Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Guide

In this Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue guide, we will go over everything you need to know to play this class effectively. Here you can learn about efficient Rogue leveling, rotations, BiS gear, talents, glyphs, and more! This guide can be useful for both players who are just starting out with playing Rogue or optimizing for endgame. Check out our PvP Overview if you want to take your Rogue into Player vs Player battles after reaching the max level!

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Rogue Overview in Mists of Pandaria Classic

MoP Classic Rogue has 3 specializations. Here we have prepared a short breakdown of all three. Assassination is a poison-focused spec that plays around sustained single-target damage. Combat is great for cleave and burst potential in AoE. Subtlety offers powerful opener damage, strong crowd control, and mobility, making it especially effective in PvP, but requires good positioning and movement.

Each Rogue spec plays a distinct role:

• Assassination: High single-target damage and energy efficiency;
• Combat: Strong cleave and consistent output in PvE;
• Subtlety: Burst, stealth utility, and control in PvP.

For solo content, Assassination is usually the effective spec. For group PvE content like dungeons and raids, both Combat and Assassination are great choices. In PvP, Subtlety is the top choice due to its control and high burst.

📌 Note: For detailed talent builds, glyphs, and rotations, check out our MoP Classic Rogue spec guides.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Updates

MoP Classic introduced several updates that improve Rogue abilities. These changes affect cooldowns, damage calculation, and stats scaling. Here are just some of the changes that might affect your gameplay:

• Hit and Expertise now scale equally, making stat caps easier to manage;
• Adrenaline Rush reduces the global cooldown of most rotational abilities, allowing faster inputs when Energy is high;
• Shadow Dance now includes the effects of both Glyph of Shadow Dance and Slaughter from the Shadows by default;
• Vanish now has a 2-minute cooldown instead of 3;
• Vendetta increases damage dealt to the target by 30% for 20 seconds;
• Assassin’s Resolve increases all damage by 20% when using daggers, instead of only melee damage.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Leveling

MoP Classic Rogues level quickly by taking advantage of stealth, crowd control, and high burst damage. Combat is the recommended leveling spec due to its strong sustain, Blade Flurry cleave, and high uptime between fights.

Recommended Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Heirlooms:

• Stained Shadowcraft Cap;
• Stained Shadowcraft Tunic;
• Supple Shadowcraft Spaulders;
• Preened Wildfeather Leggings.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Best Spec

The best Rogue spec in MoP Classic depends on what kind of content you want to focus on:

• Combat: Best spec for PvE content;
• Assassination: Best for sustained single-target DPS, especially in raids. It’s easy to manage and scales well with gear;
• Subtlety: Best for PvP thanks to its strong opener burst. It excels in arena, battlegrounds, and world PvP.

If your main goal is to level fast, Combat is the most efficient choice. If you’re planning to raid at level 90, Assassination might be the most consistent pick for you. And if you are jumping into PvP, Subtlety gives you the crowd control and burst needed to dominate.

📌 Note: For more information, check out our MoP Classic Rogue spec guides.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Abilities

Rogues in MoP Classic share a core set of baseline abilities that provide mobility, control, and survivability — tools that are useful in nearly every situation:

• Stealth: Enables surprise openings;
• Sap: Crowd control from stealth;
• Kick: Interrupt enemy spellcasting;
• Evasion: Dodge increase for survivability;
• Cloak of Shadows: Removes magic effects;
• Sprint: Movement speed boost;
• Vanish: Exits combat and re-enters Stealth.

Each specialization builds on this core with unique strengths. Assassination enhances poison application with Mutilate and Envenom. Combat focuses on sustained damage and AoE cleave through Sinister Strike and Killing Spree. Subtlety revolves around Stealth uptime and burst damage using Backstab, Shadow Dance, and Ambush.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Rotation

Classic MoP Rogue rotation depends heavily on your chosen specialization and how you manage your resources. Playing efficiently means keeping uptime on finishers, pooling Energy during cooldowns, and reacting to procs. Here we have prepared a general Rogue rotation for each spec in Mists of Pandaria Classic.

Rotation for Assassination Specialization

Opener:

• Pre-Pot.
• Stealth.
• Tricks of the Trade on the main tank.
• Shadowstep to the boss.
• Mutilate.
• Rupture.
• Dispatch if Blindside procs, and if not, use Mutilate.
• Slice and Dice.
• Vendetta.
• Envenom.

Rotation:

1. Maintain Rupture at 4 or 5 Combo Points.
2. Slice and Dice.
3. Envenom at 4 or 5 Combo Points.
4. Mutilate if you are in Stealth.
5. Dispatch.
6. Mutilate.

Rotation for Combat Specialization

Opener:

1. Pre-Pot.
2. Enter Stealth.
3. Cast Tricks of the Trade on the main tank.
4. Shadowstep to the boss.
5. Ambush.
6. Apply Slice and Dice.
7. Cast Revealing Strike.
8. Cast Sinister Strike until you reach Shallow Insight.
9. Cast Killing Spree.
10. Cast Adrenaline Rush.
11. Proceed with your standard rotation.

