How to use Rogue Cooldowns

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Updated Wed, Jun 24, 2009 by Stow

Sure, we can be the top DPS by just stabbing what is in front of us until it stops moving. But there's a certain finesse to Rogues. We have lots of panic buttons. We might not have a shield hearth, but dammit it, we have a stealth hearth. Beat that, paladins. At any rate, we're going to take a look at what your high cooldown moves are best used for and convince you to put back on your action bars.

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Blind - Target Spins randomly in place, and hopefully ends up away from you.
   The time you haven't used it : Extremely useful in Arenas 2v2 and 3v3, or as yet another backup interrupt.
    PvP : To add to the above, in any PvP setting where a healer is present and you have another more important target, Blind is your best friend. If anything, you will force a trinket and then you can risk a Gouge if you don't mind sparing both the combo points and the energy.
    PvE : Mobs love to come in groups, and this is our only way to handle them in combat. Daze them before they get involved so you can fan of knives freely.

Vanish - Poof!   Stealth! Only even better than before!
    The time you haven't used it : Good for breaking combat immediately to mount if you're on a gathering trip.
    PvP : Haul ass after you use this. Everyone worth their salt will immediately hurl a handful of AoE in your direction and around themselves. The glyph of Vanish is perfect for making sure your new found stealth isn't wasted.
    PvE : Allows for a second opener and works with talents in the assassination tree and subtlety tree to kick in multiple times over the course of a boss fight. If you need a quick bleed for Hunger for Blood, Vanish/Garrote is a fantastic way to get it without having to go for a 4-5 point rupture.

Cold Blood - This next blow will split your skull. Or stab your skull, if you prefer... wait, that doesn't work.
    The time you haven't used it : Well, it's nothing to brag about but I have accidentally done a cold blooded Gouge...
    PvP : Use for lead off ambushes when Waylay is essential as Subtlety, or if you absolutely have to go all out to kill someone before the heal lands.
    PvE : Save it for any time where a bonus damage modifier is in play if the boss has one. Let’s see how Hodir enjoys the 20k Envenom.

Dismantle - Just lay down your weapons and walk away.
    The time you haven't used it : Shamans go down much faster when they're not holding an 8000 armor shield.
    PvP - Throw it out there every time someone has a fight in them and wants a piece of someone in melee combat. The energy cost is low and the returns high.
    PvE - Nothing special as it fails as normal Disarms do against ....well, everything.

Preparation - But you just used that 10 seconds ago!
    The time you haven't used it : You can do a hurricane kick with Undead Females with this. ... Not a lot of utility here.
    PvP - Refreshes several primary moves and enables you to reopen and restart most fights. Glyph it and you should never lose to a melee fighter with 2 dismantles.
    PvE - Another lame duck for the most part. Subtlety really gets screwed for cooldowns against people with millions of HP rather than thousands.

Adrenaline Rush & Blade Flurry - For when it won't die fast enough.
    The time you haven't used them : Use adrenaline rush if you absolutely have to get off a Blind on a target that just showed up. If you have to wait, you're probably dead.
    PvP - Kind of boring to be honest. Just press your buttons and get your kills.
    PvE - Blow these all the time and make sure you hit Tricks of the Trade if you're going to lead off with them to get the most of your cooldowns. You might hit seven or eight thousand DPS, and then you'll hit the floor and have your 10 seconds of fame.

Evasion - 15 second Rogue Tank Phase
    The time you haven't used it : Use it before you go nuts in encounters with multiple mob adds when Tricks of the Trade is down. That way, you don't die instantly.
    PvP – Actually, best against hunters because any other melee will be jockeying to get behind you at all times.
    PvE - Anytime the odds aren't in your favor hit it. Vanish and Blind have other uses, so use this first.

Sprint - I have somewhere to be. Now.
    The time you haven't used it : Everyone should at least try to use it underwater at least once. Sure, it's dumb, but one day they'll make underwater quests more tolerable for us.
    PvP - Be careful when using this, because after those 15 seconds are up the enemy knows you have no way to catch them other than Deadly Throw or landing a crippling poison.
    PvE - Most useful in mobility fights, and fights with large knockback issues.    Get back in there ASAP to contribute! Or just use it to run from point A to point B before your mounts or if you're feeling lazy.

Cloak of Shadows - Powerful enough to be a talent, and a lot of classes wish it still was.
    The time you haven't used it : Pretty much everyone has used this to dispel or handle every spell in the book at this point. Just... just don't try this to survive Sapphiron's breath.
    PvP - I am snared/rooted and not in range of my target. My enemy is casting something nasty at me.
    PvE - I am snared/rooted and not in range of my target or have a debuff that is going to end up killing me or ruining my damage. Press button, resume stabbity. Some major boss moves can be dodged using this, such as the flame jets of Ignis.