I'm beginning to think backstabbing isn't the backstabbing I'm used to in other games! ;) We opened up the door to the breeder rats, all facing towards the enemies, and the big ol breeder comes lumbering over, only to start backstabbing my front line (with a x2 multiplier if you please :D ) with his axe! How's he swinging that?

Really, how does backstabbing work? Can I backstab?

Backstabbing is a special attack for thieves and the Ratkin are a thieving race. If you have a thief in your party they can get damage bonuses by backstabbing. Nobody else can do it AFAIK and your thief loses the ability if they change class. I think the backstab attack works automatically (not sure, I haven't taken Miles in ages and I never put a thief in my party).

How it realistically works is anyones guess. I can only assume the thief is able to use the "look over there" trick every time.

All rogues attack in melee with a backstab, whatever direction they may be facing. Myles, too. As for how they do it, didn't you know thieves have elastic arms that allow them to reach over your shoulder? ;)

<center>Nightowl2</center>

But if my memory doesn't fail me it needs to be a stabbing weapon to backstab, so no backstabbing with staffs. Or not? ... scratches his head.

That's correct, anything with a point, so no staves. The Breeders' weapons apparently have some kind of thrusting point on them.

Yes, they're axes I think.

LOL Nightowl - yeah I kind of thought that the operative word in backstab was back... ;)

Thanks guys [img]smile.gif[/img] . I don't have a thief so I guess I won't be getting my own back ;)

Hmmm ... seems like the term "backstabbing" is a misnomer in this case ... certainly compared to in the Baldur's Gate games where the thief has to successfully "hide in shadows" to carry out the attack. Perhaps the special thief attack name should be changed to "Sneak Attack" (I think the BG games have something like this, now that I mention it) or something like that? After all ... it is attached to the Stealth skill, isn't it? Well .. if it isn't if should be .. so say the role-play police!

Wiz 7 made you use stealth to use backstab. Your player was grayed out when they were eligible. I think you had to choose "hide" as a combat option. Often the backstab ability disappeared in battle once they started hitting, which is more realistic but not as deadly.

Yah, and the skill was "Ninjutsu"

Backstab in this game is simply a damage modifier similar to berserk.

Whats interesting is that ANYONE can perform a "real" backstab (different than whats listed above) for additional damage - provided they actually are attacking the opponent's back. You can do this by selecting the walk button for the particular round and then walking around behind the character to attack them. Of course you are reducing the number of attacks per round that the attacking character would ordinarily receive.