Backstab damage is not always dealt -- any way to fix this?

BettaGeorge

I have long had the suspicion that my backstabs sometimes deal zero damage despite hitting, because even with x3 or x4 multiplier, targets would go from "Barely Injured" to "Barely Injured" (i.e. stay in the same 5th of their hit points). I finally managed to pause at a point where I was able to take a screenshot. Notice that the damage calculations are shown, but Nimbul only takes the 1 cold damage from Varscona, not the 30 slashing damage I would have liked to deal. Usually, even though the damage roll is shown, you still get a line like "Nimbul: Takes 30 slashing damage from Imoen".



I have Sword Coast Stratagems installed (don't we all), so I cannot be certain this occurs in vanilla games. Am I the only one who gets this bug? Or did I mess up some hidden setting in baldur.lua and there is an easy fix for this?

Thanks in advance!

GraionDilach

That looks like an ongoing Stoneskin effect. Nimbul's greyscale there afterall.

OrlonKronsteen

I don't think there's a bug here - Nimbul has stoneskin up, which makes him immune to physical attacks. Elemental damage does get through stoneskin, however. In this case, it's the 1 point of cold damage from Varscona you're seeing, which doesn't multiply on a backstab.

BettaGeorge

Wow, I'm an idiot. I even saw him cast Stoneskin. Somehow the fact that Imoen still rolled for damage made me completely forget that. Thank you!

jmerry

Incidentally, if he doesn't have the mage spells up, Nimbul is incredibly easy to backstab down. At 21 HP and a ranged weapon equipped, a thief with neutral strength, a 3x backstab, and a +2 weapon is guaranteed the kill. Unless they miss, which is pretty unlikely; assuming Imoen is level 5-6 with a +2 weapon she's proficient in, she hits on a 3. If you sneak up on him before he says his piece, that's a 90% chance of a one-stab kill.

BettaGeorge

jmerry wrote: »

Incidentally, if he doesn't have the mage spells up, Nimbul is incredibly easy to backstab down. At 21 HP and a ranged weapon equipped, a thief with neutral strength, a 3x backstab, and a +2 weapon is guaranteed the kill. Unless they miss, which is pretty unlikely; assuming Imoen is level 5-6 with a +2 weapon she's proficient in, she hits on a 3. If you sneak up on him before he says his piece, that's a 90% chance of a one-stab kill.

How delightfully evil.