Rogues get Mutilate in Assassination, trade the weapon specialization talents for Hack and Slash and end two trees in new 31-point talents. Rogues can also learn one-handed axes, Blizzard’s October 7 deep dive confirms.
Official changes come from Blizzard's Deep Dive, What's Next and Found Photos panels; talent facts come from the same talent data as our calculator (where it comes from); hands-on reports are marked. Last reviewed: .
A Rogue picks its fights: Stealth to reach the target, a stun or Sap to open, combo points into a finisher, and Vanish when it goes wrong. Forever keeps the trainer spell book almost exactly as it was (no new trainer abilities in the beta client) and puts the change into the talents: Mutilate for Assassination, Hack and Slash in place of the weapon specializations, and two new 31-point talents, Venom and Thousand Cuts.
You’ll enjoy it if
You hate waiting on the Energy tick. Energy now recovers continuously instead of every two seconds, Blizzard’s class highlights video shows.
You like controlling a fight before it starts: Sap, Cheap Shot, Gouge and Blind still let a Rogue take on more than it should.
You want to pick your weapon freely: Hack and Slash gives axes and swords, daggers and fist weapons, and maces each their own bonus.
You like poisons: they share the weapon with a sharpening stone, and Assassination’s Venom finisher raises their damage and how often they apply.
You want to skip what you don’t need: Stealth past pulls you don’t need is still the fastest way through a zone.
Think twice if
You want to tank or heal. A Rogue has one role, melee damage.
You want to deal with several enemies at once. Blade Flurry (Combat) is your main answer, and tanks in Forever hold only three or four, so your crowd control is expected.
You want something new on the trainer: the beta client’s Rogue spell book has no new abilities, only changed ones.
What groups want from you
Sap before the pull, the job Blizzard says it wants Rogues to have when a pack is too big to tank safely, and Blind or Gouge on the extra enemy, since the tank holds only three or four.
Kick to interrupt casters, and Kidney Shot to stop one that matters.
Expose Armor, which no longer blocks a Warrior’s Sunder Armor, and lockpicking for boxes and doors.
Damage, with Feint to drop threat, twice as much as in Classic by Blizzard’s deep dive.
Solo play and gold
Solo, a Rogue opens from Stealth with Cheap Shot or Ambush, builds combo points with Sinister Strike or Backstab, keeps Slice and Dice up, and finishes with Eviscerate. With kills taking 10–15 seconds from about level 10–15, Slice and Dice and a good opener matter more than burst. Evasion, Sprint and Vanish get you out.
Pick Pocket and lockboxes add gold that other classes don’t get, and Skinning or Mining on the side covers the rest. The Leatherworking Camp Tent grants rested experience, and leather armor is what you wear.
02 Three ways to play a Rogue
Assassination and Subtlety end in new 31-point talents, Venom and Thousand Cuts; Combat keeps Adrenaline Rush. The four weapon specialization talents are gone and replaced by one. Blizzard says Combat and Subtlety support every weapon type: Combat for hard-hitting direct damage with a little cleave from Blade Flurry, Subtlety for combat tricks and Bleeds. The icons show the talents in the Rogue Talent Calculator; hover or tap one for its full tooltip.
Assassination
Poisons and Mutilate
Mutilate attacks with both weapons at once for two combo points and hits harder on poisoned targets, so Assassination becomes a dual-wield spec built on poisons rather than on Cold Blood and a Combat or Subtlety finish. Venom, the new 31-point talent, is a finisher that raises the damage of your poisons and your chance to apply them for longer the more combo points you spend.
In Classic, Vigor at 31 points was rarely worth the trip; Venom gives the tree an ending of its own. Assassination loses no talents in the beta client, so Cold Blood, Seal Fate and the rest of the Classic tree are still there.
Blizzard’s deep dive expects Assassination to spend its finishers on keeping Venom and Slice and Dice up, with Rupture and Eviscerate behind them. Cold Blood now comes at 16 points (level 25) and Seal Fate no longer requires it; Improved Poisons gives each poison application up to a 50% chance not to use a charge.
