Your battleground role
Use a suitable dagger and prepare openings with Premeditation. Use control windows for Backstab and retain Sprint or Preparation for a deliberate reposition.
Read about Honor, ranks and upgrades in the general PvP guide →
Talents: a complete starting point
Original AzerothCompass example build · 51 points at level 60. Requirements and budget were checked with our calculator. It uses talent dataset 1.60.1.70790 and is not a measured meta recommendation.
| Talent | Rank | Why it is in the build |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Blood | 1/1 | For a deliberately planned offensive window. |
| Puncturing Wounds | 3/3 | Supports the chosen Backstab focus. |
| Improved Sprint | 2/2 | Movement support for approaching or retreating. |
| Premeditation | 1/1 | Part of preparing an opening. |
| Preparation | 1/1 | Plan around a second use of important tools. |
Plan your own build in the talent calculator →
Show every allocated talent point
Assassination · 16
- Improved Gouge 3/3
- Malice 5/5
- Ruthlessness 3/3
- Vigor 2/2
- Lethality 2/2
- Cold Blood 1/1
Combat · 14
- Lightning Reflexes 5/5
- Puncturing Wounds 3/3
- Improved Sprint 2/2
- Endurance 2/2
- Composure 2/2
Subtlety · 21
- Master of Deception 3/3
- Opportunity 5/5
- Camouflage 3/3
- Dirty Tricks 2/2
- Initiative 2/3
- Premeditation 1/1
- Elusiveness 2/2
- Quick Getaway 2/2
- Preparation 1/1
Suitable gear and stats
Compare Stamina, Agility or Attack Power, and hit reliability. Weapon and talent choices must match; an item-level increase alone does not make an unsuitable weapon good for Backstab.
| Set / item | Context |
|---|---|
| Premier Leather Armor | A specific leather chest candidate for your starting set. |
| Field Marshal’s Vestments | The matching epic set family for later comparisons. |
Choose daggers and an off-hand around the requirements of this Backstab build. Compare weapon type, damage, speed and poisons together rather than importing a sword recommendation from another Rogue setup.
These are concrete comparison candidates, not a guaranteed best-in-slot list. Names remain in English for an exact match. Check the right faction version, requirements and actual vendor availability in game.
Your plan for the next match
- Open when your team can use the pressure window.
- Coordinate controlled targets so allies do not accidentally release them.
- Keep an exit available if the first attack fails.
Alternatives and source status
Adapt the example build to your group and role in our calculator. After each change, check tree requirements, point budget and planned equipment.
Build and item data can change independently. Check recent hotfixes if a talent name, point count or vendor selection differs from this snapshot. This guide documents its sources; we have not play-tested every combination.
Compare racial abilities: every race and its current toolkit ↗
Race and class: PvP and PvE applications ↗
Profession pairings for your class ↗
Sources & context
Original AzerothCompass example build using local talent dataset 1.60.1.70790. All 51 points, dependencies and tree limits were checked with the calculator. Gameplay and gear suggestions are editorial proposals, not a measured meta.
