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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

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Originally posted by Jorkens

But isn't the whole idea of backstabbing that the Thief knows how to hit the deadliest spot? Using a weapon that turns more or less half your body into pulp sort of goes against that. You will probably hit somewhere critical, but so would any warrior handling the weapon to or just about any one else scoring a lucky hit with the weapon.

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I don't think a ballista bolt would pulp the body, as much as just go thru it. And in D&D, someone powerful enough can keep going after getting shot with a ballista bolt... But if a clever thief could set it up just right to be able to pull it off, then I'd say that the bolt tore thru some vital organs en route, causing even more damage.

It's kinda moot, though -- getting that proper setup, and all the right rolls, would be nearly impossible. My stance, however, is that it is not impossible -- just nearly so. Doing it without proper preparation? Nope, not happening. All the proper prep and a lot of luck? Maybe.

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Originally posted by Thauramarth

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

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Originally posted by Jorkens

But isn't the whole idea of backstabbing that the Thief knows how to hit the deadliest spot? Using a weapon that turns more or less half your body into pulp sort of goes against that. You will probably hit somewhere critical, but so would any warrior handling the weapon to or just about any one else scoring a lucky hit with the weapon.

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I don't think a ballista bolt would pulp the body, as much as just go thru it. And in D&D, someone powerful enough can keep going after getting shot with a ballista bolt... But if a clever thief could set it up just right to be able to pull it off, then I'd say that the bolt tore thru some vital organs en route, causing even more damage.

It's kinda moot, though -- getting that proper setup, and all the right rolls, would be nearly impossible. My stance, however, is that it is not impossible -- just nearly so. Doing it without proper preparation? Nope, not happening. All the proper prep and a lot of luck? Maybe.

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I would also say that such circumstances could occur, and would be most likely to occur in lair defence situations, where a baliista has been set up to cover, say, a corridor or a room. It would have to be hidden (firing through a murder hole or something similar), and the wielder would need to have spent a long time practicing, so as to be able to "zero in" almost instantly. I'd say that preparing such a setup would take weeks (tendays) or months. So, only suitable for prepared defences.

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