Forever talents to know
Mutilate
Assassination · tier 5 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Instantly attacks with both weapons for 75% weapon damage plus an additional 17 with each weapon. Damage increased by 20% against Poisoned targets. Awards 2 Combo Points.
Mutilate
Venom
Assassination · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Finishing move that increases the damage of your Poisons by 30% and your chance to apply Poisons by 10%. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 9 sec; 2 points: 12 sec; 3 points: 15 sec; 4 points: 18 sec; 5 points: 21 sec.
Venom
Combat
Sustained damage · the leveling spec
Hack and Slash replaces Dagger, Sword, Mace and Fist Weapon Specialization with one talent: a chance for extra attacks with axes and swords, critical strike with daggers and fist weapons, armor ignored with maces. Rogues can learn one-handed axes in Forever, which is why axes share the sword bonus.
Puncturing Wounds, which Blizzard describes as the former Improved Backstab, adds critical strike to Backstab and Mutilate and a chance for an extra combo point. Aggression now raises Backstab too: Blizzard says Combat is meant to support a Backstab build as well as a Sinister Strike one. Flawless Execution, the new 16-point talent (level 25), takes 10 Energy off Eviscerate, and Adrenaline Rush stays at 31 points. The demo data had a talent called Restless Blades in Flawless Execution’s place; Blizzard’s October 7 deep dive lists only Flawless Execution.
Forever talents to know
Hack and Slash
Combat · tier 5 · max rank 5
Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 1% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 1%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 3% of your target's armor.
Rank 5: Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 5% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 5%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 15% of your target's armor.
Hack and Slash
Puncturing Wounds
Combat · tier 2 · max rank 3
Increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 10% and your Mutilate by 5%, and gives Backstab a 15% chance to add an additional Combo Point.
Rank 3: Increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 30% and your Mutilate by 15%, and gives Backstab a 45% chance to add an additional Combo Point.
Puncturing Wounds
Flawless Execution
Combat · tier 4 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Reduces the Energy cost of your Eviscerate ability by 10.
Flawless Execution
Adrenaline Rush
Combat · tier 7 · max rank 1
Increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 sec.
Adrenaline Rush
Subtlety
Openers, bleeds and control
Thousand Cuts ties Subtlety to Rupture: each tick of Rupture cheapens your next Hemorrhage or Backstab, stacking up to five times, so Subtlety becomes a bleed spec that keeps Rupture up instead of an opener-only spec ending in Premeditation. Cutthroat gives Backstab a chance to let your next Ambush work outside Stealth, and Quietus raises Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike and Hemorrhage on low-health targets. Blizzard built the two as a pair: Quietus for a Sinister Strike build, Cutthroat for a Backstab one. Premeditation, the Classic 31-point talent, now comes at 16 points.
Dirty Tricks halves the Energy cost of Sap and Blind, and Improved Distract widens Distract and makes it hide you better, both tools for PvP and for getting through dungeons unseen. Dirty Tricks is the former Improved Sap, redesigned now that Sap never breaks Stealth; Sleight of Hand and Deadliness are gone.
Forever talents to know
Thousand Cuts
Subtlety · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
When your Rupture ability deals periodic damage, the Energy cost of your next Hemorrhage or Backstab ability within 10 sec is reduced by 3, stacking up to 5 times.
Thousand Cuts
Cutthroat
Subtlety · tier 6 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Your Backstab has a 3% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.
Rank 5: Your Backstab has a 15% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.
Cutthroat
Quietus
Subtlety · tier 6 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 2% more damage against targets below 35% health.
Rank 5: Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 10% more damage against targets below 35% health.
Quietus
Dirty Tricks
Subtlety · tier 2 · max rank 2
Reduces the Energy cost of your Sap and Blind abilities by 25%.
Rank 2: Reduces the Energy cost of your Sap and Blind abilities by 50%.
