2.1.1 Rotation and Playstyle

The Assassination rotation focuses on maintaining Deadly and Wound Poisons while using Mutilate to generate combo points. At 5 points, use Envenom to deal high damage. Kidney Shot provides a strong stun for burst damage. Venomous Wounds procs from poison ticks, restoring energy. The playstyle emphasizes poison management and timing finishers for maximum effectiveness. Proper energy management and cooldown usage are crucial for maintaining consistent DPS in both single-target and multi-target scenarios.

2.1.2 Talent Builds

For Assassination Rogues, the optimal talent build focuses on enhancing poison damage and energy efficiency. Key talents include Deadly Precision and Mutilate, which improve attack power and combo point generation. Venomous Wounds is essential for energy regeneration through poison ticks. Kidney Shot provides a powerful stun for burst damage setups. Optional talents like Leach of Life or Elusiveness can be chosen based on playstyle preferences for added utility or survivability in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

2.2 Subtlety Specialization

Subtlety Rogues excel at stealth and burst damage, focusing on Shadow Dance and Find Weakness for high critical strikes. This specialization emphasizes mobility and ambush tactics, making it ideal for players who enjoy a more tactical, complex playstyle. Subtlety relies on abilities like Rupture and Crimson Tempest to deal sustained damage while maintaining stealth for surprise attacks. It is a challenging yet rewarding path for experienced players seeking mastery of Rogue mechanics in both PvE and PvP scenarios. Subtlety’s burst potential and utility make it a strong choice for skilled players.

2.2.1 Rotation and Playstyle

Subtlety Rogues have a complex rotation centered around managing Shadow Dance and Find Weakness to maximize burst damage. The playstyle revolves around maintaining Rupture and Crimson Tempest on targets while using Shadow Dance for increased damage during cooldowns. Players must balance stealth mechanics with combo point generation, using abilities like Backstab and Hemorrhage to maintain damage output. The rotation requires precise timing and situational awareness, making it a challenging yet rewarding playstyle for skilled players.

2.2.2 Talent Builds

Subtlety Rogue talent builds focus on enhancing burst damage and stealth capabilities. Key talents include Shadow Dance for increased damage during cooldowns and Find Weakness to boost critical strike chances. Players often choose Improved Ambush for enhanced burst and Darkside for sustained energy regeneration. Talent selections prioritize abilities that synergize with Rupture and Crimson Tempest, ensuring optimal damage output. This build emphasizes agility and precision, making Subtlety Rogues formidable in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

2.3 Combat Specialization

Combat specialization focuses on maximizing damage through powerful cooldowns and energy efficiency. It emphasizes mobility and burst damage, making it ideal for players who enjoy a fast-paced playstyle. Key abilities like Sinister Strike and Eviscerate form the core of this specialization, with talents enhancing energy regeneration and attack speed. Combat Rogues rely on cooldowns like Adrenaline Rush to boost damage output, making it a versatile choice for both PvE and PvP scenarios. This spec is perfect for players who prefer a dynamic, high-energy playstyle.

2.3.1 Rotation and Playstyle

Combat Rogue rotation revolves around generating combo points with Sinister Strike and Revealing Strike, then consuming them with Eviscerate or Slash. Maintain Adrenaline Rush for increased energy regeneration and burst damage. Use Killing Spree as a high-damage cooldown. The playstyle emphasizes mobility and energy management, with a focus on maintaining uptime on targets. Combat Rogues excel at dynamic, fast-paced combat, making them adaptable to both single-target and AoE situations. The rotation is straightforward but requires careful cooldown timing for optimal damage output.

2.3.2 Talent Builds

Combat Rogue talent builds focus on maximizing damage output and energy efficiency. Key talents include Agonizing Poison for increased damage over time, Cut to the Chase for enhanced Sinister Strike proc chances, and Shadow Dance for improved burst damage. Standard builds also include Deadly Precision and Quick Draw for optimization. These talents synergize to create a high-damage, fast-paced playstyle. While some flexibility exists, the core talents remain consistent for both PvE and PvP scenarios, ensuring peak performance.

