It's not like Dark Souls 1 where Backstab was the whole back along with the right half or the left, it actually specifically means to stand directly in the middle of the back and then strike. Also, parrying in general is hard, but if you cannot parry during the first level you're doing something wrong. I havnt been playing the game for a while and i decided to pick it back up again after realizing i had never beaten it. i had no problems previously with riposteing and backstabbing but when i loaded in i realized i couldn't do it anymore. at first i thought i was just out of practice but after exploring it for awhile i found no matrter where i stood i coulnt backstab and even when i stagger The other issue is, when you quit the game, you get sent back to the menu screen with the "press start" prompt. You press start and before you can even quit the game, it has to check to see if it can connect to the servers. Of course, I just force quit the game, but I don't want to do that, and of course shouldn't have to. With Demon's Souls and the first Dark Souls, backstabs were instant. You get behind an enemy and push the attack button and then you're locked into the backstab animation with the enemy, doing a huge critical attack. With the later Souls games, if you are behind an enemy and go for a backstab, you can whiff as it's not instant. The backstab has to click "on" now, meaning it has to be in "allow to be backstab" mode. You can see this in action at Hunstman Copse. When Merciless Roennae invades get behind her and try backstabbing while she's attacking. She can't be while her switch is "off" (I've literally dagger slashed her back to stunlocked lack-o-backstab death). backstab tech: if your shield is raised, you cannot backstab enemies like in dark souls 3. Riposte has timing, so I would keep practicing until you get it. It took my eyes some adjustment to get it just right when I first booted up the Remaster. In this game there's a small line between backstab range and getting caught. You need to get used to it. You are not doing anything wrong. If you want you may cast the silencing spell or equip the silencing ring and they won't turn at all. This does not seem to work for crystal lizards though. Strange. The game contains eight attributes that begin at varying levels based on the class you select: Vitality, Attunement, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Resistance, Intelligence and Faith. Each Itam.