On our guild message boards, we are currently having a discussion of how to be situationally aware while raiding.  Some of the tips were good, so I have compiled them in to a list for your reading enjoyment.

Pyxia’s tips for DPS in raids (new and improved…complete with rogue examples!)

  1. Please note you are not the top of the healing priority list…you come after both the tanks and healers.
  2. Always bring a stack of health pots (see rule #1).  Use them if your health is getting really low, as the healers are busy using their mana elsewhere.
  3. Try and use a damage reducing ability as much as possible
    • As a rogue, I use Feint a lot…it not only reduces my threat, but as of patch 3.0.8 it reduces aoe damage by 50% for 6 seconds. 
  4. Always stand behind the boss unless otherwise indicated:
    • For dragons, always stand on the back leg because of tail swipe
    • For Hegian in Naxx…its best to actually fight him closer to the tank (i.e. in front) or at the very least on top of the boss so you don’t get hit with the stinky green goo!  Remember that the tank will position him in a safe spot of the tank.   If you are familiar enough with the fight that you feel safe standing behind the boss you can do so…but if you die it is your own fault.
  5. Never stand on or in the following (unless otherwise indicated):
    • Black circles
    • White circle
    • Red circles
    • Circles of any kind
    • Green goo
    • Poo clouds
    • Sparkly shiney things
    • Blizzards
    • Flaming walls
    • Whirlwinds
    • Basically…you want to stay out of everything!
  6. Make sure your video settings are high enough to see everything listed in #5 but not so high you are lagging a lot.
  7. Keep an eye on OMEN so you don’t take aggro.
  8. Always have at least one (and preferably two) escapes for when you do take aggro.
    • As a rogue I use feint first and if that doesn’t work I vanish
    • If all your abilities are on cooldown, don’t be afraid to stop attacking for a bit so you don’t overtake the tank on the threat list.
    • If the tank is dead and the boss comes after you, a rogue can pop evasion and try to stay alive long enough to either get the boss down or let the off-tank grab aggro.  This has actually come in handy a few times for me, but normally you just end up dead.
  9. Always attack in the proper kill order…if you’re not sure what that is, ask and write it down so you don’t forget.
  10. FOR ROGUES ONLY: Do not use Killing Spree on the Kologarn fight when you are standing next to the edge of the dropoff….if you do, you will go SPLATT and end up looking up Kologarn’s skirt for the rest of the fight (and trust me, you don’t want to see that!).
  11. Give the tank a few seconds to establish aggro before charging in or use an ability that will mitagate any threat caused by you.
    • Rogues can use Tricks of the Trade and jump right in since this will transfer all threat gained from your next attack and all of your actions taken for 6 seconds after that attack to the party or raid member on which it is cast (which is typically the tank).
  12. Many bosses have a specific strategy for melee that comes with experience.  If you are having a particularly tough time with any fight, feel free to ask an experienced melee dps if they have any tips.
  13. Don’t have recount open (or at the very least not when you’re fighting).  From my own personal experience, I find I actually do better overall dps if I’m not constanly looking at it.  More often than not if it is open, I’m paying more attention to it than I am OMEN…which leads to very nasty surprises.
  14. Know that some fights (like Grobbulus or Heigan in Naxx) are just not melee friendly fights.  Just do your best while staying alive.
  15. Make rude gestures at each boss when you enter the room.  No reason here, it just amuses me.
  16. Have fun!