NPC thief?

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Do you think that you should be able to 'back-stab' with a bow and arrow? What I mean is that you hide in the shadows and be within a certain range and fire an arrow for 4x damage etc. Just a thought

 

no you are not

 

You misunderstood the question, Balle. He asked if you should be able to, not if you actually can do it. I'm not sold on the notion, but I haven't entirely made up my mind yet either.

 

Of course there should be a required distance you should be behind the enemy. I think that Temple of Elemental Evil has this feature.

 

@Geoff: I'd probably get rid of Improved Invisibility and use Improved Haste instead...

Same mince meat...half the time.

 

Regarding true sight - what about the cloak of non-detetion?

 

True sight does not go through the cloak of non-detection. You can try this out with the group in the north part of the sewers. As soon as you go near them, the mage will cast true sight, but the group still cannot see you.

 

Ooo, that cloak just gets better and better

I was thinking about that arrow backstabbing idea too, and also came up with the conclusion that if some backstab damage is allowed, it should place a restriction on the distance the player is from the enemy. And it should be pretty close. I'd say the backstab modifier should be X2 up till level 9, say, and then X3 from then on. And as you gain levels, you get to move further and further back when doing the backstab, though never further than, say, half the max range of the bow (ie the distance that a player can see in daylight).
That's if you should be able to backstab with a bow at all. Personally, I think it makes some sense, because if you are hidden and they aren't expecting it and you can take your time to prepare the shot, you can hit them in the back of the neck, whereas if you can't take your time, you'll just be aiming at their chest mostly, the widest area on their body.
On the other hand, making the poison in your arrows more deadly as you gain levels would make sense as well.

 

In 3E D&D there is definitely a multiplyer if a hidden theif makes an attack with a bow. I'm not sure how it progresses (I only played a thief up to the first couple of levels) but I would assume it works in a similar way to the backstab multiplyer.

[Edit] - The mod Shadows over Sauberer adds an npc thief (although the mod is around 300Mb)

[ October 22, 2004, 12:33: Message edited by: Stu ]

 

I don't think thieves should be able to backstab with ranged weapons.

Geoff: I am glad you are enjoying it. It does make some fights easier, but remember that you will not be able to backstab and that some foes (e.g. undead) are immune to Poison.

Stu: I think you're referring to Sneak Attack. This isn't a multiplier, it's a bonus of 1d6 extra damager (more at higher levels) and is applicable to both ranged and melee combat.

 

pretty much equivilant to the backstab multiplier, however. Ultimately, that is what I would like to see in BG2, but since that's probably more difficult, backstab multiplier with bows (though minimal, not as much as swords) would be nice.
Andyr: Don't you think that if the thief is calm and close enough to shoot the guy in the back of the neck, don't you think that would warrant extra damage?