ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

2nd Edition Player's Handbook Rles S!!le"ent

#$e Co"!lete #$ie%'s Handbook
CRED&#S
Written by John Nephew, Carl Sargent and Douglas Niles
Edited by Scott Haring, TSR staff
lac! and White "rt by #eorge arr
Color "rt by $arry El%ore, John and $aura $a!ey, Robin Wood
Typography by #aye &'(eefe
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&ntrod'tion
The -urpose of the Complete Thief's
Handbook
The Role of the Thief
Thie2es and the $aw
C$a!ter () Role*Playin+ #$ie,es
Setting
Social ac!ground
,oti2ation
Sa%ple "rchetypes
De%ihu%ans
&ther Nonhu%an Races
De%ihu%ans, Cities, and #uilds
Code of the Professional
C$a!ter 2) Pro%i'ien'ies
New -roficiencies
"lertness
"ni%al Noise
egging
oating
Endurance
/ast?Tal!ing
/ortune Telling
Herbalis%
Hunting
.nfor%ation #athering
.nti%idation
$oc!s%ithing
$ooting
Na2igation
&bser2ation
Reading@Writing
Sur2i2al
Trac!ing
Trailing
)oice ,i%icry
De%ihu%ans and Nonweapon -roficiencies
C$a!ter -) #$ie% .its
(its and Thief Types
(its and the Thief Classes
(its and Character Creation
The Thief (its
Thief (its and Thie2ing S!ills
"crobat
"d2enturer
"ssassin
andit
eggar
ounty Hunter
uccaneer
$earning the Ropes
$osing and Regaining alance
&ptional RuleA Dodging
urglar
Cutpurse
/ence
.n2estigator
Scout
S%uggler
Spy
Swashbuc!ler
Swindler
Thug
Troubleshooter
Recording (its on the Character Sheet
Thief Types and ,ulti?Class Characters
Thief Types and Dual?Class Characters
Creating New (its
The Thief (it Creation Sheet
The B$one WolfBA *niCue Thie2es
Thief Kit Creation Sheet
BluehandB "Dathar, $one Wolf
"d2enture Suggestion
#lossary of Thief Slang
C$a!ter /) #$ie,es' Gild
What is a Thie2es' #uild "nyway
De2eloping the Thie2es' #uild
enefits of #uild ,e%bership
Training
ECuip%ent
.nfor%ation
/encing
Specialist Help
Responsibilities of #uild ,e%bership
Secrecy
-ro2iding .nfor%ation
$i%ited Territory
&ther Duties
The Recalcitrant -C Thief
"cti2ities of Thie2es' #uilds
-rotection Rac!ets
S%uggling
/orgery and Coin Clipping
Entertain%ents
$awful &perations
Thie2es' #uilds in the Ca%paign World
Si8e and Wealth of Co%%unities
Social "lign%ent
Special Social /actors
Di2ided "lign%ents
Racial Di2isions
Religious /actors
Historical /actors
Thie2es' #uilds and &ther #roups
Thie2es and the $aw
-ersecution
Hassle
&pposition
Tolerance
Corruption
Co%ple9@,i9
Thie2es and ,erchants
Warfare
&pposition
Standoff
Sub%ission
.nfiltration
Co%ple9@,i9
Thie2es and &ther #uilds
Craft #uilds
"d2enturing #uilds
Thie2es and "ssassins
Thie2es and eggars
Thie2es and ards
#uild%asters and #uild Structures
#uild &rgani8ations
Centralist
Cohesi2e
/ractionated
&ppositional
"narchic
Co%ple9@,i9
#uild $eaders
#uild%aster
Council
De%ocracy
$eaderless
Co%ple9@,i9
Special
#uild Rulership
Wea!@Strong
Cruel@Just
Despotic@-opulist
Designing a Thie2es' #uild
*sing the Tables
#uild ac!ground
Social "lign%ent
Special Social /actors
Si8e of Co%%unity
Wealth of Co%%unity
"ttitudes of the $aw
Relationship with ,erchants
Relationships with other #uilds
#uild Rulership
#uild%e%bers and the Rest
E9perience $e2els of Thie2es
,ulti?classed Thie2es
Non?Thief #uild%e%bers
/leshing out #uild%e%bers
"lign%ent
-ri%e ReCuisite
Senior Thie2es
Junior Thie2es
" /inal Record
#uild Dues
Nor%al Resources
Special Resources
,aDor "cti2ities
The #uildhouse
Thie2es' #uild of ,allain
*nusual #uilds
The Tra2eling #uild
-iratical #uilds
The #uild of Honorable #entle%en
The #ood?"ligned #uild
-layer?Character #uild%asters
Deter%ining #uild%e%bers
#uild .nco%e
$e2els of &perations
The $ong "r% of the $aw
#uild ,orale
New /ollowers
Special E2ents and &ccurrences
lueprint -rofiles
#uild%aster Septien Selfareine, the BWhite $ilyB
#uild%aster Tul%ara Eir harann, BCruelty's ,as!B
Fuarter%aster ,ar%el Ra2ei8
Durdlan Sil2erpal%, ,aster /ence
C$a!ter 0) #ools o% t$e #rade
ECuip%ent for the Thief's S!ills
S!ill ,odifiers
-ic!ing -oc!ets
"r% Sling
,ini?lade
&pening $oc!s
.%pro2ised $oc!pic!s
"cid
Chisels
Cutters, /iles and hac!saws
,agnifying #lass@$ens
&il and /unnel
Ti%e Scales
/inding and Re%o2ing Traps
$oc!pic!s
,o2ing Silently
Silenced "r%or
Strapping
Hiding in Shadows
Ca%ouflage Clothing
Charcoal
-lant Dyes
Weaponblac!
Detecting Noise
Cli%bing Walls
Cli%bing Daggers
#rapples
Special /unction "rrows
Spi!es and $ine
,iscellaneous ECuip%ent
urglary and Theft
#lass Cutter
Housebrea!er's Harness
(ey%a!ing Set
$i%ewood Strips
Shar!s!in
S!eleton (ey
Tar -aper
Wa9 -ad
E2asions
"niseed
Caltrops
Catstin!
Dog -epper
Hand $a%p
Hollow oots
,arbles
Self?-rotection and Co%bat
linding -owder
Death (nife
/olding ow
-in Ring
Sword Stic!
Wrist Sheath
The Joy of Stic!s
lade -ole
lade -ole
Cli%bing -ole
Hoo!ed -ole
,irror -ole
,iscellany
/alse Scabbard
Hand War%ing $a%p
,ar!ed Cards and iased Dice
Water Shoes
Cost and "2ailability of ECuip%ent
,agical .te%s for Thie2es
Detection Resistance
Description of ,agical .te%s
,isc1 ,agicA Clothing and Jewelry
,isc1 ,agicA &ther Snea!y Stuff
Weapons
C$a!ter 1) #$e Arts o% De'e!tion)
Classi' Cons
Short?Change Swindles
#a%bling
Fuac!ery
/orgery and Counterfeiting
Jewelry Swindles
Robbing the Robbers
C$a!ter 2) Ne3 Rles %or #$ie,es
"d2anced $oc!s and Traps
,odifying Chec!s
uilding etter $oc!s
,ultiple $oc!s
$oc!pic!ing@Trap Re%o2ing Noise
"ni%al "ssistants
The Thief's /etch
-oison and Sedati2es
-oison "ntidotes
Ca%paigns without Nonweapon -roficiencies
Healing -roficiency and -oison
"ntidote Effects
-roducing "ntidotes
,uggingGthe Thief's (&
"r%or and "crobatic -roficiencies
"r%or and Thief S!ills
C$a!ter 4) #$e #$ie% Ca"!ai+n
Cultural Considerations
Social Ca%paign En2iron%ent
Social &2er2iew of Thie2es
Detailed and )aried N-Cs
*niCue uildings and Structures
" Well?Defined Econo%ic Syste%
.nteresting &bDects D'"rt and &ther Treasures
Well?Defined $egal Syste%
Counter?Thief Tactics
ac!ground of .nteresting Conflicts
Challenges to Thief Character Class "bilities
The Thie2es' #uild
asic Storylines for Thief Ca%paigns
The #reat "rtifact
The ,ysterious Client
Role Re2ersal
/oul etrayal
The Spy
-laying .n and Running the Thief Ca%paign
Wi8ards Wor!ing With Thie2es
$e2els of ,agic in the Thie2es' Ca%paign
,ulti? or Dual classed Thie2es
Hench%en and Hirelings of Thie2es
Dens and Hideouts
Selected Tables
5ist o% #ables
4A Nonweapon -roficiencies?Thie2es
:A Suggested egging ,odifiers
7A /ast?Tal!ing ,odifiers
=A Thie2ing S!ill, Thief (it ,odifiers
<A *rlar's S!ill "dDust%ents
HA "lDahar's E9perience Table and Spells
>?:>A Thie2es' #uild Creation Tables
:6A Silenced "r%or IElfin ChainJ Effect on S!ill
:5A #rappling Success
7;A Special /unction "rrows
74A -urchasing Thief ECuip%ent
7:A ,agical .te%s for Thie2es
77A -otions and &ils
7=A ,isc1 ,agicA Clothing and Jewelry
7<A &ther Snea!y Stuff
7HA ,agic Weapons
7>A Effects of "r%or on "crobatic -roficiencies
76A Effects of "r%or on Thief S!ills
&ntrod'tion
The world of the thief is a world of dar!ness and stealth, hidden fro% the
eyes of respectable fol!, yet often under the scrutiny of the 8ealous enforcers of the law1
.t is a world of courage and fear, of bra2ado and cowardice, of 2iolence and treachery1
0et it is also a world of color and laughter, li2ely parties and bustling %ar!ets1
The thief, %ore than any other character class, practices his arts a%ong his fellow %en
Ior halflings, or el2es, or whate2erJ1 He see!s the gatherings of population, the
confluence of wealth and a2arice, where treasures are there for the ta!ing1
To be sure, %any a thief has pro2en his worth ti%e and again in the dar!est
reaches of a forgotten dungeon, a%ong the snowy pea!s of the blea!est of wild 2istas, or
within the halls of a fortress or %ilitary ca%p1 Fuests into the wild contain as %uch
appeal for the thief as they do for other characters1 .n fact, should the prospect of treasure
appear significant enough, %any a thief will lead the way in encouraging his co%panions
to e%bar! on such a %ission1
ut when the ad2enturers return to the sheltering walls of their ho%es, where2er
these %ay be, and reDoin the population, the thief is best eCuipped to find ad2enture there1
"nd when such ad2enture is disco2ered, it is thiefly s!ills that are %ost often called into
play1
#$e Pr!ose o% t$e Complete Thief's Handbook
This boo! pro2ides infor%ation of use to players of thief characters, and to
D,s running ca%paigns including thie2es1 The e%phasis lies hea2ily upon a ca%paign
where %any -cs are thie2es, but there is no reason pro2isions in this boo! cannot be
e%ployed by groups with but a single thief a%ong the%1
None of the infor%ation here changes any e9isting "D+DK :nd Edition rule1
.nstead, the idea is to a%plify and detail those rules for players who are interested in
playing thief characters1 .ndeed, it is possible and in fact Cuite easy to play a thief
character without the infor%ation herein1
Howe2er, the player who wishes to de2elop his player character thief in a uniCue
fashion, or who see!s aid in deepening and broadening the character's personality, goals,
and %oti2ations, will find helpful suggestions and ideas in the Complete Thief's
Handbook1
ut the boo! is a guide for D,s as well1 .nfor%ation on organi8ing thie2es'
guilds, for e9a%ple, is essential to any ongoing thief ca%paign1 .f no guild is present,
consistent infor%ation on other societal sanctions needs to be deter%ined by the D,G
and the infor%ation %ust be a2ailable to players as well1
ConseCuently, no portion of this boo! is prohibited to player 2iewing, nor is any
part of it irrele2ant to the acti2ities of a good D,1
New rules and procedures only beco%e official ca%paign rules in a ca%paign
where the D, so declares1 -layers who wish to e%ploy so%e of these %aterials can
certainly as! the D, to use the%, but as always, the Dungeon ,aster has the last word1
#$e Role o% t$e #$ie%
The s!ul!ing burglar pilfering through the night is perhaps the %ost
co%%on picture of the thief1 Neither players nor Dungeon ,asters should blind
the%sel2es to other possibilities, so%e of the% %ore useful Iand socially acceptableJ than
co%%on theft1
The thief character !its introduced in Chapter 7 pro2ide a 2ariety of thief types1
These are not new character classes by any %eans, but the !its can help players define
thie2es in one of se2eral areas of specialty1 So%e of these includeA
#$e S!y, long a noble practitioner of the thiefly s!ills1 .ndeed, loc!pic!ing,
%o2ing silently, hiding in shadows, and the li!e are all s!ills of pri%e i%portance to the
Spy1
#$e S'ot can do for an ad2enturing party what s!ir%ishing troops do for
an ar%yA he is a fast, lightly ar%ored indi2idual who can utili8e stealth and speed to study
terrain and watch for a%bush1 Thief?scouts and rangers in co%bination %a!e splendid
reconnaissance bands1
&ther !its include the #robles$ooter Ithe dungeon?crawling thief67 A'robats7
8e++ars7 8onty Hnters7 S3indlers, and %any %ore1
Typical thiefly personalities are also pro2ided, allowing players to create detailed
-Cs based upon these archetypes, but also pro2iding useful pieces of i%aginati2e
roleplaying infor%ation for %any long?li2ed, high?le2el -Cs1
Chapter : describes additional nonweapon proficiencies of particular use to thief
characters1 New eCuip%ent types, both %agical and %undane, are introduced in later
chapters1 "nd a few new rules co2er areas of concern to thie2esGlethal and non?lethal
poisons, for e9a%ple, and how to deter%ine the Cuality of wor!%anship used to build a
loc! or trap1
" section on running a thief ca%paign pro2ides players, and %ost particularly
D,s, with suggestions and guidelines on ways to tailor the ca%paign toward the thief
-Cs' areas of interest and e9pertise1
Whate2er area of the boo! yields the %ost use, players and D,s ali!e who wish
to e9pand the do%ain of the thief in their ca%paign world should find %any things of
interest between these co2ers1
#$ie,es and t$e 5a3
Geraldor slipped through the alley, his black cloak masking his progress
through the filthy passage. eassuring himself that he !as not pursued, he stepped boldly
onto the Golden "ay. "ith a ner#ous gesture he smoothed his oily black hair and
attempted to stroke his !ispy mustache.
Sighing, Geraldor reali$ed that any attempt to look like a gentleman !as doomed
to failure. He hoped his guildmaster's plan !as intact.
%nd there before him !as the Highgate& Geraldor's heart pounded as he
e'amined the bra!ny men at arms, four in number, manning the post. %s the only public
route into the city's Golden (uarter)home of all the !ealthiest merchants, most
po!erful lords, and influential ambassadors in all the land)the Highgate !as usually
guarded !ell.
*ut not tonight. Geraldor recogni$ed the giant, hulking form of +orto, sergeant,
at,arms of the city !atch. %s Geraldor had e'pected)nay, hoped)+orto commanded
the detachment at the Highgate.
"ith a barely concealed nod of recognition, Geraldor stalked to the gate and
stood impatiently as +orto made a pretense of e'amining his -pass.- .n reality, this
crudely forged slip !ould fool no one !ith any capacity for comprehending script.
*ut +orto's reading ability !as not the issue tonight. .nstead, the guard's loyalty
to the guildmaster !as the force behind +orto's curt nod and his gesture ushering
Geraldor through the Highgate. Geraldor fairly skipped through the great stone arch. He
had entered the Golden (uarter&
/o! his mo#ements took on the shado!y aspect of the master thief at !ork.
Though he remained alert, he kne! that the ma0or obstacle had been passed at the gate.
The hefty bribes offered to +orto and his associates had pa#ed the !ay to riches. .t only
remained for Geraldor to haul those riches a!ay.
The !iry thief found the mansion that had been selected by the guildmaster.
1amily and ser#ants all slept, and they had no dog. .n a matter of minutes Geraldor had
collected the lady's gems. He spent se#eral more minutes seeking the strongbo', finally
disco#ering it in a small, lu'urious sitting room. He picked the lock and pulled out only
the most #aluable coinage, platinum and gold, before soundlessly slipping to!ard the
e'it.
.n the house he sa! magnificent sil#er candelabra, a huge and ob#iously
enchanted s!ord, and other !onders. %ll of these he disdained as too bulky for his
current mission. %fter all, Geraldor !as a professional&
Scarcely suppressing an urge to !histle, Geraldor sauntered back along the
Golden "ay. He !ould pass through the Highgate again and immediately disappear into
the clustered neighborhoods that cro!ded both banks of the muddy ri#er.
He sa! +orto at the guardpost and nodded casually, passing under the great
stone arch again on his !ay out of the Golden (uarter. 2nly then did he notice
something !rong3 +orto stood mute, !ith his hands shackled before him.
%t that same instant a hea#y gauntlet fell upon Geraldor's shoulder and a massi#e
arm propelled him into the stone !all of the gatehouse.
-"hat ha#e !e here4- gro!led an unfamiliar #oice. Terrified, Geraldor sa! that
it issued from beneath the shiny cap of a !atch captain.
-5,0ust going home, m,my lord&- he stammered, !riggling in a futile attempt to
break a!ay.
The captain laughed, ha#ing already found and discarded Geraldor's fake pass.
The man's glo#ed hands continued to poke through Geraldor's clothes and pouches,
retrie#ing ob0ect after ob0ect, often !ith a lo! chuckle.
-The lady %llorana's diadem, . see)perhaps she loaned it to you&- The captain
roared !ith hilarity, 0oined by the guffa!s of a full company of guardsmen that Geraldor
no! sa! in the shado!s.
Then the captain's #oice lo!ered as his hand tightened around Geraldor's throat.
-/o!, thief, you !ill find out !hat the la!s are in our to!n. %nd you !ill ha#e time to
learn them !hile you rot in gaol&-

/ro% e2en before the ti%e, thousands of years ago, when the Code of
Ha%%urabi first defined the legal syste% of a body of go2ern%ent, and e9tending to the
present day, societies ha2e created procedures for defining personal possessions1 "n
inherent part of this definition includes the penalties due those who 2iolate these
procedures1 &dd as it %ay sound, thie2es cannot e9ist without so%e !ind of legal
fra%ewor!1
"nd fro% the ti%e in any culture when personal possessions co%e into being,
there ha2e been those who see! to re%o2e the possessions of others and %a!e the% their
own1 .t is for players of characters who atte%pt this perilous e9change of wealth, and to
their Dungeon ,asters, that this to%e is intended1
&f course, so%e thie2ery occurs under the guise of authority, and as such falls
beyond the scope of this boo!1 Ta9 collectors, for e9a%ple, %ay steal fro% those who
regard such clai%s as thie2ery1 So do conCuerors1 ut these are not "D+DK thie2es1
While they %ay approach the category of bandits, their BtheftB de%ands %ore fighting
s!ill and aggression than stealth1
y far the %ore co%%on type of thie2ery, and the one that generally co%es to
%ind when discussing the character type, is the furti2e pilfering described in the incident
abo2e1 -oor #eraldor has suffered the fate !nown to %any of these wrongdoers as he is
ta!en by the long ar% of the law1 ut if that law did not e9ist, then #eraldor's tas! would
beco%e %eaningless1
This point is one that should be well re%e%bered by those who play thie2es as
well as those who run the ca%paigns1 Regardless of how chaotic the setting, a structure at
least 2aguely appro9i%ating a legal syste% is necessary before the thief can really begin
to ply his trade1
C$a!ter ()Role*Playin+ #$ie,es
Thie2es are perhaps the %ost fascinating and di2erse class of player?
characters in the "D+DK ga%eGor at least they can be, if played properly1 The thief has
a certain innate, char%ing flair, which the Player's Handbook describesA BThie2es are
people who feel that the world Iand e2eryone in itJ so%ehow owes the% a li2ing1 They
get by day by day, li2ing in the highest style they can afford and doing as little wor! as
possible 1 1 1B
This is an accurate description of %any thie2es, but not allL and there are %any
e9ceptions1 0ou will find that the characterGthat is, the personalityGof your thief
character will be 2ery i%portant, 2ital to %a!ing the thief a li2ing, breathing person1 .t
%a!es the% %ore fun to play, too1
-ersonality, then, is the topic of this chapter1 .t co%es before the chapters of
technical infor%ation on !its, new abilities and so forth, because we belie2e that when
you are designing a thief character, perhaps e2en %ore so than with other classes,
personality considerations should co%e first1 Who is this characterM Where is he fro%M
Why is he a thiefGhas he stolen bread cru%bs all his life Dust to sur2i2e, or is he an idle
fop who %oonlights as a burglar Dust for thrillsM
"fter as!ing yourself such Cuestions, and answering the%, you will then be better
able to proceed into the technical details1 0our character will e9ist in your %ind, and the
tas! will then be Dust a %atter of translating that 2ision into wor!ing ga%e ter%s1
There are three basic things to consider when putting together your thief's
bac!ground and personalityA setting, social bac!ground, and %oti2ations1
Settin+
Where is the character fro%M This will ha2e an effect on what sorts of
s!ills the thief %ay ha2e pic!ed up1 City, countryside, and wilderness are all possible
settingsL or the thief %ay ha2e been a wanderer all of his life1
City) "ny place where people gather in large nu%bers, there will be those who
li2e off the sweat and toil of others1 esides politicians, thie2es are often a%ong this
group1 " city bac!ground will open %any possibilities of speciali8ation for your thief1
ecause a city is a co%plicated web of %any people, each person tends to ha2e %ore
speciali8ed functions1 This is true for thie2es as well as nor%al, respectable citi8ens1
Note that thie2es in cities, especially those who ha2e 2ery speciali8ed s!ills and
abilities, are %ost li!ely connected with a thie2es' guildL or, if they are not, they will
surely run afoul of one sooner or later1 .f your thief hails fro% an urban center, be sure to
figure out what his relationship to the local thie2es' guild Ior, in so%e places, guildsJ is1
Contryside) " few thie2es are able to %a!e a li2ing in a single populated, rural
area1 They tend to be Cuite different fro% their city?dwelling cousinsGpic!poc!eting, for
instance, is probably not going to be practiced %uch without the shelter and anony%ity of
the urban crowds1 E9tortion, banditry, burglary, and 2arious si%ilar thefts are %ore
typical %eans of %a!ing a li2ing fro% the peasants and their rulers in the countryside1
/ences also %ay wor! the countryside, selling wares that %ay ha2e been stolen in distant
cities1
Thie2es' guilds often ha2e an acti2e hand in populated rural regions, though it is
not as fir% as in the cities1
9ilderness) Thie2es are, by definition, those who garner their li2ing fro% others,
so few are to be found %a!ing their per%anent abode in the wilderness, far fro% hu%an
settle%ent1 Those who do are usually bandits, with a stronghold set up so%ewhere secure,
fro% which they can %a!e raids on nearby settle%ents or trade routes1 .n "D+D fantasy
settings, there are also innu%erable possibilities for thie2es who sur2i2e by ta!ing
liberties in their relationships with the local non?hu%ans1
While few thie2es' guilds would clai% any wilderness as Bterritory,B thie2es fro%
these regions are typically affiliated with one or another organi8ed band of %iscreants1
These bandit groups don't ha2e the organi8ation or sophistication of the urban guilds, but
they are still for%idable, and their ri2alries %ay run as deep as any a%ong the big city
guilds1
" great %any de%ihu%an thie2es originally hail fro% a wilderness setting,
although they do not necessarily fit the BbanditB %old co%%on a%ong hu%ans1 ISee the
section on de%ihu%ans, below, for %ore infor%ation1J
9anderin+) /inally, so%e thie2es ha2e ne2er called any place Bho%e1B They
tra2el town and 2illage, city and wilderness, where2er they thin! fortune %ight grant
the% better opportunities1 Charlatans, those who %a!e their li2ing by duping others with
all sorts of fraud, are often wanderersA They will stay in one place as long as there's
%oney to be %ade, but they hope to be long gone, preying on others' gullibility, before
their sca%s are unco2ered1
So'ial 8a'k+rond
"fter you ha2e chosen a setting for your character, you should decide his
social bac!ground1 "t the start this need only be done in a general wayA select a poor Ior
un!nownJ, %iddle, wealthy or noble class bac!ground1 This bac!ground will ha2e
i%portant effects on what resources are a2ailable to the character1 "lso be sure to
consider how it relates to the thief's %oti2ation IbelowJ1
Poor:nkno3n) ,ost thie2es are fro% a poor bac!ground1 ,ost people would
Dust as well %a!e an honest li2ing, if they can1 /or so%e in the lower classes, howe2er,
there is si%ply no such opportunity, and so cri%e beco%es a %eans of sur2i2al1 The 2ast
%aDority of such cri%inals spend their li2es as petty thie2es, pic!ing poc!ets, %ugging
people foolish enough to wal! the streets at night alone, perhaps e2en planning and
e9ecuting a burglary1 These po2erty?born thie2es for% the bac!bone of %ost thie2es'
guilds1 The guild regulates their acti2ities as well as it can, and uses it as a pool, fro%
which are drawn the %ost talented and pro%ising1 ecause s!ill and cunning are the
ulti%ate deter%ining factors, %any a fa%ous thiefGwhether in estee% or power a%ong
guild co%rades, or outside of the underworldGrose fro% the %ost hu%ble beginnings1
"n Bun!nownB bac!ground usually fits in with the poorer classes1 This %eans the
character was an orphan, and does not !now his ancestryL his parents %ay ha2e been
cri%inals, %iddle?class artisans, or e2en wealthy %erchants or nobles1 Dic!ens' &li2er
Twist is a classic e9a%ple of a thief of un!nown ancestry1 /or all practical purposes, the
character is one of the poor people, li!e e2eryone with who% he grew up1 Howe2er, a
hoo! in the ca%paign %ay be the search for, or accidental disco2ery of, a character's
ancestry1
-layer characters fro% a poor bac!ground %ay, at the D,'s option, ha2e a s%aller
a%ount of starting %oney than they would otherwise Iperhaps :d= 9 4; gpJ1 .f a player
character is part of a guild, howe2er, he has probably been accepted as so%eone who
shows pro%ise, and the guild %ay pro2ide standard eCuip%ent and %oney for its
apprenticeGthe eCui2alent of the usual :dH 9 4; gp1
;iddle) " few thie2es %ay hail fro% the %iddle classes, perhaps fro% fa%ilies of
artisans and petty %erchants1 Such characters are less li!ely to be stealing for sur2i2al,
though desperate financial straits %ay bring people to see! illegal solutions, which could
tie into a whole net of cri%e1
.%agine, for instance, a loc!s%ith who needs %oney to support his ailing %other1
The landlord threatens e2iction, and so forthL in desperation, the loc!s%ith turns to the
thie2es' guild for a Cuic!, easy, high?interest loan1 "s the fa%ily gets %ore and %ore
entangled by their debts, the guild decides to accept as partial pay%ent the loc!s%ith's
daughter Iand apprenticeJ, to beco%e an apprentice thief1
ut greed is a %ore typical %oti2ation1 ,any swindlers co%e fro% the %iddle
classL they decided that there are better profits to be %ade through dishonesty than hard
wor!1
Thie2es of %iddle?class origin usually ha2e standard initial funds1
9ealt$y:Noble) Still fewer thie2es are fro% affluent fa%ilies1 This is partly
because people with a%ple funds ha2e little %oti2ation to pic! poc!etsL but e2en %ore, it
is because thie2ery is 2ery %uch socially unacceptable at this le2el1 There are e9ceptions,
of course1 Wealthy pri2ateers, raiding the trade lanes of ri2al nations for glory and
plunder, %ay enDoy a high and respected profile for a ti%e1 "nd wealthy fa%ilies of cri%e
lords are a different %atter entirely1
.n any case, a thief fro% a wealthy fa%ily is e9pected to distinguish hi%self in
so%e way or otherGfla%boyance, daring, audacity, char%Ge2en if he hides his identity
during his roguish endea2ors1 &therwise, what is the point of ris!ing life and reputationM
This Cuestion %ight be as!ed of any character, of course1 "nd so we turn to the
topic of %oti2ations1
;oti,ation
Why is the thief what he isM 0ou can as! this Cuestion e2en before you
!now specifically what his area of e9pertise or technical interest is1 " person pri%arily
%oti2ated by greed could be a troubleshooter or a cat burglar, for instance, pro2ided the
Dob pays well1
We suggest si9 basic %oti2ationsA fa%e Ior infa%yJ, greed, Dustice, loyalty,
sur2i2al, and whi%1 These are of course generali8ations, and any particular character
probably has %oti2ations %ore co%ple9 than one of these si%ple descriptions1 "lso,
characters often ha2e %ore than one %oti2ation, and different %oti2ations can apply to
different situations1
This %ay sound so con2oluted that you %ay wonder why we should e2en
approach the issue1 .t is useful to choose a basic %oti2ation, howe2er, as the basis for
role?playing1 "s you play the character, %ore %oti2ations will ariseGand old ones %ay
2anish1 .n this way a character %ay co%e to life1
" character who starts with the greed %oti2ation %ay, in the course of his
ad2entures, encounter a great deal of inDustice wrought by the rulers of the land1 He %ay
e2en trace his own selfishness to the per2erted 2alues of the rulers1 "s he organi8es his
acti2ities to oppose the rulers, then, his %oti2ation %ay subtly swing towards Dustice1 .t is
unli!ely, howe2er, that he would be so Bcon2ertedB as to lose entirely the greed that dro2e
hi% for so long1 New conflicts and role?playing opportunities %ay arise within the
character between his greed and his new?found sense of Dustice1
e sure to !eep your character's %oti2ations in %ind when you select his
align%ent1 The description below of each general %oti2ation includes a word on
appropriate, related align%ents1 Note also that as the character de2elops in play and
%oti2ation shifts, align%ent too %ay undergo change1 I/or a thorough discussion of
align%ent changes, see the "D+DK :nd Edition Player's Handbook, p1 =5, and the
6ungeon +aster's Guide, pp1 :6?:51J
The %oti2ation description %ay also include suggestions on thief !its appropriate
to this %oti2ation1 The thief !its are fully detailed in Chapter 71
<a"e:&n%a"y) The fabled char% of a thief's life attracts %any an ad2enturer in
search of glory1 .n our own real world, %any thie2es ha2e achie2ed great fa%e, and in
literature e2en %ore such figures abound1 .nfa%y surely acco%panies the career of %any
a successful thiefL for so%e it %ay e2en be their ulti%ate goal1 .f this is the case with your
character, you %ust be certain to bring it out while role?playing1 E2ery action should be
considered in ter%s of how it %ay increase the world's !nowledge of the thief's a%a8ing
e9ploits1
Greed) The si%plest and perhaps %ost stereotypical %oti2e behind the
thief's life is greed1 Co%bining greed with sloth, the thief shuns BrealB wor!, and lightens
his load by lightening others' purses1 &r, the character si%ply lo2es wealth, but is unable
to get it through acceptable channels1
Characters with greed as their pri%ary %oti2ation surely would not be of good
align%ent1 "lthough e2en good thie2es %ay ha2e a certain ele%ent of greed, it would not
be the biggest factor shaping their li2es1
=sti'e) This is a rare and peculiar %oti2ation, since thie2es are generally
considered to be anything but good1 The classic e9a%ple of the thief %oti2ated by Dustice
is Robin HoodGat least as popularly portrayed, if not in historical reality1 Such a
character %ust arise in a region or nation where inDustice rules, though it need not do so
officially1 /or instance, in one town the rulers %ay be blatantly e2il and corruptL a thief
%oti2ated by Dustice %ay de2ote hi%self to fighting those rulers1
Characters %oti2ated by Dustice will probably be of good, lawful neutral, or true
neutral align%ents1 Re%e%ber that each align%ent has its own idea of what constitutes
BDusticeBL to a true neutral thief, for instance, Dustice %eans %aintaining the balances
between good and e2il, law and chaos1
5oyalty) So%e connection in the character's past has drawn hi% onto the road of
the thief, and he follows it faithfully out of loyalty or debt to that past1 /or instance, one
character %ight ha2e been born into a fa%ily of cri%elordsL he beca%e a thief as a %atter
of fa%ily loyalty1 "nother thief %ay ha2e been an orphan, sheltered and raised by the
thie2es' guild1 E2en though his %oral sensibilities %ay lead hi% to Cuestion his
benefactors' and e2en his own beha2ior, his loyalty and gratitude for the life and
opportunity they ga2e hi% %ay Iat least for the %o%entJ outweigh his doubts1
$oyalty is %ost appropriate as the pri%ary %oti2ation of lawful characters1 The
conflicts of loyalty 2ersus %oral i%perati2es %ay lead to so%e 2ery interesting role?
playing1
Sr,i,al) ,any thie2es fro% the lower strata of society engage in theft and the
li!e for the si%ple purpose of sur2i2al1 -layer?character ad2enturers are prone to garner
%ore wealth than they need for %ere sur2i2al, so Iunless the Dungeon ,aster wor!s
diligently to !eep the% poorJ they %ight need a new %oti2ation after a few successful
ad2entures1 -robably a secondary %oti2ation Isuch as greed, or e2en DusticeJ would co%e
to the fore and beco%e pri%ary1
Thie2es who steal for sur2i2al usually don't ha2e lawful align%ents, though
lawful e2il is possible1
9$i") So%e thie2es engage in their acti2ities for the sheer thrill of it1 They can
sur2i2e I%ateriallyJ without it, they don't need or desire the %oney as such, and they are
indifferent to fa%e1 They si%ply desire to steal, to decei2e people, to pull off the %ost
i%possible heist or sca%Gthis grants the% supre%e pleasure1 Whi%?%oti2ated thie2es
range fro% the ennui?stric!en rich %an's son to the co%pulsi2e shoplifter whose desire to
steal %ay push hi% to the 2ery edge of sanity1
This %oti2ation is %ost appropriate for chaotic align%ents1
Sa"!le Ar'$ety!es
y co%bining assorted settings, social bac!grounds and %oti2ations, you
can create a worldful of distinct thie2es1 "nother way of %a!ing a character is to start
with a whole concept of what sort of thief he is, rather than building hi% fro% the
indi2idual bloc!s we described abo2e1
ut where do you get such a conceptM History, fol!lore and literature all pro2ide
colorful e9a%ples of thie2es1 /ro% these you can abstract a %odel, an archetype, on
which you base your beginning character1 $i!e the ele%ents we described abo2e, these
archetypes are rough and general1 Through effecti2e role?playing you will e9pand your
thief into a %ore detailed, interesting, and belie2able character1
elow are a nu%ber of sa%ple archetypes that you %ay ha2e encountered in
boo!s, %o2ies, and so forth1 E9perienced role?players will probably find that thie2es
they'2e played in the past are si%ilar to one of these archetypes, or are a fusion of two or
%ore1
Re%e%ber that these archetypes, li!e the bac!ground options presented abo2e,
are %eant to inspire role?playing, not to li%it it1 The personality you create should
pro2ide the basis of your character, but it would be wrong to define e2ery possible choice
beforehand1 -art of the pleasure of role?playing is seeing your characters change and
growL li!e real people, they should be full of surprises, ready to adapt and change with
new situations1
#$e Artist) This thief is searching for Bthe perfect cri%e1B He chooses Dobs for
their challenge and aesthetic pleasure, not strictly for their payoff in wealth1
" drun!en du!e who is stu%bling down an alley late at night, hea2ily laden with
Dewels and gold, would be of little interest as a target for the "rtist1 .n fact, the "rtist
would be offended if so%eone were to suggest that he perfor% such a ludicrously easy
theft, since it would be so far BbelowB the "rtist's caliber1
Howe2er, the "rtist %ight ta!e ad2antage of the situation if it %ight play into a
bigger, grander sche%e1 /or instance, he %ight play the part of a B#ood Sa%aritan,B
escorting the foolish noble to his residence, and thereby gaining the du!e's confidence1
This gi2es the "rtist special pri2ileges, not the least of which is the du!e's unCuestioning
trust1 I"fter all, how could the "rtist ha2e been a thief if he escorted the du!e safely
ho%e, rather than %ugging hi%MJ /ro% this position, then, the "rtist %ay plan a truly
e9ceptional theft, the sort that would stir up an e9traordinary a%ount of public interest,
but could go unsol2ed for decades1
The "rtist is usually found in an urban setting or, less freCuently, wandering1 His
fa%ily was surely abo2e the po2erty le2el, and probably e2en wealthyL theft for the "rtist
is chiefly a pasti%e, though it %ay ha2e also beco%e a source of li2elihood1 He is
egotistical, %oti2ated by whi% or a desire for fa%eGif not fa%e for hi%self, than for his
cri%es, since he probably will re%ain anony%ous1
Des!erado) /or so%e reason or another, this character is running fro% the lawG
or, perhaps e2en worse, the unwritten law of the underworld1 .n any case, he is ready and
willing to do whate2er is necessary, howe2er drastic, to preser2e his lifeGhe !nows all
too well how soon its end %ay be1 Delicacy and rational forethought are not the forte of
the Desperado1 This is the sort of character that, when disco2ered pic!poc!eting, %ight
!nife his target, lest his face be identified1
The Desperado character %ay be of any social bac!ground, although poor is %ost
li!ely1 His %oti2ation is si%ple sur2i2al, and he %ay be found in any setting1 0ou %ust be
certain that you !now what circu%stances ha2e led to his desperation1 Desperadoes are
often short?li2edL either whate2er's chasing the% catches up and gets the%, or IrarelyJ
they eli%inate the threat and are able to shift to a less high?strung lifestyle1 The
Desperado either dies or changes to so%ething else 1 1 1 though surely his old habits die
hard1
<olk Hero) When the syste% itself is unDust, those labeled Bcri%inalsB are
so%eti%es in fact the good guys1 The /ol! Hero will not sit idly by while tyrants rule1 He
%usters all his charis%a and roguish s!ills, and leads the fight to right wrongs and, if he
can, topple the e2il regi%e1 Robin Hood is a /ol! Hero of great fa%e1 "ccording to
legend he stole fro% the wealthy nobles and clergy, and ga2e the %oney to the poor,
o2erta9ed peasants1
Robin Hood was of noble lineage, and his band did their wor! in the countryside,
but a /ol! Hero could operate in any setting and be of any social bac!ground1 .%agine,
for instance, a thief fro% the lower classes who li2es in a city ruled by an e2il tyrant1 He
and his co%patriots de2ote the%sel2es to the freeing of %altreated sla2es and falsely
con2icted prisoners, s%uggling the% to safety beyond the e2il !ingdo%'s borders1 The
chief %oti2ation of the /ol! Hero is, of course, Dustice Ior at least so it %ust appear to the
public eyeJ1
.le!to"ania') The !lepto%aniac is a character with a co%pulsion, perhaps
entirely uncontrollable, to steal1 This co%pulsion %ight be at odds with the rest of the
character's personalityL interesting role?playing %ay arise as the character has an internal
conflict between his dri2ing desire to steal and a guilty conscience that ne2er stops telling
hi% how wrong and e2il his actions are1 This character %ay be of any bac!ground and
setting1 His %oti2ation %ight be classified I2ery looselyJ as whi%, since it lac!s a
rational reason1
;obster) This character was literally raised in cri%e1 -erhaps he hails fro% a
fa%ily of elite cri%inals, leaders of organi8ed cri%e1 &2er the years they ha2e de2eloped
their own codes of beha2ior and a twisted sense of honor1 " %obster is found in the city,
and %ay be of any bac!ground1 ICri%e fa%ilies %ay ha2e considerable wealth, but if
their illegal acti2ities are well !nown, or at least the topic for co%%on ru%ors, they %ay
ha2e considerably lower estee% in the eyes of good citi8ens than those of co%parable yet
honestly?earned wealth1J His pri%ary %oti2ation is usually greed or loyalty, and his
align%ent is %ost often lawful neutral or lawful e2il1 Characters of this sort often %a!e
up the bac!bone of the %ore powerful thie2es' guilds1
#$e Pro%essional) Thie2ery is si%ply a Dob for this character1 He is often aloof
fro% other, BlesserB thie2esA He has little tolerance for fla%boyant fools, li!e the "rtist
and Tric!sterL Desperadoes and (lepto%aniacs, desperate and obsessed, are sloppy and
crude in co%parison to his refined talents and balanced te%pera%entL /ol! Heroes are
Dust silly1 The )igilante is a dangerous foe for the -rofessional, in part because he is
inco%prehensible to hi%1 The ,obster would see% to be the -rofessional's !indred spirit,
but they are too tightly bound Iin the -rofessional's opinionJ by honor and fa%ily loyalty
and such trash1 The -rofessional is bound to no absolute codes, e9cept perhaps a contract
and a clean, efficient theft1 He has honor and honesty inas%uch as it is necessary to
%aintain his reputation for dependability1
The -rofessional's %oti2ation is hard to pinpoint1 Clearly it is neither Dustice nor
loyaltyL and he !nows that greed, whi% and the lust for fa%e can cloud Dudge%ent and
lead to fatal sloppiness1 -erhaps then Bsur2i2alB would be the best description of the
-rofessional's %oti2eL though any -rofessional worth his salt does better than %erely
sur2i2e1 &f all the archetypes, he is perhaps %ost li!ely to ha2e a businessli!e, %iddle?
class bac!ground, though any of the others is possible1 The -rofessional is usually based
in a city, or wanders, and his ser2ices are usually for hire1 He %ay be associated with a
guild, but would prefer to be as independent as possibleGother people's in2ol2e%ent in
his wor! is %ore often hindrance than help1
Street Ur'$in:Vi'ti" o% Cir'"stan'es) This thief grew up in an i%po2erished,
harsh en2iron%ent1 There he learned that if you need so%ething you ha2e to ta!e it,
because no one will gi2e it to you1 -eople %ay tell hi% that stealing is wrong, but he
cannot belie2e itGto hi%, stealing has always %eant sur2i2al1 He long ago lost any sense
of regret for his actions1 He was dri2en to a life of cri%e so long ago that it see%s to hi%
the only life possible1
This character in2ariably !nows his setting Itypically a cityJ inside and out, and
probably has %any useful connections1 His social bac!ground is always lower class or
un!nown1 Street *rchins that continue the thief's life %ay de2elop into a different
archetype as they grow olderL the -rofessional, for instance, %ay blosso% fro% such a
solitary young thief1
#ri'kster) This is a thrillsee!er, a character who delights in pulling off the %ost
outrageous and a%a8ing sca%s1 Deception and pran!s are his food and drin!L flirting with
danger grants hi% an inco%parable thrill1 Thie2es, such as Reynard the /o9, are often
portrayed this way in fairy and fol! tales1
.n role?playing, you %ay wish to %a!e a Tric!ster thief %ore co%plicated1 Why
does he see% so light and fri2olousM Does he hide so%ething beneath it allM .s he in fact
dri2en, obsessed with pro2ing hi%self the %ost cle2er of allM Such a character could e2en
beco%e dangerous to those around hi% if his insecurities were brought out and played
upon1 What if people are i%pressed by his anticsM What if they %anage to outwit his
pran!s, or don't find the% a%usingM Does he need attention, or is the thrill alone enough
to satisfy hi%M ,ight the tric!ster be cowed into Cuiet hu%ility, or pushed into rage or
frustrationM
Vi+ilante) The )igilante is a loner, a curious sort of thief whose life is
preoccupied with defeating the sche%es of cri%inals1 He finds the law too restricti2e, or
unenforced, and so he goes outside it to bring about his 2ision of Dustice1 .ronically, the
)igilante trains hi%self in the 2ery s!ills of the thie2es he opposesL he co%es to !now
their ways and their %inds as though he were one of the%1
Though he fights on the side of law, the law does not often appreciate the
)igilante1 He is unsuper2ised, unpredictableGand therefore dangerous1 This is especially
true in the case of locales where the leadership is a bit on the shady side itself, perhaps
riddled with bribery, graft, connections with cri%e, and other such corruption1 The
)igilante leads a dangerous life, for he can ha2e %any powerful ene%ies1
&n the other hand, the )igilante %ay attain a re2ered status si%ilar to that of a
/ol! Hero, if his successes beco%e popular !nowledge1 -opularity %ight do little to ward
off a powerful thie2es' guild, but it can cow the %ore fearful of public officials into tacit
appro2al of his e9tralegal e9ploits1
" )igilante will, of course, not be part of a thie2es' guildGthat is his antithesis1
He %ay, howe2er, be part of so%e secret society de2oted to Dustice1 Such a society %ay
consist entirely of )igilante?type thie2es, or it could include ad2enturers of %any di2erse
classes1
The )igilante %ay be of any social bac!ground1 He %ight wor! in any setting,
but the city is %ost co%%on1 His pri%ary %oti2ation is usually Dustice, but one could
i%agine it being fa%e, loyalty Iperhaps to co%rades or relati2es !illed or ruined by
cri%inalsJ, or possibly e2en whi%1
So%e co%ic boo!s do a great Dob of illustrating the co%ple9 psychologies found
in characters of the )igilante archetype1 They %a!e e9cellent inspirational reading1
De"i$"ans
"nother factor to consider when you create the personality of your thief is
race1 Thie2es are one of the two "D+DK ga%e classes that are open to any race Ithe
other is fighterJ, so there's a great deal of racial di2ersity a%ong the ran!s1
Hu%ans are assu%ed to be the nor% throughout this boo!, but we'll include the
occasional note when special conditions or rules apply to nonhu%an thie2es1
elow, for instance, we ha2e so%e obser2ations on the beha2ior of thie2es of the
2arious de%ihu%an races1 These suggestions are %ere guidelines, generali8ationsL it is by
no %eans reCuired that -C thie2es should confor% to these %odels1 -Cs are e9ceptional
in %any ways, after all, not the least of which is personality1 These predispositions, as
you %ight call the%, %ay nonetheless be useful as a starting point for conceptuali8ing
your de%ihu%an thief1
Reference is %ade below to the types of Bthief !itsB that the 2arious races are
li!ely to ta!eL thief !its are fully e9plained in Chapter 7, starting on p1 ::1
D3ar%
,any dwar2en thie2es are not stealers, as suchL but rather e9perts in
%echanical things, such as loc!s, traps and so on, that are used to thwart thie2es1 The
dwar2en thief, then, is often an installer of such ite%s, or an ad2isor on security %atters1
"nd, naturally, !nowledge of how to put so%ething together is also useful for ta!ing it
apart 1 1 1
The !it %ost fa2ored by dwar2en thie2es is, naturally, the troubleshooter1 Here he
can %a!e use of his !nowledge and s!ills without engaging in the dishonorable acti2ity
of genuine theft1 .f you want to chec! how secure your Dewels actually are, or whether
your prison is in fact inescapable, a dwar2en troubleshooter is probably the best way to
find out1
ounty hunters also are found in the ran!s of dwar2en thie2es1 They %ay ser2e
the !ings under the %ountains, bringing bac! scoundrels and cri%inals who ha2e
so%ehow escaped dwar2en DusticeGand such characters are the only bounty hunters
per%itted to be of lawful align%ent1 &ther dwar2en bounty hunters speciali8e as
repossessors1 They use the full range of thie2es' s!ills to reco2er stolen ite%sL and they
are careful to ta!e nothing else, thereby !eeping their honor and reputation i%peccable1
.t %ay be dangerous to call either of these sorts of dwar2es a thiefGa gra2e insult
in dwar2en culture, in which tradition absolutely prohibits one dwarf fro% stealing fro%
another1 Theft within a dwar2en co%%unity is punishable by banish%ent at the 2ery least,
and so%eti%es death1
The prohibition does not e9tend to stealing fro% other races, howe2er Iespecially
goblinsJ, but stealing is still less than honorable and a !nown thief is usually 2iewed with
caution and suspicion by his neighbors1
Dwar2en thie2es li2ing outside the dwar2en world either beca%e tired of that
suspicion, or were e9pelled fro% their ho%es for theft or another transgression1 They still
tend to retain a great deal of honor and the professional attitude characteristic of their
raceL a for%er cri%inal %ay e2en ha2e learned fro% his cri%es and youthful e9cesses,
and could be a 2ery reliable co%panion1 " 2ery dangerous few, howe2er, ha2e abandoned
their racial legacy, and beco%e treacherous and unpredictable1
"ny dwarf found in a thie2es' guild can be assu%ed to be an outcast fro%
dwar2en society1
El%
El2en thie2es are so%eti%es characteri8ed as ea2esdroppers or spies1
El2en culture has shown relati2ely little interest in personal, %aterial propertyL with their
incredibly long lifespans, they are %ore aware than %ost of the transitory nature of
things1
ut while %aterial things co%e and go, !nowledge is eternal, and it is what the
el2en thief co2ets abo2e all1 With their higher chances for finding secret doors, and
superior senses in general, el2es are e9cellent at gathering infor%ation1 &f the 2arious
thief !its, they are %ost li!ely to beco%e spies1 "n elf raised in a larger hu%an
co%%unity %ight be inclined to ta!e the in2estigator !it, but this is a rare situation1 The
ad2enturer !it is also popular, especially for the el2en thief who wishes to tra2erse the
world in search of e9otic !nowledge1 INote that %ulti?class thie2es cannot ta!e a !it,
howe2er1J
El2es are careful with preparationsL they can ha2e patience that a%a8es other
races1 They li!e to do research before a %ission is underta!en, whether it be a relati2ely
si%ple burglary or a di2e into a deep dungeon to trac! so%e precious artifact1
ecause of their heritage, el2es are %ore li!ely than other thie2es to recogni8e the
2alue of archaic or obscure ite%s, such as boo!s and artwor!1 I.f you are using the
nonweapon proficiency syste%, you %ight let an elf chec! infor%ation gathering or a
si%ilar proficiency to identify or esti%ate the 2alue of such an obDect1J "n elf is also %ore
li!ely to !now where to fence the ite%Galthough he would probably want to !eep it for
hi%self1
When el2es do desire %aterial goods, they are sure to be beautiful and inno2ati2e
ones1 El2es ta!e a special interest in ite%s that are long?lasting and of intellectual 2alue
Iart, rare boo!s, etc1J1
Though enthralled by !nowledge, el2es are not o2erly secreti2e1 They find
infor%ation e9citing, and %ay delight in sharing it with their friends1
/inally, el2es are dependable1 0ou can usually e9pect an elf to beha2e as a
professional Ithough he %ight not be recogni8ed as suchJ or a reliable guilds%an Ithough
el2es prefer to be independent of such organi8ationsJ1
Gno"e
B-ran!sterB and Bthrillsee!erB are words that best describe the gno%ish
thief1 He ta!es delight in stealing, not out of greed but because it is li!e an e9citing ga%e
Ga trial of pu88les and challenges, with a 2aluable pri8e if you succeed1 Thie2ery is
recreation rather than a professionGbut the reader !nows well how de2oted and in2ol2ed
people can beco%e with their ga%es and recreationN
#no%es are fond of burglary, though wall?cli%bing is difficult on account of their
s%all stature1 They %ay be infallible Bbo9?%enB Ie9perts at loc!?opening and trap?
disar%a%entJ, ha2ing technical e9pertise co%parable to dwar2es', but being %ore willing
to put it to larcenous use1
So%e ha2e co%pared gno%ish thie2es to pac! ratsA Show one so%ething shiny
and interesting, and he'll li!ely be so o2erco%e by curiosity that he'll drop e2erything in
eagerness to disco2er a way to put the obDect of interest in his own little paws1
ul!y treasures, such as coins or aw!ward ite%s that %ust be fenced, are a2oided
by gno%es1 They are collectors, hobbyists who li!e to ad%ire their trophiesA ge%s,
Dewelry and Iperhaps fa2orite of allJ fascinating %agical de2ices1
"lso, gno%es lo2e to put their %agic ite%s to cle2er use1 They delight %ore than
any other race in practical Do!es1 They %ay %a!e the%sel2es a nuisance to fellow
ad2enturers and thie2ing partnersL but, though e%barrassing or a%using, such pran!s are
har%less1 "nd at heart, a gno%e, well?treated, is a %ost loyal and reliable ad2enturing
co%panion1
Hal%*el%
Half?el2es li2e between two worldsGand perhaps this gi2es the% a
special affinity for thie2ery, ta!ing the best that both ha2e to offer1
So%e half?el2es fa2or the world of one parent or the other, if raised and accepted
by that parent's society1 ut %any %ore are wanderers, ne2er Cuite feeling at ho%e or
accepted in either society1
y seeing and understanding two di2erse cultural 2iewpoints, half?el2es are
acutely aware of peoples' differences in point of 2iewGand how to capitali8e on those
differences1 This helps de2elop a well?honed ability to shade the truth and, co%bined
with the el2en affinity for !nowledge, %a!es half?el2es e9cellent swindlers1 Targets are
so%eti%es further i%pressed by a half?elf's e9otic appearance Ipointed ears, lithe build,
and so forthJ1
.t is 2ery easy, for instance, for a half?elf to enter a new town, find a li!ely target,
disco2er what that person needs or desires, and then appear at the target's doorstep with a
fa!e for sale1 " half?elf swindler will %il! a town or area for howe2er %uch it's worth,
and %o2e on when things get a little too hot1 etween towns he %ay lin! up with
ad2enturers for protection Iand perhaps con them, tooJ, but e2entually he'll %o2e on
when he has found new territory1
,any half?el2es are loners and wanderers, which is not conduci2e to guild
affiliation1 The ties of a half?elf thief to a guild are loose, at best, unless the character has
been raised in the guild structure and well?indoctrinated into its %entality1
Hal%lin+
So%eti%es portrayed as consu%%ate burglars, halfling thie2es are really
%oti2ated by curiosity1 The a2erage halfling is content to lead a si%ple, safe, co%fortable
life1 ut the thief longs to see and e9perience the world beyond the hills and burrows of
his ho%e shire1
B"d2enturerB is probably still too strong a word, for e2en halfling thie2es ha2e
their race's characteristic shy caution, plus a healthy disli!e for danger, disco%fort, and
uncertainty1 Halflings %a!e careful preparations whene2er possible, and use their s!ills
of self?conceal%ent liberally1 Careful scouting is always a %ust, and frontal assaults
Iwhether in co%bat or robberyJ anathe%a1
,any halflings ha2e re%ar!ably little interest in %oney, which can be
burdenso%e Iespecially for a s%all personJ1 They'll ta!e a good a%ount of loot, certainly
Gat least enough for a pleasant period of ease and co%fort before wor! is %ade
%andatoryGbut they are hardly %oti2ated by greed1
&f great pu88le%ent to sages is the CuestionA Where do halflings get their
e9traordinary talent for thie2es' s!illsM There is precious little loc!s%ithing or %etalwor!
found in their culture, and thie2ery a%ongst the halflings the%sel2es is 2irtually unheard
ofGyet the halfling thief has an a%a8ing !nac! for al%ost all thie2es' s!ills1
Coupling this !nac! and the attitudes Dust described, plus a fierce loyalty for their
friends, the halfling thief is understandably in high de%and for ad2enturing e9peditions1
Ot$er Non$"an Ra'es
"s the 6ungeon +aster's Guide %entions Ip1 4<J, it is possible to design
new character races for your ca%paign1 So%e of these characters li!ely will end up
Doining the thief class1
The races %ost co%%only adapted for characters are hu%anoidGogres, orcs, and
half?breeds of those racesL goblins, !obolds, and possibly e2en hobgoblins or bugbears1
"s thie2es, these characters fa2or the !its of highway%en Ithat is, banditsJ and thugsG
they prefer ar%ed robbery, where no great deal of finesse, delicacy, or de9terity is
reCuired1
De"i$"ans7 Cities and Gilds
The entries abo2e describe de%ihu%ans who were raised a%ong their own
!ind, and ha2e pic!ed up %ost of their race's cultural trappings1 So%e de%ihu%ans,
howe2er, are found in other settings, such as hu%an cities1 ,ost such de%ihu%ans still
originally li2ed a%ong their own people, but so%e ca%paigns %ay include second? or
e2en third?generation displaced de%ihu%ans1 This particularly happens in large cities,
where there %ay be ghettoes of de%ihu%ans, or where thie2es' guilds ha2e purposely
raised de%ihu%ans in their %idst to ta!e ad2antage of their races' special abilities and
benefits, while suppressing natural and cultural inclinations Idwar2en honor, halfling
peacefulness, half?el2en wanderlust, and so onJ1
#hetto?born de%ihu%ans undoubtedly still e9hibit so%e sta%p of their
Bho%eland,B but the tendencies are wea!er1 .n fact, a guild?raised de%ihu%an's
personality %ight hardly be recogni8ed for what it is, if the conditioning was done well1
IThere could e2en be such oddities as a claustrophobic dwarf or a repressed elf1J
.nteresting role?playing could arise fro% an alienated, city?born de%ihu%an thief
brea!ing away fro% the guild that was the only parent he !new, and trying to find hi%self
in the unfa%iliar lands of his ancestors1
Code o% t$e Pro%essional
6o you think that a city, an army, or bandits, or thie#es, or any other
group that attempted any action in common, could accomplish anything if they !ronged
one another4
,,Plato's epublic, *ook .
