WowCampyour camp in WoW Forever
RUEN

Rogue

Shadows, poison, and other people's purses

A rogue wins before the first strike by deciding whom to fight, where, and from which direction. Rogues hit hard and fall quickly, so they try never to be seen first. In WoW Forever, this is still the familiar killer in the shadows, now with smooth energy regeneration, rewritten talents, and a few surprises that beta testers did not greet enthusiastically.

Melee

Rogue PvP

Level 60 builds with every talent explained, combos and a plan for every matchup, duels, battlegrounds and world PvP.

PvP · Rogue58 min read · builds and every matchupOpen guide

Start leveling

Step-by-step routes: where to go, which quests to pick up, when to enter dungeons, talents and addons.

Open guide
Level 1–30 routes · quests, gear and talents · guides in Russian

The one you never noticed

A warrior meets an enemy head-on, a mage with a fireball, and a rogue from behind, with the enemy last to find out. You have no plate, healing, or spells, but you have something nobody else does: you decide when the fight begins and when it ends.

Every capital has its own shadows. Undercity has Deathstalkers; Orgrimmar has the Shattered Hand, whose members recognize a special salute; Stormwind has Master Mathias Shaw's secret service. Above Hillsbrad's mountains hides Ravenholdt Manor, home to an assassins' league indifferent to your banner. At level 24, an elegant letter bearing its seal makes clear that someone has been watching you for a long time.

Shadows, energy, and five combo points

Your main tool is Stealth, but it is not an invisibility cloak. Initially you move at half speed, and a mob approached from the front notices you several steps away. Approach from behind and avoid campfires: flames reveal you to the whole camp. Forever testers complain that enemies detect rogues sooner, although there are no figures or patch notes confirming this.

Then rhythm matters. Classic energy arrived in bursts of 20 every two seconds; veterans opened just before the next tick. Forever regenerates it smoothly, retiring that trick along with energy tick addons.

The basics are simple: Sinister Strike adds a combo point to the target, and finishers spend them all, up to five. Eviscerate turns them into direct damage; Slice and Dice into attack speed. Guides and testers say switching targets no longer destroys points: they remain on the old target until you start building them on another.

Leveling: strong, fragile, and cunning

Rogues kill a single enemy faster than almost any class, but cannot heal themselves: bandages and food are the entire medicine cabinet. Most level Combat with a slow sword because enemies face you while solo, whereas Backstab requires a dagger and access to their back.

One enemy is straightforward; separate two before fighting. Disable the second humanoid with Sap, or use Evasion if that fails. Against three, remember your legs: Sprint helps, joined at 22 by Vanish if you carry Flash Powder. Misjudge the pull and a ghost run teaches the lesson better than any guide.

Every humanoid is also a walking purse: Pick Pocket arrives at level 4. Search pockets before attacking, because afterward it is too late. Usually they hold copper and junk; around level 20, locked junkboxes appear. Open them yourself with Pick Lock if you carry Thieves' Tools.

Level 20 brings the class's big exam: the poison chain. Horde starts by saluting Shenthul in Orgrimmar, followed by two flares over the Barrens and finally an elite Venture Co. tower. Pickpocket its key; Grand Foreman Puzik Gallywix waits upstairs, so testers recommend going no earlier than 22. Rewards include poison training from Serge Hinott in Tarren Mill and the Thistle Tea recipe: one drink restores 100 energy if you have Cooking 60. Forever poisons have roughly one and a half times as many charges, with weaker individual procs, but finally stack with sharpening stones.

Dungeons and raids: a blade behind the boss

A good group rogue is remembered for more than damage. Scout ahead, watch patrols, and disable an extra humanoid before combat with Sap. In Classic it broke stealth without a talent; in Forever it no longer does. Blizzard explicitly intends rogues to provide group control, so Distract now also reduces enemies' stealth detection. Kick interrupts an enemy shaman's healing, while locked doors and chests remain your job, as in 2004.

Two old buttons became more useful. Feint now removes twice as much threat: use it if you pull an enemy from the tank. Expose Armor equals five Sunder Armor stacks and no longer interferes with warriors, ending the old rogue-versus-tank raid dispute.

Blizzard's main promise is the highest single-target damage, provided the boss lets you stand behind it uninterrupted. Testers greeted that promise skeptically, and it cannot yet be tested: the beta level cap (the highest available character level) is 30, with no raids.

