I have always been thinking that one main use of a thief's backstab is to kill or disable someone very softly, even in the middle of a crowd. The victim then just falls down silently. Seems to me that a dagger is a much more efficient weapon to do that. Bashing people over the head is much less likely to stay unnoticed.
My AD&D 3 thief is allowed to 'sneak attack' with his dagger, but not with his short sword. I do not know about blunt weapons though.
|