Assassination Rogue: Races

Ruthless adds 2% crit to both hands with no weapon needed, about 2% more damage on a crit-heavy spec (an estimate). Will to Survive removes all stuns on a 3 minute cooldown, and Perception detects stealth for 20 seconds. Safety scores 3 of 5 for Assassination Rogue. The Human Spirit adds 5% Spirit, which helps regen a little. Leveling scores 1 of 5.

Ahead of it: Undead. The best, Undead, is 0.30 ahead because it is stronger on leveling (Cannibalize, 4 of 5 against 1) and safety (Will of the Forsaken, 4 of 5 against 3). This race wins on damage (Ruthless) but not by enough. That is within 0.50 of the best, so it stays in tier S.

Scores for Human for Assassination Rogue

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●●●●○ 4
Survival and utility	25	●●●○○ 3
Leveling and downtime	20	●○○○○ 1

Weighted score 3.15, 0.30 behind the best race for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: It would lead outright if a test showed Ruthless worth more than the estimate now, or if Touch of the Grave on Undead lost value.

The Human race page

Wind Blessed adds 3% haste, but energy-capped specials gain little, so about 1 to 1.5% (an estimate). Walk on Air is a 10 second glide on a 90 second cooldown, and that is the whole safety kit. Safety scores 1 of 5 for Assassination Rogue. Read Ley Line doubles health and mana regen (15 minutes at a ley line, 30 seconds elsewhere) and can be cast while moving. Leveling scores 3 of 5.

Ahead of it: Undead, Human and Orc. The best, Undead, is 0.95 ahead because it is stronger on safety (Will of the Forsaken, 4 of 5 against 1) and leveling (Cannibalize, 4 of 5 against 3). Tier B covers up to 1.17 behind; tier A needs 0.83 or less.

Scores for Skyborne (High Order) for Assassination Rogue

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●●●○○ 3
Survival and utility	25	●○○○○ 1
Leveling and downtime	20	●●●○○ 3

Weighted score 2.50, 0.95 behind the best race for this spec, which is B tier.

What would move it: Closing about 0.12 of weighted score, through a higher tested value for Wind Blessed or a change to Touch of the Grave on Undead, would lift it to tier A.

The Skyborne race page

Elune's Light adds 10% crit for 15 seconds, about 0.8% on average (an estimate). Quickness helps in stealth. Shadowmeld can be used in combat to discourage attacks (2 minute cooldown in combat), and Quickness adds 1% dodge. Safety scores 2 of 5 for Assassination Rogue. Quickness adds 2% movement speed that stacks with other speed effects, and Wisp Spirit adds 75% speed as a wisp. Leveling scores 3 of 5.

Ahead of it: Undead, Human, Orc and 2 more. The best, Undead, is 1.25 ahead because it is stronger on damage (Touch of the Grave, 3 of 5 against 2), safety (Will of the Forsaken, 4 of 5 against 2) and leveling (Cannibalize, 4 of 5 against 3). Tier C covers up to 1.50 behind; tier B needs 1.17 or less.

Scores for Night Elf for Assassination Rogue

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●●○○○ 2
Survival and utility	25	●●○○○ 2
Leveling and downtime	20	●●●○○ 3

Weighted score 2.20, 1.25 behind the best race for this spec, which is C tier.

What would move it: Closing about 0.08 of weighted score, through a higher tested value for Elune's Light or a change to Touch of the Grave on Undead, would lift it to tier B.

The Night Elf race page

Earth Fury adds 2% to the crit bonus, about 0.1 to 0.4% more output, an estimate. That is close to nothing for this spec's job. Stoneform removes bleed, poison and disease, grants immunity to them and cuts physical damage taken 10% for 8 seconds, every 3 minutes. Safety scores 4 of 5 for Assassination Rogue. Big Game Hunter helps only against Beasts, and Stoneform handles poison. Leveling scores 2 of 5.

Ahead of it: Undead, Human, Orc and 4 more. The best, Undead, is 1.50 ahead because it is stronger on damage (Touch of the Grave, 3 of 5 against 1) and leveling (Cannibalize, 4 of 5 against 2). Tier C covers up to 1.50 behind; tier B needs 1.17 or less.

Scores for Dwarf for Assassination Rogue

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●○○○○ 1
Survival and utility	25	●●●●○ 4
Leveling and downtime	20	●●○○○ 2

Weighted score 1.95, 1.50 behind the best race for this spec, which is C tier.

What would move it: Closing about 0.33 of weighted score, through a higher tested value for Earth Fury or a change to Touch of the Grave on Undead, would lift it to tier B.

The Dwarf race page

Eureka! fails in stealth and is worth only about 0.67% on non-periodic damage, so poisons get nothing. Expansive Mind adds 5% maximum energy. Escape Artist frees you from movement impairment and gives 3 seconds of immunity, every 2 minutes. Safety scores 2 of 5 for Assassination Rogue. Expansive Mind adds a larger resource pool, and Escape Artist helps with kiting. Leveling scores 1 of 5.

Ahead of it: Undead, Human, Orc and 5 more. The best, Undead, is 2.20 ahead because it is stronger on damage (Touch of the Grave, 3 of 5 against 1), leveling (Cannibalize, 4 of 5 against 1) and safety (Will of the Forsaken, 4 of 5 against 2). That is beyond 1.83 behind the best, which is tier F.

