Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 9888746" data-attributes="member: 4937">No.  In fact, they have nothing really do with each other.  I think the requirements of a backstab are basically you are behind the opponent, while the requirements of an assassination are you've achieved surprise.  A backstab benefits from surprise but doesn't seem to actually require it, unless you take the note in the DMG as referring to the requirement of surprise, while an assassination attempt requires surprise but not so far as I can tell that it be from behind.Good garotte rules are almost impossible to devise and I won't claim that D&D has them, though there is IMO no reason to give double damage on the garotte.  On the other hand, an assassin RAW certainly could claim an assassination attack with a garotte with a corresponding chance of instant kill and at worst you have them in a garotte.</blockquote>