THE THIEF

The profession of thief is not dishonorable, albeit is neither honorable nor highly respected in some quarters. Thieves are principally meant to take by cunning and stealth. 

The major ability for a thief is Dexterity, and a character must have not less than a 9 to become a thief. High Intelligence is also desirable. Any thief character with a Dexterity greater than 15 gains the benefit of being able to add a bonus of 10% to experience points awarded to him or her by the referee. 

A glance at the Character Abilities section preceding this will reveal that high Dexterity also benefits thieves in the performance of their class functions. These functions are detailed a bit later.

All thieves are Neutral or Evil, although they can be Neutral Good (rarely), and of Lawful or Chaotic nature. Most thieves tend towards Evil. 

Thieves have six-sided hit dice (d6). 

They are, however, able to wear light (leather) armor and use a fair number of weapons. Although they fight only slightly more effectively than do magic-users, they are able to use stealth in combat most effectively by back-stabbing. This ability is explained hereafter.

• Prime Requisite. Dexterity (16+ adds a 10% experience bonus)

• Minimum Ability Scores.  Dexterity (9)

• Hit Dice. d6; Maximum 10d6

• Alignment. Any Neutral or Evil

• Player Character Races. Human (U), Dwarf (U), Elf (U), Gnome (U), Half-elf (U), Halfling (U), Half-orc (base 6th)

• Armor. Leather

• Shield. None

• Initial Weapon Proficiencies. 2

• Non-proficiency Penalty. -3

• Added Weapon Proficiencies. 1 per 4 levels above the 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, etc.)

• Weapons Allowed. Clubs, daggers, darts, slings, swords (broad, short, and long)

• Use of Poison. ? (per DM)

THIEF ABILITIES

PRIMARY ABILITIES

The primary functions of a thief are: 1) picking pockets, 2) opening locks, 3) finding/removing traps, 4) moving silently, and 5) hiding in shadows. These functions are basically self-explanatory. The chance for success of any performance is based on the ability level of the thief performing it. This is modified with respect to picking pockets by the experience level of his or her victim and by the powers of the observer with respect to hiding in shadows.

These functions are detailed as follows:

• • Picking pockets (or folds of a garment or a girdle) also includes such activities as pilfering and filching small items. It is done by light touch and sleight of hand.

  • Opening locks includes figuring out how to open sliding puzzle locks and foiling magical closures. It is done by picking with tools and by cleverness, plus knowledge and study of such items.

  • Finding/removing traps pertains to relatively small mechanical devices such as poisoned needles, spring blades, and the like. Finding is accomplished by inspection, and they are nullified by mechanical removal or by being rendered harmless.

  • Moving silently is the ability to move with little sound and disturbance, even across a squeaky wooden floor, for instance. It is an ability which improves with experience.

  • Hiding in shadows is the ability to blend into dark areas, to flatten oneself, and by remaining motionless when in sight, to remain unobserved. It is a function of dress and practice.

SECONDARY ABILITIES

Secondary functions of a thief are: 1.) listening at doors to detect sounds behind them, 2.) ascending and descending vertical surfaces such as walls, and 3.) back stabbing those who happen upon the thief in the performance of his or her profession. These functions are described as follows:

• • Listening at doors includes like activity at other portals such as windows. It is accomplished by moving silently to the door and pressing an ear against it to detect sound.

  • Ascending and descending vertical surfaces is the ability of the thief to climb up and down walls. It assumes that the surface is coarse and offers ledges and cracks for toe and hand holds.

  • Back stabbing is the striking of a blow from behind, be it with club, dagger, or sword. The damage done per hit is twice normal for the weapon used per four experience levels of the thief, i.e. double damage at levels 1-4, triple at 5-8, quadruple at levels 9-12, and quintuple at levels 13-16. Note that striking by surprise from behind also increases the hit probability by 20% (+4 on the thief’s “to hit” die roll). Opponents aware of the thief will be able to negate the attack form. Certain creatures (otyughs, slimes, molds, etc.) either negate surprise or have no definable “back”, thus negating this ability.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

Additional abilities which accrue to thieves are:

• • All thieves, regardless of alignment, have their own language, the “Thieves’ Cant”. This language is known in addition to others which may be learned because of race and/or Intelligence.

  • At 4th level (Burglar), thieves are able to read 20% of languages, and this ability increases by 5% with each additional level of experience until an 80% probability is attained. This enables the possible reading of instructions and treasure maps without having to resort to a magic item or spell.

