I know the answer to these questions is in the manual, but it doesn't do a very good job explaining.
What is the usefulness of stealth (that Minsc has for example)?

Also, how exactly does someone backstab. My impression is that it is your first attack out of hide in shadows, but it doesn't work for me most of the time.

thanks and pardon my ignorance

to backstab you have to have much points in hide in shadows... and move silently or else you will be detected before reaching the target

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I'm a protector of good

a seeker of truth

a symbol of light

I am so glad you asked that! I have been wondering myself and since I do this at work and play at home, I don't think of it when I am skulking around here.

I am a huge fan of Rogues as my two favorite characters are a Bard and a Thief. However, I have never really figured out the backstabbing part of it all. Fortunately, I am still early in the game (chapter 2 -- right before Firkgaard!) and haven't really needed the multiplier for the backstabbing just yet.
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From what little I know, Stealth for a char. is how silently they can move, i guess, so if Minsc was invisible by a spell, he would depend on his stealth to keep himself from being heard walikg, because surely an invisible man can be heard, if not seen. So stealth plays a role in that.
For the second question, you're right, you make an attack out of hide in shadows, and the guy did not know you were there. But you have to make a sucessful role to hit, and also I think against his seeing you coming or something. The higher your level and such, the better the chance, but also how good is the opponent's level?
Does that rambling make any sense?????

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Larry, Sell-Sword to the OHF

Yes. In fact, it makes so much sense, I need to start adding a lot more points into move silently. Thank you!

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Just an extra note on backstabbing, it may seem obvious but you may not have realised : you have to be behind the enemy to backstab them. Your stealth rating doesnt have much to do with it, except that you have to hide first, and rangers can't backstab. Sorry if any of this sounded obvious, but I noticed that no one had mentioned it and thought Id better make sure you knwew about it http://www.tgeweb.com/ironworks/cgi-...es/biggrin.gif .

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Nicodemus Deathslayer, Paladin of the Order of the Holy Flame

You don't need to increase it as hi as the other skills, cause there are a lot of items that give more stealth.

And your backstab attempt is a hit at +4 Hit bonus. You can still miss, hence your failed attempts. This is why Fighter/Thieves are good

Some Rangers can backstab- the Stalkers (like Valygar), but it is a max of X3 and that is at high level. As far as I can tell, the stealth of the Rangers and Monks is just to scout ahead undetected for reconaissance, you don't really get a combat advantage if you can't backstab... as far as I can tell.