World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Subtlety Rogue
Melee damage
Openers, control and a Rupture loop: 
Premeditation, 
Ambush, then 
Hemorrhage and 
Rupture. The solo and PvP spec; its capstone is about to change.
Subtlety opens hard from Stealth with Ambush, Cheap Shot or Premeditation, whose points now last 20 seconds, then builds with Hemorrhage, which makes your own Rupture hit 15% harder, and keeps Rupture and Slice and Dice up together. Serrated Blades adds 30% to Rupture and some armor penetration, and Cutthroat lets a Backstab make the next Ambush usable out of Stealth. Blizzard isn't happy with the spec and has announced Death Mark (mark a target, damage you deal builds up for 6 seconds and bursts) to replace Thousand Cuts, so its level-60 shape is provisional.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Hard openers from Stealth with Ambush, Cheap Shot and Premeditation | Rated lower for group PvE |
| Strong solo and in PvP | Keeping Rupture and Slice and Dice up together is demanding |
| Hemorrhage makes its own Rupture hit 15% harder | Opener damage is wasted on mobs that die anyway |
| Serrated Blades adds 30% to Rupture | Level-60 capstone talent is provisional |
| Control tools and Vanish and Preparation for elites | Hemorrhage does not help the group |
Stat priority
- Weapon damage
- Hit
- Agility
- Attack power
- Critical strike
- Stamina
Slow weapons beat faster ones of similar damage per second, raw attack power beats Agility at more than 2 to 1, and hit and expertise aren't on gear yet. For PvP, Stamina comes before Agility. A dagger in the main hand for Ambush and Backstab.
Do this
- Spend Premeditation's points within 20 seconds, and use it before Cheap Shot for a 4-point Kidney Shot.
- Keep Hemorrhage's 15% Rupture bonus up; it lasts 15 seconds.
- Garrote no longer needs you behind the target with Dirty Deeds.
- Subtlety is the best solo spec for picking fights: Sap, Distract and stealth past everything else.
Watch out for
- Rupture and Slice and Dice at once is demanding; guides rate Subtlety B for group PvE.
- Don't build to Thousand Cuts at 60 yet: Death Mark is announced to replace it.
- Hemorrhage no longer helps the group; its bonus is for your own Rupture.
- Opener damage is wasted on mobs that die anyway; save Vanish and Preparation for elites.