Dirty Tricks
Improved Distract
Subtlety · tier 3 · max rank 2
★ New in Forever
Increases the radius of your Distract ability by 3 yds, and further reduces the Stealth detection of distracted enemies as though they were an additional 1 level lower.
Rank 2: Increases the radius of your Distract ability by 5 yds, and further reduces the Stealth detection of distracted enemies as though they were an additional 2 levels lower.
Improved Distract
Dual Specialization opens at level 40, Blizzard’s class deep dives say; you change talents at a class trainer in a major city.
Rogue talent trees at a glance
Each tree’s 31-point talent and how many talents changed. The full list, with every rank, is in the talent calculator.
Assassination New
Venom
Assassination · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Finishing move that increases the damage of your Poisons by 30% and your chance to apply Poisons by 10%. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 9 sec; 2 points: 12 sec; 3 points: 15 sec; 4 points: 18 sec; 5 points: 21 sec.
Venom
Replaces Vigor
2 new
0 removed
5 moved
Mutilate
Assassination · tier 5 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Instantly attacks with both weapons for 75% weapon damage plus an additional 17 with each weapon. Damage increased by 20% against Poisoned targets. Awards 2 Combo Points.
Venom
Assassination · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Finishing move that increases the damage of your Poisons by 30% and your chance to apply Poisons by 10%. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 9 sec; 2 points: 12 sec; 3 points: 15 sec; 4 points: 18 sec; 5 points: 21 sec.
Combat
Adrenaline Rush
Combat · tier 7 · max rank 1
Increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 sec.
Adrenaline Rush
Same 31-point talent as Classic
1 new
2 renamed or reworked
0 removed
1 moved
Flawless Execution
Combat · tier 4 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
Reduces the Energy cost of your Eviscerate ability by 10.
Subtlety New
Thousand Cuts
Subtlety · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
When your Rupture ability deals periodic damage, the Energy cost of your next Hemorrhage or Backstab ability within 10 sec is reduced by 3, stacking up to 5 times.
Thousand Cuts
Replaces Premeditation
4 new
1 renamed or reworked
2 removed
7 moved
Improved Distract
Subtlety · tier 3 · max rank 2
★ New in Forever
Increases the radius of your Distract ability by 3 yds, and further reduces the Stealth detection of distracted enemies as though they were an additional 1 level lower.
Rank 2: Increases the radius of your Distract ability by 5 yds, and further reduces the Stealth detection of distracted enemies as though they were an additional 2 levels lower.
Quietus
Subtlety · tier 6 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 2% more damage against targets below 35% health.
Rank 5: Your Sinister Strike, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities cause 10% more damage against targets below 35% health.
Cutthroat
Subtlety · tier 6 · max rank 5
★ New in Forever
Your Backstab has a 3% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.
Rank 5: Your Backstab has a 15% chance to cause your next Ambush within 10 sec to not require Stealth.
Thousand Cuts
Subtlety · tier 7 · max rank 1
★ New in Forever
When your Rupture ability deals periodic damage, the Energy cost of your next Hemorrhage or Backstab ability within 10 sec is reduced by 3, stacking up to 5 times.
Rogue leveling looks like Classic’s, because the trainer barely changed: Sinister Strike and Eviscerate from level 1, Backstab at 4, Stealth openers, Slice and Dice at 10 and poisons from 20 after the poison quest. Combat with swords or maces was the Classic leveling spec, and with Hack and Slash any one-handers work, axes included.
Dungeon enemies give much less experience in Forever and dungeon quests much more; Rogues are rarely short of groups, so run each dungeon once with its quests (the WoW Forever dungeons guide lists all 9). The experience needed to reach 60 is the same as in Classic: Wowhead retracted its datamine of a lower curve after Blizzard explained the file isn’t used by the game (see the WoW Forever leveling guide).
Rogue key levels
The levels where the abilities in the table below arrive. Hover, focus or tap a level to see everything a Rogue trainer teaches that is new at it; every icon has its tooltip.