Rotation:

1. Activate Blade Flurry if against multiple targets.
2. Maintain Slice and Dice.
3. Killing Spree, if that overcap Energy.
4. Adrenaline Rush.
5. Rupture at 5 Combo Points.
6. Eviscerate at 5 Combo Points.
7. Ambush.
8. Revealing Strike if it has fallen off.
9. Sinister Strike.

Rotation for Subtlety Specialization

Rotation:

1. 17 seconds before pull:
   1. Cast Premeditation;
   2. Exit Stealth.
2. Cast Tricks of the Trade on the main tank.
3. Pre-Pot.
4. Enter Stealth.
5. Apply Slice and Dice.
6. Shadowstep to close the distance to a boss.
7. Ambush.
8. Hemorrhage.
9. Backstab.
10. Rupture.
11. Backstab.
12. Pool Energy.
13. Shadow Dance.
    1. Ambush.
    2. Eviscerate.
    3. Premeditation.
    4. Ambush.
    5. Slice and Dice.
    6. Ambush.
    7. Ambush.

Your preferred rotation can vary depending on talents, glyphs, and the type of encounter. Feel free to adjust your opener, cooldowns, and finishers depending on the situation.

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Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Best in Slot Items

MoP Classic Rogue BiS lists are a great way to save time when gearing up your character. Below, we’ve prepared the Phase 1 Best-in-Slot gear for all Rogue specializations focused on maximizing DPS output in raids and dungeons.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Stats

Stat priority is important to ensure your Rogue performs at peak efficiency in all types of content. Each specialization values stats differently depending on energy generation, finisher uptime, and burst windows. Here’s a breakdown for each Rogue spec in MoP Classic:

Assassination

• Agility
• Hit/Expertise to cap (7.5%);
• Mastery;
• Haste;
• Critical Strike.

Combat

• Agility
• Hit/Expertise to cap;
• Haste;
• Mastery;
• Critical Strike.

Subtlety

• Agility
• Hit/Expertise to cap (7.5%);
• Haste;
• Critical Strike;
• Mastery.

📌 Note: You can use Reforging to optimize your stats based on your current gear and desired breakpoints.

MoP Classic Rogue Talent Build

Here we have prepared a general talent build for MoP Classic Rogue. Keep in mind that optimal choices may vary depending on your specialization and the type of content you’re focused on. Here are some general talent suggestions (adjust based on content, spec, and your personal preference):

If you don’t like your current talents, remember you can easily change them using a Tome of the Clear Mind. This lets you freely adjust your build whenever you want, even if you switch specializations! To make spec changes easier without having to regear, check out our Re-roll Bundle here at Overgear.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Glyphs

Glyphs provide useful tweaks to Rogue’s core abilities. Glyphs are divided into Major and Minor ones. Major Glyphs are used for altering the effects of your abilities, while Minor ones are mostly cosmetic. Here are some of the glyphs you might want to use as a Rogue in MoP Classic:

Major Glyphs

• Glyph of Sprint
• Glyph of Redirect
• Glyph of Smoke Bomb

Minor Glyphs

• Glyph of Poisons;
• Glyph of Safe Fall;
• Glyph of Distract.

Pick glyphs based on spec and PvE/PvP content.

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Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Best Consumables

In Mists of Pandaria Classic, consumables are an essential part of your toolkit. The right flask or potion can push your burst window over the edge, save a pull in a raid, or turn the tide in PvP.

Below is a breakdown of the best consumables to complement each Rogue spec and playstyle in MoP Classic.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Food

Food buffs matter a lot for Rogues in MoP Classic. The right meal gives you the edge, such as extra Agility, Haste, or Mastery. It all adds up over the course of a dungeon or raid.

• Sea Mist Rice Noodles;
• Seasoned Pomfruit Slices;
• Pandaren Treasure Noodle Soup;

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Flasks

The best flask for all Rogue specs in MoP Classic is Flask of Spring Blossoms. It increases Agility, your primary stat, making it ideal for both sustained DPS in raids and high-pressure PvP scenarios.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Combat Potions

For Rogues, Virmen’s Bite is the go-to combat potion. It grants a significant temporary boost to Agility, enhancing your burst windows, especially during cooldown-heavy openers or execute phases. Use it alongside major cooldowns like Shadow Blades or Vendetta for maximum effect.

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Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Enchants

Enchants in MoP Classic help Rogues get the most out of their stats. Here is the MoP Classic Rogue Enchants BiS List:

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Best Race

The best Rogue race in Mists of Pandaria Classic depends on your faction and playstyle. That said, some races will offer you benefits that others don’t. Here we have prepared a quick overview of the best Rogue race choices in MoP Classic.

