Ashes of Creation Rogue Guide (Levels 1–10)

Ashes of Creation is a deeply layered MMORPG with systems that extend far beyond combat—node progression, crafting, gathering, social structures, and large-scale PvX all play major roles. That said, combat remains a foundational pillar of the game. If you want to be effective in any aspect of Ashes of Creation, mastering your class’s combat fundamentals is essential.

This guide focuses specifically on early Rogue gameplay from levels 1 through 10, with an emphasis on solo leveling efficiency. While Ashes of Creation is inherently group-oriented, a Rogue that can efficiently solo content at this stage will have no problem carrying DPS in group play using the same rotations and mechanics.

The goal here is simple: help you destroy mobs quickly and safely using the strongest early-game Rogue rotations available.

Combat Basics in Ashes of Creation

Ashes of Creation uses a tab-targeting combat system, but it introduces several action-oriented mechanics that distinguish it from traditional MMOs.

Key Combat Systems

  • Tab Targeting: Pressing tab targets the nearest enemy in front of you.

  • Stamina System: Dodging, sprinting, and blocking all consume stamina.

  • Weapon Swapping: You can equip both a melee weapon (daggers) and a ranged weapon (bow) and swap between them mid-combat.

  • Auto-Attack Chains: Weapons have multi-hit attack chains that end in a guaranteed finisher.

Each completed weapon combo ends with a finisher, which is separate from Deadly Finishers, a weapon skill tree mechanic that can add bonus effects such as bleeds, snares, or wounds.

Weapon Trees and Deadly Finishers

For Rogues, daggers are the primary weapon, and the dagger weapon tree is critical to early power.

Deadly Finisher (Daggers)

  • Base effect: 25% chance for your finisher to apply a bleed.

  • With early dagger talents, this chance can be increased to 55%.

  • Bleed effects synergize directly with Rogue abilities like Lacerate and Hemorrhage.

Your auto-attack chain consists of six hits, with the final hit having the chance to proc a Deadly Finisher. Learning to track where you are in this chain—visually or via the combat log—dramatically improves damage optimization.

Auto-Attack Settings (Critical for Rogues)

One of the most important Rogue-specific settings is Auto-Attack Enabled. With auto-attack enabled, your weapon combo continues without holding the attack button. Abilities like Flurry do not interrupt your attack chain. This allows seamless integration of abilities without resetting finishers. For Rogues, this setting is strongly recommended, as Flurry becomes unreliable without it.

Rogue Core Mechanics

Advantage

  • Rogue’s unique resource.

  • Certain abilities consume Advantage for enhanced effects.

  • Gained through stealth, positioning, and specific skills.

  • Advantage decays over time if not used.

Ambusher Passive

  • Attacking from behind grants:

    • +10% critical strike chance

    • Bonus effects on certain abilities

Stealth

  • Grants Advantage when activated.

  • Enables powerful openers.

  • It can be used to drop combat entirely, functioning similarly to a vanish.

  • Allows healing via talents and consumables while hidden.

Early Ability Progression (Levels 1–10)

Level 1: Stab

Turns into Backstab when used from behind. Deals 50% increased damage from behind. Cooldown is halved when used from stealth. Consumes Advantage for bonus damage.

Opening Rotation (Level 1):

  1. Stealth

  2. Backstab

  3. Auto-attacks

Level 2: Flurry

  • Three charges

  • Increases attack speed

  • Does not interrupt weapon combos

Key Rule: Keep Flurry active at all times once unlocked.

Level 3: Lacerate

  • Applies bleed

  • If the target is already bleeding, upgrades to Hemorrhage

  • Hemorrhage:

    • Ticks every 0.5 seconds

    • Higher damage than standard bleed

  • Bleed and Hemorrhage stack

Priority: Use Lacerate after a bleed proc from your dagger finisher.

Level 4: Acrobatic Strike

  • Flips you behind the target

  • Locks the enemy's facing direction

  • Grants an Advantage when used from the front

  • Sets up guaranteed backstabs

This becomes one of your primary positioning tools.

