PvE Assassination Rogue DPS Rotations & Cooldowns

In Mists of Pandaria Assassination Rogues have a simpler and smoother playstyle, retaining familiar elements from the previous expansion while introducing dynamic mechanics through several new effects such as Dispatch & Anticipation. They start slow while low on Haste but their gameplay ramps up quickly once a certain threshold is passed.

Poisons

Poisons in Mists of Pandaria have been overhauled, no longer acting as independent effects that you place on weapons, but rather as static buffs. They have now been divided into two separate categories: Lethal and Non-Lethal Poison. You may only have one of each type active at a time.

Lethal Poison:

• Deadly Poison (Best Option)

Non-Lethal Poison:

• Leeching Poison (Ideal Survivability Option)
• Mind-numbing Poison (Best Against Caster Mobs)
• Crippling Poison (Best Kiting Option)

Energy Regeneration & Rotation Basics

Due to the way Energy Regeneration works, we will split the Single-Target section into two distinct rotations. One that focuses on the normal gameplay that can be achieved with enough Haste rating, and one where you still require more Haste. The rotation low Haste rotation will utilize Garrote to proc Venomous Wounds as fast as possible, effectively focusing on getting Slice and Dice to its maximum duration by prioritizing a fast 5 Combo Points Envenom. Meanwhile, the normal rotation excludes Garrote entirely, instead focusing on Ambush for the highest opener Damage Output and getting Rupture up as fast as possible. The normal rotation also assumes you have a high enough Critical Strike Chance to proc Seal Fate, resulting in easier Combo Points generation.

Just as mentioned in the Stat Priority section, stacking a lot of Haste is bad due to the Relentless Strikes effect, meaning that the normal rotation uses around 15%-20% Haste.

The general idea behind both rotations is to have a nearly 100% Rupture uptime, even if you start with different openings and a 100% Slice and Dice uptime. Due to how Envenom casts automatically convert Slice and Dice to its maximum duration, no matter how many points you initially used, you will only use Slice and Dice once. Most of your damage comes from Poison Damage and from Venomous Wounds!

Low Haste Single-Target Rotation

1. Start in Stealth.
2. Use Tricks of the Trade on the strongest DPS in your group before engaging in combat.
   • Recast Tricks of the Trade on cooldown on the strongest player in the group!
3. Open with Garrote to proc Venomous Wounds.
4. Cast Slice and Dice with the initial Combo Points.
5. Cast Mutilate to generate Combo Points.
   • Cast Mutilate whenever your target is above 35% HP to generate Combo Points.
6. Cast Dispatch if Blindside procs after using Mutilate.
   • If you play with Anticipation, cast Dispatch with the Blindside proc even if you already have 5 Combo Points on the target.
7. Cast Envenom with the first 5 Combo Points after using Slice and Dice.
   • Make sure to cast Envenom before the duration of the initial Slice and Dice expires.
   • Use Envenom to continuously refresh Slice and Dice.
8. Repeat Mutilate & Dispatch casts to generate 4-5 Combo Points.
9. Cast Rupture with 4-5 Combo Points to trigger Venomous Wounds.
10. Repeat Mutilate & Dispatch casts to generate Combo Points and spend them on Envenom until Rupture needs to be refreshed.
11. Completely swap Mutilate casts with Dispatch to generate Combo Points once your target is below 35% HP.
12. Prioritize using Vendetta and Shadow Blades during Trinket procs or Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp!
13. Prioritize using Vanish and Preparation to unleash 2 x Ambush casts before the target reaches 35% HP.
14. Use Shiv to apply special effects such as Mind-numbing Poison
15. If nobody else can apply the Weakened Armor debuff, prioritize using Expose Armor after the first time you extend Slice and Dice‘s duration.