World PvP: hunter and prey

PvP rules automatically flag you in contested zones; normal rules require /pvp. Wherever flags are active, rogues feel at home: between Tarren Mill and Southshore, outside the Crossroads, and later in Stranglethorn Vale. Patience is a ganker's best weapon: wait until the victim fights a mob, sits to eat, or drops to half health. From 26, open with Cheap Shot; from 30, follow with Kidney Shot. Leave promptly after a kill: jumping on the corpse turns a random encounter into a vendetta.

You are being hunted too. The account-wide Legacy system lets opponents select High Alert and detect stealth as if 2 levels higher; testers already call it a rogue tax. Distract also applies a visible debuff that tells players a rogue is nearby, and using Sap on a flagged player flags you too. On the positive side, PvP critical strikes are no longer reduced since October 8.

For rank hunters: world kills award Honor, but Blizzard says Rank Points come only from battlegrounds and PvP quests.

Battlegrounds: a shadow near the enemy flag

The beta has one open battleground: the new Darkspear Islands, where teams of 15 fight 15 from level 30 over four bases and a central flag. Carry it to any friendly base; the first team to 2000 points wins. Guides expect Warsong Gulch from 10, Arathi Basin from 20, and Alterac Valley from 51 to return for release.

Standing in the crowd at an objective is not your job. You belong where you are unexpected: behind the flag carrier, beside an isolated healer, or at an abandoned base. A classic Arathi Basin trick is to Sap a lone defender and capture the flag while they stand helpless. High Alert does not work in battlegrounds, which is welcome news.

An old friend with new tricks

The spellbook is almost unchanged from 2004, but talents were reshuffled. Hack and Slash replaces four weapon specializations and benefits any blade; you can now also equip one-handed axes. At 30, Combat gains Blade Flurry, Subtlety gains Hemorrhage, and Assassination gains the new Mutilate, a strike with both weapons that Blizzard says requires two daggers. Two more new talents await at 40: Venom and Thousand Cuts.

Numbers were reduced: Backstab lost a third of its bonus damage, Rupture fell by roughly 40%, and poison procs hit less hard. Hence the forum joke that Forever rogue is "Classic minus nerfs." Many testers see themselves at the bottom of level 30 damage meters; others say rogues sit in the middle in dungeons and have always come into their own closer to 60.

Testers praise the qualities that always defined the class: responsive controls and a recognizably Classic feel, especially Sap no longer breaking stealth. Watch for beta bugs: enemies may parry even from behind at very close range. The bug where Mutilate failed to consume Cold Blood was fixed on October 15, so do not rely on repeated guaranteed critical strikes. Other complaints still await blue responses; beta runs until October 21–22.

Is this your class?

Choose rogue if you like choosing the moment rather than waiting for it. Decide whom to attack, bypass unnecessary enemies, live off other people's pockets, and make an entire zone look over its shoulder with one word in chat: "rogue."

Know the drawbacks: you are fragile, recover with bandages and food, and depend heavily on weapons. The first 20 levels are tough without poisons, with frequent misses and stacks of bandages consumed. Earn a raid spot through damage; you will never tank or heal. Remember the class's main rule: a fight you did not start is usually already lost.

If your fingers are already reaching for Stealth, open the Undead Rogue 1–30 leveling guide. It covers every step from Deathknell's crypt to level 30 in Thousand Needles. Even if you choose another race, its talents and poisons apply to all.

October 15 fixes removed poison procs triggered merely by enemies attacking the rogue and weapon procs triggered by Sap. A Mutilate critical strike now correctly consumes Cold Blood: do not expect another guaranteed critical strike from the same buff.

Rogue races

Horde

UndeadCannibalize, Will of the Forsaken, Touch of the GraveWill of the Forsaken removes fear, sleep, and charm, but does not prevent repeated control or remove Scatter Shot. Cannibalize helps recovery between fights. Touch of the Grave has a 20% proc chance and a 25-second internal cooldown; Shadow spell power does not strengthen it.
OrcBlood Fury, Hardiness, SavageSavage grants +1% critical strike chance regardless of weapon. Blood Fury boosts attack and spell power for 15 seconds on a 3-minute cooldown. Hardiness shortens stuns by 20%. Shatter Curse removes curses and banes and reduces magic damage by 5% for 8 seconds, without immunity to new curses.
TrollBerserking, Rapid Regeneration (new)+10% attack speed for 10 seconds and half your health restored over 6 seconds between fights if you do nothing, reducing troll leveling downtime.
Skyborne · WindshaperWalk on Air (gliding), Wind Blessed, SkysightGliding and +10% movement speed help travel but contribute little in combat, so most guides rate Skyborne as the weakest rogue race. Since October 15, Walk on Air has a 90-second cooldown, and racial recovery or speed abilities can be activated while moving.