Eviscerate
Eviscerate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 35 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage per combo point, increased by Attack Power: 1 point: 6-10 damage; 2 points: 11-15 damage; 3 points: 16-20 damage; 4 points: 21-25 damage; 5 points: 26-30 damage.
Sinister Strike
Sinister Strike
New at level 1: 4
Eviscerate
Eviscerate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 35 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage per combo point, increased by Attack Power: 1 point: 6-10 damage; 2 points: 11-15 damage; 3 points: 16-20 damage; 4 points: 21-25 damage; 5 points: 26-30 damage.
Pick Lock
Pick Lock
Sinister Strike
Sinister Strike
Stealth
Stealth
Backstab
Backstab
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 60 Energy
Cast time instant
Backstab the target, causing 150% weapon damage plus 10 to the target. Must be behind the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
New at level 4: 2
Backstab
Backstab
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 60 Energy
Cast time instant
Backstab the target, causing 150% weapon damage plus 10 to the target. Must be behind the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
Pick Pocket
Pick Pocket
Gouge
Gouge
Rank 1 · level 6
Cost 45 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Causes 10 damage, stops your attack, and incapacitates the target for 4 sec. The target must be facing you. Any damage taken will break the effect. Awards 1 combo point.
New at level 6: 1
Gouge
Gouge
Rank 1 · level 6
Cost 45 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Causes 10 damage, stops your attack, and incapacitates the target for 4 sec. The target must be facing you. Any damage taken will break the effect. Awards 1 combo point.
Evasion
Evasion
New at level 8: 1
Evasion
Evasion
Sap
Sap
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 65 Energy
Cast time instant
Incapacitates the target for up to 25 sec. Only works on Humanoids that are not in combat. Any damage taken will break the effect. Only 1 target may be sapped at a time. Does not break Stealth.
Slice and Dice
Slice and Dice
New at level 10: 3
Sap
Sap
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 65 Energy
Cast time instant
Incapacitates the target for up to 25 sec. Only works on Humanoids that are not in combat. Any damage taken will break the effect. Only 1 target may be sapped at a time. Does not break Stealth.
Slice and Dice
Slice and Dice
Sprint
Sprint
Kick
Kick
New at level 12: 1
Kick
Kick
Feint
Feint
Rank 1 · level 16
Cost 20 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Performs a feint, causing no damage but lowering your threat by a small amount, making the enemy less likely to attack you.
New at level 16: 1
Feint
Feint
Rank 1 · level 16
Cost 20 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Performs a feint, causing no damage but lowering your threat by a small amount, making the enemy less likely to attack you.
Rupture
Rupture
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 25 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage over time, increased by your Attack Power. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 25 damage over 8 secs; 2 points: 37 damage over 10 secs; 3 points: 51 damage over 12 secs; 4 points: 68 damage over 14 secs; 5 points: 87 damage over 16 secs.
New at level 20: 3
Crippling Poison
Crippling Poison
Poisons
Poisons
Rupture
Rupture
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 25 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage over time, increased by your Attack Power. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 25 damage over 8 secs; 2 points: 37 damage over 10 secs; 3 points: 51 damage over 12 secs; 4 points: 68 damage over 14 secs; 5 points: 87 damage over 16 secs.
Distract
Distract
Level 22
Cost 30 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 30 sec
Throws a distraction, attracting the attention of all nearby enemies and reducing their Stealth detection as if they were 1 level lower for 10 seconds. Does not break stealth.
Vanish
Vanish
New at level 22: 2
Distract
Distract
Level 22
Cost 30 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 30 sec
Throws a distraction, attracting the attention of all nearby enemies and reducing their Stealth detection as if they were 1 level lower for 10 seconds. Does not break stealth.
Vanish
Vanish
Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot
New at level 26: 1
Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot
Deadly Poison
Deadly Poison
Rank 1 · level 30
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 24 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 90 charges.
New at level 30: 3
Deadly Poison
Deadly Poison
Rank 1 · level 30
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 24 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 90 charges.
