WotLK So, I'm just starting a rogue and have a few questions.

[NightBoss99]

I'm just starting my human rogue, and I'm wondering what spec do you level on, what professions do you take, etc...
Also, some tips, since rogues do really seem unique. What do I use pickpocket for? It seems a bit useless... What about pick lock, when do i get it? How do i level it?
Also, how doew the stealth work, how do mobs detect me? How do players detect me? How to I make sure I'm not seen and still pick pocket mobs?

[jendah]

I'm just starting my human rogue, and I'm wondering what spec do you level on, what professions do you take, etc...
Also, some tips, since rogues do really seem unique. What do I use pickpocket for? It seems a bit useless... What about pick lock, when do i get it? How do i level it?
Also, how doew the stealth work, how do mobs detect me? How do players detect me? How to I make sure I'm not seen and still pick pocket mobs?

I prefer combat for leveling. If you intend to pvp a lot sub might be better. Or respec to whatever you have better weapons for.

You can pickpocket some money/recipes/lockets to advance lockpicking/....

I don't remember when do you get pick lock, you advance it by picking locks surprisingly xd - there are different difficulties similar as in professions (for example there is a locket that is red at 0-175 orange at 175-200, yellow at 200-220 and green 220-240 -> you are unable to unlock red, orange is guaranteed to grant a skill point, yellow and green respectively have lower chances) - On Ragnaros you could open any lock with any skill (not sure how it works now).

Stealth gives you a chance not to be detected. It is based on lvl difference, distance and angle. Move slowly and approach from back. Some mobs can always see you - there is a blueish circle (eye?) above their head - only you can see while in stealth.

[sushikitty]

I'm just starting my human rogue, and I'm wondering what spec do you level on, what professions do you take, etc...
Also, some tips, since rogues do really seem unique. What do I use pickpocket for? It seems a bit useless... What about pick lock, when do i get it? How do i level it?
Also, how doew the stealth work, how do mobs detect me? How do players detect me? How to I make sure I'm not seen and still pick pocket mobs?

Pickpocket will come in handy if farming for "Insane" title. Which I am very proud of earning. :3 Seriously though, 3 years playing rogue as my main, pickpocketing for Insane is the only time I EVER used it.

You are invisible in stealth unless you get AOE, or you get too close to a player/mob or have a bleed, etc. This is where cloak of shadows will come in handy to take spells off of you so you can re-stealth. Humans have a racial that can pick up stealth players more easily. Higher level you are, the stronger your stealth is.

Also, yes some mobs can see you. When you stealth, you will see a blue eye above their head. I rarely see those though.

Professions I have jewel crafting (for the dragon eyes) and engineering (rocket gloves, rocket boots, and cape).

[taralej]

I've had the "which spec" discussion too many times, so this time I'm not gonna say that Combat is the best choice. Some people prefer Sub for one-shotting mobs, others prefer Assa for the once-in-a-while guaranteed crit from Cold Blood.

Pickpocket can get you some easy gold, potions and even poisons on low-level. It can also get you some funny vanity items, like books or dice. Also, it's the main source for lockboxes.

Lockpicking can be used to pick lockboxes from mobs, metallic lockboxes, or even doors. Lockboxes contain random items, which can get you some free gold. You level it by picking locks near your skill level, which increases automatically with your level.

A mob, as well as a player, has a much higher chance to detect you if you're standing close in front of them. Always try to flank and approach enemies from the back in order to avoid being detected. How hard you are to detect depends on your stealth level compared with your enemies' level. Your stealth level scales with your character level. Some talents, items & enchants can also increase your stealth level, making you even harder to detect. If an NPC has a rotating blue eye above them, it means they see you in stealth like they would see you out of stealth. Some such NPCs are in raids, or also the elite city guards.

Professions are generally divided in gathering and crafting professions. The standard profession combos for rogues are skinning + leatherworking or mining + engineering. Then, of course, you can also pick the neutral herbalism + inscription/alchemy, or mining + jewelcrafting. You can also pick a mix between two crafting professions, like sushiktty above, as long as you have some way of getting the materials, like another character with gathering professions.

[NightBoss99]

Thanks!
So, I should just decide what I feel like leveling with.
Other thank that, what professions would you advise? I don't have any other alliance characters, so I'm broke. I've heard Eng is fun, but not really useful? Is LW/Skinning a better choice because I can gear up? Other than that, do you have any advice for a new rogue (total noob)? Like special stuff like someplace where I can pickpocket good items, or something else?

[jendah]

Thanks!
So, I should just decide what I feel like leveling with.
Other thank that, what professions would you advise? I don't have any other alliance characters, so I'm broke. I've heard Eng is fun, but not really useful? Is LW/Skinning a better choice because I can gear up? Other than that, do you have any advice for a new rogue (total noob)? Like special stuff like someplace where I can pickpocket good items, or something else?

Yes, pretty much. Combat is the most sturdy one. Sub can one-shot mobs from stealth and is better for pvp. Assa is more of a glass cannon (but it relies a lot on poison damage which takes time to ramp-up).

Get at least one gathering profession. Doesn't rly matter which one. (mining + eng is my favourite) LW is nice on early levels, but good items tend to have rare resources and it's a pain to get them. I would recommend you to go mining + eng/jwc (those two are best professions for endgame dps - others are not far behind so feel free to choose any) - you can eventually drop mining once you farm some mats/gold and get second crafting profession.

If you want to speed up the process it pays off to lvl-up first on high rate realms (ragnaros/deathwing) and care about profs @80.