Talk:Sneak Attack

Type

Are you sure it's a lead attack? So far, the "this skill counts as a lead attack" line has only been included in the descriptions of skills which are not technically lead attacks, such as Palm Strike or Dancing Daggers, so I suspect that this skill is a melee attack or a plain attack. -- Gordon Ecker 03:17, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

It does indeed say 'Lead Attack'. I expect it's just a mistake on Anet's side; they probably originally classified it as a melee attack with the same description text, then later decided to call it a lead attack and forgot to remove the redundancy. -- Mafaraxas 22:52, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Still a Melee attack, just the decription changed. Blinding is always nice. Backsword 00:46, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

To be a normal lead attack it would have to be daggers only. Necromas 21:41, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

Progression

At rank 4 Vanguard, the foe is blinded for 6 seconds. -- Mafaraxas 22:52, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Rank 5; foe is blinded for 6 seconds. -- Mafaraxas 07:43, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Win

Fox's Promise

Sneak Attack

Golden Fang Strike

Critical Strike

Blank

Blank

Blank

Blank

Win... foe cannot block, foe cannot see, foe gets dw. Єяøהħ 00:31, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Shame it's PvE only, but it could be handy for one or more dungeon bosses. -- Mafaraxas 00:43, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

might as well use Unseen fury and save your elite for a good one.--66.130.10.27 03:05, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Unseen Fury, Sneak Attack, Signet of Shadows... plenty of ways to abuse the blindness with this. Might be nice for some solo-boss ideas, although it would only work on bosses that can be pulled from their groups and don't use a lot a spells. Also works well in Norn Fighting Tournament, don't forget... just need to bring Signet of Malice too, so you don't end up with Blind yourself. -- Ĵĩôřũĵĩ Đēŗāķō.>.cнаt^ 06:55, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Trivia

[1]

Not invented, no, but it's certainly well known. We also have the Dungeon Master's Guide, which kinda sealed the deal for me. -- Armond Warblade 08:42, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

Before third edition, it was called backstab, so the term isn't as well established as Player's Handbook or Dungeon Master's Guide. -- Gordon Ecker 05:44, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

On the other hand, the image is consistant with the old name. Maybe it used to be called Backstab but got renamed before release to better fit a change in functionality. -- Gordon Ecker 05:53, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

Sorting bug

When sorting skills by type, this skill is under its own "Melee Attack" category, while all the other melee attacks are in a separate category with the same name. Here [2] is what I mean. BenderRodriguez 17:10, 28 February 2009 (UTC)

How does this work with scythes?--Tyri Sunbeam 07:43, 23 May 2009 (UTC)

This isn't a bug per say, as it's unique from other melee attacks in that it qualifies as a lead attack, but doesn't require daggers. --Jette 07:50, 23 May 2009 (UTC)

Tested Jan 24th 2010, this skill, when used with a scythe does in fact inflict blindness to all targets struck by the attack. --Eat Crit and Dye 01:20, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Skill Image

Do I see Warrior with Elite Gladiator getting backstabbed? -Frosty

Yep, that's what it seems to be. –Jette 10:40, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

and that's why you don't wear gladiator. Roflmaomgz 01:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

A little late, but that guy looks a bit like Goren to me? :P Jeree95 16:35, 9 August 2012 (UTC)

Bug

It cannot miss......using it in NFT against gwen.....it hit every time while i was blinded. 82.95.65.117 12:45, 21 June 2010 (UTC)

This is untrue. --Waldir B 03:33, 15 August 2010 (UTC)

Skill Animation

Animation seems to be bugged. The red curved fang shape appears on the offhand, even though this is a lead attack. When used with one-handed weapons such as swords or axes, the animation appears on your shield arm. When used with two handed weapons such as hammers or scythes, the animation appears where the left arm grips the haft, perpendicular to the weapon. Kay - 15:19, 27 December 2010 (UTC)

Not sure how this logically causes Blindness

Judging from the icon of stabbing someone in the back, how would this cause Blindness? I'd expect it to Crit or something. --Random Weird Guy 18:30, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Proof of reference?

It got added saying it is likely referencing DnD yet there are many things out there before this skill was adding using the term sneak attack. How is it sure that it's referencing specifically the dnd use? Shade the (talk) 01:51, 22 September 2018 (UTC)

The fact that this skill inflicts blindness is an argument against that reference, but it is true that there are a lot of DnD references in Guild Wars. The functionality of this skill and the Rogue's version are quite different, though. There is also no special critical hit effect for this skill, which would solidify a reference. I think it's speculative at best and should thus be removed. - Infinite - talk 17:41, 22 September 2018 (UTC)

This is absolutely a justified reference. It's not solely the functionality of the skill (which admittedly differs from DnD) but also the context surrounding it. You gain Sneak Attack from "Plan A", a quest that: has you accompany Vael (a Rogue-like character); has you sneak undetected through an enemy camp; has you steal from that enemy; and also rewards you with a lockpick (a Rogue's favorite tool). Finally, as pointed out in previous comments, this skill was added in EotN, which gave us the Hero's Handbook and Master Dungeon Guide (references to the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide). The immediate follow-up quest, "Forbidden Fruit", has the key words "infiltrate" and "assassinate", and the quest accept text says you will deliver "a knife in the back". The wider context of this skill and its questline speaks for itself. Arkrayven (talk) 19:29, 27 October 2023 (UTC)