Disarm Trap
Disarm Trap
Kidney Shot
Kidney Shot
Blind
Blind
New at level 34: 2
Blind
Blind
Blinding Powder
Blinding Powder
New trainer abilities per level band
Each ability counted once, at the level its first rank is trained in the Forever beta client; abilities the beta removed are left out. Pick a bar to list them.
Every raceSome races only
New at levels 1–9: 8
Eviscerate
Eviscerate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 35 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage per combo point, increased by Attack Power: 1 point: 6-10 damage; 2 points: 11-15 damage; 3 points: 16-20 damage; 4 points: 21-25 damage; 5 points: 26-30 damage.
Pick Lock
Pick Lock
Sinister Strike
Sinister Strike
Stealth
Stealth
Backstab
Backstab
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 60 Energy
Cast time instant
Backstab the target, causing 150% weapon damage plus 10 to the target. Must be behind the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
Pick Pocket
Pick Pocket
Gouge
Gouge
Rank 1 · level 6
Cost 45 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Causes 10 damage, stops your attack, and incapacitates the target for 4 sec. The target must be facing you. Any damage taken will break the effect. Awards 1 combo point.
Evasion
Evasion
New at levels 10–19: 8
Sap
Sap
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 65 Energy
Cast time instant
Incapacitates the target for up to 25 sec. Only works on Humanoids that are not in combat. Any damage taken will break the effect. Only 1 target may be sapped at a time. Does not break Stealth.
Slice and Dice
Slice and Dice
Sprint
Sprint
Kick
Kick
Expose Armor
Expose Armor
Rank 1 · level 14
Cost 25 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that exposes the target for 30 sec, reducing Armor per combo point: 1 point: 90 Armor; 2 points: 180 Armor; 3 points: 270 Armor; 4 points: 360 Armor; 5 points: 450 Armor.
Garrote
Garrote
Feint
Feint
Rank 1 · level 16
Cost 20 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Performs a feint, causing no damage but lowering your threat by a small amount, making the enemy less likely to attack you.
Ambush
Ambush
New at levels 20–29: 9
Crippling Poison
Crippling Poison
Poisons
Poisons
Rupture
Rupture
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 25 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage over time, increased by your Attack Power. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 25 damage over 8 secs; 2 points: 37 damage over 10 secs; 3 points: 51 damage over 12 secs; 4 points: 68 damage over 14 secs; 5 points: 87 damage over 16 secs.
Distract
Distract
Level 22
Cost 30 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 30 sec
Throws a distraction, attracting the attention of all nearby enemies and reducing their Stealth detection as if they were 1 level lower for 10 seconds. Does not break stealth.
Vanish
Vanish
Detect Traps
Detect Traps
Mind-numbing Poison
Mind-numbing Poison
Rank 1 · level 24
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy, increasing their casting time by 40% for 10 sec. 75 charges.
Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot
Instant Poison II
Instant Poison II
Rank 2 · level 28
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy which instantly inflicts 20 to 26 Nature damage. 85 charges.
New at levels 30–39: 9
Deadly Poison
Deadly Poison
Rank 1 · level 30
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 24 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 90 charges.
Disarm Trap
Disarm Trap
Kidney Shot
Kidney Shot
Wound Poison
Wound Poison
Rank 1 · level 32
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy, reducing all healing effects used on them by 67 for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 90 charges.
Blind
Blind
Blinding Powder
Blinding Powder
Instant Poison III
Instant Poison III
Rank 3 · level 36
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy which instantly inflicts 29 to 37 Nature damage. 105 charges.
Deadly Poison II
Deadly Poison II
Rank 2 · level 38
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 36 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 115 charges.
Mind-numbing Poison II
Mind-numbing Poison II
Rank 2 · level 38
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy, increasing their casting time by 50% for 12 sec. 115 charges.
New at levels 40–49: 5
Safe Fall
Safe Fall
Wound Poison II
Wound Poison II
Rank 2 · level 40
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy, reducing all healing effects used on them by 92 for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 115 charges.
