In the past I’ve talked about the fact that I am a die-hard dagger rogue. I’ve stated this many times, and its due to lore-like reasons. I’ve always pictured rogues attacking with a dagger in the back from the shadows. I know that others disagree – commenters have made very well-written cases for swashbuckling rogues with swords or ninja-like rogues with fist weapons. I can see that. Its just not my personal vision. For me, Assassination spec has always been my preferred way to go, even when Combat was the top dps spec.
Game mechanics have pushed me to change my tune on Combat spec. Specifically, the chain-pulling speed runs in heroics with the LFD tool.
Assassination is a great single-target spec, but it lags when the targets are dying in just a few seconds due to massively overgeared instance groups. As a Mutilate spec, I’m usually forced to use FoK spam because I can’t build up poison stacks or combo points fast enough for envenoms.
Combat, though, has those nice cooldowns. If I alternate Blade Flurry, Killing Spree, and Adrenaline Rush on trash pulls, and save two out of the three for boss fights I can do excellent dps in heroics.
This has given me a lot of practice with Combat Sword/Axe, to the point that I’m now comfortable using it in raids. My routine is ICC now is to go with Combat spec for trash and Mutilate spec for bosses. This has kept me at an acceptable level of damage (by acceptable I mean #1, of course).
It helps that I’ve been the recipient of a nice axe and sword through the “take it or it gets disenchanted” loot system. If I was really dedicated to this, I’d actually build up two different sets of gear, since Combat seems to improve with ArPen and haste more than Mutilate does. However, Combat is still a special-situation set and trash doesn’t require min/maxing the way tightly-tuned bosses do.
I don’t know why, but the image of Axe weilding Rogues has really changed my view of them.
With daggers I get the image of the shadowy assassin, which is cool enough.
Swords / Maces / Fist Weapons don’t really evoke any sort of imagery.
Axes, though… for some reason the image I see is of a blood-crazed killer.
I blame horror movies.
I thought about doing the same thing. Then I realized I really couldn’t give a damn about damage meters in heroics, and if I could “only” do 3500 DPS in a heroic that we cleared in 15 minutes, it really didn’t matter. I just stick with my daggers and do what I do.
I’ve been seriously contemplating adding the combat spec to my repertoire also. Dumping my Mutilate PvP spec that I only seem to use in Wintergrasp. But then I think about it and the only places combat makes sense is on Trash mobs and honestly does anyone really care enough about that to warrant speccing for it? I am also diehard Dagger Rogue so I think I’ll stick with my two Mutilate Specs for now.
At first I was ready to agree with the “I don’t care about damage meters in heroics or on trash mobs” sentiment. Then I thought more about it, and I disagree.
How would you like it if your tank said “I don’t care about aggro during heroics” or if your healer said “I don’t really care about health bars during heroics”. Imagine a heroic run where you stole aggro every pull and the healer just healed you enough to barely keep you from dying as you tanked the mob you had pulled off the tank. You’d finish the run, but it would be annoying and you’d probably quit partway through out of frustration.
Its not about topping the meters. A dps’ job is to do damage. If they are giving less than their full effort, that’s no better than running with a mediocre tank or a sloppy healer. I switch spec to do as much damage as I can on every run because that’s what rogues are there for.
Besides, the heroic runs are boring enough as is. Trying to max my damage keeps me entertained.
I consider myself main spec Assassination because it yields better DPS on tank-and-spank boss fights than Combat. That means I gem and enchant on that spec and ignore Combat altogether. I still switch to Combat on trash pulls though.
Regarding caring (or not caring) about damage meters on trash mobs and heroics, I observe a simple rule: if I’m not doing my best at a raid or heroic, then I don’t deserve to be there. It’s a show of respect to those I’m playing with. Some of them are bringing their A-game. It’s only fair that I do the same.
Have you tried this setup with daggers of equal DPS, 1.4 MH/DP and 1.8 OH/IP?
I look at it like I am giving it my best. I’m just doing it with daggers.
The 3-4k I’m puttin out in heroics isn’t a reflection of effort, it’s more a reflection of situation. =)
Plus having my mutilate PvP spec comes in handy honor farming. That honor has been real useful with all of the gems I’ve been having to buy.
I am having some problems getting my mut/ combat dps were it should be can u plz email/post some tips if u want to see my gear look me up rogues name is Egaleeye on uldaman