Alliance

HumanWill to Survive (new), Perception, RuthlessRuthless grants +2% critical strike chance regardless of weapon. Will to Survive removes stuns every 3 minutes; Perception helps detect hidden enemies. Since October 15, choosing a sword for the racial bonus is unnecessary.
DwarfStoneform, Earth FuryStoneform removes bleeds, poisons, and diseases and reduces physical damage taken by 10% for 8 seconds. Earth Fury grants +2% critical damage and healing regardless of weapon: critical strike effectiveness, not chance. Big Game Hunter helps against beasts, and Find Treasure can now yield extra items from most chests.
Night ElfQuickness, Shadowmeld, Elune's LightForever officially gives night elves one extra level of stealth, Shadowmeld works in combat, and Elune's Light grants +10% critical strike chance for 15 seconds, making them the game's stealthiest rogues.
GnomeEscape Artist, Expansive Mind, Eureka!Escape Artist instantly removes slows and roots and grants 3 seconds of immunity. Eureka! now lasts 8 seconds without a three-charge limit, making affected abilities 10% cheaper and stronger. For priests, it also affects Power Word: Shield. Expansive Mind increases your resource pool by 5%.
Skyborne · High OrderWalk on Air (gliding), Wind Blessed, Read LeylineGliding and quicker recovery from Read Leyline doubling health regeneration provide convenience rather than damage, so most guides consider this a weak rogue choice. Since October 15, Walk on Air has a 90-second cooldown, and racial recovery or speed abilities can be activated while moving.

Leveling builds

Talents for levels 10–30, matching the beta cap. We will update these builds when leveling to 60 opens.

Combat: swordsmainCombat 21

The most convenient leveling option: any slow weapon works, little downtime, and quick travel between fights. Icy Veins, Wowhead, Warcraft Tavern, and Mobalytics use the same points.

  1. 10–11Improved Sinister Strike2/2
  2. 12–14Improved Eviscerate3/3
  3. 15–16Precision2/3
  4. 17–19Deflection3/3
  5. 20Riposte1/1
  6. 21Precision3/3
  7. 22–23Endurance2/2
  8. 24Improved Sprint1/2
  9. 25Flawless Execution1/1
  10. 26–29Dual Wield Specialization4/5
  11. 30Blade Flurry1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: cheaper Sinister Strike and stronger Eviscerate bring enemies down in a couple of combinations. Riposte at 20 provides a free attack after a parry. At 30, Blade Flurry is your only way to hit two enemies before 40.

Endurance at 22–23 makes Sprint and Evasion available roughly every 2 minutes: faster travel and fewer deaths.

Weaknesses: repeating two buttons, with no multi-target damage before 30. Beta testers complain that every rogue tree sits low on level 30 damage meters.

Weapons: the slowest, strongest weapon in your main hand (sword, axe, mace, or fist weapon); best DPS in the off hand. Mobalytics substitutes Dual Wield Specialization 5/5 for Flawless Execution; the difference is small.

Open in calculator →
Assassination: Mutilate at 30if you have two daggersAssassination 21

Use Sinister Strike with plenty of critical strikes before 30, then Mutilate: a strike with both daggers that grants 2 combo points without requiring the enemy's back. Icy Veins build.

  1. 10–11Remorseless Attacks2/2
  2. 12–14Malice3/5
  3. 15–17Ruthlessness3/3
  4. 18–19Malice5/5
  5. 20Relentless Strikes1/1
  6. 21–24Lethality4/5
  7. 25Cold Blood1/1
  8. 26–29Improved Poisons4/5
  9. 30Mutilate1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: critical strike chance from the first points, with the next attack almost always critting after a kill, chaining enemies together. Finishers refund energy.

Weaknesses: the defining talent arrives only at 30. No Endurance, Riposte, or Blade Flurry. Guides say Mutilate requires two daggers; forum users disagree, so check in game. One beta tester measured roughly 20 less DPS than Combat.

Weapons: a slow weapon for Sinister Strike before 30, then two daggers at 30.

Open in calculator →
Combat: daggersfor dagger enthusiastsAssassination 2 · Combat 19

Backstab with Puncturing Wounds: +30% critical strike chance and a chance for an extra combo point. Method build, with a respec at 30.

