Backstab - what is it good for?

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by Jarl Wilm

Suppose you don't have anyone else acting as a distraction; you're just one thief sneaking up on a sentry, or one bugbear trying to garrote a lone delver in the soloquest I'm writing. Hypothetical bugbear has an 18 Garrote, with a -5 for aiming at the neck; against a lone delver he'll probably get surprise. Can the bugbear get the +4 for Backstabbing, giving him (18-5)+4=17 to hit the neck? Or does this +4 only apply when the target is distracted by another person, or only apply to delvers?

The bugbear would get the +4, as the target would have no defense since he can’t see it coming.

Originally Posted by ravenfish

I'm pretty sure that, in GURPS, the +4 corresponds to what GURPS:Martial Arts calls a "telegraphic attack". This rule lets you take +4 to hit in exchange for giving your opponent +2 to defend, so, if your opponent can't defend at all, you can claim a "free" +4 to hit.

Telegraphic Attack is indeed the origin.

[ArchonShiva]

So Peripheral Vision (or activated Danger Sense) would allow a defense roll at +0 (-2 for back, +2 for telegraphic), plus a possible retreat.