&ne of the things that distinguishes a BprofessionalB thief fro% the %ore
co%%on, 2ulgar 2ariety is his understanding, li!e -lato's, of the delicate balance of
Dustice that e2en thie2es %ust %aintain a%ong the%sel2es to be successful1
,any thie2es wish to be regarded as professionals1 .t is a pri2ileged
status, indicating success and the respect of the underworld1 .t can be an asset for
business, bringing %ore and %ore lucrati2e Dobs1 E2en in places not clai%ed as territory
by guilds, there are circles of professional thie2es, for% the elite of the underworld1
The %ost basic Cualification of a professional is that he is recogni8ed as
such by other professionals1 This recognition is not easy to gain1 " thief %ust build a
reputation for e9cellence, reliability, and honor a%ong his business partners1
" would?be professional also needs to hang out in the Bright spotsB,
ta2erns and such establish%ents, particular places where the professional cliCue gathers1
There they rela9, share infor%ation, and %a!e contacts and arrange%ents for professional
cooperation with other thie2es1
"ttitude is the first ele%ent to be adopted by the aspiring professional1
The professional attitude says thie2ing is a business, and should be conducted as neither
%ore nor less than one1 The professional is not conte%ptuous of his 2icti%sL they si%ply
failed to protect their property adeCuately, and suffered the econo%ic conseCuences1
-rofessionals de2elop an unwritten code of conduct, guidelines for
beha2ior1 .ts e9act contents 2ary fro% place to placeL the only uni2ersal rule see%s to be
the prohibition of BsCuealing1B " typical BcodeB is as follows, with its ele%ents listed in
order of i%portanceA
41 " professional thief does not BsCuealBA .f captures by authorities in the
course or as a conseCuence of a Dob, he %ust not re2eal the identities of his partners,
fences, infor%ants, or other professional contacts1
:1 " professional thief will honestly report how %uch %oney or 2aluables
are ta!en in a DobL he will not BburnB his partners1
71 " %ob of professional thie2es will share their score eCually a%ong
the%sel2es, or according to the contribution of each to the Dob, arranged and agreed upon
beforehand1
=1 " professional thief will share so%e of his earnings with other
professional thie2es who ha2e been incarcerated Ito help pay fines, bribe officials, etc1J1
<1 .f a professional thief has 2aluable infor%ation Ie1g1, attracti2e targets,
location of traps, and the acti2ities of the town watchJ, he will share it with other
professionals1
H1 -rofessional thie2es will help one another, e2en in spite of personal
differences or en%ity between the%1
"s stated abo2e, not all of these rules are recogni8ed in each circle of
professional thie2esL but so%e sense of honor is 2ital to the attitude and beha2ior that
%ar! a professional and gain hi% the recognition as a Bgood burglar1B The penalty for
brea!ing the professional code can be at least as se2ere as brea!ing the law1 " few
transgression %ay be o2erloo!ed by the cri%inal co%%unity, but a pattern of consistent
disregard for the code will cause a character's reputation to deteriorate1 &ther thiees will
not in2ite the character to be a partner in DobsL silence and cold stares will greet hi% at his
fa2orite social establish%entsL and fences %ay e2en refuse to purchase the goods he
acCuires1 He also runs the ris! of for%er associates sCuealing on hi%1
.n the worst situationGsay, a thief burns his partners, sCueals on the%,
and then s!ips town for so%e foreign portGthe offending thief could not only be e9pect
his professional reputation to be ruined, but he had better !eep an eye o2er his shoulder,
watching for assassins and bounty hunters hired by his for%er associates, or by their
friends or fa%ilies1
&n the other hand, there are considerable benefits for the thief who
adheres to the code1 He will gain the respect and trust of his associates1 He is not
i%%une fro% dishonorable thie2es, who %ay try to burn hi% or sCueal on hi%L but he
will ha2e the support and appro2al of others in e9acting re2enge on those who wrong
hi%1 "lso, if he is captured and i%prisoned by authorities, he can e9pect the pri2ilege of
the fi9L the guild contacts Ior less for%al contactsJ %ay arrange his release through bribes
or fa2ors1 E2en if the professional does not ha2e access to the %oney needed, other
thie2es, !nowing that he'd do the sa%e for the%, will pitch in until the necessary a%ount
has been gathered1

C$a!ter 2) Pro%i'ien'ies
The use of nonweapon proficiencies in your ca%paign is highly
reco%%ended, especially if you are going to %a!e use of the thief !its that we present in
this boo!1 -roficiencies are the best way to Cuantify the 2arious talents that distinguish
one thief !it fro% another1
This chapter is entirely de2oted to nonweapon proficiencies1 .t includes a
reference table with a co%plete list of proficiencies a2ailable to thie2es, including se2eral
that are new1 The new proficiencies are described below1
#able () NON9EAPON PRO<&C&ENC&ES>#H&EVES
GENERA5 #H&E< NE9 #H&E<
-R&/.C.ENC.ESO -R&/.C.ENC.ESO -R&/.C.ENC.ESOO
"griculture "ncient History "lertnessOOO
"ni%al Handling "ppraising "ni%al Noise
"ni%al Traininglind?fighting "strology
"rtistic "bility Disguise egging
lac!s%ithing /orgery oatingOOO
rewing #a%ing Endurance
Carpentry #e% Cutting /ast?tal!ing
CobblingJuggling /ortune Telling
Coo!ing Ju%ping Herbalis%
Dancing $ocal History Hunting
Direction Sense ,usical .nstru%ent .nfor%ation #athering
EtiCuette Reading $ips .nti%idation
/ire?building Set Snares $oc!s%ithing
/ishing Tightrope Wal!ing $ooting
Heraldry Tu%bling Na2igation
$anguages, ,odern )entriloCuis% &bser2ationOOO
$eatherwor!ing Reading@Writing
,ining Religion
-ottery Sur2i2al
Riding, "irborne Trac!ing
Riding, $and?based Trailing
Rope *se )oice ,i%icry
Sea%anship
Sea%stress@Tailor
Singing
Stone%asonry
Swi%%ing
Weather Sense
Wea2ing
O -roficiencies listed in this colu%n are fully described in the "D+DK :nd
Edition Player's Handbook, pp1 <H?H<1

OO These new proficiencies for thie2es are described in the te9t of this chapter1

OOO .f the D, so wishes, these %ay be considered general proficiencies, a2ailable
to characters of any class without additional nonweapon proficiency slot cost1
Ne3 Pro%i'ien'ies
Each description below starts with the following infor%ationA the na%e of
the proficiency, the nu%ber of slots reCuired for its selection, the rele2ant character
statistic Ie1g1, .ntelligenceJ, the chec! %odifier for using the proficiency, and the thief
!itIsJ for which this proficiency is appropriate Ii1e1, reCuired or reco%%endedJ1
Thie2es of any !it %ay choose any of these new proficiencies1 Howe2er, if
the !it is not listed as appropriate in the proficiency's description, then an additional
proficiency slot beyond the nu%ber listed is reCuired, Dust as if the proficiency were
restricted to another class Icf1 Player's Handbook, p1 <=J1 This is why a BP of slots
reCuiredB is always listed, e2en though a gi2en proficiency %ay not cost any slots to
thie2es who ta!e certain !its1
Alertness
4 slot, Wisdo%, Q4 %odifier1
e7uired3 urglar1
ecommended3 "ll1
" character with this proficiency is able to instincti2ely notice and
recogni8e signs of a disturbance in the i%%ediate 2icinity, reducing by 4 in H the
character's chance of being surprised whene2er he %a!es a successful proficiency chec!1
Ani"al Noise
4 slot, Wisdo%, ?4 %odifier1
ecommended3 andit, ounty Hunter, S%uggler1
" character with this proficiency is capable of i%itating noises %ade by
2arious ani%als1 " successful proficiency chec! %eans that only %agic can distinguish
the noise fro% that of the actual ani%al being i%itated1 " failed die roll %eans that the
sound 2aries fro% the correct noise in so%e slight way1
.f the die roll fails, this does not %ean that all creatures hearing the noise !now
that the sound is fa!e1 While creatures and hu%anoids that are 2ery fa%iliar with the
noise !now this auto%atically, other creatures or characters in earshot %ay reCuire
Wisdo% chec!s to deter%ine if they detect the fa!e1
andits and S%ugglers often use this ability for co%%unication on the Dob, al%ost
as a 2ariant dialect of thie2es' cant1
8e++in+
4 slot, Charis%a, special %odifiers1
e7uired3 eggar1
ecommended3 "ssassin, ounty Hunter, urglar, Cutpurse, Spy1
This proficiency ser2es two functions1 /irst, it allows the character to pose
con2incingly as a beggarL success is auto%atic, so no proficiency chec! needs to be
%ade1 This function is used %ost by "ssassins, ounty Hunters and Spies in the pursuit
of their assign%ents1
" character can also use begging to procure a 2ery %ini%al daily inco%e1 I,any
Cutpurses are in fact beggars who aren't getting enoughGand 2ice 2ersa1J Success
reCuires first that there be people to beg fro%Gpeople with %oney to gi2e1 " character in
an abandoned castle or a recently pillaged 2illage are 2irtually assured of failure1
The following %odifiers are suggested to the D, as guidelines1 They do not
consider the wealth of a locale, Dust the population density1 .%po2erished regions %ight
ha2e greater negati2e %odifiersGbut then, so %ight affluent areas with traditions of
stinginess1
#able 2) SUGGES#ED 8EGG&NG ;OD&<&ERS
5o'ale ;odi%ier
*ninhabited@
Wilderness "uto%atic /ailure
Countryside ?>
Ha%let, )illage ?<
Town ?:
City ;
.f a proficiency chec! is successful, then a character is able to panhandle
enough %oney, goods or ser2ices that day to %eet his basic needs Ia little food and drin!,
a place to sleepJ1
The D, %ay also use the proficiency chec! for specific single actionsGe1g1, a
character in disguise as a beggar accosts a specific N-C1
The begging proficiency %ay not be used to force player characters to gi2e %oney
awayL players are always free to decide if and how generous their characters are in
response to supplications1
oating
4 slot, Wisdo%, Q4 %odifier1
ecommended3 "d2enturer, ounty Hunter, S%uggler1
" character with boating proficiency is needed to guide a boat down a
rapid strea% or to reduce the dangers of capsi8ing a canoe or !aya!1 .n addition, a
character with boating proficiency can insure that a boat is propelled at its %a9i%u%
speed1
Note that this proficiency is distinct fro% Na2igation and Sea%anship, which
apply to ships on oceans, seas, or at least large la!es, rather than s%all craft on s%aller
la!es and ri2ers1
Endurance
: slots, Constitution, ; %odifier1
ecommended3 Thug1
This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to warriors1 .ts description is on p1
<6 of the Player's Handbook1
/ast?Tal!ing
4 slot, Charis%a, special %odifier1
e7uired3 Swindler1
ecommended3 "crobat, "d2enturer, /ence, .n2estigator, S%uggler, Troubleshooter1
/ast?tal! is the art of distraction and conning1 .f a successful proficiency
chec! is %ade, the fast?tal!er is able to get away with whate2er sca% he is atte%pting1
,odifiers are based on the .ntelligence and Wisdo% of the target, as shown on Table 71
The D, %ay also introduce %odifiers according to the difficulty or plausibility of what
the character is atte%pting1
Table 7A /"ST?T"$(.N# ,&D./.ERS
Target's Target's
.ntel1 ,odifier Wisdo% ,odifier
7 or less n@a 7 ?<
=?< ?7 =?< ?7
H?6 ?4 H?6 ?4
5?4: ; 5?4: ;
47?4< Q4 47?4< Q4
4H?4> Q: 4H?4> Q7
46 Q7 46 Q<
45 Q< 45Q n@a
:; n@a
,odifiers are cu%ulati2e1 Targets of .ntelligence 7 or less are so di% that atte%pts
to fast?tal! the% fail auto%atically because they can't follow what's being said1 ICreatures
that are so stupid are easy to fool in other ways, howe2er1J Targets with .ntelligence of :;
or %ore or Wisdo% of 45 or %ore are i%per2ious to fast?tal!ing1
8'ample3 Julina the Silent, spy e9traordinaire, is disco2ered by guards as she
snea!s around the e%peror's palace1 She Cuic!ly decides to fast?tal! the% into belie2ing
that she is the %istress of the Steward of the palace and she Dust got lost in the
labyrinthine halls1 *n!nown to Julina, the Steward is an elderly, faithfully and happily?
%arried gentle%anL and it is possible that the guards !now of this reputation1 The D,
assu%es the guards to ha2e a2erage .ntelligence and Wisdo% Ino %odifierJ, but he adds a
?7 %odifier because Julina's story contradicts the Steward's reputation1 " 4d:; roll of > is
less than 4; IJulina's Charis%a of 47, with the ?7 %odifierJ, so she succeeds1 The guards
buy her story, and suggest that she go where she belongs i%%ediately1 .f she failed they
would call her bluffGand perhaps escort her straight to the door of the Steward and his
wifeN
/ortune Telling
: slots, Charis%a, Q: %odifier Isee belowJ1
ecommended3 Swindler1
This nonweapon proficiency co2ers !nowledge of a 2ariety of %ethods of
di2inationGall of the% fa!e1 The thief with /ortune Telling is fa%iliar with nu%erous
de2ices and %ethods, such as tarot cards, pal% reading, interpreting the flight of sparrows
or the arrange%ent of a sacrificed ani%al's entrails, and so forthGor at least the thief is
fa%iliar enough with these practices to %a!e it appear that he's an authentic soothsayer1
I.f fortune telling can %a!e accurate predictions in the D,'s ca%paign, this proficiency
does not necessarily enable the thief to do soL it confers no %agical powers1J The thief
%a!es up the prediction he wishes to tell1
" successful proficiency chec! indicates that the thief's custo%er or client
belie2es the fortune he was told to be authentic1 .f the chec! fails, the sha% is disco2ered
in so%e way, or the prediction is si%ply not belie2ed1 .f the D, wishes, the sa%e
%odifiers described for fast?tal!ing Iabo2eJ %ay be used, based on the .ntelligence and
Wisdo% of the subDect and the belie2ability of the fortune predicted1
2ptional ule3 .f a natural 4 Ior another nu%ber secretly chosen by the Dungeon
,aster before the die is rolledJ co%es up, the e2ent that the thief predicted actually
co%es trueN
Herbalis%
: slots, .ntelligence, ?: %odifier1
ecommended3 "ssassin, ounty Hunter1
" !nowledge of herbs, particularly those with poisonous Cualities, is of
2alue to "ssassins and ounty Hunters1 "nd Scouts often learn the types and properties
of plants in their wilderness Dourneys1 This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to priests
and wi8ards1 .ts description is on p1 <5 of the Player's Handbook1 See also p1 :H of this
boo! for infor%ation on the use of this proficiency with the assassin thief !it1
Hunting
4 slot, Wisdo%, ?4 %odifier1
ecommended3 ounty Hunter1
This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to warriors1 .ts description is on p1
<5 of the Player's Handbook.
.nfor%ation #athering
4 slot, .ntelligence, special %odifiers1
e7uired3 eggar, /ence, .n2estigator, Spy1
ecommended3 "d2enturer, "ssassin, ounty Hunter, urglar, Cutpurse, S%uggler,
Swindler, Troubleshooter1
This proficiency represents the ability to gather infor%ation fro% the
underworld, %ost co%%only about roguish BDobsB and characters1 " character with this
proficiency, in appropriate circu%stances, will be aware of any %aDor ru%ors circulating
a%ong the lowlife of an areaL and with a successful proficiency chec!, specific
infor%ation about a person or place can be gathered1 IThe D, %ust decide how specific
the infor%ation is1J
The following %odifiers %ay adDust the proficiency chec!A
Characters' reaction adDust%ents Ibased on Charis%aJ should benefit or penali8e
the roll, assu%ing contact with people is in2ol2ed in the search1
Thie2es' guild %e%bers recei2e a bonus of Q:, because they are assu%ed to ha2e
%ore and better?infor%ed contacts than freelancers1 "lso, their BterritoryB IbelowJ is
considered to be that of the guild, not Dust their own area of operation1
Since this proficiency depends on a networ! of infor%ants and contacts, the thief
will be at a disad2antage trying to use it in an area other than his own territory1
BTerritoryB refers to his regular base of operationsGa town, one neighborhood of a city,
or e2en a whole pro2ince or countryside1 &utside this territory the thief does not hear
ru%ors auto%atically Ia nor%al proficiency roll is reCuiredJ, and gathering specific
infor%ation suffers a penalty of at least ?71 The D, %ay %a!e it greater in truly foreign
areas Ie1g1, a thief of Waterdeep trying to gather infor%ation in Cali%shanJ, due to great
differences in language, culture or race1
/inally, any ti%e a proficiency chec! is reCuired for infor%ation gathering, a
s%all in2est%ent of %oney for drin!s, bribes, and so forth %ust be %ade, or an additional
penalty of ?7 is i%posed1 " total of 4d4; gp is typical, and it is lost whether or not the
desired infor%ation is found1 I.f the infor%ation is still un!nown, the character can
continue his search the ne9t day, spending %ore %oney and %a!ing another proficiency
chec!1J The D, is free to increase the cost of using this proficiency if it suits the
ca%paign1
8'amples3
41 *rlar is hanging around the local ta2ern in his neighborhood when he hears
ru%ors of a dragon to the north, recently slain as it raided a 2illage1 The dragon's ca2e
and treasures are as yet undisco2ered1 ut so%e bragging ad2enturers are said to ha2e
found a %ap to the%1 *rlar's contacts pro2ide this infor%ation to hi% auto%atically,
while another -C would need to approach people, tal! with the%, and probably buy the%
se2eral drin!s in order to learn of the %ap and treasure1
:1 His greed spar!ed, *rlar wants to !now who these ad2enturers are, so that he
can steal their %ap and find the dragon's hoard for hi%self1 This reCuires a couple of
drin!s Ia : gp in2est%entJL and the proficiency chec! has a ?4 penalty because of *rlar's
low Charis%a I>J1 *rlar's .ntelligence is 4;, so he needs to roll a 5 or lower to find out
who the ad2enturers are1 .f they are not 2ery well !nown, he %ay need to %a!e additional
chec!s to trac! the% down Ifind where they are staying, what te%ples they 2isit, or
whate2erJ1
71 Julina the Silent is hired as a spy to infiltrate the e%peror's palace1 She needs to
find an easy way inGa sewer, ser2ice e9it, or the li!e1 She has an e9pense account fro%
her e%ployers for bribes1 Her .ntelligence is 4= and her %odifiers areA Q4 Ifor Charis%a
47 reaction adDust%entJ, Q: Ithie2es' guild %e%berJ, and ?7 Ifor this not being her ho%e
territoryJL so she %ust roll 4= or lower on 4d:; to get the infor%ation she needs1
.t's best to role?play infor%ation searches whene2er possible1
.nti%idation
4 slot, ability special, special %odifier1
e7uired3 Thug1
ecommended3 andit, ounty Hunter, uccaneer1
This is a talent for bending people to your will by scaring the li2ing
daylights out of the%1 N-Cs who are inti%idated are Cuite li!ely to do what they're told,
out of fear1 &n the negati2e side, they are also 2ery li!ely to harbor %uch resent%ent
against the character that inti%idates the%1 The N-Cs will !eep their resent%ent hidden
Guntil the first chance to a2enge their pride arises1
.nti%idation %ay be atte%pted with one of two abilitiesA Strength or Charis%a1 .f
Strength is used, the thief is threatening i%%ediate, personal bodily har%1 .f Charis%a is
used, the inti%idation consists of %ore subtle threats, which need not be physical1 .f
successful, the N-C is con2inced that the thief is ready and capable of %a!ing his life
%iserableGif not i%%ediately, then in the near future1
-layer characters are ne2er forced to sub%it to inti%idation, as this would detract
fro% the players' freedo% to role?play1
$oc!s%ithing
4 slot, De9terity, ; %odifier1
ecommended3 Troubleshooter, dwarf and gno%e thie2es1
This is the speciali8ed s!ill of %a!ing loc!s1 .t is treated li!e other BcraftB
proficiencies when chec!ing for success1 "lso, thie2es with this proficiency gain a 4;R
bonus to their loc!pic!ing s!ill, because they are inti%ately fa%iliar with the internal
structure and wor!ing of so %any loc!s1
esides troubleshooters, dwarf and gno%e thie2es of any !it can ta!e the
loc!s%ithing proficiency to fill one slot, because of the tradition of crafts%anship and
%echanical things in their cultural heritages1
$ooting
4 slot, De9terity, ; %odifier1
e7uired3 urglar1
ecommended3 "d2enturer, andit, uccaneer, Thug1
This proficiency represents a !nac! for grabbing the best loot in the
shortest ti%e1 /or instance, a cat burglar brea!s into a roo% in a wealthy %ansion1 He has
about two %inutes to fill his bac!pac!, so that he can escape before guards are su%%oned
by %agical alar%s1 .f his proficiency chec! succeeds, he is able to recogni8e and stuff
into his pac! the %ost 2aluable co%bination of ite%s that is feasible, gi2en his li%itations
of ti%e and space1
Na2igation
4 slot, .ntelligence, ?: %odifier1
e7uired3 uccaneer1
ecommended3 S%uggler1
This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to priests, warriors, and wi8ards1 .ts
description is on p1 H4 of the Player's Handbook1
&bser2ation
4 slot, .ntelligence, ; %odifier1
e7uired3 eggar, Cutpurse, .n2estigator, Spy, Swindler, Troubleshooter1
ecommended3 "ssassin, ounty Hunter, urglar, /ence, S%uggler1
Characters with this proficiency ha2e culti2ated e9ceptionally acute
powers of obser2ation1 The D, %ay as! for a proficiency chec! Ior secretly roll it
hi%selfJ anyti%e there is so%ething subtly as!ewL he %ay also allow characters with
obser2ation to increase their chance of finding secret or concealed doors by 4 in H1 The
proficiency co2ers all the senses1
8'ample3 Julina is Cuestioning a %an who clai%s to be a crafts%an who has
wor!ed on the palaceL she is searching for the %ost discreet entrance1 The D, secretly
rolls an obser2ation proficiency chec!L it is successful1 B0ou notice,B he tells her, Bthat his
hands are in beautiful condition, entirely lac!ing callouses1B /ro% this obser2ation, Julina
%ay deduce that the %an is actually Dust posing as a crafts%anL he %ay be a con %an
ta!ing ad2antage of a few free drin!s or coins, or he could e2en be a spy for her ene%ies1
Reading@Writing
4 slot, .ntelligence, Q4 %odifier1
ecommended3 .n2estigator, Spy1
This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to priests and wi8ards1 .ts
description is on p1 H4 of the Player's Handbook.
Sur2i2al
: slots, .ntelligence, ; %odifier1
e7uired3 andit1
ecommended3 ounty Hunter1
This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to warriors1 .ts description is on p1
H7 of the Player's Handbook.
Trac!ing
: slots, Wisdo%, ; %odifier1
e7uired3 ounty Hunter1
ecommended3 "ssassin1
This proficiency is nor%ally restricted to warriors1 .ts description is on p1
H= of the Player's Handbook.
Trailing
4 slot, De9terity, special %odifiers1
e7uired3 "ssassin, Cutpurse1
ecommended3 eggar, ounty Hunter, .n2estigator, Spy, Thug, Troubleshooter1
Trailing rese%bles trac!ing, e9cept trac!ing is associated chiefly with the
wilderness, and trailing typically is used in %aDor urban centers Ii1e1, cities and large
townsJ1 .t is the talent of tailing so%eoneGof !eeping a certain distance or e2en catching
up to the%, though they %ay be atte%pting to blend into a crowd, or at least get lost in
the confusion of a street full of people1
" proficiency chec! is first %ade to see if the thief is able to trail without being
noticed1 .f the person followed has the alertness proficiency, then the thief suffers a ?<
penalty1
.f the thief is noticed, the person being followed %ay atte%pt to e2ade1 To !eep
fro% losing the trail, the thief %ust %a!e another proficiency chec!1 " %odifier fro% ?7
to Q7 I2arying fro% first ti%e in a foreign city to the thief's ho%e neighborhoodJ %ay be
used, if the D, so chooses, to reflect how well the thief !nows the area1 Warn the player
beforehand if you will apply %odifiers Ithough you needn't tell e9actly what they areJ1
The D, should feel free to use situational %odifiers on these rolls1 /or e9a%ple,
if a street is relati2ely clear, the thief should get ?4 or ?: on an atte%pt to follow
unnoticed, but Q4 or Q: if he has been seen and is chasing after his subDect1 The opposite
nu%bers could be used for e9ceptionally crowded situations, or at night1
/or any Trailing proficiency roll, a ?7 penalty applies if the person followed has
the Trailing proficiency as well Iand, presu%ably, !nows better how to foil the tric!s of
his own tradeJ1
8'ample3 Julina is trailing an N-C through the .%perial capital, because she
suspects that he is spying for a ri2al e%ployer and has infor%ation that would be 2aluable
for her1 .t is nightti%e, on a nearly deserted street1 The D, infor%s Julina of this, and
says that she'll ha2e trouble going unnoticed I?: %odifier on her first roll, he rules, but
does not tell herJL but if her Cuarry does spot her, he'll be easier to chase IQ:J1 The D,
also decides that Julina has been in the capital on this Dob long enough that she's fairly
fa%iliar with the streets and alleys, so she will not suffer a penalty on that account1
Howe2er, unbe!nownst to Julina, the spy she follows has both alertness I?< %odifierJ and
trailing proficiencies I?7 %odifierJ1 This %eans that her first roll has an adDust%ent of ?4;L
if it fails, the second will ha2e an adDust%ent of ?H1 Julina's De9terity is 4>1 She needs to
roll > or lower on her first roll, but gets a 47 and fails1 BThe %an has spotted you,B says
the Dungeon ,aster1 BHe speeds up and duc!s around a corner, into an alley1B Julina
followsL to !eep fro% losing hi%, she needs to get an 44 or lower1 She rolls an 44, Dust
barely %a!ing it1 BThe alley is e%ptyGyou are about to rush through to the ne9t street,
but through a window you spot a flash of red, li!e the %an's coat, and hear footsteps up a
staircase in the building to your right1B
)oice ,i%icry
: slots, Charis%a, special %odifiers1
ecommended3 "ssassin, Spy1
)oice %i%icry is the art of con2incingly i%itating the 2oices of other
people1 .t is a 2ery de%anding s!ill, needing intense training of and practice with the
2ocal cords1 /or this reason it reCuires two nonweapon proficiency slots1
" character with 2oice %i%icry is able to i%itate any accent he has heard1 Success
is auto%atic unless people who the%sel2es spea! in that accent are his listenersL in such a
case, a proficiency roll is reCuired Iwith a Q: %odifierJ1
,ore difficult is the i%itation of a specific person's 2oice1 To do this, the thief
%ust, of course, be fa%iliar with the 2oice1 " proficiency chec! is needed to deter%ine if
the i%itation is detectedL %odifiers depend on how well the listeners !now the 2oice that
is being %i%ic!ed1 Success is of course certain if the listener is a stranger, so%eone who
has ne2er heard the original 2oice1 To fool an acCuaintance, there is no %odifierL while
fooling a friend of the subDect is at ?:, a close friend ?<, and so%eone e9tre%ely close
Ie1g1, parent or spouseGso%eone who has had close contact with the person for yearsJ is
at ?>1
This ability is often used in conDunction with the disguise proficiency1 Which
proficiency %ust be chec!ed first depends on whether the character is seen or heard1 .f
the disguise first is successful, there is a Q< %odifier to the 2oice %i%icryGthe listeners
ha2e already accepted the appearance, so they are less li!ely to doubt the 2oice1 .f the
disguise fails, it doesn't %atter how good the 2oice i%itation is1 .f the 2oice is
successfully %i%ic!ed first, it gi2es a Q4 %odifier to the disguise chec!1
De%ihu%ans and Nonweapon -roficiencies
Each de%ihu%an race has its own culture and crafts, and these %ay be
Cuantified by nonweapon proficiencies1 elow is listed each nonhu%an "D+DK
character race, along with the nonweapon proficiencies that are %ost highly
reco%%ended because they reflect the de%ihu%ans' heritage1
Note that these proficiencies are %erely reco%%ended, for the sa!e of
characteri8ation1 -layers are not reCuired to choose fro% these lists for their de%ihu%an
thie2esL nor do they recei2e any as bonus nonweapon proficiencies1 .f a proficiency is not
reco%%ended for the de%ihu%an thief's !it or class, it costs another proficiency slot, Dust
as it would for any other character1
2ptional ule3 " de%ihu%an using a reco%%ended proficiency %ay get a bonus
of Q4 on any proficiency chec! he %ay be reCuired to roll1
Nonweapon proficiency reco%%endations are listed by category I#eneral, Thief,
etc1J1
Dwar2es
General3 "rtistic "bility, lac!s%ithing, rewing, Direction Sense, /ire?
uilding, ,ining, -ottery, Rope *se, Stone%asonry1
Thief3 "ncient History, "ppraising, lind?fighting, #e% Cutting, Set Snares1
Priest3 Engineering1
"arrior3 "r%orer, Endurance, ,ountaineering, Sur2i2al IHills, ,ountainsJ,
Weapons%ith1
/e!3 .nti%idation, $oc!s%ithing1
El2es and Half?El2es
General3 "ni%al Handling, "rtistic "bility, Dancing, Direction Sense,
EtiCuette, $eatherwor!ing, Rope *se, Sea%stress@Tailor, Singing, Weather Sense,
Wea2ing1
Thief3 "ncient History, #a%ing, Ju%ping, $ocal History, ,usical .nstru%ent, Set
Snares, Tightrope Wal!ing, Tu%bling1
Priest3 Healing1
"arrior3 "ni%al $ore, owyer@/letcher, Hunting, Sur2i2al IWoodlandJ,
Trac!ing1
"i$ard3 "ncient $anguages, "strology, Herbalis%, Reading@Writing, Spellcraft1
/e!3 "lertness, "ni%al Noise, &bser2ation1
ecause of their %i9ed heritage, half?el2es %ay ha2e the full di2ersity of their
hu%an parent, or they %ay be inclined to ta!e proficiencies li!e those of other el2es
Iabo2eJ1 .t probably depends on who raised the half?elf thief and where1 .f the optional
de%i?hu%an proficiency bonus for reco%%ended proficiencies is used, half?el2es should
recei2e it when they use the el2en?reco%%ended proficiencies listed abo2e, regardless of
where they were raised1
#no%es
General3 "rtistic "bility, lac!s%ithing, rewing, Carpentry, Cobbling,
,ining, -ottery, Rope *se, Stone%asonry1
Thief3 "ncient History, "ppraising, Disguise, /orgery, #a%ing, #e% Cutting,
Juggling, $ocal History, Set Snares, )entriloCuis%1
Priest3 "ncient $anguages, Engineering, Herbalis%1
"arrior3 Sur2i2al Ihills, woodlandsJ1
"i$ard3 Spellcraft1
/e!3 "ni%al Noise, $oc!s%ithing1
Halflings
General3 "griculture, rewing, Carpentry, Cobbling, Coo!ing,
$eatherwor!ing, -ottery, Sea%stress@Tailor, Wea2ing1
Thief3 /orgery, #a%ing, Juggling, $ocal History, ,usical .nstru%ent, Set Snares,
Tu%bling1
Priest3 Healing, Herbalis%1
"arrior3 owyer@/letcher1
/e!3 "lertness, "ni%al Noise, egging, /ast?Tal!ing, /ortune Telling,
&bser2ation, Trailing1
Chapter 7A Thief (its
"re you tired of playing plain, old, pic!?a?few?poc!ets?and?open?a?few?
