Understanding backstabs

[Fizzie]

I'm trying to understand what counts as a "backstab" to receive the 20% cd from Zealots Pious Cut-throat talent - Testing in psykanium.
It seems that all combat blade attacks, including light slashes count as a "stab" on kill. But heavy sword 9 push attack does *not*.

Would be nice if a weapon shows if a given attack counts as a stab, maybe in the breakdown screen when inspecting weapons.

Also seems that Hammer attacks count as "stabs" even though they're clearly swings. I'm not unhappy about that, as the more attacks that can give cd the better, but I'm confused why they register as stabs while... heavy sword stab does not count.

Is there a list of weapons that count as a backstab on kills? I'm guessing the other hammers do if following the Crusher mechanic. Want to make sure since there is no point in spending a point on the talent if I end up bringing a melee that does not give "stabs" on kills.

There's the talent for increased ranged backstab dmg - I'm assuming that's *only* for throwing knives?

(side question) Is there a cooldown for the talent to activate? Felt a little inconsistent when chaining backstabs kills while testing.

[Le Hatch]

If you are striking their back hitbox, it is a backstab, simple as. Be it with a knife, a chainsword, a hammer, or a revolver. The exception to thus is with a lot of weapon special attacks, where the results are... rather inconsistent.

The issue is that the back hitbox can be a bit finnicky, and certain sweeping attacks might chip into the side box instead despite attacking them directly from behind.

[Fizzie]

Originally posted by Le Hatch:

If you are striking their back hitbox, it is a backstab, simple as. Be it with a knife, a chainsword, a hammer, or a revolver. The exception to thus is with a lot of weapon special attacks, where the results are... rather inconsistent.

The issue is that the back hitbox can be a bit finnicky, and certain sweeping attacks might chip into the side box instead despite attacking them directly from behind.

Thank you for clarifying that all weapons count as backstabs.
Ya im finding that heavy sword now gives cd on back kills. I stg it wasnt counting when I swapped to its talent and tested, maybe a small psykanium bug idk. backstab detection definitely seems a bit finicky

[DLCI]

literal 'backstabs' trigger the same colored indicator as a weakspot hit and use the same bonuses that weakspots do

for some hitboxes it is fairly picky about the location, just like the head hitbox, so you have to hit them almost exactly in the middle

the best way to approach it is to think of the backstab as a weakspot hit on the spinal column and it'll make it easier to pull this off

however, more than a few abilities are not actually coded to check for hits on this "backstab-spot" location and instead reference any attack which hits the rear 180 degrees of the model

a blessing that grants 'bonus rending on backstab' like you will find on knives is quite particular and will only trigger if you hit the actual 'backstab-spot' that shows a hitmarker identical to the weakspot indicator

other abilities, like many of the new talents, instead refer to the latter, which is simply an attack from behind a model

this is why it can be confusing