Rogue in WoW Forever

Confirmed race choices

These are the new combinations named in the sources below, not a complete list of every Rogue race.

Selected beta changes and issue history #

The cards retain their source dates. Read the current official summary below before using older class notes. Numeric client build and independent gameplay retests remain unavailable.

• October 15 beta update: Poisons no longer proc against targets attacking you, Sap no longer triggers weapon procs, and swapping specializations no longer keeps Energy full. Cold Blood is consumed when Mutilate crits.
• September 24 development notes: Sap now applies the appropriate PvP flag.

Filter the full patch briefing →

Check later notices and pending fixes →

Current official class design and beta changes #

October 7 says poisons can coexist with temporary weapon enchantments, Sap does not break Stealth, and Rogues can learn one-handed axes. Assassination adds Mutilate and Venom; Combat adds Hack and Slash; Subtlety added Cutthroat and Thousand Cuts, but November 2 removes both, along with Assassination’s Murder; Subtlety gains Boot Knife and Death Mark.

October 1 reports that missed Expose Armor no longer loses combo points and Setup triggers only from the current target’s attacks. Independent combat and PvP comparisons remain pending.

Blizzard corrected the article on October 7: Combat and Subtlety support all weapon types, with Combat built on hard-hitting direct damage and some Blade Flurry cleave, and Subtlety on tricks and Bleeds. Puncturing Wounds (formerly Improved Backstab) also adds a little Mutilate crit chance and can give Backstab an extra combo point.

Built for the top single-target damage #

Principal designer Kris Zierhut said on the official WoW: Forever Podcast (episode 2) that Rogues are meant to be the highest single-target damage dealers in a stand-still boss fight, with white hits, Slice and Dice and poisons doing the work. Mechanics-heavy fights change the picture (Wowhead report).

That's a design target, not a measured result; Kingy hasn't measured it.

Keep Rogue when choosing either Skyborne faction #

Select High Order for Alliance or Windshaper for Horde at character creation. Both include Rogue; check your friends’ choices too, because Skyborne Mage and Shaman have faction restrictions.

Separate PvP plans from a Rogue build #

The Darkspear Islands is an announced 15-versus-15 battleground with control points and flag defense. Blizzard also announces a revised Honor system. Those are useful group-planning details; neither source gives Rogue match-ups, weapon priorities or a PvP build.

Reported Skyborne racials #

October 26 tuning gives Skyborne 2% Haste through Wind-Blessed. Skysight gives 15% movement speed for 15 seconds, or 30% with Charged; Read Leyline gives 50% Health/Mana regeneration for 15 seconds, or 100% with Attuned. Using Skysight at an elemental convergence or Read Leyline at a Ley Line grants its one-hour modifier. October 27 clarifies that both modifiers persist through death and are removed on raid entry. Read Leyline cannot be used during Innervate and is replaced by that more powerful effect. These are announced values, not tested class strength or spell interactions.

These are reported racial effects. Their interactions with stealth, crowd control and Rogue abilities have not been verified here, so they cannot support a best-race ranking.

Recheck poison reliability and weapon-skill items #

Blizzard specifically identifies Rogue poisons as benefiting from the combined hit-chance stat. It also reduces the amount of weapon skill supplied by individual items. Both changes can affect a gear comparison that previously relied on Classic priorities.

When testing weapons, keep the target and poison choice consistent and record the tooltip and build. A few favorable hits are not enough to establish a best weapon, hit cap or PvP matchup.

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