Season of Discovery Combat Rogue Tank Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities

As a Combat Tank in Season of Discovery you have many tools to not only deal massive damage, but to actively mitigate damage and build a considerable amount of threat. Combat operates off of a list of priorities as opposed to a DPS rotation but we have updated this list below to reflect what your rotation should look like to maximize buff uptime and do as much threat as possible including abilities added in Season of Discovery via the Rune Engraving system.

While it is not required Engineering is a great tool to have as a Rogue not only because of the many toys and gizmos associated with it but bombs such as Solid Dynamite can are essentially free damage and help with the issues Rogue deal with due to a lack of consistent AoE damage. Even with the addition of Fan of Knives Rogue AoE can still be quite limited so any additional source of AoE damage especially at max level is a great benefit. Bombs are typically best used on the pull to help establish aggro and so you can get multiple uses in an encounter, however if you know a fight will have multiple targets always try to keep the cooldown ready for when there are multiple targets to hit.

This rotation assumes that you are using the Combat Saber Slash Tank build.

1. Ensure you have Instant Poison applied to both of your weapons before combat. If your group lacks a source of Improved Expose Armor then apply Sebacious Poison to your main-hand.
2. Cast Saber Slash to generate combo points.
3. Cast Blade Flurry for the bonus Attack Speed unless more mobs will spawn before the cool down is finished. If an encounter has adds that spawn save this cool down to better handle these adds.
4. Cast Blade Dance to establish the buff, refresh as soon as you get 5 more combo points.
5. Cast Slice and Dice to spend extra Combo Points if Blade Dance is active.
6. Cast Eviscerate if you find yourself with extra combo points and Blade Flurry and Slice and Dice are active.
7. Cast Riposte any time you parry if the mob is able to be disarmed.
8. Cast Tease should you lose threat or need to taunt a mob.
9. If you find yourself out of range, do not hesitate to use Shadowstep to close the gap to your target especially if you do not have threat on it.

With the addition of the Back Rune slot Rogue has three new abilities to deal consistent AoE damage but we typically recommend Fan of Knives. As a Tank Rogue it is crucial especially while tanking multiple mobs to maintain Blade Dance so keep this in mind but in a situation where you are focused on generating as much AoE threat as possible you should be spamming Fan of Knives anytime you are fighting 3 or more mobs.

Sprint increases your movement speed by 50% for 15 seconds, this has great uses both in and outside of combat and can be used to both travel the world more effectively or close the gap in some type of combat scenario.

Evasion is an incredibly useful tool that greatly increases your dodge chance and will allow you to avoid massive amounts of incoming physical damage. This is incredibly useful as a Tank and should be used in any situation where you feel your healer is unable to keep up with the damage you are likely to take.

Vanish will instantly send you back into stealth clearing any rooting or slowing effects in the process. This ability however will reset your threat which can greatly complicate things as a tank especially if your Tease ability is not off cooldown.

Shadowstep teleports you behind your current target and increases your movement speed by 70% for 3 seconds. This is a great way to close the gap when an enemy is running or move to a target quickly to interrupt an ability you otherwise may not have been able to reach in time.

Kick interrupts spell casting and should be utilized as often as possible to lessen incoming damage both when playing solo to maximize your up time or in a group to lessen the burden on your healer.

Gouge is a brief incapacitating ability that stops spell casting and renders the target unable to act for a few seconds, make sure to take advantage of this to either stop incoming damage, interrupt a spell cast or use it to create distance between you and an enemy in an emergency situation.

Redirect will allow you to move your combo points from your previous target to your current target, this only works on unspent combo points and if you generate a combo point on your new target before redirecting then you will be unable to move your previous ones to the new target. As a tank target swapping is a constant so make sure you have this on a comfortable key to press.

Kidney Shot is a stun that will consume your combo points, its duration depending on how many combo points you spent. This is a great way to interrupt spell casting in a situation where Kick or Gouge is not available or just to crowd control and otherwise dangerous enemy.

Cheap Shot is a stun that can only be used exiting stealth, your target will be stunned for 4 seconds and you will be awarded two combo points to the target.

Combo Points are a resource that Rogues generate by using 'generating' abilities, in the highlighted build above the majority of your combo points will be generated by Saber Slash in an effort to maximize your up time of Blade Dance. Extra combo points can be spent on Slice and Dice but the maintenance of the Blade Dance buff is by far the most important thing you can do with your combo points as a Tank Rogue.