Thief
A cutpurse, burglar, and picker of locks who lives by nimble fingers and a quick wit.
| Role | Difficulty | Key stats | Hit points | Mana | Spells given |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sneak | Hard | Dexterity | 4 | 1 | none |
Plays like: Strikes from hiding and builds openings on one foe, then spends them on one deep blow.
Starts with: a dagger (wielded); a dagger (wielded, with Twin Blades); a stiletto (with Duelist); a leather jerkin (being worn); a wool cloak (being worn); a pair of leather gloves (being worn); a loaf of bread; 25 gold coins (see Starting kit).
See also: Openings.
How to play
You fight best before the foe knows you are there. Hit a creature that has not noticed you and
your blow is a sneak attack; each sneak attack that hits gives you an
opening in that one foe’s guard. Spend them all on
Exploit (a), one deep blow. Keep to one foe at a time: attacking
another loses your openings. Your blades are light and your hit points few, so sneak
(Stealth) and strike first.
Levels
A bonus talent at levels 4, 10, 16, 22, 28, 34, 46, 58, from Finesse or Shadow or Delver.
| Level | Ability | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sneak attack | you hold Openings from now on; those you catch unawares make their initiative check at +2 difficulty |
| 1 | Exploit | active (the time of a melee attack), in a direction: every opening you hold spent on one blow that is a sneak attack whatever the foe knows (the sneak attack dice on a hit; the foe is not surprised and keeps its Defence); refused with no opening, at another than the creature your openings are in, and at a thing you see without vitals; an exploit that hits does +1d6 damage per opening spent, after Protection, never multiplied by a critical; spends all the openings held (at least 1) |
| 6 | Lurk | active (the time of a wait): you are Lurking until your next action; a hostile that steps up beside you meanwhile takes your blow at once (a free blow), caught unawares unless it was already hunting you; refused with a hostile you see beside you |
| 12 | Low blow | an exploit that hits leaves the foe Stunned (1 degree); an exploit is +1 to hit per opening spent |
| 18 | Evasion | damage from bursts and bolts (traps, scrolls) −50 % (rounded down) |
| 18 | Thrown exploit | active (the time of a throw), something to throw and a creature you see: Exploit’s blow as a throw, every opening you hold spent on a sneak attack whatever the foe knows, with every increment of an exploit; within the item’s throw range and 6 cells (Long reach’s farther), the line clear as far as you see; refused as Exploit is, and for a flask; spends all the openings held (at least 1) |
| 25 | Pack mule | carrying limit +10 %; 60 % off the burden’s slowdown, on top of Balance (Burdened ×1.10 for 60 %); the burden’s cap on Dexterity in Defence +1 |
| 25 | Porter | carrying limit +10 %; the burden’s cap on Dexterity in Defence +1; being Burdened costs you nothing (as a dwarf) |
| 32 | Improved sneak attack | +2d6 damage, after Protection, on a hit at a creature that has not seen you (it hunts no one it has seen, and does not see you now); an exploit that hits does +1d6 damage per opening spent, after Protection, never multiplied by a critical |
| 40 | Vanishing act | a sneak attack of yours that kills leaves you Light-footed (1 degree) |
| 50 | Hide in plain sight | no footsteps at all while Unburdened; the noise of your attacks −50 % |
| 60 | Master thief | attacks on a creature that has not seen you threaten a critical 2 lower (never below 3); an exploit threatens a critical 4 lower per opening spent (never below 2); with 5 or more spent, it is a critical whenever it hits, with no confirmation roll |
Abilities
The thief’s sneak attacks build openings. Exploit, theirs from level 1, spends every one they hold on a single sneak attack, deeper for each, and Low blow at 12, Improved sneak attack at 32, and Master thief at 60 add to it (see Exploit). From level 18 Thrown exploit makes the same blow with a thrown weapon, at a foe up to 6 cells away. The thief has no stamina until a weapon rank teaches an active ability.