Subtlety Rogue Mythic+ Guide

• Deathstalker's Mark is the core mechanic to how this hero talent tree plays out.
  • Shadowstrike used from Shadow Dance or Stealth applies 3 stacks of Deathstalker's Mark to unmarked targets, you can only have one mark up at a time.
  • Spending 5 or more combo points consumes 1 stack of your Deathstalker's Mark dealing damage increasing the damage of your next Shadowstrike or Backstab.
• There a few talents that interact with your Deathstalker's Mark:
  • Shadewalker
    • Reduces the cooldown of Shadowstep whenever you consume a stack of Deathstalker's Mark.
  • Clear the Witnesses
    • Whenever you apply a new Deathstalker's Mark your next Shuriken Storm does extra plague damage and generates an extra combo point.
  • Hunt Them Down
    • Your auto-attacks do extra plague damage to your marked target.
  • Singular Focus
    • Your damage dealt to targets other than your marked target causes your marked target to take a small amount of that damage.
  • Darkest Night
    • After you have consumed all stacks of Deathstalker's Mark your next Eviscerate cast with maximum combo points will be a guaranteed critical strike with 60% increased damage and reapply Deathstalker's Mark.
• Other talents that do not interact directly with Deathstalker's Mark but are still worth mentioning are:
  • Lingering Darkness
    • After your Shadow Blades expires you deal 30% more shadow damage for 30 seconds.
  • Corrupt the Blood
    • Gives your Rupture an extra dot component.
  • Fatal Intent
    • Abilities cast on targets above 20% health can apply a stack of Fatal Intent which will deal damage whenever the target falls under 20% health.
  • Bait and Switch
    • Turns your Evasion into a damage reduction spell for magical damage as well as Cloak of Shadows into a physical damage reduction spell.

When to use this Spec

All of the three given talent options provide different gameplay styles and offer similar numerical values. This loadout is slightly more complex due to the nature of Trickster but it provides permanent Tricks of the Trade with the So Tricky hero talent which is very nice. In the end the choices are very close so feel free to experiment and play whatever you enjoy the most.

Talent Adjustments

Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the default build.

Hero Talents

Deathstalker to Trickster for more info visit the Hero Talent section above.

• No Scruples
  • This is your default pick for all scenarios since Cloud Cover is not very good.
• Thousand Cuts
  • This will be your default pick for all scenarios since Flickerstrike seems more like a PvP Talent.
• Smoke
  • This will be your default pick for all scenarios since Mirrors is worse in comparison.
• So Tricky
  • This will be your default pick for all scenarios Tricks of the Trade is very nice in Mythic+ to help out your tank. This talent basically ensures you can never get aggro over your tank and lets you safely pre-spread Ruptures.

When to use this Spec

All of the three given talent options provide different gameplay styles and offer similar numerical values. This loadout is a lot more complex due to the nature of Trickster and Invigorating Shadowdust. It currently offers slightly more single-target damage than the other alternatives, at the loss of AoE damage. This loadout is also more cooldown reliant and can be hard to play around in group finder keys especially.

Talent Adjustments

Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the default build.

Spec Tree

• Added
  • Invigorating Shadowdust
  • The Rotten

• Removed
  • Finality
  • Dark Brew

Class Tree

• Added
  • Without a Trace
  • Subterfuge

• Removed
  • Thistle Tea
    • An energy generating spell and damage cooldown baked into one. Therefore, you want to use it both inside of your cooldown windows and as an energy restoring spell.
  • Vigor

Hero Talents

Deathstalker to Trickster for more info visit the Hero Talent section above.

• No Scruples
  • This is your default pick for all scenarios since Cloud Cover is not very good.
• Thousand Cuts
  • This is your default pick for all scenarios since Flickerstrike seems more like a PvP Talent.
• Smoke
  • This is your default pick for all scenarios since Mirrors is worse in comparison.
• So Tricky
  • This is your default pick for all scenarios Tricks of the Trade is very nice in Mythic+ to help out your tank. This talent almost ensures you can never get aggro over your tank and lets you safely pre-spread Ruptures.