loc!s thie2es, e2en if "D+DK :nd Edition %a!es the% slightly %ore interesting than
their predecessorsM Do you want still %ore interest, %ore 2arietyGbut don't want to
worry about wor!ing out all the details yourselfM Then the thief !its %ay be Dust the thing
for you1
Here we will show you how to create and play all sorts of thie2es1 They are
presented in !its1 Each !it defines a particular type of thiefGhis characteristics, abilities,
and li%itations1 0ou are also in2ited to design your own !its, and we include suggestions
on how you %ight do this1
(its and Thief Types
Each type of thief described in this chapter is defined by %eans of a !it1 "
!it is %ade up of the following ele%ents, following the style of the warrior !its in the
"D+DK :nd Edition Complete 1ighter's +anual3
6escription3 The !it e9plains the thief type, describing the typical
appearance, %anner, cultural bac!ground, and use of the character in a ca%paign1 .t also
lists any reCuire%ents necessary for a character to ta!e the !it1
ole3 ,any of these thief types arise in particular social conte9ts1 " /ence,
for instance, e9ists because other thie2es need to %ar!et stolen goods1 The !it will
therefore describe the role of the /ence in his society, and %ay suggest how he %ight
function in relation to the rest of the fantasy ad2enture ca%paign1
*nder BRoleB you will also find notes on the personalities or bac!grounds typical
for thie2es of this !it1 This reflects our earlier discussion of Brole?playing thie2es,B where
we e9a%ined setting, social bac!ground and %oti2ations, and presented a few thief
archetypes1
Secondary Skills3 .f you ha2e chosen to use the Secondary S!ills rules
fro% "D+DK :nd Edition Isee Player's Handbook, p1 <7J, then your !it %ay reCuire
your thief to ta!e a specific s!ill, or choose fro% a li%ited range of choices1 0ou %ight
not be able to choose or roll rando%ly fro% a%ong all the secondary s!ills listed in the
Player's Handbook1
"eapon Proficiencies3 .f you're using the weapon proficiency rules fro%
"D+DK :nd Edition, then your !it could reCuire your thief to ta!e specific weapon
proficiencies1 &r, he %ight ha2e to choose one fro% a li%ited rangeL the andit, for
instance, is reCuired to ta!e one bludgeoning weapon1
So%e !its I"ssassins, for e9a%pleJ are per%itted a wider range of weapons than
nor%al thie2es1 This, too, is noted under weapon proficiencies1
*nli!e nonweapon proficiencies, below, weapon proficiencies reCuired for a thief
!it are N&T bonuses unless otherwise specified1 They %ust be ta!en to fill the weapon
proficiency slots nor%ally gi2en to a first le2el thief1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 .f you ha2e chosen to use the nonweapon
proficiency rules fro% "D+DK :nd Edition, then you will find useful the infor%ation in
each !it on what proficiencies are reCuired or reco%%ended for that sort of thief1 The
ounty Hunter, for instance, is reCuired to ta!e the trac!ing proficiencyL and a nu%ber of
other proficiencies related to wilderness sur2i2al and trac!ing down people are
reco%%ended1
Note that reCuired proficiencies are bonuses, gi2en in addition to the nonweapon
proficiency choices that you %ay %a!e as usual1 So%eti%es a bonus proficiency will
co%e fro% a group other than the #eneral or Thief groups, but Isince it is a bonus
anywayJ it doesn't %atter how %any e9tra slots it would otherwise be reCuired to occupy1
When a proficiency is only reco%%ended in a thief !it, it is not gi2en
auto%atically to the character1 .f the character decides to ta!e a reco%%ended
nonweapon proficiency, it is chosen to fill one of the thief's open slots1 eginning thie2es
should ha2e no %ore than one nonweapon proficiency that is not a%ong those
reco%%ended or reCuired for their !it1
So let us suppose we ha2e a bounty hunter na%ed altrin1 "s a first le2el thief,
altrin starts with three nonweapon proficiency slots1 .n addition, for choosing the
ounty Hunter !it, he gets Trac!ing as a bonus proficiency1 Two of his three nonweapon
proficiency slots %ust be spent on proficiencies that are reco%%ended for his !itL he
chooses alertness and riding Iland?basedJ1 His final slot %ay be filled with any one?slot
proficiency that he desires1 The player chooses carpentry, deciding that altrin ca%e fro%
a fa%ily of carpenters1
" nu%ber of new nonweapon proficiencies are %entioned in these !its1 See
Chapter :, B-roficiencies,B for a co%plete listing of thief nonweapon proficiencies and
co%plete descriptions of those which are new1
.t is not reco%%ended that you use both secondary s!ills and nonweapon
proficiencies1 We strongly reco%%end that you use the nonweapon proficiency rules if
you are going to use these new guidelines for thief typesL they gi2e the thie2es %uch
%ore color and definition, and %a!e for a %ore interesting and 2ersatile ca%paign1
Skill Progression3 This section of each thief !it suggests which of the
traditional thie2es' s!ills Ipic!ing poc!ets, etc1J are %ost 2aluable to that sort of thief1 .t is
reco%%ended that characters rise fastest in those s!ills, since they are the ones that are
li!ely to get the %ost practice1 These are %eant as suggestionsGthe choice of how to
allot s!ill i%pro2e%ents ought to re%ain in the hands of the player1
87uipment3 So%e thief types tend to %a!e use of certain for%s of
eCuip%ent, either fro% preference or needL or they %ay be li%ited in what eCuip%ent
they can carry1 We will note such situations1 " eggar, for instance, can't beg 2ery well if
he's dressed in resplendent finery, with gilded ar%or and beDeweled weapons1
These eCuip%ent listings aren't really restrictions1 Rather, they reflect what ti%e
and trial ha2e pro2en to be %ost ad2antageous for a thief of this or that 2ariety1 .f the
character is fulfilling his role, the eCuip%ent will %a!e senseL and the D, is encouraged
to assist in pointing out the 2alue of the suggested eCuip%ent when a character
e9peri%ents with other things1
Special *enefits3 ,ost thief types ha2e so%e special benefits that the
others don't1 These %ay be straightforward special abilities1 &ften, howe2er, they reflect
the thief's relationship to his societyL they %ay be defined as special reaction bonuses,
special pri2ileges in certain cultures or regions, and so forth1 " /ence, for instance, gets
better reactions fro% other thie2es Iespecially if they want hi% as a business partnerJ, and
also has less trouble than other characters in finding thie2es willing to hire out their s!ills1
Special Hindrances3 Si%ilarly, each thief type has certain disad2antages
which hinder hi%, such as the reaction penalties of eggars1
aces3 .n the pre2ious chapter we discussed nonhu%an thie2es in general1
Each !it was written with the hu%an character in %ind1 .n a sense, de%ihu%an thie2es of
each race are a !it unto the%sel2es, because of their nonhu%an heritage1 Howe2er, it is
certainly possible for de%ihu%ans to ta!e one of these !its Ipending the Dungeon
,aster's appro2al, of courseJ1 efore putting too %uch effort into a non?hu%an character,
be sure to appro2e the race@!it %i9 with your D,1 He %ight not appreciate dwarf pirates,
for instance1
*nder the heading BRacesB, we note in each !it special considerations for
nonhu%an thie2esA races reco%%ended Ior the oppositeJ for that !it, and any special
%odifications that %ight apply if a nonhu%an character is used1
"n .%portant Note
.n the following sections, se2eral thief !its include reaction bonuses and
penalties as part of their special benefits and special hindrances1 " word of caution needs
to acco%pany the%1
.n the "D+DK ga%e, when a character is 2ery charis%atic, he gets what is called
a Breaction adDust%ent1B ISee the Player's Handbook, p1 461J When the character has a
high Charis%a and recei2es a bonus, it's e9pressed as a plusL Q:, for instance1 When he
has a low Charis%a and recei2es a penalty, it's e9pressed as a %inusL ?7, for e9a%ple1
Howe2er, when you roll the :d4; for encounter reactions Isee the 6ungeon
+aster's Guide, p1 4;7J, don't add the bonus IQJ or subtract the penalty I?J fro% the die
roll1 Do it the other way around1 .f the character has a Charis%a of 4H, and thus gets a Q<
reaction adDust%ent, you subtract that nu%ber fro% the :d4; roll1 I&therwise the N-Cs
would be reacting e2en %ore badly because the character was charis%aticNJ
(its and the Thief Classes
These thief !its are designed to acco%pany the thief classL although, as
you will see, they stretch the definition of what a BthiefB is1 They are not appropriate for
bards1
(its and Character Creation
There are three rules go2erning the thief !itsA
41 " character %ay only ta!e one thief !it1
:1 0ou can only ta!e a thief !it for your character when you first create
that character1
IThis rule has one e9ceptionA .f D, and players decide to integrate these rules with an
e9isting ca%paign, and both D, and players can agree on which thief !it would be
appropriate for each e9isting character, then you %ay use these rules to add a thief !it to
e9isting characters1J
71 &nce you'2e selected a thief !it, you cannot change it1
INote, howe2er, that with the fle9ible way that thie2es ad2ance, you can do a lot to %a!e
your thief loo! as if its !it has been changed1 /or instance, a /ence %ay be stuc! in the
wilderness and not be able to follow his B2ocationB for years1 ut e2en so, he could not
switch to a new !it, such as Scout1J
efore choosing a thief !it, you will already ha2e deter%ined the
character'sA ability scores I"D+D Player's Handbook, Chapter 4J, race IChapter :J, class
Ipresu%ably thiefJ, and align%ent IChapter =J1 0ou %ight also ha2e decided upon a host
of bac!ground factors, as discussed elsewhere in this boo!1
0ou are then ready to choose your thief !it1 .n fleshing your character out along
with the thief !it, you will probably encounter the 2arious other stages of character
creation, such as proficiencies IChapter < of the Player's Handbook, and Chapter : of this
2olu%eJ, %oney and eCuip%ent IPlayer's Handbook, Chapter HJ, and so forth1
The Thief (its
/ollowing are se2eral types of thie2es represented by thief !its1 efore
allowing his players to choose !its for their characters, the D, should re2iew each !it
and %a!e notes for hi%self about the%1
/or each thief !it, the D, %ust deter%ineA
41 .f he will e2en allow this !it in his ca%paign1
:1 What additional infor%ation he needs to gi2e the players about each !it1
71 What changes he %ight wish to %a!e to each !it1
$et's ta!e the eggar !it as an e9a%ple1 .n %ost fantasy ca%paigns this !it
would be acceptable, at least in conceptL although it is not inconcei2able that one state
%ight be so benign as to pro2ide for all its needyGor so harsh as to !eep the% off the
streets forcibly1
"ssu%ing the D, says that yes, the eggar !it will e9ist in his ca%paign, he
needs to decide which details are specific to the eggars of his world1 What causes
people to be eggarsM .n a predo%inantly lawful e2il society, for e9a%ple, there %ay be a
class of people that is syste%atically oppressed1 IThis sort of society, by the way, is a
perfect setting for thief player characters, whose ca%paign goal can be to o2erthrow the
oppressi2e syste%1J The D, should infor% the players of all these details specific to his
ca%paign1
/inally, after the D, has decided on all the details, he should go bac! through the
thief !its as they are presented here and adDust the% as he sees fit1
Thief (its and Thie2ing S!ills
I&ptional RulesJ
ecause of their speciali8ations, thie2es of the 2arious !its differ in their
aptitudes for 2arious standard thie2es' s!ills1 " Spy, for instance, would need to be better
Ior at least would ha2e %ore practiceJ at detecting noise than a /ence1 To reflect the
predispositions of the 2arious !its, use Table = for beginning thie2es1 This table is Dust
li!e Tables :> and :6 IThie2ing S!ill Racial "dDust%ents and Thie2ing S!ill De9terity
"dDust%entsJ in the Player's Handbook, and is cu%ulati2e with any bonuses or penalties
deri2ed fro% those tables1
"fter the adDust%ents ha2e been totaled, the thief %ay distribute his discretionary
points1 There nor%ally are H; discretionary points to distribute Isee Player's Handbook,
p1 76J1 So%e thief !its %ay not ha2e as %any discretionary points to distribute as
beginning characters1 The "ssassin, for instance, gets only =; points instead of H;1
Table =A TH.E).N# S(.$$ TH.E/ (.T "DJ*ST,ENTS
"bility
Pi'k O!en <:R ;o,e Hide in
Dete't Cli"b Read
Thief (it -oc!ets4 $oc!s Traps: Sil1 Shadows Noise Walls $ang1
"crobat Q<R ?<R ?<R Q<R G G Q<R G
"d2enture G G G G G G G G
"ssassin G3 G Q<R G G G G ?<R
andit ?<R G Q4;R G4 Q<R G ?<R ?<R
eggar Q4;R ?<R ?<R G Q<R G G ?<R
ounty HunterG3 G Q<R G G G ?<R G
uccaneer ?<R G G G G G G Q<R
urglar ?<R Q<R G G G G Q<R ?<R
Cutpurse Q4;R G G G G G ?<R ?<R
/ence G Q<R Q<R ?<R ?<R G ?<R Q<R
.n2estigator ?<R G G G G Q<R G G
S%uggler ?<R ?<R G Q<R Q<R Q<R ?<R G
Spy G G G G G G G G
Swindler G ?<R G G G G G <R
Thug G G G G G G G G
Trouble? ?4;R Q<R Q<R G G G G G
shooter
N&TES T& T"$E =
41 .ncludes si%ilar feats of %anual de9terity, such as legerde%ain and slipping
poison Isee also note 7, belowJ1
:1 This ability %ay also be used in the place%ent of traps1
71 "ssassins and ounty Hunters are adept at slipping foreign substances Ipoison,
sedati2e, etc1J into the food or drin! of their targets1 Success in such a feat of %anual
de9terity is deter%ined by a pic! poc!ets roll, and the "ssassin or ounty Hunter gets
Q<R on the roll1 This special bonus does not apply, howe2er, to pic!poc!eting or other
tas!s co2ered by this ability1
=1 .n the wilderness, the bandit gets Q<R to this ability1
8'ample3 *rlar is a beginning gno%e thief with a De9terity of 4>1 He
decides to adopt the urglar !it1 *sing Tables :H, :> and :6 fro% the Player's Handbook
and Table =, abo2e, *rlar co%putes his s!ills as shown in Table <1
Table <A *R$"R'S S(.$$ "DJ*ST,ENTS
T&T"$
8ase Ra'ial De?terity .it 8ASE
S!ill Score "dD1 "dD1 "dD1 S(.$$
-ic! -oc!ets 4<R ;R Q<R ?<R 4<R
&pen $oc!s 4;R Q<R Q4;R Q<R 7;R
/ind@Re%o2e Traps <R Q4;R ;R ;R 4<R
,o2e Silently 4;R Q<R Q<R ;R :;R
Hide in Shadows <R Q<R Q<R ;R 4<R
Detect Noise 4<R Q4;R ;R ;R :<R
Cli%b Walls H;R ?4<R ;R Q<R <;R
Read $anguages ;R ;R ;R ?<R ?<R
*rlar now %ay distribute an additional H; discretionary percentage points
a%ong the total base scores, with no %ore than 7; such points being assigned to any
single s!ill, as e9plained in Chapter Three of the Player's Handbook1
"crobat
6escription3 "crobats are related to bards, as both ostensibly ha2e the
profession of entertaining others1 So%e would say they do this to a2oid BrealB wor!1 "nd
both characters are wont to support the%sel2es by unorthodo9 %eans when there's a
slu%p in their BregularB business1
ecause of the physical de%ands of their 2ocation, "crobats %ust ha2e %ini%u%
scores of 4: in Strength and 4= in De9terity1
ole3 E2en "crobats who are not inclined toward larcenous beha2ior are rarely
loo!ed up to by the rest of their society1 -eople who beco%e "crobats or actors often
were born into the %iddle class, though their status actually beco%es lower1 The %iddle
class delights %ost in the entertain%ents1 The lower classes are usually too busy
struggling to sur2i2e, and %ay be tied to their land or profession in the %anner of serfs1
The nobility and wealthy people are Babo2eB the crude entertain%ent of the crowdL and
e2en if they %ight see a circus on occasion, it would be socially i%per%issible to Doin it1
E9cept in unusual circu%stances, then, "crobats will co%e fro% the %iddle class1
" player character %ight be different, if a player wishes, but he will need a plausible
e9planation of the situation1 ecause of the social disgrace, it is li!ely that any entertainer
fro% wealthy or noble class will be disowned1
ut then, %any people who see! e%ploy%ent as entertainers didn't lea2e their
pre2ious li2es out of choice, anyway1 " noble?born "crobat was probably disowned Ior
worseJ before he too! up that profession, and %ight e2en ha2e assu%ed a new identity1
"crobats fro% other bac!grounds %ay ha2e histories, too Gthings to hide, and ene%ies
to fear1 &ne thing they li!e about the circus is that nobody presu%es to re%o2e anyone
else's %as! or %a!e?up1
The circus %ay indeed get its own history1 Run by a co%petent swindler, a circus
%ay %a!e piles of %oney fro% gullible spectators1 .t could bring in e2en %ore by ha2ing
its own Cutpurses, who are per%itted to wor! the crowds so long as they gi2e a
percentage of their ta!e to the circus %anage%ent1
"crobats are al%ost always wanderers1 " s%all town Cuic!ly tires of its
entertainers, so they %ust %o2e on to the ne9t, where their tric!s and displays %ay be
considered new and i%pressi2e1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1
"eapon Proficiencies3 "crobats %ay use any weapon nor%ally per%itted to
thie2es1 Note, howe2er, that they will usually a2oid those that are hea2y and cu%berso%e
Isee BECuip%entB belowJ1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA None1 Reco%%endedA "lertness, Disguise,
/ast?Tal!ing, Juggling, ,usical .nstru%ent, Riding, Rope *se, )entriloCuis%1
Skill Progression3 "%ong the basic thie2es' s!ills, cli%bing walls is the one %ost
applicable to the "crobat's o2ert profession1 Their lightness of step leads to e9cellence in
%o2ing silently, so this s!ill also is li!ely to i%pro2e rapidly1 /inally, %any an "crobat
supple%ents his circus inco%e by pic!ing the poc!ets of the audience when he is not
actually perfor%ing1
87uipment3 .n order to %a!e use of their "crobatic s!ills, "crobats fa2or the least
and lightest eCuip%ent possible1 .f the optional encu%brance rules IPlayer's Handbook,
pp1 >H?>5J are used, "crobats should not be per%itted %ore than light encu%brance1
"crobats %ay encu%ber the%sel2es %ore in special situations Ie1g1, carrying a wounded
co%rade to safety, hauling a great hoard of treasureJ, but they will in2ariably see! to
di2est the%sel2es of the e9cess weight at the first opportunity1
Special *enefits3 The abilities of Du%ping, tu%bling, and tightrope wal!ing are so
crucial to this !it that the "crobat should be able to ha2e the% as special abilities e2en if
the D, has chosen not to use the nonweapon proficiency syste%1 /urther, because of
their intense training with these s!ills, "crobats should get a bonus of Q4 whene2er a
proficiency chec! is reCuired1 This bonus is Q: if the "crobat is wearing no ar%or Iand,
under the optional encu%brance rules, is unencu%beredJ1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 The shorter racesGhalflings, gno%es, and particularly dwar2esGoften
ha2e difficulty with "crobatic feats, on account of their body si8e and build1 Dwar2es, in
addition, rarely ha2e a te%pera%ent that would endear the% to a circus showL though one
can easily i%agine cheerful halflings and %ischie2ous gno%es entertaining a crowd1
Dwarf characters, then, ought not to ta!e this !it1 Halflings and gno%es %ay, if
they so desire, but they do not gain the bonuses listed under BSpecial enefitsB for
Du%ping and tightrope wal!ing1 IThey do recei2e the tu%bling bonus1J
"d2enturer
6escription3 The "d2enturer is the Dac!?of?all?trades, the prototypical
dungeon?del2ing thief1 The "d2enturer is not so %uch a thief as a character who ta!es
ad2antage of the general thiefly s!ills on professional ad2entures into dungeon and
wilderness1 The "d2enturer thief !it has no reCuire%ents beyond those of the thief class
itself1
ole3 "d2enturer?!it thie2es usually ser2e in parties of bra2e ad2enturers of
2arious classes1 Their special s!ills are 2ital in supporting any successful e9pedition into
wilderness or dungeon1 The professional "d2enturer is, further%ore, preferred by %any
ad2enturing parties, because he is %uch less li!ely than other thie2es to betray or steal
fro% his own co%panions1 The successful "d2enturer !nows the 2alue of trust and
cooperation, while %any a Bstreet thiefB has been raised on duplicity and Iso%eti%es
literalJ bac!stabbing1
,any "d2enturers are neutral or lawful1 /ew are e2il, and al%ost none that are
chaotic e2il can sur2i2e for long, let alone prosper in his ways1
"d2enturers %ay be part of a thie2es' guild for easy access to eCuip%ent and
training1 They tend to be independent, howe2er, and disli!e guilds that ha2e de%ands
beyond a si%ple %e%bership fee1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1
"eapon Proficiencies3 "ny1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA None1 Reco%%endedA -layer's choiceL
a%ong those that %ay be selected are "lertness, oating, /ast?tal!ing, #ather
.ntelligence, and $ooting1
Skill ProgressionA "d2enturer thie2es tend to spread their s!ill i%pro2e%ents as
e2enly as possible, to allow the% to deal with the %any different challenges the
ad2enturing life presents1 .f there is any concentration, it is usually on opening loc!s or
finding and re%o2ing traps, since these s!ills are probably used %ost often1
87uipment3 "d2enturers are typically 2ery gadget?oriented, delighting in new
ways to bypass %onsters and raid their lairs1 They also %ay ha2e a good bit of %oney,
fro% successful 2entures, to rein2est in eCuip%ent1
Special *enefits3 None1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 "ny1
"ssassin
6escription3 .n any reasonably corrupt culture, there are those who wish
to eli%inate so%eone whose 2ery e9istence stands in the way of their plans1 To ser2e
the% there are "ssassinsA trained !illers whose ser2ices are for hire1
.n the "D+DK :nd Edition Players' Handbook, the idea of an assassin, a hired
!iller, has been di2orced fro% any particular character class1 .ndeed, a character can be
any class and still be an assassinL this thief !it si%ply shows how a thief can be con2erted
into an efficient, discreet !iller1 Characters of other classes still can Iand often willJ be
assassins, so it would be best not to let down one's guard 1 1 1
"ssassins %ust ha2e the following %ini%u% ability scoresA Strength 4:, De9terity
4:, and .ntelligence 441
ole3 Thugs and ounty Hunters %ay be seen as close relati2es of the "ssassin1 .t
is i%portant, then, to understand their differences, and what %a!es their roles distinct1
Thugs typically ser2e as crude %uscle, using bullying and inti%idation1 The "ssassin, on
the other hand, thri2es on anony%ity, on surpriseGon his 2icti% not e2en reali8ing that
he is a target until it is %uch too late1 " cle2er "ssassin %ight ne2er be seen by his
2icti%1 Here, too, the "ssassin differs fro% the ounty Hunter, for the hunter often see!s
his Cuarry ali2e, and typically %ust bring bac! his prey Ior the corpse thereofJ as proof of
his proDect's success1
,ost "ssassins are of e2il align%ent1 Howe2er, it is concei2able that one %ight
be of a neutral Ibut not goodJ align%ent1 -layer?character "ssassins, if they are per%itted
in the ca%paign, best fit this rare neutral description1 " -C %ight be the agent of so%e
%onarch, paid to arrange the discreet de%ise of those who threaten the !ingdo%'s safety1
While this certainly is not good Iin the %oral senseJ, the character %ight regard it as a
Dustifiable e2il because of the deaths the action pre2ents by obstructing rebellion,
in2asion, or whate2er1
,any "ssassin thie2es belong to guilds1 The guilds use the% to ser2e their own
needs, and act as an inter%ediary for outsiders who wish to ta!e out a contract on
so%eone's life1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1
"eapon Proficiencies3 ecause of their speciali8ation in the art of !illing,
"ssassins, unli!e thie2es of other !its, are per%itted the use of any weapon1 "n "ssassin
often selects one fa2ored weapon, such as a garotte or serrated dagger Ior e2en so%ething
e9otic, such as blowgun darts with an e9otic insect poison fro% a distant DungleJ, to use
for his !illings1 .f the "ssassin achie2es infa%y, the %ar!s of this weapon %ay beco%e
!nown as a sort of Bcalling card1B
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA Trailing, Disguise1 Reco%%endedA
"lertness, egging, #ather .ntelligence, Herbalis%, $and?ased Riding, &bser2ation,
Trac!ing, )oice ,i%icry1
Skill Progression3 "ssassins fa2or the s!ills of %o2e silently, hide in shadows,
detect noise and cli%b walls1 They also %a!e occasional use of the pic! poc!ets s!illG
not for lifting purses, but for si%ilarly delicate tas!s, such as slipping poison unnoticed
into a target's goblet of wine1
87uipment3 "ssassins are fa%iliar with and %a!e freCuent use of a wide array of
deadly de2ices1 See Chapter < Ipage 5;J for details on all sorts of special ite%s, such as
blade boots, death !ni2es, folding bows, and so forth1 ECuip%ent to help their preferred
s!ills Isee BS!ill -rogressionB abo2eJ, such as clawed shoes and glo2es and ca%ouflaged
clothing, is also popular1
.f the D, per%its, poison is also a2ailable and freCuently used by the "ssassin1
The "ssassin %ay purchase poison Ie9pensi2e and usually illegalJ, or atte%pt to
%anufacture or e9tract it hi%self Iwhich can be dangerous as wellL see the special section
on poison in Chapter > for %ore infor%ationJ1
Special *enefits3 ecause of their training and e9perience with the use of poisons,
"ssassins also can identify poisons used by others1 The base chance of doing so is the
"ssassin's le2el %ultiplied by <R1
"ssassins with intelligence of 47?4< get a Q<R bonus on the atte%ptL 4H?4>, a
Q4;R bonusL and 46, Q4<R1 /urther adDust%ents depend on how the "ssassin atte%pts
the identificationA sight, s%ell, taste, or sy%pto%s1
Sight %eans e9a%ination of the poison or poisoned article1 ,any poisons ha2e a
distincti2e appearance, or they %ay ha2e a corrosi2e or discoloring effect on %etals,
foods, etc1 .dentification by sight has a ?:;R %odifier1 .ts ad2antage is that the "ssassin
needn't worry about poisoning hi%self in the process1
" poison %ay also be identified by its odor1 This carries a ?4<R penalty1
/urther%ore, if it is an ingested or contact poison, there is a 4;R chance that the "ssassin
will be affected by the poison, though at half strength Ii1e1, no effect if the sa2ing throw is
successful, and if it's not, nor%al sa2e da%age is appliedGsee the 6ungeon +aster's
Guide, p1 >7J1
Taste is a fairly reliable, if dangerous, %ethod of identifying a poison1 .t carries a
?<R penalty1 "fter dabbing a tiny bit on his tongue, the "ssassin spits it out1 There is still
a chance that the poison will affect the "ssassinA :<R for inDected poison, ><R for
ingested, and 4;;R for contact1 The poison's effects, if any, are half strength Isee abo2eJ1
The %ost certain way of identifying a poison is by its sy%pto% Ino penalty on the
atte%ptJ1 The drawbac! of this %ethod is of course that you need a poisoned character to
e9a%ine1
"n "ssassin with herbalis% proficiency gets a Q<R identification bonus because
of his !nowledge of to9ins e9tracted fro% plants1 "n "ssassin with healing proficiency
gets a Q4;R bonus in any case1 These bonuses are not cu%ulati2e1
"n atte%pt to identify a poison ta!es one roundL be sure to !eep trac! of ti%e
elapsed and the onset ti%e of the poison1 .f one %ethod of identification fails, the ne9t
%ay be tried1 .f none of the four produce an answer then the poison will re%ain a %ystery
to that "ssassin1 IThe "ssassin could atte%pt identification again after he's gained an
e9perience le2el, but this is not nor%ally of any help1J
.dentification of a poison also %eans !nowledge of its antidote Iif one e9istsJL it
does not %ean that the antidote is a2ailable, howe2er1 "n "ssassin with herbalis%
proficiency %ay atte%pt to %a!e an antidote fro% scratch Isee special rules, p1 447J1
Special Hindrances3 ecause of the ti%e they spend on weapons and poisons,
"ssassins ad2ance %ore slowly in thie2es' s!ills than thie2es of other !its1 They start with
only =; discretionary points to allocate at 4st le2el, and with each le2el gained they
recei2e only :; points to distribute a%ong the s!ills1
"ssassins are generally feared and shunned1 Therefore an "ssassin suffers a ?=
reaction penalty with non?e2il N-Cs who are aware of his profession1
aces3 .n theory, any race could ha2e "ssassins1 The D, %ay wish to forbid
el2en, gno%e and halfling "ssassins, howe2er, since this profession is Cuite antithetical to
their cultures1
andit
6escription3 Tra2el is rarely a safe affair in the %edie2al fantasy setting,
whether one tra2erses the forbidding wilderness or the pastoral countryside1 eside the
dangers of nature and fantastic %enaces, such as dragons and giants, there are hu%ans
who prey on their Dourneying !in1 "l%ost e2ery stretch of road near ci2ili8ation is
clai%ed by one or %ore bands of highway%en, and e2en the far wilderness %ay hide the
strongholds of robbers1
andits %ust be strong and hardy to withstand the harsh forces of nature, the
people who see! their destruction, and e2en each other1 Thie2es %ust ha2e %ini%u%
scores of 4;, then, in both Strength and Constitution to be eligible for the andit !it1
ole3 andits are often 2icious characters, desperate, cunning, and cruel1 They are
prone to fight or e2en betray each other, but two things !eep the% bound in groupsA the
utter necessity of cooperation in order to sur2i2e the perils of the wilderness Ilet alone to
be successful robbersJ, and the strength of whoe2er has established hi%self as leader
a%ong the% by force and cunning1
So%e leaders %anage to weld together 2ery large groups of andits1 .n so%e
"D+DK worlds, such as the W&R$D &/ #RE0H"W(K /antasy Setting, there are
e2en !ingdo%s of andits1 Such things are rare, howe2er, since few leaders ha2e the
Strength or Charis%a to bind %any of these thie2esL or e2en if they do, the %ob will
rarely stay together beyond the leader's de%ise1
andits do not belong to guilds, as such1 " large group of the%, or a networ! of
cooperating groups, %ay be considered analogous to a guild, howe2erGpro2iding so%e
training, inti%idating non%e%bers who operate in their BterritoryB Iincluding hu%anoids
and the li!eJ, and so forth1 " few andit groups %ay actually ha2e connections to a big
city guild, though such ties would probably be 2ery loose Iperhaps occasional
cooperation, rather than subser2ienceJ1
andits rarely ha2e pleasant reasons for pursuing their lifestyles1 ,ost ha2e a
history better left behind, and %any ha2e a price Ior threeJ on their heads in so%e place
or another1 The a2erage andit would be better off outside the wilderness, but with
ene%ies and authorities elsewhere, it is the closest a2ailable thing to a sanctuary1
andits can e9pect less than %ercy at the hands of the law1 "s if anditry itself
wasn't punishable, %ost of these thie2es already ha2e a few %aDor cri%es under their belt1
ut, li!e a city guild, andits can wor! out arrange%ents with local %ilitary and ci2ilian
authorities1 .n e9change for bribes and a cut of the ta!e, andits %ay garner infor%ation
on rich targets and how best to a2oid the puniti2e e9peditions that %ay periodically be
sent against the%1
Secondary Skills3 owyer@/letcher, /ar%er, /isher, /orester, #a%bler, #roo%,
Hunter, $eather wor!er, Tailor@Wea2er, Tea%ster@/reighter, Trader@arterer,
Trapper@/urrier, Weapons%ith, Woodwor!er@Carpenter1
Skill Progression3 The s!ills fa2ored by andits are those useful for scouting and
preparing a%bushesGspecifically, cli%b walls Ifor tree?cli%bingJ, %o2e silently, and
hide in shadows1 /ind@re%o2e traps also tends to de2elop with a andit's !nowledge of
snares, pits and so forth, which %ay be e%ployed on occasion to waylay tra2elers1
"eapon ProficienciesA andits are particularly partial to hea2y, brutal,
bludgeoning weapons1 /or this reason they %ay use the following cudgel?li!e weapons in
addition to those nor%ally per%itted to thie2esA flail, %ace, %orning star and warha%%er1
"t least one of the andit's initial weapon proficiency slots %ust be filled by a
bludgeoning weapon1 andits %ust also ta!e proficiency in the !nife1 They not only use
this for fighting Iso%e a%ong the% regard !nife?fighting as a spectator sportJ, but as
practical eCuip%ent for wilderness sur2i2al1 Since this fills the two weapon proficiencies
open to a thief, the andit is granted a third initial weapon proficiency slot, to fill with
the weapon of his choice Ifro% a%ong those per%itted to thie2esJ1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA Sur2i2al Ichoose appropriate terrainJ1
Reco%%endedA "lertness, "ni%al Handling@Training, "ni%al Noise, /ire?building,
.nti%idation, $ooting, Riding, Rope *se, Set Snares, Swi%%ing1
87uipment3 " andit should be well?eCuipped for wilderness sur2i2al1 )ital ite%s
include pro2isions, bac!pac! and pouches, flint and steel Iwhich are %ore reliable than a
%agnifying glass for starting firesGespecially at nightNJ, tinder, a blan!et, and a !nife1
$ess 2ital, but often of use, are cli%bing eCuip%ent Icra%pons, pitons, etc1J,
fishing gear Ihoo!s, line, netJ, light sources Icandle, lantern, torchJ, rope, sewing needle
and thread, sac!s for loot, a signal whistle, spyglass, s%all tent, thie2es' pic!s, and a
whetstone Iso you can sharpen your !nife when there's nothing else to doJ1
So%e andits, finally, li!e to ha2e trained ani%als Idogs, falcons, pigeonsJ for
hunting or %essage?carrying1 To %a!e effecti2e use of such an ani%al, ani%al handling
proficiency is needed1
Special *enefitsA ecause of their adeptness at a%bushing, andits gain Q4 on
their atte%pt to surprise in a wilderness setting1
Special HindrancesA andits are generally despised by other charactersA Nor%al
people hate and fear highway%en, and other types of thie2es tend to loo! at the% with
scorn, as outcasts and crude robbers1 /or this reason, any andit who is recogni8ed as
such suffers a ?: reaction penalty a%ong non?andit N-Cs1
aces3 andits are a %otley group, and any race %ay be found a%ong the%G
e2en races with a tradition of antipathy, although such characters are li!ely to fight each
other as %uch as the band's targets1 Hu%anoid and part?hu%anoid characters in particular
fa2or the andit !it1 De%ihu%an characters who Doin andit groups with other races are
probably outcasts fro% a%ong their own people1
eggar
6escription3 Circu%stances ha2e reduced so%e unfortunates to such a
le2el of po2erty and helplessness that the only possible way that they can sur2i2e is by
i%ploring their fellow beings to gi2e the% whate2er %eager scraps can be spared1 "t
least, so the eggar would wish it to appear1
/or a great %any eggars this is the truthL %isfortune or disability ha2e dealt
the% sore blows, and they %ust rely on the charity of indi2iduals and a few institutions,
such as beneficent churches, for subsistence1
ut there is another class of eggar, which is really a particularly insidious
2ariety of swindler or con artist1 This character is usually perfectly able?bodied, but has
ta!en up begging as a career, supple%ented by %inor theft Ipic!poc!eting and the li!eJ
and the gathering and selling of infor%ation to interested parties1 .t is with this sort of
eggar that this !it is chiefly concerned1
The eggar has no reCuire%ents beyond those of the thief class1
ole3 Thie2es of this !it, professional eggars, were usually raised into their role1
This of course %eans a lower Iindeed, lowest in %any placesNJ class bac!ground, and
%eager financial resources at best1 The eggar has other resources, howe2erA
connections, street s%arts, a sharp eye, and di2erse s!ills for caDoling passers?by out of
their spare cash1
Effecti2e begging reCuires consu%%ate s!ills of acting and disguise, so that the
eggar can present hi%self in the %anner %ost li!ely to garner the sy%pathy and cash of
the people he accosts1
"s a %atter of sur2i2al, the eggar needs di2erse sources of inco%e1 /ew can
a2oid star2ation solely by the charity of strangers in the street1 They are also dealers in
gossip and infor%ation Isuch as the %o2e%ent and acti2ities of wealthy personagesJ,
with ears e2er open for any tidbit of !nowledge that %ay help fill their sto%achs with
food1 eggars will also gladly hire the%sel2es out as %essengers or spies1
eggars also are !nown to cooperate with other 2arieties of thie2es, especially
Cutpurses1 " fa2orite ruse is for one or %ore eggars to accost a wealthy?loo!ing person1
While they distract hi% with their pitiful Iand %ore often than not, futileJ pleas for
assistance, a slic! Cutpurse relie2es the 2icti% of his purse1 Shares of the score are
di2ided a%ong eggars and Cutpurse1
,any eggars are affiliates of the local thie2es' guild, surprisingly enough1 The
guild %a!es use of the% as %essengers and infor%ants1 .t also %ay ha2e a sort of
protection rac!et going with the%A eggars %ust share their score with the local guild in
e9change for protection fro% thie2es of the guild itself, as well as BfreelancersB and ri2al
guilds%en1 #uild?affiliated eggars also %ay gain so%e %easure of protection fro% the
local constabularyGa useful thing if local law prohibits panhandling1
Secondary Skills3 9sually I5;RJ noneL begging itself is assu%ed to ha2e been the
character's trade or profession1 .f a eggar does ha2e any secondary s!ills, it should be
assu%ed that for so%e reason or other he lost his %eans of e%ploy%ent1 He %ay ha2e
been thrown out of his trade guild, for instanceL or could ha2e been %ai%ed so that he
could no longer perfor% tas!s as he did in the past1
"eapon Proficiencies3 eggars begin with fa%iliarity only with si%ple,
ine9pensi2e weapons1 The !nife is a fa2orite, being ine9pensi2e, easy to use, and easy to
conceal1 eginning thie2es with the eggar !it should select their two proficient weapons
fro% a%ong the followingA club, dagger, dart, !nife, sling, or staff1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA egging, Disguise, .nfor%ation #athering,
&bser2ation1 Reco%%endedA "lertness, Singing, Trailing1 "s %entioned under Secondary
S!ills, abo2e, a eggar with %ar!etable s!ills Ie1g1, crafts or tradesJ should ha2e so%e
reason in his bac!ground why he is no longer able to support hi%self through the%1
Skill Progression3 eggars beco%e %ost proficient in pic!ing poc!ets Ito
supple%ent begging inco%eJ, and %o2ing silently, hiding in shadows, and detecting noise
Iuseful for gathering infor%ation and tailing peopleJ1 They tend to be worst at opening
loc!s and finding or re%o2ing traps, since these s!ills reCuire technical training that is
not easily a2ailable1
87uipment3 The basic eCuip%ent of a eggar is a wooden bowl or cup in which
passers?by %ay place al%s1 ,ore sophisticated eggars ha2e false crutches, %a!e?up and
the li!e to %a!e the%sel2es see% as desperate and po2erty?stric!en as possible1
So%e eggars ha2e children with the% Irented fro% the true parents, or borrowed
in return for a share of the day's inco%e, if they are not the eggar's ownJ to arouse still
%ore sy%pathy1
" %ore sophisticated sort of eggar offers a ser2ice of so%e !indGsinging a
song, or playing a si%ple instru%entGin e9change for food, drin!, or a few coins1
/ew eggars can afford to purchase ar%orL and e2en if they could, they would not
want to wear it, since it would suggest that they are wealthier than they would li!e to
appear1
eggars who rise abo2e their circu%stances %ay of course eCuip the%sel2es as
they see fit, although then they will no longer be accepted by other eggars as one of
their !ind1 " eggar who appears well?off could suffer penalties, at the D,'s discretion,
at the following proficienciesA begging Ibecause the character doesn't loo! i%po2erishedJ,
infor%ation gathering Ibecause other eggars will distrust hi%J, and e2en trailing
Ibecause the thief %ight not blend in as well with the city's %assesJ1
Special *enefits3 The %ost 2aluable benefits of the eggar !it are the large
nu%ber of bonus nonweapon proficiencies1 These should be granted to a character e2en if
the ca%paign at large does not %a!e use of nonweapon proficiency rules1
Special Hindrances3 eggars are scorned by %ost of society1 E2en characters who
share their wealth with eggars tend to feel a sort of disgust or condescension, though
they %ay try to hide it1 &ther thie2es, howe2er, recogni8e the talents and 2alue of
eggars1 /or this reason, eggars suffer ?: on reaction rolls with N-Cs who aren't
thie2es1
/urther%ore, because of their i%po2erished bac!ground, eggars start the ga%e
with only 7d= gold pieces1
aces3 eggars %ay be of any race1 .n regions with a lot of bigotry, where
de%ihu%ans ha2e difficulty finding legiti%ate e%ploy%ent, eggars are co%%only
de%ihu%an1 ,ost nonhu%an eggars were forced into their position by unfortunate
circu%stancesGthey were not born into it1
ounty Hunter
6escription3 The ounty Hunter is a ruthless %ercenary, worshipping
little besides the price on his target's head, recogni8ing few laws sa2e the contractual
distinction between B!illB and Bcapture1B He %ay be found ser2ing the state, capturing
cri%inals and bringing the% to DusticeL or he %ay ser2e the shadowy lords of the
underworld, a2enging the twisted honor found a%ong thie2es and cri%inals1 -ursuit of
his Cuarry %ay ta!e hi% through a thousand hostile en2iron%ents, to foreign lands, e2en
to alien planes1 He is a hunter of %en1
The ounty Hunter's 2ocation is rigorous and de%anding at e2ery le2elA physical,
psychological, e2en %oral1 .t reCuires a sure hand and a stable %ind1 To be a ounty
Hunter, a thief %ust ha2e %ini%u% scores of 44 in e2ery ability e9cept Charis%a1 &ne
thing that doesn't really %atter to a tough, independent thief li!e this is whether or not
people li!e hi%1
" further reCuire%ent is that the ounty Hunter be of a non?lawful align%ent1 The
reasons for this are discussed below1
ole3 .t is i%portant to draw a distinction between the ounty Hunter and the
"ssassin, for their 2ocations are si%ilar1
The "ssassin is %ost often part of a larger networ! or organi8ationGeither a
society of "ssassins for hire, or a guild or cri%e fa%ily, or e2en a go2ern%ent1 The
"ssassin is retained by that organi8ation to discreetly eli%inate its ene%iesL he is strictly
a !iller1 The "ssassin also is a predo%inantly urban figure, though his %issions %ay ta!e
hi% out of that setting on occasion1 ,ost organi8ations that ha2e "ssassins would deny
their e9istence, because of the highly illegal and unpopular nature of their acti2ities1
The ounty Hunter, by contrast, is a loner1 He %ay be solicited directly by an
e%ployer, but %ore often he si%ply learns of a price offered for the body Ili2ing or deadJ
of so%e person and goes after hi%1
While the "ssassin reCuires secrecy and anony%ity, the ounty Hunter thri2es on
infa%y1 /ear leads his prey to %a!e %ista!es, and each such %ista!e brings the ounty
Hunter one step closer to success1 While an "ssassin is often hired to !ill relati2ely
nor%al, often unsuspecting people, the ounty Hunter is trac!ing fugiti2esGpeople who
!now who's after the%, and are therefore e9ceptionally desperate and dangerous1
-ursuit of such people %ay lead the ounty Hunter to literally any place, e2en to
other planes of e9istence Iif the prospecti2e reward will %a!e the 2enture worthwhileJ,
and so the ounty Hunter beco%es adept at sur2i2al and trac!ing in all %anner of hostile
en2iron%ents1
ounty Hunters do not trac! only fugiti2es1 They %ay be hired to perfor% such
tas!s as !idnapping, freeing !idnapped persons, or Iespecially at lower le2els, when they
are still de2eloping their s!illsJ reco2ering stolen property1
The law and authorities do not always loo! !indly upon ounty Hunters, though
they will per%it their e9istence so that they, too, %ay benefit fro% the %anhunters'
e9pertise1 /or the sa%e reason, thie2es' guilds tolerate the ounty Hunters, despite the
fact that al%ost no Hunter would e2er Doin their ran!s1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1
"eapon Proficiencies3 The ounty Hunter is per%itted the use of any weapon1 "s
part of his persona and fearso%e public i%age, a ounty Hunter will often gain
proficiency in a rare or bi8arre weapon, such as the !hopesh sword or %an?catcher1 Non?
thief weapons ta!e up two of the ounty Hunter's weapon proficiency slots, but he is
granted a bonus slot at 4st le2el1
8'ample3 org Tartan ta!es the ounty Hunter thief !it1 This %eans he has 7
initial weapon proficiency slots1 Two he fills with a nonthief weapon, two?handed sword,
and in the third he ta!es the hand crossbow1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA Trac!ing1 Reco%%endedA "lertness, "ni%al
Handling@Training, "ni%al Noise, oating, Direction Sense, /ire?building, #ather
.ntelligence, Herbalis%, Hunting, .nti%idation, &bser2ation, Riding, Set Snares,
Sur2i2al, Trailing1
Skill Progression3 ounty Hunters %a!e freCuent use of al%ost all thief s!ills,
e9cept perhaps pic! poc!ets1
Note that Bpic! poc!etsB includes all sorts of delicate feats of %anual de9terity,
such as slipping poison or a B%ic!eyB into a drin!1 Deadly poisoning is %ore freCuently
the pro2ince of the "ssassin, but a carefully placed, powerful sedati2e %ay sa2e a ounty
Hunter a great deal of trouble1 ITo ha2e access to sedati2es or understand their use, a
ounty Hunter %ust ha2e herbalis% proficiency1J
87uipment3 esides the usual range of thiefly eCuip%ent, ounty Hunters ta!e
interest in ite%s for !illing and capturing their prey1 Special ite%s fro% the eCuip%ent
chapter, such as blade boots, death !ni2es, folding bows, and the li!e, are so%eti%es
ta!en as fa2orite weapons1 " rope for holding li2e prisoners is, of course, 2ital, and it %ay
also be used for setting snares1 linding powder and incapacitating poisons Iparalytic
ones or those that %a!e their 2icti% ill and helplessJ %ay also ha2e 2alue1
ounty Hunters %a!e little use of deadly poisonsGthat is %ore the pro2ince of
the stealthy "ssassin1 .f a ounty Hunter is out to !ill a fugiti2e, he probably won't be
worrying about how %essy it will be1
Special *enefits3 None1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 ,e%bers of any race could beco%e ounty Hunters1 "%ong the
nonhu%ans, howe2er, those of %i9ed blood Ie1g1, half?el2esJ fa2or it %ost, since they are
often outsiders, loners not accepted by either side of their ancestry1
uccaneer
6escription3 uccaneers are thie2es of the high seas, plying the trade
lanes in search of prey1 They inter%i9 with and co%ple%ent their piratical warrior
cousins111to the e9tent that any of these scoundrels can be said to co%ple%ent anything1
" hardy Constitution Ino less than 4;J is reCuired to sur2i2e long %onths at sea
and be a uccaneer1
ole3 uccaneers closely rese%ble their land?dwelling cousins, andits1 They,
too, are desperate and cruel, fiendishly cunning, and li!ely to ha2e a lot of internal
sCuabbles1
$i!e andits, uccaneers cooperate for sur2i2al and success1 They also ha2e
sordid pastsGpasts which will often bind the% together1 ,any a pirate ship used to be
put to legiti%ate use, but its crew rose in %utiny, too! the ship, !illed e2eryone not party
to the act, and turned to piracy1
,utiny and piracy are both punishable by death, and on the high seas the warship
or %erchant%an of any state will gladly carry out that sentence, if gi2en a chance1
uccaneers will therefore fight to the death, against all odds, rather than face capture and
ine2itable su%%ary e9ecution1
uccaneers do not belong to guildsL although, li!e andits, a ship of the% %ay be
considered a nonstandard guild of sorts1 So%eti%es groups of pirate and uccaneer ships
will e2en %a!e alliances, and cooperate to raid richly?laden Iand therefore well?
defendedJ %erchant%en1 There %ay also be ri2alry a%ong pirate groupsGespecially
when one of the% carries a healthy cargo of booty that has not yet been hidden in a safe
sanctuary1
uccaneers li!e to ha2e secret sanctuaries, probably in a secret co2e or on a tiny
island1 There they rest between raids, store treasure and pro2isions, and plan their
acti2ities1 Such sanctuaries will ha2e the best protection a2ailable to the uccaneers,
possibly including %agical defenses1
Related to but distinct fro% uccaneers are -ri2ateers1 These are Blegiti%ateB
uccaneers1 -ri2ateers ha2e recei2ed the sanction of so%e nation to practice piracy on
the %erchant%en of another nation1 Well !nown historical e9a%ples of this include the
-ri2ateers of Eli8abethan England, captained by such illustrious personages as Sir /rancis
Dra!e1 These daring Bsea dogsB raided gold?laden Spanish galleons as they returned fro%
the New World1
While -ri2ateers are sanctioned by one nation, those on who% they prey certainly
regard the% as pirates and will treat the% as such if they are captured1
" group of N-C uccaneers should include not Dust thie2es but a healthy nu%ber
of warriors with the pirate !it, and perhaps a swashbuc!ler or two as well1 E2en a
renegade %age %ight be found a%ong the%1 I-ri2ateers are e2en %ore li!ely to ha2e the
ser2ices of a wi8ard, especially one with talents in the %anipulation of water and wind1J
Secondary Skills3 #a%bler, $i%ner@-ainter, Na2igator, Sailor, Shipwright,
Tailor@Wea2er, Tea%ster@/reighter, Trader@arterer, Woodwor!er@Carpenter1
Skill Progression3 uccaneers %a!e %uch less use of the traditional thief s!ills
than thie2es of other !its1 Cli%bing around the rigging of their ships reCuires so%e wall?
cli%bing s!ill, and the delicate step needed to wor! high abo2e the dec! %ay carry o2er
into e9cellence at %o2ing silently1 /inally, uccaneers fa2or the read languages s!illG
they li!e to be e9traordinarily adept at deciphering the strange, secret codes adorning
%aps, codes that %ay tell a sly captain the location of a ri2al's buried treasure1
"eapon Proficiencies3 The D, %ay wish to %a!e classic uccaneer weapons,
such as the cutlass, a2ailable to thie2es of this !it1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA Na2igation, Sea%anship, Swi%%ing1
Reco%%endedA "lertness, Direction Sense, /ishing, #a%bling, .nti%idation, $ooting,
Rope *se, Tightrope Wal!ing, Weather Sense1
87uipment3 uccaneers dress the%sel2es as sailors Iwith weapons, of courseJ,
and carry about the sa%e eCuip%ent when at sea1 "lso, li!e sailors, they will a2oid ar%or
Git gets in the way of cli%bing around the rigging Idouble penalties on cli%bing rollsJ,
and also presents a proble% for so%eone unfortunate enough to find hi%self o2erboard1
Special *enefits3 ecause of their fa%iliarity with ropes, %uch used in the
nautical arts, uccaneers gain a bonus of Q<R on cli%bing rolls if ropes are in2ol2edG
Q4;R if they are ropes on a ship1 INote that the total chance of success with a thief s!ill,
including all positi2e and negati2e %odifiers, cannot e9ceed 5<R1J
"lways be sure to consider the 2arious cli%bing %odifiers, e9plained on pp1 4::?
4:7 of the Player's Handbook.
uccaneers also can fight fro% a rope Iusually on a shipJ, so long as the feet and
one hand can grasp it, and they are %uch better at this than other types of characters1
They get Q4 on attac! and sa2ing throw rolls in rope co%bat, Q: on such rolls in
shipboard rope co%bat1 Note that these adDust%ents should be added to all the other
%odifiersGwhich are usually negati2e1 /or instance, a cli%bing character would
nor%ally get a ?: penalty on attac!sL so the uccaneer's Q: bonus %erely negates this1
*se co%%on sense when applying the sa2ing throw bonus for a uccaneer in
rope co%batL while it would apply to dodging a lightning bolt, it would not apply to
sa2ing against a char% or hold spell1
/or %ore infor%ation on shipboard co%bat, see B$earning the RopesB below1
Special HindrancesA "s their e9pertise lies in rope?cli%bing, uccaneers suffer a
penalty of ?4;R when they atte%pt to cli%b without one1
aces3 "l%ost all uccaneers are hu%an, since few de%ihu%ans and hu%anoids
are !nown as seafarers1 The occasional half?elf %ight be found a%ong a uccaneer crew,
or, e2en %ore rarely, a half?breed or full?blooded aCuatic elf1 /or such an elf to lea2e his
own people would indicate a turbulent past indeed1
$earning the Ropes
I&ptional RulesJ
uccaneers often find the%sel2es fighting a%ong the ropes and %asts of
their ships1 This section of optional rules is intended to help si%ulate the difficulty and
e9cite%ent of such a scenario1 .t %ay also be used in other situations of rope co%bat1
The basic %odifiers in cli%bing co%bat are as followsA
O " cli%bing character loses all "r%or Class bonuses for De9terity and shield1
O " cli%bing character suffers a ?: penalty on attac!, da%age, and sa2ing throw
rolls1
O " character attac!ing fro% abo2e gains a Q: bonus on his attac! roll1
O " character attac!ing fro% below suffers a ?: penalty on his attac! roll1
&ther %odifiers that often co%e into play areA
O "n off?balance defender is attac!ed with a bonus of Q:1 See below for %ore
infor%ation on balance and rope co%bat1
O " rear attac! Ie1g1, against a character trying to cli%b up a ropeGbut N&T a
uccaneer cli%bing and dodging at the sa%e ti%e, as e9plained belowJ gains a Q: bonus1
uccaneers additionally gain a Q4 on rope co%bat attac!s IQ: if shipboardJ, and
%ay be gi2en the option of dodging Ie9plained belowJ, than!s to their facility and
freCuent practice with rope cli%bing1
N-C sailors, also fa%iliar with seaborne rope cli%bing, should, for the purpose of
these rules, ha2e a base cli%bing percentage of H<R1 This percentage does N&T apply to
other sorts of cli%bing Iwalls, %ountains, etc1JL in such areas a sailor is assu%ed to be
untrained and should be treated as such1
Re%e%ber that %odifiers are cu%ulati2eN
$osing and Regaining alance
"ny character engaged in co%bat on ropes runs the ris! of losing his
balance1
" character who is struc! by a weapon, or atte%pts to cli%b in the course of
co%bat, %ust %a!e a cli%bing chec! or lose his balance1
$ost balance %eans that the ne9t round the character %ust either fall 2oluntarily
or atte%pt to regain his balance1 .n either case, the character can perfor% no other action1
" successful cli%bing chec! %eans that the character has regained his balance1 " failure
%eans the character has fallen Iand, of course, %ay suffer falling da%ageJ1 Don't forget,
all attac!s against an off?balance character are at Q:1
&ptional RuleA Dodging
Thie2es with the uccaneer !it %ay choose to spend a round in rope
co%bat dodging1 When doing so, the thief %ay not attac!, but he %ay %o2e at half his
nor%al rope?cli%bing speed1 .f a successful cli%bing chec! is %ade, the uccaneer is
able to add his De9terity bonus to his "r%or Class for that round of co%bat1 .f
unsuccessful, the thief will be off?balance the ne9t roundL he %ust spend it regaining his
balance Isee belowJ, and attac!s against hi% are at Q:1
8'ample3 While plying the sea lanes, a ship carrying the uccaneer DalDo assaults
a %erchant%an whose crew refuses the uccaneers' de%and for their cargo and puts up a
surprising a%ount of resistance1 DalDo and his %en board the 2essel, and he finds hi%self
fighting high abo2e the dec!, facing an ugly sailor ar%ed with a long, cur2ed dagger1
DalDo hi%self wields a cutlass1 Neither co%batant is wearing ar%or1
The %odifiers for this %elee are as followsA Neither gets a De9terity bonusL since
they are both unar%ored, they both ha2e "C 4;1 The sailor's attac! %odifiers are ?: for
cli%bing, but Q: for attac!ing fro% abo2e, so they balance out to 8ero1 DalDo has ?: for
cli%bing, Q7 for being a uccaneer cli%bing ropes on a ship, and ?: for attac!ing fro%
below, for a total penalty of ?41
.n one round of co%bat, suppose DalDo is struc! by the sailor's !nife1 He %ust roll
his cli%bing percentage to a2oid losing his balance1 His base percentage is ><RL but
than!s to his !it and the situation he gets a Q4;R bonus1 .f an 6< or lower is rolled, DalDo
hangs on in spite of the situation1
ut suppose he is unsuccessfulA DalDo has lost his balance1 The ne9t round his
action is to atte%pt to regain it Ithe only alternati2e is to drop to the dec!J, which he
succeeds in doing, while the sailor stri!es with a Q: bonus1 .f DalDo is struc! again, he
will ha2e to %a!e another cli%bing chec! lest he lose another round of attac!s or e2en
plu%%et to the dec! below1
.f the co%bat continues to go poorly, DalDo should probably dodge blows while
retreating down the rope1 The sailor has the ad2antage when abo2e hi%, but once DalDo
has returned safely to the dec!, he can fight on an e2en footing again1 .f the sailor does
not follow hi% down, howe2er, he should not go too farGlest the sailor try to cut the
rope abo2e hi%N
urglar
6escription3 The consu%%ate urglar is an e9pert at brea!ing and
entering the %ost difficult buildings, bypassing walls, loc!s, traps and guardians,
grabbing the best loot, and escaping unnoticed as stealthily as he arri2ed1
The cat urglar reCuires a %ini%u% Strength of 4; and De9terity of 471
ole3 .n %any ways, the cat urglar is the stereotypical professional thief1 He
probably uses %ore of the traditional thief s!ills, and %ore freCuently, than any other !it1
E2en within the ran!s of urglars, thie2es often speciali8e e2en further1 So%e
speciali8e by s!ills1 " Bbo9?%an,B for instance, is an e9pert at opening loc!s, especially
safes and well?protected chests1 " cat urglar or second?story thief speciali8es in
cli%bing walls Iwhich can be a re%ar!ably effecti2e protection, especially if ground?
le2el entrances ha2e people around the%J1 Tea%s of urglars who speciali8e by s!ill
often find the %ost success1
&ther urglars speciali8e by target1 Jewel thie2es in particular are the elite a%ong
urglarsL the protection found around the obDects of their attention de%ands that their
s!ills and cle2erness be honed to perfection1
urglars of any bac!ground %ay be found1 E2en thrillsee!ers of the pri2ileged
classes %ay ta!e up Dewel urglary as a challenging, profitable, and e9citing pasti%e1
"l%ost all successful urglars ha2e so%e sort of guild affiliation1 .n order to get
rid of the loot they ta!e, they of course need a fence Iespecially if their score is distincti2e
Ge1g1, fabulous ge%s, 2aluable artwor!J1 #uilds pro2ide the urglar with innu%erable
benefitsA fencing of e2en the %ost distincti2e ite%s, connections with potential BbusinessB
partners, access to speciali8ed eCuip%ent, and, not least of all, protection1 " guild can
arrange the fi9 Ito free an i%prisoned urglarJ, and pro2ide deterrence, protecting its
urglars fro% other guilds and powerful cri%inalsGpeople who don't ta!e !indly to
being robbed the%sel2es, and are %ore li!ely to %a!e hasty decisions about a suspect
character's guilt or innocence1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1
"eapon Proficiencies3 etter urglars do not bring weapons with the% on a DobL
it only %eans %ore serious penalties if they are caughtGeither legal penalties, or %ore
i%%ediate ones li!e a Du%py 2icti% panic!ing and attac!ing the%1 &n so%e Dobs,
howe2er Ie1g1, stealing fro% dangerous cri%inalsJ a urglar is wise to ha2e %eans of self?
