Combat is the Melee DPS specialization of the Rogue in WoW: Forever. This page summarizes its talent tree as it appears in the game client (build 1.60.1.70753); the role is the one stated by the Icy Veins guide for the specialization.
In our level-60 simulation (180 seconds on a stationary boss, raid buffs, best known gear), Combat Rogue ranks #9 of 20 DPS specs with 690 DPS. #1 is Affliction Warlock (907 DPS). A stationary boss does not tell everything: group utility and moving fights matter too.
Our simulator's build uses 51 points, split Assassination 16 / Combat 35. The talents that weigh the most in the simulation: Flash of Steel, Dual Wield Specialization, Aggression. Open this build in the talent calculator →
Without raid items, the best set the simulator finds gives 682 DPS, −1.2% against the set that includes raid items. Stat priority: Weapon Damage > Hit Chance > Agility. Full gear and enchantments →
Opening: Keep Slice and Dice up ; Sinister Strike to build combo points ; Eviscerate at 5 combo points. Full rotation →
The top race in our simulation: Night Elf. All races of the class →
The first talent point comes at level 10, then one per level up to 51 at level 60. The guide gives the talent order step by step (derived from the level-60 build, not tested while leveling), the dungeons of each level band and the spec's best item in each. See the leveling →
Our dungeon finder shows, for every dungeon, the best item for this spec according to the simulator's stat weights. Best dungeon items →
Our level-60 simulator build (51 points), the one used for the ranking: talents, gear and rotation are on the ranking page.
Gear, rotation and damage by ability for this level-60 build: Rogue Combat →
The class's three trees, with the talents of the level-60 build (51 points) in colour and all the others in grey. The small number on the left of each row is the points you must have spent in the tree to reach it, and each talent's badge shows the points invested. This section is fixed: it does not move and does not depend on the calculator.
Rank 3/3: Increases the damage of your Eviscerate ability by 20%, and the damage Death Mark stores and its maximum by 20%.
Rank 2/2: Reduces the energy cost of your Sinister Strike ability by 5.
Rank 1/3: Increases your Parry chance by 2%.
Rank 3/3: Improves your chance to hit by 3%.
Rank 2/2: Gives a 100% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when you activate your Sprint ability.
Rank 2/2: Reduces the cooldown of your Sprint and Evasion abilities by 60%.
Rank 2/2: Poised reduces the energy cost of your next ability by 10 more.
Rank 1/1: Reduces the Energy cost of your Eviscerate ability by 15.
Rank 2/2: Reduces the chance for your attacks to be Dodged or Parried by 2%.
Rank 3/3: Increases the damage of your Sinister Strike and Eviscerate abilities by 15%.
Rank 2/2: Increases the damage done by your off-hand weapon by 50%.
Rank 1/1: Increases your melee attack speed by 20% and your melee attacks strike an additional nearby opponent. Lasts 15 sec.
Rank 5/5: Gives your melee weapon attacks a benefit depending on the weapon. Axe/Sword: Your successful melee attacks have a 5% chance to trigger an extra attack on the target. Dagger/Fist: Increases your critical strike chance by 5%. Mace: Your attacks ignore 15% of your target's armor.
Rank 5/5: Shank returns 15 more energy and its cooldown is reduced by 2 sec.
Rank 1/1: Increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 sec.
Rank 5/5: Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks and Poisons by 5%.
Rank 3/3: Gives your finishing moves a 60% chance to add a Combo Point to your target.
Rank 3/3: Increases the duration of your Slice and Dice ability by 45%.
Rank 2/2: Increases your maximum Energy by 10.
Rank 2/2: Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Mutilate, Ghostly Strike, and Hemorrhage abilities by 20%.
Rank 1/1: When activated, increases the critical strike chance of your next Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, Eviscerate, or Mutilate by 100%.
The first talent point comes at level 10, then one per level: 1 point at level 10, 11 at level 20, 21 at level 30, 31 at level 40, 41 at level 50 and 51 at level 60. A row of a tree opens for every 5 points spent in that tree.
Derived order: we computed it from our simulator's level-60 build, following the tree rules (rows, prerequisites) and taking at each point the talent the simulation values most. It was not tested while leveling a character: it is a starting point, not a proven leveling build, to be revisited with the released game's data.
