I’ve included the whole post as of today, but I’ll be breaking it down a bit.
Ambidexterity has been removed.
I had to look this one up. It’s a Passive ability for Combat that allows your off hand weapon to deal 75% more damage. Really, this is just one of those passives that clutter the spell book and it needs to go away.
Blindside has been removed.
- Dispatch now naturally has a chance to be made free and usable on any target when using Mutilate.
This is just removing the Passive ability and baking it into Mutilate, which has always been Assassination only.
Cut to the Chase has been removed.
- Envenom now naturally refreshes Slice and Dice.
Another Passive ability on the chopping block, again from Assassination. Since Envenom is only Assination only it makes sense.
Disarm Trap has been removed.
Not too sure how I feel about this one. I don’t use it often, but it’s nice to have something to contribute to a group.
Fan of Knives is no longer available to Combat Rogues.
After increasing Blade Flurry to 4 targets they are less reliant for AoE attacks on Fan of Knives. I agree just give it to Assassination and Subtlety.
Killing Spree no longer increases all damage done for the duration. Its damage has been increased to compensate.
This seems like it’s just a housekeeping issue of just changing the way a spell works just a slight bit for calculations.
Main Gauche now deals off-hand weapon damage. Its damage has been increased to compensate.
This seems like it’s another housekeeping issue of changing the way a spell works just slightly for the calculations.
Master of Subtlety has been removed.
- Stealth for Subtlety Rogues now also increases damage while stealthed, and for an additional 6 seconds after breaking stealth.
Another passive spell on the chopping block. This time for subtlety. Just baking the damage into another ability.
Redirect has been removed.
Honestly, I forget to use this one frequently. I’m glad to see it’s removal and in its place combo point will now be on the rogue instead of the target.
Rupture is no longer available to Combat Rogues.
Currently this will be a change to Combat rogue’s rotation. Although many Combat rogues are dropping this ability in favor of simplifying their rotation.
Safe Fall has been removed.
- Fleet Footed now also reduces falling damage taken.
Another Passive ability removed from the spell book, but this time it is being combined with another passive.
Shadow Blades has been removed.
This cooldown just seemed like another button to push. I am happy to see the end of it, despite it leaving Assassination with essentially NO dps cooldowns.
Shadow Walk has been removed.
Yeah, this isn’t even on my toolbar anywhere. It’s still setting in my spellbook. Most comments mention the use of lower level PvP. Which Blizzard knows is imbalanced at lower levels and they have no intentions of balancing.
Venomous Wounds no longer triggers from Garrote.
I don’t really like this change, but it will give Assassination more options for opening moves.
TL;DR
5 Passives are being chopped and baked into other things.
4 Active abilities are being removed. Disarm Trap; Redirect; Shadow Blades; Shadow Walk
2 Active abilities are being removed from Combat Specialization. Fan of Knives & Rupture
3 abilities are being changed. Basically changing the way damage done by the ability is calculated.
From Blizzard’s website
Rogue
- Ambidexterity has been removed.
- Blindsidehas been removed.
- Dispatch now naturally has a chance to be made free and usable on any target when using Mutilate.
- Cut to the Chasehas been removed.
- Envenom now naturally refreshes Slice and Dice.
- Disarm Trap has been removed.
- Fan of Knives is no longer available to Combat Rogues.
- Killing Spree no longer increases all damage done for the duration. Its damage has been increased to compensate.
- Main Gauche now deals off-hand weapon damage. Its damage has been increased to compensate.
- Master of Subtletyhas been removed.
- Stealth for Subtlety Rogues now also increases damage while stealthed, and for an additional 6 seconds after breaking stealth.
- Redirect has been removed.
- Rupture is no longer available to Combat Rogues.
- Safe Fallhas been removed.
- Fleet Footed now also reduces falling damage taken.
- Shadow Blades has been removed.
- Shadow Walk has been removed.
- Venomous Wounds no longer triggers from Garrote.
via Warlords of Draenor™ Alpha Patch Notes 06-13-2014 – World of Warcraft.