Backstabbing is an enchantment from the Farmer’s Delight mod that only goes on Knives, and it makes your hits deal more damage when you strike a mob or player from behind. It has three levels, and the bonus goes up with each one, from 40% more damage at Backstabbing I to 80% more at Backstabbing III.
It works on all five Knives, from the 
Flint Knife up to the 
Netherite Knife, as long as the Knife is in your main hand. From the front it does nothing at all, so the extra damage only lands while you’re standing at the target’s back when the hit connects.
How to Get It
The easiest way to get Backstabbing is to put a 
Knife into an 
Enchanting Table, as it’s one of the enchantments the table is able to roll for Knives. It’s an uncommon enchantment, so it won’t turn up on every attempt, and the higher levels need a table with a full ring of 
Bookshelf blocks around it.
Backstabbing I needs the table’s enchanting power to reach at least 15, while level II needs 24 and level III needs 33, which means Backstabbing III will most likely come from the level 30 slot. A lower roll still gives you a Knife you’re able to use straight away, and you can upgrade it later on.
It isn’t a treasure enchantment, so it can also show up on 
Enchanted Books from loot chests and in Librarian Villager trades. Knives from Farmer’s Delight’s own chest loot are often enchanted too, like the 
Diamond and Golden Knives in Bastion Hoglin Stables, and those can roll Backstabbing as well. There’s a full list of where they turn up on the Villages and Loot page.
How It Works
Every time you hit something with a Backstabbing Knife, the mod checks where you’re standing compared to the way your target is facing. If you’re behind it, the damage of the hit gets multiplied, and you’ll hear the critical hit sound play so you know the backstab landed.
Behind means a fairly narrow wedge, as on level ground you’ll need to be within about 60 degrees either side of the point directly behind the target, which is a 120 degree slice of the circle around it. The wedge gets narrower when you’re well above or below the target, or when it’s looking up or down, so the backstab is easiest to land from the same height.
Mobs tend to turn and face you as soon as they’ve noticed you, so the backstab works best on the first hit, or on a mob that’s busy chasing someone else. For example, a Zombie going after a Villager or your Wolf will usually have its back to you for a moment.
The multiplier is applied to the whole hit, which includes Sharpness and the extra damage from a critical hit, and only after that is the target’s armor taken off. Armor will still cut a backstab down the same way it would any other hit, but it can’t stop the bonus from being added in the first place.
Knife Damage From Behind
The table below shows what each Knife hits for on a fully charged attack with no other enchantments or crits, so you’re able to see how much the enchantment adds. For comparison, a 
Netherite Sword deals 8, whereas a Netherite Knife with Backstabbing III deals 9.9 from behind.
| Knife | Normal | Level I | Level II | Level III |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Knife | 1.5 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.7 |
| Flint Knife | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 |
| Iron Knife | 3.5 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 6.3 |
| Diamond Knife | 4.5 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 8.1 |
| Netherite Knife | 5.5 | 7.7 | 8.8 | 9.9 |
Knives also swing a bit faster than Swords, at 2 attacks a second against 1.6, so a Knife you’re able to keep behind a target can outdamage a Sword of the same tier. From the front it’s the weaker weapon though, as the bonus only applies while you’re at the target’s back.
Differences on 1.20.1
On Minecraft 1.20.1 the bonus and the angle are exactly the same, but only players are able to backstab. On 1.21.1 the enchantment works for any mob holding an enchanted Knife too, which only really matters on modpacks where mobs can spawn with one.
FAQ
Backstabbing III is the highest level, and it multiplies a hit from behind by 1.8, so a Netherite Knife will deal 9.9 instead of 5.5. If the table keeps giving you level I or II, you’re able to combine two Knives or two books of the same level in an 
Anvil to push it up a level, so two Backstabbing II books will make a Backstabbing III book.
It only goes on the five Knives from Farmer’s Delight, so an Anvil won’t let you put a Backstabbing book onto a Sword or an Axe. It doesn’t clash with anything though, and the Knives are able to take Sharpness, Smite, Looting, Fire Aspect and Unbreaking as well, which makes a Looting Knife with Backstabbing handy for 
Ham and other drops. The full list is on the Knives page.
It does, as Sharpness and the critical hit bonus are added first, and Backstabbing then multiplies the whole hit. For example, a jumping attack from behind with a Netherite Knife that has Sharpness V and Backstabbing III deals a little over 20 damage before armor, whereas the same hit from the front deals about 11.
It does, as the target can be any mob or player, so getting behind someone in a fight will land the bonus the same way it would on a Zombie. Players tend to turn around a lot faster than mobs though, so it’s most useful on the opening hit, or on someone who’s busy fighting something else.
