Thieves

The Thief

Ability Requirements: Dexterity 9
Prime Requisite: Dexterity
Allowed Races: All

The profession of thief is not a particularly honorable one. However, many famous folk heroes have been thieves, robbing from the corrupt and wealthy and giving to the poor and hungry. The thief can be a romantic figure, even a swashbuckling one. Examples are Oliver Twist, Hanse Shadowspawn, Ali Babba, Aladdin, and Bilbo Baggins.
Thieves are limited in their selection of weapons to: club, dagger, dart, hand crossbow, knife, lasso, short bow, sling, broad sword, long sword, short sword, and staff.

Thieves receive 80 character points to spend on skills from the following list. Skills cost 5 to 15 points. Any unspent points can be used to acquire nonweapon proficiencies or saved for use during the game. Many of the skills can be improved as thieves advance levels. This is explained after the skill section.

Skills marked with an asterisk (*) can be improved as a thief advances in level. Refer to the appropriate table.

Backstab (10): Thieves are practiced in the art of quietly eliminating guards and sentries. If a thief strikes a target from behind with surprise, the thief gains a +4 bonus on his attack roll, and the blow does additional damage. Table 24 defines the extra damage:

Bribe* (5): A thief can bribe an official with gifts of money or merchandise. Only one bribe can be attempted per target. If the attempt fails, the DM should make a reaction roll for the target to determine how he counters the bribe.

Climb walls* (5): This skill lets thieves climb smooth or vertical surfaces.

Defense bonus (10): +2 bonus to Armor Class when unarmored and unencumbered.

Detect illusion* (10): Thieves can see detect illusions within their line of sight, up to 90 feet away. They perceive the illusion as a translucent image, seeing through it as though it were a light mist.

Detect magic* (10): Thieves can spot magical radiations within their line of sight, up to 60 feet away. They can determine the intensity of the magic—dim, faint, moderate, strong, and overwhelming.

Detect noise* (5): This is the ability to hear sounds others usually can’t.

Escaping bonds* (10): There comes a time in every thief’s career when his luck runs out and the he is apprehended. The ability to escape bonds such as ropes, leather thongs, manacles, chains, and even straight jackets is a feat of contortion and determination. The thief must roll to break every device binding him. If he’s tied at the wrists and at the ankles, then he must make two successful rolls to free himself. This skill takes five rounds to use. A thief might hurry his efforts, but he suffers a –5% penalty for each round he tries to shave. Locked items also require the thief to successfully pick the locks. A failure on any attempt means that the thief cannot loose that bond or pick the lock.

Find/remove traps* (10): Many people try to protect their important belongings from thieves with small mechanical traps or alarms. As a result, thieves have developed skills to find and disarm these traps.

Followers (5/10): By purchasing this skill, a thief can gain followers as described in the Player’s Handbook if he establishes a stronghold and is at least 10th level. If this is purchased as a 10-point ability, the thief can attract followers whenever he establishes a stronghold, regardless of level. Refer to the thief section of the Player’s Handbook for more details on followers.

Hide in shadows* (5): A thief can attempt to disappear in shadows, bushes, and crannies. A successful thief will be effectively invisible as long as he remains all but motionless. Slow, deliberate movements are allowed.

Move silently* (5): This is the ability to move without making noise. The movement rate of a thief attempting this is reduced to 1/3 his normal rate.

Open locks* (10): A thief can try to pick all types of locks using skill, tools, finesse, and luck. If a thief fails to open a lock, he cannot attempt to open that lock again until advancing a level.

Pick pockets* (10): A thief uses this skill to pilfer small items from the pouches, pockets, belts, sleeves, packs, etc. of others. A failed attempt means the thief did not come away with an item, but it does not indicate the thief was caught in the act. To determine if a thief’s attempt was noticed, subtract three times the victim’s experience level from 100. If the thief’s roll was equal to or higher than this number, the attempt was noticed. For example, if the thief tried to pick the pocket of a 5th level fighter and failed—and the thief’s roll was 85 or higher—the thief is noticed. (5x3 = 15. 100–15 = 85.)

Read languages* (5): A thief needs every edge he can get, and the ability to read languages can help.

Scroll use (5/10): At 10th level, a thief can use magical spell scrolls. By purchasing this skill as a 10-point ability, he has a chance to read scrolls at any level. If a thief fails to accurately read the scroll, usually something detrimental occurs, such as the spell backfiring.

