Rogue in WoW Forever
Axes, Sap that keeps you in Stealth, Mutilate and Venom for Assassination, and the four weapon specialisations folded into one talent.
Baseline changes — every Rogue
These apply regardless of how you spend talent points.
NewOne-handed axesRogues can now equip them.
ChangedSapNo longer breaks Stealth.
ChangedPoisonsMore charges, and they now sit alongside Sharpening Stones and Weightstones.
ChangedExpose ArmorReduces armour as much as 5 Sunder Armors and no longer blocks Sunder Armor.
ChangedDistractAlso lowers enemy Stealth detection for 10 seconds.
ChangedFeintDouble the threat reduction.
Mutilate at 21 points and a Venom finisher at 31 turn the tree into a dual-dagger poison spec.
NewMutilate21-point talent. 60 energy, strikes with both daggers for 2 combo points, more damage against poisoned targets.
NewVenom31-point talent. A 25-energy finisher that raises Poison damage by 30% and Poison application chance by 10%.
ChangedCold BloodNow the 16-point talent (was 21) and works with Mutilate.
ChangedVigorA 2-point row 5 talent instead of the 31-point one.
ChangedImproved PoisonsLarge chance for poisons not to use a charge.
ChangedImproved Expose ArmorCheaper, and refunds combo points at 5.
ChangedMaliceCrit chance for all attacks and Poisons.
ChangedMurderNow works on Giants; no longer on Beasts and Dragonkin.
ChangedLethality and Remorseless AttacksBoth now cover Mutilate; Lethality’s crit damage bonus is lower.
ChangedSeal FateNo longer requires Cold Blood.
ChangedImproved GougeMoved here from Combat, row 1.
Combat
DPSHack and Slash replaces four weapon talents, and Flawless Execution makes Eviscerate cheaper.
NewHack and SlashRow 5. One talent covering daggers, maces, swords and fist weapons; axes get the sword bonus.
NewFlawless Execution16-point talent. Eviscerate costs 10 less energy.
ChangedWeapon ExpertiseLowers the target’s dodge and parry chance.
ChangedImproved EviscerateMoved here from Assassination with a bigger bonus.
ChangedPuncturing WoundsWas Improved Backstab. Adds Mutilate crit, and Backstab can give an extra combo point.
ChangedPrecisionHit chance for all spells, attacks and Poisons.
ChangedEnduranceCuts Sprint and Evasion cooldowns by a percentage.
ChangedDeflection and AggressionDeflection gives twice the parry per point; Aggression now boosts Backstab.
ChangedDual Wield SpecializationSmaller off-hand damage bonus.
RemovedWeapon SpecializationsDagger, Mace, Sword and Fist Weapon Specialization are gone, folded into Hack and Slash.
Subtlety
DPSThousand Cuts at 31 points ties Rupture to Hemorrhage and Backstab, and Premeditation drops to 16.
NewThousand Cuts31-point talent. Rupture ticks cut the cost of your next Hemorrhage or Backstab by 3 energy, up to 5 stacks.
NewCutthroatRow 6. Backstab can let your next Ambush be used outside Stealth.
NewQuietusRow 6. More damage to targets under 35% health.
NewImproved DistractRow 3. Bigger radius and a stronger Stealth detection penalty.
ChangedPremeditationNow the 16-point talent (was 31), lasting 20 seconds.
ChangedHemorrhageHits harder with a dagger and boosts Rupture damage for 15 seconds.
ChangedSerrated BladesIgnores a percentage of armour that scales with level.
ChangedDirty DeedsGarrote no longer needs you behind the target.
ChangedDirty TricksRow 2. Cheaper Sap and Blind.
ChangedSetup and Initiative3 points now give a 100% chance.
ChangedMaster of DeceptionSame effect for 3 points.
RemovedSleight of Hand and DeadlinessRemoved from the tree.
Beta tuning in the development notes
From Blizzard’s beta development notes (blue posts, 24 September and 1 October 2026). Beta values change before launch.
ChangedSetupSubtletybeta notes 01.10Only adds combo points to your current target when that target is the one you dodged or resisted.
ChangedExpose Armorbeta notes 01.10A missed Expose Armor no longer wipes all your combo points.
ChangedSapbeta notes 24.09Now flags you for PvP when used on a PvP-flagged target.
Rogue talents
All three trees with a calculator — from the beta client.
Rogue spellbook
Every trainable spell by level and rank.
What changed vs Classic
New abilities, former runes and talent changes.
All classes
Every class and what changed.
Addons
What works, with versions.
Levelling
Skip the climb — prices on launch day.
Launch day · 4 November
Levelling a Rogue to 60
About 150 hours of play for a first character by community estimates, and Blizzard has announced no WoW Token or paid boost for Forever. If the Rogue changes above are why you are rolling one, levelling opens on launch day — tell us what you need now.
WoW Forever gold, leveling and accounts — prices on launch day, 4 November. Tell us what you need now and we'll contact you when it's ready.