defense1 S%all, Cuiet, concealable weapons are naturally fa2ored, though a urglar %ay
choose proficiency in any weapon a%ong those nor%ally per%itted to thie2es1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA "lertness, $ooting1 Reco%%endedA
egging, #ather .ntelligence, Ju%ping, &bser2ation, Rope *se, Tightrope Wal!ing,
Tu%bling1
Skill Progression3 The 2ital s!ills of a urglar are open loc!s, find@re%o2e traps,
%o2e silently, hide in shadows, detect noise and cli%b walls1 "s %entioned before, a
urglar %ay concentrate particularly on one of these, but he would probably then want to
be as e2enly e9cellent as possible in the others1
87uipment3 urglars lo2e to use speciali8ed hardware to increase their chances of
success1 /or a thorough e9a%ination of so%e specialty ite%s a2ailable, and their effects
on thief s!ills, consult the eCuip%ent chapter later in this boo!1
Special *enefits3 None1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 ,e%bers of any race %ay be urglars, and it is a fa2orite !it1 Non?hu%an
thie2es often speciali8e in areas that offer e9cellent racial bonuses1 /or instance, dwar2es
%ay speciali8e in loc!pic!ing and trap detection1 "nd el2es %ay speciali8e in
reconnaissance Ithey snea! around and report on the presence and nature of obstaclesJ1
The Specialist urglar
" broad, general range of s!ills is often what ad2enturers choose, but for
the urban urglar, speciali8ation is the way to go1 There are a nu%ber of reasons for this1
" speciali8ed thief is si%ply %ore %ar!etable1 -eople in the underworld want
so%eone e9cellent for a Dob1 That %ay %ean a high?le2el generali8ed thief, one who has
been in the business long enough to be good at e2erything1 ut it's not easy for a thief to
reach that le2el1 Therefore, by concentrating on one s!ill, a relati2ely low?le2el thief %ay
co%pete with a thief %any le2els higher for Dobs of a certain type1
Suppose, for instance, we ha2e a Bbo9?%anBGactually a wo%anGna%ed
"nnelise1 y concentrating as %any points as possible in her open loc!s s!ill, she can
ha2e a score of 6<R at only =th le2el Ithis does not include %odifiers for race, De9terity,
ar%or or !itJ1 Since she can put no %ore than half of what she earns at each le2el into any
one s!ill, she distributes her re%aining points %ore or less e2enly a%ong the other s!ills1
She would probably neglect pic! poc!ets and read languages, howe2er, since they usually
are not useful to a urglar1
Co%pare this to a BgeneralistB thief, which ad2enturers tend to beA &n Table 45 of
the 6ungeon +aster's Guide IThief "2erage "bility TableJ, you can see that "nnelise's
le2el of loc!pic!ing s!ill would not be attained before 4=th le2el1
Now i%agine that a %ob of Dewel thie2es is preparing for a Dob1 They ha2e di2erse
s!illsGe9cept that they are lousy at loc!?pic!ing1 They need to bring a bo9?%an into
their %ob1 Who would they chooseM Well, first off, a 4=th?le2el thief is pretty bloody rare1
"nd e2en if one were a2ailable and willing to wor! with less?e9perienced
thie2es, he would probably de%and a larger share of the ta!e1 &therwise it would not be
worth his ti%eA He has unifor%ly good s!ills, and could probably co%%it this robbery on
his own1 " Dob with which he would need assistance is probably well out of the range of
these thie2es1
"nnelise, then, is a pretty attracti2e option1 She %ight be able to cli%b little better
than a fish, but that's the cat urglar's e9pertiseL after he's %ounted the building, he can
lower a rope for the less sure?footed1 y offering "nnelise a reasonable share of the loot,
the other urglars are al%ost assured that their difficult loc! will be opened1
Cutpurse
6escription3 This is probably the %ost co%%on sort of thiefGthe
pic!poc!et or shoplifter who engages in s%all?ti%e larceny, usually at a le2el of %eager
subsistence1 He often supple%ents his inco%e by wor!ing as an infor%ant for the
powerful figures of the underworld Ior anyone else who's willing to payJ1
The Cutpurse has no reCuire%ents beyond those of the thief class1
ole3 The Cutpurse is near the botto% of the underworld hierarchy1 His acti2ities
are not as ris!y as those of other thie2es, but are they are not as profitable either1
,any Cutpurses are Bfreelancers,B not associated with any thie2es' guild1 #uilds,
nor%ally harsh on non?%e%ber thie2es who operate in their territory, pay little attention
to Cutpurses1 The profit and benefits that would accrue fro% their %e%bership would not
outweigh the trouble of trying to bring the% into line1 /or this reason %any chaotic
thie2es, who %ay disli!e the structure and li%itations of guild %e%bership, choose the
Cutpurse !it1
Cutpurses are not always uncooperati2e, howe2er1 So%e do Doin guilds, which
they ser2e pri%arily as infor%ants and tipsters, ears on the streets, catching gossip and
scoping out prospecti2e targets that can then be assigned to other thie2es1
Cutpurses who don't belong to a guild often for% their own little %ob1 Such a
s%all %ob usually de2elops a standard %odus operandi Iway of operatingJ, and they use
the sa%e sca% on e2ery target1 They %ay also design special, elaborate plans for lifting a
particularly hea2y purse1 Cutpurses also %ay enlist the assistance of thie2es of other !its
in their operations Isee the eggar !it, abo2e, for an e9a%pleJ1
Suppose, for instance, that one thief has the Dob of accosting an affluent?loo!ing
stranger, who% the Cutpurses ha2e guessed to be an out?of?town %erchant1 This first
thief presents hi%self as a street?2endor1 While he tries to sell the %erchant a hot pastry, a
second thief co%es by carrying a large load Iperhaps a bas!et full of dirty sheetsJ, which
he BaccidentallyB drops on or around the %erchant1 .n the chaos that ensues, the first two
thie2es appear to help the %erchant, pic!ing up the fallen ite%s and apologi8ing
profuselyL while a third Cutpurse does the actual Dob of relie2ing the %erchant of his
cash1
$i!e beggars, %ost Cutpurses are of lower?class bac!ground and are born into
their station1
Secondary Skills3 *sually I5;RJ none1
"eapon Proficiencies3 S%all, concealable weapons are ideal for Cutpurses,
though they are not for%ally restricted any %ore than thie2es in general1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA &bser2ation, Trailing, Reco%%endedA
"lertness, egging, #ather .ntelligence, Trailing1
Skill Progression3 Cutpurses naturally speciali8e in pic!ing poc!ets1 eyond this,
they typically fa2or %o2ing silently and hiding in shadows, as these %ay increase their
pic!poc!eting talents1
87uipment3 " few special ite%s to aid in pic!ing poc!ets are noted in the
eCuip%ent chapter Ip1 5;J1 .f thie2es ha2e connections, they %ay be able to purchase such
ite%s1
Special *enefits3 The effecti2e pic!poc!et is one who can choose his target
carefully1 He %ust learn to ascertain the nature of a prospecti2e 2icti%1 How dangerous
will the atte%pt beM What could the target do in responseM "nd does the chance of
financial reward out weigh the ris!s in2ol2edM
.n ga%e ter%s, this %eans that the Cutpurse has the ability to guess the class and
le2el of another character1 .f the pic!poc!et %a!es a successful obser2ation proficiency
chec!, he can accurately deter%ine the target's character class1
"nother proficiency chec! can be %ade to deter%ine the appro9i%ate le2el of the
character1 The D, should roll this chec! secretly1 .f the chec! fails, the difference
between the nu%ber rolled and the nu%ber needed for success is how far off the
character's esti%ate is1
So%eti%es a Cutpurse will Bchec! outB a character who is in disguise1 When this
happens, the Cutpurse suffers a penalty of ?< on his proficiency chec!1
8'ample3 #orgar the Cutpurse is eyeing an opulent?loo!ing foreigner1 #orgar
succeeds in his first obser2ation chec!, and deter%ines that the %an is a wi8ard1 This
could be dangerous, he thin!s, and he tries to guess how powerful the wi8ard is1
#orgar needs to roll a 47 or lower for a successful obser2ation chec!1 The D,
rolls the dice secretly for hi%, and gets a 4H1 This %eans that #orgar's esti%ate will be 7
le2els off1
The wi8ard is in fact =th le2el1 The D, decides that, because of the %age's rich
dress, #orgar o2eresti%ates the character's le2el1 B0ou guess that the wi8ard is around >th
le2el,B says the D,1 INote that characters don't spea! in ter%s of character le2elsL the
thief would ha2e infor%ation in less precise ter%sL but spea!ing about le2els is clearer for
co%%unication a%ong players1J
.f the D, wished, he could ha2e deter%ined rando%ly if #orgar o2er? or
underesti%ated Ie1g1, roll 4dHL 4?7A o2er, =?H underJ1
Special Hindrances3 The %ain hindrance to Cutpurses is that thie2es of other !its
loo! down on the%, considering the% s%all?ti%e thie2es, Dust half a step abo2e eggars1
This is so%ething the D, should bring out in role?playingGCutpurse thie2es will ha2e
difficulty co%%anding a lot of respect in the underworld1
aces3 Cutpurses %ay co%e fro% any race1 Half?el2es and halflings particularly
fa2or this !itL as do, to a lesser e9tent, el2es1
/ence
6escription3 The /ence is a blac! %ar!eteer, a seller of stolen or
otherwise illegal goods1 He is al%ost always found in a city setting, where there are large
nu%bers of people to ser2e as custo%ers as well as prey for the thie2es who supply hi%1
" good /ence needs a sharp %ind to appraise people as well as goods, and to stay
ahead of the law1 To ta!e this !it, therefore, a thief needs a %ini%u% .ntelligence of 4:1
ole3 The /ence is the linchpin in the co%plicated web of the blac! %ar!et1
Thie2es sell their illicit acCuisitions to the /ence, for so%e a%ount of %oney below their
actual 2alue1 The /ence then resells the BhotB goods on the blac! %ar!et1 .f the city in
which he operates is large and the goods are %inor enough Inot the crown Dewels of the
local royaltyJ, they %ay be sold directly to local buyers1 .f the /ence thin!s they're Btoo
hot,B though, he will probably arrange to ha2e the% s%uggled and sold elsewhere1
-ower for /ences is rarely %easured in ter%s of character le2el1 .nstead, it is a
%atter of the breadth of the /ence's networ! and the reliability of his contacts1 &f course,
to acCuire or retain an e9tensi2e networ!, a /ence needs %uch cunning and e9perienceG
which %ay coincidentally result in a high character le2el1
The %ost powerful /ences !eep their identities secret, and %ay ne2er see their
clients, neither thie2es nor buyers1 They coordinate things fro% behind the scenes, and
ha2e %inor /ences to ser2e as inter%ediaries1 E2en a close contact %ay ne2er ha2e seen
the face of a great /enceGat least, not !nowingly1 " /ence %ay secretly play the role of
an underling in his own networ!Gor e2en that of a ri2al or freelancerN
This %ay all start to sound fa%iliar to those who !now so%ething about thie2es'
guilds1 The networ!s of a powerful /ence loo! increasingly li!e the structure of a thie2es'
guild1 This is no coincidence1 Those who are !nowledgeable in these %atters speculate
that the thie2es' guild was originally, and in %any respects still is, a blac! %ar!et networ!
%ade into a for%al entity1
/ences %ay be of any social bac!ground, though wealthy and noble /ences are
rare1 Certainly those that do e9ist diligently !eep their identities well?hidden, for ob2ious
reasons1 The sta!es %ust be high to clai% the attention of the socially and financially
ele2ated1
/or e9a%ple, a rich %erchant %ay deal with stolen Dewelry on the side1 &r a baron
%ay be the secret %aster%ind behind a networ! of thie2es s%uggling and selling
contraband1 The real world offers other e9a%plesGsuch as petty dictators who do not
only accept bribes and turn a blind eye to drug s%ugglers but are in fact a drug lord
the%sel2esN
The blac! %ar!et networ! transfers infor%ation as well as goods1 /ences are
probably the best?infor%ed figures of the underworld1 /or this reason they gain Bgather
intelligenceB as a bonus nonweapon proficiency1 IThey also recei2e BappraisingB as a
bonus proficiency, since it is 2ital to their 2ocation1J
Secondary Skills3 #a%bler, Jeweler, Scribe, Tea%ster@/reighter, Trader@arterer1
"eapon Proficiencies3 "ny1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA "ppraising, #ather .ntelligence1
Reco%%endedA "lertness, /ast?tal!ing, /orgery, #e% Cutting, $ocal History,
&bser2ation1
Skill Progression3 $ess powerful /ences Ithat is, those lower in the networ!
hierarchy, with fewer contactsJ %ay need to %a!e use of thiefly s!ills1 -ic!ing poc!ets
%ay pro2ide a little inco%e when business is slowL its use for sleight?of?hand %ay also
ha2e 2alue Ithough it is dangerous to cheat clientsJ1 &pening loc!s and finding and
re%o2ing traps are useful s!ills for inspecting %erchandise1 .t is not un!nown for
urglars, unable to open a strongbo9, to si%ply cart off the whole thing and hope their
/ence can get it open1 Read languages is also so%eti%es useful in e9a%ining
%erchandise1 The stealth s!ills I%o2e silently, etc1J ha2e so%e 2alue on the streetL /ences
who ha2e direct contact with their clients %ay put so%e ti%e into culti2ating the%, but
%ore powerful /ences often neglect the%1
87uipment3 ,ost /ences own eCuip%ent for e9a%ining %erchandise, to
deter%ine if the goods are counterfeit or what their 2alue %ight be1 " %agnifying lens,
for instance, %ay be of use here1
Special *enefits3 ecause of his contacts, a /ence is probably the best person for
locating and hiring thie2es and s%ugglers, especially in territory not clai%ed by a guild1
"lso, /ences generally co%%and a lot of respect fro% the underworld in their
ho%e territory1 *nless a thief has a serious 2endetta, he will probably court a /ence's
fa2or for business reasons1 /ences recei2e a bonus of Q7 on reactions with N-C thie2es if
their profession is recogni8ed1
Special Hindrances3 /ences are relati2ely pro%inent in the underworld1 "nd,
unli!e freelance burglars and s%ugglers who can %o2e fro% place to place, the /ences'
blac! %ar!et networ! reCuires a stable ho%e locale, so that they can stay in touch with
their contacts1 IThe D, %ay wish to !eep -Cs fro% being acti2e /ences because of thisL
the /ence's life is %uch %ore business than ad2enture1J This also %eans that the local
authorities %ay be aware of a /ence's identity and acti2ities1 These authorities %ay
periodically harass a %inor /ence, or de%and bribes, or %ay sha!e hi% up for
infor%ation e2ery once in a while1
aces3 /ences %ay be of any race1 So%e de%ihu%an /ences prefer to deal only
in certain goods1 Dwarf and gno%e /ences, for instance, are !nown as shrewd appraisers
of stolen ge%s and Dewelry1
.n2estigator
6escription3 Though .n2estigators are listed as thie2es, they are usually in
fact the antithesis of cri%inals1 .n2estigators are enforcers of law and order, the people
who !now the s!ills of the thief inti%ately so that they can co%bat hi%1
ole3 .n2estigators can play a nu%ber of roles1 They %ay be pri2ate, their ser2ices
for sale1 &r they %ay be e%ployed by a go2ern%ent or organi8ation1 .n each case their
s!ills and acti2ities are si%ilar, but their roles and attitudes %ay be di2ergent1
"n .n2estigator %ay be a 2igilante, obsessed with unco2ering cri%e where2er it
%ay be hiding, and stopping it1 &r he %ay be the Bpri2ate eye,B a %ercenary sort, or
retained by an indi2idual or organi8ation, and %ay be willing to sidestep laws to better
ser2e his client1
So%e .n2estigators are of course in the e%ploy of so%e go2ern%ent1 This does
not necessarily identify the% as good, howe2er1 "n .n2estigator %ay be portrayed as a
sort of Bgood guy cop,B if it suits the ca%paign1 ut if the players are running thie2es
Iespecially fol! hero typesJ, the .n2estigator could be sinister and e2il, a perfect foil to
the -C thie2es' capers1
The relationship between .n2estigator thie2es and guilds is not usually that of
allies1 "n .n2estigator %ight be e%ployed by a guild, howe2erL though usually a Spy, or
perhaps a Troubleshooter, would do the guild's Bin2estigating1B
.n fact, an .n2estigator %ight not e2en reali8e that he is e%ployed by a guild, if
his ostensible e%ployer is a BfrontB business1 .nteresting cloa!?and?dagger?style
ad2entures could be built around an .n2estigator disco2ering, in the course of his wor!,
that the shadow he is following actually lur!s behind his own e%ployer1
"nd of course, .n2estigators ostensibly e%ployed by the go2ern%ent, li!e other
%agistrates and officials, so%eti%es Bgo bad,B and are bought off by a guild, either for
infor%ation, or in e9change for a blind eye turned toward guild acti2ities1
Secondary Skills3 %ny are possible, though it is not unusual for an .n2estigator to
ha2e spent his entire adult life in this profession1 "%ong the %ost useful secondary s!ills
for this !it are ar%orer, ga%bler, Deweler, li%ner@painter, scribe, trader@barterer, and
weapons%ith1
"eapon Proficiencies3 .n2estigators are per%itted the nor%al range of weapons
open to thie2es1 They will nor%ally carry two weapons, at least one of the% concealed
I!nife, dagger, or so%ething si%ilarly s%all, perhaps in a wrist sheathJ1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA .nfor%ation #athering, &bser2ation1
Reco%%endedA "lertness, "ppraising, Disguise, /ast?Tal!ing, Heraldry, .nti%idation,
$ocal History, ,odern $anguages, Reading $ips, Religion, Trailing1
Skill Progression3 " balance of generali8ed s!ills ser2es .n2estigators well1
-ic!ing poc!ets is less i%portant, of course, although you %ust re%e%ber that it %ay be
useful for sleight?of?hand, which %ay ser2e an .n2estigator1 Read language s!ills are a
%ust for deciphering cluesL so%e cri%inals write i%portant infor%ation in obscure
languages or secret codes, and being able to decipher it %ay %ean success or failure for
the .n2estigator1 &ther s!ills Iloc!pic!ing, trap detection and disar%a%ent, and so onJ are
useful for penetrating and e9a%ining the hideouts and houses of suspects1
87uipment3 " lot of the technological de2ices a2ailable to the %odern
.n2estigator Isuch as fingerprinting techniCues, searches of co%puter databases for
infor%ation, and so forthJ would of course not be a2ailable in the %edie2al fantasy
setting1 Still, it %ay be possible to duplicate so%e of the effects of such de2ices with
%agical ite%sL or the D, can %a!e liberal use of anachronis%1 Suppose .n2estigators are
able to dust for fingerprints, for e9a%ple1 " %agical de2ice that identifies fingerprints
%ight also e9ist, allowing the .n2estigator to learn whose prints he has dusted1
Special *enefits3 None1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 .n2estigators %ay be of any race, though they probably should be of the
do%inant race in their area of operation1 " dwarf would probably be best at doing
in2estigati2e wor! in the dwarf?do%inated Cuarter of a large city, for instance1 This
%eans that %ost .n2estigators would be hu%an Ia reasonable enough assu%ption, since
hu%an go2ern%ents would be the ones to use the% %ost freCuentlyJ1 &perations that
in2estigate guilds with %any nonhu%an %e%bers could of course %a!e %uch use of
nonhu%an .n2estigators1
Scout
6escription3 " Scout is a thief, usually solitary, who operates in a
wilderness setting1 esides wor!ing as a guide, spy, or saboteur for hire in the wilderness,
%any Scouts are in2ol2ed in such illicit acti2ities as poaching1
The Scout !it has no reCuire%ents beyond those of the thief class1
ole3 &ne %ight say that Scouts are to thie2es as rangers are to fightersGbut they
a2oid the strict Bsilly ethicsB of the ranger class1 Scouts are not prohibited fro% being
goodGand in fact they are, on the whole, a good deal %ore dependable than thie2es in
generalGbut they ha2e a cutthroat strea! that can be dangerous and unpredictable1
Howe2er, their rugged indi2idualis% and harsh practical Dudge%ent often endears the% to
ad2enturers, and %any are found a%ong such steadfast, daring co%panions1
*nli!e andits Iwho also operate chiefly in the wildernessJ, the Scout usually
shuns the co%pany of other thie2es, including guilds1 The guilds, in turn, care little about
Scouts1 Their poaching and s%all?ti%e thie2ery is seen as insignificant in the eyes of the
great cri%e figures, especially when co%pared to the trouble and e9pense that would be
reCuired to identify and to trac! down the elusi2e Scouts, to punish the% or force the% to
Doin guild ran!s1 .f a Scout is a guild %e%ber, either it is a 2oluntary arrange%ent
Iwhereby the Scout benefits fro% access to special eCuip%ent and trainingJ or he has
spent enough Bprofessional ti%eB in the city or other e9plicitly guild?controlled territory
that he was BpersuadedB to Doin1
&f the %any Scouts not belonging to a guild, so%e ha2e a single, consistent
e%ployer1 The rest are freelance or %ercenary, ser2ing the%sel2es or whate2er e%ployers
%ay co%e along, ta!ing the best pay they can find1 &r, if there's nothing else, they steal
and poach to support the%sel2es1
Se2eral organi8ations e%ploy Scouts regularly, so%eti%es on a per%anent basis1
The %ilitary, in particular, does soL reliable Scouts, trained for reconnaissance and
sabotage, are 2ital to any successful %ilitary operation1 "nd the !ey to ha2ing reliable
Scouts is to ha2e well?trained and I%ost of allJ happy Scouts1 " co%%on grunt soldier
can be bullied into line and, if need be, forced out into battle by the spearheads of the
ran! behind hi%Gbut the Scout's %odus operandi is to e9plore alone1 ,altreated Scouts
ha2e %ore opportunities to desert or, worse yet, betray 2ital infor%ation to the ene%y
than anyone else in an ar%y1
,ilitary Scouts are carefully nurtured and well?nourished1 They get decent pay,
e9cellent eCuip%ent, and the best training a2ailable for their special and i%portant
acti2ities1 The training of %ilitary Scouts is at least as intense and co%prehensi2e as that
of a thie2es' guild1 ISo%eti%es, after retiring fro% the ar%y, %ilitary Scouts go on to
beco%e the %ost illustrious and prosperous burglars and assassins of the underworld1J
" few other groups that %ay e%ploy Scouts are secret societies and other
para%ilitary groups, thie2es' guilds that ha2e operations across the wilderness IScouts
%ay bolster the ran!s of a s%uggling party, for e9a%pleJ, and agencies that are set up to
connect clients with guides1 Such agencies are nor%ally found on the edge of 2ast
wilderness areas that are being coloni8edL such areas, with freCuent e9ploration by people
unfa%iliar with the region, ha2e enough de%and for guides that an agency can prosper on
its percentage of the guide's fee1
"s %entioned before, poaching is also an acti2ity typical of the Scout1 "ni%als
%ay be protected by royal decree, written law, or the %onopoly of a hunters' or furriers'
guild1 .n %edie2al ti%es, for instance, hunting was typically reser2ed for the noble
classes1 " co%%oner caught slaying one of Bthe !ing's deerB could be punished by death1
ut when de%and e9ceeds supply, there %ay be great incenti2e for the cri%inal
!illing and capture of ani%als1 They %ay be sought for their %eat, 2aluable pelts, i2ory,
feathers, %agical purposes Ie1g1, eye of newtJ, or other esoteric ends1 Thousands of
ani%als in our world ha2e been !illed because so%e body part was belie2ed to be an
aphrodisiac1 .n the fantasy %ilieu, there %ay be real %agical Cualities, and the hunter or
poacher's Cuarry %ay be fantastic1 The horn of the unicorns, for instance, %ay be ground
into powder and ad%inistered with liCuid as a poison antidote1
Secondary Skills3 owyer@/letcher, /ar%er, /isher, /orester, #a%bler, #roo%,
Hunter, Tea%ster@/reighter, Trader@arterer, Trapper@/urrier, Woodwor!er@Carpenter1
"eapon Proficiencies3 Scouts ha2e the nor%al range of weapon proficiencies
per%itted to thie2es1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA "lertness, Direction Sense, Trac!ing1
Reco%%endedA "lertness, "ni%al Handling@Training, "ni%al $ore, "ni%al Noise,
oating, /ire?building, /ishing, Heraldry, Herbalis%, Hunting, ,ountaineering,
&bser2ation, Riding, Rope *se, Set Snares, Sur2i2al, Swi%%ing, Weather Sense1
Skill Progression3 Stealth s!ills are those fa2ored %ost by the Scout, and
%e%bers of this !it ha2e highly trained senses1 Therefore it would %a!e sense for these
s!ills to i%pro2e %ost rapidlyA %o2e silently, hide in shadows, and hear noise1 Cli%b
walls also %ay see considerable use Ithough not fro% cli%bing walls, per se, but trees,
cliffs, and so forthJ1
87uipment3 No self?respecting Scout will per%it hi%self to go without a basic
assort%ent of wilderness sur2i2al gearA adeCuate clothing, rations, fire?starting %aterials,
etc1 Special gear to assist cli%bing, hiding, and %o2ing undetected are also fa2ored, as
well as de2ices for hindering or di2erting pursuers1 IWhat worth is a Scout's !nowledge if
he ne2er reports bac! to his e%ployerMJ /or a full array of ite%s, refer to Chapter <,
BTools of the Trade1B
Special *enefits3 Due to their e9tensi2e wilderness e9perience and e9pertise,
Scouts gain Q4;R on two thief s!ills when in the wildernessA silent %o2e%ent and hiding
in shadows1 Scouts also ha2e an increased chance I4 in H betterJ to surprise opponents in
the wilderness, because of their stealthiness and careful attune%ent with their
en2iron%ent1
Special Hindrances3 While Scouts are inti%ately fa%iliar with the wilderness,
they are not so co%fortable in urban settings1 .n the city, conseCuently, the Scout suffers a
?<R penalty on all thie2es' s!ills1
aces3 The Scout !it is a good choice for %any de%ihu%an rogues, since those
races often already ha2e an aptitude for wilderness ad2enturing1 0ou %ay wish to gi2e
de%ihu%an Scouts a particular orientation according to their race1 El2es for instance, as
natural forest dwellers, %ay ha2e Q4<R when hiding in shadows and %o2ing silently in
forested wilderness, and Q<R in other wilderness settings1 /or a dwarf, the special bonus
%ay apply to hills or %ountains, and so forth1
S%uggler
6escription3 " S%uggler is a specialist in the illicit %o2e%ent of goods,
either goods that are the%sel2es illegal Ie1g1, stolenJ or whose %o2e%ent is illegal Iin
so%e countries, for e9a%ple, it %ay be illegal to %o2e gold bullionL or a S%uggler %ight
secretly %o2e cargo to a2oid paying ta9es on itJ1 The S%uggler needs a host of practical
s!ills to e2ade authorities, as well as connections in di2erse places to acCuire and unload
his %erchandise on the blac! %ar!et1
ole3 The S%uggler plays a 2ital role in the underworld, %o2ing goods fro%
place to place1 Without the S%uggler, /ences could only sell to local buyers, which
would %ean they couldn't deal in e9ceptionally 2aluable goods1 This would greatly cut
the profitability of theft1 #uilds the%sel2es %ight not e2en be able to function, at least
not on a large scale1
There are two general %ethods of protecting contraband fro% disco2eryA Either
you hide the goods within the transportation, or you hide the %eans of transportation
itself1 "n e9a%ple of the for%er would be a wagon or boat built with a false floor,
beneath which the cargo is hidden1 Hidden transportation would include snea!ing oneself
o2er the city wall late at night, with a pac! full of stolen loot to be ta!en to a distant
/enceL or, perhaps, a si%ple boat tra2eling late at night1
-lans for hidden transportation %ay beco%e elaborate1 The tric! is to be s%all and
fast1 S%all %a!es it %ore difficult to find youL fast %a!es it li!ely that you can get
through or, at least, get away, e2en if you are disco2ered1 So%eti%es the best s%uggling
routes go through treacherous territory or difficult terrain1 This %eans that a S%uggler
%ust be fle9ible1 /or instance, he %ay arrange to bring a canoe or e2en s%aller craft to
tra2erse a swa%p or area of %any s%all la!es and strea%s, portaging when necessary and
lea2ing the canoe behind Iand hidden, of courseJ when he has passed the natural
obstacles1
.f the S%ugglers will pass through dangerous territory Iplagued by bandits,
hu%anoids or %onsters, for instanceJ, it is best to wor! out so%e %eans of protectionA
Either bring along a couple of thugs or %ercenaries for the difficult parts, or pay
Bprotection %oneyB to the dangerous parties1 ,ost bandits or hu%anoids, and e2en
intelligent %onsters, would be perfectly happy to let S%ugglers through in return for a
cut of their %erchandise1
&r they %ay tell the S%ugglers that they can pass safely through, and then renege
on the deal1
/or such a situation, it is best for the S%uggler to ha2e so%e powerful %uscle
behind hi%Gli!e a guild1 " great %any S%ugglers are part of guilds1 #uilds that operate
in %ore than one urban center, or in the countryside, usually e%ploy a nu%ber of
S%ugglers Dust to %o2e people and ite%s within their own networ!s1 They %ay also ha2e
S%ugglers who speciali8e in dealing with other guildsL such S%ugglers should ha2e a
high Charis%a, because they %ust ser2e as diplo%ats as well as business%en1 /inally,
there are freelance S%ugglers1 They %ay operate between guilds, between guilds and
freelance fences, or, on rare occasion, solely a%ong freelance fences1
Re%e%ber that a S%uggler operates between fencesL he rarely, if e2er, deals
directly with thie2es or non?BwholesaleB custo%ers1 The fence or guild wor!s out deals
with prospecti2e buyer fences, and then hires the S%uggler to %a!e the deli2ery1
Secondary Skills3 /ar%er, /isher, /orester, #a%bler, #roo%, Hunter, Jeweler,
Na2igator, Sailor, Tea%ster@/reighter, Trader@arterer, Trapper@/urrier1
"eapon Proficiencies3 S%ugglers ha2e the nor%al range of weapons open to
thie2es, and are not reCuired to ta!e proficiences with any in particular1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA None1 Reco%%endedA "lertness, "ni%al
Handling@Training, "ni%al Noise, "ppraising, oating, Direction Sense, Disguise, /ast?
tal!ing, /orgery, #ather .ntelligence, Na2igation, &bser2ation, Rope *se, Sea%anship,
Swi%%ing1
Skill Progression3 Detecting noise is probably the %ost useful of the traditional
thie2es' s!ills for the S%uggler1 "fter that, hiding in shadows and silent %o2e%ent
probably see a lot of use1 -ic!poc!eting would be least utili8ed in s%uggling1
87uipment3 Two ite%s are essential to the S%uggler's 2ocationA %eans of
transportation, and %eans of protecting the contraband fro% disco2ery1
Transportation is usually 2ery basicA wagon or horse for land, boat for water, and
so forth1 ,ore elaborate s%uggling plans in the fantasy setting %ay include air
transportationGi%agine a S%uggler who secrets stolen ge%s out of a city, late on
%oonless nights, by griffonN
.te%s fro% the BE2asionsB section of the chapter on eCuip%ent Ip1 5;J are of great
use to the S%uggler1 ,arbles Iif the surface is rightJ or caltrops can do %uch to ha%per
pursuers, and aniseed or dog pepper can throw dogs off the trail1
Special *enefits3 S%ugglers %ust be e9ceptionally alertL they therefore get a Q4
bonus to their surprise roll1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 While de%ihu%ans are not prohibited fro% being s%ugglers, there are few
that ha2e any reason to be1 "ny player who wishes to ha2e a de%i?hu%an s%uggler
should be sure to detail his character bac!ground so as to Dustify the !it1
Spy
6escription3 The Spy is a gatherer of infor%ation1 "t the lowest le2el, he
is a co%%on infor%ant, an ea2esdropper with his ears open for salable infor%ation1 The
e9pert Spy is hired by guilds and go2ern%ents to infiltrate opponents' buildings and ran!s
to find 2ital, secret !nowledge1
To ta!e the Spy !it, a thief %ust ha2e a %ini%u% .ntelligence of 441
ole3 Spies are 2ital in supporting any large organi8ation such as a guild or
go2ern%ent1 .nfor%ation is the !ey to success, whether thie2es are preparing for a
burglary or a nation is preparing for war, and the Spy's role is to pro2ide that infor%ation1
,ost Spies are in the per%anent ser2ice of one such organi8ation1 " s%all nu%ber
%ay be double Ior tripleJ agents, but that is 2ery ris!y1 " few are freelance, and their %ain
proble% is thisA to find e%ploy%ent, they %ust be !nownL but if they're !nown, they ha2e
difficulty being successful1
Spies %ay co%e fro% any bac!ground1 " large percentage, in fact, are fro% the
lower classes, close in touch with the word on the street and all the secret channels of
society1 " s%aller nu%ber of elite Spies e9ist, either in per%anent positions Ie1g1, a count
who reports word on his liege's troop %o2e%ents to a ri2al !ingdo%, or a treacherous
castle stewardJ1 ,ost of these characters would not be of the Spy rogue !it, since spying
is secondaryL the focus of their life is Ior at least wasJ so%ething else1
ut there are also talented indi2iduals ready to go anywhere, ris! any danger, and
encounter a lot of e9cite%ent on the way to finding the !nowledge they see!1 They e9cel
at infiltration, in finding infor%ation, not Dust in selling what they !now1 E9citing Spies,
and player characters, are usually of this sort1
The standard penalty for spying Iif the cri%e is beyond the low le2els of
spreading ru%ors, ea2esdropping, and scoping out potential burglary targetsJ is death,
and Spies fro% one nation to another can hardly e9pect anything in the line of
Bdiplo%atic i%%unity1B
Secondary Skills3 "ny1
"eapon Proficiencies3 The nor%al range of weapons open for thie2es'
proficiencies applies to Spies as well, and they are not reCuired to ta!e any in particular1
" Spy can use nonthief weapons Ifor the purpose of disguisesJ, but cannot ta!e
proficiency in the%1
8'ample3 To help i%personate a castle guard, a Spy carries a halberd1 He could
use it co%bat, but he would suffer a nonproficiency penalty1 To increase his chances of
success, he would probably switch to a different, fa%iliar weaponGe2en a dagger or
!nifeGunless circu%stances prohibit it Ie1g1, people around hi% would be surprised to
see hi% not using the halberd, and %ight thereby see through the disguiseJ1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA Disguise, #ather .ntelligence, &bser2ation1
Reco%%endedA "lertness, egging, EtiCuette, /orgery, Heraldry, $ocal History,
Reading@Writing, Reading $ips, Trailing1
Skill Progression3 "n effecti2e Spy usually needs a fairly e2en distribution of
thief s!ills, since his 2ocation can bring hi% into any nu%ber of di2erse situations1
87uipment3 Spies in the %edie2al setting don't ha2e all the fancy gadgetry of their
%odern counterparts1 They %ay eCuip the%sel2es liberally with what is a2ailable,
howe2er, such as boots with hidden co%part%ents in the soles, thie2es' eCuip%ent, and so
forth1 See the later chapter on eCuip%ent for a host of ideas1
Special *enefits3 None1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 El2es and half?el2es, with their lo2e for !nowledge, are especially
predisposed toward this !it1 Howe2er, the proble% that all de%ihu%an Spies face is the
difficulty of appearing disguised as a %e%ber of another race1 They therefore ris! ha2ing
a rather li%ited range of professional assign%ents1
Swashbuc!ler
6escription3 -art acrobat, part swords%an, part wit, and entirely roguish
Gthis is the Swashbuc!ler1 He is a sophisticated city?dweller, the epito%e of char% and
grace1
oth the warrior and thief classes ha2e Swashbuc!lers Isee the Complete
1ighter's Handbook for details on the warrior Swashbuc!lerJ, but they ha2e certain
differences1 These differences ser2e, a%ong other purposes, as an e9a%ple of how the
Dungeon ,aster %ay %odify appropriate !its fro% one class and apply the% to another1
To be a Swashbuc!ler, a thief %ust ha2e %ini%u% scores of 47 in Strength,
De9terity, .ntelligence and Charis%a1
ole3 This is a happy?go?luc!y thief, with ready wit and flashing rapier1 His ho%e
is the city, where he can shine a%idst the sCualor1 He is generally less interested than his
warrior counterpart in po!ing people with his rapier, and is %ore in2ol2ed and concerned
with his wild theatrics and a%a8ing displays of acrobatic s!ills1 ,ore often than not he
also finds hi%self, Dustly or not, on the wrong side of the law1
The Swashbuc!ler is al%ost ne2er aligned with thie2es' guildsL he prefers to be
Bfreelance1B Swashbuc!lers who Dourney outside the cities %ay align the%sel2es with
bandits or pirates, howe2er, and with their charis%a and s!ill, they freCuently assu%e
leadership1 Such responsibility ill suits the Swashbuc!ler, howe2erL the details of
organi8ing and leading a large group will in2ariably set hi% pac!ing in short order1
,ost Swashbuc!lers co%e fro% a wealthy or aristocratic bac!ground1 Their s!ills
of stealth and acrobatics ca%e not fro% sur2i2al needs, but whi%1 This %oti2ation
typically re%ains the dri2ing force behind the Swashbuc!ler's career1 ,ost of these
young ra!es retire when they get older and %ust assu%e responsibilities in the
co%%unities Ifa%ily, noble title, business, and so forthJ1 ,any a Swashbuc!ler has !ept
up his acti2ities, howe2er, in secretL his %oonlighting %ay e2en be de2eloped Iusually
purposelyJ to a point of distinguishable alter?egos1 The dayti%e character %ay be a
foppish dandy, gruff business%an, or airhead noblewo%an1 "t night the Swashbuc!ler
e%ergesA a cunning, dashing, ad2enturous character1
What are the goals of the Swashbuc!lerM /or the young ones, it is usually Dust
thrillsA a chance to brea! into the i%penetrable castle, to replace the Fueen's nec!lace
with a fa!e, to outwit the guild%aster of thie2es 1 1 1 " few ha2e %ore serious goals Iand
these are the ones who tend to !eep up their habitJ1 " Swashbuc!ler %ay be a 2igilante,
char%ing and witty, but dri2en by an obsession for Dustice1 His ene%ies %ay be cri%inals
or, in an unDust society Iwhere the aristocratic Swashbuc!ler's alter?ego %ay be an
unwilling part of the apparatus of oppressionJ, the authorities the%sel2es1
Secondary Skills3 ,ost often I6;R of the ti%e, sayJ a Swashbuc!ler has no
secondary s!ills, since he usually is fro% a rich, foppish bac!ground1 -erhaps he has the
s!ills of ga%bler or groo% Iaristocratic ani%als, of courseJ, or hunter Iagain, aristocratic
hunting, not sur2i2alL a Swashbuc!ler %ay !now a great deal about fo9 hunting, for
instance, but not how to catch a rabbit, let alone s!in oneJ1 Scribe would also be possible
as a secondary s!illGto indicate literacy and so%e general education, not a profession1
"eapon Proficiencies3 The Swashbuc!ler recei2es an e9tra weapon proficiency
slot which %ust be de2oted to a weapon a%ong the followingA stiletto, %ain?gauche,
rapier, and sabre1 IThese new weapons are described in the eCuip%ent chapter1J With this,
the Swashbuc!ler's Bweapon of choice,B the thief is able to fight with the TH"C& of a
fighter of his e9perience le2el1 Throughout his career, he %ust de2ote half of his weapon
proficiencies to these weapons, until he has %astered the use of Ii1e1, gained proficiency
inJ e2ery one1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA EtiCuette, Tu%bling1 Reco%%endedA
"lertness, lind?fighting, Disguise, /ast?tal!ing, .nti%idation, Ju%ping, Na2igation Iif
seaborneL costs : slotsJ, Riding, Tightrope wal!ing, Trailing1
Skill Progression3 Swashbuc!lers would tend to ha2e fairly balanced thief s!ills1
This includes pic!poc!eting, though that talent is %ore often utili8ed in the for% of
sleight of hand1
87uipment3 The Swashbuc!ler %ust buy his weapon of choice, but other than that
%ay spend his gold howe2er he pleases1
Special *enefits3 The Swashbuc!ler is per%itted a special co%bat %aneu2er when
using his weapon of choiceA disar%a%ent1 To disar% an opponent, the Swashbuc!ler
%ust declare his intention to do so before initiati2e is rolled1 He then suffers a Q4 penalty
to his initiati2e roll, and a ?= penalty on his roll to hit1
.f the Swashbuc!ler's attac! is successful, he will Inor%allyJ cause his ene%y's
weapon to go flying out of his hand1
Roll :dH1 The nu%ber rolled is the nu%ber of feet away the weapon landed1
"nother roll of 4dH deter%ines the direction the weapon goes, relati2e to the disar%ed
characterA

4GStraight ahead
:G"head, right
7Gehind, right
=GStraight behind
<Gehind, left
HGehind, right
esides weapons, disar%a%ent can be atte%pted against %agic wands or
other such de2ices held in one hand1
.te%s worn Ili!e DewelryJ or held in two hands Iincluding two?handed weaponsJ
%ay not be affected by a thief Swashbuc!ler with the disar% %aneu2er1
/inally, being such a ro%antic figure, the Swashbuc!ler gains, as an additional
special benefit, a Q: reaction adDust%ent with %e%bers of the opposite se91
Special Hindrances3 Trouble see!s out the Swashbuc!ler1 This is so%ething that
the D, will ha2e to play 2ery carefully if the Swashbuc!ler is to be balanced with the
other thief !its1 When there's another Swashbuc!ler aroundGthief or warriorGintent on
pro2ing that he is the finest swords%an in the world, it's the -C Swashbuc!ler he see!s
out and challenges Ioften in the %iddle of so%e illicit acti2itiesJ1 When there is a lo2ely
lady Ior handso%e young %an, as appropriateJ in distress, she or he will naturally cross
the Swashbuc!ler's path, and pull hi% into the tangle1 When the thief is practicing
burglary on his uncle's %ansion, the old %an decides to return early fro% his Dourney1
$ife conspires to %a!e things difficult for the Swashbuc!ler, and the D, should always
throw Dust a little %ore good?natured bad luc! at this thief type than at any other1
aces3 "ny de%ihu%an who'd loo! elegant in foppish dress, wielding a narrow
blade, will wor! fine as a Swashbuc!ler, especially el2es, half?el2es and halflings Ihalf?
el2es %ost of allJ1 Dwar2es and gno%es are not entirely inappropriate, but are li!ely to
ha2e to defend their honor Iwith duelsJ in the face of nu%erous Do!es about their curious
loo!s1
Swindler
6escription3 This is the %aster of deceptionL while burglars and
pic!poc!ets profit through stealth, and bandits and thugs garner their earnings through
force, the Swindler relies on his wits1 &ther thie2es ta!e their bootyL the Swindler cons
his 2icti% into gi2ing it freely1
" %ini%u% Charis%a of 4: is reCuired of a thief to ta!e this !it1
ole3 There are nu%erous na%es for the SwindlerGconfidence artist, con %an,
%ounteban!, Cuac!, etc1Gand the sca%s he e%ploys are e2en greater in nu%ber1
Each con artist is uniCue, and de2elops his own %ode of operation1 &ne will
speciali8e in selling bogus ite%s, li!e %edicinesL while another %ay prepare long,
elaborate sca%s to net the wealth of the affluent1
Swindlers %ust either operate in a large city, where there are %any potential
2icti%s Iand e2en then they usually target 2isitors to the city, especially foreignersJL or
they %ust be wanderers, ready to %o2e on to a new place when they'2e %ade too %any
ene%ies or too %uch of the local populous has gotten wise to their de2ices1
/or this and other reasons, Swindlers do not usually Doin thie2es' guilds on a
per%anent basis1 &ut of wise deference to the Blocal boys,B howe2er, a Swindler that
begins to operate in guild territory will %a!e friendly o2ertures to it, and perhaps offer a
share in his ta!e1 " %ost daring Swindler %ay e2en try to con the guild 1 1 1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1 ,ost often #a%bler or Trader@arterer1
"eapon Proficiencies3 The Swindler is per%itted the nor%al range of
weapons open to thie2es1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA /ast?tal!ing1 Reco%%endedA "lertness,
"ppraising, "rtistic "bility, Dancing, Disguise, EtiCuette, /orgery, /ortune Telling,
#a%ing, $ocal History, &bser2ation, Singing, )entriloCuis%1
Skill Progression3 The thie2es' s!ills of a Swindler usually are used in preparation
for a con1 .t is often handy for the Swindler to do so%e secret scouting, for instance, to
obser2e his 2icti%'s habits1 /or all of this, the stealth s!ills I%o2e silently, etc1J are
in2aluable1 Reading languages is also of %ore use to the Swindler than to thie2es of %any
other !its1
87uipment3 " Swindler %ay use special eCuip%ent as props for his sca%s Ie1g1,
tarot cards for a sha% fortune tellerL pen, in! and paper for forgeryL and so forthJ, but the
specific needs 2ary a%ong characters, according to their plans and obDecti2es1
Special *enefits3 None1
Special Hindrances3 None1
aces3 Half?el2es %a!e particularly good Swindlers1 &ther de%i?hu%ans %ay be
Swindlers as well, though they are not found as freCuently1
Thug
6escription3 The Thug is the %ost 2iolent sort of thief1 "ssassins are
!illers, certainly, but they depend on refine%ent and subtlety1 ounty hunters also are
willing to use 2iolence, but are relati2ely restrained as well1 The Thug, on the other hand,
co%es as close to the warrior class as any Thief (it1
ecause of the !it's e%phasis on physiCue and physical prowess, a Thug %ust
ha2e a %ini%u% ability scores of 4: in strength and constitution1 .n designing the
character's description, a Thug should be as physically i%posing as possible1
/urther%ore, his intelligence %ay be no higher than 4:1
Thugs are usually %ale, but this %ay be otherwise in your ca%paign Iparticularly
if your world sports an "%a8on traditionJ1
ole3 Historically, the BThugeeB were actually a cult group of %urderers found in
.ndia1 The ter% BThugB has co%e to %ean, howe2er, any brutal sort of thief, such as an
ar%ed robber, hiDac!er, or goon Ithe latter specifically indicating a guild?associated Thug,
an enforcerJ, or perhaps a !idnapper Ithough bounty hunters are probably better at that
acti2ityJ1
.f one co%pared a guild to the hu%an body, surely Thugs would be the %uscleG
the large, powerful %uscles1 Thugs function as enforcers, inti%idating co%%on people
Iespecially in rac!eteering sche%esJ, bodyguarding i%portant guilds%en, and carrying
out the guild's threats of 2iolence often enough to !eep people suitably afraid1
.n fact, outside of the thie2es' guild, the Thug really does not ha2e a place1 ,ost
Thugs ha2en't the wit to beco%e acco%plished burglars or e2en pic!poc!ets on their
own, let alone swindlers, spies or fences1 E2en begging %ight be denied the% on account
of their i%posing physiCueA " plea for al%s fro% a huge, %uscular %an tends to loo!