  1. 10–11Remorseless Attacks2/2
  2. 12–13Improved Sinister Strike2/2
  3. 14–16Improved Eviscerate3/3
  4. 17–19Puncturing Wounds3/3
  5. 20–22Deflection3/3
  6. 23Riposte1/1
  7. 24–26Precision3/3
  8. 27Flawless Execution1/1
  9. 28–30Dual Wield Specialization3/5
Why these talents

Strengths: dagger Backstab hits very hard; Remorseless Attacks grants a critical strike after every kill.

Weaknesses: solo enemies face you; testers joke that "Backstab is now Sinister Strike." A beta bug also lets enemies parry from behind. No Endurance.

At 30: reset at a trainer and move 2 points from Remorseless Attacks into Dual Wield Specialization and Blade Flurry.

Weapons: dagger in your main hand, anything in the off hand.

Open in calculator →
Subtlety: Ambush and Hemorrhagefor stealth enthusiastsSubtlety 21

A massive first strike from stealth and Hemorrhage at 30. Icy Veins and Mobalytics builds, not recommended for a first leveling run.

  1. 10–11Opportunity2/2
  2. 12–14Camouflage3/5
  3. 15–17Improved Ambush3/3
  4. 18–19Setup2/3
  5. 20Ghostly Strike1/1
  6. 21–23Initiative3/3
  7. 24Setup3/3
  8. 25Premeditation1/1
  9. 26–28Serrated Blades3/3
  10. 29Camouflage4/5
  11. 30Hemorrhage1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: with Improved Ambush, Ambush removes more than half an ordinary enemy's health. Camouflage speeds movement in stealth. Ghostly Strike does not require attacking from behind.

Weaknesses: only comes together at 18 with Ambush; no multi-target damage; requires a dagger. Mobalytics explicitly recommends leveling Combat and switching at 30.

Weapons: dagger in the main hand.

Open in calculator →

Useful information

Rogue: skills, poisons, weapons, talentsWhat to train, what to wield, and how to survive through level 30

Swords or daggers? Before 10, use a dagger: Backstab from stealth, or Gouge then move behind the enemy during combat. From 10, learn swords (Archibald in Undercity) and Dual Wield, using Sinister Strike as your main attack. Keep a dagger in your bags: Fizzule's tower requires Ambush at 22.

Lv.SkillCostLearn?
1Stealth10cYes
4Backstab1sYes - for daggers before level 10
4Pick Pocket1sYes - money and lockboxes; needed to steal the tower key at 22
6Sinister Strike (rank 2)1sYes
6Gouge1sYes - a bandaging window
8Evasion2sYes
8Eviscerate (rank 2)2sYes
10Dual Wield3sEssential
10Slice and Dice3sYes
10Sprint3sYes - mounts only arrive at 40
10Sap3sYes - against humanoid groups
12Kick8sYes - against casters
12Parry8sYes
14Sinister Strike (rank 3)12sYes
14Garrote12sStealth opener with swords
16Eviscerate (rank 3)18sYes
16Pick Lock18sYes
18Ambush29sNeeded in Fizzule's tower
20Rupture30sNeeded in Fizzule's tower
20Stealth (rank 2)30sOptional
22Vanish40sYes - requires Flash Powder
22Sinister Strike (rank 4)40sYes
22Garrote (rank 2)40sIf opening with Garrote
22Distract40sOptional
24Eviscerate (rank 4)50sYes
24Detect Traps50sYes - required for Ravenholdt Manor
24Mind-numbing Poison50sAgainst casters - after the poison chain and Poison skill 100 (around 26–27)
26Cheap Shot60sYes - 4-second stun
26Kick (rank 2)60sYes
28Rupture (rank 2)80sYes
28Sap (rank 2)80sYes
28Instant Poison II80sPoison skill 120
30Kidney Shot1gYes
30Sinister Strike (rank 5)1gYes
30Deadly Poison1gPoison skill 130

All ranks through 20 cost around 3 gold (a minimal sword setup around 1g 70s). From 20 to 30, add roughly 13 gold, or about 10 for essentials. Keep saving: riding training at 40 costs 100 gold (the first mount itself is free).

