Backstab
From WoWWiki
| Backstab | |
|---|---|
| |
| Usable by | |
| Class | Rogue |
| Properties | |
| Type | Offensive |
| School | Physical |
| Cooldown | None/Global Cooldown |
| Talents | |
| Talented | No |
| Improvement talents | See below |
| Other information | |
| Ranks | 10 |
| Requirements | Dagger in Main hand, must be behind the enemy |
Backstab is a hard-hitting move that can be performed from behind your enemy. The damage dealt is equal to 1.5 times your normal attack damage plus a flat amount of damage that varies dependent on rank. It only works with a dagger in the main hand.
Contents |
Rank table
| Rank | Bonus Damage | Level | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 4 | 1
|
| 2 | 30 | 12 | 7 20
|
| 3 | 48 | 20 | 27
|
| 4 | 69 | 28 | 72
|
| 5 | 90 | 36 | 1 44
|
| 6 | 135 | 44 | 2 61
|
| 7 | 165 | 52 | 4 14
|
| 8 | 210 | 60 | 4 86
|
| 9 | 225 | 60 | 4 86
|
| 10 | 255 | 68 | 9 90
|
Notes
Backstab is a great skill for dealing big damage, but you must be behind the mob to use it. It is also good when used in combination with Seal Fate, as Backstab has a high crit rate when improved via talents.
Limitations
- High energy cost
- You must be behind and facing your target
- Only available when a dagger is equipped in the main hand
Damage calculation formula
The basic Backstab damage formula:
Opportunity = 0.04 * Opportunity Rank Lethality = 0.06 * Lethality Rank Surprise Attacks = 0.10 * Surprise Attacks Rank Aggression = 0.02 * Aggression Rank Modifier = Attack Power / 14 * 1.7 Normal hit = [(Weapon Damage + Modifier) * 1.5 + Backstab Bonus Damage] * (1 + Opportunity + Surprise Attacks + Aggression) Critical hit = Normal hit * (2 + Lethality)
So a typical example (lvl 68 combat daggers rogue with a dagger averaging 106 base damage, 1120 attack power, 5 ranks of Opportunity, the one rank of Surprise Attacks and 2 ranks in Lethality):
Normal Hit = [(106 + 136) * 1.5 + 255] * (1 + 0.2 + 0.1) = 803.4 average damage Critical Hit = 803.4 * (2 + 0.12) = 1703.208 average damage
Related talents
- Puncturing Wounds increases the critical strike chance of your Backstab by 10%, 20%, or 30%.
- Remorseless Attacks will give your next Backstab a 20% or 40% increased chance to crit after killing an opponent that yields honor or experience. The improved crit chance lasts for 20 seconds.
- Opportunity increases the total damage of your Backstab by 4%, 8%, 12%, 16%, or 20%.
- Lethality increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Backstab by 6%, 12%, 18%, 24%, or 30%.
- Blade Twisting gives your Backstab a 10 or 20% chance to daze your target for 8 seconds.
- Surprise Attacks increases the total damage of your Backstab by 10%.
- Aggression increases the damage of your Backstab ability by 6%.
- Dirty Deeds increases the damage of your Backstab ability by 10%, 20% against targets with less than 35% health
- Sinister Calling increases the percentage damage bonus of your Backstab ability by 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%.
Tips and tactics
- When soloing, use Gouge to move behind the mob and then Backstab. This earns two combo points off the bat! At higher levels it also combines well with Cheap Shot and Kidney Shot.
- If you want to use the Gouge-Backstab combo in the middle of a fight, be sure that your energy is full. Combined they use more energy than you have (unless you have Vigor). If you start the combo with less than 100 energy, you'll have to wait to regenerate some more. By that time the effect of Gouge will have worn off.
- When grouped, you can get at a mob's back fairly easily. However, if you backstab whenever you can, you are likely to gain aggro, so use with some care. Consider using Feint or Vanish to keep your Threat level down.
- In PvP, a common method of moving behind another character is to jump forward through them and then use your mouse to complete a 180 degree turn.
- If you have the Opportunity or Surprise Attacks talents, the in-game tooltip will show your modified Backstab multiplier. For example, if you have 5 ranks in Opportunity and do not have Surprise Attacks it will show as 180% instead of 150%.
External links
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