Subtlety Rogue Patch 9.1 Changes Analysis

This page will go over the important changes of Patch 9.1 for Subtlety Rogues, specifically how the changes impact the playstyle, best Legendaries, Covenants, etc. If you are simply interested in what the current changes are for Rogues in Patch 9.1 in general, you can instead read our full list of changes to the entire Rogue class on our dedicated page below. For an additional list of content coming with Patch 9.1, you can also check out our Patch 9.1 Overview page.

• Shuriken Storm and Black Powder are no longer maximum target capped and instead deal reduced damage after 8 targets.
• Secret Technique is no longer maximum target capped and instead deals reduced damage after 5 targets.
• The NightFae Covenant legendary Toxic Onslaught has been altered slightly. It now gives you Adrenaline Rush and applies Vendetta to your target for 10 seconds after Sepsis expires.
• The Septic Shock Conduit was buffed by 50%.
• Symbols of Death no longer causes the initial hit of Flagellation to have 100% Critical Strike chance. .

• Feint duration increased from 5-seconds to 6-seconds.
• Black Powder damage per Combo Point increased by 33%.
• Black Powder now deals 40% as extra Shadow damage to targets affected by Find Weakness instead of 50%.
• Shadow Techniques procs now every 3rd (50% chance) or 4th (100% chance) auto attack instead of 4 and 5 meaning more Energy and Combo Point generation.
• Shuriken Storm gains 15% increased Critical Strike chance from the Rank 2 spell which is learned at Level 56.
• Backstab damage increased by 20%.

The changes in 9.1 do not have any impact on talent balance.

Obedience is the new Venthyr Covenant specific Legendary and it is currently the best performer in Single-Target. Finality remains as the best legendary for AoE situations.

None of the 9.1 changes currently appear to impact Covenant balance.

Cloaked in Shadows absorb is now 50% larger, only lasts for 4-seconds but no longer decays while out of Stealth.

All Soulbind Trees for all Covenants will be getting new tiers added with new Soulbind abilities. These can have a significant impact on the best Soulbind, or even the best Covenant overall.

We have listed all of the abilities with a relevant impact below.

• Niya — Bonded Hearts — Causes your constantly-generated Grove Invigoration stacks to grant 50% increased Mastery if you are close to non-Night Fae allies when they are generated.
• Dreamweaver — Dream Delver — This is essentially just a 3% DPS buff to your current target.
• Dreamweaver — Waking Dreams — When you take damage below 80% HP, you gain a shield for 30% of the damage amount, lasting 3 seconds. This is far too powerful currently and will likely be changed before going live.
• Korayn — Wild Hunt Strategem — When you hit a target above 75% health, you gain a 1-minute buff. If you then attack an enemy below 35% health, this buff will be consumed and increase your damage to sub-35% targets by 5% for 10 seconds.
• Forgelite Prime Mikanikos — Soulglow Spectrometer — Causes you to build a damage buff on the target you are hitting which stacks by 1% every 3 seconds, up to 5%. You cannot start another buff on a new target until you have expired one on the previous target.
• Forgelite Prime Mikanikos — Effusive Anima Accelerator — Causes your Kindred Spirits to instantly deal Arcane damage, split between all enemies within 12 yards. For every target hit, the cooldown of Kindred Spirits is reduced by 4 seconds, up to a maximum of 20 seconds at 5 or more targets hit.
• Pelagos — Better Together — Gives you a 52 Mastery buff for 1 minute when you move close to an ally. You can only be affected by one buff at a time. This will pretty much be up all of the time.
• Pelagos — Newfound Resolve — Occasionally spawns a "Doubt" unit near you while in combat. Facing it grants you 12% increased Agility and Stamina for 15 seconds. Depending on proc rate, this could be very strong.
• Kleia — Light the Path — Causes your Valiant Strikes Soulbind Ability buff to also grant 0.25% Critical Strike per stack. It also causes its heal effect to grant you 5% Critical Strike for 12 seconds. Given the 1-minute limit on Valiant Strikes, this is a bit weak.
• Emeni — Pustule Eruption — Causes Fleshcraft to grant you 9 pustule stacks. When you take damage or get healed, they blow up for 48% AP of damage on nearby enemies. This is quite a significant amount of damage making it pretty powerful for us.
• Bonesmith Heirmir — Carver's Eye — Grants you a Mastery buff when you hit a target above 90% health which lasts 5 seconds and stacks to 5, but refreshes its duration when you generate a new stack. There is a 10-second forced gap between initial applications of this buff.
• Bonesmith Heirmir — Mnemonic Equipment — Causes your attacks on targets below 35% health to deal 3% extra damage over 5 seconds.
• Plague Deviser Marileth — Kevin's Oozeling — Causes your Adaptive Swarm to spawn an Oozeling to attack your target. You also deal 2% increased damage to whatever he is targeting. He is up roughly 40-45% of the time.
• Nadjia the Mistblade — Fatal Flaw — Enhances Thrill Seeker by giving you a Critical Strike/Versatility buff when its Haste buff ends.
• Theotar the Mad Duke — Party Favors — Gives you a 3% primary or secondary stat buff for 1 hour each day.
• General Draven — Battlefield Presence — Increases your damage done and reduces damage taken by 1% for every enemy within 5 yards of you, up to 3%.