Exer touched on this in another thread, but I would like to see more discussion and perhaps a ruling as far as RP goes for this. Since I, personally, have been backstabbed to start off a spar with two of my chars now by two different thieves, and I have seen several others.Exer wrote:Speaking of backstab, I have seen pc's getting into a spar and backstabbing the opponent. In my books that's a no-no. For backstab to work, you need to have access to the pc's back and for that pc not to know you are sneaking in for the kill. In a spar, there is no chance of this to happen. So please, you thieves out there, refrain from using that skill when in such a situation.
For the record, I agree with every point Exer mentions, no thief is going to be so good at backstabbing that if I am looking at said thief, face to face, in combat stance, ready to begin a sparring match, are they going to be able to get around to my back and stab me off guard.
The damage due to backstabbing, as explained in the PHB, takes certain things for granted:
1) Surprise: You are catching the opponent off guard and flat footed. Your opponent is not that in a spar.
2) Hit location: It also assumes you hit them where it hurts. Even if an opponent were "willing" to take a backstab, natural flinch reaction is going to take place when they expect the attack coming, and your reflex is to shift away your most vital points. You can't override reflex.
I don't think it should be a matter of being set up as a "rule" before a spar begins, RP still applies even in a spar, and if this is bad RP, it should just stand as bad RP.
All the other dirty tricks a thief can use (kicking, dirtkicking, gouging, circling, etc.) would be perfectly acceptable in an all's fair duel, because those are all skills designed to be used in the heat of battle, not with the assumption of stealth that you don't have in this situation.