If doing huge amounts of DPS, while stabbing your enemy in the back, all while conjuring potions sounds like your ultimate WOW character, then playing a rogue is for you. Rogues are known as World of Warcraft’s only “pure” class, meaning they do one thing and one thing only: deal damage and lots of it. While other classes, like a priest, that can heal and deal out damage, Rogues can deal out so much DPS that it makes up for any short comings. If you want to know more about leveling up a Rogue, keep reading!
Being a Rogue is available to several classes. For the Alliance, Dwarves, Gnomes, Humans and Night Elves are available. And for the Horde, Blood Elves, Orcs, Trolls and the Undead are available races that can become a Rogue. Here’s a list of racial abilities that are beneficial to Rogues:
Dwarves: Mace Expertise is increased by 5 which can be extremely helpful. Also, the ability Stoneform can cure all diseases, poisons and bleeds, which usually are used to keep a Rogue from going into stealth mode.
Gnomes: The best racial ability for a Rogue Gnome is Escape Artist which allows you to escape from snares, which would come in handy if you prefer to do some PvP.
Humans: A very strong candidate for a Rogue due to three great racial abilities. First, there’s the Mace Expertise of 3. Next, there’s Every Man for Himself, which rids you of any movement or impairing effects. Last, there’s Perception, which gives you the ability to see stealth NPCs and Enemies easier.
Night Elves: Quickness is a great racial trait which aids you in dodging hits. Shadowmeld comes in handy if you’re ever in a situation where you need to go stealth for a second time.
Here are the racial traits for the Horde:
Blood Elves: I try to find good racial abilities for any race, but when it comes to playing a Rogue, Blood Elves (and Gnomes for that matter) simply aren’t the best choices. A Blood Elf’s only racial ability that’s beneficial for Rogues is that you get 15 energy heal and silence. Compared to the other abilities for the other Horde races, this really isn’t good enough.
Orcs: Axe Specialization gives you an expertise of 5 with fist weapons and axes. Blood Fury increases your attack power by 322 for 15 seconds once you’re at level 80 (it increases level by level).
Trolls: Da Voodoo Shuffle reduces all movement or impairing effects by 15%, making all impairing spells thrown at you last for only a short time. While Berserking increases your attack speed by 20% for 10 seconds.
Undead: Will of the Forsaken removes any and all Sleep, Charm or Fear effects. Take note, however, that it shares a 45 second cool down.
Now that you know what races are available, let’s get started with leveling your Rogue!
As always, when you start to level, begin in your starting zone (for example all Humans start in Northshire, which is located within Elwynn Forest). Once you have completed all of the quests in that zone, move on to your adjacent starting zone (for example, Goldshire, which is located within Elwynn Forest as well) Questing in your “beginner” zone, not only gives you the most experience points for your current level but it keeps you from walking/running through “unsafe territory”.
By the time you’ve reached level 10, you should be finishing up questing in your adjacent starting zone and received your first talent point!
When it comes to a Rogue’s talent tree, you have 3 builds to choose from: Assassination, Combat and Subtlety. Assassination is all about getting as many combo points as quickly as possible. Combat, on the other hand, likes to give DPS over the course of the entire “fight” whether in one big burst. Subtlety focuses on speed and stealth.
Here are some suggestions to where to place your talent points for levels 10-20:
Assassination: Malice, Ruthlessness and Blood Spatter
Combat: Improved Sinister Strike, Dual Wield Specialization and Precision
Subtlety: Opportunity, Relentless Strikes and Camouflage
Before you start questing in new zones at level 20, be sure to do the instance the Deadmines which becomes available around level 15. Now that you’re at level 20 and have received your first mount, here are some places to quest:
Alliance: Redridge Mountains, Duskwood and the Wetlands. Keep in mind that in Duskwood and the Wetlands, you can quest all the way to level 30 there, so do those two questing zones last.
Horde: The Barrens and Stonetalon Mountains. You can also start questing in Thousand Needles but keep in mind that questing here will take you all the way to level 35.
Dungeons of not for levels 20-30 are Shadowfang Keep, Blackfathom Deeps, Gnomeregan and Razorfen Kraul (in that order).
Here’s where you can place your next set of talent points (from levels 20-30):
Assassination: Puncturing Wounds and Lethality
Combat: Precision, Improved Slice and Dice, Endurance (1 point) and Aggression
Subtlety: Ghostly Strike, Elusiveness, Serrated Blades, Initiative and Setup
When leveling your rogue for levels 30-40 here are some suggested questing zones:
If you want to quest in the Eastern Kingdoms, begin questing in the Alterac Mountains and Arathi Highlands. Once you’re in your mid 30s (level 33, 34, etc.), you can start questing in Stranglethorn Vale (STV) and/or the Badlands. It’s always beneficial to save STV (or the Badlands) for last, since questing in these two zones can take you to level 45.
If you want to quest in Kalimdor, finish questing in Thousand Needles (if you started mid-level 20s) then move on to Desolace and then Dustwallow Marsh. Dustwallow Marsh, just like STV, will take you all the way to level 45.
