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Are short swords really better than long swords for back-stabbing?

I've been wondering, ignoring any specific magic weapon bonuses, whether short swords really are better than long swords for back-stabing, as seems commonly suggested. Yes, short swords are faster, but long swords (especially magic ones) are not that slow, and does speed really matter that much for back-stabbing?

It's true that in some cases there's perhaps more chance your target will move away before you make contact, but often, at least for your *initial* attack, your opponent is rooted in spot, until you're spotted. I guess it's more of an issue if you stealth again once combat has started (either by running away and hiding again, or using Invisibility somehow) and wish to make another backstab, though - is this the main reason in favour of short swords?

It's just that, as well as doing 1-8 damage, instead of 1-6 damage, long swords are slashing weapons, which are less affected by heavy armour than piercing and there's less enemies immune to slashing damage than piercing. Also, there are more good magic long swords than short swords. especially in BG2 (though Kundane in BG2, with its extra attack, is nice).

Opinions?
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Comments

  • BytebrainBytebrain Member Posts: 602
    Lol
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    <.<; (Smartass response) Short swords are piercing weapons, so you can back-stab. You cannot back-stab with a long-sword as it is a slashing weapon. You would be back-cutting</p>

    I know you're just being a smart-ass here, but of course mechanics-wise you *can* backstab with a long sword and scimitar/ninja-to (or even a quarter staff or club), just saying this in case any new-comers get confused...

  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    they have faster weapon speed, so you are more likely to back stab before your stealth is discovered.

    However, if you are either very good at hiding in shadows or prefer high base damages, than longswords should be your choice.

    So, if you've got good enough stealth and/or are attacking from Invisibility, there's no real reason (apart from RP) to go for short swords over long swords?


    I think longswrods are better but I never go with them for the atmosphere; an assassin with a longsword... is just weird.

    Not as weird as one with a 6 foot+ quarter staff...

  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    Quarterstaffs are better because you can get a quarterstaff +3 and a staff of striking in BG1.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    edited November 2012
    @Tj_Hooker - yes I see what you mean, something to take into account anyway. The +2 short sword can be picked up pretty early in BG1 too, though the +3 one is quite late. Also, in BG1 anyway, the best long sword (varscona) would, I guess, normally go to a fighter type*, so it could be better to split the proficiencies around, to ensure all characters are able to use the best weapon of each type (just one of the many reasons I often take Kagain, as not many NPCs have proficiencies in axes to stat with).

    * though I can see giving a long sword to a Stalker, for example, as will be in straight melee as much as back-stabbing
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Mungri said:

    Quarterstaffs are better because you can get a quarterstaff +3 and a staff of striking in BG1.

    Yes, though I prefer my Thieves and Stalkers to use swords for RP reasons, especially Stalkers, as you can't dual-wield a quarterstaff.

  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    Mungri said:

    Quarterstaffs are better because you can get a quarterstaff +3 and a staff of striking in BG1.

    I've never tried it myself, but I've certainly heard that. Not to mention that in BG2 you can get the staff of the ram +4 and eventually +6 (+10 and +12 damage respectively). Combine that with a 5x multiplier (or 7x for assassin) and backstabs are ridiculous.
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    TJ_Hooker said:

    @Oxford_Guy
    I remember reading somewhere (possibly on these forums) that short swords are better because they usually have higher +x bonuses. For example, you can get a short sword +3 in BG1, but only a longsword +2, and in BGII I think you find +4 and +5 shortswords a while before you get +4 and +5 long swords. While this isn't important for normal combat (a +x longsword will still do the same damage as a +(x+1) shortsword on average) according to the guy whose post I was reading, it is important when backstabbing.

    His logic was that, when it comes to backstabbing, it was better to increase the minimum damage you do rather than increase the maximum. I kinda agree with him on that, as I never go into a fight expecting my thief to stab for max damage, but I do usually expect him to inflict at least moderate damage, so getting a poor roll and hitting for piddling damage can really put a damper on my strategy.

    I don't really know if I agree with the guy over all, but it's something to think about.

