of Deception.
- Open every pull with Ambush (dagger) or Garrote.
- Shank on cooldown.
- Take Dirty Deeds, Camouflage and Initiative.
- Premeditation for 2 combo points before you open.
- Take Ghostly Strike for a dodge boost in melee.
- Take Hemorrhage, Preparation and Boot Knife.
- Death Mark (31-point) after Garrote and Rupture.
- Vanish, then Ambush again on elites.
Your priority
A simple order for Subtlety at 60, from the simulator's rogue list.
- Premeditation, then Ambush or Garrote from stealth.
- Slice and Dice keep it up.
- Shank on cooldown (Boot Knife combo points).
- Death Mark at 5 combo points, with Garrote and Rupture running.
- Rupture or Eviscerate at 5 combo points.
- Hemorrhage to build combo points (Ghostly Strike when you need the dodge).
- Vanish and Preparation for a second Ambush on bosses.
Talents that matter
| Talent | Tree | Why take it |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity | Subtlety | Stronger stealth openers. |
| Master of Deception | Subtlety | Harder to spot in stealth. |
| Dirty Deeds | Subtlety | Cheaper Cheap Shot and Garrote; Garrote from any side. |
| Camouflage | Subtlety | Faster stealth movement, shorter Stealth cooldown. |
| Initiative | Subtlety | Extra combo points from openers. |
| Premeditation | Subtlety | 2 combo points before you attack. |
| Ghostly Strike | Subtlety | A strike that raises your dodge. |
| Hemorrhage | Subtlety | A combo builder with any weapon. |
| Preparation | Subtlety | Resets your rogue cooldowns. |
| Boot Knife | Subtlety | Shank can give 2 combo points. |
| Death Mark | Subtlety (31) | Stored damage released after 6 sec. |
Best race for this spec
Perception spots other stealthers and Will to Survive breaks stuns, both big in PvP. Dwarf for raiding.
Will of the Forsaken breaks fears and charms. Troll for raiding.
| Race | Side | Racials |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Alliance | Ruthless: +1% crit. The Human Spirit: +10% Spirit. Will to Survive: break out of a stun. Perception: spot stealthed players. |
| Dwarf | Alliance | Artisan's Precision: +1% hit with attacks and spells. Stoneform: removes bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec. Big Game Hunter: +5% damage to Beasts. |
| Night Elf | Alliance | Elune's Light: +10% crit for 15 sec. Shadowmeld: hide when standing still. Quickness: +1% dodge and a little extra run speed. |
| Gnome | Alliance | Eureka!: 10% more damage and cheaper abilities for 8 sec (also boosts Power Word: Shield). Expansive Mind: +5% maximum mana (rage for Warriors, energy for Rogues). Escape Artist: break out of roots and slows. |
| Skyborne (High Order) | Alliance | Wind Blessed: +2% attack and casting speed. Elemental Insight: +5% damage to Elementals. Walk on Air. Read Leyline: +50% mana and health regeneration for 15 sec (+100% while Attuned from a Ley Line; Attuned ends when you enter a raid). Paid race. |
| Orc | Horde | Blood Fury: +10% attack power and spell power for 15 sec, every 2 minutes. Command: +5% damage for Hunter and Warlock pets. Shatter Curse: 5% less magic damage taken for 8 sec. |
| Undead | Horde | Touch of the Grave: your hits can drain health from the target (30% chance for casters, 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors; once every 15 sec). Will of the Forsaken: break fear, charm and sleep. Cannibalize: eat a corpse to heal. |
| Troll | Horde | Berserking: faster attacks and casts for 15 sec. Beast Slaying: +5% damage to Beasts. |
| Skyborne (Windshaper) | Horde | Wind Blessed: +2% attack and casting speed. Elemental Insight: +5% damage to Elementals. Walk on Air. Skysight: +15% run speed for 15 sec (+30% while Charged from an elemental convergence; Charged ends when you enter a raid). Paid race. |
These are small edges, about 1 to 2 percent. Play the race you enjoy and the side your friends are on. Skyborne needs the paid Skyborne Heroic Pack.
Play it better
Dagger for Ambush
Ambush needs a dagger. Hemorrhage works with any weapon.
Sap and skip
With Dirty Tricks and Quick Getaway, Sap two mobs and walk past packs in dungeons.
Death Mark loves bleeds
Garrote and Rupture store at double rate. Start them before Death Mark.
Stealth is your reset
Vanish and Preparation give you a second opener on bosses.
When something seems off
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Running out of energy | Do not spend energy on finishers at 1 or 2 combo points, and use Shank: it gives energy back. |
| My poisons are gone | Poisons are a secondary skill now: train it, buy the reagents, and put poison on both weapons. |
| Ambush will not cast | You need to be in stealth, behind the target, with a dagger. |
| Death Mark did little | It stores damage after you cast it. Keep hitting for 6 sec, with bleeds running. |
Let Bonkr Compass+ call your buttons
Compass+ shows your next button and knows when you are in stealth, so it suggests your openers. Type /cplus why to see why it picked a spell.