Opener

• Your main goal with your cooldowns as a Subtlety Rogue is stacking as many of them as possible for maximum burst potential. There are a few priorities and rules when it comes to using your cooldowns as efficiently as possible.

• Use your Treacherous Transmitter early to see what your trigger is and then complete the task before your burst.

Priority List

This is a general priority you aim to maintain throughout the fight.

The rotational priority for Subtlety Rogue changes based on whether you have Shadow Dance active or not:

Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Eviscerate as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with 4 Escalating Blade stacks if your target is Fazed.
2. Cast Secret Technique as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks or if your target is not Fazed.
3. Cast Shadowstrike if under 5 combo points.

No Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Slice and Dice if it's not active.
2. Cast Rupture at earliest inside of a pandemic window (30% of the spell's original duration). Do not overwrite Finality Ruptures.
3. Cast Eviscerate with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
4. Cast Black Powder if you have 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
5. Cast Backstab.

Cooldown Usage

• Flagellation with 6+ combo points with Shadow Blades ready.
• Shadow Blades is typically used together with your next spell after Flagellation.
• Symbols of Death on cooldown.
• Thistle Tea is normally paired with your Shadow Dance to buff your finisher damage. The most optimal usage is for it to give you energy and buff your Shadow Dance damage at the same time.
• Shadow Dance is almost always used together with Symbols of Death.
• Cold Blood should only be used together with Secret Technique.
• Vanish when you are not in Shadow Dance with low combo points.

Opener

• Your main goal with your cooldowns as a Subtlety Rogue is stacking as many of them as possible for maximum burst potential. There are a few priorities and rules when it comes to using your cooldowns as efficiently as possible.

• Use your Treacherous Transmitter early to see what your trigger is and then complete the task before your burst.
• The third Shadowstrike may be skipped depending on Weaponmaster procs.

Priority List

This is a general priority you aim to maintain throughout the fight.

The rotational priority for Subtlety Rogue changes based on whether you have Shadow Dance active or not:

Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Eviscerate as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with 4 Escalating Blade stacks if your target is Fazed.
2. Cast Secret Technique as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks or if your target is not Fazed.
3. Cast Shadowstrike if under 5 combo points.

No Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Slice and Dice if it's not active.
2. Cast Rupture inside of a pandemic window (30% of the spell's original duration).
3. Cast Eviscerate with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
4. Cast Black Powder if you have 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
5. Cast Backstab.

Eviscerate or Black Powder

• Black Powder Only replaces Eviscerate with 10+ targets or whenever Flawless Form buff is missing.

Opener

• Below you can see one variation of the multi-target opener rotation for Trickster using the Dark Brew talent.

• Try to get Ruptures up on all priority targets in the pull before using cooldowns, even if it means delaying them by a few seconds.

Priority List

Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Eviscerate as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with 4 Escalating Blade stacks if your target is Fazed.
2. Cast Secret Technique as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks or if your target is not Fazed..
3. Cast Black Powder.
4. Cast Shadowstrike if under 5 combo points.

No Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Slice and Dice if it's not active.
2. Cast Rupture at earliest inside of a pandemic window (30% of the spell's original duration) on all priority targets. Do not overwrite Finality Ruptures.
3. Cast Eviscerate with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
4. Cast Black Powder if you have 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
5. Cast Shuriken Storm.

Trickster Eviscerate or Black Powder

• Black Powder Only replaces Eviscerate with 10+ targets or whenever Flawless Form buff is missing.

Opener

• Below you can see one variation of the multi-target opener rotation for Trickster using the Invigorating Shadowdust talent.

• Try to get Ruptures up on all priority targets in the pull before using cooldowns, even if it means delaying them by a few seconds.
• If you have 4+ targets and you want to spread Ruptures before the pull is gathered, replace Shadowstrike with Shuriken Storm to preserve energy.

