The Rogue in PVE Combat
The Rogue has probably one of the simplest responsibilities in World of Warcraft PVE encounters: To do damage. However, it is
easier said than done to maintain high damage while staying alive, as the Rogue has the tendency to pull agro if he/she isn’
t too careful.
There are two major divisions in Rogue play styles that have different effects on PVE play styles.
The key to high damage output as a dagger Rogue is being able to stay in range long enough that your energy is never
completely full, IE no energy ticks are wasted. Considering that the majority of a dagger Rogue’s damage comes from backstab
criticals the Rogue has a 4 second window between 60 energy (the requirement for backstab) and 100 energy (full for most
Rogues) to use their move without wasting extra energy ticks. Considering that the Rogue also needs to be behind the monster
for backstab it can be somewhat tricky to be an efficient Rogue in some encounters.
However, a dagger Rogue is preferable in a fight where proximity is not guaranteed at all times. The reason is better
explained by a quick look at combat spec Rogue damage in PVE.
The combat Rogue is a Rogue characterized by a stream of semi consistent damage with small bursts, as well as an emphasis on
the addition of “white” damage, or damage arising from auto attack, both main hand and offhand. With talents the offhand
damage of a Rogue can be increased by 50%. This is much better than the Warrior’s dual wield bonus of 25%. The benefit of a
combat Rogue in certain encounters is to be able to keep their DPS relatively consistent. To put it plainly, a combat Rogue
will seldom be caught with their pants down. The main distinction is in the instant attacks they use. While a dagger Rogue
primarily uses backstab, a 60 energy cost move, a combat Rogue will generally use sinister strike, a 40 energy move. What
this means is that while instant damage output is lower, you are more likely to have enough energy at any given time to do a
sinister strike than a backstab, as well as the fact that for every 2 backstabs you could do 3 sinister strikes. While it’s
true that a dagger Rogue may often utilize sinister strike in normal combat, a combat Rogue with a higher damaging sword,
mace, or fist weapon will do a lot more damage through the ability.
The main difference between the styles is really just how they deal their damage. In timable spikes (Dagger Rogue) with
damage downtime, so to speak, or a steady flow (combat Rogue) with no significantly large bursts. So obviously there’s a bit
of crossover where both burst damage and high damage potential (IE ability is almost always ready to use) are needed. This is
why Rogue play style variety is important in a PVE setup.
Helpful Mods and Add-Ons
Most people prefer a basic customization to the way their interface looks, but even as a Rogue there are specifically
designed mods that can help you improve your efficiency.
For the precise Rogue that wants to get the most out of his combos, a mod like Energy Watch is crucial. This keeps track of
the energy “ticks” or the exact timing of when you regenerate your energy. This is important because you regenerate energy
in ticks of 20 energy. With the proper timing a Rogue with 120 energy (Nightslayer 5 piece bonus, +10 energy, and the vigor
talent) can perform cheap shot (60 energy cost) right before the first tick, and in the next 4 seconds (40 energy
regenerated) perform 2 backstabs instead of one (60 energy cost per backstab. Careful management of energy ticks can lead to
longer stunlocks and more burst damage from the opener, so this mod is highly recommended and can be found at
http://www.curse-gaming.com/mod.php?addid=2233
Another mod a Rogue might take interest in is any mod which keeps track of reagents and consumables. There’s nothing worse
than going to vanish or trying to blind to buy some time and realizing you have no flash or vanish powder. There are several
mods that keep track of these reagents and sometimes more on most mod sites.
Finally, another excellent mod for Rogues is Stun watch, now called CC watch, shows a casting bar that shows the duration of
your stuns such as gouge, cheap shot and kidney shot. This mod can be found at http://www.curse-gaming.com/mod.php?addid=2572
Related Topics:
- World of Warcraft Stories Wanted
- Vashna’s Guide to Rogue PvP- Second Guide
- Rogue Profession Choices
- Rogue Items
- Rogue Race Choices