Encrypted Text: My ganking toolbox

I love being prepared. I always like having the right tool for the job. My desk at the office is covered with spare parts and manuals, and my junk drawer at home is filled with cables and loose screws. And when I say junk drawer, I mean junk cabinet. I won't throw away something that could be useful later, which has me worried that my next TV appearance will be on Hoarders.
Luckily, I can't be judged for all of the goodies that I keep in my rogue's bags. One of my favorite threads on the official rogue forums is the Ganker's Kit of Ganking. It's a very robust list of items in WoW that can help you kill your targets and avoid being killed yourself. I find that we're usually so focused on our normal gear that we forget about all of the other items in our inventory that can make playing a rogue fun.
Don't let your prey escape
The most frustrating thing for a rogue engaging in PvP is when his enemy escapes his grasp. I can't tell you how many times I've cursed the name of night elf druids that use Shadowmeld to hop into Flight Form. In order to prevent my targets from running away, I utilize a few different items to catch them.
Let me start by saying that my rogue is an engineer, which gives me access to a plethora of utility tools. Rocket boosts are going to be your best friend for catching up to fleeing prey. As an engineer, I like to equip double rockets -- a belt with the Nitro Boosts tinker and my Rocket Boots Xtreme. The two speed boosts don't share a cooldown, although they obviously can't be activated at the same time. Between two different rocket boosts, my Sprint and Shadowstep abilities, and Crippling Poison, my targets rarely escape.
Every once in a while, one of my foes will jump off a cliff to avoid me. With a Flexweave Underlay, I can jump right after them. Rogues take less damage from falling passively, but the Underlay ensures that you never take any falling damage. I've also run into opponents who like to hop into the water in hopes of swimming away. Unfortunately for them, I have an Azure Silk Belt and my Glyph of Blurred Speed. Only warlocks and druids will be able to outpace you in water with the Azure Silk Belt equipped.
Surviving at all costs
Speaking of water engagements, it's important that you're able to not only effectively kill your opponents but that you can also make a strategic retreat. I use my Deepdive Helmet to pursue my prey into the waters as well as to avoid packs of enemies who can't stay underwater as long as I can. I also use my Gnomish Cloaking Device to make myself invisible. This is especially useful for avoiding enemy rogues, as you can't detect an invisible player like you can detect a stealthed player.
I also carry around several Living Action Potions, which you can use like a second trinket to break out of stuns and snares.
Don't forget the basics
While there are obviously a lot of flashy tools that you can use in PvP, you also want to make sure you are stocked up on the basics. Keep plenty of poisons on you, at least one stack of each flavor. I keep a few stacks of food, as well as plenty of flasks. You should have this stuff already if you're raiding regularly.
In addition, keep a few stacks of Dense Embersilk Bandages around to use while you have your target Blinded or Gouged. Finally, you're going to want a few potions to restore your life in combat. I like to use the Rogue's Draughts we get from pickpocketing, since they're free.
Rogue-specific trinkets and baubles
Speaking of pickpocketing, I always keep a few rogue keepsakes in my bags. Besides my Thieves' Tools and my Flash Powder, I have also been collecting the dice sets that we can find through pickpocketing. The dice sets are pretty rare and always turn a few heads when you use them. Along with my Rabbit's Foot and my Rabbit's Other Foot, they bring me good luck when I'm rolling on a piece of gear that I want.
Disguises for disguising
I love dressing up for world PvP. I carry my Red Defias Mask and my Blood Elf Bandit Mask around in case I don't want my identity to be revealed. I have a few stacks of Noggenfogger Elixir and an Iron Boot Flask to change my form up. I am also lucky enough to have a Tabard of the Lightbringer, which I hear causes a lot of confusion for my opponents. Then, after I've defeated an opponent, I use my Rosary of the Light to Tebow right on top of their lifeless corpse (hopefully before they release).
What are some of your favorite items to use on your rogue? Because WoW has been around so long, there are literally hundreds of fun items that don't see much use anymore.
