How does backstabbing work?

[FlyinJ]

Can someone explain all circumstances when backstabbing is possible?

I understand having an ally on both sides of an enemy, but sometimes backstab triggers whe there is only one adjacent enemy and I shoot or attack from the side.

[Candyman2000]

I assume it's just a random proc like critical attacks

[Candyman2000]

Cause range attacks will even trigger back attacks randomly

[Papusote]

If enemies are blinded or panicked, I'm pretty sure it procs as well.

[Cyanid_]

Need to be in a pincer attack, having a character on 2 side of the enemy, either one up and down, or one left and right (a little red arrow will appear), that will garantee a backstab for the thief. Also you can unlock being able to stealth in combat, when stealth you will do a backstab when you attack. I also think you can backstab randomly if enemies are afflicted by blind or panicked, im not 100% on that though

[slartifer]

Besides flanking and being hidden (or I assume invisible), the tooltips say it will also happen is the enemy is Vulnerable, which I think is what causes blindness, panic, stun, etc to set it off.

[Gallian the Great]

All of the above are correct: Flanked opponents, vulnerable ones (blind, panic etc), "not alert" / flat footed opponents and attacking while hidden all triggers a backstab attack :-)

[Wildcat]

Originally posted by Gallian the Great:

All of the above are correct: Flanked opponents, vulnerable ones (blind, panic etc), "not alert" / flat footed opponents and attacking while hidden all triggers a backstab attack :-)

I got the "stealth in combat" ability, but I cannot trigger the backstab, should the char stay still and hit adiacent enemy or can he move before attack?

[andersonm]

Originally posted by Wildcat:

Originally posted by Gallian the Great:

All of the above are correct: Flanked opponents, vulnerable ones (blind, panic etc), "not alert" / flat footed opponents and attacking while hidden all triggers a backstab attack :-)

I got the "stealth in combat" ability, but I cannot trigger the backstab, should the char stay still and hit adiacent enemy or can he move before attack?

You can move before attack, but the problem is that every more reduces your stealth %.

In theory and for some high awareness enemies you can be 1 empty tile away, move into the empty tile, and your stealth goes to 0% so you appear and therefore don't get backstab.
To backstab you need to have at least some stealth left when you end up next to the enemy.

But if you are hidden, backstab should also work with bow. Does that work?

[Freykin]

It does! My main character is a thief specializing in stealth and bows, and it works wonderfully. I do a lot of hide and then firing at weakened targets to finish them off

[Brewster]

I thought backstab was pretty cool w/ the start in stealth talent plus all of the backstab talents and a bow, mine would do over 70 dmg & you can use summons to make a pincer attack

[TowerWizard]

Originally posted by Gallian the Great:

All of the above are correct: Flanked opponents, vulnerable ones (blind, panic etc), "not alert" / flat footed opponents and attacking while hidden all triggers a backstab attack :-)

Where is this information in-game? The tutorial only mentions backstab when flanking, and I can't find any other information about how to trigger backstab in-game.

[Black Hammer]

Originally posted by TowerWizard:

Originally posted by Gallian the Great:

All of the above are correct: Flanked opponents, vulnerable ones (blind, panic etc), "not alert" / flat footed opponents and attacking while hidden all triggers a backstab attack :-)

Where is this information in-game? The tutorial only mentions backstab when flanking, and I can't find any other information about how to trigger backstab in-game.

It doesn't. You don't get a clear list of what counts as Vulnerable, nor do enemies tell you that they are immune to backstab.

It's completely illogical. Nothing funnier than seeing an enemy pop up with "IMMUNE: INJURED HEAD" as if the ghouls and zombies don't have heads or arms to chop off with critical hits.