Thieves operate at lower levels as support characters with middling combat ability. At higher levels, they become masters of stealth and trap disablement. In addition to their array of thieving skills, they also possess a back stab attack usable on the unwary that can help take down powerful foes more quickly.

• Primary Ability Scores. Dexterity (16+ adds a 10% experience bonus).

• Minimum Ability Scores. Dexterity (9).

• Hit Dice. d6; Maximum 10d6. Self-train (9th);

• Hit Points. You start with 6 hit points adjusted for Constitution. Each level thereafter you gain 1d6 if you roll for hit points or you can gain 3.5 hit points without rolling. The 0.5 hit points will carry over. Hit Points after Maximum Hit Dice. Thieves gain 2 hit point plus any Constitution adjustment per level past 10th.

• Alignment Restrictions. Must be any Neutral or Evil.

• Player Character Races. Human (U), Dwarf (U), Elf (U), Gnome (U), Half-elf (U), Halfling (U), Half-orc (9th).

• Armor and Shield. Leather armor only. Multi-class fighter (or cleric) thieves can wear studded armor (or elven chain mail if they can somehow obtain it). Thieves have no proficiency in shields and multi-class thieves can use a shield if not using thief abilities.

• Weapon Proficiencies. Initial 2; Penalty -3; Additional at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th.

• Available Weapon Proficiencies. Clubs, crossbows, dagger, dart, rapier, sling, swords (broad, short, and long).

• Attack Table. Use the Thief Attack Table.

BACKSTAB

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Back Stab. [melee] (major, weapon speed factor) 

Any thief that is able to attack a creature’s “back” with a piercing weapon in melee will do more damage with one attack during the round. See Back Stab.

If the attack hits, certain types of damage incurred as part of the attack is multiplied as determined by the thief’s level:

THIEF SKILLS

See Thief Skills below.

THIEVES' CANT

LANGUAGES: Thieves' Cant

Thieves maintain a secret language so that they may converse with privacy, the “Thieves’ Cant”. This language is given as a bonus language not counted by any limitations due to Intelligence. 

The language can be mixed into sentences uttered in Common or other languages so as to confuse those that would seek to overhear. The language also allows for silent communication between two speakers (with some limitations in terms of content). Subtle symbols or markers exist for identifying routes or to provide warnings.

SPRING AWAY

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spring Away. [flee] (declared; major, time spent moving) 

Beginning at 4th level, a thief can exit melee by falling back up to half your normal movement, without granting a free attack to any opponents in melee. 

FEINT

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Feint. 1/encounter [language-dependent; melee] (declared; major, weapon speed) 

Beginning at 7th level, you can attempt a ruse to get a target in melee with you to turn around. The target receives a Wisdom save vs. Breath (success means they ignore the thief) or they will turn. You can then use a back stab attack and/or take other attacks at the target’s rear. Typically, this ruse is not usable more than once per encounter, although the GM can overrule this restriction based upon circumstances.

ESTABLISH THIEVES GUILD

Beginning at 10th level, a thief may decide to establish his or her own Guild. To do this, the thief must come into possession of a suitable habitat (manor, building, castle, etc.), located at least 1 mile from a city (guilds can operate in smaller urban areas but cannot be established there). You can then “put out the word” in and around the city to attract a gang of thieves (see Gang of Thieves below). Of course, this act will bring immediate and harsh action by any existing Guilds who will pronounce war upon the offending new Guild (you!). Once initiated, this conflict will only end when one of the Guilds relocates to another city or when all 10th level or higher thieves on one side are killed or join the other side.

USE SPELL SCROLLS

Beginning at 10th level, thieves are able to use spell scrolls with druid, magic-user or illusionist spells. The caster level of the thief is interpreted as 9 minus the thief’s class level (i.e. a 10th level thief is a 1st level caster with regards to using scrolls). 

In addition, your imperfect understanding of the magic means your base chance of casting a spell correctly is 75% minus 5% per level of difference between your implied caster level and the level of caster required to cast the spell normally. 

If you fail the casting of the spell, there is the standard chance of a reverse or harmful effect. See Scrolls.

EVASION

SPECIAL DEFENSES: evasion

Beginning at 13th level, if a thief is required to make a saving throw versus an attack that would cause damage, they will take no damage if that save is successful. If the save is failed, you take normal (full) damage. 

