First I'll admit that I'm relatively new to WoW, and I don't have any high level characters. I don't claim to be any kind of authority on rogues, but I still have some thoughts I'd like to bring the Forums.
Currently I'm a level 43 Rogue named Sprinter, running around on the PvE server Eonar. Sometimes when I come across a rogue that's higher level, 60-70, I'll ask what their build is.
I have yet to get a response other than, "Combat Swords."
My immediate follow up is, "Doesn't that get redundant?"
To date, my favorite response is, "Well, it is a lot of '2222222,3 2222222,3"
Meaning: Spamming Sinister Strike until you get enough combo points for evascerate.
When I first started playing, I did all the research, read the damage calculators, and learned the lesson loudly proclaimed to rogues everywhere: For the best sustained DPS, combat swords is the way to go.
So for the first thirty levels, my life was 222222, 3, 2222222, 3
Which is about as fun as, oh, sorting mail.
Now, I recognize that this is an oversimplification of combat swords. Sometimes you might hit the 4 key, for Slice and Dice, and maybe you'll use the occasional cooldown, like evasion. But really, your whole style of play comes down to running towards an enemy, and then smashing them.
I got bored of combat, and have been forking out the golds to respec and rerespec and rererespec my build. I've started using stealth. Cheap shot. Backstab. Gouge. Kidney shot. Thistle tea. Blinding power. PickPocket.
One of my ultimate joys as a rogue comes from when someone sees me use distract to slowly pick apart a patrol.
In a fight, I can pull a perfect stunlock on most casters that are my level. I can sap my way through a crowd. In a group, I'm the guy on the fringe picking off the horde of weaker mobs and keeping the main target pinned down.
And, because I'm careful, I rarely, rarely, die. Potions and flash powder = the last player standing after a total wipe.
Sure, combat swords wins in damage calculator contests.
But give me burst damage, stuns, combo point generation, energy management, stealth, cooldowns.
Because it sure as hell is a lot more fun than 222222, 3.