Rogue remains one of the more popular DPS class choices due to its highly offensive playstyle. It also has a lot of fast and flashy abilities that showcase this job's damage-dealing role. We have three specializations that could be useful in various content, and knowing which performs the best can help players optimize their gaming experience with the Rogue Class.
Rogue Specialization Overview
All World of Warcraft classes have three specializations, which can easily be swapped back and forth depending on the situation. Unlike some jobs, all Rogue Specs change the playstyle and DPS orientation rather than changing roles. Each spec has its perks and weaknesses, so knowing each one can help players learn which to use in specific content.
Subtlety Rogue
The Subtlety Rogue is the spec that can damage the greatest number of enemies among the three. It has intense burst AoE abilities and single-target attacks, but it needs proper management of buffs. It's straightforward to use and can quickly run most content.
Outlaw Rogue
This spec focuses on cleave attacks that can quickly clear out mobs and even deal tons of damage on single targets. Its main gimmick is buffing yourself to increase efficiency and manage your skill rotations. This specialization is all about weaving through your combos while ensuring that you have active augments to maximize your overall damage.
Assassination Rogue
Sin Rogue is the one spec that specializes the most on single-target DPS because most of its damage comes from DoTs. Its key playstyle is stacking and ensuring that enemies have a damage-over-time effect at all times. This mechanic is compelling against bosses due to how high the total DPS can reach.
Best Rogue Spec for Leveling
It's widely accepted that Subtlety Rogue is the best spec for leveling this class. It has the fastest apparent speed during the leveling stage, especially against low-level mobs. It also has decent single-target DPS that can deal with any mini-boss or elite that might appear during your progression. Not only that, but it also has a decent sustainability kit so that you’re constantly on the move instead of resting now and then.
Sub Rogue has the least DPS in both AoE and single target among the three specs, but only by a small margin. It can't reach higher DPS than Sin (single target) and Outlaw (AoE), but you don't need to worry about that while leveling. Subtlety is a jack-of-all-trades in this class, and it's the best one to use for most content while you level and gear up.
Best Rogue Spec for Raiding (Heroic and Mythic+)
Any Rogue class would do well in most PvE situations, but as we climb to higher difficulty raids, parties want DPS that reach beyond the soft cap and have a higher damage ceiling. Following this logic, Assassination Rogue would be the ideal choice. Sin has a higher cap among the three, especially against Raid Bosses. They have tremendous DoTs that can outpace other rogues. It's not complicated to play because you only need to ensure the poison and debuff upkeep. The only issue with this would be their need for AoE to clear out mobs, but with the recent changes, Sin can deal good damage against one to three enemies at a time.
Outlaw would be an excellent second choice for Raids, but it isn't straightforward. It has a higher DPS ceiling than Subtlety but requires awareness, resources, and CD management to out scale Sin Rogues. Your focus on weaving cleaves and buff upkeep might need to be more friendly to newer players or those not used to monitoring their cooldowns. However, it's a great choice if you want a class with strong AoE attacks that deal with DPS against single targets.
Subtlety is a safe choice because it's the easiest to play. You don't have to monitor any status effects nor be mindful of your cooldowns. All you need to do is spam your abilities when they’re available. The only issue is that you won't scale that high in terms of damage compared to the other two, so it might be an issue if you run higher Mythic+ raids.
Best Rogue Spec for PvP
In most cases, the Subtlety Rogue performs the best in Battleground and Solo Shuffle. Its reliance on hit-and-run tactics using burst attacks and maneuvering out of fights makes it suitable for PvP content. It also has a ton of stealth-oriented abilities that help with flanking opponents so that you can focus on more vulnerable targets. Not only that, but they also have some crowd-control skills that help force or initiate fights.
Outlaw would be the next best choice, primarily for Battleground. They have a lot of cleave and AoE attacks that can deal with mobs of enemies and take them down quickly. However, monitoring your cooldowns might be hard when you’re in the middle of a PvP fight, so you need to practice with this spec and rely on muscle memory to be reliable.
Best Rogue Spec for PvE Solo Old Content
Sin Rogue is our best choice for most old content runs if you collect specific transmog, mounts, or pets. Its focus on single-target damage and ensures that you can easily breeze through old dungeons and bosses in the fastest time possible. Since normal mobs will be easy to care for, your lack of AoE and cleave attacks will help you as you progress through most challenges.
Overall Rating
In recent updates, Rogues have catapulted themselves into one of the best DPS classes in the game. However, most players complain about this class being too dull to play because it’s mostly about monitoring CDs and DoT upkeep. Even with flashy moves, gamers find most Rogue specs counter-intuitive to play. However, if you like the class and enjoy its playstyle, this shouldn't be a problem for you, allowing you to focus on being the top DPS in any raid party.