Talent Builds

Talent builds for Rogues in Mists of Pandaria are customizable to suit playstyles, enhancing damage output or control. They provide flexibility for PvE and PvP optimization.

3.1 PvE Talent Builds

PvE talent builds for Rogues in Mists of Pandaria focus on maximizing damage output while maintaining utility. Assassination emphasizes poison damage, with talents like Venomous Wounds and Dispatch. Subtlety relies on stealth and burst damage, utilizing Backstab and Eviscerate. Combat excels at fast-paced, high-energy attacks, with Adrenaline Rush and Killing Spree. Each specialization offers flexible talent choices to adapt to different raid or dungeon encounters, ensuring optimal performance in endgame content.

3.2 PvP Talent Builds

In PvP, Rogue talent builds prioritize control, burst damage, and survivability. Assassination excels with talents like Garrote and Crip, enhancing poison damage and crowd control. Subtlety focuses on stealth and ambush tactics, with Shadow Dance and Preparation for aggressive play. Combat emphasizes mobility and sustained damage, using Killing Spree and Adrenaline Rush. Each build adapts to different playstyles, ensuring versatility in Arena and Battleground scenarios while maintaining Rogue’s signature agility and lethality.

Rotation and Priorities

Rogue rotations vary by specialization but focus on maintaining combo points and using high-damage abilities like Eviscerate. Adaptability and cooldown management are key to maximizing damage output efficiently in both single-target and AoE scenarios.

4.1 Single-Target Rotation

For single-target damage, Rogues prioritize generating combo points with Sinister Strike or Backstab, leading to powerful finishers like Eviscerate or Dispatch. Assassination focuses on poison damage, while Subtlety uses Rupture and Crimson Tempest. Combat relies on Adrenaline Rush for burst damage. Maintain abilities like Garrote or Hemorrhage to optimize energy and cooldown usage, ensuring sustained, high-damage output. Adapting rotations based on specialization and encounter mechanics is crucial for maximizing effectiveness in single-target scenarios.

4.2 AoE Rotation

For area-of-effect (AoE) situations, Rogues prioritize multi-target damage using abilities like Crimson Tempest and Fan of Knives. Subtlety excels with Rupture and Crimson Tempest on multiple targets, while Combat uses Fan of Knives to cleave enemies. Assassination relies on Poisonous Wounds and Deadly Poison for consistent AoE damage. Always maintain at least 2-3 enemies in your attack range to maximize AoE efficiency, and use cooldowns like Adrenaline Rush for burst damage in Combat specialization.

Glyphs

Glyphs enhance your Rogue’s abilities and provide utility. Major Glyphs boost combat efficiency, while Minor Glyphs offer convenience or cosmetic changes. Choose Glyphs that optimize your playstyle for PvE or PvP roles.

5.1 Major Glyphs

Major Glyphs significantly enhance your Rogue’s combat effectiveness. Glyphs like Glyph of Vendetta and Glyph of Sinister Strike improve key abilities, boosting damage output. Others, such as Glyph of Cloak of Shadows, enhance survivability. These glyphs are crucial for optimizing your Rogue’s performance in both PvE and PvP, allowing for better mana management, increased damage, or improved defensive capabilities. Choose glyphs that align with your specialization and playstyle to maximize their impact in various gameplay scenarios.

5.2 Minor Glyphs

Minor Glyphs provide utility and cosmetic enhancements for Rogues in Mists of Pandaria. Glyphs like Glyph of Disguise and Glyph of the Pickpocket offer unique effects, such as altering your appearance or adding extra utility to pickpocketing. While these glyphs don’t directly impact combat performance, they enhance gameplay convenience and personalization. Choose Minor Glyphs that suit your playstyle or preferences, as they add flavor and functionality without affecting your Rogue’s core abilities, making them optional but enjoyable additions to your character.

Gear and Best in Slot

Proper gear is crucial for Rogue effectiveness. Focus on Best in Slot (BiS) items, prioritizing Agility and critical strike stats; Crafting professions enhance your equipment, ensuring optimal performance in both PvE and PvP encounters.

