I don't use backstab much but I'll try to help the best I can.
I believe you have to be
behind your target to backstab but a short sword should work fine. You also have to actually
hit the target to backstab and that's where proficiency and THAC0 comes in. Your fighter/thief should have more succes in backstabbing than the mage/thief since the F/T probably have better THAC0. Don't forget that you can only backstab with weapons a (plain) thief can be proficient with.
As for the Crippling strike, here's from the manual:
Quote:
Sneak Attack.Sneak Attack is an optional ability that can replace a
thief ’s Backstab ability;if you wish your thieves to use Sneak Attack
instead of Backstab while playing the game,the option can be switched in
the Config program.When Sneak Attack is in effect,any time a thief
attacks an opponent from a flank or rear position,he or she can do
additional damage once (and only once)on that opponent.The additional
damage is plus +1d6 every 4 levels of experience (i.e.,an 8th level thief
could do +3d6 damage,and a 23rd level thief could do +6d6).A Sneak
Attack does not require the thief to be hidden or moving silently in order
to work (although these skills can help a thief to get into position).Critical
hits do not double Sneak Attack damage.
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Quote:
Crippling Strike.At 5th level,thieves gain a feel for how to hamstring
their enemies in unpleasant ways.This allows thieves to cripple an
opponent with a successful Sneak Attack,reducing their chances to hit
and damage.This crippling effect is in addition to the normal Sneak
Attack damage.A Crippling Strike improves with the thief ’s level.At 5th
level,a thief ’s Crippling Strike causes the victim to suffer a -1 to hit and
damage rolls,at 9th level,-2 to hit and damage,at 13th level,-3 to hit
and damage,and so on,with an additional -1 penalty to hit and damage
for every four levels of the thief.A creature hit with a Crippling Strike will
regain their normal to hit and damage rolls one turn after being crippled.
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I've never used it myself, but it seems that you need to have
Sneak Attack activated in the config program to use Crippling Strike. The Sneak Attack will appearantly replace Backstab.
[ 08-11-2003, 06:32 PM: Message edited by: Stratos ]