Rogues

The Rogue has an important role to play in any group or raid but believe it or not the roles are different. Brigands focus on a series of stuns and debuffs providing a high level of utility. Swashbucklers on the other hand fall more into the pure DPS (damage per second) role with numerous attacks some of which are area of effect. How should you play these classes, and what different approaches should you take?

Dual Wield vs Single Weapon. Some people cringe when you say that. What should you do? Carry two daggers, a dagger and a rapier, a single rapier? How about a sword? The Wisdom Rogue achievement line gives attack bonus with a single weapon. Most people I've read agree that it's a wash between this and dual wield unless it's a high damage weapon (currently 80 + DPS). Very few Rogues carry a single weapon. What type of weapons should you carry? I'd let your Achievement lines dictate it. Walk the Plank is extremely useful for example and requires a rapier as your primary weapon.

Brigand

Solo:

Soloing as a Brigand isn't all that difficult. Your only limitation will be the refresh timers on your abilities. Open up with a stealth attack (Skewer in Tier 7) and follow up with a stun like Cheap Shot, Restrain (which roots) or Deceitful Blow (another stun) and start dropping in rear attacks. If you know the duration of your abilities you can use them to immobilize the target for some time. Use your debuffs to increase your damage wherever possible and use your AE whenever prudent.

Like Swashbuckler your best Achievement Spec on the Rogue side will be down the STR/AGI for damage but consider the INT line for Feign Death. On the Brigand side, increased Cheap Shot duration, enhance Despairing Thrust/Devitalize, and Dispatch will all provide more damage.

Group:

As we mentioned earlier, stuns can be useful. Chain stunning can be particularly helpful when a tank is low on health and a healer is trying to recover. They'll never know it, but you will have saved their bacon.

Dispatch. This gets it's own paragraph because it is the Brigand's bread and butter. First of all, AD3 it at first opportunity no matter the cost. A drop in mitigation for all damage by 3k for the entire group is nothing to scoff at. Sure it'll increase the gap between you and the other DPS, but once again, you'll be the hero.

For achievements STR/AGI is the way to go. Traumatic Swipe is essential for raids but very useful on named encounters. This will deprive you of the hate reducers you get with the INT line so make sure to upgrade your Elude and Hideaway. For the Brigand specific, Dispatch, Cheapshot, Elude, Hideaway are all givens.

Swashbuckler

Solo:

The faster you do damage the better. Swashbucklers are one of the better solo classes in the game so there isn't much you shouldn't be able to accomplish. Use your Cheap Shot/Knockdown and Stealth/Knockdown as much as possible to reduce damage. Remember if you are behind the mob, he isn't hitting you.

Make sure to upgrade your Hurricane at level 52 not to mention your Offensive stance at every opportunity.

For achievements, if you find yourself soloing a lot, it makes sense to go down the intelligence line for Feign Death. You do give up a little bit of damage which you could obtain down the STR or AGI line but since you aren't responsible for other people this might make the most sense.

Group:

Aggro control is key in a group. Sure it may be fun to annoy the tank by snatching it, but you risk annoying your healer which is never good. When the pull comes in, give the tank a second or two to establish his hate. Taunts get resisted and sometimes Swashies forgot they aren't soloing. Swarthy Disorder (your hate transfer) should be upgraded fairly early on.

Debuffs like Double Cross, Plunder, and Constrain should be used early on to provide the group with a higher DPS ability. Sure it'll make the Assassin or Wizard look better, but you know you are helping.