  • At 10th Level (Master Thief), thieves are able to decipher magical writings and utilize scrolls of all sorts, excluding those of clerical, but not druidic, nature. However, the fact that thieves do not fully comprehend magic means that there is a 25% chance that writings will be misunderstood. Furthermore, magic spells from scrolls can be mispronounced when uttered, so that there is an increasing chance per level of the spell that it will be the reverse of its intent.

NOTES REGARDING THE THIEF TABLES

Percentile dice are rolled to determine whether the thief is successful or not. Any score equal to or less than the percentage shown for the appropriate level of thief performing the designated function will indicate success. [The DMs] roll of the dice for any thief function must be kept absolutely secret, so the thief (or similar character) does not know the results!

Picking Pockets fails if a score above the percentage shown far the level of thief attempting the function is generated. If the score is 21% or more above the number shown, the victim notices the thief’s attempt. The potential victim reduces the thief’s chances for success by 5% for every level of experience he or she is above the 3rd, i.e. -5% at 4th level, etc. 

Failure allows additional attempts. The victim might notice and allow the thief to operate anyway in order to track him or her back to the place he or she uses as a headquarters. Up to two attempts at picking a pocket can be made during a round. 

For example, a high level thief (Master Thief, 12th level) is planning to pick the pockets of a magic-user he has noticed nearby. The base chance for success is 100%, the thief is a half-elf and adds 10% for racial ability; the thief also has [an] 18 Dexterity ability score, so another 10% is added. This totals a nice, safe 120% - can’t fail! However, the victim happens to be 12th level also, so the subtraction is 9 x -5% = -45%. This brings the chance for success down to 75%. A good chance, but if 96% or higher is rolled, the thief will be noticed, and... Success gains an item from the victim; the item is determined at random from a list of possessions unless the exact location of a particular item is known by the thief.

Opening Locks may be attempted by any given thief but once per lock. If the score generated exceeds the adjusted (for ability and race) base score, the thief has failed; and no amount of trying will ever enable him or her to succeed with that lock, although the thief may try again when he or she has risen to a higher level of experience. Success opens the lock. 

The act of picking the lock to be opened can take from 1-10 rounds, depending on the complexity of the lock. As a rule, most locks will take but 1-4 rounds of time to pick.

Finding/Removing Traps is accomplished in exactly the same manner as opening locks. Roll for each function separately (a trap must be located before removal can be attempted). One try only per thief is allowed. Success deactivates the trap. 

[The DM will] use the time requirements for opening locks. Time counts for each function. Small or large traps can be found, but not magical or magically hidden traps.

Setting traps. Simple mechanical traps can be set by thieves or assassins. The chance to do so successfully is equal to that of the chance shown for detecting such traps, but in this case the assassin operates at an ability level equal to two levels above his or her own and exactly as if he or she were a thief, e.g. a 5th level assassin has the same chance of setting a trap as a 7th level thief does. 

Simple traps are those which involve mechanical components which the character setting them has normal access to, such as arrow traps, trip wires, and spring-propelled missiles. Special devices such as poisoned needles, scything blades, and any similar traps with special mechanical components will also require the efforts of one or more specialists - those required to manufacture the component parts. 

Whenever a thief or assassin character desires to set a trap, [the DM will] require him or her to furnish a simple drawing to illustrate how the trap will function. If the chance to successfully set the trap results in failure, there is a chance of causing injury to the trap setter, just as if he or she had set such a trap off. This chance is rolled for separately and is the obverse of the chance for successful setting of a trap. 

The drawing of the trap will modify the chances for injury in cases where failure results. Modification can be upwards or downwards according to the complexity and danger of the trap [as determined by the Dungeon Master]. Note that even with a prepared mechanism for a poison needle, for example, the trap must be set, and failure can result. Gloves or protective hand wear cannot be worn when setting such traps. Finally, failure on the first attempt to set a trap does not mean that the thief or assassin can never set the trap. Unlike other similar thief functions, repeated attempts are permissible.

Moving Silently can be attempted each time the thief moves. It can be used to  approach an area where some creature is expected, thus increasing chances for surprise, or to approach to back stab, or simply done to pass some guard or watchman. Failure (a dice score in excess of the adjusted base chance) means that movement was not silent. Success means movement was silent. Silent movement is the same as normal exploratory movement, i.e. 12 ft. per round as the thief creeps up ([in Cant:] croodles) upon the area or victim or whatever. 

[The DM will] NOT inform the thief that his or her dice score indicated a lack of success at this attempted stealth, if that is the case. He or she thinks the movement is silent, and the monster or other victim will inform the character of his or her misapprehension soon enough.

