Backstab

The Backstabbing Skill allows a character to score extra damage when using a rear attack with a dagger, and later with swords and axes. Backstab level is dependent upon Dexterity (DX).

Training

• Backstab Apprentice: A successful rear attack upon an unaware opponent will bypass his armor
  • Trainer: City and town guards with evil alignment
  • Trainer: Thieves in major cities if the player is a member of The Thieves Underground
  • Trainer: Magic Shop Clerk in Zaramin's House of Darke Magick
  • Trainer: Companion Vollinger in Dernholm (before recruitment only)

• Backstab Expert: The Character may backstab with swords and axes as well as daggers
  • Trainer: Mr. Black in Tarant
  • Trainer: Mr. Razzia in Caladon

• Backstab Master: The Character gains 20% to his chance of scoring a critical success
  • Trainer: Edmund Craig in Roseborough
  • Quest: Find the Master of Backstab

Uses

• Adds extra damage (sometimes massively) to certain Melee attacks (see below)

Modifiers to Backstab

• Items:
  • Shadow Hand Dagger: gives +8/20 (hexed)

• Blessings:
  • Moorindal's Blessing: gives +8/20

• Races:
  • None

• Backgrounds:
  • None

Mechanics

• Backstab relies upon a Melee strike with an edged weapon (see training)
• The attack must be from a tile immediately behind the target (directly behind, behind left or behind right)
• If the target is also either stunned or unaware, then the bonus damage is increased
  • If Melee fails, then no damage is done
  • If Melee critically fails, then the attacker takes all damage, including the Backstab bonuses
  • If Melee succeeds, then normal melee damage plus backstab damage is done
  • If Melee is a critical success, then the attacker does addition bonus Backstab damage

Notes

• Low levels of Melee combined with high levels of Backstab can quite often result in a one-shot kill to an attacker on a critical fail