Tricks of the Trade

Tricks of the Trade is a rogue class talent. It is similar to a hunter's Misdirection in which it will transfer all threat gained from the rogue's next attack and all the of the rogue's actions taken for 6 seconds after that attack to the party or raid member on which it is cast. Casting Tricks of the Trade on a member will give the rogue a 30 second window to start attacking or it will expire.

It is an exclusive choice node with Blackjack (rogue talent).

• Tricks of the Trade removes any inhibitions for rogues opening up on a target with high burst damage and taking the chance of pulling aggro away from the tank. Not only is pulling aggro from the tank less of a concern, but the threat transfer conferred by this ability helps make sure that the tank maintains enough aggro to keep mobs off of healers in healing-intensive fights (or in parties where the designated tank is not well-geared or skilled enough to maintain aggro).
• This ability can serve as a useful escape mechanism in situations such as having a Sap go bad or accidentally being detected while in Stealth, by redirecting aggro onto the tank. In certain situations this can even be used as a "creative" pull method, with the rogue using Vanish following the aggro redirect.
• Assassination and Subtlety rogues can pair this with Fan of Knives or Shuriken Storm to do an AoE misdirect with correct timing and placement.
• Handy in trash group pulls where one mob - often a caster mob - stops short of the AoE area of the tank, doesn't gain sufficient aggro on the tank, and begins engaging other party members (such as, horror of horrors, the healer) with ranged attacks/spells. The rogue can apply Tricks of the Trade on the tank and move to engage this mob solo, hopefully tossing in some interrupts in the process, without worrying about having the mob turn and attack them.
• If you wear two pieces of the Shadowblade's Battlegear or its upgraded versions your Tricks of the Trade ability will grant you 15 energy.
• Tricks of the Trade has a 100 yard range which means if your target is not nearby and you try pulling something you will have to be sure you have the buff active.
• Sap is considered an offensive ability and will therefore activate the six-second countdown you have for aggro gain. Since you will most likely be needing this only for 5-man dungeons you can sap the target, move back closer to your tank and cast Tricks of the Trade, then move to the mob pack to start attacking.