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Backstabbing, how do you get it to work?

RyofuRyofu Member Posts: 268
in Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
I have a thief dual classed to a fighter and i just reactivated my thief levels. I understand that when you are stealthed and do an attack on an enemy you are supposed to do a backstab attack for a backstab multiplier to your damage. however when i attack with a long sword i just do my normal damage with no multiplier added on.

I am not very familiar with the thief class since i previously only used Jan as my thief and he was used mainly as a caster who could find and disarm traps for me and unlock stuff so i have no clue why the backstab is not applying.

Comments

  • HandofTyrHandofTyr Member Posts: 106
    You need to be positioned physically behind the target. I'm not sure exactly how big the window is, but get somewhere in the back area- then stab.
  • DrHappyAngryDrHappyAngry Member Posts: 1,577
    It's also only your first attack when coming out of stealth that you get the backstab bonus on.
  • styggastygga Member Posts: 467
    And it needs to be a weapon your thief can use before dualed to a fighter. Like, quarterstaff, long sword, short sword, etc. No bastard swords flails that kind of thing.
  • RyofuRyofu Member Posts: 268
    i am using a custom longsword from a mod that converted a 2h sword into a longsword. would that still work?
  • ItstucktwiceItstucktwice Member Posts: 182
    Ryofu said:

    i am using a custom longsword from a mod that converted a 2h sword into a longsword. would that still work?

    It would depend on how the weapon is flagged.

    Is the weapon flagged as a two handed sword or a long sword? If it is flagged as a two handed sword still, you cannot backstab with it. This is because two handed swords are not flagged as usable by pure-class thieves, which is a requirement for backstabbing.


  • RyofuRyofu Member Posts: 268
    i think it should be flagged as a long sword cause i am getting the mastery bonuses from it as a longsword
  • ryuken87ryuken87 Member Posts: 563
    I don't know much about flags at all, but surely there's a separate 'flag' for backstabability (yeah it's a word) i.e. Staff of the Magi, SNT, Valygar's katana back in the day.
  • moody_magemoody_mage Member Posts: 2,054
    Try experimenting with a normal weapon instead of your modded weapon to see if your backstab is working. If it works with a normal weapon but not with your modded weapon then the issue is with the weapon flags.
  • RyofuRyofu Member Posts: 268
    hmm seems to be my positioning i think. i tried it out on hendak and attacking from behind did make me do quintuple damage
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