6.1 PvE Gear

Optimizing your PvE gear is essential for maximizing damage output. Prioritize Best in Slot items, focusing on tier sets for consistent bonuses. Agility is your primary stat, followed by critical strike and mastery. Enchant and gem your gear to enhance performance, favoring agility and critical strike gems. Crafting professions like Blacksmithing or Leatherworking can provide access to exclusive gear. Regularly update your equipment with raid drops and dungeon loot to maintain competitiveness in PvE content.

6.2 PvP Gear

In PvP, Rogues prioritize resilience and stamina to enhance survivability. Focus on acquiring PvP-specific gear, such as items from vendors or crafted sets, which often feature higher resilience. Agility remains important for damage output, but balance it with critical strike for burst potential. Opt for enchants and gems that boost resilience or stamina to maximize your durability in arenas and battlegrounds. Tailor your gear choices to your playstyle, emphasizing mobility and sustain for optimal PvP performance.

Professions

Professions like Engineering and Leatherworking are ideal for Rogues, offering powerful gear enhancements. Gathering professions such as Skinning provide materials and additional income, supporting your progression in MoP Classic.

7.1 Crafting Professions

Crafting professions like Leatherworking and Engineering are highly beneficial for Rogues. Leatherworking allows crafting agility-enhancing gear, while Engineering provides unique gadgets like rockets and traps. These professions complement Rogue playstyles, offering in-combat advantages. Leatherworking is particularly advantageous for crafting high-quality gloves and chest pieces, which are critical for agility-based builds. While other professions like Blacksmithing and Jewelcrafting are viable, they are less optimal for Rogues compared to Leatherworking and Engineering.

7.2 Gathering Professions

Gathering professions like Herbalism, Mining, and Skinning provide essential resources for Rogues. Herbalism supplies materials for potions and flasks, enhancing PvE and PvP performance. Mining offers metals and gems, useful for Engineering gadgets. Skinning provides leather, which is crucial for crafting agility-focused gear. While not directly tied to combat, these professions support crafting needs, making them valuable for self-sufficient Rogues aiming to optimize their equipment and resources efficiently in Mists of Pandaria Classic.

Consumables

Consumables like potions, flasks, and food buffs are crucial for optimizing Rogue performance. Potions such as Potion of Deadly Grace and Draenic Agility Potion enhance agility and attack power, while food buffs like Mark of the Frostborn King and Sea Mist Stew provide stamina and agility boosts, ensuring peak effectiveness in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

8.1 Potions

Potions are essential for optimizing Rogue performance in both PvE and PvP. Potion of Deadly Grace increases agility and attack power, enhancing damage output. Draenic Agility Potion provides a significant agility boost, improving crit chance and dodge. Potion of the Swollen Eel grants a temporary stamina increase, boosting survivability. These potions are particularly effective during intense raids or arenas, ensuring Rogues maintain peak effectiveness in critical moments. Always stock up on these potions to maximize your impact in combat situations.

8.2 Food Buffs

Food buffs play a crucial role in optimizing Rogue performance. Roasted Goat Meat and Mogu Steak provide a significant agility boost, enhancing attack power and crit chance. These dishes can be crafted or purchased from vendors, ensuring consistent performance. Additionally, Blanched Needlenose Snappers offer a stamina increase, improving survivability. Consuming food buffs before raids or PvP ensures Rogues maintain peak performance, making them indispensable for maximizing damage output and agility in any scenario. Always prioritize food buffs for optimal results.

Leveling Guide

This Rogue leveling guide covers the optimal path from 1 to 90 in Mists of Pandaria. It includes efficient leveling routes, rotation tips, and gear recommendations to help you progress quickly and effectively.

9.1 Leveling Builds

For leveling in Mists of Pandaria, the Combat specialization is highly recommended due to its energy efficiency and straightforward rotation. Use Sinister Strike and Eviscerate as primary abilities, with Revealing Strike for increased damage. For Assassination, focus on poison management with Deadly Poison and Eviscerate. Subtlety excels with Stealth and Backstab for burst damage. Talent-wise, prioritize Ruthlessness and Vitality for energy regeneration and mobility.

