Sooo out of curiousity how is the knife supposed to work? i gave up on trying to make use of it because everything wakes up before you get to it due to the small range and trip hazards. The stealth bonus really seems like a booby trap to me, i have been able to make use of it a few times but i get the impression id be better off with a longer range weapon and using their heavier power attack.
You could say that you need perks to really use it but i feel like that defeats the entire niche the knife is supposed to inhabit, you may as well make the bonus damage the perk at that point.
It might be too much to ask but could knives get an extended period for their bonus damage? like for 1s after an enemy wakes up, knives deal full stealth damage? Maybe make that a perk and increase that bonus to up to 5 seconds at full?
If i could push further id love the power attack on sleepers to be something like getting the zombie in a headlock and slitting their throat for an instakill, maybe as the final perk point? animation might be too much to ask for though (and grappling effects)