Instant Poison IV
Instant Poison IV
Rank 4 · level 44
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy which instantly inflicts 45 to 57 Nature damage. 1800 charges.
Deadly Poison III
Deadly Poison III
Rank 3 · level 46
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 56 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 135 charges.
Wound Poison III
Wound Poison III
Rank 3 · level 48
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy, reducing all healing effects used on them by 128 for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 135 charges.
New at levels 50–60: 7
Crippling Poison II
Crippling Poison II
Instant Poison V
Instant Poison V
Rank 5 · level 52
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy which instantly inflicts 62 to 80 Nature damage. 150 charges.
Mind-numbing Poison III
Mind-numbing Poison III
Rank 3 · level 52
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy, increasing their casting time by 60% for 14 sec. 150 charges.
Deadly Poison IV
Deadly Poison IV
Rank 4 · level 54
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 72 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 160 charges.
Wound Poison IV
Wound Poison IV
Rank 4 · level 56
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy, reducing all healing effects used on them by 165 for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 160 charges.
Deadly Poison V
Deadly Poison V
Rank 5 · level 60
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 92 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 180 charges.
Instant Poison VI
Instant Poison VI
Rank 6 · level 60
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 20% chance of poisoning the enemy which instantly inflicts 76 to 100 Nature damage. 175 charges.
Rogue abilities by level
The trainer abilities that shape a Rogue’s leveling, in the order you learn them. The middle column is read from the Forever beta client against Classic Era, so it can still change.
Ability
Learned
In the Forever beta
Why it matters
Eviscerate
Eviscerate
Rank 1 · level 1
Cost 35 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage per combo point, increased by Attack Power: 1 point: 6-10 damage; 2 points: 11-15 damage; 3 points: 16-20 damage; 4 points: 21-25 damage; 5 points: 26-30 damage.
Level 19 ranks, levels 1–60
Tooltip numbers changed
Your finisher from level 1; Flawless Execution (Combat) cheapens it.
Sinister Strike
Sinister Strike
Level 18 ranks, levels 1–54
Unchanged
Your combo point builder with any weapon.
Backstab
Backstab
Rank 1 · level 4
Cost 60 Energy
Cast time instant
Backstab the target, causing 150% weapon damage plus 10 to the target. Must be behind the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
Level 49 ranks, levels 4–60
Tooltip numbers changed (9 ranks)
The dagger builder from behind; Puncturing Wounds and Thousand Cuts build on it.
Gouge
Gouge
Rank 1 · level 6
Cost 45 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Causes 10 damage, stops your attack, and incapacitates the target for 4 sec. The target must be facing you. Any damage taken will break the effect. Awards 1 combo point.
Level 65 ranks, levels 6–60
Tooltip wording changed (5 ranks)
Stops a target for a few seconds so you can bandage, get behind it or reset.
Evasion
Evasion
Level 8
Unchanged
Your defensive cooldown when you can’t get away.
Sap
Sap
Rank 1 · level 10
Cost 65 Energy
Cast time instant
Incapacitates the target for up to 25 sec. Only works on Humanoids that are not in combat. Any damage taken will break the effect. Only 1 target may be sapped at a time. Does not break Stealth.
Level 103 ranks, levels 10–48
Tooltip wording changed (3 ranks)
Takes a Humanoid out of the pull before it starts and leaves you in Stealth; Dirty Tricks halves its cost.
Slice and Dice
Slice and Dice
Level 102 ranks, levels 10–42
Unchanged
Attack speed for the whole fight; keep it up before anything else.
Kick
Kick
Level 124 ranks, levels 12–58
Unchanged
Your interrupt; groups count on it for every caster pull.
Feint
Feint
Rank 1 · level 16
Cost 20 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 10 sec
Performs a feint, causing no damage but lowering your threat by a small amount, making the enemy less likely to attack you.
Level 165 ranks, levels 16–60
Growth per level: +-1 per level → +-5 per level (5 ranks)
Drops twice the threat it did in Classic.