    Well yeah except in BG2 you have the long sword Namarra available as early as you like, looted for free, for 1d8+_4_ damage. Better maximum damage and equal minimum damage to a short sword +4 (cutthroat) and available way, way earlier.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    CaptRory said:

    It's a shame you can't backstab with ranged weapons... or siege weaponry.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTccvj0gc58&amp;NR=1&amp;feature=endscreen

    LOL! Brilliant! Have now subscribed to that channel!
  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438

    TJ_Hooker said:

    @Oxford_Guy
    I remember reading somewhere (possibly on these forums) that short swords are better because they usually have higher +x bonuses. For example, you can get a short sword +3 in BG1, but only a longsword +2, and in BGII I think you find +4 and +5 shortswords a while before you get +4 and +5 long swords. While this isn't important for normal combat (a +x longsword will still do the same damage as a +(x+1) shortsword on average) according to the guy whose post I was reading, it is important when backstabbing.

    His logic was that, when it comes to backstabbing, it was better to increase the minimum damage you do rather than increase the maximum. I kinda agree with him on that, as I never go into a fight expecting my thief to stab for max damage, but I do usually expect him to inflict at least moderate damage, so getting a poor roll and hitting for piddling damage can really put a damper on my strategy.

    I don't really know if I agree with the guy over all, but it's something to think about.

    Well yeah except in BG2 you have the long sword Namarra available as early as you like, looted for free, for 1d8+_4_ damage. Better maximum damage and equal minimum damage to a short sword +4 (cutthroat) and available way, way earlier.
    Huh, totally forgot about that. Good catch.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    @Oxford_Guy It's a real movie you can buy a DVD of.
    http://deadgentlemen.com/projects/the-gamers-series/the-gamers/
    http://deadgentlemen.com/projects/the-gamers-series/dorkness-rising/

    I have both DVDs. TOTALLY worth it! Watched 'em both to death.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    CaptRory said:

    @Oxford_Guy It's a real movie you can buy a DVD of.
    http://deadgentlemen.com/projects/the-gamers-series/the-gamers/
    http://deadgentlemen.com/projects/the-gamers-series/dorkness-rising/

    I have both DVDs. TOTALLY worth it! Watched 'em both to death.

    Am tempted to buy these! :-)

  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    You won't regret it. I've heard good things about their other works too.
  • patbakerpatbaker Member Posts: 21
    short sword main hand dagger off hand that way u get backstap damage with short sword and with two weapon fighting style with your second attack with dagger more dmg
  • wissenschaftwissenschaft Member Posts: 229

    CaptRory said:

    It's a shame you can't backstab with ranged weapons... or siege weaponry.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTccvj0gc58&amp;NR=1&amp;feature=endscreen

    LOL! Brilliant! Have now subscribed to that channel!
    ROFL, what the hell. I wish you could do that in BG. lol
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    patbaker said:

    short sword main hand dagger off hand that way u get backstap damage with short sword and with two weapon fighting style with your second attack with dagger more dmg

    No, that's a *really* bad idea, if backstabbing and dual wielding, don't forget the fastest weapon is the one used to attempt the backstab, probably the dagger in the off-hand in the example above, with at least -2 THAC0 and lower damage than your main hand weapon.

    I prefer single weapon style for thieves, double crit chance and improved AC.
  • VedwintheTyrantVedwintheTyrant Member Posts: 50
    In the world of reality even an arming sword is far too long to be used well as a stabbing implement. You'd need a dagger.
  • DinsdalePiranhaDinsdalePiranha Member Posts: 419
    short answer: no.
    longer answer: in BG1, longsword stop at +2, however, there is a short sword of backstabbing, which is +3. the average damage is equal, speed (which doesn't matter) and hit-wise short swords win, though not by a huge margin. in other ad&d 2e games, longswords tend to be better.
  • DinsdalePiranhaDinsdalePiranha Member Posts: 419
    bit of addition: in BG1, there also is a very nice, poisonous dagger called (surprise!) dagger of venom, which falls under the short swords category, and is pretty solid for sticking into the backs of those pesky little mages. so yeah, with a backstabby character, stick to short swords... which, unsurprisingly, is what everyones favorite little psychopath, Montaron is proficient in.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    edited November 2012

    bit of addition: in BG1, there also is a very nice, poisonous dagger called (surprise!) dagger of venom, which falls under the short swords category, and is pretty solid for sticking into the backs of those pesky little mages. so yeah, with a backstabby character, stick to short swords... which, unsurprisingly, is what everyones favorite little psychopath, Montaron is proficient in.

    Though won't that get the "Dagger" proficiency in BGEE? The rest of the daggers are "meh" (there's a +2 one, but there are swords that are better) and there's no magic throwing ones in BG1, unless they've added some for BGEE.

