Many Rogue changes incoming
by Eliah Hecht 
Aug 29th 2008 at 9:00PM
Rogues were one of the last classes to get new talent trees for LK; in general, it seems like they've been a bit behind during the beta. However, today another blue I've never heard of, by the name of Gamnin, dropped a lot of information about what's in store for the most stabbity of classes. Here are the changes that jump out at me:General:
- All reagents and tools (such as Thieves' Tools and poison reagents) are being removed.
- Poison skill is being removed. Poisons can now be bought from vendors.
- Evasion, Sprint, and Vanish cooldowns reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes (2 minute with talents).
- Cloak of Shadows cooldown raised to 2 minutes (1 minute with Elusiveness).
- An unspecified new level 75 ability is coming, which will "add some much needed group utility." The previous level 75 ability, Dismantle, will be trainable at level 20.
- Mutilate no longer requires you to be behind the target.
- Relentless Strikes will be made "more accessible"; Vigor is taking its place, and a new talent is going in Vigor's place.
- Find Weakness will be passive.
- Riposte now generates a combat point.
- Mace Specialization will give armor penetration with maces.
- Deflection down to 3 ranks from 5.
- Fist Weapon and Dagger Specializations merged.
- Dual Wield Spec moved to tier 1 (!), swapping places with Lightning Reflexes (which will be buffed).
- "More attractive Tier 1"
- Fewer dagger-specific talents to allow for more build flexibility.
That's not all, that's just what struck me as especially cool. The complete rundown is over at the official forums.
I am excited. More exited than I was about the Furor change earlier today, by a long shot. It seems more and more like LK is going to be the iteration where Blizz really gets it right, ironing out a lot of kinks that have been there since day one. Don't get me wrong, WoW has been a great game so far, but LK looks like it's going to make it even better. And most of this stuff will probably be going live in the 3.0.2 patch.
As far as the specific changes, I'm particularly excited about the reagents being dropped. They add a lot of flavor, but ultimately a lot of hassle as well. And although I can't say I'm pleased to see CloS nerfed like that, I can see the need for it. I'm also happy to see Relentless Strikes and DW Spec moved to more accessible places; those were both often seen as must-have talents for PvE specs, significantly limiting build options. I'm also looking forward to playing with Dismantle; on the face of it, it looks a bit imba in certain situations. It'll be pretty good to be a rogue in Northrend.
Filed under: Rogue, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Perderedeus Aug 29th 2008 9:07PM
CLoS nerf. As much as my rogue hates this, my hunter finds it delicious irony - Kill Command, their lvl 66 skill, was fairly thoroughly nerfed in WotLK.
MechChef Aug 29th 2008 9:48PM
And sub-rogues will likely take the talent, so they'll still purge stings, poisons, and dots as usual.
Faar Aug 30th 2008 6:33AM
Not so much a nerf tho when a talent can bump it back up to its current insane level...
I do wish though that Blizzard would make all dagger-only skills open to FIST weapons as well. Because what else is a fist weapon when it comes down to it than a dagger really?
You don't swing it like a sword, you punch with it, just like you do with a dagger. That would make dagger-style gameplay more attractive and interesting, and opens up equipment choices a bit more.
This move would really make sense as the article reports they're merging combat tree's dagger and fist spec talents.
Ryan Aug 29th 2008 9:09PM
Yes, the cloak nerf sucks, but we have been thrown more than enough bones in its place to feel sated. Can't wait to see these new talents.
Perderedeus Aug 29th 2008 9:26PM
Indeed. I definitely like the Mutilate change.
Glen Hays Aug 30th 2008 4:45PM
When will all of the much needed rogue nerfs be coming? Everyone who is not a rogue will be very excited for them.
Thander Aug 29th 2008 9:16PM
Wow, I might actually consider leveling my rogue mutilate spec with these changes.
baggins Aug 29th 2008 9:25PM
When dismantle says "Or other equipment carried" it only means stuff like relics and wands, yeah?
Else that's freaking insane.
Feanora Aug 29th 2008 9:29PM
Not even rogues are charming enough to make someone strip instantly.
BigBiker05 Aug 29th 2008 9:38PM
So far it looks great to me!
Jay Aug 29th 2008 9:28PM
"cooldowns reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes (2 minute with talents)."
Blegh, rogues running away more often FTL.
onetrueping Aug 29th 2008 10:19PM
Oh yes, because we want to stand around and let you kill us like good little squishies.
Noturno Aug 29th 2008 9:43PM
I can just see them forgetting to change the pickpocketing loot until the next expansion though...the game is full of "fixed" things that left several others broken in their wake...
Kipple Aug 29th 2008 9:32PM
Oh dear god YES. I was hoping rogues would get some love before 3.0 hits, and it looks like it's finally our turn. My only real concern is that with Mutilate getting hugely buffed like that (no longer need to be behind target), and Dual Wield Spec being moved to tier 1, will anyone even bother with Combat spec anymore?
Being Mutilate spec already, this post just made me smile a lot. But it seems like either Combat is going to need some impressive changes of its own, or everyone is going to flock to Assassination and never look back -- and that's a bad thing; variety is what makes things fun.
Spritetoggle Aug 29th 2008 9:45PM
Call me crazy, but as an avid rogue player I'm actually disappointed that they're removing all of the reagents for various rogue abilities. Blinding powder was one thing, but taking away poison materials, flash powder, /and/ thieves' tools? I loved that aspect of the class. And it made a nice little money sink to boot.
Despite the change, I'm keeping the thieves' tools in my inventory right where they've always been.
Ametrine Aug 29th 2008 11:27PM
Yeah... that whole thing is just ridiculous.
Was it really that difficult to skillup poisons, that they had to remove them?
scotttopic Aug 31st 2008 9:10PM
the problem is not about poisons being difficult to level up. it is all about bag space and convenience. if you keep mats you find from pick pocketing, you've got severals bag spots wasted with inexpensive items. or you've got to carry empty vials around with you to make the poisons right away. or, if you're like me, you discard any mats you find anyway, and just buy enough from the vendor whenever you need them, and make them right there.
for those of us who just stand at the poison vendor making poisons every few days, this is a convenient little change.
Illirien Aug 30th 2008 10:44AM
Yeah, I agree. It just became that much LESS fun to play my rogue :(
Silence Aug 29th 2008 9:47PM
A couple of these are actually nerfs or neutral changes - CoS, obviously, and the lockpick bag slot + the reagent ones is going to be equal to or less than having one slot for every poison type. (You don't have to carry them all now - just three reagents and one stack of bottles to make on the fly.) However, the rest of this sounds like extremely good news depending on how the trees work out. I'd be delighted to see daggers viable again.
bumble Aug 29th 2008 9:54PM
lol, the easiest class made even easier?