On the other hand, there's no monk legendary coming.

...OR IS THERE??? Breaking news!

Downvote because you're getting a freaking legendary in the expansion that was previously all about Shamans and Druids.

Well, I do have to say that my 85 rogue is the most likely to collect dust and be the last of my 85s to make it to 90.

I think this opens up the possibility of a rogue tank spec with a focus on avoidance.

@MikeLive...Legendaries are nice, but will be obsolete by the time we all get to 90. People will dust off their rogues to get the Fangs of the Father, then put them on the shelf again because the monk will offer a similar playstyle and have tank and heal options.

I have a lot of faith that Blizz knows the score, and realizes that the monk will attract a lot of rogues that want to try something different, as the article mentions. We have a lot of time until MoP goes live. I expect Blizz will make the rogue an attractive class again by then. I'm just curious to see how they do it.

TL;DR...I'll trade Legendaries that are cool for a few levels for abilities that offer long-term viability.

I agree. Rogues were a lot of fun to play in Wrath, and my main through Wrath was a rogue. Now my main is a warlock, which I fully expect to shelve in MoP as destro warlocks are being changed so they don't play like a fire mage.

/sigh

Rogues with a tanking spec is just a freaking bad idea.../facepalm

@Parrin: As a healer, I have one word: "NOOOOOoOoOoooooOOOooooOOOOO!!!"

Tanks with "avoidance" as their niche are a pain in the ass. Even if they have 90% avoidance, there's still that 1 in 1000 where there take three hits in a row and fall over dead.

@MikeLive

Awesome reason for downvoting a post. I hope you're downvoting posts about mages, warlocks, and priests, who also got a legendary in this expansion.

Downvoted because you're arguing that Blizzard hates melee - and shows this by introducing a new melee class. Also - Rogue legendary.

I agree with Hih.

Avoidance tanks are horrible (my City of Heroes experience says so).
So they'll probably get enough mitigation skills.

The monk will have differences in utility and will play differently than a rouge, the hybridization of the class will only attract people who are board and if they are board that should not effect the overall game. if someone who is a rouge quits there rouge to play a monk its because the rouge got stale to them and i bet some people who play the monk will at some point get board and switch to rouges. as for the armor complaint i would love to see the monk maybe have a spec ability to wear different armor say a tank monk could wear mail and be more armored or a healer gaining a bonus to plate (because holy pallys have had it good for too long :P). as blizzard stated at blizzcon they have plans for the pure dps classes to make there specs feel and play different so a combat rouge would feel different than a sub rouge even with the same trees so if your still board with your rouge after this patch maybe it is time to re-roll and find a new love affair with a different class

There's a class similar to yours, why should you abandon the former one? Makes no sense if you ask me... So should all players delete their warlocks and just roll a mage?

A few people have commented to downvote me because rogues are getting a legendary in Cata. While that is true, it is also totally irrelevant.

The article, and the comments that followed it, are about class balance in MoP, not Cata. When monks arrive, they will mark the 7th melee dps class (monk, rogue, warrior, dk, feral druid, pally, shaman). Rogues are the only pure dps class of the seven. All the others can fill multiple rolls.

Compare that to the ranged classes: hunter, lock, mage, preist, balance druid. 3 of the five are pure dps classes. If you need a ranged dps class to fill out your raid group, chances are it is a pure class, and that is what you expect.

But, if you want melee to fill out your raid, chances are you will get a hybrid class that can fill in as an off tank or emergency healer if necessary.
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All except the rogue.

My original post mentioned that it feels like Blizz is trying to muscle me out. I don't honestly think that's true. But bringing in another melee hybrid, one that can fill all 3 roles while the best I can barely even bring a buff, is certainly pushing the class I love just a little further into the corner.

Blizz did some good things in Cata, making fights less dps focused, and more about interrupts, cc, and other mechanics. I hope they continue on that path.

Like I said before, I have faith in Blizz. I'm sure they know all this already, and will do some things to make the rogue a good pve option again. But a legendary in this expac does nothing for us in the next one.