    I do sometimes have Safana wielding the dagger of venom in BGT or Tutu, though, as she gets proficiency in daggers
  • IgnatiusIgnatius Member Posts: 624
    TJ_Hooker said:


    I've never tried it myself, but I've certainly heard that. Not to mention that in BG2 you can get the staff of the ram +4 and eventually +6 (+10 and +12 damage respectively). Combine that with a 5x multiplier (or 7x for assassin) and backstabs are ridiculous.

    Yep. Buffed up Thief->Cleric backstabbing with Staff of the Ram... boom! pick up the pieces.

  • DinsdalePiranhaDinsdalePiranha Member Posts: 419

    bit of addition: in BG1, there also is a very nice, poisonous dagger called (surprise!) dagger of venom, which falls under the short swords category, and is pretty solid for sticking into the backs of those pesky little mages. so yeah, with a backstabby character, stick to short swords... which, unsurprisingly, is what everyones favorite little psychopath, Montaron is proficient in.

    Though won't that get the "Dagger" proficiency in BGEE? The rest of the daggers are "meh" (there's a +2 one, but there are swords that are better) and there's no magic throwing ones in BG1, unless they've added some for BGEE.

    I do sometimes have Safana wielding the dagger of venom in BGT or Tutu, though, as she gets proficiency in daggers
    as far as I can make out from the manual, the proficiencies are back to the ones from the gold old BG1 days, which is awesome, because I goddamn hated the change in BG2. you could also use BG1 proficiencies in BGT/Tutu btw, tweakpack had that option, and I was more than happy to utilize this to it's full extent.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    bit of addition: in BG1, there also is a very nice, poisonous dagger called (surprise!) dagger of venom, which falls under the short swords category, and is pretty solid for sticking into the backs of those pesky little mages. so yeah, with a backstabby character, stick to short swords... which, unsurprisingly, is what everyones favorite little psychopath, Montaron is proficient in.

    Though won't that get the "Dagger" proficiency in BGEE? The rest of the daggers are "meh" (there's a +2 one, but there are swords that are better) and there's no magic throwing ones in BG1, unless they've added some for BGEE.

    I do sometimes have Safana wielding the dagger of venom in BGT or Tutu, though, as she gets proficiency in daggers
    as far as I can make out from the manual, the proficiencies are back to the ones from the gold old BG1 days, which is awesome, because I goddamn hated the change in BG2. you could also use BG1 proficiencies in BGT/Tutu btw, tweakpack had that option, and I was more than happy to utilize this to it's full extent.
    Are you sure? I better have a look at the manual...
  • ElendarElendar Member Posts: 831
    You're supposed to use the Holy Avenger to backstab.....
  • DinsdalePiranhaDinsdalePiranha Member Posts: 419

    bit of addition: in BG1, there also is a very nice, poisonous dagger called (surprise!) dagger of venom, which falls under the short swords category, and is pretty solid for sticking into the backs of those pesky little mages. so yeah, with a backstabby character, stick to short swords... which, unsurprisingly, is what everyones favorite little psychopath, Montaron is proficient in.

    Though won't that get the "Dagger" proficiency in BGEE? The rest of the daggers are "meh" (there's a +2 one, but there are swords that are better) and there's no magic throwing ones in BG1, unless they've added some for BGEE.

    I do sometimes have Safana wielding the dagger of venom in BGT or Tutu, though, as she gets proficiency in daggers
    as far as I can make out from the manual, the proficiencies are back to the ones from the gold old BG1 days, which is awesome, because I goddamn hated the change in BG2. you could also use BG1 proficiencies in BGT/Tutu btw, tweakpack had that option, and I was more than happy to utilize this to it's full extent.
    Are you sure? I better have a look at the manual...
    BGManual2.pdf (aka Mastering Melee & Magic) page 130, if you're interested. seems like they will use the old grouping.

  • RavelRavel Member Posts: 140
    edited November 2012
    Even from a roleplaying perspective, I don't have much of an issue when backstabbing with larger weapons. The slower speed factor combined with the risk of being seen in the interim makes absolute sense in my opinion.

    While you may not be "stabbing" when backstabbing with these larger weapons, the whole principle of backstabbing is that you are attacking an unaware target and are thus able to pinpoint their weak spot and deal a devastating blow. Whether this means that you are driving a long-sword between their shoulder blades, rather than slitting their throat with a dagger or planting a short sword in their kidney, is irrelevant imo.

    When it comes to quarterstaves..., I suppose you could argue that they clocked them over the head, but I like to imagine you instead gave them a blunt uppercut to the nuts :D
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