Sinister strike or backstab

[Nizam-mankrik]

classic.wowheaddotcom/guides/rogue-leveling-classic-wow

[Flocket-mankrik]

Backstab does solid damage while leveling (and at 60), but Combat is all about efficiency and the amount of white hits you get (and the individual hits being more damage). If you’re not dungeon grinding, which is unlikely as a DPS, Combat is far and away better than Subtlety. Being unable to Backstab (or having to Gouge -> regen -> Backstab) is a huge downside when soloing, and Combat just has more damage even then.

Why is it unlikely for DPS to not be Dungeon Grinding?

[Espur-whitemane]

Backstab does solid damage while leveling (and at 60), but Combat is all about efficiency and the amount of white hits you get (and the individual hits being more damage). If you’re not dungeon grinding, which is unlikely as a DPS, Combat is far and away better than Subtlety. Being unable to Backstab (or having to Gouge -> regen -> Backstab) is a huge downside when soloing, and Combat just has more damage even then.

Why is it unlikely for DPS to not be Dungeon Grinding?

From 1-60? How are they going to efficiently find groups?

[Flocket-mankrik]

From 1-60? How are they going to efficiently find groups?

I may have misunderstood your Quote. I read that line as if DPSers are only dungeon grinding. And it’s unlikely that they’re Questing. That’s where I was coming from.

[Slimthug-remulos]

If you are hemo, you open up with garrote on casters and cheapshot on melee, then hemo spam

[Espur-whitemane]

I may have misunderstood your Quote. I read that line as if DPSers are only dungeon grinding. And it’s unlikely that they’re Questing. That’s where I was coming from.

Poor wording on my part for sure.

[Subconscious-netherwind]

Nah that would be waste.
Caster = Ambush (800-1050dmg atm - like 90% crit chance) followed by backstab (like 250-490 dmg - low crit chance atm) - evis if you can before mob dies
Melee- Garrote / hemo / evis
Bosses - garrote / rupture or evis
Dungeon elites die before full duration of bleeds especially casters = waste

Rupture is pretty much useless in dungeons except for extended boss fights

[Cora-bloodsail-buccaneers]

I do sub and i really enjoy it. however its horrible until 20.
Once you get ambush and then improved ambush, it really helps kill fast. It really requires stealth. I wouldn’t do combat even though people say its best. Its pretty boring

[Subconscious-netherwind]

Backstab is used i open pve
Ambush or garrote, gouge, backstab evis if 5cp otherwise ghostly strike/hemo

[Voletta-cenarion-circle]

When leveling a rogue I always go sub because not having the stealth speed increase makes me want to rage quit. I can spec something more efficient at 60.

[Elack-rivendare (Elack)]

the downside to combat swords while you are busy spamming away at abilities the majority of your damage is still coming from white attacks

[Tetsuo-whitemane]

Yes, it is definitely mechanically unspectacular.

[Shocktastic-mankrik]

When exactly did they remove the movement speed penalty to stealth? Was it in Burning Crusade or later? I never played a rogue in the vanilla days. Matter of fact I don’t believe I made one until Wrath lol

[Espur-whitemane]

Patch 4.1.

[Shocktastic-mankrik]

Ty for the speedy reply

[Drdangermd-sulfuras]

To be honest, the nice thing about classic rogue, is you can be viable and have fun playing any tree. Personally I play Combat daggers on my main rogue and I love it. Beat out the majority of combat sword rogues, but the weapons are important. I’m leveling this rogue imp sprint/backstab, and i’m having even more fun doing that. The whole thing about SS being able to hit from in front of your target is cool, but it really doesn’t matter when you chunk 60-80%HP on opener lmao.

[Venomclawz-benediction]

@Subconscious-netherwind

Caster = Ambush (800-1050dmg atm - like 90% crit chance) followed by backstab (like 250-490 dmg - low crit chance atm) - evis if you can before mob dies
Melee- Garrote / hemo / evis
Bosses - garrote / rupture or evis
Dungeon elites die before full duration of bleeds especially casters = waste

Rupture is pretty much useless in dungeons except for extended boss fights

So you use Garrote as an opener even with dagger in main on plate and mail wearing mobs instead of ambush?