9.2 Leveling Tips

When leveling a Rogue in Mists of Pandaria, focus on using Stealth and Cheap Shot to control enemies and burst them down quickly. Prioritize abilities like Sinister Strike and Backstab for efficient energy use. Always maintain poisons on your weapons for additional damage over time. Use cooldowns like Sprint and Evasion strategically to avoid unnecessary damage and speed up your leveling process. Optimize your rotation for energy efficiency and focus on single-target damage to minimize downtime between kills.

Enchants and Gems

Enchants and gems significantly boost a Rogue’s effectiveness. Use Abyssal weapon enchants for increased agility and Greater Agility on gloves. Prioritize Delicate and Fractured gems for maximum agility.

10.1 Enchantments

Optimizing your gear with the right enchantments is crucial for Rogues in Mists of Pandaria. For weapons, Darkglow Embers or Celestial Guidance are top choices, enhancing agility and attack power. On gloves, Greater Agility provides a significant boost to your primary stat. For boots, Blurred Speed improves movement speed, while Ccloak of Shadows enhances stealth capabilities. These enchantments are tailored to maximize your Rogue’s agility, lethality, and mobility in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

10.2 Gems

For Rogues in Mists of Pandaria, agility is the primary stat to focus on when gemming. Use Delicate Primordial Ruby in weapons for maximum agility. In other slots, prioritize Delicate or Subtle gems to boost agility and critical strike. Socket bonuses should be considered if they provide agility or critical strike. This approach ensures optimal performance, enhancing your Rogue’s lethality and mobility in both PvE and PvP scenarios, making it ideal for endgame optimization and leveling alike.

PvP Guide

Rogues excel in PvP due to their stealth, burst damage, and control abilities. Mastering opener setups and cooldowns is crucial for dominating arenas and battlegrounds effectively.

11.1 PvP Strategies

Mastering Rogue PvP strategies involves exploiting opener setups and cooldowns. Focus on bursting targets with Eviscerate and Slice and Dice while managing Charges for mobility. Use Stealth to initiate and Sap or Kidney Shot to control enemies. Gouge and Blind can disable foes, creating openings for lethal strikes. Coordinate with allies to lock down targets, and avoid unnecessary risks. Proper positioning and timing are key to dominating arenas and battlegrounds.

11.2 PvP Gear and Talents

Optimizing your Rogue for PvP requires a focus on Agility and Mastery to enhance burst damage and survivability. Prioritize PvP-specific gear with high Resilience to reduce incoming damage. Talents like Preparation, Shadowstep, and Nerve Strike are crucial for control and mobility. Glyphs such as Glyph of Poisons and Glyph of Sprint enhance your effectiveness in arenas. Combine these with racial bonuses like Blood Fury (Orc) or Every Man for Himself (Human) to maximize your PvP potential.

Additional Tips

Mastering your Rogue requires precise cooldown management and energy optimization. Use stealth strategically in PvE for positional advantages and burst damage. Experiment with addons to enhance your gameplay experience and track key abilities effectively.

12.1 Optimization Tips

• Maximize cooldown usage: Plan ahead to align powerful abilities like Adrenaline Rush or Shadow Dance with high-damage phases.
• Optimize energy management: Avoid wasting energy—always aim for 5-point finishes to maintain Combo Point efficiency.
• Positioning matters: Use the environment to your advantage, especially in raids, to avoid unnecessary damage and maximize mobility.
• Track debuffs: Ensure Rupture and Crimson Tempest are maintained on targets for consistent damage output.
• Use addons wisely: Utilize tools like Deadly Boss Mods or ClassTimer to monitor cooldowns and enhance performance.

These optimizations ensure peak performance, making you a formidable force in both PvE and PvP scenarios.

12.2 Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overextending cooldowns: Avoid using Adrenaline Rush or Shadow Dance during low-damage phases.
• Ignoring DoT refreshes: Always refresh Rupture and Crimson Tempest before they expire.
• Poor positioning: Standing in cleave zones or failing to reposition can lead to unnecessary damage.
• Neglecting debuff tracking: Missing Exposure or Garrote can significantly reduce damage output.
• Underutilizing abilities: Failing to use Eviscerate or Slice and Dice at 5 Combo Points wastes potential.

Avoiding these common mistakes ensures smoother gameplay and higher overall performance as a Rogue in MoP Classic.