The Answer to the Great Backstab Debate!

[Anonymous]

However, in answer to the idea that you have NO idea from the outset where to strike, i find thatflawed for this reason: You start out with a class.  Burglers have some prior experience burgaling, its why the skill is present, same with Warriors and ALL of their weapons skills.  Someone had to have shown them a couple of moves somewhere in their backstory for them to know them.  The fact that they arent good only shows that they are inexperienced, but likely had some training.  Sure, somepeople start as a kid in their backstory, but they choose a class that reflects the course they plan to take.  Some people start with a backstory claiming they have plenty of experience, and just need to bullshit their way through sparring/training until they get good.  People usually have SOME teacher for assassin skills, though thats usually considered to be a part of their past, same with all the others.  My point is, you have already had some off screen or virtual training in the skills that you start with, your low skill levels reflecting all that you could learn from them before you started, or all the info you have up until your starting point in the game.

[crymerci]

So is backstab a critical strike, a sneaky manoeuvre, or both? It helps to know what position people are coming from in order to appreciate the arguments.

Also, just as a note: the permissability of using a dummy to train backstab may vary from clan to clan.

[gfair]

Sorry, I don't think any change is necessary to Backstab.  Having seen examples in game, I love the way Backstab is at the moment, and how difficult it is.  Backstab is a rare skill that few possess.  It should, by very nature, be extremely hard to learn and develop.  The opportunities to train in this black art are extremely limited, for revealing the skill to the public can taint you irreparably.

Want to know what the big issue is with the backstab skill?  Patience.  People don't have the patience or inclination to maneuver their characters into a position to practice without anyone else finding out.  So they, instead, claim that Backstab is too hard for this reason, and that reason.

Backstab is fine, and thoroughly entertaining to play, and I know this is a shared opinion with others in the game.

[bob]

Are there secret assassin guilds?

[EvilRoeSlade]

I probably wouldn't even choose to play an assassin if the chance to hit was changed to piercing skill/agility.  The fact is, if you trained in combat a lot, then you'd probably almost always hit with backstab, but at the same time you'd never be able to do more than 2-3 damage with it.  You'd be stuck unable to improve your skill.

[5 day lifespan]

The fact is, if you trained in combat a lot, then you'd probably almost always hit with backstab, but at the same time you'd never be able to do more than 2-3 damage with it.  You'd be stuck unable to improve your skill.

I dont see why you wouldnt.  THis would be an answer to those who say "Learn to backstab by doing it on the job"  By basing it off of Ag, you can strike with it, you wont do much damage at first, sure, but you will instantly enter combat, where you kill them.  The more jobs you do, the better your BS gets, so regardless, if you are fulfilling a contract, it is a great way to lead off the fight, from the IC stand point of backstabbing them to bring them low, and the OOC stand point of upping the skill.

[EvilRoeSlade]

The trouble is, the skill system is based on failure.  If you backstab and succeed because your piercing weapon skill is high, then your skill won't go up.  You'd be stuck, possibly permanently, having a high accuracy ratio, but a low damage ratio.