Subtlety Rogue DPS Spell Summary (Legion 7.3)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.3 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 4. Strengths
  • 5. Weaknesses
  • 6. Viability in the Current Patch
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. 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
    • 3.1. Standard Abilities
    • 3.2. Stealth Exclusive 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. For General Use
  • 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
      • 1.3.1. Single Target/Raid Oriented Build
      • 1.3.2. AoE/Dungeon Oriented Build
    • 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
    • 1.1. Single Target
      • 1.1.1. Correctly Using Death from Above with Dark Shadow
    • 1.2. Multiple Targets (2+)
  • 2. Important Notes
    • 2.1. Combo Points and Energy
      • 2.1.1. Pooling
    • 2.2. Shadow Dance
      • 2.2.1. During Shadow Blades
    • 2.3. Vanish
    • 2.4. Defensive Utility
    • 2.5. Pandemic
  • 3. Core Concepts
    • 3.1. Resource Management
    • 3.2. Cooldown Usage
      • 3.2.1. Personal Initiative
  • 4. Opening Sequences
    • 4.1. Standard Opener
    • 4.2. With The First of the Dead
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
    • 1.1. Stat Weights
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 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. Spammable Dance to Shadowstrike
    • 2.2. Startattack Macros
    • 2.3. 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
    • 5.1. Tier List
      • 5.1.1. Mandatory Tier
      • 5.1.2. Top Tier
      • 5.1.3. Mid Tier
      • 5.1.4. Bottom Tier
    • 5.2. Extra Information
    • 5.3. Mantle of the Master Assassin
  • 6. Loot Competition
  • 7. ChangeLog

General Information

On this page, we list the spells that you will often use as a Subtlety Rogue.

The other pages of our Subtlety Rogue guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

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 impý, a Subtlety Rogue who raids in The Unnamed, a top German guild.

1. Spell Summary

If you are new to Subtlety, it is recommended you read this before proceeding! In this section we will discuss what abilities you have, what they are used for within the specialization, and how they interact with important cooldowns. If you have played this spec before or have already achieved a level of comfort playing this spec in a practical environment, it is recommended you skip this section and move on to the rest of the guide.

2. Main Resources

Energy is the main resource of Subtlety Rogues. Energy is generated passively, the rate of which can be increased by Haste, active abilities, talents, and procs.

Combo Points are another primary resource utilized by Subtlety Rogues. Some of your abilities generate Combo Points, while finishing moves spend them, dealing increased damage per Combo Point.

Cooldowns such as Shadow Dance and Vanish also function as rotational "resources" for Subtlety, as they enable to use unique abilities that can only be activated in Stealth. Keeping careful track of these abilities, which will be discussed at greater length later in the guide, is just as important as managing your Energy and Combo Points.

3. Basic Abilities

3.1. Standard Abilities

These abilities are available no matter what talents you chose, and form the bread and butter of this specialization.

Backstab is your main filler and Combo Point generator. It generates a single Combo Point per cast and deals 15% extra damage if your target is afflicted with Nightblade.

Eviscerate is your main finisher, and deals increased damage per Combo Point consumed.

Nightblade is a finishing move that applies a damage over time effect that deals shadow damage, and lasts longer per Combo Point consumed. It also makes the target take 15% more damage from you. This should be maintained on your primary target at all times.

Shuriken Storm deals damage to all targets within 10 yards, and generates 1 Combo Point per enemy hit. Shuriken Storm deals 100% increased damage if you are in Stealth or Shadow Dance. You should use this as your primary Combo Point generator on 2 or more targets, and only on 3 or more targets in Stealth.

3.2. Stealth Exclusive Abilities

Some of your abilities can only be used in Stealth, or while your Shadow Dance is active.

Shadowstrike is your main filler when Shadow Dance is active. Shadowstrike generates 2 Combo Points.

You should still spend Combo Points if you cap while Shadow Dance is active. Eviscerate is usable at all times.

4. Important Procs

Deepening Shadows causes your finishers to reduce the cooldown of Shadow Dance by 1.5 seconds per Combo Point spent.

Shadow Techniques grants your auto attacks a chance to generate a Combo Point.

Relentless Strikes guarantees an Energy refund of 6 Energy per Combo Point spent on finishers.

5. DPS Cooldowns

Shadow Dance is your main DPS cooldown. It allows you to shift into a state of Stealth, accessing unique abilities. It has 3 charges with a 60-second recharge time. This ability is used strategically to maintain Symbols of Death. You should keep careful track of your Energy and Combo Points before entering Shadow Dance so you can maximize the short time available to you.

Symbols of Death generates 40 Energy and increases damage done by 15% for 10 seconds, on a 30-second cooldown. This is one of our primary cooldowns, and we like to pair it with a Shadow Dance when possible.

Shadow Blades is a powerful cooldown that causes your auto attacks to deal shadow damage and causes abilities that generate Combo Points to generate an additional Combo Point. This lasts for 25 seconds, and has a lengthy 3-minute cooldown. This ability does not need to be thought about too much and can safely be used on cooldown.

Vanish instantly puts you in Stealth. This is essentially a poor man's Shadow Dance and can be used to get an extra Shadowstrike.

6. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 24 Jun. 2017: Updated some spell descriptions to match 7.2.5 changes.
• 14 Jun. 2017: Page reviewed and deemed updated for 7.2.5.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Updated for Legion's launch.
• 18 Jul. 2016: Updated for the Legion pre-patch.