Scores for Gnome for Assassination Rogue

Criterion	Weight	Score
The spec's job	55	●○○○○ 1
Survival and utility	25	●●○○○ 2
Leveling and downtime	20	●○○○○ 1

Weighted score 1.25, 2.20 behind the best race for this spec, which is F tier.

What would move it: Closing about 0.37 of weighted score, through a higher tested value for Eureka! or a change to Touch of the Grave on Undead, would lift it to tier D.

The Gnome race page

Breaks scores 5 of 5: Will to Survive frees you from all stuns on a 3 minute cooldown. Stuns are the biggest threat to a Rogue, and Will to Survive answers all of them. Burst scores 2 of 5: Ruthless adds 2% crit. The 2% crit applies to both daggers and works with Cold Blood. Defensives scores 1 of 5: Human has no defensive racial. Mobility scores 3 of 5: Perception is a 20 second stealth detection on a 3 minute cooldown, and Spirit is 5% higher.

No race is ahead of it. Orc ties it on weighted score (2.85). The next race, Gnome, is 0.20 behind and sits in tier S. It falls short on mobility (Perception, 3 of 5, against its resource bonus, 2).

Weighted score 2.85, the best for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: It would lose first place if testing how often stuns chain on Forever (diminishing returns there are undocumented) went against it, or if its Will to Survive were cut in a patch. Gnome is 0.20 behind, so a small change could close it.

The Human race page

Breaks scores 5 of 5: Escape Artist frees you from any movement impairment and gives 3 seconds of immunity on a 2 minute cooldown. Escape Artist answers Hamstring-style kites. Burst scores 2 of 5: Eureka! adds 10% non-periodic damage and cuts costs 10% for 8 seconds on a 2 minute cooldown, but fails in stealth. Eureka! fails in stealth, though outside stealth it adds 10% to Mutilate and Eviscerate. Defensives scores 1 of 5: Gnome has no defensive racial. Mobility scores 2 of 5: Gnome adds only 5% more mana, energy or rage.

It is 0.20 behind Human, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier S. The gap comes from mobility (Perception, 3 of 5, against its resource bonus, 2).

Weighted score 2.65, 0.20 behind the best race for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: Settling how Eureka! behaves around stealth openers (it fails in stealth) could close the 0.20 gap to Human: one more point on burst is worth 0.25.

The Gnome race page

Breaks scores 1 of 5: Night Elf has no break from control. Burst scores 4 of 5: Elune's Light adds 10% crit for 15 seconds on a 3 minute cooldown. The crit window feeds the Cold Blood and Mutilate crit chain. Defensives scores 2 of 5: Night Elf has only a 1% dodge gain. Quickness raises stealth level by one, and Shadowmeld helps a little. Mobility scores 3 of 5: Shadowmeld, 2% extra speed and a one-level stealth edge for Rogues and Druids help, and Shadowmeld against players in combat is untested. The extra 2% speed stacks with Sprint.

It is 0.45 behind Human, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier S. The gap comes from breaks (Will to Survive, 5 of 5, against 1 here). It does lead on burst (4 of 5 against 2) and defensives (2 of 5 against 1).

Weighted score 2.40, 0.45 behind the best race for this spec, which is S tier.

What would move it: Reaching Human means making up 0.45. One more point on mobility is worth 0.20, so settling whether Shadowmeld discourages attacks in combat against players (untested) would not be enough by itself. It would take a patch to its racials.

The Night Elf race page

Breaks scores 3 of 5: Stoneform cleanses Bleed, Poison and Disease, a narrow family. Enemy Rogues, Hunters and Warriors bring bleeds and poisons that Stoneform clears. Burst scores 1 of 5: Earth Fury adds a tiny 2% crit bonus. Defensives scores 2 of 5: Stoneform cuts Physical damage 10% for 8 seconds. Mobility scores 1 of 5: Dwarf has nothing here.

It is 1.00 behind Human, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier B. The gap comes from breaks (Will to Survive, 5 of 5, against Stoneform, 3), mobility (Perception, 3 of 5, against Chastise, 1) and burst (Ruthless, 2 of 5, against Earth Fury, 1). It does lead on defensives (2 of 5 against 1).

Weighted score 1.85, 1.00 behind the best race for this spec, which is B tier.

What would move it: Reaching Human means making up 1.00. One more point on defensives is worth 0.25, so settling the real size of Stoneform's 10% Physical cut would not be enough by itself. It would take a patch to its racials.

The Dwarf race page

Breaks scores 1 of 5: Skyborne has no break from control. Burst scores 2 of 5: Wind Blessed adds 3% haste at all times. Defensives scores 1 of 5: Skyborne has no combat defense, only Read Ley Line, which doubles health and mana regeneration out of combat. Mobility scores 2 of 5: Walk on Air is a 10 second glide on a 90 second cooldown, and Read Ley Line can be cast while moving.

It is 1.40 behind Human, the best race for this spec, and sits in tier C. The gap comes from breaks (Will to Survive, 5 of 5, against 1 here) and mobility (Perception, 3 of 5, against Walk on Air, 2).

Scores for Skyborne (High Order) for Assassination Rogue

Criterion	Weight	Score
Breaks and escapes	30	●○○○○ 1
Burst	25	●●○○○ 2
Defensives	25	●○○○○ 1
Mobility and detection	20	●●○○○ 2

Weighted score 1.45, 1.40 behind the best race for this spec, which is C tier.

What would move it: Reaching Human means making up 1.40. One more point on burst is worth 0.25, so settling whether haste adds anything for an energy-limited spec would not be enough by itself. It would take a patch to its racials.

The Skyborne race page