Subtlety Rogue 9.2.7 Guide

Introduction

Welcome to our guide on the Subtlety Specialization for the Rogue Class in WoW Shadowlands patch 9.2.7! This article covers everything regarding the Subtlety spec, such as the leveling, gearing, and min-maxing your Rogue for the most challenging PvE content in World of Warcraft - Mythic Raiding and Mythic+ Dungeons.

First, we'll check out the specialization's particularities and see why the Subtlety Rogue is one of the best specs in Shadowlands, Season 4. Then you'll learn how to gear your Subtlety Rogue, what stats to prioritize, and the best leveling spec, talents, and rotation that will get you to max level in no time.

Finally, we'll go deep into min-maxing your character for the end-game content and teach you what covenant to choose and the best legendaries to use for Mythic Raiding and Mythic Plus dungeons. By the end of the guide, you will become a master of Rogue's Subtlety specialization! Sounds good, right? Let's get started!

Table of Contents

• Subtlety Rogues: Strengths and Weaknesses
• How to gear a Subtlety Rogue
• How to level a Subtlety Rogue. Subtlety Rogue leveling tips
• Best Subtlety Rogue talents for end-game content
• Best Covenant, Soulbinds, and Conduits for Subtlety Rogues in 9.2.7
• Best Legendaries for Subtlety Rogues
• Subtlety Rogue in Shadowlands - FAQ

Subtlety Rogue in Shadowlands: Strengths and Weaknesses

In World of Warcraft, the Rogue class comes with three DPS specializations: Outlaw, Subtlety, and Assassination. The rogue's spending resource is called Energy. All three specializations revolve around a fast-paced melee-oriented playstyle.

The Subtlety Rogue represents one of the best DPS classes for Mythic Dungeons and Mythic Raiding in Shadowlands Season 4. The Subtlety spec excels in providing high damage with the rogue's finisher abilities, in both single-target and multi-target encounters.

In terms of weapons, the Subtlety Rogue uses any combination of daggers, fist weapons, one-handed axes, maces, and swords. Though, many abilities and passives essentially require you to use two daggers. As for raid gear, rogues share the Vanquisher Tier Token with Death Knights, Mages, and Druids for legacy content. In the Shadowlands expansion, the Sepulcher of the First Ones raid, the rogue shares the Zenith Tier Token with Monks and Warriors.

In the table below, we present the Subtlety Rogue's strengths and weaknesses:

How to gear a Subtlety Rogue

In World of Warcraft, gearing is one of the most important aspects that enhances your character's overall performance by providing massive amounts of stats, armor, procs, and set bonuses. This guide will teach you how to properly gear up for the most challenging content in WoW Shadowlands, Mythic Raiding, and Mythic+ Dungeons.

We'll start with the basics and cover the Subtlety Rogue's stats priority, check out the tier set bonuses, and finally, the best in slot gear you can get from mythic raids and dungeons.

Subtlety Rogue stat priority

Regardless of the class and spec you roll into in World of Warcraft, the stats are a key component when gearing up and min-maxing your character for the end-game content. Subtlety Rogues wear Leather gear with Agility as the main stat.

As a rogue, the Agility stat increases the attack power of your abilities, in other words - the damage you are dealing to the enemies. Also, please note that a higher and adequate item level will better impact your character's performance than a perfect stat distribution, so always keep an eye on the gear's item level!

Subtlety Rogue's stats priority looks like this:

• 1. Agility
• 2. Versatility
• 3. Critical Strike
• 4. Haste
• 5. Mastery

So as a Subtlety Rogue, you will primarily value item level for Agility as the primary stat, then Versatility, followed by Critical Strike, Haste, and Mastery as secondary stats.

In other words: Agility > Versatility > Critical Strike > Haste > Mastery. And here's why:

Agility: Increases your attack power and, therefore, all the damage you are dealing to your enemies

Critical Strike: Increases the chances of dealing double damage with your attacks

Haste: Increases your attack speed and your energy regen rate

Mastery: Increases the damage of your finisher abilities

Versatility: Increases damage dealt and reduces damage taken

Subtlety Rogue Tier Set Bonus

To start with, what is a tier set in World of Warcraft?