Levels 1 to 9: no talent point yet, the first one comes at level 10.
Take: Efficient Strikes. See the tree at this step →
Take: Efficient Strikes, Malice ×5, Improved Slice and Dice ×3, Ruthlessness. See the tree at this step →
Take: Ruthlessness ×2, Coup de Grace ×3, Lethality ×2, Precision ×3. See the tree at this step →
Take: Vigor ×2, Cold Blood, Deflection, Improved Sprint ×2, Endurance ×2, Composure ×2. See the tree at this step →
Take: Flawless Execution, Aggression ×3, Weapon Expertise ×2, Dual Wield Specialization ×2, Blade Flurry, Hack and Slash. See the tree at this step →
Take: Flash of Steel ×5, Adrenaline Rush, Hack and Slash ×4. See the tree at this step →
51 points: Assassination 16 / Combat 35
The talents that weigh the most in the simulation: Flash of Steel, Dual Wield Specialization, Aggression.
See the full tree →The best set the simulator finds among the known dungeon and profession items, raid excluded: 682 DPS, −1.2% against the set that includes raid items (690 DPS).
Full gear, enchantments included →
Figures come from our simulator, not from players: they move with patches.
| Stat | DPS gained | Relative value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agility per point | 0.522 | 1.96 | |
| Hit per rating point | 0.478 | 1.79 | |
| Crit per rating point | 0.424 | 1.59 | |
| Haste per rating point | 0.346 | 1.29 | |
| Strength per point | 0.294 | 1.1 | |
| Attack power per point | 0.267 | 1.0 | |
| Intellect per point | 0.0 | no effect | |
| Spirit per point | 0.0 | no effect |
Measured by the simulator on the character above: the DPS gained by one more point of each stat, with the same random draws on both sides. The relative value compares each stat with one point of attack power. Crit, hit and haste are counted per rating point, like Strength or Agility, so they compare directly; they respect the caps: hit at the cap adds nothing. A value near zero or negative is within the margin of error or tied to a limit (mana, cap).
DPS gained when points of each stat are added on top of the simulated gear. Click a stat (or its row in the table) to bring its curve forward; the ring marks the estimated cap, past which every point is worth less than 20% of what it gave at the start.
Our simulator's priority at level 60, set against what Icy Veins recommends. Their guides are written before launch, for level 30 and for leveling: we keep what everyone agrees on, adopt what the simulation confirmed at level 60 and say where the two differ.
Agreed: Sinister Strike, Slice and Dice, Eviscerate at 5 points. The simulator adds Adrenaline Rush and Blade Flurry on cooldown. Poisons: Instant on the main hand and Deadly on the off hand, Classic values (assumed).
The gear our optimizer picks for this specialization among the items known so far (dungeons, the few raid items already known and crafted gear, which can be bought or made for you: prices and materials are not taken into account), with item effects simulated. Nothing is hand-picked: it is the result of the ranking's computation, and it will change as new items are discovered.
Enchantments up to skill 300, valued by the simulator when they give flat stats or flat weapon damage. The character does not need the profession: they can be bought or applied by an enchanter; Leatherworking armor kits (chest, legs, feet, hands) and Engineering scopes are counted too. A kit and an enchantment share the same permanent slot: a piece carries one or the other, and the legs, which have no enchantment, get the kit; spell-proc enchants (Crusader, Fiery Weapon...) and school damage are not simulated. The client data has no ring enchantment up to skill 300.
Icy Veins guide dated 2026-11-03, read on September 21, 2026.
The three best of each category, measured by the simulator on the character above. Only one scroll and one elixir or flask can be worn at a time: each gain is the DPS this consumable brings alone, compared with an empty slot, the rest of the set unchanged. Gains in the same category therefore do not add up. The row marked with a dot is the one in the simulated set.
These are the deepest talents in the tree: they require 30 points already spent in the specialization. Official game text, at maximum rank.
Increases your Energy regeneration rate by 100% for 15 sec.
Open Rogue in the talent calculator
Spend your 51 points, compare the three specializations and share your build by link.
Talent data comes from the game client. The level-60 build, gear, stats and rotation come from our simulator and are validated by DPS measurements; the rotation is compared with the Icy Veins guides, written before launch for level 30. Healing is not simulated. This data will change with future patches.