First a small question to clarify some things. If you play dual/multi-classed thief, you can only backstabb with swords that thief is profienced with? Right?

*Chapter 5 spoilers*
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As you all now, you meet Visaj (spelling?) Ust Nasha and he sells you the rope which you then use to defy Deirex the Lich and then you get transportet to Jarlaxle's base of operations. Then he 'employs' you to retrieve some gems from Deirex's tower. And thus as I'm just facing Deirex in my WS->Thief game and I began to wonder what happens if you don't do what he asks? I have never tried to oppose Jarlaxle and so I don't know what happens.

Spoilers
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IIRC, he tells the whole drow city who you really are and your cover is blown. if you get the gems but say every hostile thing you can to him, you can fight him to get a pair of drow scimitars. yay

Hm... do those Drow scimitars last on the surface? I've never fought him myself.

Hm... Yes, I thought he'd blow my cover, but thanks for spoiling me. :D

According to NearInfinity, Jarlaxle carries a Drow Longsword and a +2 Dagger (non-drow).

If you read the Drizzt series he uses throwing daggers and such magical items

McHaggis:
First a small question to clarify some things. If you play dual/multi-classed thief, you can only backstabb with swords that thief is profienced with? Right?

IIRC, you can only backstab with melee weapons a pure-class thief can normally use. If it says "Not Usable by: Thief" or "Usable by: (Not Thief)", it won't work. Thus, backstab isn't limited to swords, daggers, and other sharp objects.

-Lem

A long, long time ago in a thread far away from here, there was a topic on maximum damage potential with physical attacks. Character used: thief, weapon used: [ - ToB spoiler about the weapon !! USe ctrl+a to view weapon's name - ] <font color=#44341D>Staff of the Ram + 6</font>. Backstabbing with that quarterstaff resulted in 600+ damage IIRC. So backstabbing with something other than your typical thief weapons may even be more fruitful ;)

If you do Jarlaxle's quests and then turn on him, you can take him and Visaj down without much effort. Go for Visaj first, however, as he likes to cast an ADHW that can fry people like Jan, and also because as soon as Jarlaxle dies, the party gets booted back to Ust Natha.

The pair carry no interesting loot (a Dagger+2, whoop dee doo), but are worth some nice EXP. And if you really love your Spacebar, you can keep the Gilded Rope and Deirex's Gems as souveneirs.