Please help me I am very frustrated. The way that I remembered it to work was if someone attacked the enemy on one side and if the thief attacked from the opposite the thief would get his back stab if the enemy hadn't had his turn in between or if you delayed until after he had his action. I have tried it on the amiga and the pc (version 1.3). It seems that I am only able to back stab when I have an enemy surrounded by four of my guys and the thief's attack is the fourth attack (so it classifies as a rear attack) opposite the first attacker but by then the enemy is usuall dead during my testing.
The Rule Book from underdogs says the following:
In combat, the first and second attackers strike ar the defenders front. The third attacker strikes at the defenders rear, unless all the attackers are adjacent. The fourth and any additional attackers strike at the defenders rear. The defenders AC is substantially reduced against rear attacks.
A thief forms the only exception to the automatic facing rules. If the thief attacks from exactly opposite the first attacker, he can backstab. A backstab has a better chance of hitting the defender, and does additional damage when it does hit.
The Clue Book says:
A backstab happens when a thief attacks a monster directly from behind.
Unfortunatly, whenever a monster attacks or is attacked, his facing can
change. The following method can guarantee the thief his chance to backstab..
To attack you need a fighter or cleric as a stalking horse, and a thief.
Choose the Delay command when each characters chance to move comes up. This guarantees that the monster will get his chance to move, and that its facing won't be upset. After the monster has moved, have the stalking horse move up adjacent to the monster and attack. This sets the monster's facing towards the stalking horse. Then have the thief move up and attack from directly opposite the stalking horse. This second attack will be a backstab that has large bonuses to hit and does multible damage. The backstab is an especially effective attack against large monsters that are otherwise difficult to hurt because of a resistance to magic , many HP, and/or a very low AC.
The way that the clue book (and the way I remember it from the C64) doesn't work with two attackers. The defender always turns around to face the thief that attacked exactly opposite the "stalking horse." Am I missing something (like do you have to use the aim command to make it work) or did they change something on the pc version 1.3 and on the amiga version? My friend who played it on the PC ten years ago remembers doing it all the time (as do I) and told me to do the same thing the clue book describes.
Please help me if you can because I was committed to playing the entire series again while taking a break from DDO and I can't enjoy the game without my thief having his backstab.
Thanks.
How to back stab in ssi gold box series HELP!!
Over 4 years and no answer, huh? That's a shame. I'm just starting this series & have a similar question. In using a Fighter/Thief, can I backstab while wearing my fighter's armor & using a 2-handed weapon? I know 4E D&D pretty darn well, but that's about it...this older stuff, I don't know so well.
Well, I managed to track down the original PoR Clue Book & it says...
Thieving Abilities: Characters who are
thieves or mixed class thieves have a
number of special abilities Including the
chance to: pick locks, climb walls, find
and disarm traps, and the ability to backstab
for multiple damage. But, for a
mixed class character to exercise his
thiefly abilities he must not be wearing
any armor heavier than leather. Remember,
before the fighter/thief can backstab,
or pick a lock, he must unready his heavy
armor.
...why that wasn't put in the Manual, I have no idea. It also states...
One of the most potent weapons in the
hero's arsenal is the ability of thieves to
'Backstab' their opponents for extra damage.
Thieves of level 1-4 do double damage
when they hit with a backstab . Level
5-8 thieves do triple damage when they
hit with a backstab . Level 9+ thieves do
quadruple damage when they hit with a
backstab . Mixed class fighter thieves with
exceptional strength and a magic long
sword can take out very large monsters
with one shot.
A backstab happens when a thief attacks
a monster directly from behind. Unfortunately,
whenever a monster attacks or
is attacked, his facing can change . The
following method can guarantee the thief
his chance to backstab.
To attack you need a fighter or cleric as a
stalking horse, and the thief. Choose the
Delay command when each character's
chance to move comes up. This guarantees
that the monster will get his chance
to move, and that its facing won't be
upset. After the monster has moved,
have the stalking horse move up adjacent
to the monster and attack. This sets the
monster's facing towards the stalking
horse. Then have the thief move up and
attack from directly opposite the stalking
horse (see figure 1) . This second attack
will be a backstab that has large bonuses
to hit and does multiple damage. The
backstab is an especially effective attack
against large monsters that are otherwise
difficult to hurt because of a resistance to
magic, many HP, and/or a very low AC.
...so the one thing it still doesn't state is if I can use a 2-handed weapon to backstab if I'm a Fighter/Thief. At least I found out this much. Hope it helps others.
Thieving Abilities: Characters who are
thieves or mixed class thieves have a
number of special abilities Including the
chance to: pick locks, climb walls, find
and disarm traps, and the ability to backstab
for multiple damage. But, for a
mixed class character to exercise his
thiefly abilities he must not be wearing
any armor heavier than leather. Remember,
before the fighter/thief can backstab,
or pick a lock, he must unready his heavy
armor.
...why that wasn't put in the Manual, I have no idea. It also states...
One of the most potent weapons in the
hero's arsenal is the ability of thieves to
'Backstab' their opponents for extra damage.
Thieves of level 1-4 do double damage
when they hit with a backstab . Level
5-8 thieves do triple damage when they
hit with a backstab . Level 9+ thieves do
quadruple damage when they hit with a
backstab . Mixed class fighter thieves with
exceptional strength and a magic long
sword can take out very large monsters
with one shot.
A backstab happens when a thief attacks
a monster directly from behind. Unfortunately,
whenever a monster attacks or
is attacked, his facing can change . The
following method can guarantee the thief
his chance to backstab.
To attack you need a fighter or cleric as a
stalking horse, and the thief. Choose the
Delay command when each character's
chance to move comes up. This guarantees
that the monster will get his chance
to move, and that its facing won't be
upset. After the monster has moved,
have the stalking horse move up adjacent
to the monster and attack. This sets the
monster's facing towards the stalking
horse. Then have the thief move up and
attack from directly opposite the stalking
horse (see figure 1) . This second attack
will be a backstab that has large bonuses
to hit and does multiple damage. The
backstab is an especially effective attack
against large monsters that are otherwise
difficult to hurt because of a resistance to
magic, many HP, and/or a very low AC.
...so the one thing it still doesn't state is if I can use a 2-handed weapon to backstab if I'm a Fighter/Thief. At least I found out this much. Hope it helps others.