TBC Classic · Phase 3 PvE

Combat Rogue Guide

Combat is the standard TBC raid Rogue specialization thanks to strong sustained damage and powerful cooldowns. Phase 3 play revolves around Slice and Dice uptime, efficient combo-point spending and Blade Flurry/Adrenaline Rush timing.

Melee DPSRecommended build: 20/41/0 sword/fist raid coreBlack Temple + Hyjal

Rotation Stats & Caps Phase 3 BiS

Raid snapshot

What the spec brings

Kick, Expose Armor when assigned, stuns, poisons and strong defensive cooldowns.

✓ Energy-capping is lost damage.✓ Do not use Blade Flurry when a nearby target must not be hit.✓ If assigned Improved Expose Armor, build the rotation around maintaining it cleanly.

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PvE Build

Talents & Raid Build

20/41/0 sword/fist raid core

This is a raid-focused baseline, not a rule that every single talent point must be identical. Utility points can move when your raid composition or a specific encounter needs them.

Key talents

Priority System

Rotation & How to Play

1Keep Slice and Dice active at all times.

2Generate combo points with Sinister Strike or your weapon-specific builder.

3Use Rupture when the target will live long enough.

4Use Eviscerate as a filler finisher when DoT and Slice are covered.

5Stack Blade Flurry and Adrenaline Rush with valuable cleave/burn windows.

Phase 3 rule: mechanics and uptime beat a perfect theoretical sequence. Black Temple and Hyjal repeatedly force movement, target swaps, dispels, interrupts or add control, so adapt the priority instead of freezing when the ideal rotation is interrupted.

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Gearing

Stat Priority & Caps

General priority

Melee Hit
Expertise
Agility
Attack Power
Haste

Cap notes

Special attacks target 9% hit, but dual-wield white swings have a much higher miss chance, so hit remains useful beyond the yellow cap. Expertise lowers dodges; 26 expertise skill is the common target when attacking from behind.

Always calculate caps with your real talents, party buffs, racial effects and encounter debuffs.

Raid Preparation

Consumables

Use consumables that match your current role and encounter. Progression pulls may favor survival or mana sustain over a pure damage option.

Character Optimization

Recommended Professions

LeatherworkingSee profession overview and Phase 3 value.EngineeringSee profession overview and Phase 3 value.

Phase 3 Gear

Best in Slot for Black Temple & Hyjal

Use BiS as a roadmap

Phase 3 gearing is not only about the final list. Hit/expertise caps, set bonuses, raid composition and the items your guild can realistically award all affect upgrade value.

Open Phase 3 BiS

Where the gear comes from

Black Temple and Hyjal Summit are the core Phase 3 raids. Tier 6 tokens are split across both raids.

See the Tier 6 token guide →

Phase 3 Raiding

Related raid guides

Black Temple9 bosses, attunement, loot and role strategies.Hyjal SummitBosses, trash waves, loot and Tier 6.Tier 6 TokensBoss sources and class token groups.

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FAQ

Combat Rogue Phase 3 FAQ

Is Combat Rogue good in TBC Phase 3?

What stats should Combat Rogue prioritize?

Start with Melee Hit → Expertise → Agility → Attack Power. Exact values change with raid buffs, caps and your current gear.

What professions are recommended?

Common PvE choices for this guide are Leatherworking and Engineering. Raid requirements and crafted gear can change the best personal choice.