Priority List

Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Eviscerate as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with 4 Escalating Blade stacks if your target is Fazed.
2. Cast Secret Technique as your first finisher if above 5 combo points with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks or if your target is not Fazed.
3. Cast Black Powder.
4. Cast Shadowstrike if under 5 combo points.

No Shadow Dance Priority

1. Cast Slice and Dice if it's not active.
2. Cast Rupture at earliest inside of a pandemic window (30% of the spell's original duration) on all priority targets. Do not overwrite Finality Ruptures.
3. Cast Eviscerate with less than 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
4. Cast Black Powder if you have 4 Escalating Blade stacks with 6+ combo points.
5. Cast Shuriken Storm.

Eviscerate or Black Powder

• Black Powder Only replaces Eviscerate with 10+ targets or whenever Flawless Form buff is missing.

Boss Tips

Orator Krix'vizk

• Pay extra attention to Shadows of Doubt as this mechanic will most likely kill you if you get hit.
• Make sure to position towards wherever the tank is moving during the Vociferous Indoctrination to not get hit by the Lingering Influence.

Fangs of the Queen

• Watch out for Knife Throw. Use defensives if you're targeted by this ability.
• You can Cloak of Shadows or Vanish to get rid off Ice Sickles.

The Coaglamation

• Use your defensives for Dark Pulse. This happens at 100 boss energy.
• You can utilize Cloak of Shadows together with Sprint to soak a lot of the Viscous Darkness bloods to avoid your group having big heal absorbs.

Izo, the Grand Splicer

• Pay extra attention to the Shifting Anomalies on this fight since they can be very hard to spot when they move and will likely kill you if you get hit.
• Use your defensives for Splice.
• Use Feint for Tremor Slam.

Trash Tips

• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Web Bolt from Sureki Silkbinder.
  • Grimweave Blast from Covert Webmancer.
  • Mending Web from Covert Webmancer.
  • Twist Thoughts from Herald of Anurek.
  • Void Wave from Sureki Unnaturaler.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Boss Tips

E.D.N.A.

• Try to stack the Volatile Spikes closely to kill them all with one Refracting Beam. Make sure to Feint here or Cloak of Shadows if the situation looks very dire.
• Use Feint on the Earth Shatterer cast.

Skarmorak

• The Crystal Shards have very little HP, try to get kill multiple simultaneously to avoid unnecessary damage.
  • If you see that you're gonna get multiple stacks, use Feint.
• Use Feint on the Unstable Crash cast.
• Make sure to always hold some damage for the Fortified Shell.

Master Machinists Brokk and Dorlita

• If your group has no ranged interrupt, you can position closely to Silenced Speaker for when he jumps away during Scrap Song and use Shadowstep to interrupt Molten Metal.
• Make sure to Feint or Cloak of Shadows the overlap with Exhaust Vents and Blazing Crescendo.

• Make sure to not stand on top of any open Vents during Exhaust Vents.

Void Speaker Eirich

• Feint the Entropic Reckoning cast.
• You can use Cloak of Shadows to remove the Void Corruption debuff.

Trash Tips

• Focus down Earth Burst Totem from Cursedforge Stoneshaper. They have a low amount of health but are not affected by AoE abilities.
• Make sure to Cloak of Shadows if you get targeted by more than one Molten Mortar.
• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Howling Fear from Ghastly Voidsoul.
  • Censoring Gear from Turned Speaker.
  • Piercing Wail from Void Bound Howler.
  • Restoring Metals from Forgebound Mender and Cursedforge Mender.
  • Arcing Void from Cursedheart Invader.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Boss Tips

Speaker Shadowcrown

• Collapsing Night seems to prioritize ranged players, if you are however in a melee stacked group, be ready to move away really fast from this mechanic.
• The boss casts Darkness Comes at 50% so make sure to not use any major cooldowns as the boss is about to phase since you have to fly away.

