My rogue problem

[Blacranger]

I started leveling a rogue and I got it to lvl 51 but for some reason my dps sucks and I think my weapons are pretty decent for the level. http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Sentinels&n=Silversneak I think I'm not playing my rogue right and I've been searching different sites for some input but I haven't found anything useful yet. So far I've tried changing my build around but it seems to not be helping that much. My dps is 30.1% at lvl 51 and my friend who's a paladin at the same level is 64% something's wrong here... also my dps in a dungeon was the same as the tank who was a lower level than me. I've been using the rotation ssx2 s&d ssx3 eviserate and i try to keep s&d up or id use rupture at the end for mobs that run away. I don't know what I'm doing wrong any advice would be helpful .

[Trismus]

Low levels are weird due to lack of talents, however, here are general pointers:


Combat daggers is bad. Don't be combat daggers.

You are specced 20/21, which means you don't have a 40 points talent. That will reduce your dps.

Since you have two daggers, you should go assassination. Spec down to mutilate. Get it. Never sinister strike again. Mutilate should be your only combo point generator.


Then focus on keeping slice and dice and rupture up. When you get the talent Cut to the Chase keeping SnD will be easy.

Also, get Vile poisons and Improved poisons. If you have extra time in your rotatiion, then envenom. Once you get Cut to the Chase, start speccing into combat. In fact, copy the spec I have on Severe, but follow the assassination tree down first. Getting 2/5 Relentless Strikes in the Subtlety tree before doing into the combat tree may help you.


In short, deep talents are better than shallow talents as a general rule, so try to get those first.

[Trismus]

Oh and one other thing. Instant mainhand, deadly offhand for poisons. Wound/Deadly for pvp.

Dagger dps is more important than speed. Put your highest dps dagger in mainhand, especially if it's fast.

[Blacranger]

If I put all my points into combat what would be my basic rotation for pve?

[dharq]

spam 1, hit 2, spam 1, hit 3, spam 1, hit 2...

Only slightly more difficult than the DK rotation of 1,2,3,4,4...

[Trismus]

If you want to go combat there's a few things you should know:


First of all, rogue dps is more dependent upon how talented the player is than any other class I have yet played. Rotations are not particularly complex, but execution can be difficult.


The first thing to remember about combat is this: GET A SLOW MAINHAND. Without a mainhand weapon of AT LEAST 2.6 delay, you will do bad dps. The reason is that sinister strikes is your main combo point generator and it is based upon weapon damage. Fast weapons have lower weapon damage, and as such your dps will be reduced.


With any rogue spec you want to keep Slice and Dice up all the time (for pve).

You also want to rupture. Keep in mind that you never want to use a finisher unless it's 4-5 combo points (really 5 combo points for combat). However, this is negotiable if you are grinding through mobs where you may not have time to maximize efficiency anyways.


Your offhand should be fast. Until you can get enough points into the assassination tree you should have Wound Poison mainhand, Deadly Poison offhand. Why? Because Wound Poison has a MUCH higher proc rate, making it a larger dps increase than instant poison unless you talent for instant poison proc rate.


Fist Weapon mainhand/Dagger off hand is good, sped 5/5 Close Quarters Combat.

Sword/Sword or Axe/Axe or Sword/Axe or Axe/Sword is also good. Spec 5/5 Hack and slash.

Maces are mediocre at best until you can hit ArP cap with them, so try to avoid them.


If all you have are daggers then you will not do good dps as combat no matter what your rotation or spec is, due to the inherently fast speed.


Deadlymijo and Jilinna have cutting edge combat specs. Emulate them.



-Tris

[un4]

Keep in mind that you never want to use a finisher unless it's 4-5 combo points (really 5 combo points for combat). However, this is negotiable if you are grinding through mobs where you may not have time to maximize efficiency anyways.

Don't leave out the 3/5/5s!  With talented SnD and the glyph of SnD, you get off to a great start if you drop your opener (whatever it is), get up to three CP, SnD, 5 CP, SnD, 5 CP rupture.  The SnD carries over into the next rotation (three CP SnD) so that it never drops.  This is the old rogue standby; it's not always the most efficient (fight, support classes, gear, spec, etc.) but it's always a solid fallback.  Also, get glyph of Sinister Strike for the chance to get two CP on a SS crit... mine procs like mad, even in my crap gear


And, obviously, people who have good damage output probably have good specs to look at, but don't forget to play around and respec until you understand why those work... it takes longer and will give you some truely horrible results at times, but the experience and knowledge is irreplacable.

Good tips, Tris!