Sinister Strike

Overview

Sinister Strike is a Rogue ability, one of the two that a Rogue starts with at level 1, the other being Eviscerate. It is an instant attack using the main-hand weapon, and adds X damage. It currently comes in 8 ranks, as follows:

• Rank 1: Adds 3 Damage
• Rank 2: Adds 6 Damage
• Rank 3: Adds 10 Damage
• Rank 4: Adds 15 Damage
• Rank 5: Adds 22 Damage
• Rank 6: Adds 38 Damage
• Rank 7: Adds 52 Damage
• Rank 8: Adds 68 Damage
• Rank 9: Adds 80 Damage
• Rank 10: Adds 98 Damage

For more detailed information about the skill, go here.

Basic Formulas

Before we get too worried about the Sinister Strike formula, it is important to understand the basic damage formula.

• All of the following formula will have to be done twice, using minimum weapon damage once, and maximum weapon damage in order to determine the damage range. Alternatively you could use the average between the two to determine your average Sinister Strike damage.

White Attack

This is the basic "White Attack" formula, which is the basis for the Sinister Strike formula.

(Attack Power / 14) * Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage = Damage

Sinister Strike

The formula will be shown using Sinister Strike Rank 10.

You'll notice that the "Weapon Speed" is substituted by "Normalized Weapon Speed" because we're dealing with an instant attack.

Normalized weapon speeds are as follows.

• Dagger: 1.7
• 1H Melee: 2.4
• 2H Melee: 3.3

In most cases, you'll be dealing with a 1H melee weapon.

Normal Hit

(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98 = Damage

Notice the +98 damage added by Sinister Strike.

Critical Hit

[(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 2 = Damage

A critical hit multiplies the damage done by 2.

Advanced Formulas

We mustn't forget that there are three Rogue talents that affect the amount of damage done by Sinister Strike.

Lethality

With the full 5 talent points, [Lethality] "Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Sinister Strike, Gouge, Backstab, Ghostly Strike, Mutilate, Shiv and Hemorrhage ability by 30%."

[(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 2.3 = Damage

The critical hit multiplier gains the additional 30%(.3 in decimal) bonus from lethality.

Aggression

With the full 3 talent points, [Aggression] "Increases the damage of your Sinister Strike and Eviscerate abilities by 6%."

Normal Hit

[(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 1.06 = Damage

The Sinister Strike damage is now multiplied by 106%(1.06 in decimal) to add in the bonus from Aggression.

Critical Hit

([(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 1.06) * 2 = Damage

Surprise Attacks

[Surprise Attacks] "Your finishing moves can no longer be dodged, and the damage dealt by your Sinister Strike, Backstab, Shiv and Gouge abilities is increased by 10%."

Normal Hit

[(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 1.1 = Damage

The Sinister Strike damage is now multiplied by 110%(1.1 in decimal) to add in the bonus from Surprise Attacks.

Critical Hit

([(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 1.1) * 2 = Damage

Lethality, Aggression & Surprise Attacks

[([(Attack Power / 14) * Normalized Weapon Speed + Weapon Damage + 98] * 1.06) * 1.1] * 2.3 = Damage

It is important to remember that Blizzard "stacks" their percentages, instead of simply adding them to each other.

Examples

All examples are done with 700 Attack Power and a [Brutality Blade] using the Max damage.

White Attack

(700 / 14) * 2.5 + 168 = 293

Critical Hit

[(700 / 14) * 2.5 + 168] * 2 = 586

Sinister Strike

(700 / 14) * 2.4 + 168 + 68 = 356

Sinister Strike Critical Hit

[(700 / 14) * 2.4 + 168 + 68] * 2 = 712

Sinister Strike with Aggression

[(700 / 14) * 2.4 + 168 + 68] * 1.06 = 377

Sinister Strike Critical Hit with Aggression

([(700 / 14) * 2.4 + 168 + 68] * 1.06) * 2 = 755

Sinister Strike Critical Hit with Lethality

[(700 / 14) * 2.4 + 168 + 68] * 2.3 = 819

Sinister Strike Critical Hit with Aggression & Lethality

([(700 / 14) * 2.4 + 168 + 68] * 1.06) * 2.3 = 868