Normal Single-Target Rotation

1. Start in Stealth.
2. Use Tricks of the Trade on the strongest DPS in your group before engaging in combat.
   • Recast Tricks of the Trade on cooldown on the strongest player in the group!
3. Open with Ambush
4. Cast Slice and Dice with the initial Combo Points.
5. Cast Mutilate to generate Combo Points.
   • Cast Mutilate whenever your target is above 35% HP to generate Combo Points.
6. Cast Dispatch if Blindside procs after using Mutilate.
   • If you play with Anticipation, cast Dispatch with the Blindside proc even if you already have 5 Combo Points on the target.
7. Cast Rupture with 4 or 5 Combo Points to trigger Venomous Wounds.
8. Repeat Mutilate & Dispatch casts to generate 5 Combo Points.
9. Cast Envenom to extend Slice and Dice‘s duration
   • Make sure to cast Envenom before the duration of the initial Slice and Dice expires.
   • Use Envenom to continuously refresh Slice and Dice.
10. Repeat Mutilate & Dispatch casts to generate Combo Points and spend them on Envenom until Rupture needs to be refreshed.
11. Completely swap Mutilate casts with Dispatch to generate Combo Points once your target is below 35% HP.
12. Prioritize using Vendetta and Shadow Blades during Trinket procs or Bloodlust/Heroism/Time Warp!
13. Prioritize using Vanish and Preparation to unleash 2 x Ambush casts before the target reaches 35% HP.
14. Use Shiv to apply special effects such as Mind-numbing Poison.
15. If nobody else can apply the Weakened Armor debuff, prioritize using Expose Armor after the first time you extend Slice and Dice‘s duration.

AoE Rotation

1. Use Fan of Knives as your primary AoE ability
   • Use Fan of Knives to generate Combo Points
2. Apply Rupture to as many targets as possible to trigger Venomous Wounds in long fights.
3. Cast Envenom to spend Combo Points if Rupture is already active on the targets in long fights.
4. Cast Slice and Dice, and refresh it with Envenom for long fights
5. Use Crimson Tempest as the main finishing move in short fights
6. Use Redirect to move Combo Points from one target to another if one mob is about to die

Utility, Crowd Control, & Major Cooldowns

• Crowd Control
  • Garrote – DoT ability that also places a Silence effect on the target, lasting for up to 3 seconds.
  • Sap – Incapacitate effect that works on a variety of targets, lasting up to 1 minute. The effect is broken by damage.
  • Kidney Shot – Finishing Move that stuns a target. Duration based on the number of Combo Points used.
  • Cheap Shot – Opener Move that stuns a target up to 4 seconds.
  • Blind – Ability that disorients a target for up to 1 minute, causing it to wander around. The effect is broken by damage.
• Buff
  • Swiftblade’s Cunning – Increases the Melee & Ranged Attack Speed of all party/raid members in a 100-yard radius by 10%.
  • Recuperate – Finishing Move that grants you a HoT which heals you for 4% max HP per tick. Duration depends on the Combo Points used.
• Utility
  • Shroud of Concealment – AoE ability that grants Stealth to all nearby party or raid members in a 20-yard radius for up to 15 seconds.
  • Smoke Bomb – Creates an area that obscures vision, preventing enemies from targeting in or outside the area while it lasts.
  • Tricks of the Trade – Transfers Threat that you generate to the targeted player, increasing their Damage Output by 15% while the effect is active.
  • Master Poisoner – Increases all Spell Damage taken by a target you have poisoned by 5%.
  • Expose Armor – Applies the Weakened Armor effect, reducing the target’s armor by 4% per stack. May stack up to 3 times.
  • Dismantle – Disarms a target for up to 8 seconds, preventing them from using a Weapon or Shield.
• Major Cooldowns
  • Vanish – Instantly activates Stealth, even in combat. This ability is used either as an escape tool or as a way of using opener abilities, such as Ambush or Garrote, mid-fight.
  • Preparation – Ability that instantly resets the cooldown of Vanish, Sprint, Evasion, and Dismantle.
  • Evasion – Increases your Dodge Chance by 100% for 10 seconds.
  • Sprint – Increases your Movement Speed by 70% for 8 seconds.
  • Vendetta – Debuff that massively amplifies all of your damage sources against a target for a limited duration.
  • Shadow Blades – Empowers your weapons, causing your Auto-Attack to deal Shadow Damage and your Combo Points generators to generate one additional Combo Point.
  • Shadow Walk – Increases the effectiveness of Stealth for 6 seconds. Very useful for sneaking past elites.
  • Cloak of Shadows – Ability that removes any harmful spell effects and provides brief immunity to Magical Damage. Causes you to resist all Spells for up to 5 seconds while the effect is active.
  • Shadowstep – Ability used to teleport behind targets, granting 70% Movement Speed for 2 seconds after the teleportation occurs.