World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Combat Rogue
Melee damage
The levelling and dungeon default: 
Sinister Strike, 
Slice and Dice, 
Eviscerate, and 
Blade Flurry for two targets. Any weapon works.
Combat swings a slow main hand, builds with Sinister Strike (or Backstab with a dagger) and keeps Slice and Dice up, spending spare points on Eviscerate, which Flawless Execution makes cheaper. Riposte fires after parries, and Blade Flurry at 30 makes every swing hit a second target. Hack and Slash gives whatever weapon you hold its own bonus, and Adrenaline Rush at 40 doubles your energy for 15 seconds. Every source calls it the safest Rogue spec for levelling and dungeons.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| The safest Rogue spec for levelling and dungeons | Gear-hungry for weapon damage, hit and expertise |
| Any weapon works | Spare energy is wasted, so it must be spent |
| Blade Flurry at 30 makes every swing hit a second target | Mutilate and Adrenaline Rush can't share a build |
| Adrenaline Rush at 40 doubles energy for 15 seconds | Needs positioning at the edge of melee range against parry and block from behind |
| Simple loop: Sinister Strike, Slice and Dice and Eviscerate |
Stat priority
- Main-hand weapon damage
- Hit
- Agility
- Critical strike
- Strength
- Stamina
Weapon damage > hit and expertise > Agility > crit > Strength > Stamina. Early on: main-hand damage first, then a fast off hand, then Agility. Weapon Expertise and Precision cover dodge and hit while hit and expertise are scarce on gear.
Do this
- Use a slow, hard-hitting main hand: Sinister Strike adds its bonus to one weapon swing, so a bigger swing means a bigger strike.
- Blade Flurry hits everything near you, so cancel it next to a Sapped or Polymorphed mob.
- Cheap Shot opens a pull well and gives 2 points.
- Hack and Slash means no respec when your next weapon is a mace or an axe.
Watch out for
- Don't sit at full energy: spend it.
- Guides naming Restless Blades are stale; Flawless Execution took its slot before the beta.
- Mutilate and Adrenaline Rush can't share a build: 21 Assassination and 31 Combat points are 52, one more than you have.
- Stand at the edge of melee range until the parry-and-block-from-behind issue is fixed.