PoisonsChain from 20, poisons around 25
  • Chain: The Shattered Salute → Deep Cover → Mission: Possible But Not Probable (Fizzule's tower, at 22) → Hinott's Assistance → Hinott's Assistance (Hinott in Tarren Mill, at 25).
  • 20: Instant Poison comes with the skill; Crippling Poison from the trainer.
  • Poison skill 100 (around 26–27): Mind-numbing Poison. Level 28 and skill 120: Instant Poison II. Level 30 and skill 130: Deadly Poison.
  • Poison skill only increases through crafting and is capped at 5 × level. Make cheap poisons regularly or you will lack skill 120 at 28.
  • Reagents: Ezekiel Graves (Undercity), Patrice Dwyer (the Sepulcher), Rekkul (Orgrimmar), and Smudge Thunderwood (Ravenholdt). Tarren Mill only sells vials.
Weapons along the routeQuest rewards and vendor options
Class questsFor undead rogues only
  • 1: Encrypted Scroll. 10: Mennet Carkad → The Deathstalkers → The Deathstalkers → The Deathstalkers → The Deathstalkers, awarding Blade of Cunning.
  • 16: Zando'zan → Wrenix of Ratchet → Plundering the Plunderers: lockpicking, with Thistle Tea as a reward.
  • 16 (undead only): Fenwick Thatros → Tools of the Trade - at 23.
  • 20: poison chain (see above).
  • 24: Elegant Letter from a trainer or mail → Ravenholdt Manor, at Ravenholdt. The new Syndicate Sabotage is also there.
  • Optional: Xel'thos's Horn, a solo quest in Shadowfang Keep beginning with a letter from "C." Beta data lists a +4 Agility ring reward. Easier at 30+.
Talents 10–304 builds with talent trees and level-by-level orders
  • Main choice: Combat: swords, with Endurance at 22–23 and Blade Flurry at 30. Alternatives: Assassination with Mutilate at 30, Combat daggers, and Subtlety.
  • All builds, trees, and point orders are in Leveling talents.
Staying aliveLifesaving combinations
  • Gouge → bandage → back into combat. Damage interrupts bandaging, so disable the enemy first.
  • Two enemies: Evasion and focus one. Three: Sprint and leave; from 22, use Vanish.
  • Use Sap on one of two humanoids: in Forever it no longer breaks stealth.
  • From 26: Cheap Shot from stealth; from 30, follow with Kidney Shot for two consecutive stuns.
  • Will of the Forsaken removes fear without the old 5-second protection; use it when fear lands.
  • Known beta bug: enemies can parry from behind if you stand too close. Attack from the edge of melee range.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Dungeons: what to collect in advanceQuests obtained far from the entrance, to avoid backtracking
Ragefire Chasm13–18 · Orgrimmar, Cleft of Shadow
  • The Power to Destroy... - Varimathras, UndercitySecond Undercity visit: step. Also available without the class chain.
  • Hidden Enemies → Hidden Enemies - Thrall, OrgrimmarThe insignia drops from Burning Blade enemies in Skull Rock: step
  • Slaying the Beast - Neeru Fireblade, OrgrimmarAlso in the Cleft of Shadow

Tauren collect two more quests in Thunder Bluff, and a third starts inside. Ask a tauren friend to share them.

Wailing Caverns17–24 · Barrens, oasis west of the Crossroads
  • Deviate Hides and Deviate Eradication - at the entranceImmediately before the trip: step
  • Smart Drinks - Mebok Mizzyrix, RatchetAfter Raptor Horns: step
  • Trouble at the Docks - Crane Operator Bigglefuzz, RatchetAny Ratchet visit from level 14
  • Serpentbloom - Apothecary Zamah, Thunder BluffFungal Spores → Apothecary Zamah chain (timed!): step
  • Leaders of the Fang - Nara Wildmane, Thunder BluffThe chain starts at the Crossroads with The Forgotten Pools. Reward: Wingblade
Ruins of LordaeronNew · above Undercity · level 24 on this route
  • Rath'mael's Wrath - Deathguard Kristof, post near UndercityImmediately after the zeppelin: step
  • Judgement of the Light - Morbin Lightbane, UndercityRoyal Quarter
  • A New Plague - Theodore Griffs, UndercityApothecarium
  • A Troubling Request - Tabitha Heartweaver, the SepulcherSilverpine Forest, before the dungeon. Reward: dagger

Enduring Torment and The Crest of Lordaeron start inside. The entrance is in the capital ruins, immediately left after entering Lordaeron. Rogue loot: a dagger from the Baron, a sword and chestpiece from Viktor the Treacherous, and bracers from Dryjaw.

Shadowfang Keep22–30 · Silverpine Forest · level 25 on this route

The three quests are estimated to award around 20 thousand experience in Forever, more than half a level.

Blackfathom Deeps22–32 · Ashenvale, Zoram Strand · level 29 on this route

Blackfathom Villainy also starts inside and turns in at Thunder Bluff, after 30 on this route.