Level 5–6: Thrash (Core Power Spike)

Thrash is the foundation of early Rogue burst.

  • Can be used up to three times

  • Requires another ability between activations

  • Synergizes perfectly with Flurry

Thrash Combo: Thrash→Flurry→Thrash→Flurry→Thrash

This sequence reliably lands all three Thrashes while maintaining attack speed.

Level 7: Soothing Shadows

  • Heals you when entering stealth

  • Massive sustain tool for solo play

  • Enables chain-pulling without downtime

Level 8: Double Strike

  • Repeats the last ability used (Stab or Lacerate)

  • Enables:

    • Double Backstabs

    • Guaranteed Hemorrhage setups

Used most effectively immediately after a Backstab.

Level 9–10: Poisons and Sap (Major Sustain Spike)

At level 10, Rogue gameplay changes significantly.

Withering Poison (Recommended)

  • Reduces enemy attack speed and cast speed by 25%

  • Excellent defensive option for solo play

Other poison options include:

  • Wound Poison (anti-heal)

  • Draining Poison (mana sustain)

Sap

  • Consumes poison stacks

  • Deals necrotic damage

  • Heals the Rogue for the full damage dealt

Sap, combined with Soothing Shadows, gives Rogues exceptional sustain.

Full Level 10 Opening Rotation

1. Stealth (heal + Advantage)

2. Backstab

3. Activate Poison

4. Thrash → Flurry → Thrash → Flurry → Thrash

5. Acrobatic Strike behind target

6. Backstab

7. Sap (heal)

8. Lacerate (Hemorrhage)

Executed correctly, this rotation melts enemies and keeps you healthy.

Combat Utility: Kick, Dodge, and Resets

Kick

  • Interrupts casts

  • Cancels powerful enemy abilities

  • With Advantage, it becomes an AoE trip

Always save Kick for:

  • Heals

  • Big casts

  • Kill shots you cannot dodge

Dodge

  • Not a true iframe

  • Grants high evasion if timed correctly

  • Best used for large telegraphed attacks

Stealth Reset

  • One of Rogue’s strongest solo tools

  • Sprint → break line of sight → Stealth

  • Fully resets combat

Consumables and Economy Tips

Priority Purchases

  • Rations – stamina and health regen

  • Health Salves – heal-over-time (preemptively use)

  • Fresh Salads – large physical power buff

Glint Management

  • Glint is dropped on death

  • Always convert Glint into silver in town

  • Ashes of Creation gold and silver are safe

Gathering While Leveling

• Gathering grants experience

• Use downtime between pulls to harvest

• Efficient way to level gathering and character simultaneously

• Recommended to complete starter tool quests early

Weapon Tree Recommendations

Daggers

  • Bleed Deadly Finisher

  • Increase proc chance to 55%

  • Take Keen Edge for critical strike chance

  • Offensive route: Crit Power + Penetration

  • Defensive route: Disable Power + Crit Avoidance

Bow

  • Primarily used for pulling

  • Stagger to reduce enemy evasion

  • Mana-on-hit talent for utility

  • Penetration and crit power preferred

Stamina Tree (Recommended Path)

For Rogues, sprint-based stamina builds outperform dodge-focused builds during leveling.

Recommended Talents:

  • Escape Velocity (max)

  • Focus Sprint (max)

  • Second Wind

  • Evasive Maneuver (1)

  • Recuperation (max)

  • Evasive Training (max)

Springstep is generally not recommended for PvE leveling.

Final Thoughts

Rogue is one of the strongest solo leveling classes in Ashes of Creation when played correctly. Between stealth resets, massive burst damage, layered DoTs, and self-healing through Sap and Soothing Shadows, Rogues can efficiently chain mobs with minimal downtime.

This level 1–10 foundation translates directly into higher-level play and group DPS roles. Once Early Access launches and progression expands, these mechanics only become more potent. More advanced Rogue guides and beginner class breakdowns will follow as Ashes of Creation continues to evolve.

MMOexp AoC Team