Assassination Rogue DPS Easy Mode

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.3 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 4. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 5. Strengths
  • 6. Weaknesses
  • 7. Viability in the Current Patch
  • 8. Contents
  • 9. ChangeLog
• ×Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resources
  • 3. Basic Abilities
  • 4. Important Procs
  • 5. DPS Cooldowns
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheets
    • 2.1. Raid Encounters
    • 2.2. General Purpose/Leveling
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 10. ChangeLog
• +Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression — First 35 Points
    • 1.1. Early Point Investment
    • 1.2. Second Golden Trait
    • 1.3. Third Golden Trait
    • 1.4. Final Point Investment
  • 2. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path
  • 3. Relic Choice
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Netherlight Crucible Relic Paths
  • 1. General Optimization Advice
  • 2. Tier 2 Upgrade Priority
  • 3. Tier 3 Upgrade Priority
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Ability Priority List
  • 2. Poisons
  • 3. Important Notes
    • 3.1. The Interaction Between Combo Points and Energy
    • 3.2. Pooling Energy and Combo Points
    • 3.3. Surge of Toxins
    • 3.4. Rupture
      • 3.4.1. Pandemic and Rupture Refresh
    • 3.5. Vendetta Usage
    • 3.6. Kingsbane
    • 3.7. Defensive Utility
  • 4. Core Concepts
    • 4.1. Ability Uptimes
    • 4.2. Cooldown Usage
    • 4.3. Resource Management
    • 4.4. Opening Sequence
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Boss by Boss Strategies
  • 1. Tomb of Sargeras
    • 1.1. Goroth
      • 1.1.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.2. The Demonic Inquisition
      • 1.2.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.3. Harjatan
      • 1.3.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.4. Sisters of the Moon
      • 1.4.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.5. Mistress Sassz'ine
      • 1.5.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.6. The Desolate Host
      • 1.6.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.7. Maiden of Vigilance
      • 1.7.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.8. Fallen Avatar
      • 1.8.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 1.9. Kil'jaeden
      • 1.9.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
  • 2. The Nighthold
    • 2.1. Skorpyron
      • 2.1.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.2. Chronomatic Anomaly
      • 2.2.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.3. Trilliax
      • 2.3.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.4. Spellblade Aluriel
      • 2.4.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.5. Tichondrius
      • 2.5.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.6. Star Augur Etraeus
      • 2.6.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.7. Krosus
      • 2.7.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.8. High Botanist Tel'arn
      • 2.8.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.9. Grand Magistrix Elisande
      • 2.9.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
    • 2.10. Gul'dan
      • 2.10.1. Talents, Trinkets, and Legendaries
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Stat Priority
    • 1.1. Master Poisoner/Toxic Blade
    • 1.2. Elaborate Planning/Alacrity
    • 1.3. Elaborate Planning/Exsanguinate
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
    • 1.1. Master Poisoner/Toxic Blade or Elaborate Planning/Alacrity
    • 1.2. Elaborate Planning/Exsanguinate
  • 2. Enchants
    • 2.1. Master Poisoner/Toxic Blade or Elaborate Planning/Alacrity
    • 2.2. Elaborate Planning/Exsanguinate
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. AddOns
    • 1.1. ElvUI
    • 1.2. Weak Auras
    • 1.3. Boss Mods
      • 1.3.1. BigWigs Bossmods
      • 1.3.2. Deadly Boss Mods
    • 1.4. Name Plates
      • 1.4.1. KUI Nameplates
      • 1.4.2. TidyPlates
    • 1.5. Damage Meters
      • 1.5.1. Skada
      • 1.5.2. Details
    • 1.6. Extra AddOns
      • 1.6.1. Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 1.6.2. Death Note
      • 1.6.3. Doom CooldownPulse
      • 1.6.4. Angry Assignments
  • 2. Macros
    • 2.1. Startattack Macros
    • 2.2. Tricks of the Trade
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Tier 20 Set Bonuses
  • 2. Best in Slot List
    • 2.1. Trinket List
  • 3. Evaluating Upgrades Using Stat Weights
  • 4. Racial Bonuses
  • 5. Legendaries
  • 6. Loot Competition
  • 7. ChangeLog

This section is intended for players who are new to the game or class, have no intentions of raiding Mythic difficulty, or simply want a more straightforward way to play their specialization without being overwhelmed by the numerous priorities and active abilities that need to be taken into consideration for optimal play.

1. The Basics

Assassination primarily focuses on maintaining damage over time effects for potent sustained damage and cleave. In this section we will be focusing on a setup that minimizes the amount of buttons and reactivity necessary without unduly compromising overall damage output.

2. Talent Choice

These choices are optimized for ease of use. Although some talents might offer marginally higher gains when played perfectly, these same talents often result in damage losses when utilized by many players. These talents aim to present the best setup that has very little punishment for unfamiliarity or mistakes.

• Level 15: Elaborate Planning
• Level 30: Nightstalker
• Level 45: Deeper Stratagem
• Level 60: Cheat Death
• Level 75: Thuggee
• Level 90: Alacrity
• Level 100: Venom Rush

3. Stat Choice

Currently, you will want to prioritize secondary stats as follows:

1. Mastery:
2. Versatility;
3. Critical Strike;
4. Haste.

4. Basic Rotation

1. Cast Mutilate to generate Combo Points.
2. Cast Fan of Knives on 3+ targets to generate Combo Points.
3. Maintain Rupture on all available targets (up to 3). Always apply Rupture with 5+ Combo Points. Apply Rupture from Stealth (using Vanish in combat) whenever possible for the damage buff from Nightstalker.
4. Maintain Garrote on the main target.
5. Cast Envenom to spend extra Combo Points. Always cast Envenom with 4+ Combo Points.
6. Cast Kingsbane when available. Try to maintain your Envenom buff for as much of Kingsbane as possible.
7. Cast Vendetta on the main target when available. Try to maintain your Elaborate Planning buff as much as possible during Vendetta.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been written by Furty, who has an illustrious history in the World of Warcraft raiding scene and race for World First. He has been a member of guilds such as Serenity, Midwinter, and many more, and is currently raiding in Future. He plays most classes at the highest level. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him play on Twitch.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Perfecto, an Outlaw/Assassination Rogue who raids in Method.

5. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 12 Jun. 2017: Updated talents for Patch 7.2.5.
• 09 Jan. 2017: Checked and confirmed for Patch 7.1.5.
• 21 Dec. 2016: Added easy mode for Assassination Rogues.