%ore li!e a de%and bac!ed up by a thinly?2eiled threat1 The guild pays the% well and
gi2es the% a satisfying DobA They usually need Dust to scare the li2ing daylights out of
people, and not e2en face real co%bat1
The few Thugs who are not guild?affiliated will be found as ar%ed robbers or Iif
they are %ore intelligentJ !idnappers or hiDac!ers1
Secondary skills3 ,ost often none Ithe ulti%ate Buns!illedB labor, or perhaps
Sailor1
"eapon Proficiencies3 Thugs are per%itted an e9tra weapon proficiency slot at
first le2el1 They %ay choose non?thief weapons, but to gain proficiency in one reCuires an
e9tra slot1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA .nti%idation1 Reco%%endedA -layer's
choiceL a%ong those that %ay be selected are "lertness, Endurance, $ooting and Trailing1
Skill Progression3 There is no unifor% preference a%ong Thugs for the
distribution of points a%ong their thie2es' s!ills1 Note, howe2er, that they start out with
fewer points to distribute than other rogues Isee Special Hindrances, belowJ1
87uipment3 The Thug's eCuip%ent usually consists of the biggest, %ost
inti%idating weapon a2ailable1 &therwise, it's a %atter of co%%on sense according to the
Dob1 " !idnapper, for e9a%ple, could %a!e good use of a rope to bind his 2icti%1
Special *enefits3 ecause they are better trained in co%bat than other thie2es,
Thugs recei2e Q4 on their Bto hitB rolls1
Special Hindrances3 Thugs spend %uch of their early career learning
about weapons and their use, and their initial training in the traditional thief s!ills suffers
as a conseCuence1 To co%pensate for the e9tra weapon proficiency slot and co%bat
bonus, a thief of the Thug !it has only =; points to distribute initially a%ong his thief
s!ills Ialthough he can still put up to 7; of the% in a single ability, if he so choosesJ1
aces3 Hu%anoids and half?hu%anoids are particularly fond of this !it, as it
e%phasi8es force o2er stealth1 &ne has %ore difficulty i%agining de%i?hu%an ThugsL
dwar2es %ight ha2e the te%pera%ent, but the Thug personality doesn't suit their culture,
and their s%all stature would %ight %a!e the% loo! so%ewhat silly as guild enforcers
Iwhich is not to say that they would be ineffecti2eGthey'd si%ply bash anyone who %ade
thoughtless or snide co%%ents about their heightJ1
Troubleshooter
6escription3 The Troubleshooter, li!e the in2estigator, is often aligned
against other thie2es1 He has all the s!ills of the thief, but puts the% to a different useA He
wor!s chiefly as a security consultant, playing the part of the thief in order to test the
worthiness of his clients' defenses1
ole3 The Troubleshooter's professional role is rather narrowly defined, but this is
to the rogues' li!ing1 ,ore than one has been !nown to %oonlight in other, possibly illicit
acti2ities1 They %ay range fro% legiti%ate reco2ery of stolen goods through genuine
burglary1
"s a Bsecurity consultant,B a thief of this sort has a legiti%ate reason for his
thie2ing s!ills and eCuip%entL and the te%ptation for %any is to use the%1 /or this
reason, officials often !eep a suspicious eye on well?!nown Troubleshooters1 ,ore
sophisticated go2ern%ents %ay e2en reCuire that they ha2e so%e sort of license1
Troubleshooters are rarely guild %e%bers, naturally enough, unless they ha2e
been bought off in e9change for infor%ation on the clients they'2e ser2ed1 &f course, few
such Troubleshooters will sur2i2e longL if they gi2e a place's security their Bseal of
appro2al,B and then it is bro!en into with ease, the Troubleshooter's reputation will be
shot, and he can e9pect to ha2e %ore than a little suspicion placed on his shoulders1
Secondary Skills3 "ny1 &ften has technical or engineering?type s!ills, howe2er,
such as "r%orer, ,ason, ,iner, Na2igator, Weapons%ith, or Woodwor!er@Carpenter1
"eapon Proficiencies3 Troubleshooters are per%itted the nor%al weapons open to
thie2es1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ReCuiredA &bser2ation1 Reco%%endedA -layer's
choiceL a%ong those that %ay be selected are "lertness, /ast?tal!ing, #ather .ntelligence,
$oc!s%ithing, and Trailing1
Skill Progression3 -ic!ing poc!ets and reading languages are not of %uch 2alue to
the Troubleshooter, but he will probably see! a fairly e2en distribution a%ong the other
thief s!ills1
87uipment3 "ny Troubleshooter worth his wages will aug%ent his thiefly talents
with the best a2ailable eCuip%ent1 Re%e%ber, he wants to try his absolute best to brea!
down his client's defenseGas does his clientGso he'll use whate2er de2ices will increase
his chances1 "lso, a wealthy client could e2en be persuaded to help the Troubleshooter
acCuire hard?to?find thief eCuip%ent1
Special *enefits and Hindrances3 Troubleshooters ha2e an uncanny !nac! for 1 1 1
well, for troubleshooting1 .f there's a glitch so%ewhere in a security syste%, the
Troubleshooter always see%s to run into it1
.n a way, the Troubleshooter is a li2ing %anifestation of B,urphy's $awBA B.f
anything can go wrong, it will1B The Troubleshooter thief, of course, capitali8es on this
professionally1 His Dob is to find e2erything that can go wrong, so it can be fi9ed1
While e2erything going wrong has its ironic professional ad2antage, the downside
is of course that the things that go wrong often do so to the Troubleshooter's personal
disad2antage1
This is difficult to Cuantify, to define as a ga%e %echanic1 .nstead, the D, is
encouraged to bring it in at his discretion during play, for %a9i%u% e9cite%ent and role?
playing fun1 /ill the character's life with astrono%ically i%probable e2ents and bi8arre
coincidences1
The D, is by and large left on his own to Bwing itB with this special
benefit@hindrance, but there are two Cuestions for hi% to as! hi%self before he brings it
into playA Would this further the plot of the ad2entureM Would it be funM "t least the
second Cuestion should be answered Byes,B and it is best if both are1
/urther%ore, the rule to follow in deciding the specifics isA E2erything should be
balanced1 /or e2ery frea!ish %ishap that wor!s in the Troubleshooter's fa2or, there
should be a co%ple%entary one that wor!s to his disad2antage1
aces3 Dwar2es, with their affinity for the %echanical and their lawful tendencies
Iand their dour stoicis% in the face of all %isfortune, howe2er ludicrousJ, are the de%i?
hu%ans %ost inclined to ta!e this !it1
So%e gno%es also %ay be found as TroubleshootersL the special
benefit@hindrance of this !it suits the pran!sters wellGbut their e%ployers would best be
on guard for practical Do!es perpetrated in the course of the assign%ent1 The goal of any
gno%e Troubleshooter should be to turn all his %ishaps into assets or a%use%ent, if not
both1
Recording (its on the Character Sheet
.t's really no proble% to record your Thief (it on your character record
sheet1 Where you nor%ally write down the character's class, add also his Thief (it na%e1
/or instance, if your thief ta!es the cutpurse !it, you would write BThief@Cutpurse1B
Where you nor%ally write his nonweapon proficiencies, add the ones Iif anyJ you
got free fro% the Thief (it, and designate the% with asteris!s to indicate their bonus
status1 Where2er you ha2e space for notes, %ar! down the character's special benefits,
hindrances, and other facts you want to re%e%ber1
Thief Types and ,ulti?Class Characters
The "d2anced Thief Types options are designed to add depth to a thief
character1 ut if the character is already %ulti?classed Ias are %any de%i?hu%ansL e1g1, a
halfling fighter@thiefJ, he doesn't really need any %ore depth1 Therefore only single?class
thie2es can ta!e one of the Thief (its described abo2e1
Howe2er, with the fle9ibility a2ailable to thie2es in the :nd edition "D+DK
ga%e, especially with nonweapon proficiency rules, you can 2ery closely si%ulate a !it
by carefully choosing proficiencies and allotting points a%ong thief s!ills1 The character
won't get the special benefits of the !it Ie1g1, the bonus nonweapon proficienciesJ, but to
outward appearances, the character will be that type of thief1
/or instance, suppose a halfling fighter@thief wishes to be a fence1 .f the
Secondary S!ills syste% is being used, he should ta!e one of those listed in the fence !it
GTrader@arterer, let's say1
"s a first le2el thief, he recei2es = nonweapon proficiencies Iif they are usedJ and
selects the% fro% the reCuired and reco%%ended proficiencies of the !it1 The reCuired
ones are "ppraising and .nfor%ation #athering1 Note that these proficiencies are N&T
bonuses, because the halfling is not actually ta!ing the !it1 His other two slots should be
filled fro% the reco%%ended listL fast?tal!ing and obser2ation proficiencies, perhaps1
.f you do all this, and ha2e your D,'s per%ission, within the conte9t of your
ca%paign this halfling will be considered a fence1 That is, he fills the role of a fence in
the ca%paign world, and is regarded as such by other figures of the underworld1 &nly you
and the D, !now that he doesn't ha2e all the benefits of a true fence1
Thief Types and Dual?Class Characters
The sa%e is not true of dual?class characters1
.f a hu%an character starts off as a thief, he %ay ta!e any of the Thief (its
abo2e1 .f, later, he decides to change classes according to the nor%al Dual?Class enefits
and Restrictions rules, he doesn't lose any of the benefits or hindrances of the !it he
choseL he is still that sort of thief1
.f a character starts off as so%e other character class and then, later, switches to
one of the thief classes, he can choose a Thief (it at that ti%e, though the D, %ay insist
that certain ca%paign e2ents ta!e place in order to allow hi% to do this1
/or instance, let us suppose that a hu%an fighter decides, later in life, to beco%e a
thief, and he wants to be an "crobat1 There's nothing wrong with that, but the D, should
insist that the ne9t se2eral ad2entures deal with the transfor%ation1 The character could
Doin a circus, perhaps, where he could be taught the tric!s of the trade1 "d2entures should
be built around this setting, and should so%ehow in2ol2e other player?characters in the
ca%paign as well1
To better si%ulate the wait in2ol2ed for the character to learn his new
trade, the D, is within his rights to insist that the character not recei2e his Thief (it until
he's reached second e9perience le2el in his new class1
Creating New (its
.f there's a special type of thief that the D, would li!e to ha2e in his
world, he can design a new Thief (it for that thief?type1
To design a Thief (it, you %ust answer the following Cuestions about this sort of
thief and its role in your ca%paign1
6escription3 What is this thief typeM What literary, %ythological or historical
source is he drawn fro%M What special reCuire%ents are there if a character wishes to be
oneM
ole3 What is this thief type to be in the ca%paignM How does his culture regard
hi%M How does his subculture, the underworld, regard hi%M .s there a special sort of
outloo! he needs to ha2e to belong to this thief typeM "nd what does this thief tend to do
in a ca%paignM Reading the earlier chapter on role?playing thie2es %ay gi2e you so%e
%ore ideas for this section1
:egal .ssues3 What legal penalties, if any, are there in your ca%paign for the
acti2ities with which this sort of thief is in2ol2edM " little bit of historical or literary
research %ay help you get ideas, or you can Dust %a!e things up to suit your ca%paign1
Secondary Skills3 .f you're using the Secondary S!ills syste%, you need to
deter%ine if this thief type reCuires such a s!ill1 .f no one secondary s!ill, or li%ited
range of secondary s!ills, should be co%%on to all thie2es of this type, then don't reCuire
a secondary s!ill1 ut if all %e%bers of a thief type see% to ha2e a particular s!ill or one
of a s%all nu%ber of s!ills, then you should li%it the choice of characters who select the
!it to that s!ill or s!ills1
"eapon Proficiencies3 So%e thief types gra2itate toward specific weapon types,
or are %ore open?ended than other thie2es in the range of weapons that they %ay choose1
.f this is the case with the thief type you are si%ulating, then %a!e note of it in the !it1
/on!eapon Proficiencies3 ,ost thief types see% to ha2e certain s!ills in
co%%on1 .t would be silly to ha2e an "crobat without Du%ping, tu%bling and tightrope
wal!ing, for e9a%ple1 So you %ay assign up to two proficiency slots to be gi2en free to
the character1 .f it's appropriate, the proficiencies %ay co%e fro% listings not appropriate
to thie2es Ithe -riest, Warrior and Wi8ard listingsJ1 Though nor%ally the cost in slots for
non?thief proficiencies would be higher, it doesn't %atter if the proficiencies are being
gi2en for free1 See the chapter on -roficiencies for %ore infor%ation and new
proficiencies fro% which to choose1
Skill Progression3 Which of the traditional thie2es' s!ills are %ost i%portant to
this sort of character, such that the character should concentrate his e9perience on the%M
87uipment3 .f a thief type is !nown for ha2ing specific types of eCuip%ent,
reCuire of the thief that he ha2e such eCuip%ent when he enters the ca%paign1 .f a thief
see%s to prefer a specific type of eCuip%ent, but it's not so widespread a choice that you
don't feel li!e reCuiring it of the character, si%ply list the types of eCuip%ent that the thief
prefers and reco%%end the character ta!e the%1
Special *enefits3 E2ery thief type could ha2e so%e special benefit, but it's not
absolutely necessary1 .t's up to you to choose what that benefit is, but it should fit in with
the way this thief appears to function in fiction, fol!lore, or where2er he co%es fro%1
Types of benefits includeA onuses to reaction rolls Iespecially fro% certain categories of
peopleJ, bonuses on thief s!ill use Iespecially in certain situationJ, and special abilities1
Special Hindrances3 0ou should also pro2ide a special hindrance Ior hindrancesJ
which li%it the character about as %uch as his benefits help hi%, especially if you ha2e
gi2en hi% a Special enefit1 Such hindrances can includeA -enalties to reaction rolls
Iespecially fro% certain categories of peopleJ, inability to learn specific weapon or
nonweapon proficienciesL special 2ulnerabilities in co%bat or to certain %agicL or special
restrictions in the culture in which the character nor%ally li2es1
aces3 .f there are 2ariations to the !it based on the character's race, note the%
here1 So%e races can't ta!e a specific !itL so%e will ha2e different proficiencies, benefits
and hindrances attached to the%1
/otes3 .f you ha2e any additional notes about the Thief (its pertinent to your
ca%paign Isuch as which players you'd prefer for specific !its, for e9a%pleJ, put the%
here1
The Thief (it Creation Sheet
/ollowing is the Thief (it Creation Sheet1 .f you wish to design a new
thief !it, Dust photocopy the sheet and design your new !it upon it1 When you're showing
the Thief (its abo2e to your players, also include the new !its that you ha2e designed
yourself1
The B$one WolfBA
*niCue Thie2es
,ost thie2es go through a period of training and apprenticeship, as do
legiti%ate trades%en1 They are taught by an established, e9perienced thief, who was
taught by a thief before hi%1 This goes bac! untold generations, to the earliest thie2es
who de2eloped s!ills on their own and then shared the% with partners and apprentices1
&2er the years the s!ills and techniCues ha2e been for%ali8ed and perfected, especially
under the nor%ali8ing influence of the large and powerful guilds that ha2e arisen1
ut not e2ery thief is %olded in this way1 There are always others, !nown as Blone
wol2es,B who de2eloped outside the Bsyste%B of the established underworld1 They
disco2ered and de2eloped their larcenous abilities without the aid of a %entor1
,any lone wol2es rese%ble nor%al thie2es so closely that they %ay be treated as
the 2ery sa%e thing, as far as class, abilities and restrictions go1
Howe2er, in so%e cases a lone wolf %ay turn out 2ery differentGperhaps
different enough to be considered a class unto hi%self1 To design such a character, you
%ay use the optional rules, BCreating a New Class,B in Chapter Three of the 6ungeon
+aster's Guide1
The e%phasis of such a character should still be on thie2e's s!ills, but it %ay be
that not all of the traditional s!ills are present1 "nd the character %ay ha2e other unusual
abilities as well, culti2ated to assist in his roguish endea2ors1
.%agine, for instance, a self?taught pic!poc!et1 He %ay ha2e -ic! -oc!ets, ,o2e
Silently and Hide in Shadows, and perhaps Cli%b Walls Ito help get hi%self o2er fences
or whate2er when he is pursued by an obser2ant and angry 2icti%J1 ut he could ha2e no
other thief s!illsL for his thie2ing lifestyle there was no need for the%1
Note how this would be different fro% a traditional thief speciali8ed in
pic!poc!eting Ias in, for e9a%ple, the cutpurse !itJA E2en though he speciali8es in the
course of his career, the cutpurse recei2ed a core training that included all the thief
traditional s!illsGa liberal arts education in larceny, if you will1
$one wol2es often lead dangerous li2es1 They %ust be 2ery self?reliant, and they
ha2e to find their own contacts for scoping out Dobs and fencing stolen goods1 "s
BfreelancersB they run a constant and %ost serious ris! of running afoul of %onopolistic
thie2es' guilds1
#uilds are often wary of lone wol2es, who are %ore li!ely than BestablishedB
thie2es, with trusted contacts and reliable references, to be spies for authorities or ri2al
guilds1 The lone wolf is also regarded by guilds%en with a %i9 of curiosity and conte%pt
Gand so%eti%es e2en ad%iration, if his odd %i9 of abilities pro2es particularly useful
Bin the field1B
" lone wolf, as we said, %ay be a character class unto hi%self1 ,ost such classes
ne2er ha2e %ore than one %e%ber, and when he dies his uniCue co%bination of s!ills is
forgottenL the class ceases to be1 &n rare occasion a lone wolf %ay ta!e an apprentice or
two, and the class %ay be perpetuated in this %anner1 I.f you are using the 4st edition
"D+DK ga%e, you %ay suppose that the "ssassin class arose in this %anner1J
#uilds who ha2e accepted lone wol2es into their ran!s %ay as! the thief to ta!e
on apprenticesGbut two things usually pre2ent thisA &ne, conser2ati2e guild%e%bers
typically see the lone wolf's unorthodo9 %ethods as a threat Ibecause they are not
understoodJ, or as inferior to the traditional way of doing thingsL and two, lone wol2es,
used to doing things by the%sel2es, are reluctant to share their secrets1 "n e9a%ple
followsA
BluehandB "Dathar, $one Wolf
This is an e9a%ple of a Blone wolfB thief, created with the character
creation syste% in Chapter Three of the 6ungeon +aster's Guide.
"Dathar was originally apprenticed to an illusionist1 He ne2er co%pleted his
for%al training, howe2er1 His %aster, Ealabo% the ,agnificent, was outspo!en on a
nu%ber of religious and political issues1 &ne day his words went too far against the
popular grain, and a %ob dragged hi% fro% his tower, stoned hi% to death, and set fire to
the building after looting it1 0oung "Dathar narrowly escaped with his life and a couple of
te9ts of illusion %agic1
Ho%eless and hungry, "Dathar had to steal for a li2ing1 "ssisted by what few
illusions he could %uster, he beca%e a burglarGand a surprisingly proficient one,
considering that he was self?taught1 "s his burglary s!ills i%pro2ed, so did his
understanding of the %agical arts of deception1
He too! as his sy%bol, his trade%ar! to be left at each BDob,B an illusionary blue
hand1 The illusion would fade after a few daysGbut its disco2ery ca%e to in2ariably
bring panic to the heart of anyone who disco2ered it in his house1 So%eti%es "Dathar
would not ta!e a thing, but only lea2e the hand as a warning, a taunt, a %oc!ery of a
house's easily?penetrated defenses1
E2entually "Dathar %o2ed on1 His nati2e town, where Ealabo% was !illed, was
neither affluent nor an e9citing place for a daring young entrepreneur1 BluehandB %ay
therefore be found anywhere that the D, should wish to relocate hi%1
&ne peculiarity of "Dathar's character is his strict adherence to the align%ent of
True Neutrality1 The lesson he gained fro% Ealabo%'s death is that e9tre%is% and
fanaticis% in any for% are dangerous and to be a2oided1 oth the illusionist and the
bloodthirsty crowd are, to "Dathar's %ind in hindsight, repulsi2e1 "ny apprentice that
luehand %ight train would ha2e to be True Neutral as well1
/ollowing are the ele%ents of uniCue class, along with the %ultiplier of each Isee
D,#, Tables Ele2en to EighteenJA /ight as thief I?4JL Sa2ing throws as thief I;JL 4d= hit
dice type IQ;1<JL No ar%or per%ittedGinterferes with spellcasting as well as thief s!ills
I?4JL WeaponsA any I;JL Q4 hp per le2el beyond 5th IQ;1<JL H initial proficiency slots
IQ41<J, select as if a nor%al thief of the cat burglar !itL Cli%b walls IQ4JL /ind@re%o2e
traps IQ4JL &pen loc!s IQ4JL ,o2e silently IQ4JL Hide in shadows IQ4JL *se
.llusion@-hantas% %age spells IQ7JL ,ust be of True Neutral align%ent I?4JL T&T"$
,&D./.ERA Q>1<1
Table HA "J"TH"R'S ES-ER.ENCE T"$E + S-E$$S
.llusion@-hantas% Spells
5e,el E?!erien'e Hit Di'e ( 2
- / 0 1 2 4
@
: 4,<;; :d= :
7 7,;;; 7d= : 4
= H,;;; =d= : :
< 4<,;;; <d= 7 :
H 7;,;;; Hd= 7 : 4
> H;,;;; >d= 7 : :
6 44:,<;; 6d= 7 7 :
5 :4;,;;; 5d= 7 7 : 4
4; =7<,;;; 5d=Q4 7 7 : :
44 HH;,;;; 5d=Q: 7 7 7 :
4: 66<,;;; 5d=Q7 7 7 7 : 4
Q::<,;;; S- per le2el thereafter
Q4 hp per le2el thereafter
Spell progression continues with the sa%e pattern, up to a %a9i%u% of three spells per
le2el, up to 5th le2el Iif the character's intelligence per%its itJ1
Thief Skills3 luehand has the s!ills Cli%b Walls, /ind@Re%o2e Traps,
&pen $oc!s, ,o2e Silently and Hide in Shadows1 His base chance of success with any of
these abilities is deter%ined by Table 45, Thief "2erage "bility Table, in the 6ungeon
+aster's Guide1
Spell Casting3 Without a regular %entor, luehand's de2elop%ent of his illusionist
talent was stunted1 He ad2ances in spell use %uch %ore slowly than a true %age of
co%parable le2el, and %ay only use spells fro% the .llusion@-hantas% school of %agic1
He %ust chec! to see if he can learn a spell, and %ust study spells in order to cast the%,
Dust li!e a %age1 He does not recei2e spells auto%atically when he gains a new le2elL he
%ust find or steal boo!s or scrolls with new spells, or %ust hire an illusionist to share
the% with hi%1
"d2enture Suggestion
" %ysterious lone wolf, freelance thief has struc! the characters'
neighborhood, lea2ing his trade%ar! blue hand sy%bol at the scene of each cri%e1 He is
2ery successful, and has o2ershadowed %any of the local guild's best thie2es, on their
own territory1 The player characters Ipresu%ably connected with the guildJ are
co%%anded by their guild%aster to trac! down this unauthori8ed thief, either to coerce
hi% to Doin the guild or to lea2e the city, or if necessary, eli%inate hi%1
The thief is, of course, BluehandB "Dathar1 The characters %ay be 2ery surprised
to find the%sel2es up against this strange, illusion?casting thief1 "Dathar's description and
le2el should be fleshed out suitably to challenge the character party1
#lossary of Thief Slang
*o',+an3 Strictly spea!ing, a thief speciali8ed in crac!ing safes1
*urn3 To underreport the ta!e in a Dob to one's partners1 B$uigi burned us1 He told
us there were only three dia%onds, and !ept two for hi%self1B
Cannon3 -ic!poc!et, cutpurse1
Contraband3 .llegal goods Istolen or prohibited by local lawJ1
1encing3 Selling stolen goods1 BWe stole the du!e's Dewels and fenced the% later
the sa%e night1B
The 1i'3 Ties with corrupt officials to ha2e cri%inal charges Bfi9edBGthat is,
thrown out1 This will usually reCuire bribes or fa2ors1
General Subscription3 ,oney collected fro% the local underworld to free a
captured thief by bribing officials1
Hit +an3 "ssassinL an Be9ecutionerB for cri%e bosses, paid to !ill their ene%ies1
:one "olf3 " solitary, independent thief1 He is probably self?taught and not allied
with a guild1
+ade,Guy3 " burglar who is in good standing with the local thie2es' guildL a
guilds%an1
+ark3 The target of a confidence ga%e1 BWe ha2e to bring the %ar! to the urnt
#oose Ta2ern1B
+ob3 " group of thie2es1
Penny!eighter3 a thief who operates by replacing 2aluable ite%s Iespecially
DewelryJ with worthless ones1
Piece +an3 So%eone who trades !nowledge on where stolen property can be
sold1
Pigeon3)icti% of a con or swindle1
Pigeon Plucker3 swindler, con artist1
acket3 "ny sort of larceny, fro% pic!poc!eting and burglary through
e%be88le%ent1
ootin'3 Co%%itting cri%es1
oper3 So%eone who pulls in a %ar! for a con1
ounder3 " good, professional burglar1
Score3 $oot fro% a theft1 BWe got a good score fro% the du!e1B
S7ueal3 To identify one's partners to the local authorities, usually in return for a
lighter penalty for one's own cri%es1
Tipster3 So%eone who has !nowledge to share with burglars about good targets1
Chapter =A Thie2es' #uild
What is a Thie2es' #uild anywayM
This is going to be answered in heaps of useful detail in this section1 ut
it's useful to ha2e a basic wor!ing idea to start with1 " thie2es' guild is a grouping of
thie2es who agree to wor! together, in at least so%e ways1 &ften because of e9ternal
threat and danger, it %a!es better sense for the% to cooperate a little1 This group typically
has a leaderGa guild%asterGor %aybe a s%all ruling council1 .t has laws by which
%e%bers %ust abideL there can be %any of these, or few1 " guild will usually only e9ist
in a reasonably?si8ed town or city, where there is enough wor! for thie2es1 .t will usually
also ha2e a central %eeting?place, al%ost always secretL this is usually referred to as the
guild house1 /inally, it's also usually true that the large %aDority of these thie2es are not of
good align%entGthey tend towards neutrality at least, if not towards actual e2il1
De2eloping the Thie2es' #uild
This chapter sets out to understand first what benefits a -C thief will
deri2e fro% %e%bership in a thie2es' guild, and what responsibilities and duties he will
ha2e in return1 This is a good place to start, for two reasons1 /irst, it briefs the D, on
luring the -C into guild %e%bership so that instead of being onerous, it beco%es
interesting and rewarding1 Dragooning a -C thief into guild %e%bership isn't as good as
the lure of the carrot Iwith the threat of the stic! in the bac!ground 1 1 1J1 Second, in
loo!ing at the Brights and responsibilitiesB guild %e%bers ha2e, %any of the functions of
the thie2es' guildGits raisons d'etreGbeco%e clear in the process1 This helps to show
why such guilds e9ist1
This %atterGwhat thie2es' guilds doGis de2eloped further in the ne9t %aDor
section1 The acti2ities of the guild are di2ided into core functionsGwhat al%ost all guilds
will doGand secondary ones1 Secondary functions %ay be carried out or wholly a2oided,
depending on the guild in Cuestion1 These 2arious acti2ities are laid out for the D, here
to %a!e guild?designing easier later on1 -layers %ay also get ideas for snea!y and
nefarious beha2iors for their -Cs here1 ,any Bsecondary functionsB will relate to the
speciali8ed thief !its presented earlier1 This section does not %a!e e9plicit use of these
!its, since different D,s will wish to handle these differently1 Howe2er, de2eloping
specialist N-Cs to fulfill these speciali8ed acti2ities is greatly facilitated by using the !its1
Ne9t, the relation of a thie2es' guild with other groups is considered1 These
can 2ary fro% %ini%al to 2ery highly organi8ed indeed1 The D, is briefed on %aDor
associations Iwith %erchants, the law, other guildsJ and the general social bac!ground to
thief acti2ities1
.%%ediately before the section on designing guilds, there is the crucial issue of
the power at the top of the guild1 This is usually the #uild%asterGor %aybe a s%all
group of do%inant thie2es, a ruling council1 The personalities in2ol2ed here will ha2e a
%aDor effect on the personality of the guild, and need careful design by the D,1
"n e9tensi2e design section, co%plete with play?aid record sheets, is then
pro2ided to enable the D, to de2elop a thie2es' guild for the %aDor urban settingIsJ in his
ca%paign1 This section uses a fle9ible approach to guild design1 That is, there are tables
which can be used for rando% deter%ination of aspects of guilds, and dice?rolling alone
will generate wor!able guild structures1 Howe2er, the D, is encouraged to use a guided?
se%irando% approach, tailoring or o%itting certain dice rolls and choosing design options
which produce the %ost suitable and pleasing o2erall picture1 This also co2ers the
possibility that there is no for%al thie2es' guild, with design options for 2ery loose
affiliations or e2en relati2e anarchyN
"n e9a%ple, the thie2es' guild of ,allain, shows how to use the design syste%1
This e9a%ple ta!es an apparently contradictory set of dice rolls, and shows how to
resol2e the%L the result is that the intrigues and tensions in the resulting #uild structure
can be a focus for ad2entures for any -Cs1 The #uild beco%es far %ore than Dust an
anony%ous body a thief -C pays dues toN
" short section on unusual thie2es' guilds Itra2ellers on the road and others suchJ
is followed by a 2aluable D, resource, a section on handling -C #uild%asters1 The
straightforward syste% laid out here handles guild inco%e, hassles, arrests, trials and
tribulations, followers arri2ing and lea2ing, %orale, and the day?to?day business of
running a thie2es' guild1 This should %a!e life a lot easier for the D,N
" s%all nu%ber of selected Bblueprint profilesB for %aDor N-Cs within a guild
followL the D, can use these unchanged in ga%e play or %odify the% as he wishes1
enefits of
#uild ,e%bership
BWhat do . get out of itMB is a reasonable enough Cuery fro% a player with
a -C thief when told his character %ust Doin a guild, or if it is strongly suggested as a
wise option by the D,1 y answering the Cuestion, %any of the functions of the thie2es'
guild which benefit its %e%bers beco%e clear1 elow are detailed the %ost co%%on
benefits gained, although these will 2ary fro% guild to guild, with an e9a%ple of one
additional benefit typical only of %e%bership in a certain !ind of guildGa highly
organi8ed and resourceful oneN
.t is not the case that e2ery guild will pro2ide all the benefits listed below, but
certainly al%ost all guilds will pro2ide training, access to necessary eCuip%ent, and the
li!e1
Training
The 6ungeon +aster's Guide gi2es training Ito gain e9perience le2elsJ as
an option for D,s1 There is %uch to reco%%end training as a necessity for le2el gains1
Ha2ing a -C train with a %aster, %entor, or tutorGprobably with others of his profession
aroundGallows %any, %any things to happen naturally without their ob2iously being
spoonfed by the D,1 Ru%ors and news can be caught up on1 Hints and tips Ie1g1,
concerning the usefulness of so%e of the new eCuip%ent ite%s re2iewed elsewhereJ can
be e9changed1 New friends and contacts can be %ade1 .ntrigues and sca%s can be plotted,
gossiped about, and initiatedL e%ploy%ent can be offeredL schis%s and factions within the
guild can beco%e a focus for ad2enturing1 "ll this is Dust for starters1 Training is a natural
way for the D, to enrich the ga%e in all sorts of ways1
Second, while certain s!ill gains can be seen as the result of practice, this does not
apply to all the ad2ances e9perience brings1 New weapon and nonweapon proficiencies
are the %ost ob2ious e9a%ple1 How can a thief who has ne2er used a short sword, for
e9a%ple Ibecause he has not pre2iously been proficient with itJ, suddenly de2elop a
proficiency in its use without trainingM This is ob2iously wholly unrealistic1 How can a
thief learn an EtiCuette proficiency, enabling hi% to pull sca%s on the rich and haughty
%ore easily, without a tutor to coach hi% in upper?crust, high society waysM He sure can't
learn EtiCuette fro% a dungeon crawl or wilderness hi!eN $i!ewise, if the player chooses
to pile %ost of the 7; TTs!ill points'' gained for a le2el into one or two s!ills only, the -C
could well need a specialist tutor to coach hi% in these s!illsGa good way to bring in one
or two of the specialist thief !its as N-Cs, too1
So, training is an i%portant ele%ent of the ga%e, and the thie2es' guild is the
place where the -C thief will ha2e the best chance of finding a tutor to train hi%1 He %ay
ha2e to wait a wee! or two, or %aybe a little longer if the D, wishes this, but by and
large the guild will go to so%e lengths to %a!e tutors a2ailable1
ECuip%ent
This is a %aDor ad2antage for a thie2es' guild %e%ber1 .t goes without
saying that %any ite%s of use to a thief are hardly a2ailable on the open %ar!et in al%ost
any societyN "r%or and weapons can be had, and li!ewise straightforward ite%s such as
ropes, iron spi!es, crowbars, and the li!e1 ut where does the thief get loc!pic!s, tiger's
claws, ra8or rings, silenced ar%or, and suchli!eM /ro% the thie2es' guild, of course1
.n addition to being a source of eCuip%ent for sale Iand possibly e2en for loanJ,
here is an ob2ious chance for role?playing possibilities1 The Bblueprint profileB for the
Thie2es Fuarter%aster Ilater in this chapterJ shows how a si%ple trip to buy so%e new
loc!pic!s at the guild can be turned into an encounter with a 2ery resourceful and
entertaining N-C, one the player of the thief -C won't forgetN
.n so%e powerful guilds, %agical ite%s %ay be a2ailable for e9change Ifor other
%agical ite%s, ob2iously ones of superior 2alueNJ or e2en possibly for loan Iwith a fat
deposit securing the ite%J1 $oaning allows thief -Cs to enDoy ha2ing a %agical ite%
without the D, letting the% ha2e it per%anentlyN .t should go without saying that
absconding with the ite% will lead to relentless and %urderous pursuits until the ite% is
returned1
.nfor%ation
The thie2es' guild will %a!e it its business to !now about %any things
which are of interest to its %e%bers, and that can %ean Dust about anything, so a few
e9a%ples are gi2en hereA
Security3 The blueprints for sewer networ!s Iallowing ingress and egress
through %anhole co2ersJ, ti%es of changing guards at %aDor guarded buildings Ithe
Treasury, the ,int, etc1J, ti%es of watch patrols Iin rich residential areasJ, the nature and
positions of guards Iwarriors, dogs, etc1J and traps in !ey buildings, and the li!e1
Commercial3 Who is richer than he loo!s Iand why and howJ, arri2als and
departures of 2aluable cargoes and ite%s, where certain 2aluables are cached, hidden,
disguisedL and %ore in this 2ein1
1riends and 8nemies3 This will depend in a big way on the relationship of the
guild with other associations, dealt with later1 So%eti%es such infor%ation will be gi2en
to a no2ice thief for ob2ious reasonsL Bdo not rob %erchants S, 0, E or else1 *nderstandMB
IreasonsGS and 0 pay protection %oney and E is actually Deputy #uild%asterL the
no2ice %ight be told so%e of thisJ1 ut other possibilities include which corrupt officers
of the law are in the poc!ets of the guild Iand therefore should not be dealt with too
harshly during a robberyJ, which ser2ants of the rich are 2ery happy to tal! for what
%agnitude of bribe, which bar%en in the rough ta2erns in the doc!s will help thie2es
Ie1g1, by putting a little so%ething in so%eone's drin! so they can be Bhelped ho%eB by
the thief laterJ, and so on1
General .nformation3 This is a catch?all category1 To ta!e but one possible
illustrati2e e9a%pleA a guild %ight !eep records of legal punish%ents for 2arious thiefly
cri%es in neighboring I%aybe e2en distantJ locations IB&2er thereM Not if you 2alue your
hands, brotherNBJ1 These %ay not always be accurate and up?to?date, of course1
What the guild !nows, who within the guild !nows it, and whether they
will tell what they !now ob2iously depends on how BhotB the infor%ation is, the seniority
of the person inCuiring, and other factors1 These co%plications don't need our attention
nowL the i%portant thing is the basic idea here, that the guild is a 2ital infor%ation source1
"nd, to anticipate the responsibilities guild %e%bers ha2e to the guild, this is a two?way
process1 The thief will be e9pected to report certain infor%ation to the guild seniorsN
This is dealt with later1
/encing
This is an often?o2erloo!ed aspect of the thie2es' guild1 " -C thief %ay
steal all !inds of things which he hasn't any idea about, so far as their price goes1 He
didn't find the hidden safe in the %erchant's house, so out he co%es with a bag containing
a Dade statuette of a cat Iactually i%itation Dade so it's %ostly worthlessJ, a crystal 2ase
Ie9ceptional elfin wor!, worth a fair su%J, a crude wooden idol Ian antiCue, and thus
worth far %ore than the thief thin!sJ, and %ore 1 1 1 .ndeed, in the absence of any special
nonweapon proficiencies Isuch as #e%?cutting and the li!eJ the thief %ay often ha2e
little idea how %uch non%onetary treasures he has stolen are worth1 E2en with the
"ppraising proficiency, the thief's esti%ates %ay often be wrong, and a fair proportion of
ite%s too unusual or singular for the thief to be sure anyway1 This is one area where the
fence can help the thief1
" resourceful thie2es' guild will ha2e %e%bers who can accurately 2alue different
sorts of ite%s, and will also ha2e contacts with certain specialists who aren't actually
thie2es but who also aren't terribly ethical either1 They can handle real rarities1 The /ence
thief !it gi2es a basic design option for fences, and the blueprint profile section Ilater in
this chapterJ also details a highly e9perienced and 2ersatile fence who can be used
straight off the page Ias it wereJ or de2eloped by the D, for use in his ca%paign1
" special case is that of %agical treasure1 " si%ple detect magic spell fro% a
%age?thief specialist in the guild, wor!ing with the fence, can tell a thief that the nice
gold signet ring he filched fro% the drun! fighter is a %agic ite%, worth far, far %ore
than its 2alue as gold1 The sa%e N-C can tell the thief Ifro% an identify spellJ that the
ring is a ring of protection ;<, worth thousands1 This only needs a 4st?le2el %agic?user
with the fence, but it's a priceless ser2ice for the thiefN
The other role for the fence, ob2iously, is that the thief gets BhotB property off his
hands Cuic!ly1 .t will probably be out of town 2ery fast, to be sold in so%e distant
location where its illicit nature will not be suspected1 &b2iously, fences ne2er pay %ore
than a fraction of the %ar!et price for goodsL but a fraction %ay still be a fair su%, and
the thief runs no ris! of being apprehended1
Specialist Help
&b2iously, the fence is a for% of specialist help, but the guild can also act
to put %e%bers in touch with specialists to help the% with certain 2entures in %ore direct
ways1
/irst, certain guild %e%bers will be specialists in the%sel2esGe9pert loc!pic!ers
with e9ceptional &pen $oc!s s!ill le2els and others such1 ,ulti?class thie2es are also
i%portant people for %any DobsGa %age?thief with such spells as in#isibility, le#itate,
and knock Ito consider but second?le2el spellsJ is of ob2ious 2alue1 Ha2ing one
acco%pany a thief on a robbery increases the chances for success considerably, but e2en
if this isn't possible, a si%ple in#isibility spell precast on the hopeful robber gi2es an
i%portant edge for snea!ing past guards and the li!e1
Then again, other ad2enturers %ight be called upon1 Depending on the guild's
relations with other bodies, a cleric Iwith find traps, a%ong other spellsJ would be a %ost
useful acco%plice for %any tas!s1 .f the D,'s ca%paign world has a deity which is an
ob2ious patron for thie2es Isuch as &lida%%ara of &erth, or ,as! of the /orgotten
Real%sJ, clerics of such a deity %ight well ha2e 2ery cordial relations with a thie2es'
guild1 This is considered in %ore detail below1
The guild can thus act as a clearing?house, with na%es and %eeting places to
assist a -C thief hoping to pull a Dob but needing help1 "gain, whether these contacts
actually agree to help will depend on %any thingsGnotably the reputation of the -C
thiefN Howe2er, the fact that they are there at all can be helpful for the -C thief, possibly
for his friends as well, and can be 2ery useful indeed if the thief -C wants to pull so%e
Dob away fro% the rest of his usual ad2enturing group, when he %ust ha2e so%e such
e9tra help for success1
&f course, a thief %ay si%ply need the assistance of others of his own !ind for
so%e Dob he has planned1 This %ay be a si%ple decoy person to help with pic!poc!eting
in the streets, or an eagle?eyed loo!out for a warehouse Dob1 Either way, the guildhouse
%ay be a better bet than hanging around dubious ta2erns and hostelries1 The flipside of
this, of course, is that an i%po2erished -C can hang around the guildhouse touting for
offers of wor! hi%selfN
/inally, a well?organi8ed guild will e2en be able to help its %e%bers if they get
into serious difficulties1 " Dailer %ay be bribed, a %agistrate bribed or blac!%ailed, a %an
of law paid to plead the thief's case in the courts Iif the Dudge or %agistrate cannot be
bribedJ1 .f the captured thief is 2ery senior in the #uild, e2en a co%%ando?style
BliberationB %ay be possibleN Such actions will lea2e the thief indebted to his guild for
so%e ti%e to co%e 1 1 1
So, these are the %ain functions of the thie2es' guild, as far as a -C thief entering
the guild can see the%1 There are certainly other things the guild will do, and we'll loo! at
the% in due course1 efore that, let's loo! at the other side of the coinGthe
responsibilities the thief has to the guild1 /or all the ad2antages, what does the
guild%e%ber ha2e to pay one way or anotherM
Responsibilities of #uild ,e%bership
#uild Dues
The %ost ob2ious responsibility is that the guild %e%ber %ust pay dues to
the guild1 These will be 2ariable1 &ne guild %ay include training costs in the basic dues,
which will then be fairly highL another guild %ight not, charging for training as and when
the guild %e%ber needs it, so their basic dues will be that %uch lower1 &f course, if the
D, doesn't use training rules in his ga%e then this ele%ent will be absent1 When the D,
co%es to design a thie2es' guild using the syste% outlined later, this is a i%portant
ele%ent to considerN
.n addition to a basic %e%bership due, the guild %ay insist on ta!ing a certain
percentage cut of the rewards the guild %e%ber gains fro% his thie2ing acti2ities1 Here, it
is li!ely that there will be a TTbasic rate'' for nor%al operations, with guild seniors
considering special cases indi2idually1 /or e9a%ple, if the guild pro2ided the thief with
certain i%portant infor%ation which %ade a big difference Iand indeed without which a
robbery would ha2e been unsuccessfulJ, the guild %ay ta!e a larger slice of the goodies
than nor%al1 What cut the guild ta!es will again be 2ariable1 So%e guilds %ay discount
the yearly dues Ipossibly in partJ fro% later cuts fro% inco%e1
Secrecy
This is Dust as i%portant as paying dues1 The guild %e%ber will be
e9pected to !eep the identity of the guild%aster Iif he !nows itJ, the guildhouse, and
planned guild acti2ities secret fro% outsiders1 He %ust ne2er infor% on a guild %e%ber1
.n a guild do%inated by a lawfully?aligned guild%aster or group, secrecy %ay be
the %ost i%portant of all co%%it%ents the guild%e%ber has to %a!e1 So%e for% of oath
of loyalty is 2ery li!ely to be de%anded of the no2ice in al%ost any thie2es' guild1
-ro2iding .nfor%ation
There are two Cuite specific ways in which a thief will be e9pected to
supply his seniors within the guild with infor%ation1 /irst, infor%ation concerning his
own plansL second, general infor%ation possibly of 2alue to guild %e%bers1
" thief will be e9pected to !eep the guild infor%ed about i%portant 2entures he
has planned1 This does not include dungeon?bashing, wilderness ad2entures, and the li!eN
Rather, robberies and brea!?ins which %ay net particularly good rewards or stri!e at
Bsensiti2eB targets Isuch as a te%ple, or the warehouse of a notable %erchantJ,
particularly nefarious cri%es such as !idnapping, and %aDor sca%s are e9a%ples of
cri%es which a thief will always be e9pected to notify the guild seniors or guild%aster of1
,any guilds will insist that such %aDor cri%es can only be co%%itted with the
guild%aster's per%ission1 This is especially li!ely to be true with a strong guild, and in a
lawful or repressi2e society where such actions %ay stir up a hornet's nest of trouble for
the guild1
/eeding bac! general infor%ation to the guild will also !eep a thief in good
standing with his fellows1 " thief casing a Doint for a later brea!?in %ight see an unusual
nu%ber of guards around in the courtyard of an adDacent building as so%e crates are
being ta!en inside fro% a wagon, and one crate splits slightly at the top re2ealing the
glint of gold or i2ory in the bright sun 1 1 1 The thief !nows that he cannot organi8e a
robbery o2er there as well as in the place he's casing already, so he reports the pleasant
2iew to the guild1 Doing so will certainly !eep the thief in good fa2or1 The thief will be
e9pected to pro2ide such infor%ation should he co%e across it, but the guild%aster %ight
well reward particularly helpful guild %e%bers, %ar! the% for pro%otion, gi2e the% a
sinecure role in so%e other guild Dob, pay a s%all percentage of the guild ta!e to the
helpful infor%ant, and the li!e1
Snitches3 These can be of special i%portance to a thie2es' guild1 asically, a
snitch is so%eone paid to pro2ide Binside infor%ation1B " snitch can be a corrupt officer
of the law, a 2alet or ser2ant of a rich %an Ior at a club of so%e !indJ, a nightwatch%an,
and so on1
" few guilds %ight insist that only the 2ery senior guild %e%bers can ha2e their
own snitchesL Duniors %ust turn o2er pro%ising contacts who could be de2eloped into
snitches to the guild1 ,ore li!ely, though, is that indi2idual %e%bers can ha2e their own
snitches who are regarded as sacrosanct by other guild %e%bers1 " guilds%an does not
ta%per with another thief's pet snitchN This is ob2iously going to be easiest if the
identities of the snitches are actually co%%only !nown within the guildGhow can you
not poach a snitch if you don't !now who is one, after allM ut, because so%e thie2es %ay
be 2ery ner2ous about this, the identity of certain really i%portant snitches %ay be !ept
secret1 The guild will protect the% by warning thie2es away fro% the !ey snitches
indirectly Ie1g1, with an edict that no one is to try to B%a!e friendsB with the staff of such?
and?such an establish%entJ1 This does not %a!e the identity of the snitch !nown, but
ser2es to warn other thie2es away1
$i%ited Territory
The thief will al%ost certainly be told that certain areas and acti2ities are
definitely off?li%its1 This is li!eliest to apply to %aDor cri%es and big heists when Dunior
thie2es are the hopeful plotters Ithe guild is unli!ely to allow such ine9perienced people
the chance to bring the wrath of the law down on e2eryone's headJ1 ut territorial
restrictions %ay be Dust as i%portant1
The si%plest for% of this is that certain thie2es will ha2e their Bown patchB1
-ic!poc!ets are the %ost clear?cut e9a%ple1 " notably busy thoroughfare, one where
%erchants and IespeciallyJ foreigners throng, is a patch which a s!illed group of
pic!poc!ets will fight deter%inedly to !eep as their own, e9clusi2e territory1 -rotection
rac!ets are another ob2ious case of a de%arcated territory where other guild %e%bers do
not stic! their noses in1 These will include warehouses and offices and ho%es which are
off?li%its to burglars, because their owners pay a su% to the guild to a2oid being robbed1
" %ore co%ple9 e9a%ple of this is where sub?guilds control definite sections of a
city and e9pect that only their own people are usually allowed any acti2ity at all within
that section1 E9ceptions are allowed only after careful consideration by the leaderIsJ of
this group1 This situation %ay happen if a guild%aster is wea! and the second?ran!ers
start car2ing out territory for the%sel2es, but it %ight arise for si%ple reasons of
historical accident Iin a walled city with %aDor internal di2isions, gates between town
Cuarters, and so onGthe City of #reyhaw! is an e9a%pleJ1 "t its %ost e9tre%e, a city
%ight in effect Iif not in na%eJ ha2e se2eral thie2es' guilds, each controlling one section
or Cuarter of the city, with the boss of each splinter faction %eeting with the others at
regular ti%es to try to co?ordinate efforts and defuse tensions1
&ther Duties
Depending on the indi2idual guild, the thief %ay ha2e other
responsibilities1 These can 2ary considerably, but so%e of the %ore co%%on cases are
detailed here1
TrainingA The thief %ay only be allowed to train apprentices of his own with the
!nowledge and per%ission of the guild, and the guild will probably want a cut of the
training fee1 So%e guilds will regulate the allocating of apprentices to trainers1 .n busy
ti%es when the guild is e9panding, %iddling?le2el thie2es %ay ha2e to gi2e up a certain
a%ount of ti%e, de%anded by the guild, to train new apprentices1
:eg!ork3 Especially with apprentices and low?le2el thie2es, the guild %ay reCuire
the% to do so%e of the tedious day?to?day legwor!, at least as bac!up reser2es1 This can
in2ol2e collecting %oney fro% the 2icti%s of protection rac!ets, collecting and carrying
bags of s%all change fro% illegal street ga%bling, acting as a %essenger boy, !eeping a
part?watch on a warehouse, and so on1 This shouldn't be too oppressi2e, but a sudden
need for e9tra help on the part of the guild is a nice plot de2ice for !eeping a thief -C in
town and %aybe ha2ing hi% see things, and %eet people, that widen the scope of his
future ad2enturing1
The Recalcitrant -C Thief
" player %ay decide that he doesn't want to ha2e his thief -C Doin any
guildL this %ay be especially li!ely with Chaotic characters Iand Chaotic playersNJ1 .t's
best not to pressure the player in this case, but as his thief -C gains e9perience he will
ine2itably tread on the toes of the thie2es' guild Ie1g1, by robbing so%eone they ha2e an
BunderstandingB withJ1 The guild will sooner or later ha2e to ta!e action against the -C
thief1 They will warn hi% first, and stress the benefits of Doining Ias e9plained abo2eJ1
E2entually he will ha2e to Doin up, or ship out1 There is also the %atter of training, of
courseL if he doesn't get this fro% the guild, where else can he co%e by itM
So%e players %ay worry that their thief -Cs %ay ha2e their freedo% of action
%assi2ely curtailed, or their align%ent %ay be co%pro%ised Iespecially if the -C is of
#ood align%entJ, or their -C %ay si%ply be ripped off1 These are legiti%ate worries, and
so%e players %ay want to be reassured about the%1 The D, should be able to lure all but
the %ost uncooperati2e player into guild %e%bership without any strong?ar% tactics, and
then the full plethora of the guild's nefarious acti2ities can be unfolded 1 1 1
"cti2ities of Thie2es' #uilds
There are certain ob2ious core acti2ities of thie2es which will always be a
staple of guild goings?on, but there are also %ore unco%%on acti2ities which not all
guilds will ha2e dealings with1 $oo!ing at the range of possible guild acti2ities is done
here for two reasons1 /irst, it is a useful precursor to guild design, to co%e later1 Second,
it is a natural lead?in to the issue of relations which e9ist between thie2es' guilds and
other groups1 Since these are often based on %utual interests and spheres of acti2ity, it
%a!es sense to consider these interests and acti2ities first, to %a!e sense of the
associations to be re2iewed laterN
.%portantly, the acti2ities re2iewed here do not in2ol2e all the thie2es of the
#uild1 .f -C #uild%e%bers find so%e acti2ities run by a guild obDectionable Ie1g1,
because they are good?alignedJ, they shouldn't be forced to do so1 The idea here is si%ply
to gi2e an idea of the range of acti2ities which guilds %ay be in2ol2ed with on %ore than
an occasional basis1
Core "cti2ities
These are the bread?and?butter acti2ities of thie2es1 )irtually any guild
will ha2e these as e2eryday acti2ities1 That is, guild %e%bers will regularly indulge in
the% and they will pro2ide %uch of the Bbread and butterB inco%e for %ost thie2es
Iespecially lower?le2el thie2esJ1
-ic!poc!eting, burglary, robbery, street theft, street ga%bling, and %ugging are
the %ost ob2ious core acti2ities1 There's little need to say %uch %ore about the% here1
"l%ost all players will ha2e had their thie2es indulge in such beha2iors, and will be
fa%iliar with the%1 Standard "D+DK ga%e rules, and %any eCuip%ent ite%s and Thief
(its presented in this 2olu%e, gi2e e9hausti2e detail about the%1
&ther "cti2ities
The D, can loo! upon the listing here as a %enu fro% which choices can
be %ade later on when designing a thie2es' guild1 The list isn't e9hausti2eL de2ious D,s
can no doubt add to it for unusual guilds in a ca%paign setting1 The acti2ities here are
ones which will in2ol2e the guild as a body, or %any of its %e%bers, on a syste%atic
basis1 .n turn, this will affect the nature of the guild significantly1 &b2iously, %any of the
acti2ities listed below %ay in2ol2e specialists, and the thie2es' !its outlined earlier can be
2ery useful in %any cases1
-rotection Rac!ets
Thie2es and %erchants %ay possibly co%e to so%e negotiated
understanding, in certain cities and towns1 The thie2es will agree not to burgle particular
establish%ents Iwarehouses and pri2ate ho%esJGthat is, those which belong to the
%erchants who pay a fee for this pri2ilege1 ,erchants who don't pay will be fair ga%e for
future robbery, and %ay be specifically targeted1
This !ind of agree%ent will always be negotiated by the guild seniors, and guild
%e%bers will be told in no uncertain ter%s that certain places are strictly off?li%its in the
future1 Such agree%ents are %ost li!ely in places where the thie2es' guild is strong, the
rule of law is fairly wea! Ior corruptJ, and where the guild%aster is a lawful?aligned
indi2idual1
" notable conseCuence of such agree%ents is that if a freelance thief burgles a
property which is owned by a %erchant who pays the local thie2es' guild, that thief can
e9pect the thie2es' guild of the town to %a!e deter%ined efforts to find hi% and
ad%inister su%%ary Dustice1 This %ay be harsher than the penalties prescribed by the
lawN "lso, the traditional %eaning of the ter% Bprotection rac!etBGBpay up or we brea!
