Backstab

A Rogue-only skill which can inflict enormous damage. The target must have its back to the Rogue and the Rogue must have a piercing weapon equipped in his main hand. Higher skill will increase not only the chance of hitting, but also the damage done!

Positioning is important, and a good Rogue will need to make use of strafing (Ctrl + ← or → by default) to help stay on course.

Backstab Damage Potential

A number of factors determine the potential of the backstab skill:

Skill Levels

Higher skill in backstab will provide increased accuracy and a slight increase in damage.

Innate Damage Modifier

At level 10, backstab has twice the damage potential of a normal attack. This is referred to as 2x. As the Rogue levels, this innate mod increases. These increases raise the innate mod to 5x by level 65. And with the AA Improved Backstab - the innate mod is raised 1x per rank for a maximum mod of 8x.

Primary Weapon Ratio

Backstab scales directly with primary weapon ratio (damage/delay). This includes bane and elemental damage modifiers on weapons (restricted by body type and resists), however it does not include worn bane from other slots.

Worn/Buffed ATK

ATK and STR increase damage potential of all melee attacks including backstab.

Haste/Slow

With no attack speed modification backstab has a reuse time of 10 seconds. The minimum reuse time for backstab is 5 seconds, which is achieved once a Rogue has at least 100% haste (combined from all sources). To compensate for this, backstab gains proportional bonus damage if you have more than 100% haste.

When a Rogue is affected by a slow, all haste effects are trumped by the slow effect and the backstab cooldown is modified from the 10 second base time (so a 40% slow would result in a 14 second cooldown for backstab). This does not effect the bonus damage for over 100% haste.

Note: Aggressive stance (/s 2) does not change the backstab cooldown

Special Conditions

Assassinate

At level 60 Rogues gain the ability to assassinate mobs from behind. Initially this works only on mobs lvl 49 and below, but the AA Assassination Mastery raises that to lvl 54 and adds the chance to assassinate using throwing weapons on unengaged mobs. Combined with the AA Lethal Strike (which guarantees an assassination on the next viable target), Rogues can use this ability to quickly dispatch certain enemies.

Chaotic Stab

Chaotic Stab is a permanent change to backstab skill from the AA of the same name. Before obtaining this AA, a backstab from the front will behave as a normal extra attack (1x damage.) After obtaining this AA, backstabs are possible from the front, however, damage is reduced by one half and assassinations are not possible.

Insidious Stab

This Rogue-only tome gives your critical backstabs a 2-8% chance to deal double the usual critical damage.

Openings

When a Rogue is in melee range of their target, they will automatically watch that target for "openings." When they see an opening, they will have 1 second to hit backstab to take advantage of it. A backstab during an opening cannot miss, and the rogue's non-backstab melee attacks will gain a small accuracy bonus that grows with each opening so exploited on the same target, as the rogue gets used to the target's "rhythm."

Openings are caused by observable, and in some case deliberately-triggerable, events:

• the target misses a kick or bash (exposure)
• the target is hit by a bash (distraction)
• the target is stunned (exposure)
• the target begins casting a spell (exposure)
• the target suddenly switches targets, i.e. someone steals aggro (distraction)
• the target is hit with a big critical hit/spell (distraction); what counts as 'big' is semi-randomized and semi-adjusted based on the target's max HP

Player Versus Player

Backstab does 60% of its total damage in PVP combat. (40% less damage than usual)

Sneak Attack

The Rogue must be sneaking, behind the target, and have no aggro. Sneak Attacks cannot miss, deal 25% bonus damage, give a nifty message, and generate only 1 point of aggro.

Stalker's Distraction

This stance (/s 4) gives the Rogue a reactive proc that allows the Rogue to backstab from the front. When the proc occurs the Rogue receives the message: You see an opening in <insert attacker>'s defense. The Rogue then has a brief window (~3 seconds) to land a normal backstab.