THIEF SKILLS

Adjust base skill chance based on race and Dexterity score. Success equals the adjusted percentage chance or lower on a d%. For scores less than a whole number (i.e. climb walls), roll an additional d10 if a 99 is rolled on the d% (e.g. a 99 and a 6 equals 99.60%).

PICK POCKETS

Pick Pockets. [simple] 

This skill includes the ability to filch items from pouches or weapons from sheaths. The item will be determined randomly unless the exact location is known by you (if in a pouch, all items in the pouch will be diced for). The level of the target will decrease your chance of success (-5% for each level or hit dice over 3; e.g. a 5th level fighter will be at -10%).

Failure. A target will not notice your attempt unless the result of of the pick pockets is 21% over the required score. You can continue to keep trying each round (sometimes the target will not make their awareness of the attempt known).

OPEN LOCKS

Open Locks. [complex] (see description) 

Opening locks includes the obvious, as well as figuring out how to open sliding puzzle locks and foiling certain magical wards (particularly the hold portal spell). It is done by picking with tools and by cleverness, plus knowledge and study of such items. Opening locks may be attempted by any individual but once per lock. Success opens the lock. For standard tumbler-style locks, thieves picks are necessary (improvised picks may be used at the GM’s discretion, often granting a penalty of -10% to -30% on the attempt).

Time Required. 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, common locks will take but 1d4 rounds of time to pick.

Failure. If the open locks attempt fails, the lock cannot be attempted again until you gain a thief class level.

FIND/REMOVE OR SET TRAPS

Find/Remove or Set Traps. [complex] (see description) 

Finding or removing traps normally pertains to relatively small mechanical devices such as poisoned needles, spring blades, and the like. Finding is accomplished by inspection, and the traps are nullified by mechanical removal or by being rendered harmless. Small or large traps can be found, but not magical or magically hidden traps. In any case, a trap must be located before removal can be attempted (so a minimum of two rolls are required). Success deactivates the trap. See also, Adventuring, Traps.

Time Required. The act of finding a trap will take 1 round using a complex action. The thief searches a 10-ft. area and uses the find traps result as their search check (thus, a find traps can double as a search check, although the search check may have a lower probability than finding a trap in the same area). Note that some traps cannot be found due to circumstance (no way to discover from the thief's location). Removing a trap can take from 1-10 rounds, depending on the complexity of the trap. As a rule, common traps will take 1d4 rounds of time to remove. Note that time and skill checks count for each function (finding and removing) and for traps with multiple elements. Thus, you must state you are continuing your search once a trap has been found, assuming you wish to keep looking for more traps in the area. If the first roll is unsuccessful, see Failure.

Failure. Failure of removal usually indicates the trap is triggered (the GM will decide). Many systems may be used to determine it randomly—a factor of the actual “remove traps” roll, a separate roll, a note in the trap description, etc. Some traps would obviously be triggered by attempts to remove them, and such obvious details should take precedence over random determination.

Setting Traps. Simple traps may be set—those involving mechanical components that you have normal access to, such as crossbow traps, trip wires, and small 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 and specialists needed for masonry, spell casting, or alchemy. The GM will require you to furnish a simple schematic to illustrate how the trap will function.

Set Traps Effects. The GM will work with you to rule on the actual effect to victim’s of a successful trap and any opportunity for avoidance.

Set Traps Failure. If the set traps roll fails, you may set the trap off—the chance of this is the same as setting the trap, but flipped and this is rolled separately; e.g. A set traps of 30% means there is a 70% of it activating on a failed roll. The GM will adjust for details furnished in the schematic (upwards or downwards based on lethality and complexity). If the failed trap does not activate, you will not know it does not function (even with a successful find traps roll unless performed by another). However, if detected, failed traps may be reset, correcting for errors, and the roll may be attempted again (and this can be repeated multiple times).

MOVE SILENTLY

Move Silently. [other] (normal speed movement) 

Moving silently is the ability to move with almost no sound, even across a squeaky floors or in wet conditions. Moving silently can be attempted each time you move. It can be used to approach an area where some creature is expected, thus increasing chances for surprise by 17%. This does not stack with other modes of moving silently including racial stealth bonuses. Success means movement was silent. In encounter situations, the check must be made each time the creature using the skill begins to move during the round.

Interacting with the Environment. If a thief interacts with the environment (e.g. opening a door), they can roll a separate move silently check to perform the task silently. Circumstances may adjust the roll (stuck door or squeaky hinges, etc.). 

Failure. This means that movement was not silent (i.e. a normal chance to surprise or hear noise exists).