Hiding in Shadows cannot be accomplished under direct observation. It can be accomplished with respect to creatures with infravision only if some heat producing light source is near to the creature or to the thief attempting to so hide. Success makes the thief virtually invisible until he or she moves. Note that spells such as detect invisibility or true seeing will reveal a thief hiding in shadows if such sight is directed towards him or her. 

This is NEVER possible under direct (or even indirect) observation. If the thief insists on trying, [the DM will] allow the attempt and throw dice, but won’t bother to read them, as the fool is as obvious as a coal pile in a ballroom. Likewise, if a hidden thief attempts movement while under observation, the proverbial jig is up for him or her. 

Naturally, a creature closely pressed in melee is not likely to bother with looking for some thief not directly in the line of sight, but if vision would normally extend to the thief’s area of activity, then observation rules apply. 

Unobserved attempts to hide in shadows must likewise stand the hazard of the dice roll. A score greater than the required number shows that the character’s ability is not on a par with his or her intent, and although he or she THINKS hiding has been successful, the creature looking in that direction will note a suspicious outline, form, or whatever. Note also that a thief hiding in shadows is still subject to detection just as if he or she was invisible.

Hearing Noise is simply listening intently. The thief and his or her accomplices must themselves be quiet (but not silent as in moving). This function can be repeated as often as desired. It requires a full minute to listen, i.e. one-tenth of a normal turn, or time equal to a melee round. Note that sleeping creatures, undead, and many other creatures do not make sounds discernible through a portal. Success informs the hearer that someone or something awaits beyond the portal.

The thief, just as any other character, must take off helmet or other obstructing headgear in order to press his or her ear to the door surface in order to hear beyond. 

Climbing Walls is attempted whenever needed and desired. It is assumed that the thief is successful until the mid-point of the climb. At that point the dice are rolled to determine continued success. A score in excess of the adjusted base chance indicates the thief has slipped and fallen. (Your referee will inform you of what amount of damage has been done from the fall.) Success indicates that safe ascent or descent has been accomplished. Note that in some cases a third d10 will have to be rolled to determine the success or failure. The ability to climb walls is something which is acquired through training and practice, just as are most of the other functions of the thief. 

The rate at which vertical or horizontal movement is possible depends upon the texture and other conditions of the surface. 

[The DM will] check each round of vertical or horizontal movement for chance of slipping and falling. Surfaces which are inclined inwards move towards greater degrees of difficulty - a non-slippery one being treated as slightly slippery, and a slippery one being virtually unclimbable. Surfaces inclined away from the perpendicular on an outward angle may be treated as either a better surface condition or rougher texture, if the degree of incline is sufficient to make climbing easier. Most dungeon walls will fall into the fairly rough to rough category. Some will be non-slippery, but most will be slightly slippery due to dampness and slime growth.

SLIGHTLY SLIPPERY surfaces DOUBLE chances of slipping and falling. SLIPPERY surfaces make chances of slipping and falling TEN TIMES more likely. Thus, a slippery surface cannot be attempted successfully by any thief under 6th level, and even a 10th level thief has a 10% chance per round of slipping and falling. 

Reading Languages can be attempted but once. Failure - a score greater than the percentage chance shown for the experience level of the thief - means that the language is not understood and no amount of reading will make it comprehensible. However, the thief can try again with each new experience level he or she gains. This ability assumes that the language is, in fact, one which the thief has encountered sometime in the past. 

Ancient and strange languages (those [the] DM, has previously designated as such) are always totally unreadable. Even if able to read a language, the thief should be allowed only to get about that percentage of the meaning of what is written as his or her percentage ability to read the tongue in the first place. The rest they will have to guess at. Languages which are relatively close to those known by the thief will not incur such a penalty.

STRONGHOLD (THIEVES GUILD)

Thieves cannot build strongholds as some other classes of characters do. They can, however, build a tower or fortified building of the small castle type for their own safety; but this construction must be within, or not more than a mile distant from, a town or city. 

Thieves Guild. Any thief character of 10th or greater level may use his small castle type building to set up a headquarters for a gang of thieves, and he or she will accordingly attract from 4-24 other thieves. However, this will bring the enmity of the local Thieves Guild, and they will struggle to do away with the rival organization. Once begun, warfare will end only when and if all the Master Thieves on either or both sides are dead, or if the thief character removes to another locale.

GANG OF THIEVES

Roll 4d6 to determine the number of lesser thieves which the character will attract. Determine race and level of each thereafter, modifying the d% roll for level as follows: [Based on the number of thieves attracted.]