your legsBGis not e9actly what is i%plied here, although thie2es denied pay%ent by a
%erchant %ight resort to the threat of 2iolence to dri2e away the %erchant's custo%ers,
staff, and the li!e1 &nly a guild do%inated by e2il and top?hea2y with thugs will be li!ely
to use actual 2iolence, in %ost cases1
S%uggling
This is %ost li!ely to be an organi8ed acti2ity in a port, or possibly in a
%aDor inland trade city built on a ne9us of trade roads1 .n the case of a port, there is a
possibility that thie2es %ight also be allied with pirates, both through s%uggling and
through getting %essages to the pirates regarding the sailing ti%es, cargoes, and
protection of sailing 2essels lea2ing the port1 The s%uggling can be of any prohibited
ite% or ite%s, and in troubled lands the s%uggling of weapons can be particularly
lucrati2e1
Subtle 2ariants on this the%e are possible1 Consider a thie2es' guild which has
good connections with the rulers, in a wea! country ruled by e2il1 The country %ight
officially outlaw sla2ery Ifor fear of offending neighboring countries which are not ruled
by e2ilJ, while the thie2es actually carry this on as a subterfuge acti2ity, s%uggling sla2es
into and perhaps through the country1 This is done with the full !nowledge and
conni2ance of the rulers, who ta!e a percentage of the profits1 Selling the sla2es to
another, %ore distant, e2il land could raise plenty of funds for the thie2es and the rulers1
.n ti%e, this e2il land could flourish and beco%e strong on the profits of its wic!ed trade1
/orgery and Coin Clipping
" strong thie2es' guild %ay regulate the acti2ities of forgers and
BclippersB, to !eep the proportion of forgeries and clippings within reasonable li%its1 .f
there are too %any forgeries floating around, the 2alue of coin will sharply deteriorate, to
no one's benefit Iincluding the thie2esJ1 Clipping is si%ply the art of sha2ing fine sli2ers
fro% the edges of coins and using the sal2aged %etal for subseCuent coin?forging or for
other purposes1 " sha2ed?off %argin of so%e <R fro% the original is usually fairly
undetectable, but coins %ay be clipped se2eral ti%es during their lifeti%eN .n ad2anced
societies in the ca%paign world, the dies used to %a!e coins %ay ha2e %illed or %ar!ed
edges to pre2ent clipping1
Entertain%ents
This is a catchall ter% for a fairly wide range of dubious beha2ior1 So%e
e9a%ples of syste%atic operations which a thie2es' guild %ight run are listed below1
Gambling3 Thie2es %ight well run casinos and si%ilar establish%ents1 These
pro2ide a source of inco%e, a good %eeting?place for underworld people, and the
opportunity to rip off large su%s of %oney fro% patrons who are rich, drun!, stupid or
usually all three1 &rgani8ed cri%e will be strongly in2ol2ed in these operations1
Good Time Girls3 Nothing %uch needs to be said about this, sa2e that thie2es
often act as the Bgentle%an co%panionsB of these girls1 There is a %uch shorter word to
describe this, of course1
*a!ds3 " bawd is a character who !nows the sea%ier side of life, and %a!es an
in?de%and Btourist guideB for the rich and bored Ior the foreignerJ who see! to sti%ulate
their Daded appetites in the seedy parts of town1 awds will often be freelancers, but they
%ay hand o2er a certain percentage of their clients to %uggers and other thie2es1 This
type of acti2ity %ight well in2ol2e the thie2es' guild, e2en though the bawds the%sel2es
do their own wor! independently, and will freCuently be Chaotic E2il in align%ent1
$awful &perations
" thie2es' guild %ight actually turn to actions which do not conflict with
the rule of law for se2eral reasons1 /irst, it %ight ha2e %any lawful %e%bers Ithis is
i%plausible e9cept in a 2ery lawful societyJ1 Second, it %ight ha2e strong contacts with
so%e outside group which %a!es so%e lawful operation a special caseGha2ing good
relations with %erchants could lead to the protection scenario detailed below1 Third, it
%ight Dust be good public relations1 The guild does so%e Blegal wor!B to %aintain a
2eneer of public respectability while bla%ing its really nefarious acti2ities I!idnapping,
drug s%uggling, etc1J on rogue ele%ents outside the guild1 .t %ight also be a te%porary
di2ersion to !eep the heat off when the guild has o2er?reached itself or been bla%ed for
so%e particularly spectacular heist or wic!ed cri%e1 Surprisingly, there are lots of reasons
why poachers %ay turn ga%e!eeper for a while1 Two e9a%ples areA
Security testing3 Thie2es %ight be e%ployed to test defenses of a secure area1
Who better, after allM #e%cutters and Dewelers, pawnbro!ers, and rich %erchants who
!eep a lot of %oney around are ob2ious potential custo%ers1 ECually ob2iously, they
won't approach the thie2es' guild unless they already ha2e so%e understanding with the%1
They will also top up the defenses after the thie2es ha2e tested the first set, e2en if the
thie2es say the defenses are 2ery sound Ior %aybe especially if they clai% thisNJ1
&f course, if freelance good?aligned Ior lawful?alignedJ specialists in such wor!
are a2ailable as independents, they will be the %ost li!ely to carry out this wor!1 "
thie2es' guild is li!ely to go to great lengths to get these people to Doin the guild, or else to
eli%inate the%N
Transportation3 So%eti%es, so%eone wishes to %o2e so%ething Ia fabulously
2aluable ge%, a religious icon, etc1J fro% one place to another by nor%al %eans Ie1g1, not
teleportingJ and is fearful that it %ay be stolen en route1 Thie2es are e%ployed to create
decoys and di2ersions and to s%uggle the obDect in secrecy1 Since thie2es are %asters of
conceal%ent, and also !now a thing or two about stealing things in transit, their s!ills will
be put to good use here1 .n the case of a really i%portant ite% being transported, a thief
%ight be as!ed to sub%it to a spell such as Cuest@geas to ensure his cooperation1
Thie2es' #uilds in the Ca%paign World
" thie2es' guild doesn't e9ist in a 2acuu%1 .t will be strongly influenced by
the society which it is part of1 Considering this is an i%portant bac!drop to the %ore
specific %atter of how a thie2es' guild gets on with other associations and groups1
Si8e and Wealth of Co%%unities
" first si%ple point is that a thie2es' guild has to ha2e enough wor! to
support itN " s%all ha%let of <; or so peasant far%ers, %ost of who% are desperately
poor, wouldn't support a single cutpurse, let alone a thie2es' guild1 " busy wor!ing town
along a trade route, though, %ight well attract se2eral thie2es, e2en if the actual
population was fairly low1 .f the 2illage relied on %onies passing through the place
Icoaching inns, hospitality, %ar!ets, etc1J, it would be %uch richer in ter%s of %oney
a2ailable for the thie2es to filch than a place with the sa%e population but dependent on
the turnip har2estN .n the design process, so%e specific rules for deter%ining how %any
thie2es 2arious co%%unities can support are gi2en1
Social "lign%ent
The other factor which will always be of i%portance in deter%ining the
nature of a thie2es' guild is the do%inant social align%ent Isee the 6ungeon +aster's
Guide, Chapter /ourJ1 *sually this will be reflected in the align%ent of the rulers too, but
this %ay not always be soA the possibility of a Bdi2ided align%entB society is discussed
after the social align%ents ha2e been considered1 "lso, the following descriptions are
tendencies, not absolutes1 The final paragraphs on Special Social /actors shows how, for
e9a%ple, two $awful #ood societies do%inated by different religions could ha2e a 2ery
different 2iew on thie2esN
$awful #ood
Thie2ery will be strongly disappro2ed ofGthie2ing is by definition
unlawful, and few thie2es are good1 The penalties for thie2ery will be harsh, but will
usually in2ol2e banish%ent, confiscation of goods, and long sentences of socially useful
labor rather than death, %utilation Ie1g1, a%putation of a handJ or such other cruel
treat%ent1 $awful good rulers %ay go to so%e lengths to e9tirpate thie2es' guilds, and
lawful good people will certainly infor% on thie2es1 There will be a strong sense of ci2ic
duty a%ong such people to report any obser2ations suggesti2e of thie2ery to the
authorities1 Tip for thie2esA /ind so%ewhere else1
Neutral #ood
Thie2ery will not be disappro2ed of in the sa%e way as in a lawful society,
but thie2es are rarely good, and neutral good societies are unli!ely to ha2e %uch regard
for the%1 Howe2er, punish%ent for thie2ery %ay not be so se2ere, and the rulers %ay feel
there are better things to do, and %ore i%portant social priorities, than persecuting
thie2es1 "ssassins, for e9a%ple, will be rated a %uch %ore i%portant target for the
authorities1
Howe2er, while the authorities Iand society generallyJ %ay tolerate a certain le2el
of thie2ery, there is li!ely to be a Bthreshold le2elB abo2e which thie2ing will no longer
be tolerated1 &2er?powerful thie2es %ay be dee%ed a %aDor social e2il, and neutral good
societies %ay be less fussy about the %eans IneutralJ ta!en to achie2e the ends IgoodJ1
Do not forget that a 2iable interpretation of the neutral good philosophy is Bwar on e2il
without re%ittance or %ercy,B such that only direly e2il ends will be eschewed in the
prosecution of goodN Certainly, plants, spies, %oles within guildsGall %ay be used by the
authorities against o2er?powerful thie2es1 Tip for thie2esA (eep a low profile and you can
get away with it, but otherwiseGwatch outN
Chaotic #ood
Such societies do not often ha2e effecti2e, strong law enforce%ent,
because the people pri8e personal freedo% as a pri%ary 2irtue1 /or this reason, thie2es'
guilds can grow strong in a Chaotic #ood society1 E2en if the will is there to do
so%ething about the thie2es, the %eans %ay not be adeCuate to the tas!1
The attitudes of ordinary people will be co%ple9 here1 So%e %ay regard thie2es
in a heroic light, as indi2idualists and nonconfor%ists, and be positi2ely disposed to
the%1 &thers will regard thie2es as ta!ing the fruits of the labors of others away, and that
this curtails personal freedo%sGthe undeser2edly poor ha2e not the freedo% they should
ha2e1 Reactions will tend to be indi2idualistic Ias with %ost Chaotic societiesJ and
so%ewhat unpredictable1 Tip for thie2esA Stic! aroundN
$awful Neutral
This %ay be the %ost intolerant of all societies1 Thie2ery is the 2ery
antithesis of law, and punish%ents for transgression are li!ely to be harsher and %ore
cruel and unforgi2ing Ie1g1, a%putation of a hand, a long sentence of forced laborJ than in
a $awful #ood society1 $awful Neutral rulers are li!ely to be rather stern, and worst of
all, law enforcers are li!ely to be as nu%erous and unbribable here as anywhere1 The only
bonus for the thief is that $awful Neutral societies are appallingly bureaucratic and its
ci2il ser2ants lac!ing in i%agination and initiati2e1
$awful Neutral citi8ens will snitch on a thief at the drop of a hat and, %oreo2er,
will do so out of a sense of real ci2ic duty1 Tip for the thiefA )ery dangerous, but
definitely outs%artable1 /a!ed papers and the li!e go a long way, and fast tal!ing helps a
great deal1
Neutral
"bsolute Neutral rulers tend to be rare, e9cept in countries which border
on e9tre%e align%ent societies1 Here, perfor%ing so%e !ind of balancing act %ay be the
only way to sur2i2e1 Such rulers will probably ignore thie2ery unless it gets out of handL
they will ha2e too %uch else to worry about1 When it does get out of hand, their instinct
will be to ta!e whate2er steps are necessary to restore the balanceG%ore %ilitia, %ore
watch, %ore nightwatch%en and la%plighters in the streets, and so on1 They will be
highly prag%atic in their response1
While pure Neutral rulers %ay be rare, ordinary people will often be of this
align%ent1 This reflects the fact that they aren't clearly of any other align%entA They're
Dust prag%atic, doing what they need to get by day to day1 ,ost %edie2al societies were
hardly richL e2en the B%iddle classB Iuntil the 4<th century in EuropeJ had a standard of
li2ing which could barely be ter%ed co%fortable1 Sur2i2al is the na%e of the ga%e, and
clearly de%arcated principles often go to the wall under such circu%stances1 The
resulting blurred align%ent can often be su%%ari8ed as Neutral1 Neutrals will tend to
regard thie2ery as so%ething they can't do a great deal aboutL thie2es are %ysterious,
dangerous people with secret organi8ations1 Neutrals loo! the other wayL they don't want
to get in2ol2ed1 Corruption can operate on a wide scaleGit can e2en beco%e a staple of
co%%ercial e9change1 Tip for thie2esA #ood pic!ingsN
Chaotic Neutral
"l%ost no societies, sa2e for disorgani8ed anarchies and so%e frontier
lands, are do%inated by this align%ent1 " Chaotic Neutral ruler is unli!ely to sur2i2e for
any ti%e at allGruled by whi% and caprice, his subDects will li!ely rise up to put an end
to such arbitrary rule1
Such societies, or ones co%prised of Chaotic Neutral people, will li!ely not care a
fig about thie2ery1 #a%bling, corruption, bawdery, %uggings, and lowlife are li!ely to
flourish in such societies, and thie2es %ay grow 2ery strong organi8ing such acti2ities1
Tip for thie2esA E9cellent pic!ings, and a strong guild can effecti2ely rule such a society
behind the scenes1
$awful E2il
While, li!e all $awful societies, $awful E2il will not care for unlawful
acts, $awful E2il accepts what is necessary to %aintain the strong in power1 /ear rules
here1 .f a $awful E2il ruler uses thie2es to bac!stab IliterallyNJ his ene%ies, so be it1 The
ordinary people will cower if a thief swaggers aroundGpro2iding that thief has the
%uscle to bac! any threats he %a!es1 Thie2es' guilds in such lands %ay be 2ery strong,
but they %ust ha2e an e%phasis on the brutal and thuggish to sur2i2e1 "ssassins will be
stronger than thie2es here, and the two %ay wor! closely together1 Tip for thie2esA Wal!
loudly and carry a big stic!1
Neutral E2il
Neutral E2il is uncaring and unconcerned1 Such peopleGrulers or
ordinary fol!Gare out for what they can get1 How one gets what one has in life doesn't
%atter at all1 Neutral E2il fol! are often cle2erer than $awful E2il ones, being %ore
fle9ible and less respecting of a du%b BsuperiorB Dust because he is in a position to push
people around1 They are also better organi8ed by far than Chaotic E2il people1 Neutral
E2il is a fle9ible, s%art, highly dangerous align%ent1
Thie2es ha2e e9cellent chances here, but they will ha2e to watch their own bac!s
%ore than in any other society1 Ri2al thie2es' guilds %ay be particularly li!ely here1 Since
there is no stricture other than Bdon't get caughtB, co%peting guilds and gang wars are
highly li!ely1 Tip for thie2esA #ood prospects for the prag%atic a%oralist1
Chaotic E2il
Such societies are li!ely always to be in fer%ent, since the arbitrary
cruelty of the rulers will dri2e e2en a passi2e population to re2olt before long1 &nly
Chaotic E2il societies with a powerful clerical group, de%onic presence, etc1, will ha2e
the sheer force needed to tyranni8e for any length of ti%e1
"t all le2els of a Chaotic E2il society, bac!stabbing and intrigue, treachery and
betrayal, is the basic coin of e9change1 The strong ta!e what they want howe2er they li!e,
and the rest are ground into the dirt1 Since organi8ation and cooperation are %ini%al, a
thie2es' guild where the %e%bers don't spend all their ti%e bac!stabbing each other can
grow to do%inate behind the scenes 2ery swiftly1 Tip for thie2esA Trust nobody, sell your
granny into sla2ery, and ha2e %agic ite%s allowing a fast e9it1
Special Social /actors
There are %any possible unusual social factors which will be an i%portant
bac!drop to the role of thie2es and their guilds in society1 " few e9a%ples only are gi2en
here, since the possibilities are al%ost infinite1
Di2ided "lign%ents
So%e societies e9ist where the align%ent of the rulerIsJ is sharply
different fro% the general social align%ent1 /or e9a%ple, a lawful e2il dictator %ight rule
o2er a society %ostly co%prised of freedo%?lo2ing chaotics, ensla2ed by %ilitary %ight1
Here, while the agents of law enforce%ent would ha2e a 2ery puniti2e attitude towards
thie2es, the co%%on population %ight regard the% as heroes, possibly gi2ing shelter to a
thief on the run, or at the least not gi2ing the thief away1
Racial Di2isions
-ossibly the strongest antipathy between the races in %any "D+DK
ca%paigns is between el2es and dwar2es1 This can strongly affect guild structures1 .n the
worst case, a city %ight ha2e an el2en guild and a dwar2en guild, both 2ying for hu%ans
to Doin their side, and with other races tending to ally one way or the other Igno%es %ight
Doin dwar2es, and halflings side with el2es, for e9a%pleJ1 The antipathy of the two %ight
o2erride e2en align%ent factors1 This could brea! out into open warfare between the
factions, or a long?running guerilla war could be the result1
Religious /actors
Not all societies with the sa%e do%inant align%ent need ha2e the sa%e
attitude toward thie2es1 &ne $awful #ood society %ight be do%inated by priests of a god
stressing %ercy, forgi2eness, and hu%ilityL another %ight be do%inated by priests of a
stern warrior god stressing protection, strength, and the need for Dustice to pre2ail in all
circu%stances1 Their attitudes to thie2es would be significantly different, to say the leastN
Historical /actors
Thie2es %ay be especially notorious Ior %aybe especially fa%ousNJ in a
society for so%e uniCue historical reason1 The people %ay spea! of how bra2e Edrain the
%aster thief bac!stabbed the wic!ed tyrant aron Higsel and brought about the downfall
of an e2il tyranny1 Hence thie2es are so%ewhat better tolerated than elsewhere1 &r they
%ay spea! of how e2il Edrain the treacherous bac!stabber foully slew the greatly lo2ed
and wise aron Higsel, the best ruler in the history of the land, and since this ti%e thie2es
are dee%ed especially wic!ed, base, treacherous fellows and death is an auto%atic
punish%ent for the%N These are e9tre%es, but the D, can easily en2isage %any 2ariants
on this !ind of uniCue bac!ground1
"ll these general social bac!grounds can easily %erge into personal obsessions or
idiosyncracies of rulers, in dictatorial countries1 There are %any idiosyncratic reasons
why a particular leader %ight ha2e an especially puniti2e or lenient Iless li!elyNJ attitude
to thie2es than the general social align%ent %ight suggest, but there should always be a
good reason why1 /or e9a%ple, a paladin ruler of a city?state %ight be unusually lenient
toward thie2es because a INeutral #oodJ thief co%panion sa2ed his life %ore than once
in their ad2enturing days1 *nli!ely, ad%ittedly, but possibleN Such oddities should be
thought up indi2idually by the D, so that they fit with the ca%paign setting and history1
Thie2es' #uilds and &ther #roups
Here, we'll loo! at the general pattern of relationships which can hold
between the thie2es' guild and other social groups of i%portanceGthe law, %erchants and
their fellows, other guilds, and the li!e1 The i%portant word is Bgeneral1B The broad
patterns outlined will be used later in the guild design section1 They are presented now
for the D, to thin! about in ad2ance1
The two %ost i%portant relationships thie2es' guilds ha2e will be with the people
they steal %ost fro% I%erchantsJ and the people doing their best to stop the% Ithe
officers of the lawJ1 Se2eral possible types of relationships are outlined with each group1
These are do%inating the%es onlyL chec!ing the Co%ple9@,i9 entry at the end of each
group will suggest %any 2ariations on the do%inant the%es1
Thie2es and the $aw
The align%ent of the rulers of society will ha2e a do%inating effect on this
relationship1 Howe2er, there will be other factors of i%portance, too1 Here is a si%ple
e9a%pleA " lawful good state is at war with a powerful, e2il neighbor1 "l%ost all of the
country's resources will go into the war effortGand able?bodied %en and wo%en who
%ight otherwise be law enforcers putting down thie2es will be fighting in battles instead1
Thus, thie2es will find life %uch easier than usual in such a land1 /ro% the patterns
below, so%e will ob2iously tend to align with certain align%ents, and this will be
reflected in the guild design process later1 ut nothing is e2er cut and dried, and 4;;R
predictableN
-ersecution
Typical of lawful and non?good societies, officers of the law are 2igilant
against thie2es and their guilds1 They are not easily bribeable, and there %ay be rewards
I%oney, %edals, etc1J for watch officers arresting %any thie2es or busting a guild1
-enalties for thie2ery are usually harsh1 There will be 2ery few corrupt officers of the
law1 usting a captured thief fro% prison will be 2ery difficultGprisons and gaols will be
strongly built, hea2ily guarded, and tough to get into Icue for an e9citing ad2enture
hereNJ1
Hassle
The law co%es down fairly hea2ily on thie2es, and penalties for thie2ery
are %oderately harsh1 Howe2er, officers of the law %ay feel they ha2e better things to do
than deal with thie2es Ie1g1, in a rough?and?tu%ble port cityJ, and with petty thie2ery in
particular, a thief %ay get away with handing o2er the spoils, paying a spot fine, and
getting a gauntleted hand across the bac! of the head1 .n an odd way, the thie2es %ay
e2en ha2e a snea!ing regard for the lawA the law is fir%, but fair and not arbitrary or
e9cessi2ely harsh, and the thie2es feel they are up against an ene%y worthy of their
s!ills1
&pposition
This is perhaps the co%%onest state of affairs1 The officers of the law do
their best to prosecute the law1 Howe2er, a s%all nu%ber are corrupt, they don't ha2e
enough %anpower, they !now their chances of reco2ering stolen property are 2ery low
and this ad2ersely affects %orale and %oti2ation, and so on1 The law%en aren't uncaring,
they're Dust so%ewhat disillusioned and their %orale isn't so good1 They will per! up and
%a!e a deter%ined effort to find out who has pulled a big heist when one ta!es place, and
if thie2es resort to real 2iolence they will really co%e loo!ing for the%1 &therwise, they
Dust go through the %otions1 &ne or two bright and enthusiastic younger officers %ay
resent the cynicis% and world?weariness of their elders, but not for longL they soon
capitulate to the pre2ailing attitudes1
,any thie2es with e9perience in such places ha2e a pro2erb which Ithere are
se2eral 2ersionsJ runs along the lines of, Bif you get round the corner you're a free
%anBGthat is, get away fro% any watch officer in the street with your pilfered gains and
you won't e9actly be chased with real deter%ination1
Tolerance
The picture here %ight see% to be si%ilar to opposition, but the law is still
wea!er in dealing with thie2es1 This %ay be for a 2ariety of reasons1 *nder?funding and
under?%anning %ay be especially i%portant1 Significant corruption %ay be present
Iespecially higher up the scaleJ1 The society %ay be chaotic or anarchic1 There %ay be a
reason why thie2ery is not a %aDor worry Ia wea! thie2es' guild, %aDor e9ternal threats to
a city?state so that %ost able?bodied %en are in a fighting %ilitia, a 2ery rough port where
serious assaults and worse are a %uch bigger headache than thie2es, etc1J1
.n such situations, the law not only doesn't do anything about all but the %ost
serious thiefly cri%es, but officers of the law %ay e2en get testy and irritated with people
who co%plain about the% too %uch, especially if they are foreignersN
Corruption
Here, bribes and bac!handers are paid to officers of the law on a regular
and %aDor basis1 Not all law%en %ay be corrupt, but a thief with serious financial
resources can %anage to a2oid being charged with al%ost anything1 .f so%ehow he ends
up in prison, he will be s%uggled out so%ehow1 $aw officers %ay actually be %e%bers
of the thie2es' guild, cooperating with s%uggling, protection rac!ets, and the li!e1
There is a tendency to o2erplay this, and to %a!e it too ob2ious to -Cs1 Corrupt
law enforcers aren't going to ad2ertise the fact, e2en in a corrupt society, sa2e for the
%ost stupidly sociopathic1 Corruption %ay be e9tensi2e, but will still be significantly
behind the scenes, %a!ing it %ore deadly for the unfortunate outsider who blunders into
it1 $awfully?aligned -Cs can arouse the ire Iand e2en the 2iolent attentionsJ of corrupt
officers of the law they atte%pt to BassistB with their wor!N
Co%ple9@,i9
This co2ers a 2ariety of %ore detailed or subtle relationships1 "n ob2ious
e9a%ple is an opposition within the forces of law, which can be e9ploited by thief -Cs
Ior by a D, with lawful -Cs tooJ1 /or e9a%ple, in one city the do%inant relationship
between thie2es and law officers is corruption1 Senior officers, and %any of the
watch%en, are corrupt, and readily ta!e bribes1 " s%all nu%ber of decent but
disillusioned Duniors ha2e tried to get fir% e2idence to nail their superiors and try to
eradicate the corruption, but they ha2en't been able to %anage this yet1 &bDecti2e
e2idence hasn't been accu%ulated, and witnesses are too scared to tal!1 There is concern
that e2en so%e of the Dudges and %agistrates are in the poc!ets of cri%inal bosses or the
#uild%aster of thie2es1 Cue for lawful and@or good -Cs to help out in a dangerous urban
Dungle of intrigue and treachery111
Relationships %ay also be %i9ed1 Thus, in one city ward, the co%%ander of the
ward watch %ay be an iron?willed, ultra?lawful, do%inating %an who drills his %en to
persecute thie2es night and day1 .n another, richer ward at the far end of the city, the
ine9perienced new Dunior leader is a follower of a !indly, so%ewhat i%practical faith, and
does not thin! that cri%e deser2es stern punish%ent unless 2iolence is in2ol2ed1 His %en
don't respect hi%, though, because of his ine9perience1 ,orale is falling, and an
increasing nu%ber of watch%en lea2e public ser2ice or else Dust don't care about
enforcing the law any %ore1 &ne city, two radically different sets of possibilities for
thie2es1 There %ay be %aDor tensions within a guild, as the thie2es fro% the Btough endB
of town start trying their luc! uptownN
,any possibilities e9ist in the Co%ple9@,i9 end of the spectru%1 The other
the%es can be %i9ed and 2aried to create %any possibilities the%sel2es1 The only li%it is
the D,'s i%agination1
Thie2es and ,erchants
The o2erall wealth of a society will ha2e an i%portant influence on this
relationship1 .n a poor society, %erchants will not be li!ely to be rich, and they will not be
able to afford any regular thie2ery1 They will not be able to bear such losses without
going ban!rupt1 Here, %erchants will fight tooth and nail to %ini%i8e the depredations of
thie2es1 .n richer lands, a little Bstoc! lossB Ia%ong other thingsJ can be tolerated rather
better1
"lign%ent will so%ewhat %odify this1 .n chaotic and@or e2il societies which are
rich, %erchants %ay be 2ery greedy, and %ay ta!e %any %easures against thie2es out of
a lo2e of %oney, not out of a need to sur2i2e1 There %ay also be an i%portant ele%ent of
pride in a society which stresses indi2idualis% IchaoticJ rather than one where %erchants
for% groups, ally with each other, and try to regulate business practices IlawfulJ1 &2er?
proud %erchants %ay resent %onies or goods being stolen not pri%arily because of the
loss of 2alueGit %ay be negligibleGbut because of the loss of face1 This can be an
i%portant factor in %erchants putting pressure on authorities to suppress thie2es, and in
their hiring -Cs for su%s which e9ceed the 2alue of their stolen goodsN
Warfare
The %erchants hate and fear the thie2es1 They go to e9tre%e lengths to
protect their property, and %any able?bodied fol! get Dobs as nightwatch%en1 E2en
ordinary warehouses ha2e traps and %any secret hidey?holes, wall safes and the li!e, and
so%e ha2e %agical traps as well1 ,erchants often ha2e bodyguards, and they won't pay
protection %onies1 They %ay e2en band together to for% %utual Binsurance policiesB to
help each other1 The %erchants e9ert all their political clout to get the authorities to
suppress thie2es1 E2en s%all?scale pilferage will result in an offender being dragged off
to face the sternest Dustice the %erchant's ad2ocate can plead for1
*nder these circu%stances, the thie2es' guild %ay react in a nu%ber of ways1 .t
%ay turn to other for%s of cri%e1 .t %ay turn to i%ported help to crac! the %erchants
I%ore thugs for protection rac!eteering, %ore thie2es for daring robberies recruited fro%
a friendly guild fro% a nearby townJ1 .t %ay use %ethods such as abductions and
blac!%ail to force its way bac! into a position of strength1 " really powerful guild will
effecti2ely Bdeclare warB on the %erchants if it thin!s that forcing a few to ca2e in will
lead to other %erchants gi2ing in also1 ,any options e9ist1 This situation is a real struggle
of wills, and the life of a thief will be dangerousGbut ne2er dull1
&pposition
So%ewhat li!e the state of affairs described abo2e, but the %erchants don't
go to such lengths to protect the%sel2es or !eep thie2es off their bac!s1 They don't li!e
thie2es, they don't accept the% as a part of society or a tolerable e2il, but they don't go
o2erboard about the% either1 Such %erchants are fairly stoutly resistant to any atte%pt at
coercion or blac!%ail, and they use their influence with the powers?that?be to !eep life
tough for thie2es1
Standoff
This is a fairly co%%on state of affairs1 The %erchants don't li!e thie2es,
but they are so%ewhat fatalistic about the%1 " strong ele%ent of prag%atis% influences
their attitudes1 .f it loses the% less to pay protection %oney than to suffer the thie2ery
they would otherwise ha2e to tolerate, they will pay up1 This is a %aDor difference fro%
the oppositional state, where %erchants will actually suffer e9tra loss rather than conni2e
with thie2es1
,erchants in a standoff will do what they can to get by1 *nless thie2ery gets
wildly out of hand, they won't get up in ar%s, and they will pay off thie2es, or accept a
certain le2el of theft, as they %ust1
Sub%ission
This is a rare case1 Here, the %erchants are running scared1 Coercion is
rifeL %erchants pay a lot of %oney to a2oid being robbed or ha2ing their ho%es burned
down1 Their profits %ay be al%ost all eaten away by this1 The law is of little help, usually
because it is corrupt, %aybe because it is ineffectual1 Thie2es will ha2e %any spies in the
%idst of the %erchants1 This is an unstable state of affairsL it cannot persist long1 Either
the co%%ercial life of the society falls apart, or the picture changesGoften to .nfiltration
as described below1
.nfiltration
Here, thie2es ha2e so %any dealings with %erchants that they actually
start to get in2ol2ed in co%%erce directly1 This often happens as a natural e2olution fro%
either a standoff or a sub%ission relationship1 Thie2es start to beco%e %erchants1 They
%ay ha2e been spies in %erchants e%ploy before, they %ay Bta!e o2erB the businesses of
%erchants they ha2e ban!rupted or dri2en off, or they %ay enter businesses their talents
suit the% for Ie1g1, as loc!s%iths, ge%?cutters, %oneylenders, pawnbro!ers, and the li!eJ1
This has se2eral attractions for the thief1 /irst, additional inco%e can be produced1
Second, the business can be a si%ple e9ploitation of a s!ill or proficiency the thief
already has1 Third, it can pro2ide a good co2er for a thief1 /ourth, there %ay be a %ore
nefarious %oti2e or two IB"h, sir wants a co%bination loc! which will be absolutely
thief?proofN . ha2e Dust the thing 1 1 1BL why shouldn't a loc!s%ith ha2e the best loc!pic!s
in town when apprehended by the constables down a dar! alleyway at nightM
"t its %ost e9tre%e, thie2es can actually co%e to do%inate co%%ercial life, or at
least to play a %aDor role in it1 &rgani8ed cri%e beco%es big business1 The thie2es %ay
e2en beco%e i%portant figures in society, and ha2e political power1 The City of
#reyhaw! is one notable e9a%ple of this1
Co%ple9@,i9
"gain, e9a%ples of co%plicated or tense, oppositional relationships can
easily be de2eloped by the D, fro% the e9a%ples abo2e1 &ne group of %erchants could
be trying desperately to fend off thie2ery, while a second faction argues for
acco%%odating thie2es and paying the% off1 This leads to a %aDor schis%, with the %ore
principled %erchants accusing the prag%atists of collusion with cri%eL insults start to fly,
then a few fists, then so%ebody's warehouse suffers a s%all fire 1 1 1 .n2ol2ing the -Cs in
what will fast beco%e a triangular conflict Itwo sets of %erchants at each other's throats
with the thie2es gleefully pic!ing up the spoils fro% anyone they can get atJ leads to
endless ad2enture possibilities1
Thie2es and &ther #uilds
There are two guilds which are %ost i%portant hereA "ssassins and
beggars1 These are dealt with separately below, as are bards1 "ll the other guilds are dealt
with in groups, below1
Craft #uilds
These are the %yriad guilds of ge%cutters, barbers and dentists, butchers
and ba!ers, and so on1 Thie2es will not ha2e dealings of note with %any of the%, but
there are one or two e9ceptions1 -awnbro!ers are an ob2ious possible BfrontB for thie2es
and fences, li!ewise %oneylenders Iwith their safes and secure chests and the li!eJ1
Thie2es %ay thus cooperate with %any such, and %ini%i8e robberies of the restN #uilds
which ta!e young apprentices %ay be paid s%all su%s for handing o2er to the thie2es
youngsters who see% to be highly de9terous and capable of de2eloping into thie2es,
gi2en suitable training1 .n special instances Ie1g1, thie2es allied with seafaring s%ugglersJ,
other alliances Ie1g1, with the sea%en's guildJ %ay be of note1
.f there are unusual thief?crafts%en alliances Ior oppositionsJ, the D, should
script the% indi2iduallyL they will need indi2idual rationales, which should be e9plained
and notedN
"d2enturing #uilds
.n so%e cases there %ay be an unusual reason why thie2es are strongly
opposed to Ior allied withJ an ad2enturing guild Iincluding te%ples, etc1J in a city1 The
%ost notable e9a%ple is a cordial alliance with clerics of a deity fa2oring thie2es Ie1g1,
Ere2an .lesere for half?el2en and el2en thie2es, or &lida%arra, in &erthL or ,as! in
/aerunJ1 .f so%e particular type of %ulti?class thief is co%%on in a city for so%e reason,
then there will ob2iously tend to be a stronger lin! between the two rele2ant guilds than
usual1 /or e9a%ple, if %age?thie2es are co%%on, then the #uild of Wi8ardry will ta!e a
definite interest in the acti2ities of thie2es1 *nder such conditions, the %ages will
probably not attract unwanted attention fro% light?fingered thie2es Ialthough few sane
thie2es try stealing fro% %ages anywayJ1
ut other possibilities e9ist1 Consider a burgeoning frontier town, which is close
to wild hills and forests with bountiful resources1 /urs, gold fro% prospectors, %eat fro%
hunted ani%als, e2en so%e ge%s fro% a s%all %ineL all these and %ore pour into the
town, which grows rich and attracts %any new settlers1 *nfortunately, it attracts
hu%anoids and bandits Ias e9ternal threatsJ and %any thugs and foreign cut?throats and
e2il thie2es Ias opposed to the neutral?aligned indigenous thie2esJ1 The rulers of the town
grow fearful 1 1 1
" twin alliance springs up to defend the town by stealth and cunning1 Rangers
patrol the distant countryside to gi2e ad2ance warning of %arauding hu%anoids or
bandits1 Within the city, the thie2es use their s!ills to tip off the powers?that?be about
unsa2ory types arri2ing fro% outside, conspiring robbers and thugs, and the li!e Iand
%ay deal with a few of the% the%sel2esJ1 andits beyond the town ha2e spies inside itL
the thie2es tip the rangers off about this, and pass on intercepted %essages1 The thie2es
trade a %agical shield Iwhich they cannot useJ they got fro% one of the thugs they dealt
with to the rangers Iwho can use itJ1 The rangers hand o2er a %agical shortsword they
too! fro% a hobgoblin leader in return1 Half?el2en thie2es and rangers share a drin!
together in an el2en ta2ern, sharing the latest dwarf Do!es1 The two groups then sa2e
%oney by a Doint bul! purchase of leather ar%or, and so it goes on 1 1 1
Ha2ing an unusual, une9pected alliance li!e this spices up any ad2enture locale1
.t's well worth a D,'s ti%e to de2ise such a bac!drop, to %a!e a town or city unusual and
particularly %e%orable1
Thie2es and "ssassins
"ssassins are not a separate character class Iin "D+DK :nd Edition
rulesJ1 They are si%ply people who are awfully good at !illing other people1 ut the s!ills
of the thief are 2aluable for this, abo2e the natural s!ills of any other character class,
because they are s!ills of stealth and snea!ing about undetected1 ,any assassins will be
thie2es, %ulti?class thie2es, or characters who began their ad2enturing life as thie2es but
then changed to another character class1
The assassin !it earlier in this 2olu%e adds detail to this natural affinity1 #oing
further, the %ulti?class thief is probably the strongest option for assassins1 Co%bining the
s!ills of the thief with spells such as in#isibility, 0ump, knock, le#itate, rope trick, and
sleep, Dust to consider a few low?le2el spells, %a!es for a potent assassin indeed1 The
fighter@%age@thief has all these ad2antages, of course, plus the bonus of additional hit
points, and is thus an especially attracti2e option, although progress is slow1
So, gi2en that %any assassins are li!ely to be thie2es, there will always be a fairly
strong lin! between the two guilds1 Cool relationships are possible if the thie2es ha2e
Bgone respectableB Ibeco%e %erchants the%sel2es, etc1J, or if the assassins are especially
e2il, ruthless sorts under a truly heinous guild%aster1 Not unusually, though, the two will
ha2e at least %oderately friendly relations1 .nfor%ation is Cuite li!ely to be e9changed
between the two guilds, the guild seniors %ay %eet occasionally to fraterni8e and discuss
prospects, thie2es %ay be paid to do spying groundwor! for an assassin setting up a !ill,
apprentices of one guild who %ay be suited better to the tas!s of the other %ay be
e9changedL there are %any ways the guilds can cooperate1
Thie2es and eggars
eggars can be e9cellent spies1 Their presence anywhere outside of the
higher?class areas of cities and towns will go un%entioned, if they are seen at all1 eggars
ply their trade e2erywhere, and so%e of the% %ay Dust be sleeping off the effects of
drin!1 .f one is hunched up against pac!ing bo9es by a warehouse, so whatM "nyway, no
one wants to get too close to beggars1 They ha2e an unpleasant range of startlingly
contagious diseases, and approaching the% is an open in2itation to lice to infest your
personGDust for starters1 "nd, of course, beggars are har%less Iin the sense that they are
too feeble, di%?witted, drun!, etc1, to cause anyone any har%J1 /or all these reasons,
well?trained beggars are a real boon to the enterprising thief1 They can get into places
where other people would loo! suspicious, they often go unnoticed, and they don't ha2e a
lot to do apart fro% !eep their eyes peeled1 Just the people to ha2e hanging around the
places a thief intends to rob1 "fter the Dob, the grateful beggars can be gi2en a little
percentage of the ta!e1
eggary can e2en be se%i?professional, in large cities in particular1 Do%inant
beggars control lucrati2e patches of territory, where they !now that pic!ings are richest1
/it and able?bodied people, their senses undulled by illness or drin!, can pose as beggars
for a better li2ing Iin a rich cityJ than they can %a!e by honest %eans Ie1g1, as far%
laborersJ1 Such people would %a!e e9cellent spies1 " #uild of eggars is by no %eans
unli!ely in %any city settings1 "nd, since children %a!e 2ery appealing beggars as they
loo! soulfully up fro% their sad little eyes and beg for a penny for a poor orphan, such a
guild will find and train such rapscallions1 The %ore talented Ide9terous and@or
intelligentJ ones %ay well be sold on to the thie2es' guild, for a consideration, to beco%e
apprentice thie2es1
Thie2es and ards
"lthough thie2es and bards are both rogues, they ha2e no need of
e9tensi2e contacts1 While bardic colleges train bards in so%e rogue s!ills which thie2es
also possess, this is really to be seen as part of the Dac!?of?all?trades range of talents the
bard possesses1 ards don't thin! li!e thie2es, and they don't beha2e li!e the%1 -erhaps
the closest these two groups co%e to direct dealings is when a neutral e2il bard beco%es
an assassin and the assassins' guild has good relations with the thie2es' guildN
#uild%asters and #uild Structures
How a thie2es' guild is organi8ed, and how it is led, is crucial to the
success of thie2es in any town or city1 *sually, unless there is at least so%e honor a%ong
thie2es, life will be 2ery hard for the%N
#uild &rgani8ations
/i2e basic patterns are suggested here1 These will be used in later guild
design1 They aren't e9hausti2e, and so%e clearly shade into others1 ut these patterns are
perhaps the co%%onest, and any D, can de2elop the% to suit his ca%paign1 &ne factor
which isn't considered here, but which will be loo!ed at in guild design, is how %any
solo operators, non?guild %e%bers, are around1 This will affect the strength of the guild,
but won't affect its style of organi8ation so %uch1
How a guild is actually led will be dealt with straight after this section, but for
now we'll assu%e that all guilds are led@ruled by a guild%aster1 This won't always be so,
but using this con2ention sa2es a lot of tediously repeated Cualifiers1
Centralist
This is a strongly organi8ed guild, where all guild %e%bers ha2e a
powerful pri%ary loyalty to the guild%aster1 $oyalty is %ostly high, the guild%aster is
usually a powerful and do%inant figure, and the guild house is a %aDor %eeting place1
Thie2es fro% such a guild will wor! with a notable degree of co?ordination1
Cohesi2e
"gain, there is a fairly strong central organi8ation and authority1 The guild
is a unified body and its rules are readily accepted by all1 Howe2er, there is roo% for
so%e Blocal latitude1B This %ay ta!e the for% of senior thie2es below the guild%aster
being able to %a!e a few i%portant decisions about affairs on their own patch Iown
Cuarter of the city, etc1J, or the central rulership deliberately restricting the use of its
authority in so%e cases, and so on1
/ractionated
.n this case, there is a central thie2es' guild still1 Howe2er, indi2idual
figures within the guild ha2e ta!en power unto the%sel2es in i%portant ways1 $ocal thief
leaders %ay insist on al%ost co%plete discretion to do what they want in their areas,
while agreeing not to intrude on other local leaders' territory1 -ower struggles within the
guild will be co%%onplace under these circu%stances1
&ppositional
The guild has been burst asunder by tensions within it, and there %ay well
be se2eral co%peting guilds in the sa%e town or city1 This can happen because the
guild%aster is wea!, because of a%bitious young Tur!s seceding fro% the guild, or for
special reasons of %any sorts Ie1g1, racial en%ity between a guild of dwar2en thie2es, and
one of el2en and half?el2en thie2es, in the sa%e townJ1
Relations between the different sub?guilds can 2ary considerably1 .f there is still
the shell of a central guild, then the different guilds %ay be on fair ter%s still1 Howe2er,
at another e9tre%e, the tensions and oppositions can degenerate into street warfare and
gang assaults1
.f there are, in effect, se2eral guilds, then the D, will ha2e to deter%ine the
organi8ation and leadership of each one separately1
"narchic
There is no guild organi8ation to spea! of, although there %ay be the
re%nants of a once?strong guild or perhaps a young, slowly de2eloping guild1 Howe2er,
the large %aDority of thie2es wor! as unregulated indi2iduals1 This %ay lead to a dog?eat?
dog outloo! with lots of bac!stabbing, both %etaphorical and literal1 Howe2er, it's
eCually possible that thie2es get by with indi2idual one?to?one agree%ents, helping each
other out as and when the need arises Ithis %ay be especially li!ely in a Chaotic #ood
society with an anarchic guild, for e9a%pleJ1 "narchy doesn't preclude enlightened self?
interest and cooperationL it Dust tends to preclude this happening on a syste%atic and
organi8ed basis1
Co%ple9@,i9
"s usual, this co2ers a range of options1 There %ay be a facade of one
organi8ation, whereas behind the scenes a Cuite different organi8ation presides1 .t %ay
see% that anarchy rules a%ong the thie2es of one town, but %any are secretly organi8ed
behind the scenes1 &r, a guild %ight see% to be centralist whereas in fact local leaders are
hiding %uch of their acti2ity fro% others, so that the guild is in reality fractionated1 "
co%ple9 situation could e9ist whereby the guild loo!s centralist at first sight, then loo!s
fractionated Ias abo2eJ, and then is seen to be part of each Ia couple of the strongest local
leaders are secretly allied to car2e up %ore territory while other leaders are fractionatedJ
Ga really co%ple9 option1 "%ple scope for D,s to de2elop intrigues and onion?s!in
pu88les hereN
#uild $eaders

Clearly, how a guild is organi8ed will influence how it is ruled Iand 2ice
2ersaJ1 This is ta!en into account in the rules for designing and de2eloping guilds1 "t this
stage, we'll Dust consider the co%%onest patterns of leadership, which again can be
de2eloped by the D, as he wishes1
#uild%aster
This is by far the co%%onest style of leadershipL the single leader1 His
style of leadership %ay 2ary considerably, of course1 He %ay be a stern, harsh despot,
ruling by force and fear1 He can also be a !indly despot, a fir% but wise ruler1 He %ight
also be a wea!, Cuerulous, but !indly leaderGrather ineffectual, ha2ing lost his old
strength and daring, but still s%art enough to eli%inate young pretenders to his rulership
when he sees the% preparing a bid for power1 Styles of leadership will be loo!ed at right
after this section1
Council
The guild is ruled by a nu%ber of indi2iduals, usually fairly s%all, who act
as a central concla2e, -raesidiu%, ruling council, or under any one of a 2ariety of titles1
This is often the eCui2alent of an oligarchy in go2ern%entGa self?perpetuating elite, who
appoint replace%ents fro% senior ran!s as and when necessary to %aintain or e9pand
their nu%ber1
De%ocracy
Rather unusually, the rulers of the guild are elected by the guild %e%bers1
This does not %ean that these rulers need be wea!lings, or afraid of using their powers
sternly and fir%ly when they need to Ii%agine a ruler elected for a 4;?year ter% for
e9a%pleNJ1 The BelectionsB %ay be the source of notable corruption, bribery, fi9ing, and
2ote?rigging of all sorts1 The de2ious D, can i%agine do8ens of ways of e%broiling -Cs
in the !ind of scandals and sca%s such a state of affairs will throw upN
$eaderless
This is %ostly a te%porary state of affairs, when the guild%aster has Dust
died, the ruling council been arrested, and the li!e1 Howe2er, in a 2ery few guilds this
%ay be a per%anent state of affairs1 Here, the guild will carry on only a few of the usual
functions, and will pri%arily act only as a practical resource1 Thus, the guild house will
be so%ewhere to find a trainer, buy eCuip%ent, and gossip with fellow thie2es1 #uild
dues will not be e9cessi2e, and they will be paid for reasons of prag%atis%1 Howe2er,
regulation of thiefly acti2ities will be %ini%al or non?e9istent1
" leaderless guild is ripe for a coup, of course, and again this be a good option for
the D,N
Co%ple9@,i9
.n this conte9t, this %eans so%e !ind of power struggle in %ost cases1 "
guild%aster %ay ha2e had an ulti%atu% put to hi% by powerful seniors within the guild
Gaccept a ruling council or else1 $i!ewise, an a%bitious and s%art thief %ay be trying to
ta!e o2er a de%ocratic guild and install hi%self as the undisputed leader1
Special
ecause the rulerIsJ of the guild are of such %aDor i%portance, %any D,s
will be prepared to put so%e e9tra effort into designing the% in so%e detail1 /or those
who don't want to ha2e to go to the trouble, the blueprint profiles Ilater in this chapterJ
can be used for guild%asters1 /or the %ore industrious, why settle for the usual option of
IsayJ a hu%an or half?elf guild%aster with the usual high s!ills and appropriate %agic
ite%s, or the sourpuss old dwarf with his s%elly leather ar%or who is the secret behind?
