Dragonflight Beta Rogue Dev Notes: September 19th

Hello Rogues,

Last we spoke, we talked about some upcoming changes to the Rogue class tree, and one of the immediate and echoed points of feedback was comparison and concern regarding pathing and connectivity for the class tree as presented and also for current spec trees.

While the Rogue trees are not and will not be exactly like those of any one other class, we’d like to share how your feedback has helped continue to shape the Rogue trees up to current. We’ve added connections we believe help create more flexibility and creative opportunity within the trees, while avoiding undermining the intended costing of deeper tree sections. Please keep in mind that: 1) Changes happen iteratively, which means some of what you see will be present in this week’s PTR and Beta builds, while other changes will not be in a public build until next week, and 2) As always, anything and everything is subject to change – it is Beta, after all.

Okay, with that preamble out of the way, let’s take a look at the current structure of each Rogue tree:

Beyond the pathing changes and connections seen above, there are a few details I’d like to note:

Leeching Poison now works with any Lethal poison

Deeper Stratagem once again increases finisher damage by 5% in addition to its existing effect

Shadow Dance base duration has been reduced to 6 seconds and no longer has a base flat damage increase (Subtlety will be compensated through a mix of baseline changes, talents, and tuning)

Thistle Tea grants Mastery (example: 17% as Assassination) for 6 sec, in addition to its current effect

There are many new connections and pathing opportunities in the Assassination tree. While not many individual talents have significantly changed for Assassination, Cut to the Chase is now a 1-point talent and extends Slice and Dice by 3 sec per combo point spent, and Internal Bleeding is also now a 1-point talent for the same total effect.

Outlaw has quite a few connections created in the top and side portions of the tree. As an individual talent change, Heavy Hitter (previously NYI) design has changed, now granting 10% increased damage to all abilities that generate combo points.

Subtlety has seen perhaps the most significant total change to its talent tree structure (as displayed) and its individual talents.

Two active skills have returned to Subtlety’s level-learned baseline: Shadow Dance and Symbols of Death. While a handful of talents have moved, new talents have taken their places: Improved Shadow Dance increases the duration of Shadow Dance by [2 sec/4 sec], and Swift Death reduces the cooldown of Symbols of Death by 5 sec.

One passive skill has also returned to Subtlety’s level-learned baseline: Shadow Techniques. At base, Shadow Techniques now grants 1 Combo Point and 4 Energy when it triggers, and Improved Shadow Techniques has taken its place on the tree talent tree, increasing the Energy generated by 4.

Alongside the previous post’s Danse Macabre, we hope the total changes to the Subtlety tree (and other Rogue trees) will provide more flexible talent options, meaningful choices, and fun gameplay opportunities.

Thank you for your continued feedback. We look forward to hearing about more of your experiences on the PTR and Beta, especially across the next two week’s builds as more and more Rogue talents get fully implemented. Cheers.