Rupture
Rupture
Rank 1 · level 20
Cost 25 Energy
Cast time instant
Finishing move that causes damage over time, increased by your Attack Power. Lasts longer per combo point: 1 point: 25 damage over 8 secs; 2 points: 37 damage over 10 secs; 3 points: 51 damage over 12 secs; 4 points: 68 damage over 14 secs; 5 points: 87 damage over 16 secs.
Level 206 ranks, levels 20–60
Tooltip numbers changed (6 ranks)
The bleed Subtlety’s Thousand Cuts keys off.
Distract
Distract
Level 22
Cost 30 Energy
Cast time instant
Cooldown 30 sec
Throws a distraction, attracting the attention of all nearby enemies and reducing their Stealth detection as if they were 1 level lower for 10 seconds. Does not break stealth.
Level 22
Duration: none → 10 sec
Tooltip numbers changed
In the beta client it also lowers the enemies’ Stealth detection for 10 seconds; Improved Distract widens it.
Vanish
Vanish
Level 222 ranks, levels 22–42
Unchanged
Your way out, as in Classic.
Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot
Level 26
Unchanged
The stun opener from Stealth.
Deadly Poison
Deadly Poison
Rank 1 · level 30
Cast time 3 sec
Coats a weapon with poison that lasts for 30 minutes. Each strike has a 30% chance of poisoning the enemy for 24 Nature damage over 12 sec. Stacks up to 5 times on a single target. 90 charges.
Level 30
Tooltip numbers changed
Your stacking poison; Venom (Assassination) makes poisons hit harder and more often.
Blind
Blind
Level 34
Unchanged
Takes one enemy out of a fight; Dirty Tricks halves its cost.
Every trainer ability that is new, changed or gone for Rogues, read from the beta client: Rogue abilities in WoW Forever.
Since the October 15 beta build no racial depends on your weapon, and the October 26 notes keep it that way: Human Ruthless is 1% crit (was 2%), Orc Savage is gone, and Dwarf Earth Fury is gone (Dwarves gain Artisan’s Precision, 1% hit). So pick the Hack and Slash branch for the weapon you like, not for your race.
For Stealth play, Night Elf Shadowmeld drops you out of combat and Elune’s Light is a crit burst; Gnome Expansive Mind raises maximum Energy and Escape Artist breaks roots; Undead break fear with Will of the Forsaken; Trolls have Berserking. Skyborne Rogues, new on both factions, add Haste with Wind Blessed and glide with Walk on Air.
Races for Rogues
Every race that can be a Rogue in Forever and what it brings to the class.
New in ForeverWind Blessed Haste; Walk on Air. Windshaper Rogues train with Shenthul in Orgrimmar since the October 1 beta build.
05 Coming from Classic
The trainer barely changed: poisons, finishers and openers work as in Classic, with a Sap that leaves you in Stealth, Feint dropping more threat, Distract also lowering Stealth detection and a stronger Expose Armor. The talents changed more. Weapon choice no longer comes from one specialization talent per weapon type, so a Combat Rogue can use whatever drops; Assassination gets its own finisher and Mutilate; Subtlety leans into Rupture.
Hit and critical strike are one stat across melee, ranged and spells, and gear gives less weapon skill, which was a Classic Rogue’s big gear goal. Every changed trainer ability is in WoW Forever Rogue abilities.
What changes for Rogues
Game data
Mutilate joins Assassination, and Combat gains Hack and Slash, a bonus that depends on the weapon: a chance for extra attacks with axes and swords, critical strike chance with daggers and fist weapons, and attacks that ignore some armor with maces.
Game data
The Sword, Mace, Dagger and Fist Weapon Specialization talents are gone.
Blizzard
Rogues can learn one-handed axes: Blizzard’s Rogue deep dive of October 7 confirms what players reported from the demo.
Blizzard
Racial weapon bonuses are gone since the October 15 beta build; the October 26 notes keep them gone: Human Ruthless is 1% crit with any weapon, Earth Fury and Savage are removed. Gear gives less weapon skill than in Classic.
