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What are some of the better backstab weapons in the game(including ToB), or assassin weapons in general? Pros/cons etc? Mainly for a solo assassin. Also any tips on how a solo assassin handles some of the tougher enemies of ToB such as dragons etc ? thx

The best backstab weapon is "The Staff of the Ram +6". It is the most damaging weapon in the whole game...

TC, Geert

For SOA staff of striking is pretty good if you don't mind limited charges, but i'd take Celestial Fury anyday cause of possibility of stun and extra electrical dmg which helps if it doesn't outright kill. And plus, something just seems outright wrong to me in use'n a blunt weapon for backstab. Its just not fair i say.

SoA - Celestial Fury (Save Staff of Striking for Clay Golems)
ToB - Staff of the Ram

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If you plan on taking out the Otyugh in Irenicus's dungeon, you'll need to put a * into dagger, long sword, or staff, because these are the only available magical weapons here.

@sojourner

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The Otyugh doesn't require magic weapons it requires melee weapons (it has 100% immunity to piercing damage IIRC). I take it out all the time with the non-magical two handed sword. - Curdis

i didn't think you got a backstab multiplier for staves? I thought it was only short swords long swords and daggers?

Mirakai Starnight,

Thief (melee) weapons can all be used for backstab, so from memory:

Long Sword, Short Sword, Ka..Ka..Ka(Cheese-tana), Club, Quarter Staff, dagger.

Only your main hand attack is a backstab (so a dual wielding thief is not that clever) and the quarter staff is the only 2 handed backstab weapon. - Curdis

So has anyone solo'd an assassin through ToB? I'm finding it extremely hard :/ in fact almost impossible, especially in battles where there isn't enough room to run and hide somewhere so i can hide in shadows. btw does cloak of non detection prevent a thief hiding in shadows from being detected by true sight?

@siber, Through ToB? - This is the SoA board.

I've soloed an assassin through SoA (who hasn't ).

The cloak (of non-detection) seems to (despite the spell description in PnP saying otherwise) prevent true seeing from working if you have sucessfully hidden in the shadows (it won't prevent an INVISIBLE thief/mage/cleric/bard being detected). Whether a successful move silently is also required is the subject of current research. - Curdis !

If your not worried about all out damage per round, take single weapon style for a theif, it allows critical hits on 19 or 20 , which makes it twice as likely youll get a crit when backstabbing.

-Lykwid

even better than staff of ram alone, I agree completely about it being the best backstab weapon is to have your assassin up high enough and get staff of magi with use any item, or theif mage. the first hit will punch thru the stone skins and allow the staff of ram to punch thru and do the max dmamage. other wise stone skins will soak up damage.

this is why holy avenger is so killer, dispell on hit.

Originally posted by Sojourner

SPOILERS AHEAD...
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If you plan on taking out the Otyugh in Irenicus's dungeon, you'll need to put a * into dagger, long sword, or staff, because these are the only available magical weapons here.

Well now, you could always use those weapons (wether they are required or not) without having the profiency. Also, there is a Bastard Sword +1 in the dungeon, IIRC.