Thieves’ cant (5): Thieves use slang terms when referring to their illegal operations. This lets them converse about such dealings in the open without others knowing what they are talking about.
Glossary of Thief Slang
Box-Man: Strictly speaking, a thief specialized in cracking safes.
Burn: To underreport the take in a job to one's partners. "Luigi burned us. He told us there were only three diamonds, and kept two for himself."
Cannon: Pickpocket, cutpurse.
Contraband: Illegal goods (stolen or prohibited by local law).
Fencing: Selling stolen goods. "We stole the duke's jewels and fenced them later the same night."
The Fix: Ties with corrupt officials to have criminal charges "fixed"—that is, thrown out. This will usually require bribes or favors.
General Subscription: Money collected from the local underworld to free a captured thief by bribing officials.
Hit Man: Assassin; an "executioner" for crime bosses, paid to kill their enemies.
Lone Wolf: A solitary, independent thief. He is probably self-taught and not allied with a guild.
Made-Guy: A burglar who is in good standing with the local thieves' guild; a guildsman.
Mark: The target of a confidence game. "We have to bring the mark to the Burnt Goose Tavern."
Mob: A group of thieves.
Pennyweighter: a thief who operates by replacing valuable items (especially jewelry) with worthless ones.
Piece Man: Someone who trades knowledge on where stolen property can be sold.
Pigeon:Victim of a con or swindle.
Pigeon Plucker: swindler, con artist.
Racket: Any sort of larceny, from pickpocketing and burglary through embezzlement.
Rootin': Committing crimes.
Roper: Someone who pulls in a mark for a con.
Rounder: A good, professional burglar.
Score: Loot from a theft. "We got a good score from the duke."
Squeal: To identify one's partners to the local authorities, usually in return for a lighter penalty for one's own crimes.
Tipster: Someone who has knowledge to share with burglars about good targets.

Tunneling* (10): A thief might need to dig a tunnel to get to a cache of riches. His success at tunneling depends on several factors. The tunneling table below shows the time required to dig through 10 feet of earth with adequate tools. Every 10 feet, the thief must make a skill check, failure meaning that the front of the tunnel collapses. It can be re-dug at the loose earth rate.

Weapon specialization (15): This thief can specialize in a particular weapon. The character point cost for gaining proficiency and specialization in the weapon must be met in addition.

Skill points: After a thief’s skills are selected, consult the thieving tables to determine base scores for certain abilities and how to modify those abilities based on race, Dexterity, and armor or lack thereof.
Next, allocate 60 additional discretionary points among the thief’s “scored” skills. These skills include: pick pockets, open locks, find/remove traps, move silently, hide in shadows, detect noise, climb walls, read languages, detect magic, detect illusion, bribe, tunneling, and escape bonds.

Further, each time a thief advances a level, he is awarded 30 discretionary points to divide among those abilities.

Mugging—the Thief's KO

A thief can attempt to knock out a victim under certain circumstances by striking from behind with a blunt instrument.

In order to be eligible for a mugging attack, a target must be eligible for a backstab, as explained in Chapter Three of the Player's Handbook. In addition to all restrictions governing a backstab, a thief cannot mug a victim more than twice as tall as the thief.

The eligible thief character simply makes a mugging attack instead of a normal backstab. The thief gains his +4 backstab bonus and the victim loses shield and Dexterity bonuses. If helmets are detailed in the campaign, the victim has AC 10 unless the head is protected.

If the thief scores a hit, the victim must make a saving throw versus petrification or fall unconscious for 2d8 rounds. Modify the saving throw by the difference in level or hit dice between the mugger and the victim.

For example, Pwill the thief (T9) sneaks up behind the ogre sentry (4 HD). Pwill's blow is successful, so the ogre saves as a level 4 warrior. Normally he would save on a 12 or better, but the difference in Pwill's level (9) and the ogre's HD (4) modifies his necessary save to 17. However, the DM rolls a 19 for the ogre, so Pwill's attempt only makes the sentry mad. And loud.

Thieves' Picks and Tools

A thieves' toolkit comes in a flat, folding leather case or a rolled suede case and includes dozens of small tools. A set normally contains 20 wires, ranging in gauge from the thickness of string to that of a slender pencil. Each is approximately 12 to 18 inches long. These are used to poke into small holes or push triggers or buttons from a short distance. The toolkit also includes a set of 12 skeleton keys that fit many standard locks. Also in the set are several screwdrivers, a wire clipper, clamps, and pincers ranging in three sizes from minute, small, and average. Bundled with this package may be a small chisel, hacksaw, and hammer.

In some of the more deluxe toolkits, small vials of metal-eating acids may be found, along with magnifying glasses and slender pieces of high-tempered steel that are used as miniature crowbars. A thieves' toolkit will range in weight and size greatly, depending on the initial cost of the package.

Rogue Experience Levels