Hiyas,

I did a little work on backstab to hopefully correct some of the issues I've read about in other folders. The messaging for PvP backstabbing should now properly reflect whether the target actually saw it coming, and the likelihood of arm shots should be working correctly. If you have a thief, I'd appreciate some testing on this to make sure this resolves any major issues with the use of this ability. And please let me know if there's anything else going on strange with backstab. It will help if the issues are discussed in this folder so I know where to look for them later.

AGM Ricinus
Dev Systems
Cleric Advocate

<<I did a little work on backstab to hopefully correct some of the issues I've read about in other folders>>

have you rolled any BStab changes into plat? cause i'll be happy to test it out in either plat or test 3.0.


<<The real thing DR needs is to get out there to the kids who actually read books.>>

Backstab looks pretty good from the tests I did. I hunted DP Zealots and Zombie maulers and was able to get decent hits on the head, back and neck. Feels very much like Prime does vs critters.

With khri skulk up I'm getting several "and thrusts" in maulers. I haven't hunted them in prime so not sure how perceptive they are. Here is the mark all of them in test with khri active:

>mark all mauler
You carefully size up the zombie mauler, gauging its overall perception.
As you consider stealing from the zombie mauler, you believe it's about even odds.
You also eye the zombie mauler over, trying to discern how much wealth it is carrying.
As you consider hiding around the zombie mauler, you believe it shouldn't catch you.
As you consider an attempt to stalk the zombie mauler, you believe it shouldn't catch you.
As you consider a stealthy assault on the zombie mauler, it'll be troublesome to get at its back.
Roundtime: 2 sec.

---

Still having issues with the ambush moves. Screen doesn't message about the critter at all and Sight still fails.

>ass
You assess your combat situation...

You (solidly balanced) are facing a Dragon Priest zealot (3) at melee range.
A Dragon Priest zealot (1: nimbly balanced) is behind you at melee range.
A Dragon Priest zealot (2: nimbly balanced) is flanking you at melee range.
A Dragon Priest zealot (3: solidly balanced) is facing you at melee range.
A Dragon Priest zealot (4: solidly balanced) is behind you at melee range.

(You are also defending against a Dragon Priest zealot.)
>hide
You melt into the background, convinced that your attempt to hide went unobserved.
Roundtime: 2 sec.
RH>

RH>ambu screen
The Dragon Priest zealot searches around for a moment.
H>
The Dragon Priest zealot searches around for a moment.
H>
You burst out of the shadows in a surprise attack, throwing up clouds of dirt all around you with circular, sweeping motions.
You take advantage of the general confusion and try to slip into a hiding place.
You are convinced that your vanishing went unobserved.
Roundtime: 5 sec.

---

H>
Carefully, you manuever to the side of the Dragon Priest zealot, and then reveal yourself, throwing a handful of dirt straight at its face!
As your cloud of dirt expands, the Dragon Priest zealot manages to sidestep out of the way!
The dirt cloud sails on further, dissipating into tiny brown specks which glide back down to the ground.
You take advantage of the Dragon Priest zealot's situation and try to slip back into a hiding place.
You are convinced that your vanishing went unobserved.
Roundtime: 3 sec.


Yamcer

---

"You know, while I understand the importance of seeing the (personal) validity in other's arguments, it's impossible for me to believe fully that others are correct. If their argument was correct, I'd change mine." - My GF

>>Bringing it more in line with the way thrown has got some love would be great!

I thought thrown damage got nerfed? o.O

~ Leilond
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/ss1shadow/Leilond_Progression.jpg

>>especially throwing blades

Actually it's pretty exclusive to Light Thrown weapons as a whole, as my great impact tyrium bola wasn't doing any appreciable damage more than each of the throwing blades :P

~ Leilond
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/ss1shadow/Leilond_Progression.jpg

>Actually it's pretty exclusive to Light Thrown weapons as a whole, as my great impact tyrium bola wasn't doing any appreciable damage more than each of the throwing blades :P

Really? I continue to kill almost as fast in test as in prime with my LT weapon, where as my multiple blades have gone from needing 1 or 2 sets (throws) per critter in prime to needing 5 or 6 sets per critter in test.

But, totally the wrong post for that. :p

Back on topic:
Weirdly when I tested in DP assassins I was tearing them up with backstab, but also getting hit very hard in return, defiantly more of a penalty than any other attack (which kind of confuses me when this aspect of attacks having huge defensive penalties came back into 3.0), but then when I dropped down to Head-Splitter's I was doing much less damage (tried both a blessed and non blessed weapon) backstabbing, but not getting hit at all. Seems weird that it would be harder for me to kill a "can wipe the floor with" than a "challenge" but maybe its a change in undead armor or... something.

At least backstab does seem to be training a lot better via the backstab verb than in prime.

As far as ambushes, which should probably also be in another post... I can land a stunning clout on most things, but a clout only stunning means its like a fractional hit since its supposed to sleep the target. I continue to be unable to land a slash or stun on just about anything even going down the ladder 500 ranks.

> Weapon EXP while training BS is still dismal at best.

Agreed. Would love for this to be fixed, and for BS to learn a little faster as well.