Assassin Rogue leveling

[zuzuandaziggiez]

Hi nostalrius community. I was looking all over the forums but found nothing on assassin leveling so here goes. I'm level 18 currently and would like to know what are the best talents in assassin for leveling, and if I should go with combat or sub after. I will be exclusively using daggers and for pvp mainly. Also what's the ideal rotation? Thanks!
Side note: please refrain from telling me to go combat

[Jeddite]

If you're going to level as Assassination w/ daggers, there really are only two rotations:
SS -> SS -> SS -> SS -> EVIS
GOUGE -> BACKSTAB -> SS -> EVIS (or GOUGE -> BACKSTAB)

Opening with Cheap Shot allows you to get in a Backstab before needing to Gouge. But opening with Ambush does more damage. Really doesn't matter, but the Death-By-Backstab approach requires way more micromanagement (to Backstab) than the Sinister-Strike-til-Dead method. However, if you intended to level primarily via instances rather than questing/grinding, the micromanagement of the Backstab rotation is greatly lessened since you'll have a dedicated tank to keep the mob's rear exposed.

I leveled my first rogue to 60 back in 2005 using the Backstab method. I'm Combat spec this time 'round.

As for Combat or Subtlety as secondary spec ... well, all an Ass. Rogue needs in the Combat tree is Improved Gouge, Improved Sinister Strike, and Improved Backstab (8 points total). Put the rest in Subtlety. Or if you did like to PVP, getting Riposte isn't a bad idea (since you've already invested 8 points in Combat), but you can definitely live without it.

[Acetabularia]

Or wiggle backstab by strafing through mobs.

Edit: Main issue with lvling as daggers is that you need 15/8/5 to unlock the full dmg potential of backstab and by then you're 37 and your combo point/energy ratio still sucks for another 15 lvls. Add to that that it's more gear dependant especially as far as MH is concerned most people don't do it.

Can you do it? Sure, I know I did and you get to experiment/gain some understanding of the spec as you do instead of rushing to 60 with a lvling spec. Also it kind of encourages/requires you to be ahead of the gear curve, which hopefully results in you hitting 60 with adequate gear vs the lvl 30 blues and greens that so many seem to ding and stay 60 with until they receive raid gear...