Horde

Trolls are the best choice for Horde Rogues, especially Assassination, thanks to Berserking, which boosts attack speed by 20% for 10 seconds every 3 minutes. They also have Beast Slaying, useful against beast-type enemies, and Da Voodoo Shuffle, which reduces the duration of movement impairing effects by 15%. Another great option is Pandaren. They offer a passive called Epicurean, which doubles the effect of food buffs, and Bouncy, which halves fall damage and stacks with Safe Fall.

Alliance

Pandaren are likely the best Alliance Rogue race due to Epicurean’s powerful passive food buff bonus and fall damage reduction. Another great option is Worgen, as they offer Darkflight speed boost, useful for mobility-heavy fights, and Viciousness, which increases Critical Strike chance. That said, all Worgen abilities are overshadowed by the Pandaren’s stat bonuses from food.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue PvP

Subtlety is the best PvP spec thanks to burst and crowd control. Rogues excel in arenas and battlegrounds with strong tools:

• Cheap Shot;
• Kidney Shot;
• Gouge;
• Blind;
• Smoke Bomb;
• Shadow Dance.

Disarm, stealth reset, burst, and vanish cycles make Rogues dominant in skilled hands. For PvP, it is also important to use the right gear. Check out our Fast PvP Gearing service if you want to skip the grind!

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Mechanics

Rogues in Mists of Pandaria Classic primarily use Energy as their resource, which regenerates quickly and is spent on most abilities. They also build Combo Points by using certain attacks, which are then consumed by powerful finishing moves to deal burst damage or apply effects. Each specialization has unique mechanics:

• Assassination Rogues focus on applying and maintaining poisons;
• Combat Rogues emphasize sustained damage and cleave;
• Subtlety Rogues revolve around stealth, burst damage, and cooldowns.

Efficient Energy and Combo Point management is key to mastering all Rogue specs in MoP Classic.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Best Professions

All professions are viable for Rogues in Mists of Pandaria Classic, but some stand out due to raw stats, useful on-use effects, or unique utility. Here’s a quick overview of the top profession choices for MoP Classic Rogues:

• Engineering is the premier choice for maximizing your Rogue’s damage. Synapse Springs grants a massive 1920 primary stat boost for 10 seconds on a 1-minute cooldown, perfect for burst damage phases. Nitro Boosts provide a strong 5-second speed increase via your belt socket. Although there are no new explosives in MoP, Engineering remains a top pick for its utility and burst potential;
• Tailoring offers the Lightweave Embroidery enchant, which now gives 4000 attack power for 15 seconds on about a 1-minute internal cooldown. If you can track and sync this proc with your other cooldowns, Tailoring can be an excellent secondary profession;
• Blacksmithing provides the standard 320 Agility bonus but stands out by allowing more stacking of secondary stats.

We would recommend Engineering and Tailoring / Blacksmithing as a strong boost to damage and utility.

Mists of Pandaria Classic Rogue Macros

Rogue macros in Mists of Pandaria Classic can make your gameplay more efficient. They are great for ability management. Here are some macros that can help you with Rogue gameplay across all specs.

• Cast Tricks of the Trade on your mouseover target.

#showtooltip
/cast [@mouseover] Tricks of the Trade

• Cast Tricks of the Trade on your focus target, useful if you prefer focus targeting over mouseover.

#showtooltip
/cast [@focus] Tricks of the Trade

• The next macro prioritizes your mouseover and focus targets for Tricks of the Trade. If neither exists, it casts it on your target’s target, typically the tank when targeting a boss.

#showtooltip
/cast [@mouseover,help] [@focus,help] [@targettarget,help] Tricks of the Trade

• Cast Kick on your target. Holding Control casts Kick on your focus target instead.

/cast [mod:ctrl,@focus] Kick; Kick

• Uses your Virmen’s Bite potion and, if out of combat, casts Stealth. Perfect for pre-potting or potion use during fights.

#showtooltip Virmen’s Bite

/use Virmen’s Bite
/cast [nocombat] Stealth

• Cast Premeditation followed by Ambush for a strong opener.

#showtooltip Ambush
/cast Premeditation
/cast Ambush

• Start auto-attack and cast Backstab. Useful when auto-attack is disabled, but you want to begin attacking immediately.

#showtooltip
/startattack
/cast Backstab

• Activate your on-use trinkets in slots 13 and 14 before casting Shadow Dance for maximum burst damage.

#showtooltip Shadow Dance

/use 13
/use 14
/cast Shadow Dance

• Uses the Night Elf racial Shadowmeld to instantly enter stealth and cast Ambush.

#showtooltip
/cast Shadowmeld
/cast Ambush

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Rogues in Mists of Pandaria Classic are viable for all types of content, be it dungeons, raids, or PvP. If you want to play a fast-paced DPS class, Rogue is one of the most satisfying choices you can make in MoP Classic!