World of Warcraft: Forever Combat Rogue - Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities

Combat Rogue is a melee DPS that focuses on generating Combo Points with abilities like Sinister Strike to then be able to spend them on powerful finishing abilities like Eviscerate. The rotation for a Combat Rogue is relatively simple, but listed below are some highlights of how you should approach each encounter.

Combat Rogue operates off of a list of constantly updating priorities, based on questions like: How many Combo Points do you have on a target? How much Energy do you have? What buffs or debuffs are currently active?. Listed below, in order, is the list of priorities you should try to follow as a Combat Rogue.

1. Maintain Buffs and Debuffs
   • Make sure you have Poisons active on your weapons.
   • If the Target does not have another stronger source of armor reduction, apply Expose Armor
   • Keep Slice and Dice active at all times.
   • Keep Rupture active if you believe the target will survive its duration.
2. Start in Stealth and open with Garrote
3. If it will not send you over Energy cap, use Shank on cooldown.
4. Use Sinister Strike to generate Combo Points; if you are playing the Dagger variation of Combat, instead use Backstab.
5. Once you have reached 5 Combo Points, cast Eviscerate if Slice and Dice and Rupture are already active and Shank is on cooldown.

A very simple version of the priority list above is: after leaving Stealth try to keep your debuffs and buffs active, Shank on cooldown if it will not overcap your energy; otherwise, cast Sinister Strike until you have 5 Combo Points to Eviscerate.

Combat Rogue has no true AoE. The closest thing Combat has is Blade Flurry which causes your attacks and abilities to hit an extra target. Try to use this anytime an extra enemy is present and close enough to your target that it will be able to cleave.

As a combat Rogue, you have a few different cooldowns, and properly utilizing them can have a considerable impact on your DPS. Below is a breakdown of how each of your CDs functions and how it should optimally be used.

Blade Flurry is the closest thing to AoE you will get on a Rogue. Blade Flurry causes attacks and abilities to cleave onto a second target and increases your Attack Speed by 20%. This should be used any time you will have a second target to hit, but if an encounter is purely single-target, then feel free to use it as soon as you can for its attack speed bonus, to begin the cooldown and possibly gain another use.

Adrenaline Rush increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 seconds. This allows for the use of considerably more abilities during that 15-second duration. Use this as soon as you've burned through your initial Energy, once proper threat is established, to try and get it off cooldown as quickly as possible .

Cold Blood increases your Critical Strike chance with Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, Eviscerate, or Mutilate by 100%, guaranteeing a Critical Strike. Try to pair this with a 5 Combo Point Eviscerate as soon as threat is established on the target.

Vanish instantly returns you to Stealth. This ability is a bit harder to know when and how to use optimally, but a general rule of thumb is if there is a mechanic you can ignore by using Vanish that should be your first priority. If not, then feel free to use it as either an emergency threat drop or a way to refresh your Garrote debuff on the target. Alternatively, simply hold it for the end of a wipe, to save yourself some repair cost.

Rogue offers an immense amount of utility that will help not just you, but your entire group, in handling almost any challenge.

• Kick
  • Interrupts the target's spellcasting; keep in mind that this ability does cost 25 Energy.
• Blind
  • Disorients the target for 10 seconds. Any damage will interrupt this effect early. This can be used as either a quick form of crowd control or a makeshift interrupt against some targets.
• Sap
  • Incapacitates the target for up to 45 seconds. Can only be used in Stealth and against Humanoids that are not in combat. Any damage will break this effect. This can be used pre-pull to help thin the number of enemies you will have to deal with at the same time.
• Distract
  • Attracts the attention of the targets to a specific location and reduces the targets' Stealth detection. This can be used to get closer to mobs you may have otherwise not been able to avoid or get close enough to safely open from Stealth on.
• Gouge
  • Deals a small amount of damage and incapacitates the target for 4 seconds. The target must be facing you, and any damage will break this effect. Generates 1 Combo Point. This can be used as either an emergency interrupt or just a way to stop incoming damage for a short period.
• Evasion
  • Increases your chance to Dodge by 50% for 15 seconds. This acts as a powerful defensive cooldown if you find yourself with Aggro.
• Kidney Shot
  • Stuns the target for a duration based on the amount of Combo Points used.
• Cheap Shot
  • Removes you from Stealth and stuns your target for 4 seconds. Generates 2 Combo Points.

• Sprint
  • Increases your movement speed by 70% for 15 seconds. Does not break Stealth. This can be used to either escape or close the gap to a target.

More WoW Forever Rogue Guides

Combat Rogue Melee DPS Guide Assassination Rogue Melee DPS Talents Assassination Rogue Melee DPS Leveling Combat Rogue Melee DPS Stats Assassination Rogue Melee DPS Guide Class Quests

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