Anub'ikkaj

• The adds from Animate Shadows have very little HP and shouldn't need to be focused down.
• Use Feint for Shadowy Decay and Dark Orb.

Rasha'nan

• Use Shadowstep on your tank after collecting Arathi Bombs to reduce damage taken.
• Be aware of Erosive Spray. It applies Lingering Erosion which is dangerous when combined with other damage events. Consider using Cloak of Shadows when it overlaps with Arathi Bombs.
• Use Feint if you are targeted by Spinneret's Strands.
• If you are the target of Rolling Acid in Phase 2, try to clear the area from webs.

Trash Tips

• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Night Bolt from Nightfall Shadowmage.
  • Ensnaring Shadows from Nightfall Shadowmage.
  • Tormenting Beam from Nightfall Darkcaster.
  • Umbral Barrier from Nightfall Darkcaster.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Boss Tips

Ingra Maloch

• Put the boss on focus to interrupt Spirit Bolt easily.
• You can use Cloak of Shadows to immune the Repulsive Visage cast.
• Droman's Wrath causes the boss to take 200% increase damage for 15 seconds, make sure to not use all of your Shadow Dances before this phase.

Mistcaller

• You can use Blind on the Illusionary Vulpins to prevent them from reaching their target.
• Try to use atleast one Shadow Dance during the Guessing Game. phase to help out your healer.

Tred'ova

• Cloak of Shadows lets you break the Mind Link instantly.
• Don't use Sprint or Shadowstep to dodge Acid Expulsion since the boss predicts your movement and makes it harder to dodge in the future.

Trash Tips

• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Spirit Bolt from Drust Harvester.
  • Harvest Essence from Drust Harvester.
  • Nourish the Forest from Mistveil Tender.
  • Bramblethorn Coat from Mistveil Shaper.
  • Stimulate Regeneration from Spinemaw Staghorn.
  • Stimulate Resistance from Spinemaw Staghorn.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Boss Tips

Blightbone

• You can use both Evasion or Cloak of Shadows to negate the effects of Heaving Retch.
• Consider using Crippling Poison to slow the Carrion Worms.
  • Try to position good for Shuriken Storm and weave in and out of melee to avoid getting Blood Gorged by the Carrion Worms.

Amarth, The Harvester

• Make sure to look out for Frostbolt Volley casts from the Reanimated Mages as it does heavy group damage if let through.
• If any adds are still alive during Final Harvest use Kidney Shot or Blind to crowd-control them. With them crowd-controlled, the adds don't explode and boss doesn't get the Tortured Echoes buff.
• If you are not sure of the boss facing during Necrotic Breath, press Shadowstep to end up behind him to ensure survival.

Surgeon Stitchflesh

• Ensure that you are always ready for the Meat Hook to not have any accidents where you miss the boss with the hook.
• Stitchneedle Hurts a lot and is the main mechanic to use defensives for in this fight.
• If you get targeted by Morbid Fixation and the boss does not get hit by Meat Hook, use Evasion and tank him.
• Additional note for if you are playingDeathstalker, try to hold your Darkest Night buff for when the boss is about to jump away. You can use it on the adds or simply not use a 7CP Eviscerate.

Nalthor the Rimebinder

• You can use Cloak of Shadows to pre-immune the Frozen Binds, although saving it for Comet Storm is gonna be better in most cases.
• When you get targeted by Dark Exile you can Vanish and the boss will recast on somebody else or on you again. I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you want to troll your teammates a little bit.
  • When you do get sent down by Dark Exile, use Evasion and kill the Zolramus Siphoner. If Evasion is on cooldown or you are still dying to him, use a Kidney Shot.

Trash Tips

• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Drain Fluids from Corpse Harvester and Corpse Collector.
  • Necrotic Bolt from Zolramus Sorceror & Zolarmus Necromancer.
  • Rasping Scream from Skeletal Marauder.
  • Frostbolt Volley from Reanimted Mage.
  • Goresplatter from Corpse Collector.
  • Repair Flesh from Flesh Crafter.