the?scenes %aster thiefM #uild design does include such natural racial possibilities, but
there are other, %ore e9otic, options1
The D, will always want to design these cases indi2idually, but a few e9a%ples
won't go a%issGthese can be ripped off with or without D, de2elop%ent, or used as a
spur to D, i%agination1
6ragon3 " dragon %a!es an e9cellent guild%aster1 So%e can polymorph self into
hu%an Ihalf?elf, etc1J for% as a natural ability, others can use the spell of the sa%e na%e,
others still %ight ha2e a %agical ite% per%itting this change of appearance1 Dragons are
2ain and lo2e treasure, so what %ore natural than a strea% of Dunior thie2es bringing
pretty treasures to the Bguild%asterB as a titheM The guild%aster can also, of course, ha2e
%any char%ed ser2ants fro% charm person spells1
6eepearth Creature3 Drow and .llithid are the best candidates1 "ppearance can be
disguised with an illusion spell, the use of a %as! Ii%agine cowled, %as!ed thie2es
protecting their identities in a council %eetingGa 2ery sensible set of precautionsJ, a hat
of disguise, or in other ways1 The guild%aster could ai% at gaining wealth, power,
infor%ation, all for nefarious purposes which -Cs should want to stop1 Co%batting such
a guild%aster Ior e2en a ruling councilJ is an e9cellent introduction to deepearthing, a
pleasure no player should be denied1
8'traplanar Creature3 Deni8ens fro% e2il planes %a!e e9cellent guild%asters1
They li!e ha2ing power, gaining infor%ation, and wealth isn't so%ething they are wholly
indifferent to1 -lus they ha2e lots of ti%e on their hands to indulge the%sel2es by being a
thie2es' guild%aster1 Their powers of disguise and conceal%ent %a!e it easy to %aintain
the pretense of hu%anoid for%1
.ntelligent +onster3 " troll as guild%aster is not terribly li!ely1 ut how about a
beholderM efreetM ra!shasa Ia particularly good choiceJM a faerie dragon using its %any
spellsM There are %any possibilitiesN
.f the D, decides on a special guild ruler, there are se2eral Cuestions which he
needs to considerA
O Can the ruler pass itself off as a nor%al raceM This will usually be
i%portant for retaining the loyalties of guild%e%bers1 " spell, %agical ite%, innate
power, or plausible reason for seclusion will be needed1
O How did the creature get to the topM Either it %ust ha2e thief s!ills, or be able to
si%ulate these Iwith spells, %agical ite%s such as gauntlets of de'terity, etc1J, if it has
wor!ed its way up through the ran!s1 &r, it %ust ha2e been able to replace so%eone at the
top of the guild Ithrough assassination, etc1J1
O Why does this creature want to be guild%asterM The possible reasons are %oney
ItithesJ, infor%ation Ithief spy reportsJ, power, a%using itself Ia faerie dragon, or an e2il
deni8en with a few decades to !illJ, and the li!e1
.f the D, is prepared to thin! through such issues, then a special ruler type can be
great fun1
#uild Rulership
.t's 2ital to !now what style of rulership the guild%aster brings to the
guild1 This section co2ers styles of rulership, and can be applied to guilds which are ruled
in other ways Iby councils, etc1J1
Wea!@Strong
This is an ob2ious distinction1 " guild%aster can be strong and
authoritati2e, so that his co%%ands and rules are obeyed Iwillingly or otherwiseJ1 &r he
%ay be wea!, with his edicts increasingly challenged by his underlings1 /actors such as
Charis%a, e9perience le2el, notable achie2e%ents, age, and the li!e will affect the
guild%aster's percei2ed strength1 The %ost i%portant, howe2er, is li!ely to be the general
perception of the force the guild%aster has up his slee2e1
Cruel@Just
This is of %ost i%portance within the guild1 The guild%aster %ay be cruel,
handing down stiff Iand so%eti%es arbitraryJ punish%ents for infringe%ents of guild
rules1 He %ay punish any signs of o2er?a%bition a%ong Duniors 2ery sternly1 " cruel
guild%aster rules his guild by fear of what he doesGthis is crucially different fro% a
strong guild%aster, who %ay rule in part by fear of what he could do if opposed1 " Dust
guild%aster is the opposite of this, but is not wea!1 That is, he is !nown to act swiftly and
decisi2ely to oppose any ene%ies within the guild, and to enforce i%portant guild rules
and rulings1 Howe2er, his punish%ents are seen as fair and Dustified IBhe's harsh but he's
fairBJ1 While the opposite of cruel would, strictly, be B!indly,B nice guys do not get to be
guild%asters1
Despotic@-opulist
This is a rather high?sounding ter% for a si%ple dichoto%y1 " despotic
guild%aster is one who decides on rules, punish%ents, policies, and i%portant guild
%atters for hi%self1 He does not consult others I%uchJ, and while he %ay listen to ad2ice
fro% his Duniors he doesn't ta!e any notice of itGhe listens, he does not attend1 Howe2er,
this does not %ean that the guild%aster is a tyrant, nor that he is cruel or e2en necessarily
strong Ia wea! despot is in real trouble, howe2erJ1 .t %eans that the guild%aster thin!s
that he !nows best, and this doesn't i%ply wic!edness or cruelty1 The guild%aster %ay be
2ery intelligent, wise, and far?seeing1 "lso, Dust because the guild%aster is a despot
doesn't %ean that the guild%e%bers don't li!e this state of affairsGa truly s%art
guild%aster will gain the loyalty of the guild%e%bers through his wisdo% and the way
his rulings clearly benefit the guild1
" populist guild%aster is one who goes to so%e lengths to listen to all Ior %ostJ
opinions within the guild1 He is ready to listen to ad2ice, and %ay delegate so%e of his
authority and decision?%a!ing to others within the guild1 "gain, this need not necessarily
%a!e the guild%aster popular1 " co%%on proble% for a populist guild%aster is that he
will be percei2ed as wea!, especially if the affairs of the guild are not in good order1 He
%ay lea2e hi%self wide open to bac!stabbing ICuite literallyJ1
These styles of guild%aster rulership can be co%bined to generate indi2idual
styles, such as strong?cruel?despotic and Iat the other e9tre%eJ wea!?fair?populist, and all
points inbetween1 Co%bining these should be fairly straightforward for the D,, but the
de2eloped case of The Thie2es' #uild of ,allain Ipage >HJ gi2es an e9a%ple of how to
co%bine these different ele%ents into an o2erall picture for a guild%aster's style of
leadership1
Designing a Thie2es' #uild
.ntroduction
This section co2ers the design of a thie2es' guild1 "s you flesh out the
details of your own guild, you'll want to record the% on paper for reference during play1
/ollowing the details of the syste%, a wor!ed?out e9a%ple is gi2en to show how to build
up a well?detailed, at%ospheric guild fro% the bare bones of the tables1
This section is also not Dust for the D,1 -layers can be as!ed by a D, to do so%e
wor! for hi%N " player can roll up a guild for the D, to use in so%e other setting, or
so%e distant city Iwhich the -Cs will 2isit so%e ti%e later after the D, has twea!ed the
players' dice rolls a littleNJ1 "lso, a D, can allow a player to roll up details of a guild
which the -C is about to ta!e o2er as guild%aster, if he trusts the player enoughN There is
also a special section on -C guild%asters later on1
*sing the Tables
There are Cuite a lot of tables on the following pages1 This shouldn't be
inti%idatingL the syste% is detailed, not o2erly co%plicated1
*sing the tables which follow can be done in %ore than one way1 Rando% dice?
rolling is &(, and will not gi2e silly co%binations of results1 So%eti%es odd?appearing
co%binations result, but these can often be a spur to D, creati2ity and generate the %ost
interesting guildsN The D, %ay also ignore the dice?rolling and deliberately select results
fro% the tables which he feels will fit his ca%paign needs1
The syste% which follows is detailed, as noted1 This for D,s who li!e lots of
detailN /or those who don't, the best bet %ay be to co%bine the dice?roll and deliberate?
design approachesL use dice rolls, and alter one or two when the D, especially wants
so%e result or wants to %a9i%i8e consistency1 &r can't be bothered to do all the dice?
rollingN "lso, a few sections of design do not use tables1
$astly, the tables %ostly ha2e suggested %odifiers for basic d:; rolls1 /or
e9a%ple, the attitude of the law is deter%ined on a d:; roll which is %odified by social
align%ent I%ore hostile for $awful societies, etc1J1 .t is Cuite i%possible to list all the
possible %odifiers for each table1 This would eat up %asses of space and no syste% can
foresee all possible %odifiers anyway, so only the !ey %odifiers ha2e been listed in each
instance1 The D, can easily add further %odifiers as he sees fit, to reflect special
circu%stances1
What .sn't Co2ered
So%e of the idiosyncratic guild details aren't co2ered here1 /or e9a%ple,
any oaths of fealty the thief %ay ha2e to pledge, and the e9act rules and constitution Iif
one e9istsJ of the guild isn't co2ered here1 .f a D, wants this !ind of depth of detail, he
will surely want to write such details for hi%self1
"lso, infreCuent reference is %ade to any of the !its, proficiencies, or %agic ite%s
introduced in this boo!1 This is deliberate, ensuring that D,s who wish to be cautious
about introducing such new ele%ents are not pre2ented fro% being able to use the design
syste%1
.n su%%ary, all the really i%portant stuff you are going to need is here, and for
any frills you want to addGgo aheadN
#uild ac!ground
/irst, we need to establish the bac!ground of the guild1 Such details of the
guild as si8e, rulership, and the li!e will be affected by social factors, align%ent, and so
on1 Therefore, this bac!ground is de2eloped first1 .n this way, later dice rolls for aspects
of the guild can be gi2en %odifiers for pre2iously established bac!ground1
,any of the tables to follow will refer to bac!ground ele%ents already detailed in
the pre2ious section, so the D, will !now what brief entries %ean1 This ob2iously aids
the process of D, selection, if dice?rolling is not being used1
Social "lign%ent
This is an optional step1 .n so%e ga%e settings, co%%unities will ha2e
definite do%inant social align%ents Isee W&R$D &/ #RE0H"W(K /antasy #a%e
SettingJ1 So%eti%es, while a specific align%ent cannot be stated, a general trend Ifor
e9a%ple, to good rather than e2ilJ can be gi2en1 Social align%ent along the good?neutral?
e2il, and lawful?neutral?chaotic a9es, should be recorded if the D, is happy that he
!nows the%1
.f the align%ent is di2ided, the align%ent of the rulers should be used for later
dice roll %odifiers, but the fact that the co%%on people are different should also be
noted1
Special Social /actors
These include racial di2isions, religious persecution of thie2es, uniCue
historical factors, and the li!e1 The D, should note any of these which are i%portant1
Since such factors will always be uniCue, there is no way the design syste% here can
acco%%odate the%1 The D, will ha2e to ascribe %odifiers to certain dice rolls for these
factors as he sees fitN
Si8e of Co%%unity
The D, should ha2e a reasonable idea of how %any people li2e in the
town or city where the thie2es' guild is located1 ,ost sourcepac!s gi2e such figures, and
if the D, has designed his own ca%paign world then he should ascribe a suitable figure1
/or D,s uncertain about this, in %edie2al ti%es only capital cities in Europe had a si9?
figure total of inhabitants, and %any 2illages and ha%lets had but a few score1 -rosperous
%aDor towns would ha2e in the order of =?4;,;;; or so, and i%portant cities perhaps :;?
H;,;;; Idepending on which century is ta!en for referenceJ1 There is no need for the D,
to be ultra?accurate, but population will greatly affect the nu%ber of thie2es in the guild,
so the D, should record this1
Wealth of Co%%unity
No absolute figures are gi2en here, because different D,s will wor! on
different absolute scalesGso%e ca%paigns are %oney?poor, others al%ost swi% in gold1
So, Table > uses relati2e di2isions of wealth1 " si%ple d:; roll on this table will
deter%ine the effecti2e wealth of the co%%unity the guild is located in1 There are %any
%odifiers to this dice roll, and these are shown directly below the table1
Table >A
WE"$TH &/ C&,,*N.T0 W.TH TH.E)ES' #*.$D
d:; Relati2e Wealth
Rol of Co%%unity
4 )ery -oor IsubsistenceJO
:?< -oor
H?5 /air
4;?4= "2erage
4<?4> Co%fortable
46?45 Wealthy
:;Q Rich
O ,a9i%u% population around 4,;;;1
,odifiers to d:; RollA
Capital CityA Q<, ne2er less than
"2erage
,aDor TownA Q7
-ortA Q7
&n ,aDor .nland Trade RouteA Q:
-urely "gricultural Econo%yA ?:
-opulation of <;; or elowA ?4
What is i%portant to re%e%ber here is that this dice roll does not actually
indicate how wealthy the a2erage citi8en is1 What the dice roll indicates is how %uch
%oney is whi88ing about which is up for grabs IliterallyJ1 Thus, in a port a lot of trade
passes through, %uch %oney changes hands, and the passing?through trade Iand wealthy
%erchantsJ %a!es the city %uch richer in effect than the a2erage inco%e would suggest1
The effecti2e wealth le2el is another i%portant factor in deter%ining how %any thie2es
will be guild%e%bers in the city1
"ttitudes of the $aw
This is a %aDor factor affecting any thie2es' guild1 Roll d:; on Table 6 to
deter%ine the attitude of the %ilitia, watch, police force, etc1, in the city or town where
the thie2es' guild is located1 ,odifiers to this d:; roll are listed below the table as before1

Table 6A
$E#"$ "TT.T*DES
d:; "ttitudes of
Roll the $aw
4?7 -ersecution
=?> Hassle
6?44 &pposition
4:?47 Co%ple9@,i9
4=?4> Tolerance
46?:; Corruption
,odifiers to d:; RollA
$awful social align%entA ?:
Chaotic social align%entA Q:
#ood social align%entA Reroll 4s and :;s
E2il social align%entA ?4
Relationship with ,erchants
This will also ha2e a slight effect on the nu%ber of thie2es in the guildL the
easier it is to e9tort the goodies fro% %erchants, the %ore light?fingered thugs will sign
up to be part of the organi8ation responsible for e9tracting the shiny gold stuff fro%
the%N Roll on Table 5 to deter%ine the relationship the thie2es ha2e with the %erchants1
Table 5A
,ERCH"NTS' "TT.T*DES T&W"RD TH.E)ES
d:; ,erchants' do%inant
Roll attitude to thie2es
4?: Warfare
7?H &pposition
>?47 Standoff
4=?4< Co%ple9@,i9
4H Sub%ission
4>?45 .nfiltration
:; Sub%ission
,odifiers to d:; RollA
$awful social align%entA ?:
Chaotic social align%entA Q4
Society is -oor Ior worseJA ?=
Society is WealthyA Q4
Society is RichA Q: Ibut a roll of 4 still %eans WarfareNJ
$aw is tolerant of thie2esA Q4
$aw is corruptA Q:
Relationships with other #uilds
Table 4; is pro2ided for D,s who need for so%e reason to deter%ine, at
rando%, the relationship between thie2es and the guilds they are %ost li!ely to cooperate
withA assassins, beggars, and bards1 .t is strongly suggested to the D, that these
relationships should be scripted, rather than dice?rolled, but if a D, needs to de2elop a
guild and its bac!ground Cuic!ly a dice roll will do the Dob1 Separate d:; rolls should be
used for each guild1
Table 4;A
TH.E)ES "ND &THER #*.$DS
d:;
Roll Relationship of Thie2es #uild with
"ssassins eggars ards
4?: Hostile Hostile Hostile
7?= .ndifferent Hostile .ndifferent
<?H .ndifferent .ndifferent .ndifferent
>?6 .ndifferent Neutral .ndifferent
5?4; Neutral Neutral .ndifferent
44?4: Neutral /a2orable Neutral
47?4= Neutral /a2orable Neutral
4<?4H /a2orable Co?operati2e Neutral
4>?46 /a2orable Co?operati2e Neutral
45 Co?operati2e Close /a2orable
:; Close Close Co?operati2e
,odifiers to d:; RollsA
$aw attitude is persecutory or hasslingA Q4 to assassins@beggars
Social align%ent is goodA ?: to assassins, Q4 to beggars
Social align%ent is e2ilA Q: to assassins
" Hostile result doesn't %ean open aggression unless the D, wants a
running feud as a storylineN /or e9a%ple, if hostility e9ists between thie2es and assassins
this is %ost unli!ely to e9plode into open aggression Iunless, say, an assassin has slain
the thie2es' guild%asterJ1 .ndifferent %eans the groups ha2e few dealingsL Neutral differs
in that the two groups ha2e %ore dealings, %aybe for practical reasons, although they
ha2e neither fondness nor en%ity for each other1 /a2orable %eans that the two guilds get
on well enough, though they %ay not always trust each other too wellN Cooperati2e
%eans that the groups enDoy a good relationship, %ay plan together, and that a fair le2el
of trust e9ists between guild%e%bers1 Close %eans that the two guilds wor! closely
together, e9changing infor%ation, helping with co%%on?interest tas!s, with one guild
e2en prepared to help the other if it is under threat or attac! Iat least until the bodies start
to dropNJ1
Details of the #uild
Ha2ing established these bac!ground details, it's down to the nitty?gritty1
The first, crucial, deter%ination is how %any thie2es there are in the city or town where
the guild is1 This is not necessarily the sa%e nu%ber as are in the guild, but wor!ing out
how %any light?fingered gents Ior ladiesJ are about town is a necessary precursor to that1
Table 44 does not use a d:; roll1 .nstead, it is a %atri9 fro% which the D, only
needs to read off one figure1 .f the D, !nows the population of the town@city, and the
wealth le2el, a single read?off gi2es the range for the nu%ber of thie2es1 "fter each dice
roll indicated in a colu%n, a brac!eted figure is gi2enGthis is a IroundedJ a2erage which
the D, can use if he hasn't the ti%e to roll dice on the table1
Totals fro% Table 44 are not cu%ulati2e, sa2e for populations of o2er 4;,;;;
Iwhere the Bper e9tra 1 1 1B nu%ber, or a %ultiple, is added to the B<,;;4?4;,;;;B nu%berJ1
We now !now how %any thie2es there are in the town or city, but how %any are
actually in the guildM This depends in large part on the rulership of the guild, which
should now be deter%ined1
Table 44A
TH.E)ES .N T&WNS "ND C.T.ES
Po!lation E'ono"i' 5e,el
Very Poor <air A,era+e
Co"%ortable 9ealt$y Ri'$
Poor
*p to <;;; ; 4d:?4I4J 4d:?4I4J4d:?4I4J 4d7?4I4J 4d7?4
4d7
<;4?4;;; 4d:?4I4J 4d7?4I4J 4d7?4I4J 4d7I:J 4d7I:J 4d=I7J
4d=Q4I=J
4;;4?:;;; n@a 4d7I:J 4d=I7J 4d7Q4I7J 4d=Q4I=J 4d7Q:I=J
4d=Q4I<J
:;;4?<;;; n@a 4d=Q4I=J 4dHQ4I<J 4dHQ:IHJ 4dHQ7I>J
4d6Q7I6J :dHQ:I5J
<;;4?4;,;;; n@a 4dHQ:IHJ 4d4;Q:I6J :dHQ:I5J :d6Q:I44J
:d4;Q:I47J =dHQ:I4<J
-er e9tra
<,;;;O n@a 4d=Q4I=J 4dHQ4I<J 4dHQ:IHJ 4dHQ7I>J 4d6Q7I6J
:dHQ:I5J
+odifiers to totals rolled1 "dd the following percentages to the total rolled, rounding
fractions o2er one?half upwardA
Social align%ent is chaoticA Q4;R
"ttitude of law is tolerant or corruptA Q4;R
,erchants are infiltrated or in sub%issionA Q4;R
O &r fraction abo2e :,;;;1
Gild Rlers$i!
" roll on Table 4: deter%ines the nature of rulership of the guild1 The D,
wishing to select, rather than roll, this rulership %ight want to loo! through the following
section to loo! at the effects of rulership on the guild before %a!ing his choice1
#able (2) GU&5D RU5ERSH&P
d2A
Roll Gild 5eaders$i!
4?47 #uild%aster
4= Co%ple9@,i9
4< De%ocracy
4H?45 Council Id7Q: %e%bersJ
:;O Reroll on Table 47
ONatural :; Iregardless of %odifiersJ only1
,odifiers to die rollA
Social align%ent is lawfulA ?4
Social align%ent is chaoticA Q:
#able (-)
UNUSUA5 GU&5D RU5ERSH&P
d2A
RollGild 5eaders$i!
4?: $eaderless
7?6 Co%ple9@%i9
5?4; Special #uild%aster Idragon,etc1J
44?4: Special Council Iconcealed Drow, etc1J
47?:; Reroll on Table 4:, ignoring any roll of :;
"t this stage, the D, can also deter%ine the rulership style of the rulerIsJ1
Table 4= can be used for all cases in which the guild has a guild%aster, and also for
council leadership1 .t is not suitable for de%ocratic guilds, where there is no real rulership
as such1 &n Table 4=, three d:; rolls are needed1
#able (/) RU5ERSH&P S#B5E
Stron+*9eak Crel*=st Des!oti'*Po!list
d:; Roll Rulership d:; Roll Rulership d:; Roll Rulership
4?< Strong 4?= Cruel 4?= Despotic
H?4: /airly Strong <?44 /airly Cruel <?4; /airly Despotic
47?4> /airly Wea! 4:?4H /airly Just 44?4H /airly -opulist
46?:; Wea! 4>?:; Just 4>?:; -opulist
,odifiers to die roll ,odifiers to die roll ,odifiers to die roll
U4 if social align%ent lawful ?4 if social align%ent lawful Q4 if social align%ent
lawful
Q: if social align%ent chaoticQ4 if social align%ent chaotic ?: if social align%ent e2ilQ4
if social align%ent good ?4 if wealth le2el poor or fair Q: if social align%ent
good
?4 if social align%ent e2il ?4 if rulership style wea! ?4 if rulership style strong
?= I?:J if rulership style
cruel Ifairly cruelJ
The final step is to deter%ine guild organi8ation, and this is done with a
single d:; roll on Table 4<1 So%e of the results fro% this table %ay need particularly
careful thought, because so%e odd?loo!ing results can e%erge1 The D, can crop out
such oddities if he wishes1
#able (0) GU&5D ORGAN&CA#&ON
d:;
Roll #uild &rgani8ation
4?H Centralist
>?4: Cohesi2e
47 Co%ple9@,i9
4=?4> /ractionated
46?45 &ppositional
:; "narchic
,odifiers to dice rollA
?: if social align%ent lawful
Q4 if social align%ent chaotic
Q: IQ4J if #uild rulership is wea!
Ifairly wea!J
?4 if #uild rulership is strong
Q: if #uild is $eaderless
" %aDor sha!e?up of what the D, has rolled %ay be indicated if a dice
roll indicating &ppositional or "narchic guild organi8ation is rolled on this table1
&ppositional %eans there are co%peting, s%all guilds Iand /ractionated %eans there are
sub?guilds within the guildJL "narchic, that there is no real guild at all1 The wor!ed
e9a%ple later shows that the co%bination of such results that at first see% at?odds Ie1g1,
guild rulership by a single guild%asterJ is actually wor!able, although the o2erall picture
which e%erges %ay be a strange oneN
So%e results %ay need re?rolling, howe2er1 The one notable case is the
&ppositional structure if the absolute nu%ber of thie2es in town is s%all1 0ou can't really
ha2e a plausible collection of co%peting guilds with only si9 thie2es in town, for
e9a%ple Ibut %aybe two 2ery s%all gangs could e9ist, after all 1 1 1J
The final step is to deter%ine how %any of the thie2es in the town or city are
actually %e%bers of the guild1
#uild%e%bers and The Rest
The base percentage of thie2es who will be %e%bers of the thie2es' guild
is ><R1 The following %odifiers are applied to this nu%berA
Q4;R if social align%ent is lawful
?:;R is social align%ent is chaotic
Q4;R if the attitude of law is persecutory
Q4;R if %erchants are sub%issi2e or infiltrated
Q4;R IQ<RJ if guild rulership is strong Ifairly strongJ
?4;R I?<RJ if guild rulership is wea!
Ifairly wea!J
What of the other thie2es Iassu%ing there are anyJM What is the attitude of
the guild to the residual freelancersM Table 4H gi2es a die roll for deter%ining this
attitude, which %ay also be ta!en to reflect the guild's attitude to outsiders who stray onto
its patch1 Thus, a guild which is puniti2e to indigenous non?guild%e%bers IBDoin up or
we'll cut your hands offBJ will li!ely be hostile to outsiders as well1
Table 4HA #*.$D "TT.T*DES
T&W"RDS #*.$D$ESS TH.E)ES
d:;
Roll Do%inant attitude
4?< Hostility and persecution
H?4; Hostility
44?4< Neutrality
4H?46 Co?operation
45?:; Special relationship
Hostility %eans that the guild%e%bers will %a!e it 2ery clear to a non?
guild%e%ber wor!ing in the guild's territory that he isn't welco%e1 They %ay rough up
the offender, send hi% threatening %essages, play an unpleasant and only half?Do!ing
practical Do!e on hi%, and the li!e1 The %essage is, Doin up Ior get out of townJ, or else1 .f
-ersecution is added to this, the offender will be gi2en an e2en star!er choiceA Join up or
die1 Neutrality %eans that the guild%e%bers %ay try to persuade non?guild%e%bers to
Doin up, but they will tend to stress the benefits to all concerned rather than using threats1
" deter%ined freelancer will probably be left to go his own way by such thie2es, but they
will certainly not assist hi% or ha2e any fellow?feeling for hi%1 The guild will not sell
eCuip%ent or offer training to the freelancer, e9cept perhaps at e9orbitant prices1 .f a
guild is neutral to foreign thie2es, it %ay allow the% to wor! on the guild's patch
pro2iding that only s%all?scale operations are in2ol2ed and a fee is paid to the guild1
Cooperation suggests that freelancers %ay wor! with the guild%e%bers, %aybe
on a special?case basis1 The guild %ay ta!e the attitude that if these people won't Doin, it's
better to !eep the% friendly1 ECuip%ent and training is charged at a pre%iu%, though1
Special Relationship suggests so%e unusually close lin! between guild%e%bers and
outsiders1 The e9a%ple of the Thie2es' #uild of ,allain gi2es an e9a%ple of how this can
be scripted by the D,1
E9perience $e2els of Thie2es
Table 4> below shows the e9perience?le2el ranges of thie2es as a function
of how %any there are in a guild1 ,ore populous guilds, which will always tend to be in
%aDor cities and towns, and rich places, are the ones which will attract %ore e9perienced
thie2es to the%1
Table 4> should be used as follows1 .n the left?hand colu%n is shown the nu%ber
of thie2es Ithis is the total nu%ber in town, not Dust in the guildJ1 The ne9t fi2e colu%ns
show dice rolls which need to be %ade for the fi2e highest?le2el thie2es in town1 The
following colu%n shows nu%bers, and le2els, for the %iddle?echelon thie2esL those
abo2e the le2el of apprentice, but not %e%bers of the senior ran!s1 "ll re%aining thie2es
will be first?le2el apprentices1
The seniors should be ta!en as the top echelon of the guild1 The highest le2el
rolled will be the guild%aster Iif there is oneJ, or the %ost powerful guild?affiliated thief1
The other seniors can be used to %a!e up a ruling council Iif there is oneJ, or used for !ey
positions such as accountant, Cuarter%aster, deputy guild%aster, subguild?%aster Ifor one
Cuarter of townJ, or others1 The nu%ber of seniors can be slightly increased Iat the lowest
e9perience le2elJ for really si8eable guilds1 /reelancers will co%e eCually fro% the
%iddle?echelon and apprentice le2els1 .f the D, wants any %iddleGto high?le2el
freelancers, these should be scripted as indi2iduali8ed N-Cs and not the result of any dice
rollN .t is i%portant to separate out guild%e%bers and freelancers at this stage in the thief
listing the D, %a!es1
E9perience $e2elsA " Note
The le2els fro% Table 4> will be low to %ediu%, e9cept for guild%asters
of %aDor guilds1 This is designed to be suitable for ca%paigns which are not top?hea2y
with o2er?powered, high?le2el characters1 .f you ha2e -Cs running around at 4<th le2el,
or e2en higher, and you want a thie2es' guild as a source of ene%ies, you will need to up
the le2els so%ewhat1 0ou could always consider resting these -Cs and playing at %ore
reasonable le2els, of course1
Table 4>A ES-ER.ENCE $E)E$S &/ TH.E)ES
No1 of Seniors ,iddle Echelon
Thie2es " C D E
4?<O 4d7 4d: 4d: G G n@a
H?4; d=Q4 d= d= G G :9d:
44?4< d=Q: d7Q4 d7Q4 d:Q4 d:Q4 79d:
4H?:; d=Q7 d7Q: d7Q: d7Q: d:Q: :9Id:Q4J,<9d:
:4?:< dHQ7 d=Q: d=Q: d=Q4 d:Q: <9d7, <9d:
:H?7; d6Q7 dHQ7 d=Q7 d=Q: d=Q4 =9Id7Q4J, =9d7, H9d:
74?=; dHQ< dHQ= d=Q= dHQ: d=Q: =9Id=Q4J, <9Id7Q4J, 69d:
=4?<; dHQH dHQ= dHQ= d=Q= dHQ: H9Id=Q4J, 69Id7Q4J, 4:9d:
<4?>< dHQ6 dHQH dHQ< dHQ= dHQ7 69Id=Q4J, 4:9Id7Q4J, 4<9d:
>H?4;; d6Q6 dHQ> dHQ< dHQ= dHQ7 4<9Id= Q4J, :;9d=, 7;9d7
4;4Q d4;Q6 dHQ6 dHQH dHQ< dHQ= 4;R are dHQ4, 4;R are d=Q4,
:<R are
d=, :<R are d7
,ulti?classed thie2es
Table 4> will do for deter%ining single?classed thie2es, but dwar2es and
el2es in particular %ay be li!ely to be %ulti?classed1 To deter%ine this, the D, needs to
!now how %any thie2es are nonhu%an1
Rolling on Table 46 will deter%ine the race of each thief in the guild1 &ne roll is
%ade for each thief Ifreelancers can be deter%ined at this stage tooJ1 This table is a
generic one, and assu%es a definite hu%an do%inance Iwhich %ost ca%paign locations
will ha2eJ1 Howe2er, this is ob2iously unsuitable for deter%ining, say, the co%position of
the thie2es' guild of the core co%%unity of an el2en heartland, where 2irtually all the
thie2es will be el2es or half?el2es1 .n such cases, the D, can bypass Table 46 and Dust
decide race on a per?capita basis1 /or e9a%ple, if >;R of the inhabitants are el2es, then
for each thief a roll of 4?> on d4; will indicate that he is an elf1 ,odifiers can also be
usedL for e9a%ple, if el2es do%inate dwar2es in a %i9ed society, a dice roll %odifier of ?<
could be applied to the dice roll on Table 461
Table 46A TH.E/ R"CES
d4;;
Roll Thief Race
;4?;H Elf
;>?4= Half?elf
4<?== Hu%an
=<?<; #no%e
<4?<6 Halfling
<5?H: Hu%an, dual?class
H7?57 Hu%an
5=?55 Dwarf
;; Special Inatural ;; onlyJO

Table 45 contains sub?tables which can be used to deter%ine whether the
thief is %ulti?classed Inonhu%anJ or if the thief is dual?classed Ihu%anJ1
#i2en the race and possible %ulti?class nature of each thief, the final step is to
adDust the le2els fro% Table 4> for %ulti?and dual?class thie2es1
/or %ulti?classed nonhu%an thie2es, reduce the thief le2el by 4d: fro% the
original dice roll fro% Table 4> if the character has two classes, and by 4d:Q4 le2els if
the character is a triple?classed fighter@%age@thief1 No reductions can ta!e an N-C below
4st le2el, of course1 The character will ha2e the sa%e le2el in his other classes, if this is
possible Iin so%e cases it %ay not beL e1g1, a %ulti?class character cannot usually be a
:nd?le2el thief@:nd?le2el %age1 Chec! the S-s needed for progress in each classNJ1
With dual?class hu%an characters, e9perience gained in the BoldB class will be
4d= le2els lower than that gained as a thief Ibut ne2er below :nd le2elJ1 The thief le2el
rolled fro% Table 4> is not adDusted in this case1
This all loo!s fairly horrendous1 .n fact, it is fairly si%ple, albeit a little ti%e?
consu%ing Ibut if you want a co%plete picture of a guild, it does ta!e ti%eJ1 The e9a%ple
of the Thie2es' #uild of ,allain Ilater in this chapterJ shows that rolling up thie2es is a
fairly si%ple business, despite all these tablesN
#able (@) #H&E< C5ASSES
D3ar,es
d2A
Roll C$ara'ter Classes
4?6 /ighter@thief
5?:; Thief only
El,es
d2A
Roll C$ara'ter Classes
4?H ,age@thief
>?6 /ighter@thief
5?4; /ighter@%age@thief
44?:; Thief only
Hal%*el,es
d2A
Roll C$ara'ter Classes
4?= ,age@thief
<?> /ighter@thief
6?4; /ighter@%age@thief
44?:; Thief only
Gno"es
d2A
Roll C$ara'ter Classes
4?= /ighter@thief
<?6 .llusionist@thief
5?:; Thief only
Hal%lin+s
d2A
Roll C$ara'ter Classes
4?< /ighter@thief
H?:; Thief only
H"ans
d2A
Roll Pre,ios C$ara'ter Class
4?4: /ighter
47 Ranger
4=?4< ,age
4H Specialist wi8ard
4>?46 Cleric
45?:; ard
/or hu%ans, so%e classes are not included as options for pre2ious
e9perience1 .t is inconcei2able that a fallen paladin could de%ean hi%self to thie2ery,
li!ewise that an e9?druid could so totally alter his entire fra%ewor! of thought1 .f the D,
wants such an e9otic possibility, there would ha2e to be a truly e9traordinary reason for
it1
Non*#$ie% Gild"e"bers
The guild %ay well ha2e 2ery close affiliations with a s%all nu%ber of
N-CsGespecially tough fightersGwho %ay be honorary Bguild%e%bers1B These %en
%ay guard the guildhouse, go on planned Dobs as loo!?outs and %uscle, pro2ide the
%uscle to enforce protection rac!ets, act as bodyguards, and the li!e1 Howe2er, they will
not usually be full %e%bers of the guild1 The D, should design such N-Cs as the need
arises1
<les$in+ ot Gild"e"bers
0ou now ha2e a bare?bones list of guild%e%bers and other thie2es in the
town1 How far you go beyond this point depends on how %uch e9tra infor%ation you
need for the ca%paign1
Ali+n"ent
This is worth deter%ining for all thie2es in the guild, because it will ha2e
a powerful effect on the way the guild operates, on guild intrigues, and so on1 The
align%ent of the guild%aster and the top senior thie2es should always be selected by the
D, to fit the needs of the ca%paign1 The rulership style dice rolls should be strongly
suggesti2e of certain options in any e2ent1 " fairly strong, cruel, and fairly despotic
guild%aster loo!s li!e a good candidate for neutral e2il, whereas a fairly strong, Dust, and
populist %e%ber of a ruling council would be closer to chaotic good1
/or other thie2es IDuniors and %e%bers of the %iddle echelonsJ a dice roll on
Table :; can be used to deter%ine align%ent1 This table is biased away fro% lawfulness
and towards neutrality, which is probably an accurate reflection of %ost thie2es1
Howe2er, if the D, wants %ore goody?goody types or lawfuls then these options can be
fudged into the table in place of Ior 2iaJ the BDo%inant social align%entB entry1
#able 2A) NPC #H&E< A5&GN;EN#S
d2A
Roll #$ie% Ali+n"ent
4Neutral #ood
:?7 Chaotic #ood
= $awful Neutral
<?4; Neutral
44?4: Do%inant social align%ent
47?4= Chaotic Neutral
4<?4H $awful E2il
4>?45 Neutral E2il
:; Chaotic E2il
,odifiers to dice rollA
Q: if social align%ent is e2il
?: if social align%ent is good Iut a natural roll of B:;B still %eans Chaotic E2ilJ
Note) /or Bdo%inant social align%ent,B if the D, is uncertain, ta!e neutral1 .f do%inant
social align%ent is lawful good, ta!e neutral good I4?= on 4dHJ or lawful neutral I<?H on
dHJ instead1
Pri"e ReDisite
"ll thie2es will ha2e De9terity of at least 51 0ou can roll N-C thief
De9terity on 6Q4d4;, adding Q4 for characters of =th or higher le2el and Q: for
characters of 6th or higher le2el1 El2es and halflings gain Q4 to De9terity scores1 .t is
strongly reco%%ended that no scores abo2e 46 be allowed, and certainly absurd scores
li!e :;Q should be reduced to 461 &ther ability scores are discussed below1 De9terity
scores should be recorded for all thie2es, since it affects "C and their s!ills1
Senior #$ie,es
Such thie2esGincluding the guild%asterNGshould be designed with a
little %ore detail1 The following points can e !ept in %ind when adding so%e detail to
their basic profilesA
Physical 1actors3 Si%ple details li!e age, height, weight, and appearance can be
deter%ined1 Senior thie2es can be ta!en to be :<Q4d:; years if a rando% deter%ination is
needed1 Se9 can be deter%ined rando%ly also1
8'ceptional %bility Scores3 Thie2es of high or %ediu% le2el should ha2e fair
abilities to ha2e sur2i2ed so long1 "llow a flat 4?in?= chance for each non?De9 ability to
be rolled on :d=Q4; and record e9ceptional I4<QJ scores1
+agic .tems3 Senior thie2es will certainly ha2e %agic ite%s suitable for thie2es1
Different ca%paigns 2ary hugely in the a%ount of %agic !noc!ing around1 " good guide
is to snea! a loo! at thief -Cs Iand N-CsJ in ca%paigns you thin! are well?run, and@or
the blueprint profiles gi2en later, and ta!e hints fro% these about the nature and nu%ber
of %agic ite%s possessed1 When in doubt, always be stingy1 ,agic can be added to a
%agic?wea! ca%paignL it's hard to retrie2e it when too %uch is floating about1
Guild Position3 Non?guild%asters will still li!ely be i%portant and occupy !ey
positions Iespecially if council %e%bersJ1 " shrewd guild%aster, for e9a%ple, will !eep
the second?ran!ers happy with i%portant things to do1 Fuarter%aster, deputy guild%aster,
chief of blac!%ail, chief of espionage, liaison officer Iwith other guildsJ, and %any other
options can be written in here1
2ther Stuff3 -ersonal idiosyncrasies are always a nice, characteri8ing touch1
Co2er identities are also i%portantL what face does the thief present to the publicM Does
he ha2e a trade, is he a %erchant, is he perhaps the Constable of the Watch or a trusted
ta9 officialM
The %ost i%portant case, ob2iously, is the guild%aster hi%self Ior the ruling
councilJ1 Such an N-C %ust be indi2idually designed by the D, to suit the ca%paign1
The blueprint profiles which follow the guild design section gi2e a couple of e9a%ples of
fully fleshed?out %id?to?high?le2el guild%asters, and these can be used by the D, as
they are or as an indication of how to go about designing a guild%aster N-C1
=nior #$ie,es
These will not need the !ind of detailing the seniors will, unless the D, is
deter%ined to ha2e co%plete details of e2erythingN Race, class, pri%e reCuisite, and le2el
will be sufficient to begin with, especially for %ere 4st? or :nd?le2el apprentice types1
The addition of na%es should round off these basic details1
A <inal Re'ord
Now that the initial die rolls for nu%bers and le2els of thie2es ha2e been
rounded off Iand %odifiedJ by race, and dual@%ulti?class options, the basic details for the
guild thie2es can be deter%inedGsu%%aries of guild seniors, %inor %agic ite%s for
Duniors, the odd e9ceptional ability score, hit points if the D, has rolled these up, and the
li!e1
Cas$ and Carry
Ha2ing populated the guild, the final step is to ta!e care of a few practical
details1
Gild Des
#uild%e%bers ha2e to pay fees to belong to the guild, and they %ay also
ha2e to pay cuts of their ta!e on Dobs which are Blicensed byB the guild1 The D, should
fi9 these le2els to suit his ca%paign1 /or guild dues, a su% eCual to about one %onth's
li2ing e9penses for the thief -C is reasonable1 This su% will increase with the gaining of
e9perience le2els, which is reasonable1 #uild%e%bers get cheaper training, and training
is longer and %ore e9pensi2e at higher le2els, so higher dues reflect this1 /i9ing a cut
needs to be done on a case?by?case basis1 .f the guild has tipped off the thief with a lot of
infor%ation i%portant to pulling a robbery, it could well as! for a Cuarter or e2en a third
or %ore of the ta!e, for e9a%ple1
The dues and other pay%ents due should be recorded by the D,, together with a
brief note on what the -C thief gets in the way of special benefits for his dues1
Nor"al Resor'es
" roll on Table :4 can be used to deter%ine the a2ailability of standard,
non?%agical eCuip%ent ite%s1 This reflects how well the #uild is eCuipped with illegal
ite%s, or eCuip%ent which is of dubious legality Iand which %ay be illegal in highly
lawful societiesJ1 "dd Q4 to the dice roll for e2ery 4; thie2es in the guild to a %a9i%u%
of Q= for a guild with =; or %ore thie2es1
#able 2()
AVA&5A8&5&#B O< RESOURCES
d2A
Roll EDi!"ent A,ailability
4?< -oor
H?4; /air
44?4> "2erage
46?:; #ood
" roll indicating -oor %eans that illegal ite%s Ias shown in Table 74J cost
<;?6;R I=;QVd=94;WJ %ore than usual, and are at least <;R li!ely not to be a2ailable at
any gi2en ti%e1 .te%s which are noted in Table 74 as being rare will be al%ost i%possible
to obtain1 " thief wanting an illegal ite% which is Bout of stoc!B can only try again after a
gap of : wee!s to see if fresh supplies ha2e been obtained1 .f the a2ailability of resources
is /air, the ite% costs 4;?=;R %ore than usual and there is a 7;R chance that it is
una2ailable, but the thief can %a!e a wee!ly chec!1
" roll indicating "2erage allows ite%s to be had for the usual price, with only a
4<R chance that an ite% is una2ailable Ia chec! for fresh deli2eries being %ade wee!lyJ1
.f the roll shows #ood a2ailability, prices are 4;R below nor%al, and ite%s are only <R
li!ely to be una2ailable at any ti%e Ichec! for fresh deli2eries wee!lyJ1
These rules, especially on a2ailability, can be readily twea!ed by the D, as
desired1 .f the D, wishes to deny the thief so%e eCuip%ent ite%, then it si%ply isn't
there, for e9a%ple1 Con2ersely, the D, %ay wish to rule that there are always loc!pic!s
a2ailable, since these are so essential for 2ery basic thief s!ills Ipic!ing loc!s, and %aybe
finding and re%o2ing certain types of trapsJ1
S!e'ial Resor'es
No table is gi2en for rando%ly deter%ining these special resources,
because they reCuire careful attention and thought on the part of the D,1 /ro% the list
below, the D, should select a s%all nu%ber Ior none, for a s%all guildJ which will suit
the ca%paign1 This list is only a partial one, and the D, can add si%ilar special
resourcesA
Tame +age3 The guild has a helpful %age on tap, who casts spells to help thie2es
Ibut doesn't ta!e ris!sJ1 .f the guild has a %age@thief or two, this %age is of higher le2el,
and %ay train these %age@thie2es1
Tame Cleric3 " rarer instance, but possible if the cleric is 2ery chaotic, a renegade,
etc1 .n so%e specific %ythoi this %ight not be a rare case at all Ifor e9a%ple, clerics of
,as! in /aerunJ1
8'pert 1ence3 The guild wor!s regularly with, or has, a fence with truly
e9ceptional !nowledge, infor%ation networ!s, and@or the ability to ship hot goods out of
the country fast1
Go#ernment Snitch3 The guild's %an in City Hall1 )ery helpful in telling the #uild
about the ship%ent of go2ern%ent goods, the ,int, secrets of political N-Cs for
blac!%ail, and lots %ore1
+erchant Snitch3 The guild's %an in the warehouses, doc!s, etc1 Not a
nightwatch%an, but so%eone %uch %ore i%portantGa harbor%aster, Co%%ander of the
Night Watch, etc1 Can supply the guild with watch hours, inco%ing and stored cargo lists,
and %uch %ore1
% 1riend at Court3 " person with the ear of the (ing@Fueen@aron@Royal
-hysician@Courtesan@i%bo -rincess1 Subtly different fro% a go2ern%ent snitch, and
%ore suited to a swashbuc!ling rogue ca%paign or guild1
1riends in other Guild=s>3 The guild has 2ery cordial relations with the thie2es'
guild in a %aDor city, e2en the capital, for reasons of blood relation, old friendships and
co?ad2enturing, etc1
These special resources clearly open up all !inds of ad2enture possibilities1
#etting a %essage to the i%portant N-C is a standard option, obtaining a reward for the%
is another Ie1g1, the ta%e %age wants that nice wand of lightning his ene%y has and could
the guild steal it for hi%MJ, rescuing the% fro% i%prison%ent is a third1 Subtler
possibilities could include finding out who has found out about the guild's #o2ern%ent
Snitch and is blac!%ailing hi% for a fortune, and the li!e1
;aEor A'ti,ities
Here, the D, should deter%ine and %a!e a record of the secondary
acti2ities which are i%portant to the guild1 These include Ibut aren't li%ited toJ protection
rac!ets, s%uggling, !idnapping, sla2ery, forgery, clipping, Bentertain%ents,B and si%ilar
fun and ga%es re2iewed earlier1 The D, should deter%ine which acti2ities the guild is
strongly in2ol2ed with to suit the social align%ent, the ca%paign, and the nature of the
guild rulers1 /or e9a%ple, a strong?cruel?despotic neutral e2il guild%aster is a lot %ore
li!ely to get the guild in2ol2ed with sla2ery and !idnapping than a Dust, populist good?