Invisibility and Moving Silently. Any thief that is invisible and rolls a successful move silently check will gain automatic surprise against creatures that cannot detect (sense or see) invisible. This grants the thief at least 1 segment of surprise regardless of an opponent’s Dexterity or the results of the surprise check. Surprise is only possible if an opponent is unaware of the thief. See Surprise.

HIDE IN SHADOWS

Hide in Shadows. [simple] 

Hiding in shadows is the ability to blend into the darkness using stillness and obstructions to remain undetected. Success makes you virtually invisible until you move. A thief that successfully hides in shadows must remain immobile. If combat conditions do not exist, any creature unable to detect you due to hiding may be surprised with a bonus of 17%. Surprised by your group or not, a creature unaware of you within melee range (10 feet) may be back stabbed. Assuming the creature is unaware of you, you gain 1 segment of surprise in the beginning of the round (allowing the attack) and then may act again (with no declarations allowed) during the rest of the round. Hiding in shadows cannot be accomplished under direct observation.

Detection of Invisible. A thief hiding in shadows is still subject to detection just as if he or she was invisible. Note that spells such as detect invisibility or true seeing will automatically reveal a thief hiding in shadows if such sight is directed towards him or her.

Infravision. Creatures with infravision in an area of light will not be using infravision. Thus, hiding using shadows and/or cover is accomplished normally. If a creature is in darkness and using its infravision, the thief can only hide if:

• Fully covered (by an obstruction) or

• If there is an area of light between the thief and the creature using infravision, or

• There is a source of high heat near the thief.

Example. A group traveling in darkness, underground, with a thief has stopped and one member holds a lantern. The thief takes the opportunity to hide in shadows within the light area of the lantern. An orc comes around a corner, hidden by darkness and some 40-ft. away. The orc is using infravision, but cannot peer into shadows within the light area using infravision. If the thief had moved beyond the light area where it did not intersect the vision of the orc, the orc would see the thief’s heat signature plainly (if the thief was within range of the orc’s 60-foot infravision radius).

HEAR NOISE

Hear Check. [complex] 

Some classes are trained to enhance their ability to detect noise beyond their racial ability. See Hear Noise.

Racial Hear Check Bonus. Racial adjustments above are inclusive of the race's hear check bonus (thus do not use the bonus found in the race entry). 

Keen Hearing. Characters with this ability add this bonus to the above skill checks. 

CLIMB WALLS

Climb Walls. [other] (major, time spent moving; reduced rate) 

You have the ability to ascend or descend or move horizontally—vertical surfaces by climbing using both your hands and feet. This ability assumes that the surface is reasonably coarse and offers ledges and cracks for toe and hand holds.

Procedure. You can climb once each round up to a number of feet based upon the surface type. Your climb check occurs during the mid-way point of your movement. Note that in some cases a third d10 must be rolled to determine the success or failure.

Failure. A score in excess of the adjusted base chance indicates you failed the check and cannot move further during the round. If the check is in excess of half of the failure chance, you must make a Dexterity save vs. Petrify or you will slip and fall, taking damage per the GM.

Movement Rate. The rate at which vertical or horizontal movement is possible depends upon the texture and other conditions of the surface. Note. Unless a creature has a native climbing movement rate noted, the maximum movement rate while climbing will be equal to the creature’s base movement rate or the rate listed in the table, whichever is slower.

• • Very smooth surfaces have few cracks.

  • Smooth surfaces have cracks or are rough in texture

  • Fairly rough surfaces have some cracks and/or very rough texture.

  • Rough w/ledges surface includes those with many projections.

  • Non-slippery surfaces are normal/dry.

  • Slightly slippery surfaces double chances of slipping and falling. 

  • Slippery surfaces make chances of slipping and falling ten times more likely.

Overhangs or Over 90 Degree Angles. 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.

Slabs or Less than 90 Degree Angles. 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 underground (even worked stone) 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.

Off Balance. Climbing thieves are considered to be off balance and if damage is taken another climb walls check must be rolled.

READ LANGUAGES

Read Languages. [complex] 

Beginning at 4th level, a thief can attempt to decipher the meaning from written languages. This includes understanding coded treasure maps (without spell use) or the like. Normally only gross meaning or intent is discovered, although names can be understood as such. Any directions or steps are also understood.

GANG OF THIEVES

When a 10th level or higher thief establishes their own guild, they will attract a group of 4d6 thief followers. Depending on the number of followers, there may an adjustment to the roll to determine each follower's level.