Skill Modifying Items

Backstab

Item	Image	Skill Modifier	Slots	Class	Source
Charm of the Assassin		Backstab +15	Charm	ROG
Charm of the Nemesis		Backstab +15	Charm	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Wicked Boot Knife		Backstab +02	Primary, Secondary, Feet	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC, BST
Ambassador's Dagger		Backstab +20	Primary	BRD, ROG, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC, BST
Ancient Unimbued Short Spear		Backstab +10		BRD, ROG
Aphotic Pugio		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	RNG, BRD, ROG, BST
Ash-dusted Gauntlets		Backstab +05	Hands	CLR, RNG, DRU, ROG, SHM
Veil of Concubinage		Backstab +05	Face	WAR, RNG, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Backbasher		Backstab +01	Secondary	ROG
Barbed Gauntlets		Backstab +03	Hands	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Bargainer's Charm		Backstab +01	Neck	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Black Crown of Betrayal		Backstab +03	Head	CLR, RNG, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC, BST
Black Silk Legwraps		Backstab +05	Legs	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Blade of Green Mist		Backstab +10	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, BST
Blade of the Silenced		Backstab +03	Primary, Secondary	BRD, ROG
Bloodstorm Battle Dagger		Backstab +04	Primary, Secondary	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, BRD, ROG, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC, BST
Bone-Etched Eviscerator		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	WAR, BRD, ROG, BST
Bonesaw		Backstab +03	Primary, Secondary	ROG
Bracelet of Blithe Treachery		Backstab +10	Wrist	ROG
Bracelet of Unearthly Gluttony		Backstab +05	Wrist	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Burglar's Hood		Backstab +03	Head	ROG
Cloak of the Chaotic		Backstab +05	Back	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Coat of Martialism		Backstab +05	Chest	ROG
Cowl of Restless Nights		Backstab +05	Head	RNG, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Dagger of the Chosen		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, BRD, ROG
Demonshear		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	RNG, BRD, ROG
Jagged Knife of the Unholy		Backstab +01	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, SHD, BRD, ROG, BST
Dondo's Hidden Card		Backstab +04	Wrist	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Dreadspike		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, BST
Entropy		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	ROG, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC, BST
Everlasting Icicle		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	RNG, ROG
Femme Fatale's Fragrance		Backstab +01	Wrist	ROG
Ringmail of Shadowed Pools		Backstab +05	Chest	RNG, BRD, ROG
Fibber's Ring		Backstab +01	Fingers	ROG
Stoneculler		Backstab +10	Secondary	BRD, ROG
Frilakh Scale Coat		Backstab +01	Chest	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG
Ghanherizoc's Tarnished Vambraces		Backstab +03	Arms	RNG, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Glistening Wasp Stinger		Backstab +03	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Glowing Meteorite Fragment/Backstab		Backstab +05	Charm, Ear, Head, Face, Neck, Shoulders, Arms, Back, Wrist, Range, Hands, Primary, Secondary, Fingers	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Glyph of Assassination		Backstab +03	Ear, Head, Face, Shoulders, Arms, Back, Wrist, Range, Hands, Primary, Secondary, Fingers, Chest, Legs	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Hand's Hood		Backstab +10	Head	ROG
Icegouge		Backstab +03	Primary, Secondary	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Insignia of an Ancient Order		Backstab +03	Ear	MNK, ROG, BST
Knife's Hood		Backstab +05	Head	ROG
Maladive Bracers		Backstab +03	Wrist	RNG, ROG, SHM
Mantle of the Raider		Backstab +02	Shoulders	RNG, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Mercy, Destiny of the Father		Backstab +10	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, BST
Neckerchief of a Drowned Pirate		Backstab +03	Neck	ROG
Ornate Stormforged Chainmail Boots		Backstab +03	Feet	RNG, ROG, SHM
Ornate Stormforged Chainmail Gloves		Backstab +01	Hands	RNG, ROG, SHM
Pickpocket's Hood		Backstab +02	Head	ROG
Pock Marked Obsidian Geofact		Backstab +15	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, BST
Poisoner's Crucible		Backstab +03	Range	ROG
Queen's Gambit		Backstab +10	Range, Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, BST	Quest
Rapier of Erudin		Backstab +02	Primary, Secondary	BRD, ROG
Razadian Glyph of Assassination		Backstab +05	Ear, Head, Arms, Wrist, Hands, Primary, Secondary, Fingers, Chest, Legs, Feet, Waist	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Reznolaw Fang		Backstab +03	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC, BST
Ring of Strife		Backstab +02	Fingers	ROG
Rogue's Hood		Backstab +04	Head	ROG
Sabatons of Spectral Flames		Backstab +02	Feet	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Sash of Sorrow		Backstab +10	Waist	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Shackle of Shrieking Shadow		Backstab +10	Wrist	WAR, SHD, BRD, ROG
Shadowy Signet of Skulduggery		Backstab +05	Fingers	ROG
Shirt of Gelatinized Substances		Backstab +02	Chest	RNG, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Sihk's Hidden Hand		Backstab +10	Hands, Primary, Secondary	ROG
Skulker's Sleeves		Backstab +03	Arms	RNG, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, BST
Sneaky Slippers		Backstab +05	Feet	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Stone Etched Dirk		Backstab +07	Primary, Secondary	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, BRD, ROG, BST
Strategist's Dart		Backstab +05	Primary, Secondary	WAR, RNG, BRD, ROG, BST
Tarnished Phlebotomy Needle		Backstab +08	Primary, Secondary	WAR, PAL, RNG, SHD, BRD, ROG, BST
Summoned: Shadow Stalker		Backstab +12	Primary	WAR, BRD, ROG
Summoned: Fortified Shadow Stalker		Backstab +12	Range, Primary	WAR, BRD, ROG
Thug's Hood		Backstab +01	Head	ROG
Very Sharp Leaf (Item)		Backstab +04	Primary, Secondary	RNG, ROG
Vest of Zaranth		Backstab +04	Chest	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Xizug's Ring		Backstab +05	Fingers	WAR, CLR, PAL, RNG, SHD, DRU, MNK, BRD, ROG, SHM, NEC, WIZ, MAG, ENC
Yclistinite Boring Spike		Backstab +01	Primary, Secondary	RNG, ROG
Ysar, Blasphemer's Bite		Backstab +10	Primary, Secondary	WAR, ROG