Assassination Rogue Leveling Guide

Poison-driven burst, strong single-target damage, and efficient leveling with control. Covers Classic, TBC, and WotLK Assassination paths for 1-80.

Updated 2026 Melee / Poison DPS Supports Classic / TBC / WotLK

Why Assassination in Classic?

Strong poison synergy, dependable crits, and solid single-target kill speed. Less energy intensive than Combat’s Sinister Strike spam; excellent for elite killing with control.

Strengths

Poison damage scales well; efficient energy usage.
Deadly/Crippling poisons give control and sustained DPS.
Great opener burst with Cheap Shot → Mutilate (later).

Weaknesses

Weapon upgrades crucial (daggers); positional (back) for some skills.
AoE weaker than Combat blade flurry/cleave.
Energy pooling required for finishers.

Talents by Level (Classic 1-60)

Early (10-29)

Improved Eviscerate 3/3, Malice 5/5.
Ruthlessness 3/3, Murder 2/2.
Relentless Strikes (energy refund) and Lethality.

Mid (30-44)

Vigor optional; Improve Poisons 5/5.
Cold Blood for burst; Seal Fate for combo point generation.
Opportunity 2/5 if needed earlier; Fill Precision in Combat if hit is low.

Late (45-60)

Combat splash: Dual Wield Spec, Precision 5/5, Deflection.
Blade Flurry optional if heavy cleave desired (requires points).
Finish with Improved Kidney Shot/Setup if PvP/CC focus.

Daggers strongly preferred; keep Deadly Poison on main-hand, Crippling on off-hand for control; swap to Instant/Deadly when safe.

Rotation & Playstyle

Single Target

Stealth → Cheap Shot or Garrote → Mutilate (or Backstab/Sinister early).
Slice and Dice first (2-3 CP) → Mutilate → Envenom/Eviscerate.
Maintain poisons; Kick important casts; Gouge → Bandage if needed.

Survival

Evasion vs melee elites; Vanish to reset; Blind for control.
Crippling Poison for kiting; Sprint for disengage.
First Aid maxed; use food buffs.

AoE/Cleave

Fan of Knives not in Classic; AoE limited—use Blade Flurry if taken.
Focus on single-target burn; Sap one mob when possible.

Zone Route (Classic)

Bracket	Zones	Notes
1-20	Starter → Barrens/Westfall	Get dual wield at 10; upgrade daggers often.
20-30	Ashenvale/Duskwood	Deadmines/Stockades for daggers; keep poisons trained at 20.
30-40	STV/Desolace	SM Arm/Cath; seek VanCleef/SM daggers.
40-50	Tanaris/Feralas/Hinterlands	ZF runs; quest daggers.
50-60	Felwood/WPL/EPL	BRD/Strat/Scholo for hit/crit leather.

Why Assassination in TBC?

Improved poisons and Mutilate provide strong single-target. Still behind Combat for raids, but great for leveling/quests with reliable damage.

Spec: Deep Assassination to Mutilate/Deadly Brew equivalents; Combat off-tree for Precision/Dual Wield Spec; optionally Fleet Footed for mobility.

Talents by Level (TBC 60-70)

Early (60-64)

Improved Poisons 5/5; Vile Poisons.
Malice 5/5; Ruthlessness/Relentless Strikes.
Mutilate at 50pt; Cold Blood for burst.

Mid (65-67)

Seal Fate 5/5 for extra CP on crits.
Opportunity 2/5 if needed; Fleet Footed optional.
Fill Combat: Precision 5/5, Dual Wield Spec.

Late (68-70)

Quick Recovery for Envenom efficiency.
Filler: Deadened Nerves, Vitality in Combat tree.

Rotation (TBC)

Single Target

Garrote → Mutilate → Slice and Dice (2-3 CP).
Maintain SnD; Envenom as main finisher (with Deadly Poison stacks).
Cold Blood + Mutilate/Envenom for elites; Kick casts.

AoE

Fan of Knives not available; rely on single-target and Blade Flurry if taken.
Use Gouge/Sap for CC; Evasion tank briefly if needed.

