PvE Subtlety Rogue DPS Rotations & Cooldowns

In Mists of Pandaria, Subtlety Rogues have a complicated rotation that revolves around the Find Weakness mechanic and an intricate Finishing Moves priority order that requires consistency. Their gameplay is considered the hardest among all the Rogue specializations in PvE environments.

Poisons

Poisons in Mists of Pandaria have been overhauled, no longer acting as independent effects that you place on weapons but as static buffs. They have now been divided into two categories: Lethal and Non-Lethal Poison. You may only have one of each type active at a time.

Lethal Poison:

• Deadly Poison (Best PvE Option)
• Wound Poison (PvP Option)

Non-Lethal Poison:

• Leeching Poison (Ideal Survivability Option)
• Mind-numbing Poison (Best Against Caster Mobs)
• Crippling Poison (Best Kiting Option)

Subtlety Rogue Basics

Subtlety Rogues are built around a few core mechanics, involving strong but short burst sequences followed by precise Combo Points generators and spenders. The main mechanic that Subtlety Rogues benefit from is Find Weakness, which allows them to ignore their target’s armor entirely. This mechanic is triggered after using any opener from Stealth, preferably Ambush, and once again by using an opener after either Vanish or Shadow Dance. In addition, while they are stealthed, they benefit from the Master of Subtlety passive, which boosts all their damage by 10%. Subterfuge further extends this bonus! With those two passives in mind, Subtlety Rogues attempt to time their burst sequences with other offensive buffs such as consumables or trinket procs.

As for their Combo Points generators and spenders, Hemorrhage is only used to maintain the debuff, or whenever you can’t get behind your target. Backstab is the main Combo Points generator once you reach behind your target. For Finishing Moves, Slice and Dice is always the highest priority, primarily due to Energetic Recovery, followed by Rupture and Eviscerate.

Single-Target Rotation

1. Always start in Stealth!
2. Cast Premeditation before engaging while in Stealth!
3. Cast Slice and Dice with the Combo Points from Premeditation before the 18 seconds expire.
4. Cast Tricks of the Trade on the best DPS in your group.
5. Either approach your target or cast Shadowstep to close the range and engage.
6. Cast Ambush as your primary opener & use as many Ambush casts as possible while Subterfuge lasts.
7. Cast Hemorrhage to apply its debuff.
8. Cast Backstab once you are behind your target as the main Combo Points generator.
9. Refresh Slice and Dice when it’s about to expire from your initial cast.
   • Upkeep Slice and Dice at all times and refresh the buff when it’s about to expire.
10. Cast Rupture as fast as possible after ensuring that Slice and Dice has enough uptime.
11. Cast Eviscerate as your main Finishing Move when Slice and Dice & Rupture don’t need to be refreshed.
12. Prioritize using Shadow Dance & Vanish during your trinket procs to cast Ambush to make the best out of the Find Weakness & Master of Subtlety effects!
13. Prioritize using Shadow Blades after Shadow Dance & Vanish to generate as many Combo Points as possible and spam Finishing Moves.
    • Ideally, use Shadow Blades right after the burst sequence while the trinket procs remain active.
    • Depending on the encounter, you may hold Shadow Blades and only activate it during Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp to make the most out of Auto-Attack Shadow Damage.
14. Only use Preparation for an additional Vanish if you are sure you won’t need a second Sprint to avoid deadly mechanics!

AoE Rotation

1. For 2-3 Targets, perform your Single-Target Rotation and apply Rupture to all targets while replacing Eviscerate with Crimson Tempest.
2. For more than 2-3 Targets, spam Fan of Knives and use your Combo Points to upkeep Slice and Dice & cast Crimson Tempest.

Utility, Crowd Control, & Major Cooldowns

• Crowd Control
  • Garrote – DoT ability that also places a Silence effect on the target, lasting for up to 3 seconds.
  • Sap – Incapacitate effect that works on a variety of targets, lasting up to 1 minute. The effect is broken by damage.
  • Kidney Shot – Finishing Move that stuns a target. Duration based on the number of Combo Points used.
  • Cheap Shot – Opener Move that stuns a target up to 4 seconds.
  • Blind – Ability that disorients a target for up to 1 minute, causing it to wander around. The effect is broken by damage.
• Buff
  • Swiftblade’s Cunning – Increases the Melee & Ranged Attack Speed of all party/raid members in a 100-yard radius by 10%.
  • Recuperate – Finishing Move that grants you a HoT which heals you for 4% max HP per tick. Duration depends on the Combo Points used.
• Utility
  • Shroud of Concealment – AoE ability that grants Stealth to all nearby party or raid members in a 20-yard radius for up to 15 seconds.
  • Smoke Bomb – Creates an area that obscures vision, preventing enemies from targeting in or outside the area while it lasts.
  • Tricks of the Trade – Transfers Threat that you generate to the targeted player, increasing their Damage Output by 15% while the effect is active.
  • Master Poisoner – Increases all Spell Damage taken by a target you have poisoned by 5%.
  • Expose Armor – Applies the Weakened Armor effect, reducing the target’s armor by 4% per stack. May stack up to 3 times.
  • Dismantle – Disarms a target for up to 8 seconds, preventing them from using a Weapon or Shield.
• Major Cooldowns
  • Vanish – Instantly activates Stealth, even in combat. This ability is used either as an escape tool or as a way of using opener abilities, such as Ambush or Garrote, mid-fight.
  • Premeditation – Opener tool that allows you to always have Slice and Dice active before engaging.
  • Shadow Dance – Major Offensive Cooldown that allows you to cast openers like Ambush or Garrote while in combat.
  • Preparation – Ability that instantly resets the cooldown of Vanish, Sprint, Evasion, and Dismantle.
  • Evasion – Increases your Dodge Chance by 100% for 10 seconds.
  • Sprint – Increases your Movement Speed by 70% for 8 seconds.
  • Shadow Blades – Empowers your weapons, causing your Auto-Attack to deal Shadow Damage and your Combo Points generators to generate one additional Combo Point.
  • Shadow Walk – Increases the effectiveness of Stealth for 6 seconds. Very useful for sneaking past elites.
  • Cloak of Shadows – Ability that removes any harmful spell effects and provides brief immunity to Magical Damage. This causes you to resist all spells for up to 5 seconds while the effect is active.
  • Shadowstep – Ability used to teleport behind targets, granting 70% Movement Speed for 2 seconds after the teleportation occurs.