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From: israel@qantel.UUCP ( Renegade)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Thieves Backstab
Message-ID: <181@qantel.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Aug-84 12:34:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: qantel.181
Posted: Tue Aug 14 12:34:47 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Aug-84 02:41:39 EDT
Organization: MDS Qantel, Hayward CA.
Lines: 41

< Imagine having YOUR line here! >

   Look, people, let's be practical about this - a backstab is just that -
a backSTAB.  One does not stab with a sling bullet or any other missile
weapon. The extra damage accruing from a successful backstab attack
is a combination of the thief's knowledge and experience in knowing where
to strike IN ADDITION TO his attacking a surprised victim who is basically
unable to protect himself, allowing the thief to drive his sword deeper
into the wound, thus resulting in more damage. A missile attack does
not permit the thief to drive the weapon deeper into the wound (since
he simply isn't there), and so can only manage normal damage at best - 
barring a critical hit, of course.
   As for assassins, if they attack with surprise, they get an assassination
roll. That's what they're for, dammit! Why attack in thief mode when they
got that going for them? Besides, any assassin who doesn't coat his weapons
with contact poison should be drummed out of the guild (and we all know
what THAT means, don't we?). No assassins don't get extra damage with
surprise missile attacks either, but they do get the assassination
roll. So the smart assassin attacks with poison-coated arrows, which
in a surprise attack, will automatically hit (requiring at least a saving
throw from the victim vs. poison), plus the assassination roll, plus
normal damage if the guy is still alive.
   And the smart thief? He must be physically present behind his victim
to perform a successful backstab, but since he doesn't hit automatically
with surprise, he must be prepared to melee. If he hits, he wants to
make sure he does mucho damage, so he should either use a long sword,
or, if he has magical weapons, one with the highest minimum damage (ie,
most plusses), which improves his chance to hit, and makes sure he
does some worth-while wounding. (It seems to me, based on the DMG description
that a really sneaky thief might conceivably manage to succussfully backstab
somebody with a dancing sword, seeing as the sword is supposed to attack as
the weilder does. In this situation, the thief would not have to be standing
in the immediate vicintity of the victim, although this is the only such
exception that occurs to me.)

From the world of New Orc City

Renegade
ucbvax!dual!qantel!israel

"I'm not worried - I've got a ring of DM control!"