
And I don't mean to pick on you. Just...responding to the things that come up. But I should sum up that this is my stance on a lot of class-discussion.
We tend to compare all the classes to other classes in terms of being able to do things. But that kind of defeats the purpose of classes to me in the first place. We make them do distinctly different things so that even with the same goal, they have an entirely different method they have to use. A burglar wanting someone dead is an incredibly different story being told than a ranger wanting someone dead. One -is- easier than the other, but neither are actually disadvantaged from doing so. The method is just harder to pull off, as it should be, because one's role is leaning further away from that sort of objective.
In terms of backstab itself, I don't think the skill is lacking, at all, so much as it's kind of being tossed into a more direct-fight mentality where it certainly shines far less. But I really want to meet the player who gets backstabbed for anything greather than 30 hitpoints and sees it and goes 'HA! They used backstab! What a noob, I win!'
e;eat tablet;e;n;n;e;n;hide;<wait>;quit
watch <person>;backstab <person>;e;hunt;n;hunt;n;hunt;e;hunt;n;backstab <person>.
In the case you haven't been watching people much: scan
In the case they are standing still waiting to quit: wish all I've hunted this person to this room and am now searching it methodically.
In the case they succeed in quitting: player complaint: I think this person logged out specifically to avoid having to sleep their health back after I tried to kill them, can you investigate?
In the case they keep running: hunt;hunt;hunt;emote smirks at the very evident blood trail
In the case you have real poisons: All of the above becomes unnecessary because tablets either don't exist or are a death sentence themselves.
In the case you are patient: think I'll try again at this other place where I've been watching them hang out.
In the case you play an assassin: think Ha, I knew I'd find them here. They've fallen into my trap.
The above scenario you've pointed out is not a viable escape from an assassin. That works on rangers, not so much someone who isn't afraid of crimcode.