In WoW, a tier set is a unique class armor set with powerful 2-set and 4-set specific bonuses for each specialization of that particular class. Tier set bonuses change based on the character's active talent specialization, ensuring that the bonus is appropriate and useful to that spec.

So to recap, tier sets are unique pieces of armor that, when equipped simultaneously, provide you with a bonus, different for each spec of the chosen class. This bonus is based on the number of pieces from the set you have equipped, with most tier sets providing bonuses when equipping 2 or 4 pieces.

How to get the Subtlety Rogue Tier Set in Shadowlands Patch 9.2.7

There are three ways you can get tier set items in WoW in the Shadowlands expansion:

• Sepulcher Raid: You can get tier set items from specific bosses in the Sepulcher of the First Ones raid.
• Creation Catalyst: You can craft Tier armor from non-set pieces of the same item level using the Creation Catalyst crafting system.
• Great Vault: You can obtain tier set items from all activities that normally give Great Vault rewards, such as raiding, Mythic+ dungeons, and PvP.

The fastest way to obtain tier set items is to take advantage of these three sources that can reward you with the Subtlety Rogue Tier Set items. The best advice is to complete the Sepulcher raid weekly - this is probably the fastest way to get your hands on the desired tier armor. In case you don't have a team to raid with, complete some Mythic+ Dungeons or some PvP matches.

Mythic dungeons and PvP are highly beneficial because even if you can't drop the set items while participating in these activities, you increase the chances of getting your set items at the Great Vault or the Creation Catalyst console in Zereth Mortis. At the creation catalyst console, you can convert the non-set pieces obtained in dungeons or PvP into tier set items.

Let's have a closer look at the Great Vault feature:

And this is what the Creation Catalyst looks like:

Back to our Subtlety Rogue Tier Set. Now that you learned how to obtain the tier set, let's see some set bonuses and particularities, shall we?

The Subtlety Rogue Tier set is called Soulblade Shadowhide. It comes with the following bonuses for two pieces and four pieces equipped:

• 2-Set: Immortal Technique - Shadowstrike has a 15% chance to grant Shadow Blades for 5 sec.
• 4-Set: Immortal Technique - Your finishing moves have a 3% chance per combo point to cast Shadowstrike at up to 5 enemies within 15 yards.

In the table below, we present you the sources for Subtlety Rogue Tier Set items:

The remaining tier set items (Cloak, Wrists, Waist, and Boots) can be obtained by using the Creation Catalyst in Zereth Mortis.

As previously stated, you unlock the tier set bonuses for your Subtlety Rogue when you equip any two or four pieces of the Soulblade Shadowhide set. Your four pieces of tier set as a Subtlety Rogue will be the Helm, Shoulders, Chest, and Legs for itemization and build optimization.

Raid Best in Slot (BiS) Gear for Subtlety Rogues

In the table below, you can find the best item to use in each slot from the raids as a Subtlety Rogue:

Mythic+ Best in Slot (BiS) Gear for Subtlety Rogues

In the table below, you can find the best item to use in each slot from the Mythic+ Dungeons as a Subtlety Rogue:

Best in Slot (BiS) Trinkets for Subtlety Rogues

The best Subtlety Rogue trinkets for end-game content are:

This wraps up everything you should know about gearing your Subtlety Rogue: the stats priority, how to obtain the tier set, and what items to use in the end-game activities. Moving on to the next section of our guide, we'll teach you how to level your Subtlety Rogue in Shadowlands patch 9.2.7. Sounds good, right? Let's dive in!

How to level a Subtlety Rogue. Subtlety Rogues leveling tips

Before leveling your Subtlety Rogue, you must first create and customize the character. That brings us to the first question: what race should you go for when creating the character? Let's find out, shall we?

