Damage optimised rogue

[acidjax]

Still, clearly Improved Sap is demanded both because it's uber and because I think MMOs are extremely unforgiving of variant scum.[right][snapback]69156[/snapback][/right]

Improved sap makes using the skill more convenient in instances. It greatly reduces the chance that healer will need to heal you when you use sap to pull. If there are multiple rogues in the fight, in such a way can you sap two mobs from the same group (since sap doesn't work on targets in combat mode).

In PvP, improved sap will allow you to sap one target and get your ambush off on another target without having to wait 5-8 seconds (of not hitting or getting hit) to drop out of combat mode and return to stealth.

My game-plan for Cold Blood & Eviscerate will be to try to time it to land the killing blow. Kill-stealing, if you like, from the rest of the group. Hopefully they'll agree to help me do that by timing their big hits for when the mob is not almost dead. That not only sets up a Remorseless Attacks bonus but also means that the big hit that steals aggro is also the one that inflicts the most effective form of crowd control - death![right][snapback]69156[/snapback][/right]

Because your group will usually fight multiple mobs in one pull, ambush loses some attractiveness here. Where in PvP combat mode drops after 5-8 seconds of not being attacked, in PvE it will last for the entire fight unless you use vanish. You'll be fighting primarily elite mobs in instances so they've got a good deal extra HP. If you're going for all-out damage, you will probably use backstab quite a bit more frequently. Given the right build and circumstances (tank keeps agro on targetted elite), backstab with a high DPS slow speed main hand dagger will result in (I believe) the rogue's highest amount of sustained damage possible.

Remorseless is generally seen as a good talent for solo (or small group) leveling. With talent backup you can get a constant 100% crit chance on your ambush. In PvE your crit ambush (talent boosted) might take off 30-60% life from a monster your level.