Rogue specializationDPS

Combat Rogue

Combat is one of the three Rogue talent trees in WoW Forever. Its tree has 17 talents: 2 new, 8 changed, 1 moved and 6 same as in Classic. Forever removes 4 Classic talents from this tree. Our best-in-slot (BiS) list treats it as a DPS spec.

Class: Rogue
Talents: 17
New in Forever: 2
Abilities: 10

Combat talents

The 17 talents of the Combat tree in the beta, row by row. Each one opens its own page: what every rank does, its requirements and what changes from Classic.

Try Combat in the calculator

What changes in Forever

What is new and changed for Combat compared with Classic Era: our change list, its talent tree and its abilities.

In our change list

Our change list has nothing specific to Combat yet. What the beta client changes in its tree and its abilities is right below.

Class-wide changes

They affect every Rogue, whatever tree they play:

New talents

Puncturing Wounds
Increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 30% and your Mutilate by 15%, and gives Backstab a 45% chance to add an additional Combo Point.
Flawless Execution
Reduces the Energy cost of your Eviscerate ability by 10.

Changed or moved talents

Improved EviscerateChanges: tree, text, numbers. In Classic it was in Assassination.
DeflectionChanges: ranks, text, numbers.
PrecisionChanges: ranks, text, numbers.
EnduranceChanges: text, numbers.
Dual Wield SpecializationChanges: text, numbers.
Blade FlurryChanges: text.
Hack and SlashChanges: text, numbers, name.
Weapon ExpertiseChanges: text, numbers.
AggressionChanges: text.

Removed talents

Changed abilities

BackstabChanges: tooltip.
GougeChanges: tooltip.
Blade FlurryChanges: tooltip.

Combat abilities

The 10 abilities the beta spellbook groups under Combat, by the level they are learned at. Each one opens its own page with its ranks, cost and changes.

Sinister StrikeLv. 1
BackstabLv. 4
GougeLv. 6
EvasionLv. 8
SprintLv. 10
KickLv. 12
FeintLv. 16
RiposteTalentLv. 20
Blade FlurryTalentLv. 30
Adrenaline RushTalentLv. 40

See Combat in the spellbook →

Combat best-in-slot (BiS) gear

The site’s suggestion, not an official list: we score the beta items with our stat weights for each level. The beta is capped at level 30.

Full list by levelLevel 20 Level 30beta Level 40 Level 50 Level 60

Top picks at level 60

Main hand
1. Kingsfallitem level 89 · Drops from Kel'Thuzad · Naxxramas (Classic data)
2. Gressil, Dawn of Ruinitem level 89 · Drops from Kel'Thuzad · Naxxramas (Classic data)
Head
1. Bonescythe Helmetitem level 88 · Quest: Bonescythe Helmet · Naxxramas (Classic data)
2. Deathdealer's Helmitem level 81 · Quest: Deathdealer's Helm · Ahn'Qiraj (Classic data)
Chest
1. Bonescythe Breastplateitem level 92 · Quest: Bonescythe Breastplate · Naxxramas (Classic data)
2. Deathdealer's Vestitem level 88 · Quest: Deathdealer's Vest · Ahn'Qiraj (Classic data)

The two highest-scoring pieces in three slots. It is a forecast: until the beta reaches 60, items and their sources may change.

Full Combat list at level 60 →

Why these weights

Combat uses Sinister Strike: you want a slow main hand (more damage per hit, same energy cost) and a fast off hand for more poison and Hack and Slash procs (extra attacks with swords and axes). Hit and crit as for Assassination; off-hand DPS weighs more because Dual Wield Specialization raises its damage.