Best Subtlety Rogue Races

When it comes to racials, with so many options to choose from, you are probably wondering what would be the best race for your rogue. In World of Warcraft, each race has different racial abilities and spells, but no races offer an immediate advantage compared to others regarding the Subtlety spec. I highly recommend choosing the race you like the most, aesthetically speaking.

However, in the table below, you can see the top 10 best races for Subtlety Rogues based on performance gain:

Now, if you want to make an idea of what race players generally choose for their Subtlety Rogues:

• For Alliance: Night Elf, Human, Gnome, and Mechagnome.
• For Horde: Orc and Blood Elf.

Best Subtlety Rogue Leveling Talents and Rotation in Shadowlands 9.2.7

The best talents to use while leveling to level 60 as a Subtlety Rogue are:

As for War Mode talents, in case you are leveling with War Mode ON (which you should!), use the following:

• Thief's Bargain
• Veil of Midnight
• Dagger in the Dark

Now let's check out how you should prioritize your abilities. Here is what most people consider to be the best single-target and multi-target rotations for Subtlety Rogues:

Subtlety Rogue Single Target Rotation

• 1. Use Shadow Blades on cooldown.
• 2. Use Vanish on cooldown.
• 3. Maintain Slice and Dice and refresh it before Shadow Dance triggers.
• 4. Maintain Rupture and refresh it before Shadow Dance triggers.
• 5. Cast Symbols of Death in combination with Shadow Dance.
• 6. Use Eviscerate to spend Combo Points.
• 7. Use Shadowstrike to generate Combo Points if Shadow Dance is active. Otherwise, use Backstab from behind the target.
• Note: Never cast Symbols of Death without Shadow Dance!

Subtlety Rogue AoE Rotation

• 1. Maintain Slice and Dice.
• 2. Maintain Rupture.
• 3. Use Symbols of Death in combination with Shadow Dance.
• 4. Use Shuriken Storm during Shadow Dance instead of Shadowstrike, for less than 4 targets.
• 5. Use Black Powder to spend Combo Points if you have 4+ targets, or Eviscerate if 3+ targets.
• 6. Cast Shuriken Storm to generate Combo Points.
• 7. Use Shadow Blades at your own discretion.

Follow the rotations, and you'll get to max level in no time! Now that we've covered the leveling part, it's time to move on to the end-game.

In the next section of our Subtlety Rogue Guide, we'll present the best talents to use for PvE end-game content, such as raiding and Mythic+ dungeons. In the end game, it's crucial to use the right talents and prioritize the skills you use depending on the activity. Choosing the best talents will significantly impact your performance as a DPS!

Best Subtlety Rogue End-game Talents

From the PvE perspective, there are two main end-game activities we'll take into consideration: Mythic raiding and Mythic+ Dungeons. We'll treat them separately to keep things clear and avoid confusion.

Best Talents for Mythic Raiding in Season 4 (patch 9.2.7)

In the picture below, you can see the best talents for mythic raiding as a Subtlety Rogue:

Best Talents for Mythic+ Dungeons in Season 4 (patch 9.2.7)

As a Subtlety Rogue, these are the talents you should use to maximize your damage in M+ Dungeons:

Now that you learned what talents you should go for as a Subtlety Rogue in the end-game activities, it's time to move on to the final part of our guide that covers two major aspects: the Covenants and the Legendary Items.

Best Covenant, Soulbinds, and Conduits for Subtlety Rogues in 9.2.7

Best Subtlety Rogue Covenant for Raiding

For single-target encounters, the best Covenant for Subtlety Rogues in Mythic raiding is Kyrian, with the best soulbind option being Forgelite Prime Mikanikos. In the table below, we present the best conduits to use for Mythic Raiding as a Kyrian Subtlety Rogue:

For multi-target encounters, the best Covenant for Subtlety Rogues for Mythic raiding is Venthyr, with the best soulbind option being Theotar the Mad Duke. In the table below, we present the best conduits to use for Mythic Raiding as a Venthyr Subtlety Rogue:

