Dagger damage question

[themightyeroc]

Hey, I know the Dagger is listed in the weapons chart as:

Dagger 1d4/1d10

Is the Thief the only one who can get the D10 roll for backstab damage? Or does the dagger do a D10 for ANY class that uses one to backstab?

I ask because if ANY class can get the D10 roll for damage then doesn't it lose some luster for the Thief?

I had a Player ask me about this and I said only the Thief should get the D10, but I would check it out and make a final judgment.

What to you guys do?

[TheNobleDrake]

The 1d10 damage expression, and any other damage following a "/" on the table is specifically stated as being for when that weapon is used with Backstab.

The important thing to note is that "an attack from the rear of an opponent," and "a Backstab," are not the same thing - Backstab is a class feature, not a situation.

[Doug Kovacs]

I had to look that up to see if what you were saying is true. I hadn't come across that rule at all somehow..... should I tell my thief players is the question now...


It does clarify on that very page (p71) if you look at the bottom leaving little room for interpretation.

Your gut is correct.

[Rostranor]

A successful backstab also autocrits. In my game crits do max damage from their base attack. So dagger does 10+ crit with a backstab. Also since backstab is defined as behind or otherwise unaware, the thief is always trying to backstab and then use a move action to hide in shadows reposition and backstab again.

[Skyscraper]

The rules as I understand them are:

- backstab is a thief class feature, so only thieves can "backstab" according to the rules meaning of that word
- weapon damage values after the "/" are for backstab only, so only the thief can benefit from that damage value

[themightyeroc]

It does clarify on that very page (p71) if you look at the bottom leaving little room for interpretation.

Your gut is correct.

I knew it was there somewhere. I kept looking in the Thief class instead of at those little symbols nest to the weapon.


Thanks everybody!