As far as instances go, be sure to do Razorfen Downs and the Scarlet Monastery. Although that may seem like a short list, the Scarlet Monastery is a dungeon separated in 4 parts and stretched across leveling throughout your 30s. And while you can enter the dungeon Uldaman at level 39, it is strongly suggested that you wait until you’re in your mid 40s to start.
Here’s where to place your talent points for levels 30-40:
Assassination: Improved Poisons, Vile Poisons and Seal Fate
Combat: Blade Flurry, Mace Specialization, Weapon Expertise and Blade Twisting
Subtlety: Finish placing the remaining 2 points in Setup. Now place the additional 8 points in Hemorrhage, Dirty Deeds and Deadliness.
Congrats on reaching level 40 and receiving your first epic mount! You’re now halfway there to having a level 80 Rogue!
Here’s where you can quest once reaching level 40 (for levels 40-50)
If you like questing in the Eastern Kingdoms, finish your quests in STV and the Badlands. Once you’ve completed the quests there, you can head over to the Hinterlands and the Searing Gorge. You can also start questing in The Blasted Lands, but just like the Badlands, save this zone for last since questing here will take you all the way to level 55.
If questing in Kalimdor is more of your style, finish the quests in Dustwallow Marsh. Once you’re done there, head over to Feralas, Tanaris and then Azshara. Just like questing in Dustwallow Marsh, quest in Azshara last because questing here will take your Rogue all the way to level 55.
A list of dungeons that’s available for levels 40-50 would include Uldaman, Zul’Farrak and Maraudon (in that order).
Below is a list of where to place your talent points for levels 40-50 as well:
Assassination: Finish placing the remaining 2 points in Seal Fate. Now start placing the other 8 points in Murder, Focused Attacks and Find Weakness.
Combat: Endurance, Adrenaline Rush, Vitality and Combat Potency
Subtlety: Preparation, Premeditation, Master of Subtlety and Sinister Calling.
Congrats on reaching level 50! In just 10 more levels you’ll get to travel to Outland and beyond! Here are some suggested questing zones for levels 50-60:
If you like questing in the Eastern Kingdoms, finish the available quests in the Blasted Lands first. This will take your Rogue all the way to level 55. Once you’ve completed all of the quests there, start questing in the Burning Steppes, and the Western and Eastern Plaguelands (start with the Western Plaguelands first).
If you like questing in Kalimdor, finish the quests in Azshara and proceed to Felwood and the Un’Goro Crater. You can start questing in Winterspring and/or Silithus once you’re in your mid 50s since this will take you all the way to level 60.
Blackrock Depths, Dire Maul and Stratholme are just some of the dungeons that are available for levels 50-60.
Here’s where you can place your talent points for levels 50-60:
Assassination: Overkill, Mutilate, Master Poisoner and Cut to the Chase
Combat: Surprise Attacks, Unfair Advantage, Savage Combat and Relentless Strikes (located in the Subtlety tree)
Subtlety: Honor Among Thieves, Dual Wield Specialization and Improved Slice and Dice (located in the Combat talent tree),
Now that your Rogue is at level 60 its time to head to Outland! While Outland may seem confusing at first, here is the most popular order for quest zones to visit when you start to level in Outland. Start at Hellfire Peninsula and then work your way to Zangarmarsh, Terokkar Forest, Nagrand, Blade’s Edge Mountains, Netherstorm and Shadowmoon Valley.
As far as dungeons go, you can do Hellfire Citadel, Coilfang Reservoir, Auchnindoun (a 4-part dungeon; you won’t be able to complete all 4 parts until you’re level 70) and the Caverns of Time: Old Hillsbrad Foothills.
We’re almost at the end for your talent speccing! Here’s where to place your next 10 points (for levels 60-70):
Assassination: Hunger for Blood, Opportunity and Relentless Strikes (located in the Subtlety talent tree) and Dual Wield Specialization (located in the Combat talent tree)
Combat: Prey on the Weak and Malice (located in the Assassination talent tree)
Subtlety: Waylay, Slaughter from the Shadows, Shadow Dance and Improved Slice and Dice (located in the Combat talent tree).
Only 10 more levels to go and you’ll have a level 80 Rogue! Now that you’ve finished questing in Outland, head over to Northrend. Listed below is the most popular questing order: The Borean Tundra, Howling Fjord, Dragonblight, Grizzly Hills, Zul’Drak, Sholazar Basin, Crystalsong Forest, Storm Peaks, Icecrown and Wintergrasp.
There are so many dungeons and raids to do at these levels that it would be crazy to list them all. However, here is a sample list of the dungeons that’s available at these levels: Nexus, Uldar and Icecrown Citadel.
Although you may be at level 80, (or close to it) you should notice that you have some ‘’leftover’’ talent points. Here are some suggestions to where you can place the remaining points:
Assassination: Dual Wield Specialization, Precision, and Close Quarters Combat (3 out of 5 points).
Combat: Killing Spree, Ruthlessness, Blood Spatter, and Lethality (Ruthlessness, Blood Spatter and Lethality are all located in the Assassination talent tree).
Subtlety: Malice (2 points), Improved Eviscerate, Ruthlessness, Remorseless Attacks and Puncturing Wounds (all located in the Assassination talent tree).
