WoW Forever Rogue guide, levels 1 to 20: abilities, first talents and Legacy

A Rogue is a Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, or High Order Skyborne on the Alliance side and an Orc, Undead, Troll, or Windshaper Skyborne on the Horde side. Skyborne come with the Skyborne Heroic Pack and the packs that include it. Best race for a Rogue compares their racials. A new Rogue already knows Eviscerate and Sinister Strike; your class trainer teaches every other ability in the level list, and each new rank, once you reach its level. Your first talent point comes at level 10, or earlier with the Legacy perk Talented.

Which abilities does a Rogue learn at each level up to level 20?

What does each new ability do?

  • Eviscerate: Finishing move that causes damage per combo point, increased by Attack Power:
    1 point : 6-10 damage
    2 points: 11-15 damage
    3 points: 16-20 damage
    4 points: 21-25 damage
    5 points: 26-30 damage
  • Sinister Strike: An instant strike that causes 3 damage in addition to your normal weapon damage. Awards 1 combo point.
  • Shoot Bow, Shoot Crossbow and Shoot Gun: Shoot at your target with the bow, crossbow or gun you have equipped. Each comes with that weapon skill, not from the class trainer. High Order Skyborne and Windshaper Skyborne Rogues start with the Bows skill. Other Rogues must learn Bows before using a bow, and any Rogue must learn the matching weapon skill before using a crossbow or gun.
  • Throw: Hurl a thrown weapon at the target. It comes with the Thrown skill, which every Rogue starts with.
  • Stealth: Allows the rogue to sneak around, but reduces your speed by 50%. Lasts until cancelled.
  • Backstab: Backstab the target, causing 150% weapon damage plus 10 to the target. Must be behind the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
  • Pick Pocket: Pick the target's pocket. It works only while you are in Stealth.
  • Gouge: Causes 10 damage, stops your attack, and incapacitates the target for 4 seconds. The target must be facing you. Any damage taken will break the effect. Awards 1 combo point.
  • Evasion: The rogue's dodge chance will increase by 50% for 15 seconds.
  • Slice and Dice: Finishing move that increases melee attack speed by 20%. Lasts longer per combo point:
    1 point : 9 seconds
    2 points: 12 seconds
    3 points: 15 seconds
    4 points: 18 seconds
    5 points: 21 seconds
  • Sprint: Increases the rogue's movement speed by 50% for 15 seconds. Does not break stealth.
  • Sap: Incapacitates the target for up to 25 seconds. Only works on Humanoids that are not in combat. Any damage taken will break the effect. Only 1 target may be sapped at a time. Does not break Stealth. It works only while you are in Stealth.
  • Dual Wield: Allows one-hand and off-hand weapons to be equipped in the off-hand.
  • Kick: A quick kick that injures a single foe for 15 damage. It also interrupts spellcasting and prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 5 seconds.
  • Expose Armor: Finishing move that exposes the target for 30 seconds, reducing Armor per combo point:
    1 point : 90 Armor
    2 points: 180 Armor
    3 points: 270 Armor
    4 points: 360 Armor
    5 points: 450 Armor
  • Garrote: Garrote the enemy, causing 144 damage over 18 seconds, increased by your Attack Power. Must be stealthed and behind the target. Awards 1 combo point.
  • Feint: Performs a feint, causing no damage but lowering your threat by a small amount, making the enemy less likely to attack you.
  • Ambush: Ambush the target, causing 250% weapon damage plus 70 to the target. Must be stealthed and behind the target. Requires a dagger in the main hand. Awards 1 combo point.
  • Rupture: Finishing move that causes damage over time, increased by your Attack Power. Lasts longer per combo point:
    1 point : 25 damage over 8 secs
    2 points: 37 damage over 10 secs
    3 points: 51 damage over 12 secs
    4 points: 68 damage over 14 secs
    5 points: 87 damage over 16 secs
  • Poisons: You can create and mix poisons, with both found and storebought ingredients. The Poisons recipes list every poison and its ingredients.

Where can your first talent points go?

From your first talent point on, you get one at every level. The first row of each tree is open from the first point; the effects below are for each talent's first rank:

  • Assassination
    • Improved Gouge (max 3): Increases the duration of your Gouge ability by 0.5 sec.
    • Remorseless Attacks (max 2): After killing a non-trivial enemy, gives you a 20% increased critical strike chance on your next Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, Mutilate, or Ghostly Strike. Lasts 20 seconds.
    • Malice (max 5): Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 1%.
  • Combat
    • Improved Eviscerate (max 3): Increases the damage done by your Eviscerate ability by 7%.
    • Improved Sinister Strike (max 2): Reduces the Energy cost of your Sinister Strike ability by 3.
    • Lightning Reflexes (max 5): Increases your Dodge chance by 1%.
  • Subtlety
    • Camouflage (max 5): Reduces your speed penalty from your Stealth ability by 3% and reduces its cooldown by 2 sec.
    • Master of Deception (max 3): Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while in Stealth mode as if you were 1 level higher.
    • Opportunity (max 2): Increases the damage dealt by your Backstab, Garrote, Ambush, and Mutilate abilities by 5%.

Which Legacy challenges does a Rogue earn?

  • Novice Rogue (1 Legacy point): Reach Level 25 for the first time on a Rogue

What do you plan next as a Rogue?

Spend points in the Rogue talent planner and check every rank in the Rogue spellbook.

Adventurers’ notes

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