Survival

Vanish to reset; Cloak of Shadows to remove magic.
Crippling on off-hand for control; Deadly/Instant on main-hand.
Bandage; use Health Potions on tough pulls.

Zone & Dungeon Path (TBC)

Level	Zone/Dungeon	Notes
60-62	Hellfire / Ramps / BF	Quest blues; early daggers.
62-65	Zangarmarsh / SP / UB	Plenty of dagger drops; good poison uptime.
65-68	Terokkar / Sethekk / SLabs	Sap/Blind valuable; watch casters.
68-70	Nagrand / Netherstorm / Mech	Badge farm; Netherstorm dagger rewards.

Why Assassination in WotLK?

Mutilate + Hunger for Blood/Envenom spam with high poison uptime makes Assassination a top-tier single-target spec. Great leveling once you reach crit/haste thresholds.

Spec: Deep Assassination for Mutilate, Hunger for Blood (pre-3.3) or Cut to the Chase, Improved Poisons, Focused Attacks. Off-tree Combat for Precision/Dual Wield Spec.

Talents by Level (70-80)

Early (70-74)

Improved Poisons/Vile Poisons; Malice; Ruthlessness.
Mutilate core; Focused Attacks for energy on crit.
Deadly Brew optional for PvP/world control.

Mid (75-77)

Cut to the Chase (refresh SnD on Envenom).
Hunger for Blood (if applicable) or fill CttC/HfB replacements.
Seal Fate for extra CP.

Late (78-80)

Combat off-tree: Precision, Dual Wield Spec, Close Quarters Combat.
Optional: Fleet Footed for mobility; Deadened Nerves for mitigation.

Rotation (WotLK)

Single Target

Stealth → Garrote → Mutilate → Slice and Dice (2-3 CP).
Maintain Deadly/Instant poisons; Envenom as main finisher; Cut to the Chase keeps SnD up.
Use Cold Blood with Envenom/Mutilate on elites; Vanish for Overkill buff.

AoE

Fan of Knives with double Instant/Deadly; keep Tricks of the Trade on tank.
Use Blade Flurry only if Combat off-tree (unlikely here).

Survival

Cloak of Shadows, Evasion, Feint to reduce AoE damage.
Crippling Poison for kiting; Sprint/Prep for mobility.
Always keep a stack of bandages/health potions.

Zone & Dungeon Path (WotLK)

Level	Zone/Dungeon	Notes
70-72	Borean Tundra / Howling Fjord	Pick up fast/slow daggers; Nexus/UK for upgrades.
72-75	Dragonblight / AN/OK	Fan of Knives (75) speeds packs; badge runs.
75-77	Grizzly Hills / Zul'Drak	Drak'Tharon for AoE; maintain poisons.
77-80	Sholazar / Storm Peaks / Icecrown	HoL/HoS/Gundrak badge farms; craft daggers if possible.

Gear, Weapons, and Enchants (All Versions)

Stat Priority

Hit (6-9% leveling) > Agility > AP > Crit > Haste; Expertise helps smooth uptime.
Daggers: fast off-hand for poison procs, slow main-hand for Mutilate.

Weapons

Classic: VanCleef/SM/BRD daggers; AV rewards.
TBC: Felsteel Longblade, Latro’s if off-hand, quest blues.
WotLK: Heroic daggers, crafted (Librarian’s Paper Cutter off-hand), Titansteel Shanker.

Enchants

Classic: Crusader/Agility; +Hit where available.
TBC: Mongoose/+Agility; +Hit to gloves if needed.
WotLK: Berserking/+Agility to weapons; Icewalker if low hit.

Pro Tips & Control

Leveling Speed

Open with Garrote for bleed uptime; keep SnD rolling.
Use Cheap Shot → Kidney on dangerous mobs.
Gather mobs near your level; avoid heavy armor targets when possible.

Control

Sap one, Cheap Shot another; Blind as emergency stop.
Vanish to reset; Prep (if available) for double CDs.
Kick to shut down healers/casters; Gouge → Bandage.

Group Utility

Expose Armor if no warrior/druid; Tricks of the Trade (WotLK) to tank.
Wound/Anesthetic Poison situational; Crippling for kiting.
Provide interrupts/stuns for dangerous casts.

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