Best Subtlety Rogue Covenants for Mythic+

The best Covenant for Subtlety Rogues for Mythic+ Dungeons is Venthyr, using Theotar as a soulbind. In the table below, we present the best conduits to use for Mythic Dungeons as a Venthyr Subtlety Rogue:

Subtlety Rogue Covenant Popularity

Below you can see what the most picked Covenants for Subtlety Rogue are:

• Venthyr 57.2%
• Kyrian 29.6%
• Night Fae 7.4%
• Necrolord 5.8%

This covers everything regarding what Covenants to choose as a Subtlety Rogue for mythic raids and mythic plus dungeons. Without further ado, let's move on to the final major aspect of our guide and learn what legendaries you should use as a Subtlety Rogue in Shadowlands in Season 4, patch 9.2.7.

Best Subtlety Rogue Legendaries - Shadowlands 9.2.7

Our guide's final section teaches you the best legendary items to use as a Subtlety Rogue for Mythic Raiding and Mythic+ Dungeons.

Best Single Legendaries for Subtlety Rogues (Raid and M+ Dungeons)

• Best Single Legendary for Raid & Mythic+ Dungeons as a Kyrian Subtlety Rogue: Resounding Clarity
• Best Single Legendary for Raid & Mythic+ Dungeons as a Venthyr Subtlety Rogue: Obedience
• Best Single Legendary for Raid as a Necrolord or Night Fae Subtlety Rogue: Akaari's Soul Fragment
• Best Single Legendary for Mythic+ Dungeons as a Necrolord or Night Fae Subtlety Rogue: Finality

Best Double Legendaries for Subtlety Rogues (Raid and M+ Dungeons)

• Best Double Legendaries for Raid: Akaari's Soul Fragment and Memory of Unity
• Best Double Legendaries for Mythic+ Dungeons: Finality and Memory of Unity

Best Legendary Crafting for Subtlety Rogue

• It is best to craft Resounding Clarity on the belt.
• It is best to craft Obedience on the cloak.
• It is best to craft Akaari's Soul Fragment on the neck.
• It is best to craft Finality on the cloak.

Subtlety Rogues in Shadowlands - FAQ

1. Are Subtlety Rogues good in Shadowlands 9.2.7?

Yes, Subtlety Rogue represents one of the best specs in WoW Shadowlands in Season 4.

2. Is Subtlety Rogue easy to play?

Not really. The Subtlety Rogue specialization qualifies as one of the medium-to-hard specs to play in WoW Shadowlands.

3. What is the stats priority for Subtlety Rogues?

The stats priority for Rogue's Subtlety specialization looks like this: Agility > Versatility > Critical Strike > Haste > Mastery.

4. Which rogue spec is best for leveling in 9.2.7?

The Outlaw Rogue Specialization is the best spec for rogue leveling, especially for beginners.

5. What is the best race for Subtlety Rogues in Shadowlands?

• Alliance's best Subtlety Rogue races are Mechagnome, Night Elf, Dwarf, and Human.
• For Horde, the best Subtlety Rogue races are Blood Elf and Orc.

6. Which covenant is best for Subtlety Rogues?

• The best Covenants for Subtlety Rogues for mythic raiding are Kyrian for single-target and Venthyr for multi-target.
• For mythic dungeons, the best option would be Venthyr.

Final thoughts

This wraps up everything you should know regarding the Rogue's Subtlety specialization in World of Warcraft Shadowlands for Season 4, patch 9.2.7. By reading this guide, you should now better understand the Subtlety Rogues' spec and particularities and how they perform in certain circumstances and different end-game activities. It's one of the best DPS specs in Shadowlands, so you should definitely try it!

Related Guides

If it feels like this specialization isn't the perfect match for you, we have also covered all the other specs available in the game. Below you can find an updated, detailed guide for each specialization in World of Warcraft:

Also, for a better view of the current meta, check out our guide on the Best Classes in WoW Shadowlands, where we present up-to-date rankings and tier lists for PvE and PvP in Season 4, patch 9.2.7.

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