Razorfen Kraul25–35 · southern Barrens · level 29 on this route
  • Willix the Importer - starts insideStep. Reward: +7 Agility ring
  • Blueleaf Tubers - Mebok Mizzyrix, RatchetOptional: collect in Ratchet while delivering eggs, at 22; the route does not revisit Ratchet later
Excavation Site: WetlandsNew · 26–31 · southern Wetlands · after 30
  • Changing Tastes - Borstan, OrgrimmarAt 27, if planning to go. Rewards: +5 Agility dagger and an experience-food recipe
  • Dragonmaw Rumors → Unclenching the Maw - Hammerfall → Deathstalker agent in WetlandsAt 30+, while traveling through Arathi Highlands

No Horde flight point in Wetlands: walk from Tarren Mill or Hammerfall through Thandol Span.

Scarlet Monastery30–40 · Tirisfal · after this guide
  • Test of Faith - Dorn Plainstalker, Thousand NeedlesAt 30: starts the trials that lead to the monastery's Library

The main quest, Into the Scarlet Monastery, starts at level 33.

This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Professions and travelWhat to choose, where to train, and what to collect through 30
How to learn for free
  • Marla's Last Wish (level 5) offers a gathering textbook of your choice, granting the profession and +2 skill immediately.
  • Apprentice trainers in Deathknell: Margaret Weaver (Skinning), Walter Mason (Mining), Florence Nightshade (Herbalism), 10c each.
  • Joshua Kien and vendors in Brill and Undercity sell 4-slot herb, ore, and leather bags.
  • Abigail Shiel in Brill sells the skinning knife and mining pick.
Ranks and prices
  • Apprentice: up to 75. Journeyman: from skill 50, 5s, cap 150. Expert: from skill 125, 50s, cap 225.
  • Johan Focht in the Sepulcher also teaches Mining through Expert.
  • Skinning: Rand Rhobart at the roadside post near Undercity, Killian Hagey in Undercity, and Dranh at Camp Taurajo.
  • Leatherworking: Undercity only teaches through Journeyman; Expert is taught in Thunder Bluff.
Camping (new in Forever)
  • Unlocked by The Great Outdoors from Eleanor Shackleton near Brill; Camping Basics: Cooking leads to William Pickman for Cooking and the campfire.
  • At skill 20, each profession offers a Camping Basics quest for a buff-providing camping item.
  • Mining: magnet (+attack power); Skinning: chair (+2% critical strike chance); Leatherworking: tent (rest → experience); First Aid: medical kit (+Stamina).
  • Second-tier camping items require skill 140; plans drop in dungeons (the Mining plan is in Excavation Site: Wetlands).
Cooking and First Aid
  • Forever cooked food also grants +5% experience from kills: keep the buff active.
  • Cooking 60 lets you make Thistle Tea. Recipe: Thistle Tea is a reward from Mission: Possible But Not Probable.
  • Elixir of Pain in Tarren Mill awards the Hot Lion Chops recipe: +5 Agility, requiring Cooking 125.
  • First Aid 80: Pand Stonebinder in Thunder Bluff teaches Wool Bandages and Anti-Venom (at 22). Anti-Venom cures Touch of Zanzil from the tower.
What to collect
Money
  • Sell gray items at every stop; auction cloth, leather, and ore.
  • Pickpocket humanoids for coins and locked junkboxes, which also improve Lockpicking when opened.
  • Do not buy vendor swords if a quest sword arrives in 1–2 levels.
  • Aim to have around 10 gold saved by 30; riding at 40 requires 100.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
What is new in ForeverOnly changes relevant to this route
What remains unchanged
  • No old quests from level 1–30 zones were removed; their experience and the experience needed per level are unchanged.
  • Ragefire Chasm, Wailing Caverns, Shadowfang Keep, Blackfathom Deeps, and Razorfen Kraul retain their levels and bosses. Mob experience is lower, quest experience higher.
  • No new Horde flight points, zeppelins, or ships for 1–30. Hearthstone remains once per hour.
  • Mounts still unlock at 40 (the first is free; training costs 100 gold).
New quests 1–20
  • Tirisfal: A Light in the Darkness, Seeking Adventure, Patience, Punishment, Sticks and Bones (a bag!), The Great Outdoors, Seeking Shelter, Graveweed, Hides for the Forsaken, An Argent Dawn Emissary, The Cult of the Damned, Remnants of War, and the elite Rearguard Patrol. Northwest: Shadowglen's Green Elixir, As Above, So Below, The Last Shard, and A Righteous Cause.
  • Silverpine: Prove Your Worth now starts at 12; Hearts of the Wild requires 3 hearts instead of 6. New quests: Wild Eyes, Back to Quinn (Again), and Arugal's Folly.
  • Barrens: Spare Parts, Wrang's chain (Wounded Pride and Lion Hides...), Her Name Is Olgra, and the elite WANTED: Bruuz.
New quests 20–30
  • Barrens: elite Chol'aruk the Vulture (experience ×3), False Accusations, Cleared Name, and Field Cleanup.
  • Silverpine: Watching the Roads, Stop the Infection, and the chain at Beren's Peril.
  • Hillsbrad: Helping the Scouts → Valuable Points (sword). Ravenholdt: Syndicate Sabotage for rogues.
  • Ashenvale: Never Coming Back → A Void Path; Stonetalon Mountains: Bloodfury Trinkets.
  • Quests for the new dungeons: Ruins of Lordaeron and Excavation Site: Wetlands.
New dungeons
  • Ruins of Lordaeron: above Undercity, 6 bosses in any order. Level 24 on this route.