Blizzard
Hit and critical strike are merged across melee, ranged and spells.
Blizzard
October 1 beta build: a missed Expose Armor no longer costs all your combo points.
Blizzard
Setup adds a combo point only when your current target is the one whose attack you dodged or whose spell you resisted.
Blizzard
On the WoW Forever Podcast episode 2, the developers said Subtlety’s 31-point talent will become Death Mark, which stores the damage you deal to a target and bursts after 6 seconds, and that Rogues are meant to do the highest single-target damage.
Blizzard
Deep dive, October 7: every poison has more charges (Deadly Poison V has 180 in the beta client, 105 in Classic) and can share a weapon with a sharpening stone or weightstone.
Blizzard
Sap no longer breaks Stealth, Feint drops twice the threat, and enemies caught by Distract detect Stealth worse for 10 seconds; enemy players see that debuff and know a Rogue is near.
Blizzard
Expose Armor at five combo points removes as much armor as five Sunder Armors of about the same level (2,250 at rank 5 in the beta client, 1,700 in Classic) and no longer stops a Warrior from applying Sunder Armor; Sunder Armor replaces it only when the Expose Armor is the weaker effect.
Blizzard
The deep dive lists Thousand Cuts as Subtlety’s 31-point talent, as the beta client has it, and doesn’t mention Death Mark. It also says Mutilate needs a dagger in each hand and costs 60 Energy; the client’s tooltips don’t state the dagger rule or the cost.
Blizzard
Puncturing Wounds is the former Improved Backstab. It also raises Mutilate’s critical strike chance, by less than Backstab’s (up to 15% and 30% in the beta client), and gives Backstab a chance to add an extra combo point: Blizzard’s corrected deep dive and the client’s tooltip agree.
06 Before you log in
Pick the weapon, then the race. Human swords, Dwarf maces, Orc axes; check the Hack and Slash branch in the WoW Forever Talent Calculator.
Learn First Aid. Gouge or Blind, bandage, finish is still how a Rogue wins a long fight.
Hardcore? Vanish, Sprint and Stealth give a Rogue more ways out than most; the WoW Forever Hardcore page has the ruleset.
PvP? Dirty Tricks and Improved Distract are Subtlety’s PvP tools; honor ranks and Darkspear Islands are on the WoW Forever PvP page.
WoW Forever Rogue FAQ
Can Rogues use axes in WoW Forever?
Yes. Blizzard’s Rogue deep dive of October 7 says Rogues can learn to equip one-handed axes, and the Combat talent Hack and Slash gives axes the same bonus as swords: a chance for an extra attack.
Does Sap break Stealth in WoW Forever?
No. Sap no longer breaks Stealth for any Rogue, Blizzard’s deep dive says, and the beta client’s tooltip agrees. Improved Sap, the Subtlety talent that used to do this, is now Dirty Tricks, which cuts the Energy cost of Sap and Blind by up to 50%.
Do Rogues still have weapon specializations?
Not as separate talents. Sword, Mace, Dagger and Fist Weapon Specialization are merged into Combat’s Hack and Slash, which gives one bonus for axes and swords, another for daggers and fist weapons, and another for maces. Racial weapon bonuses add critical strike chance instead of weapon skill.
Which races can be a Rogue in WoW Forever?
Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Orc, Undead, Troll, and Skyborne. Skyborne is new to the class in Forever.
What are the Rogue 31-point talents in WoW Forever?
Yes, as an Assassination talent: it attacks with both weapons for two combo points and deals more damage to poisoned targets.
What is the best Rogue leveling spec in WoW Forever?
Combat, as in Classic, is the safe choice: Hack and Slash works with any one-hander and Adrenaline Rush stays at 31 points. Nobody has leveled past the beta’s level cap yet.
Are there new Rogue abilities in WoW Forever?
Not from the trainer: the beta client has no new Rogue trainer abilities. The new spells are talents: Mutilate, Venom and Thousand Cuts.
Still unconfirmed
Final talent values: they can still change before launch
