Backstabbing in Full Plate (and other Heavy Armor)

Fruban

Just discovered that I can backstab in heavy armor. Just have someone cast invisibility on the Fighter/Thief (or drink a potion, etc). Even if they can't sneak, the invisible spell will cover that base and the multiplier applies. I had someone wearing Ankheg Plate do it just now in my game.

Thought I'd share this nugget of info.

Chronicler

You can also use invisibility to do consecutive backstabs. As soon as you're revealed just cast invisible again.

sarevok57

or you can cast improved invisibility, and just continuely backstab until the spell runs out

Chronicler

Oh! I always assumed Improved Invisibility was bad for backstabs! Because once you reveal yourself you're still "invisible" so you can't cast invisibility on yourself again.

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Chronicler

Yeah, I just tested it out. Improved invisibility is good for one backstab and that's it.

sarevok57

ah, it must have been changed then, im pretty sure in the vanilla if you were improved invisible you could just go ham with backstabs

Raduziel

sarevok57 said:

ah, it must have been changed then, im pretty sure in the vanilla if you were improved invisible you could just go ham with backstabs

I think that you're talking about Mislead.

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Grond0

You don't even need invisibility. A high level thief for instance can use stealth to come up behind an enemy and then swap into plate armor before backstabbing (the prohibition on changing armor only applies when you're in combat, so not if enemies are unaware you are there).

Fruban

I had Coran wear boots of speed, run in and backstab, run out of range, hide in shadows again, run in an backstab... You get the picture. Another cheese way of backstabbing, but kinda fun to try.

Balrog99

Grond0 said:

You don't even need invisibility. A high level thief for instance can use stealth to come up behind an enemy and then swap into plate armor before backstabbing (the prohibition on changing armor only applies when you're in combat, so not if enemies are unaware you are there).

The thought of a thief sneaking up behind someone, changing their armour right next to them and then stabbing them in the back is hilarious! How oblivious would that person have to be???

SomeSort

Balrog99 said:

Grond0 said:

You don't even need invisibility. A high level thief for instance can use stealth to come up behind an enemy and then swap into plate armor before backstabbing (the prohibition on changing armor only applies when you're in combat, so not if enemies are unaware you are there).

The thought of a thief sneaking up behind someone, changing their armour right next to them and then stabbing them in the back is hilarious! How oblivious would that person have to be???

Let's just say that all thievery in the IE games requires a hefty suspension of disbelief. You can pickpocket someone's pants or cloak without them noticing. You can brazenly stroll into a room, spend all day setting up all manner of traps and contraptions, sleep, then repeat the next day without any of the room's occupants caring. You can then say something unkind to the denizens of that room and watch as all of the traps trigger instantaneously as soon as they catch the faintest whiff of ill intent.

You can sell a merchant a one-of-a-kind treasure, steal it back, and then sell them that exact same one-of-a-kind treasure a second time without raising any suspicions. (Unless it's the wrong merchant, in which case you can't even sell a broken longsword without them knowing you stole it from a drow merchant literally thousands of feet below the world's surface.)

Also, the amount of pocket money most random merchants keep on hand is a bit hard to swallow. The average fence in Amn has millions of gold pieces, and they're thrilled to give you all of them for your 487 one-of-a-kind Holy Avenger two-handed swords.