More Rogue Thoughts

I just realized that my little rogue over on Andorhal is just over a week old. It feels like it's been a lot longer than that.

I'm pretty happy with where I'm at playing my toon as well as with what I've been able to accomplish.

My achievements include "1000 Honorable Kills", "{something} Defender" (the one where you kill 100 Flag Carriers), "Not In My House", and "Save the Day". I almost got "The Ironman", but I died once before starting my three cap spree. You can look Daxynn up on the armory to see the full list.

My playstyle and my talent spec have meshed up nicely. I love being in Stealth!! I'll probably never top the damage meter, the killing blows list, or the Honorable Kills column, but, hey, I ain't a hunter, ya know!

What I do bring to the table is more behind the scenes. I love to Sap people as they're running past me in Midfield. I infiltrate the enemy base on a regular basis and either relay information about EFC (Enemy Flag Carrier) location or engage in trying to get the flag back.

As already noted, I also am able to sneak into the enemy base and snatch the flag. In one game, there were four defenders in the flag room - three visible and one stealthed rogue. There was one by the flag and the others were patrolling around looking down the tunnel and such. So, I waited until the two visible ones were by the tunnel, Sapped the one by the flag, grabbed the flag and Sprinted past the rogue out the front door. It was EPIC!

I am really enjoying some of the strategy and tactics that I'm getting to employ from the shadows. The vast majority of strategy that I've used with other classes was pure brute force - I will burn you down even though you see me coming! With the rogue, of course, if they see me coming, I'm pretty much toast (one more level until Vanish), but if I can sneak up to them (and especially behind them) then I have a good chance to either incapacitate them with a Sap or just burn them down.

I really believe that damage meters have taken too large a role when evaluating DPS, and the PvE side is mostly to blame, imho. Since most of the PvE content is free from CC (now), the defining characteristic for DPS classes is damage (well, duh!). I can't remember the last time I had to chain trap as a hunter, and AOE tanking is the norm now.

So, while PvP has been an anathem to me, I am gaining a new appreciation for people playing their classes to their full extent. I see Mages sheeping, Hunters trapping, Warlocks fearing, and Rogues sapping; CC is in full play.

I also have seen the "useless" or quirky spells/talents come alive in the Battlegrounds; I mean, what use in PvE is Ghostwolf form for Shammys, really! But in the BG's, especially the 1X bracket, they're the preferred Flag Carriers precisely because of Ghostwolf form. Also, the fact that Druids can shapeshift out of any ensnare? Totally for PvP.

And don't get me started on innovation! Almost everyone knows that if you are carrying the flag in WSG and you go into Stealth, you automatically drop the flag. Did you also know that you can use that to your advantage?

I was chasing a Druid in the 2X bracket when suddenly, he Stealthed, which did two things: I lost my target and he dropped the flag. Since he planned it out, he snatched the flag back up and took off, while I was left trying to target him again before realizing there was a flag that I had just passed up. Whoops.

By the time I figured out what had happened (just a couple of seconds), he had already grabbed the flag, shifted to travel form, and was bookin' it for the tunnel. Well played, sir, well played.

And that sort of thing is what is exciting. Sure, it feels good to solo another player that's three levels higher than you, but for me, I really get into the strategy and the tactics. How can I grab the flag in a room with four people in it? What can I do to get our flag back? Can I Sap this guy without him sounding the alarm?

It has turned WoW into more of a thinking game rather than a button mashing game, and that, I like.