• Make sure to use Feint or Cloak of Shadows if you are targeted by Grim Fate on the Zolramus Necromancer pulls as it does massive amounts of damage.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Boss Tips

Chopper Redhook

• Try to utilize your cooldowns in a way where they line-up with the Heavy Ordnance debuff from the boss walking into bombs.
• Watch out for the Heavy Slash cast by the Irontide Cleaver as it will most likely one shot you.

Dread Captain Lockwood

• This boss has two intermissions, at 66% and 33% hp, ensure you do not use any major cooldowns before the boss is about to phase. Additional note for when you are playing Deathstalker is to try to keep your Darkest Night buff for the intermission phase.
• Focus down the Ashvane Cannoneer during the phase change to quickly use Unstable Ordnance to get the boss down from the ship.
• Fiery Ricochet Deals a massive amount of damage, make sure to use defensives.
• While Clear the Deck is a tank mechanic, it still poses a threat to you if you are not aware of where the tank is positioned, make sure to have good awareness here.
• Make sure to use Crippling Poison for theEvasive mechanic if your group lacks another slow.

Hadal Darkfathom

• You can use Cloak of Shadows to immune Tidal Surge if you are in your cooldowns and don't want to lose uptime.
• Make sure toFeint the Break Water on higher key levels.

Viq'Goth

• You can use Cloak of Shadows on the Putrid Waters.
• Make sure to use Feint for the Slam, especially important if it overlaps with Putrid Waters.
• Utilize Shadowstep to keep Rupture up on both the Gripping Terror and Demolishing Terror.

Trash Tips

• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Brackish Bolt from Irontide Waveshaper.
  • Watertight Shell from Irontide Waveshaper.
  • Water Bolt from Bilge Rat Tempest.
  • Choking Waters from Bilge Rat Tempest.
  • Bolstering Shout from Ashvane Commander.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Boss Tips

General Umbriss

• Make sure to face your character towards where you want to go if you get targeted by Rock Spike as it knocks you in that direction. Try to also position yourself properly as it spawns Rumbling Earth that covers the floor and makes the fight hard to play if not placed correctly.

Forgemaster Throngus

• This boss has a lot of AoE damage and is both a defensive check and healer check. Forge Weapon and Molten Spark overlaps are very dangerous and needs a defensive.
  • Make sure to place the pool from Molten Spark in a good position, ideally next to old fire puddles where you will not be moving.

Drahga Shadowburner

• Use Feint for the Twilight Buffet. It sometimes overlaps with Curse of Entropy, consider using Cloak of Shadows for those overlaps.
• The Invocation of Shadowflame Invoked Shadowflame Spirits have quite long attack range, be careful when attacking these and never move towards them before you are aware of who's fixated.

Erudax, the Duke of Below

• Use Feint during Abyssal Corruption.
• Avoid Void Tendrils at all costs, as you get affected by Depth's Grasp if you walk into one.
• Do not kill the Mutated Hatchlings before the Abyssal Corruption happens as they will give you a massive damage taken increase Debuff.

Trash Tips

• Important abilities to interrupt in this dungeon are:
  • Earth Bolt from Twilight Earthcaller.
  • Mass Tremor from Twilight Earthcaller.
  • Shadowflame Bolt from Twilight Beguiler.
  • Sear Mind from Twilight Beguiler.

• The Umbral Wind cast by Twilight Drakes can be line of sighed, meaning if you tank it near a corner you can hide for each cast.

Pre Dungeon Start

• Using Shadow Blades and Tempered Potion before the key starts can give you some free damage. Make sure to not use a macro for trinkets or Symbols of Death when doing this since some trinkets and Symbols of Death do not reset on key start.

Below you are presented with a good list of farmable alternatives that are obtainable outside of WoW’s weekly lockout system. While replaced in time as you progress, these offer immediate character power.