What's up Rogue players and enthusiasts! In this guide, we'll be diving deep into the world of being a Rogue in WoW Classic's Season of Discovery. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or just starting out, this guide will help give you some valuable insights on how to optimize your Rogue gameplay.

 

• Rogue Build and Talent Points
• Rogue Shiv Rune
• Combat Techniques
• Talent Distribution
• Addons and Tools
• Add-on Recommendations
• PvP and Farming Strategies
• Managing Energy and Abilities
• Playstyle Tips
• Conclusion

 

 

↖ Rogue Build and Talent Points

First up is build and talent points. The focus here is going to be maximizing combo point generation, specifically with Shiv. With a weapon speed of 1.8 or faster, you can generate combo points super quick, allowing for quick and powerful finishers.

 

↖ Rogue Shiv Rune

Shiv is an ability that you get as a Rogue at level 1, and all it requires is a melee weapon. It allows you to instantly attack an enemy with your off-hand weapon, and gives you a 100% chance to apply the poison from your off-hand weapon. The energy cost of Shiv changes depending on your weapon speed, slower weapons require more energy than faster ones. While it can technically be used by anybody who has a mellee wepaon the real question is if you should even bother wasting your time getting this rune. People would much rather have Saber Slash because it's much easier to obtain and generally considered better. Horde players should prioritize getting this rune last unless they're looking for the added challenge of sneaking into enemy territory to get it.

 

↖ Combat Techniques

In combat timing is key. Wait for your energy to tick (you can use Nug Energy addon for better visibility), then hit Shiv for optimal combo point generation. This strategy allows you to stack poisons and apply finishers like Rupture or Eviscerate super quickly. Keep in mind that it's all about getting those combo points fast so that you can execute your finishers efficiently.

 

↖ Talent Distribution

For the first two talent points go ahead and grab Improved Sinister Strike, which reduces the energy cost of both Sinister Strike and Shiv. Next, put five points each into Master of Deception and Camouflage. These talents improve your stealth effectiveness, which is critical for both PvP and PvE scenarios. After that it's four flex points which can be put wherever you want based on your playstyle. Things like extra crit chance with Malice or extra combo points from abilities like Ambush or Cheap Shot with Initiative are great picks.

 

↖ Addons and Tools

I highly recommend using add-ons like NugComboBar and a weapon swing timer as they are crucial to optimizing your ability usage. NugComboBar gives a clear visual representation of your combo points, while the swing timer ensures you're casting at the right times, especially when your weapon is buffed with something like Windfury.

 

↖ Add-on Recommendations

NugEnergy and NugCombo: NugEnergy and Nug Combo Br for energy and combo point tracking.

 

WeaponSwingTimer: A swing timer addon to optimize your ability usage.

 

Leatrix Plus: Leatrix Plus for quality-of-life improvements.

 

Sexy Maps: Sexy Maps for a customizable map interface.

 

Questie: Questie for quest tracking and management.

 

↖ PvP and Farming Strategies

In PvP and farming, the ability to quickly re-enter stealth and efficiently kite your targets is key. Use your improved stealth capabilities to get a pickpocket off or gain the upper hand in a PvP fight. For farming, make sure you're applying DoTs/bleeds quickly and then moving out of the way.

 

↖ Managing Energy and Abilities

Use the NugEnergy addon to track your energy ticks. This will help you time Shiv perfectly. Also use it alongside NugComboBar for a better view of when your energy ticks occur along with how many combo points you have.

 

↖ Playstyle Tips

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to playing Rogue, so don't be afraid to experiment with different talent allocations/playstyles. Whether it's PvP or PvE, Rogue is one of the most dynamic and engaging classes in WoW Classic. Have fun trying out different strategies and see what works best for you!

 

↖ Conclusion

I hope this guide helps give you a good starting point on how to play Rogue in WoW Classic's Season of Discovery. Whether that be engaging in stealthy PvP battles or efficiently farming in PvE, these tips should help elevate your gameplay.