Filed under: Rogue, (Rogue) Encrypted Text
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
eel5pe Feb 1st 2012 12:36PM
Don't get me wrong, I fully condone ganking of all sorts especially if you're on a PvP server. But for those of you trying to get out of a gank, especially in no-fly zones, Last Relic of Argus can be a lifesaver since it has a shorter cast time than hearthstone (5s versus 10s), AND is affected by haste effects. You'll end up somewhere totally random (even Outland!) but then you can hearth in safety once you're away.
-the item is obtained from Draenei archaeology, has a relatively high drop rate compared to the more infamous rares (Jar, Doll, etc.) and is easier to farm since Outland only has two types of archaeology sites, Orc and Draenei.
-like your standard HS, any damage taken will interrupt the cast.
-for my fellow Paladins, even though BubbleHearth is gone (/mourn), you CAN still Bubble + Last Relic! =)
renehillege Feb 1st 2012 1:03PM
I am actually one of those rogue haters. Loved to read this article, though. Who knows, I may roll one myself...
The only other thing I thought whilst reading this. Is it really necessary to explain them how they can kill me better?! *sigh* followed by *wink*.
Katherine Feb 1st 2012 1:37PM
Roguecraft. They were naked wielding ONE starting dagger, and still managed to kill just about everyone they found (I think the only exception was a group of 3).
Quidamtyra Feb 1st 2012 2:18PM
I haven't read Ganker's Kit of Ganking for a long time, and I'm too lazy to do so now, so I hope this isn't redundant =D
- Free Action Potion: doesn't break stuns like Living Action Potion, but lasts 6 seconds instead of 3.
- Focusing Crystals: have someone targeted but can't seem to find them? Focusing Crystal! See their general direction real quick!
- Noggenfogger Elixir (already mentioned): I don't go anywhere without them, the small skeleton is the hardest damned thing to see.
- Research: find a popular quest hub in the level range you're looking to gank, even level 85's Molten Front is full of undergeared people in mass amounts.
- If the person keeps running back, knowing you are waiting there... they are probably acting as bait while they call in the cavalry (which in my experience is often more than 2 level 85s), so it's time to get outta dodge if you're only there to gank.
Stray Feb 1st 2012 3:38PM
This isn't so much about what to keep in your bag, but our guild is beginning to stock typical rogue poisons in the guild bank. I learned the hard way what a pain it can be to not keep track of how many you have left when I finally arrived at Creed without any Instant Poisons left. My only guildmate on at the time barked in SW for a rogue to buy poisons for him (he was a warrior) and luckily I was able to find an alcove where I could destealth and put down a mobile guild bank to retrieve them. If I could have mounted up I'd have access to my Traveler's Tundra Mammoth's poisons, which is another handy thing for a rogue to have if you've the spare gold.
Pyromelter Feb 1st 2012 7:41PM
that's a +1 for critical thinking and planning, in regards to having poisons in the gbank and summoning your gbank on your quest. I wonder if that would have worked for the goblin racial banker dude, or the argent tournament squire bank service.
neogramps Feb 2nd 2012 7:33AM
This is why engineering is so handy for rogues - jeeves will sell poisons and lets you access your own bank as well.
Gazpacho Feb 1st 2012 5:26PM
Is aerial ganking still possible? One of my favorite pvp vids is Top Gun Rogues
http://www.warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=115589
I'm inspired to create some kind of weird aerial gank build.
Chase Christian Feb 1st 2012 5:34PM
Top Gun Rogues was actually shot on my server by a dear friend of mine.
It's possible, but only against targets that are AFK, have awful gear, or are below level 85. It's great for ganking leveling toons though!
Ragvel Feb 2nd 2012 7:57AM
don't overlook usefulness of Elixir of Camouflage http://www.wowhead.com/item=22823
keep you off other players radar to its to late ;)
Vorenus Feb 8th 2012 8:13AM
still torn on a spec for Dragon Soul raids: Combat or Mut?? im starting to think Combat is the way to go (per DPS numbers), but ive been Mut for years now.....so torn, whats your guys take?
Green Feb 3rd 2012 4:40PM
Staff of Arch Mage Vargoth Macroed before Vanish... Try it.
Green Feb 3rd 2012 4:43PM
http://www.wowhead.com/item=28455