*The following is an emotional rant about the state of Outlaw Rogues in M+ *
Hello, fellow Rogues and Blizzard developers,
This post is dedicated to my beloved main, the Outlaw Rogue. Or, as I like to call it, “the class you pick if you enjoy living on the edge—of your sanity.” Yes, I’m one of the few brave souls who take a Rogue into Mythic+. Why are we so few? Well, it turns out that some classes get a three-button rotation (plus a panic button) and effortlessly top the DPS charts. Meanwhile, playing a Rogue feels like I’m trying to pilot a fighter jet while the other classes are cruising in autopilot mode. It’s like needing the APM of a StarCraft pro just to beat the tank in damage. If that’s not peak fantasy gameplay, I don’t know what is.
1. Outlaw Rogues: Masters of APM, or Why My Keyboard Hates Me
Let’s talk about our rotation, which feels like playing a rhythm game at expert level. It’s great that we get to exercise our fingers, but the reward? Watching other classes press a couple of buttons and blast past us on the DPS meters. “Skill issue,” some might say. Yeah, but why is it that only 1 or 2 classes need to put their mechanical skills to the test, while the rest just spam three abilities like they’re ordering a combo meal? It’s like being told, “Sure, you can do more damage than the tank, but only if you’ve warmed up your wrists first.”
2. GCD: The Rogue’s Greatest Enemy (After RNG)
Then there’s the issue of ability clutter and the Global Cooldown (GCD). I swear, half the time I’m in combat, I feel like I’m playing whack-a-mole with my GCDs. I get it, Blizzard—Rogues are supposed to be fast and agile, but must it feel like I’m conducting an orchestra while everyone else is playing the kazoo? How about moving some abilities off the GCD or, I don’t know, maybe giving us a button that toggles AoE on or off? That way, we can stop pretending Outlaw is a full AoE spec when it’s clearly not.
3. Slice and Dice: The Buff That Refuses to Die
Let’s talk about Slice and Dice, the buff that time forgot. It’s been around forever, and it still feels as underwhelming as it did when it was first introduced. Maintenance buffs can be fun, said no Rogue ever. If you could rework it to be something more engaging—or better yet, replace it entirely—I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be the only Rogue cheering in the streets (or the nearest tavern).
4. Hero Talents: When “Hero” Feels Like an Overstatement
And then we have the Hero Talent tree. While other classes got shiny new toys, we got… passives. Because nothing screams “heroic pirate” like counting combo points mid-fight, right? I will admit, Hand of Fate is kind of cool, but the Trickster tree? More like the “Why Did I Bother” tree. It’s like opening a treasure chest only to find it full of expired coupons—disappointing, to say the least.
5. Class Fantasy: Great in Theory, But…
Lastly, I have to mention the class fantasy. I love the pirate theme—who doesn’t want to be a swashbuckling rogue? But when it comes at the cost of effective gameplay, it starts to feel like we’re sinking with the ship. Could we maybe balance the awesome theme with abilities that actually make us competitive in Mythic+? I’m all for the fantasy, but I’d also like to feel useful in a dungeon that isn’t just “Pirates of the Caribbean: the Movie”.
In conclusion, I adore playing Rogue, but sometimes it feels like we’re stuck in the “hard mode” of WoW. We’re in dire need of changes that make us feel like the swashbuckling heroes we’re supposed to be, not just the guys who need a wrist brace after every run. I hope the developers can take these concerns to heart and give Outlaw Rogues the love and attention they deserve.
Thanks for sticking around to read this 