  • Excavation Site: Wetlands: 26–31, outdoors in southern Wetlands. Horde starts in Hammerfall.
  • Dalaran City: not yet open in beta; all Horde access steps require level 30.
Undead racial abilities
  • Will of the Forsaken removes fear, sleep, and charm, but no longer provides 5 seconds of protection.
  • Cannibalize also restores mana. New: Touch of the Grave makes attacks occasionally drain health.
  • Shadow Resistance appears to have been removed; verify in game.
PvP and rulesets
  • Choose a ruleset: Normal has optional PvP (/pvp); PvP automatically flags you in contested and hostile zones and restricts your account to one faction; Roleplay follows Normal rules. Hardcore comes after release.
  • Horde territory on this route: Tirisfal, Silverpine, Barrens. Contested: Stonetalon Mountains, Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, Thousand Needles.
  • Battlegrounds: Warsong Gulch from 10, Arathi Basin from 20, new Darkspear Islands (15 versus 15) from 30, Alterac Valley from 51. Brackets span 10 levels. Testers say only the level 30 battleground is open in beta.
  • World player kills also award Honor. PvP sets start at 55, so you need not worry about them before 30.
  • Using Sap on a PvP-flagged player flags you too, even under Normal rules.
Experience and conveniences
  • Cooked food grants +5% kill experience. Camping buffs, tents, and sleeping bags.
  • Dungeon quests award 2–3 times ordinary quest experience.
  • No automatic dungeon finder: only a listing board. Meeting stones do not summon.
  • Enemies respawn faster in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, and Thousand Needles.
  • Legacy system: account-wide bonuses unlock when your first character reaches 25.
  • Books found around the world can be delivered to the librarian in Undercity's Magic Quarter for experience and rewards.
  • Playing with friends? Choose your preferred language under Languages and Communication in settings to be placed more often in the same world as players who speak it.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Tips and common mistakesMoney, Hearthstone, and dangerous enemies
Lv.What you needCost
4–6Backstab, Sinister Strike 2, Gouge, stilettoAbout 7 silver
10–11Dual Wield, Slice and Dice, Sprint, Sap, sword skill, cutlassAbout 50 silver - the first cash shortage
14Sinister Strike 3, Garrote, scimitarAbout 60 silver
16–20Eviscerate 3, Pick Lock, Ambush, Rupture, daggerAbout 1.5 gold
22Vanish, Sinister Strike 4, Garrote 2, powder, throwing axeAbout 2 gold
24–26Eviscerate 4, Cheap Shot, Kick 2, poison reagentsAbout 2.5 gold
28–30Rupture 2, Sap 2, rank II poisons, Kidney Shot, Sinister Strike 5About 6 gold
40Riding100 gold - start saving early
Hearthstone
  • 6 - Brill. 10 - Undercity. 15 - Crossroads.
  • 22.5 - Undercity. 25 - Tarren Mill. 28 - Splintertree Post. 30 - Freewind Post.
  • For short distances, death travel is an option. Free before 10; afterward, Resurrection Sickness and −25% durability.
Dangerous enemies
  • Tirisfal: Maggot Eye (11), Rotsnarl (elite 13), Scarlet warriors in their stance.
  • Silverpine: Son of Arugal (elite 24–25), Krethis Shadowspinner (15), Dalaran Scribe (21).
  • Barrens: Barak Kodobane, Hezrul Bloodmark with guards, Chol'aruk (elite 20), Swinegart Spearhide (fear), Grand Foreman Puzik Gallywix (elite 23).
  • Stonetalon Mountains: Besseleth (elite 21), Windshear Crag rare elites, Bloodfury Slayers.
  • Hillsbrad: farm footmen, Blacksmith Verringtan, and Southshore, an Alliance town.
  • Ashenvale: Keeper Ordanus with guards, Eck'alom (15-second stun), Sharptalon (31).
Common mistakes
  • Selling Discolored Worg Hearts before the quest. Accepting a hide or bone quest after already killing those enemies.
  • Forgetting quests: Delivery to Silverpine Forest in Brill, A Sample for Helbrim and The Power to Destroy... in Undercity.
  • Buying a cutlass without sword skill (Archibald teaches it in Undercity). Boarding the Stranglethorn zeppelin instead of Orgrimmar's.
  • Flying to the Eastern Kingdoms at 20 before turning in Deep Cover, forcing a return trip for the tower.
  • Entering Fizzule's tower before 22. Check first: Vanish learned, dagger and Flash Powder in your bags.
  • Not crafting poisons, then lacking the skill for rank two at 28.
  • Taking Cenarius' Legacy after leaving Ashenvale, even though the next quest's target is there.
  • Collecting dungeon quests for later and overflowing your log.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
AddonsWhat to install from CurseForge: only addons with a Forever version
For rogues
  • Energy tick timers are no longer needed: Forever regenerates energy smoothly.
  • The built-in Cooldown Manager shows cooldowns and has supported rogues since October 1.
  • Combo points directly on your target: Combo Points on Plate places points on the enemy nameplate, so you need not look away at your portrait. Configure appearance and color with /cpp. Beta currently forgets addon settings after restarting, so the addon stores them in a CPP Settings macro: do not delete it.
  • Poison reminder: NoPoizen, optional from 25 when you learn poisons. Sounds an alert when poison expires.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →

Frequently asked questions

Is rogue suitable for beginners?

Yes, if you are willing to learn from mistakes. The basics are simple: build combo points and spend them on a finisher, while stealth lets you choose your fights. The difficulty is having no self-healing: a rogue who enters combat without a plan dies quickly.

Which talent tree should I level?

Almost every major guide recommends Combat. At 30 it grants Blade Flurry, your first way to hit two enemies at once. Assassination gains Mutilate at 30 but requires two daggers; one tester measured lower damage than swords. Subtlety suits stealth attacks and PvP but levels more slowly solo. Reset talents at a capital trainer; developers say the release cost will rise quickly.

Swords or daggers while leveling?

Use a sword from level 10: solo enemies face you, while Backstab requires both a dagger and attacking from behind. Learn sword skill first; undead use Archibald in Undercity. Hanashi and Sayoc in Orgrimmar teach Forever's one-handed axes. Keep a dagger in your bags because Ambush requires one.

When do rogues get poisons?

From 20, through a class chain rather than ordinary training. Shenthul in Orgrimmar starts it for Horde, Master Mathias Shaw in Stormwind for Alliance. Testers recommend the elite Barrens tower no earlier than 22, preferably with a partner. Horde learns poisons from Serge Hinott in Tarren Mill, around 25 on our route. Whether trainers can teach poisons without the chain remains unverified in beta.

Which race is best for rogue?

Horde guides and testers usually favor orcs for +10% attack power, shorter stuns, and +1% critical strike chance with any weapon. Alliance gnomes and humans are strong in PvP, while night elves are the stealthiest. Most guides rate Skyborne poorly. Racials were revised on October 15, but the ranking may still shift before release.

Is rogue good in PvP?

Among the strongest in a one-on-one ambush: you choose the target, place, and moment. Prolonged group brawls are weaker, so hunt healers and flag carriers in battlegrounds. Forever makes finding you easier through High Alert, detection potions, and the debuff from Distract, but PvP critical strikes are no longer reduced. Before 26, you lack a stealth stun opener, so choose victims carefully.

Were rogues really nerfed in Forever?

Partly. Backstab lost a third of its bonus damage, Rupture is roughly 40% weaker, poisons deal less per proc, and testers feel enemies detect stealth sooner. In return, rogues gained smooth energy, combo points that survive target switches, axes, Mutilate, and stronger group tools. Blizzard promises the best single-target PvE damage, but the level 30 beta cap prevents testing that fully.

Can rogues tank or heal?

No: this is a pure damage class. Evasion saves you against one or two leveling enemies, and Feint removes twice as much threat in Forever, but neither makes you a tank. Testers did find an amusing Subtlety dodge tank, although it quickly runs out of energy in groups.