aligned guild%aster1 So%e D,s %ay also wish to e9clude certain acti2ities such as
sla2ery or !idnapping because players of good?aligned thie2es %ight not want their
characters part of such acti2ities1 Howe2er, it is up to the -Cs to do so%ething about such
e2il goings?on if they cannot accept the%Ga spur to their creati2ity and sche%ing1
#$e Gild$ose
This is going to be of %aDor i%portance to al%ost all thie2es' guilds, and
there are four i%portant points relating to itA
:ocation and Co#er3 Where is the guildhouse, and what does it loo! li!e upfrontM
The D, %ust choose a location and co2er suitable to the town or city, and the nature of
the guild1 .t could be a fortified large building a%ong warehouses or down by the doc!s,
an underground cellar co%ple9 below the pri2ate ho%e of a senior thief, entered 2ia the
sewers, or the base%ents and cellars of a ta2ern in a shady part of town1 " s%all guild
%ay only %eet in the bac! roo% of a shady ta2ern, of course, but any significant guild
needs so%ewhere fairly secret and strong1
Contents3 What's in the guildhouseM .s eCuip%ent !ept hidden there or does the
Cuarter%aster carry it with hi% Iunli!ely unless he has a bag of holdingJM "re there
hidey?holesM How %any e9its are there Ithere will usually be se2eralJM
Guards3 Who protects the guildhouseM Can reinforce%ents be su%%oned
Cuic!lyM .f there is a building which is a front for the place Ie1g1, a ta2ern abo2e the
cellars of the guildhouse belowJ, can e9tra help Ihefty fightersJ be had Cuic!lyM
Traps and Protections3 The guildhouse will al%ost certainly ha2e %agical and
%echanical trapsGthe entrance %ay be a 2ery strong door, with a couple of loc!s Iand
only guild%e%bers ha2e !eysJ1 Down a passage, a secret door %ay be placed to allow
entranceGfollowing the passage leads into 2ery unpleasant traps1 ,agical traps %ay
ha2e been paid for, or placed by %age@thie2es1 ,echanical traps will be of %any !inds,
but will often use disabling@paraly8ing attac!s Dust in case a no2ice %a!es a %ista!e and
ta!es the wrong turn so%ewhereN
earing all these points in %ind, the D, should design the guildhouse, drawing
floorplans and %aps1
#$e #$ie,es' Gild o% ;allain
An E?a"!le o% Gild Desi+n
&ur D, is scripting the thie2es' guild for the large town Ior s%all cityJ of
,allain1 The D, !nows so%e basic social facts about this place, ha2ing placed it on the
%ap in his ca%paign world, and records these facts for future reference1 The issue of
wea! rulership is so%ething the D, had decided in ad2ance, li!ewise the fact that
,allain is in a ci2ili8ed area of the country, and on a %aDor inland trade route1 The D,
deter%ines the population at so%ewhere around 4>,;;; Inot too large, not too s%allNJ and
decides that <R are halflings and <R are half?el2esL there are no full el2es, and a
s%attering of dwar2es and gno%es1 The D, considers that there is a slight tendency
toward lawfulness in the co%%unity, but not a strong one, so the o2erall social align%ent
is recorded as neutral1
How wealthy is ,allainM The D, rolls a > on Table >1 To this is added Q:,
because the town is on a %aDor trade route1 The D, adds a further Q:, since ,allain is a
large town, if not a %aDor one1 This gi2es an adDusted total of 44, so the wealth le2el is
a2erage1
The attitude of the law is resol2ed on Table 6, and a dice roll of 4> indicates
tolerance1 WhyM &ne clear reason stic!s out a %ileA under?%anning1 The D, has already
recorded that the ruler of the land is wea!, and his %ilitia is s%all in this safe, secure
land1 There si%ply isn't the %anpower to go around chasing the thie2es1
The attitude of %erchants is resol2ed on Table 51 " roll of 4=, %odified to 4< by
the tolerance of the law, indicates a co%ple9@%i91 The D, isn't sure enough of how to
script a co%ple9ity hereL he isn't clear enough in his own %ind about the details of
,allain1 So he opts for a %i9, and %a!es two %ore dice rolls on the sa%e table to see
what the %i9 is Iadding Q4 to each roll for the tolerance of the lawJ1 He rolls 4: I47, with
a Q4J, which indicates a standoffL his second roll is 4, and e2en with a Q4 %odifier this
indicates warfareN How to synthesi8e this into a wholeM The D, reasons that %ost
%erchants are described by a standoffGthey put up with the thie2es in a fairly resigned
way1 " %inority, though, are furious about thie2ing for so%e reasonL %aybe they ha2e
suffered particularly hea2y losses1 This place isn't rich, after all1 They try hard to
persuade the ineffectual %ilitia to do so%ething about the thie2es1
Deciding on thie2es and other guilds, the D, does not roll on Table 4; for
assassins and beggars1 The D, isn't happy handling assassins, so he decides there aren't
any in town, ob2iating the need for a dice roll1 With beggars, the D, wants to choose
Close Cooperation, details of which he records1 This is a plot ele%ent he wants to e9ploit
later on1 .f the beggars spy on the %erchants, facilitating robberies in a place of only
a2erage wealth, it could help e9plain why so%e of the %erchants are at the end of their
tether, too1 ,atters are beginning to co%e together fairly nicely, but there is lots still to
do1 How about bardsM The D, rolls a 4, hostilityN )ery odd, and at this stage the D, Dust
records this without thin!ing about why1 He decides to co%e bac! to this proble% later1
/ro% Table 44, the D, %a!es an initial recording of how %any thie2es li2e and
wor! in ,allain1 The population is 4>,;;;1 The D, rolls in the B<;;4?4;,;;;B row, and
twice in the B-er e9tra <,;;;B row, in the "2erage IwealthJ colu%n1 These rolls are
:dHQ:, and 4dHQ: ItwiceJ respecti2elyGa total of =dHQH1 This is rolled as a total of 45,
but the D, adds 4;R to this because the law is tolerant, for a total of :41 They need not
all be guild%e%bers, of courseL the D, needs to !now about the guild rulership to
deter%ine this1 Recording the figure of :4, the D, %o2es on1
" roll of < on Table 4: shows that the guild is ruled by a guild%aster1 /ro% Table
4=, the die rolls produce a picture of what this guild%aster is li!e1 " first roll of 46 shows
he is wea!1 " second roll of 4:, reduced to 44 because of this wea!ness, %a!es hi% fairly
cruel1 " final roll of 4:, reduced to 4; because of this cruelty, %a!es hi% fairly despotic1
.n su%%aryA Wea!, fairly cruel, fairly despotic1 " rather pathetic creature, all told1 This
co%es to the rescue of the D, when he rolls on Table 4< and co%es up with a :;G
"narchyN
The D, is ta!en abac!1 There is a guild here, with a guild%aster, and now he is
plunged into a real co%plication1 He is about to re?roll the dice, but spends a %inute or
two in i%aginati2e re2erie1 -erhaps, after all, this is wor!able1 "n old, feeble, wea!,
guild%aster has lost his authority1 He has resorted to cruelty and despotis% to try to hold
on to his guild%aster status, but lac!s the strength e2en to do this effecti2ely1
#uild%e%bers ha2e drifted away in open conte%pt, but ha2e not yet for%ed a separate
guild Ithat would be &pposition, not "narchyJ1 They don't ha2e the heart to !ill the old
thief, either Iguild%asters appoint their own successors, the D, decides, so he'd ha2e to
be !illedJ1
The D, rolls on Table 4H before all this has sun! inGif there isn't a guild, how
can it ha2e relations with outsiders and freelancersM ut the roll of 45, Special
Relationship, sti%ulates so%e further thoughts in the D,'s head1
The D, decides that the guild%aster has %anaged to hang on to a s%all ru%p of
the guildG4dH, he decides, and rolls Dust =1 $ater on, he will select these as being
pri%arily senior and co%patible with the guild%aster's align%ent1 There is no need for
the standard percentile roll to deter%ine the percentage in the guild, because this is a
special and 2ery unusual circu%stance1 The other 4H thie2es all wor! independently,
%aybe allying with each other in s%all groups for the odd Dob now and then1 -erhaps a
lac! of coordination a%ong the% %eans that so%e targets are hit too often, which
wouldn't happen if the guild was coordinating %atters properly1 ,aybe this is why so%e
%erchants are so desperate that they want warfare declared on the thie2esGthis %a!es
2ery good sense1 .t also e9plains why the law is tolerantGthey !now it's going to be hard
to trac! down and deal with any central organi8ation which really cuts the %ustard in
,allain, and the D, adds this detail to his notes1
The BSpecial RelationshipB is that holding between the ru%p of the guild, and the
freelancers still in town1 To co%plete the picture, though, the D, rolls another d:;G
gi2ing a result of H, hostility1 This is the attitude of all the thie2es of ,allain Ior %ost of
the%NJ to outsiders fro% beyond the town, to co%plete the picture1
The D, now has to deter%ine the le2els of the thie2es in ,allain1 There are :4
thie2es in the town, and fro% Table 4> the D, deter%ines the le2els of the seniors as 6th,
Hth, =th ItwoJ, and 7rd1 /ro% the <9d7 and <9d: rolls, another two 7rd?le2el and four
:nd?le2el are added1 The re%aining 4; thie2es will all be apprentices1 The D, records
these figures on so%e rough paper1
/ro% Tables 46, 45, and :; the D, %a!es die rolls to detail these thie2es1 There
are <R half?el2es and <R halflings in ,allain, but no full el2es or gno%es, so the D,
decides in ad2ance to replace any elf rolled up with a half?elf, and any gno%e with a
halfling1 Two thie2es were not rolled rando%lyL the 6th?le2el hu%an guild%aster, and the
Hth?le2el half?el2en thief the D, wants to use as a plot ele%ent to ad2ance the the%e of
anarchy within the guild1
The half?elf is a dashing, ro%antic rogue?figure who is the focus of the opposition
to the ailing old guild%aster1 He has %usicianship s!ills, and a brother who is a bardG
hence one reason for the guild%aster's hostility to bards Ithis detail is added to the record
sheetJ1 This D, sees this character as 2ery chaotic, and one who doesn't wish to be
guild%aster1 ut the old guild%aster hates his charis%a, youthfulness, and character, and
has always bloc!ed his progress1 Now he sees hi% as the ene%y who has drawn away the
other thie2esGa special relationship indeed, a 2ery te%pestuous and intrigue?ridden state
of affairs1 "dded to this is the fact that the half?elf doesn't want to be guild%aster, but the
Duniors who ha2e deserted the guild are begging hi% to lead the% in a coup against the
old guard1 He alone has the e9perience and charis%a to do this1 The D, has been
watching a few Errol /lynn %o2ies of late1 Howe2er, while E2larel the half?elf is chaotic
good, the old guild%aster is NeutralGit is too ob2ious and unsubtle to %a!e hi% e2il,
which would sub%erge %any of the intrigues into a si%plistic good?2ersus?e2il battle1
ut %ost of those staying loyal are e2ilGif they ha2e to be eli%inated, the D, prefers
the% to be e2il than to encourage his -Cs to attac! and !ill neutrals1
"fter this flight of fancy the D, co%es bac! to earth1 The guild is in a state of
uproar and anarchy, but there are still so%e practical details to attend to1 #uild dues still
ha2e to be decidedGthese will be the old rates, which applied when the guild was not
torn asunder, but they are useful as a guide to what the refor%ed guild Iif it does refor%J
will accept1 IThe D, notes the% in brac!ets1J " si%ilar consideration applies to nor%al
resources, but the D, also notes the present a2ailability IpoorJ by way of an update1
Special resources are i%portantGthe D, deter%ines that the thie2es' guild has a
go2ern%ent snitch, a personal friend of the guild%aster, and this stool?pigeon is used to
pri%e the %ilitary to arrest the hapless half?elf, dri2ing hi% further underground, and
%a!ing hi% an e2en %ore elusi2e and %ysterious figure1 The war between old Halradur
and E2larel gets hotter by the %o%ent1
"s for %aDor acti2ities, the D, decides that in such a fairly boring town as
,allain there is no scope for anything especially unusual1 The declining guild%aster
would not ha2e had the strength of will to %aintain any really nefarious acti2ities1
.ndi2idual thie2es %ay !idnap, but the guild doesn't organi8e such actions1 The
guildhouse is located in the cellars of a local ta2ern, the D, decidesL the aron of eef,
run by one of the few thie2es left who stays loyal to Halradur1 This isn't a particularly
creati2e design ele%ent, but the D, !nows that %atters are li!ely to be all?change in
,allain soon, and so can't be bothered to thin! up anything especially unusual1 The
ta2ern will %a!e a good location for a final shoot?out in any e2ent1
What began as a short e9ercise in rolling up a thie2es' guild has now turned into a
powerful intrigue which could cast a long shadow o2er %ost aspects of life in this town1
The central struggle between an old guild%aster, with a s%all e2il coterie, and desperate
young thie2es loo!ing to a reluctant new leader is going to en%esh the unwary -Cs as
soon as they enter the placeN
Unsal Gilds
The guild design syste% gi2es a wealth of detail on the traditional Iin the
"D+DK ga%eJ town or city thie2es' guild1 Howe2er, there are other possible guild
structures which can be used by the D, in the ca%paign world1 These are unli!ely to be
suitable for -C thie2es Iin %ost casesJ, but they add di2ersity and spice to any ca%paign1
#$e #ra,elin+ Gild
" group of tra2eling thie2es, who wor! as a body and are effecti2ely a
guild on the road, %a!es an interesting encounter1 Three 2ariants on this the%e includeA
Gypsy 1olk3 This group tra2els in horse?drawn wagons1 The co%%unity is Dust
thatGco%plete with %any sniffling children, goats, snarling dogs, a few chic!ens !ept
for eggs, and lots else1 .n towns, the gypsies sell dried herbs and pressed flowers, and the
wise wo%an of the group %ay read fortunes Iusing the /ortune Telling@"strology
proficiencies if appropriateJ1 The gypsies will be e9tre%ely loyal to each other, and will
usually be of Neutral Ior chaotic neutralJ align%ent1 .f such fol! are a co%%on sight on
the roads of the land, then the gypsy people %ay ha2e e9tended clans related by
inter%arriage, so that if any 2iolence is done to one of the% an entire horde can be
asse%bled to trac! down and punish the offender1
i#er 1olk3 " 2ariant on the gypsy the%e is to ha2e a group Ior groupsJ of
tra2eling fol! who wor! the waterways of the country1 These people will al%ost certainly
ha2e %erchant interests, or con2ey cargoes for othersL thie2ing would not be an adeCuate
inco%e for the%1 They will supple%ent their inco%e with thie2ery in and around the
rougher ports, usually inland or estuarine1 They are significantly %ore li!ely to be of e2il
align%ents than are road?tra2elers1 .n the ca%paign world of &erth I#reyhaw!J, the
Rhennee fol! are a good e9a%ple of such ri2er fol!1
The Circus3 This is a so%ewhat hac!neyed the%e, but should always be used in a
ca%paign at so%e ti%e1 Thie2es can %a!e up the bul! of a tra2eling circus, which co%es
to towns and cities and cheerfully robs the%1 .f the circus has %onsters on show, then
there is a rationale for ha2ing other character classes along for the ride who help the
thie2es and gi2e the N-C band so%e di2ersity1 Thus, clerics can be on hand to snake
charm and speak !ith animals while %ages could charm monsters or speak !ith
monsters Iif of high enough le2elL arguably a 4:th?le2el %age has lots better to do than
traipse around with a circusJ1 Thie2es with specialist s!ills such as acrobats, cat burglars,
etc1, will fit well into such a group1
-layers with any degree of ga%ing e9perience will ha2e learned to !eep well
away fro% circuses1 &ld tric!s such as ha2ing e2il, high?le2el N-Cs polymorphed into
%onsters or ani%als are well?!nown to such de2otees of the ga%e1 So, it %ay be %ore
enterprising to use so%e other group of entertainers, such as a tra2eling troupe of actors
and %usicians1 They can perfor% the eCui2alent of passion plays, act and sing char%ing
ethnic curiosities Iespecially el2esJ, sing %adrigals, and the li!e1 " group of light?
fingered e9pert thief choir el2es could %a!e for a lot of fun Ithey loo! so sweet and
innocent, how could anyone suspect the%MJ1
Pirati'al Gilds
"lso tra2elers in so%e fashion, a guild of thie2es who spend %ost of their
ti%e engaged in piracy is a co%ple9 and shifting structure reCuiring careful thought by
the D,1 There will ob2iously not be any for% of guildhouse for such thie2es, although a
s%all nu%ber of secret guild hidey?holes Ica2es in the cliffs, deserted co2es, desolate
gull?haunted islandsJ could e9ist where spare eCuip%ent and 2ital e%ergency supplies
%ight be placed at strategic locations1 guild%asters could e9ist, but %uch %ore li!ely is a
loosely?affiliated structure where se2eral senior thie2es, %aintaining their positions by
force in %ost cases, are eCuipotent1 They %ight well all call the%sel2es guild%asterN
Such a guild would ha2e a 2ery strong tendency towards chaotic align%ents, and a
nearly?eCual tendency towards e2il1
So%e type of organi8ation and regularity would ha2e to be i%posed to %a!e this a
guild at all1 ,eetings half?yearly, with a Cuoru% for 2otes and decisions to ha2e any
binding Cuality at all, would be a possibility1 These could ta!e place in the %aDor piratical
port, perhaps a town or city of unparalleled iniCuity Iwhat a place to send so%e -Cs to
trac! down the wic!ed pirates and stop their e2il trade in pressganging@sla2ery@drug
s%uggling, etc1J1 Certainly, so%e %echanis% for obtaining eCuip%ent and training Iat the
leastJ %ust e9ist1
/or a notably %ore structured and stable rulership of a piratical?type operation
Isla2ingJ, see the ad2enture %odule %?,@, Scourge of the Sla#elords1
#$e Gild o% Honorable Gentle"en
"s a really unusual guild, which could e9ist in parallel with the
established thie2es guild in a large city, this is a splendid option1
The %e%bers are aristocrats, %en of learning, education, and e9alted social
position Ipreferably by birthJ1 They are refined, dignified gentle%en of i%peccable
%anners and superior Charis%a1 They are a s%all group, and they thie2e for the
e9cite%ent of it all1 They are bored with their life of sybaritic self?indulgent possibilities,
easy co%forts, and gold?digging %e%bers of the opposite se91 They steal for the thrill of
it1
What %oti2ates these people is a challenge to their s!ill1 They steal things not
because they are 2aluable or i%portant, but because they are there to be stolen Iwhich
doesn't %ean that they are 2alueless or banalGthey usually aren'tJ1 The E%erald of
(u%%!C2aat will be stolen by such a thief not because it's worth a fortune, but because it
is belie2ed to be i%possible to steal it1
Such thie2es will usually be of notably high le2el, and they will tend to ha2e
e9ceptional .ntelligence and Charis%a scores1 They will 2ery rarely be E2il, and will also
tend away fro% Chaotic align%ent1 /or these reasons, they can beco%e e9cellent %entors
for a -C thief if this is appropriate to the ca%paignGfor e9a%ple, a -C thief can co%e
across one of the% at wor!, or find e2idence of the person's true identity as a renowned
%aster thief1
#$e Good*Ali+ned Gild
This is a rarity1 .t has to be1 Re%e%ber the Player's Handbook definition
of a rogueL so%eone who feels Bthat the world Iand e2eryone in itJ owes the% a li2ing1B
Thie2es are Bthe epito%e of roguishness1B ,ost thie2es want to do as little wor! as
possible and li2e as well as possible off the efforts of others1 This is not e9actly a
definition of good align%ent1 The %aDor proble% with a good?aligned guild is si%pleA
The large %aDority of thie2es are not of good align%ent1 .f a good?aligned guild co%es
into being Ie1g1, a good?aligned guild%aster co%es to powerJ then %any, if not %ost,
thie2es will acti2ely see! a non?good Ipreferably neutralJ guild if the guild%aster see!s to
i%pose the 2alues of good on the%1
What the intelligent good?aligned guild%aster will do is not to i%pose or
accentuate the 2alues of good within the guild1 Rather, he will Cuietly sCuee8e e2il
thie2es out, put the% at ris!, and try to %a!e sure that e2il acti2ities Isla2ery, etc1J are
downgraded or %ade to fail1 Eli%inating e2il is %uch s%arter than trying to establish
good1
Howe2er so%e good?aligned guilds can certainly e9ist in the ca%paign world1 "
classic e9a%ple is the Bfreedo% fighterB guild, a guild which stresses the 2alues of
chaotic good, in a $awful E2il country or state1 Such a guild will attract thie2es of C#,
N#, and CN align%ents, and pure Neutrals will go along as usual1 E2en chaotic e2il
thie2es %ight Doin, hating the repressi2e lawfulness of the state Iespecially if the guild
rulers ha2e the sense to play up Chaos and freedo% in their pitchJ1 Such a guild is one
with the classic Robin Hood Irobbin' hoodsMJ spirit1 .t could e9ist BundergroundB in an
e2il land such as the Scarlet rotherhood lands Iin &erthJ or Thay in the /orgotten
Real%s I/RH, 6reams of the ed "i$ardsJ, a secret urban organi8ation with underground,
hidden %eeting?places and fearful helpers in high placesGa superb setting for intrigue1 "
rural eCui2alent, with scout?type thie2es allied with tough rangers and others co%bining
their s!ills to chip at the edges of a strong e2il state, is another e9a%ple, %ore suited to
players who li!e lots of co%bat and tactical s!ir%ish ga%ing than political intrigues and
tense urban chases and the li!e1
&ther good?aligned guild possibilities e9ist, certainly, but reCuire %ore careful
thought by the D,1 They are possible in a fractionated or oppositional guild structure, in
a country where the good@e2il di2ision %irrors or parallels so%e other Ie1g1, good?aligned
el2es and predo%inantly e2il?aligned hu%ansJ, and possibly in super?goody?goody
nations where they e9ist as security consultants and the li!e Ibut how do they accu%ulate
their e9perience points for practicing their s!ills in earnestMJ1
Player*C$ara'ter Gild"asters
This section is for D,s who ha2e a -C in a ca%paign who has beco%e a
#uild%aster of Thie2es1 Holding a si%ilar position Ie1g1, the %ost powerful %e%ber of a
ruling councilJ can be handled with %inor %odifications of the syste% outlined here for
deter%ining guild nu%bers, acti2ities, econo%ics, brushes with the law, and si%ilar
e2ents in the e2eryday story of thie2ing fol!1
Deter"inin+ Gild"e"bers
This can be done in three ways1 /irst, the tables in the Player's Handbook
can be used Iwith twea!ing to reduce the proportion of non?hu%ans if this is too large for
your ca%paignJ1 Second, you can use tables I>4, 4:, 47J earlier in this boo! Ithe 44?4<
row is suggested fro% Table 4>J1 &r you can use one of the syste%s, and introduce a few
pet, indi2idually scripted N-C thie2es of your own into the results fro% the dice rolls1 .n
particular, you %ay wish to design the deputy IassistantJ guild%aster since this will be an
N-C the -C will need to lean on a lot1
Gild &n'o"e
Table :: below lists econo%ic %odifiers for societies of different wealth1
These %odifiers should be applied to all %onetary su%s referred to laterGguild dues,
cuts fro% planned Dobs, and the li!e1
#able 22)
;OD&<&ERS #O GU&5D &NCO;E
So'ial 9ealt$;odi%ier
)ery -oor 9 ;1:<
-oor 9 ;1<
/air 9 ;1><
"2erage none
Co%fortable 9 41:
Wealthy 9 41<
Rich 9 :1;
The inco%e the guild recei2es will co%e fro% two sourcesL guild dues,
and the cut the guild ta!es fro% planned robberies, burglaries, heists, and the li!e1 The
syste% gi2en here is a si%ple one for calculating %onth?by?%onth inco%eL so%e optional
e9tras are docu%ented later1
6ues3 These will be fi9ed as a yearly su%, payable anywhere fro% %onthly to
se%i?annually Ithe thie2es will prefer the latterJ1 " reasonable base su% to wor! fro% is
7; gp per le2el as a yearly due, to a %a9i%u% of around 7;; gp@year Ifor thie2es of 4;th
or higher le2elJ1 The guild%aster can ta!e <R of these dues as a personal fee, and his
assistant will ta!e the sa%e Ithese two do not pay fees, nor do %e%bers of a ruling
council unless de%ocratically electedJ1 The guild%aster can ta!e up to 4<R, but for e2ery
4R abo2e the <R standard the %orale of the guild%e%bers drops by ?41 E9torting o2er
4<R leads to i%%ediate re2oltN The rest of the inco%e goes to the e9penses of running
the guild Ibribes, buying eCuip%ent, paying fines, etc1J1
Cuts3 The guild is entitled to e9act a le2y on robberies and burglaries which it has
so%e role in planning1 The guild%aster doesn't ha2e to plan these acti2itiesL his right?
Iand left?J hand %en ta!e the leading role in this1 The le2y can be ta!en as a base 4;R
Ithis is pretty %uch standardi8ed1 .f a -C guild%aster wants to e9tort %ore, e2ery e9tra
4R leads to a decline of ?4 in %oraleL o2er ?4; leads to i%%ediate re2oltJ1 &f this 4;R,
the guild%aster gets 4;R, as does his assistantGthat is, 4R of the gross1
Table :7 shows how %uch %oney is gained per 4; thief?le2els by a guild fro%
this !ind of guild?guided acti2ity1 The standard econo%ic %ultiplier is used, and the dice
roll result is %ultiplied by the total nu%ber of e9perience le2els of guild operati2es,
di2ided by 4; Ithe guild%aster and his assistant, and any guild%e%bers not acti2ely
thie2ing, are e9cludedJ1 So, a guild with si9 7rd?le2el, si9 :nd?le2el, and eight 4st?le2el
thie2es gets = dice rolls Itotal le2elsX 46 Q 4: Q 6 X 761 /ractions below one?half are
rounded down, others upJ1 Table :7 gi2es the grossL the guild gets 6R of this, the
guild%aster and his assistant 4R each1
#able 2-)
GU&5D ;ON#H5B &NCO;E
d2A
Roll &n'o"e !er (A #$ie%*le,els
4?: <dH gp
7?< <d6 gp
H?5 <d4; gp
4;?44 6d4; gp
4:?4< :dH 9 4; gp
4H?46 7dH 9 4; gp
45 =dH 9 4; gp
:; HdH 9 4; gp
:4 Hd4; 9 4; gp
:: 4;d4; 9 4; gp
:7Q 4:d4: 9 4; gp
,odifiers to Dice Roll
?: if the attitude of the law is persecutory
?4 if the attitude of the law is hassling
Q4 if the law is corrupt or tolerant
?4 if the %erchants attitude is one of warfare
Q: if the %erchants are sub%issi2e or infiltrated
.nco%e ,ultipliers Isee belowJ
Easygoing operationsA 9 ;1<
Routine operationsA 9 ;16
"2erage operationsA 9 41;
-ushy operationsA 9 41<
"ggressi2e operationsA 9 :1;
$e2els of &perations
These are referred to in the %ultipliers following Table :7, abo2e1 They
refer to the following instructions gi2en by the guild%asterA
8asygoing3 #uild%e%bers ta!e life 2ery easy1 No %orale %odifiers1
outine3 #uild%e%bers ta!e life fairly easy, but !eep their hands in1 " Q4
%odifier applies to %orale for the first %onth Iafter this so%e of the% get bored and
touchyJ1
%#erage3 The standard le2el of operations, no effects on %orale1
Pushy3 The guild%e%bers are pushed into doing so%e e9tra Dobs here and there,
and grand, a%bitious acti2ities are eagerly pursued1 This gi2es Q4 to %orale for the first
%onth Ie9cite%entJ, but ?4 per %onth after the first if sustained, cu%ulati2e to a
%a9i%u% of ?=J1
%ggressi#e3 #uild%e%bers are told by the guild%aster to steal anything which
isn't bolted to the floor1 This has an i%%ediate effect on %orale of ?:, to which ?4 is
added per %onth Icu%ulati2eJ to a %a9i%u% of ?4;L at this point, a re2olt is
auto%atically triggered1
The %ore acti2e the guild is, the %ore li!ely thie2es are to be apprehended by the
law, howe2erN
The su%s of %oney gained by the guild%aster this way will not be great, unless
the guild is a large one, the co%%unity is rich, and@or the guild%aster uses aggressi2e
thie2ing tactics1 This is li!ely to be ale %oney for guild%aster?le2el thie2es, so other
acti2ities %ust be used to generate inco%e1 These will need planning by the player in
consultation with the D,1 Reference should be %ade to the Player's Handbook when
considering the %oney sideGhow %uch shop!eepers can afford to pay as protection
%oney, for e9a%ple1 These su%s are usually lower than %ost players thin!N ,a!ing sure
the target one stri!es at is rich is a shrewd step in any thiefly acti2ity1
The $ong "r% of the $aw
" %onthly roll is %ade on Table := to deter%ine whether there has been a
confrontation with the law1
Table :=A
C&N/R&NT"T.&NS W.TH
THE $"W .
d:;
Roll Result
4?4H No confrontation
4>?:; Confrontation
,odifiers to Dice Roll
Q= if attitude of law is persecutory
Q: if attitude of law is hassling
?: if attitude of law is tolerant
?= if attitude of law is corrupt
?7 if acti2ity of guild is easygoing
?4 if acti2ity of guild is routine
Q: if acti2ity of guild is pushy
Q< if acti2ity of guild is aggressi2e
Q4 for each group of 4; thie2es Iround upJ past the first 4; I%a9i%u% %odifier Q<J
Note that when rolling on the table abo2e, a roll of natural :; %eans a
confrontation with the law, no %atter what the %odifiers %ay be1
.f a confrontation arises, roll on Table :< to deter%ine the nature of the
confrontation1 "pply the sa%e %odifiers to the dice roll as for Table :=, e9cept for the
last one Ithe nu%ber of thie2es %odifierJ1 "lso, natural rolls of 4 and :; are not subDected
to %odifiers on Table :<1
Table :<A
C&N/R&NT"T.&NS W.TH
THE $"W ..
d:;
Roll Reslt
4 "rrest of 4 thief I4st?le2el apprenticeJ
:?< "rrest of 4 thief Ile2el 4d:J
H?5 "rrest of 4d: thie2es I4st?le2el apprenticesJ
4;?4< "rrest of 4d: thie2es Ile2el 4d:J
4H?46 "rrest of 4d:Q4 thie2es Ile2els 4d7J
45 "rrest of 4d7Q4 thie2es Ile2els 4d7J
:; Reroll, but thie2es are !illed
:4?:7 "rrest of 4d:Q7 thie2es, rolled at rando% fro% the acti2e guild%e%ber list
:=Q "s abo2e, but there is a <;R chance for each thief of being !illed
"ny arrest of three or %ore thie2es will reduce the %orale of
guild%e%bers by ?41
Clearly, it is useful if a guild can %anage to corrupt the law so%ewhere along the
line1 .t is up to the player of a -C guild%aster to set about corrupting the law, if it isn't
corrupt already, and up to the D, to deter%ine at what point the corruption has gone far
enough to apply dice %odifiers in the tables abo2e1
%rrested Thie#es3 Different ca%paign worlds, and countries within the sa%e
ca%paign world, ha2e 2ery different legal syste%s and degrees of punish%ent1 .f the
guild%aster wants to try and get his followers bac! by paying their fine, this is acceptable
unless the D, rules otherwise Ie1g1, the country is $awful Neutral and 2ery puniti2e, the
attitude of the law is persecutory or hassling, etc1J1 The fine payable is 2ariable1 The base
fine is 7; gp, but %odifiers can readily be applied1 .f the thief is of 7rd or higher le2el,
double the fine Ihe probably has a recordJ1 .f the guild's acti2ity le2el was pushy, double
the fine1 .f the guild's acti2ity le2el was aggressi2e, %ultiply the fine by fi2e1 /inally, roll
4d= and %ultiply the fine by this figure to get a final su%1
This is a fair shorthand rule which %any D,s will want to detail further for
the%sel2es, but for an a2eragely acti2e guild in an a2erage sort of ga%e %ilieu Iif there is
such a thingJ an a2erage fine of >< gp, or 4<; gp for a seasoned cri%inal, is not so %uch
to pay1 The guild can afford to pay half the fine Ipart of running e9pensesJ up to :<;gp,
but the guild%aster has to for! out the rest fro% his personal wealth1 " guild%aster who
gets a thief out of Dail by paying the fine, or by busting hi% out, gains the confidence of
his followers, who add Q4 to their %orale for the ne9t %onth1 &n the other hand, if the
guild suffers a loss of se2eral I7 or %oreJ %e%bers there %ay be a %orale drop of ?4 or
%ore Ibut the D, %ay wai2e this for large guildsJ1
#uild ,orale
*nless there are special reasons to the contrary, the base %orale for
guild%e%bers will be 4< to begin with1 .f %orale falls below this le2el, a %orale chec! is
called for1 /ailing the chec! %eans that 4d: thie2es lea2e the guild, to beco%e freelancers
elsewhere1 This nu%ber can be %odified1 /or each : points that %orale falls below 4=,
add 4 e9tra deserter1 .f the :d4; roll is 45 or :; InaturalL this is but a 7R chanceJ, add an
e9tra 4d= deserters1 Do not add align%ent %odifiers Ifor the -CJ to these %orale chec!sL
standard %orale chec!s ITable 4H, Player's HandbookJ gi2e bonuses for being
lawful@good and this is e9tre%ely i%plausible with thie2esN
"s an alternati2e, rather than lea2ing the guild, the thie2es %ay put their
grie2ances to the guild%aster, if a secret chec! against the guild%aster's Charis%a is
successful1 They %ay as! for lower dues or cuts fro% their inco%e, %ore resources fro%
the guild, or as the D, deter%ines1 This is a fair step, if %orale has fallen due to ill?
fortune Iarrests and other proble%sJ rather than to the guild%aster ha2ing been rec!less
or careless1
.f %orale falls to < or lower, howe2er, the guild%aster will be the subDect of an
open re2olt and atte%pted putsch Iand, at the D,'s discretion, this %ay happen sooner if
the -C is being cruel, arbitrary, rec!less, or otherwise abusing his positionJ1
New /ollowers
New followers %ay arri2e, and a %onthly chec! should be %ade for this1
The chance is 4;R for each 4; Ior part thereofJ thie2es already in the guildGfor
e9a%ple, a guild with :> thie2es has a 7;R chance each %onth of attracting a new
follower1 ,odifiers to this base percentage chance are shown in Table :H1
Table :HA
,&D./.ERS T& /&$$&WERS D.CE R&$$
,orale, per point abo2e 4<A Q4;R
,orale, per point below 4;A ?4;R
#uild%aster's Charis%aA Q:R per point abo2e 4:
Society is RichA Q4;R
Society is WealthyA Q<R
Society is -oorA ?<R
Society is )ery -oorA ?:;R
Whate2er the final percentage chances, no %ore than two new thie2es will
arri2e in any single %onth1 New arri2als are 4st?le2el apprentices, with the usual chance
for being nonhu%an and possibly %ulti?classed1 The D, %ay allow greater chances for
new recruits if the guild%aster goes on a recruiting dri2e after the guild has been
wea!ened by arrests or so%e si%ilar %isfortune1
Special E2ents and &ccurrences
These are the annoying unforeseen happenings which %a!e life far fro%
boring for any guild%aster1 "llow a flat 4 in H chance per %onth of one e2ent Irolled
fro% Table :>J to ta!e place1 The D, %ust be prepared to do so%e necessary wor!
fleshing out the e2ent, and %ay add his own occurrences to those in the table1 .f an e2ent
is irrele2ant, then no special e2ent occurs that %onth1
Table :>A
S-EC."$ E)ENTS .N TH.E)ES' #*.$DS
d:;
Roll Special E2ent
4 Senior Thief fro% ne9t town defects
to your guild, as!ing for protection,
brings %inor %agic ite% gift
: Rando%ly selected guild%e%ber
!idnapped by e2il ad2enturers,
ranso% note dispatched
7 /rea! success with burglaryA #uild
gets e9tra inco%e IdH 9 4;; gpJ but
a good fence is needed
= Junior thief %anages to acCuire a
B-olice SnitchB
< Deputy #uild%aster is diseased@
cursed@!idnapped@caught by the
authorities
H 4d7 du%b thugs offer ser2ices to the
guild for a BretainerBL these fighters
%ay be loyal, or are they
stool?pigeons for so%e other
organi8ationM
> -owerful N-C Ia %age, perhapsJ
co%%issions tough brea!?in and
burglary fro% the guild
6 #uildhouse is located by the
authoritiesL <;R chance a Dunior
thief finds this out before the raid1
D, %ust do %uch wor! hereN
5 $ocal assassins guild reCuests si%ple
%anpower help with a Blittle DobB
Ithat turns out to not so little 1 1 1J
4; N-C specialist of so%e !ind I%age@
thief, Cuarter%aster, brilliant cat
burglarJ arri2es and applies for guild
%e%bership
44 Rando%ly selected Dunior
guild%e%ber suffers accident which
lea2es hi% unable to thie2e
4: #uildhouse is burgledNNN rilliant N-C outsider gets away with
2aluables Ias recordedJN
47 " %id?le2el thief, plus an apprentice,
disappearL ha2e they been !idnapped
Ino ranso%J, %urdered, eaten by
alligators in the sewers, polymorphed,
plane shifted or suffered so%e worse
fateM
4= /ailed assassination atte%pt is %ade
against guild%asterGby who%M
4< Thie2es accidentally Ior in panicJ
!ill guards when co%%itting
robberyGattitude of the law will be
persecutory I%aybe gaining
reinforce%entsJ for ne9t %onth
4H No2ice thief lea2es guild Ifa%ily
%o2ing, %arries girl@boy fro% ne9t
2illage, etc1J
4> Relations with eggars' guild worsen
Iif goodJ or i%pro2e Iif
badJGactions of Dunior thie2es Ias
deter%ined by D,J are instru%ental
in this
46 urglary turns up %agic ite%
unusable by any guild%aster Ifor
e9a%ple, a clerical ite%JGthe guild
needs to trade it to get its 2alue
Iwith a te%pleJ
45 4d7 thie2es beaten up and robbed
returning fro% a burglary, reduce
guild inco%e by :<R this
%onth
:; -C's identity as guild%aster is !nown
to an outsider, who atte%pts to
blac!%ail the -C Ihe has so%e
physical e2idence to bac! his
blac!%ailingJ
lueprint -rofiles
.t's ti%e to %eet a select body of august personages fro% di2erse thie2es'
guilds1 The N-Cs here are presented with fine?grain detail, and they can be used in
se2eral ways1 They can be used by any D, as Boff the rac!B N-Cs ready for play, they
can be slightly %odified to suit the D,'s ongoing ca%paign, or they can be used as an
inspiration for the D, to de2ise his own N-Cs along the sa%e lines1 These N-Cs are
also characters who will hold do%inant positions in any thie2es guild1
To gi2e these N-Cs a rounded, full character, each has been gi2en a history and
location within one of TSR's ga%e worldsL &erth, the world of #reyhaw!, or /aerun, also
!nown as the /orgotten Real%s1 .f the D, does not wish to use these histories and
locations, he can change the% as he wishes, relocating the N-Cs as desired1
Stats3 Thief s!ill 2alues listed include all bonuses fro% de9terity, race, non?use of
ar%or, and %agical ite%s, as appropriate1
#uild%aster Septien
Selfareine, the
BWhite $ilyB
"C 4 Icloak of displacement, ring of protection ;A, boots of striding and
springingJL T 4;@ , 5L hp 7:L P"T 4L D%g by weapon typeL Str 5, .nt 4>, Wis 4H, De9 4>,
Con 5, Cha 4HL TH"C; see belowL "$ C#L S" Cuadruple da%age on bac!stab, thief
s!ills, s!ord of dancing, spellsL SD thief s!ills, %agical ite%s Ilisted belowJ, spells1
$anguages spo!enA Co%%on, no align languages, el2en, gno%e, halfling, thie2es cant1
Thief s!illsA -- H;, &$ 6;, /RT ><, ,S 6<, HS 6;, DN =;, CW >;, R$ 7;1 E9perience
-oint TotalA :4:,=H< Iin each classJ1
Spells usually %e%ori8edA charm person, feather fall, protection from e#il, sleep,
forget, in#isibility, knock, dispel magic, fly, spectral force, dimension door, !i$ard eye,
teleport.
Weapon -roficienciesA dagger, longsword, short bow, shortsword1
Nonweapon -roficienciesA artistic ability IWisL co%positionJ, disguise IChaL
double proficiency, chec!s at Q4J, etiCuette IChaJ, %usicianship IDe9L stringed !eyboard
instru%entsJ1
Co%bat StatsA ,eleeA ase TH"C; 4H1 *ses shorts!ord ;<, ;@ #ersus d!ar#es
ITH"C; 47@44, D%g 4dHQ: IQ=J@ 4d6Q:J1 "lso has longs!ord of dancing, TH"C; 4= if
hand?held, 4H if used in nondo%inant hand, 4< descending to 4: if used as a dancing
weaponL D%g 4d6 Q4 to Q=@4d4: Q4 to Q=1
Co%bat StatsA ,issilesA ase TH"C; 4=1 *ses shortbo! ;? ITH"C; 4:, R&/ :,
D%g 4dHQ4J and has 4< arro!s ;< ITH"C; 4;, D%g 4dHQ7J1
"dditional ,agic .te%sA amulet of proof #ersus detection and location, periapt of
proof #ersus poison ;@, /ol$ur's mar#ellous pigments =B 0ars>, rings of chameleon po!er
and !ater !alking, !and of secret door and trap location =C< charges>.
-hysical DetailsA "ge 7> Ihu%an eCui2alent appro9i%ately :6J, height <'44B,
weight 474 lbs, sil2er?blond hair, light blue eyes, 2ery clear and so%ewhat pale s!in, high
chee!bones, long and slender li%bs1
(ey .diosyncrasiesA Septien has an infa%ous Bego signature,B as e9plained below1
He also has a real loathing of dwar2es, and his shortsword is his %ost treasured %agical
ite%1 He does not atte%pt to e9pel dwar2es fro% his guild, but they do not ad2ance
easily, and Septien has e2en shopped one or two to the law by anony%ous tip?offs1
Co2erA Septien is a well?!nown and appreciated %usician who gi2es well?
attended public perfor%ances of his playing on harpsichord?li!e instru%ents1
#uild and $eadershipA The #ryra9 #uild has a co%ple9@%i9 structureL the
guild%aster co?rules with a ruling council of three1 Septien's style of guild%astering is
slightly wea! Ihe shares powerJ, Dust, and fairly populist Ithe council attends to general
feelings within the guild and Septien listens to the%J1
HistoryA Septien Selfareine is #uild%aster in #ryra9 of the -rincipality of *le!,
of &erth Iin the World of #reyhaw!J1 His identity as guild%aster is !nown only to the
three %e%bers of the ruling council of this guildL he is !nown to e2eryone else as BWhite
$ily1B This pseudony% co%es fro% a wea!ness he has for lea2ing a fresh white lily at the
scene of his audacious burglaries1
Septien was born the illegiti%ate son of a %inor fe%ale el2en noble in Celene,
where such a birth is no stig%a1 The half?elf's Cuic! wits and s!ill soon brought hi%
pri2ate training in %agic fro% his doting %other, and he began ad2enturing early in life1
The e2ils of the -o%arD, so close to Celene, offered a%ple opportunity for a %age to gain
e9perience and prosper1 ut Septien's light?fingered talents found e%ploy%ent in the
tolerant, liberal capital of Celene as well1
Septien %ade happy progress as %age and thief, all the while culti2ating his social
graces and %usicianship1 .t too! the ra2ages of a bro!en lo2e affair with a haughty grey
elf ballerina to dri2e Septien first to drin! and then to e9ile1 Septien grew la8y, fat, and
depressed in the lands of *le!, until the day his second lo2e entered his lifeGthe White
$ily Dia%ond1 /ound in the (ron Hills, bought by the -rince of *le! and e9hibited at the
#ryra9 -alace of Culture, the hea2ily?guarded dia%ond was irresistible1 Septien brought
off a daring robbery, and left a flower behindL the origins of his na%e1 He pri2ately sold
the ge% bac! to the -rince for :<,;;; gp, a fraction of its 2alue, later1 Septien does not
want riches1 He does not steal for the wealth1 He steals for the Doy of being s!illed and
s%art enough to get away with it1
Septien a2oided Doining the thie2es' guild for so%e years, but bu%ped into the
acting guild%aster when the two decided to rob the sa%e place at the sa%e ti%e1 Septien
was Dust putting his flower in place when the second thief arri2edN The old guild%aster
had Dust died, and to ha2e the fa%ous White $ily as guild%aster was a decision which
unified the sCuabbling and di2ided %e%bership and ruling council1 Septien was drafted
in, and so%ewhat regrets this1 .n truth, there is little burden on hi%, since the council
%a!es all the day?to?day decisions and his freedo% of action is little curtailed1 ut
Septien regrets the day his identity was disco2ered1 &n the other hand, his increasing
success as a %usician Ihe is %uch in de%and for concerts and as an acco%panistJ brings
hi% good fees, public acclai%, and a steady rate of arri2al of hopeful fe%ales at his
secluded town house1 There is word of his being %ade a Court Co%panion, the for%al
title gi2en to an ad2iser to the -rince, who is thought to see! his 2iews on el2en and
cultural affairs1
Septien in #a%e -layA "s BWhite $ily,B Septien is the classic %ystery figure1 -Cs
%ay ha2e a wild range of ad2entures trying to find hi%, stop his robberies, foil his
sche%es, etc1 -utting -Cs up against an ene%y who will only wish to outs%art the%, and
will ne2er !ill unless he is forced to, will %a!e a nice change of at%osphere1 " %ediu%?
le2el thief needing training in *le! %ight find that only Septien can train hi%, and part of
the guild%aster's ter%s %ight be that the -C will ha2e to find hi% firstN #i2en his
concerts, his li!ing for fe%ale co%pany, and his acti2ity as a %age Ialthough he is not a
%e%ber of the ,ages guild of *le!J, there are se2eral ways in which -Cs can %eet
Septien while, at the sa%e ti%e, hunting the infa%ous White $ilyN
Tactical NotesA With his a%ulet, Septien is al%ost i%possible to scry1 "dding his
ring of chameleon power to his thief s!ills %a!es this no easier1 His %aDor ad2antage is
his a%a8ing ability to get into and out of places, and with spells such as !i$ard eye he
does his best to scry places in ad2ance1 /ol$ur's mar#ellous pigments are ideal for getting
into places Ihey prestoN a doorNJ if Septien's half?elf s!ill and wand don't find the secret
doors1
Septien does not use aggressi2e, da%aging e2ocation?type spells and the li!e if at
all possible1 He prefers subtlety and guile, and a spell such as spectral force to co2er his
escapes Iusing teleport to his 2illa in dire necessityJ1 Septien is not strong and has few hit
points, and so he will a2oid %elee co%bat if possible1 .f he %ust fight, unleashing his
longs!ord of dancing while he fights with his %agical shortsword can %a!e hi% Cuite
for%idable1 Howe2er, his cloak of displacement %a!es it 2irtually certain that he will be
able to escape at least a first blow in %elee, and he often ta!es ad2antage of this to
teleport Ior dimension door if he has this spell %e%ori8ed, ha2ing scried in ad2ance with
!i$ard eyeJ away1 His %agical boots also enable hi% to %a!e fast escapes1
#uild%aster Tul%ara
Eir harann,
BCruelty's ,as!B
"C ?< Ibracers of defense %CA, ring of protection ;<, cloak of the batJL
,) 4: I4< as batJL T 4HL hp H:L P"T 4L D%g by weapon type IQH with gauntlets of ogre
power in %eleeJL Str 5 I46Y;;Z with gauntlets of ogre po!erJ, .nt 4H, Wis 4:, De9 46,
Con 4<, Cha 4<L TH"C; see belowL "$ NEL S" Cuintuple da%age on bac!stab, thief
abilities, cloak of the batL SD thief s!ills, necklace of adaptation, cloak of the bat, rod of
alertness, ring of free action1 $anguages spo!enA Co%%on, Thie2es Cant1 Thief s!illsA --
:<, &$ 5<, /RT 5<, ,S 5<, HS 5<, DN 5;, CW 5<, R$ H<1 E9perience -oint TotalA
4,=7:,4<<1
Weapon -roficienciesA dagger, hand crossbow, longsword, Cuarterstaff, short bow,
short sword1
Nonweapon -roficienciesA "ppraising I.ntJ, Disguise IChaJ, Ju%ping IStrJ, $ip
Reading I.ntL double proficiency, Q4 to chec!sJ, Rope *se IDe9J, Tightrope Wal!ing
IDe9J1
Co%bat StatsA ,eleeA ase TH"C; 471 *sually uses gauntlets of ogre power
together with longsword Q:, Q= 2ersus #ood?aligned creatures in do%inant IrightJ handL
gi2es TH"C; 6, H 2ersus #ood ene%iesL D%g 4d6Q6 IQ4;J@ 4d4:Q6 IQ4;J1 "lso
possesses dagger of 2eno% used in secondary handL TH"C; 44, d%g 4d=Q> IQ5J@4d7Q>
IQ5J plus special Ilethal poisonJ1
Co%bat StatsA ,issilesA ase TH"C; 4;L uses short bo! ;? ITH"C; 5L R&/ :L
ranges <@4;@4<L D%g 4dHQ4J and also has nor%al hand crossbow ITH"C; 4;, R&/ 4L
ranges :@=@ HL D%g 4d7@ 4d:J1
"dditional ,agic .te%sA *ag of holding =<CD cu. ft. capacity>, censer of
summoning hostile air elementals, oil of etherealness, other %inor %agical potions I8SP,
healing, etc1J as desired by the D,1
-hysical DetailsA "ge 76, height <'<B, weight 4;> lbs1, short?cut curly blac! hair,
2ery dar! brown eyes, tanned oli2e s!in, dar! co%ple9ion, ear?lobes 2irtually absent1
(ey .diosyncrasiesA Tul%ara suffers periodic blac!outs, about once a %onth, each
lasting 4d6 hours1 She is wholly a%nesic for what happens during this ti%e1 .n her
conscious personality, her %ost stri!ing feature is her dead?eyed, e%otionless %as! of a
face when listening to others1
Co2erA Tul%ara is well?!nown as a %erchant, dealing in staple co%%odities1
Cloths, foodstuffs, and li2estoc! are her %aDor business interests1 She has %any people
wor!ing for her and is rarely seen herselfL this is not unusual in her ho%eland1
#uild and $eadershipA The Ea8esspur thie2es' guild has a traditional single?
guild%aster leadership1 Tul%ara's rule is strong, cruel, and despotic1
HistoryA Tul%ara Eir harann is #uild%aster of thie2es in the city of Ea8esspur,
one of the Big /ourB cities of Tethyr in /aerun Isee /R7, 8mpires of the Sands, for so%e
further details on Ea8esspurJ1 She rules tyrannically o2er a large guild in this trade city,
with so%e 4=; thie2es who are full?ti%e %e%bers of the guild1
Tul%ara was born into opulence1 The harann fa%ily is one of the older, %ore
i%portant ones in Ea8esspur, and Tul%ara recei2ed an e9tensi2e training in co%%erce
and %erchant life when young1 Her naturally greedy and selfish te%pera%ent was
e9acerbated by being spoiled as an only child, and %ade %ore strident by this early
coaching in personal greed1 Her physical brutality, howe2er, is so%ething of an oddball
characteristic, perhaps a throwbac! to her great?great?grandfather1 &ld Sul%air harann
suffered fits of %aniacal 2iolence, but Tul%ara's brutishness is %ore coldly controlled1
Her gauntlets of ogre power aid her considerably in this respectL if she stri!es or flails
so%eone, they !now they'2e been hitN .%portantly, Tul%ara has ne2er pic!ed a poc!et in
her life1 Such 2ulgar street cri%e is beneath her1
Soon after poisoning her parents to ad2ance her inheritance, Tul%ara began
thie2ing1 /ro% her co%%ercial wor!, she learned of the acti2ities of other %erchants, and
began to plan and e9ecute robberies of their pre%ises1 E9panding into blac!%ail and
!idnapping, she was recruited into the thie2es' guild by an early para%our, "r!ail
Rhassan1 These two beca%e rising stars in the guild, arranging for the old guild%aster to
ha2e an BaccidentB and then ta!ing o2er the #uild the%sel2es1 The #uild prospered, and
beca%e wealthyL the Dunior thie2es and apprentices, subDected to harsh discipline, could
accept it if the rewards were good1 "nd they were1
"r!ail was !illed, %urdered by an assassinL Tul%ara has not been able to find out
why Iit was on the orders of the Shadow Thie2es of "%n, who feared the rise of the
Ea8esspur #uildJ1 Since this ti%e, Tul%ara has beco%e %ore withdrawn and harsh, %ore
cruel and e2il, and %ore paranoidL the !illing destroyed what little hu%anity re%ained in
her1 Now she strengthens the guild, and indulges herself in a few big heists, to pass the
ti%eL her heart is e%pty, her 8est for life al%ost wholly gone1 Her odd nic!na%e in
certain CuartersGBCruelty's ,as!BGco%es fro% a %iddling?ran! guild %e%ber who
!new of her cult sy%pathies Isee belowJ, contrasting the% with the lifeless persona and
deadpan facial e9pression of his #uild%aster1
Tul%ara is a de2otee of $o2iatar, and attends secret cere%onies and rituals of that
faith1 She rules her guild absolutely, and she rules it through fear1 She respects only force
and power in other peopleL intelligence, wisdo%, and other gentler Cualities are held for
nothing1 She has the force to bac! her cruel edicts, and while the #uild Duniors sufferG
and no few flee the landGthe fear of her is so widespread that she stays in control of her
guild, at least for the ti%e being1
.n Ea8esspur, there are so%e notable political intrigues in2ol2ing royalists of
2arious persuasion Isee 8mpires of the SandsJ1 Tul%ara doesn't get in2ol2ed in thisL and
allied with her guild's predo%inant preying on outsiders and foreigners, this has allowed
the Ea8esspur guild Iand Tul%araJ to grow strong and powerful without the authorities
getting too fearful1
Tul%ara in #a%e -layA Tul%ara %a!es for e9cellent intrigue ad2entures, and is a
good ne%esis figure if crossed Iparanoids always fit the bill on this countJ1 .t %ay ta!e
the -Cs %any ad2entures e2en to reali8e she is at the center of acti2ities they are fighting
against1 .t should be 2ery hard to find her, e2en harder to pin her down and o2erco%e her1
-Cs %ight be terrori8ed by Tul%ara's ser2ants, hired to reco2er so%eone !idnapped by
her, paid to act as bodyguards or couriers who are later attac!ed by thie2es instructed by
Tul%ara, and the li!e1 Tul%ara stri!es ruthlessly at those who thwart her, and since the
scope of her operations is 2ery wide, she can be thwarted in %any waysN
The !ey ele%ent is always to %a!e -Cs wor! hard to get closer to the identity of
their ne%esis1 Tul%ara's identity as guild%aster is !nown to few, and the fa%iliar
wor!ing up the ladder fro% apprentices or thugs, to %iddle?ran! people, and then closing
in on the heart of the operation should be the -Cs' goal1 E2en then, gaining any proof of
Tul%ara's acti2ities should be 2ery difficult1
Tactical NotesA Tul%ara's own lair is protected by her rod of alertness Iused as a
%agical alar%J and by her censer of summoning hostile air elementals which is used as a
trap Iopening a certain door causes a le2er to fall, oil to pour along a narrow channel and
be set alight, and then the oil runs into the censer, lighting itJ1 &ther %agical alar%s
Imagic mouths and the li!eJ and nu%erous %echanical traps are present1 " per%anent
stinking cloud in a corridor leading direct to her personal cha%ber can be bypassed by her
with the %agical nec!lace she wears, but could be a proble% for -CsN Tul%ara fa2ors the
use of %any secret doors in her personal lair, below her pri2ate 2illa1
.n co%bat, Tul%ara always uses the snea! bac!stab when she can, but is not
scared to slug it out toe?to?toe e2en with a plate?clad warrior1 With her ar%or class and
her %agical gauntlets, she is a fearso%e fighter1 Her escape routes Inotably oil of
etherealness and her %agical cloa!J are i%portant, li!ewise her protections against
certain attac! for%s Ithe ring of free action %a!es her i%%une to hold spells, the
necklace of adaptation protects against gases, and so onJ1 Tul%ara often spies on people
in the for% of a bat, and the powerful webs she can cast fro% her cloa! of the bat don't
affect her Iring of free actionJ1 Tul%ara has a fortune stashed away in 2arious business
pre%ises, and can su%%on up a bunch of thugs to attac! her ene%ies at 2ery short notice,
both guild%e%bers and hired %ercenaries1
Fuarter%aster
,ar%el Ra2ei8
"C > Iunar%oredJ or = Ileather armor ;?JL ,) 4:L , =@ T 6L hp :HL P"T
4L D%g by weapon type ?4 Iusually 4d=Q4@ 4d7Q4 with dagger Q:JL Str >, .nt 4>, Wis 4=,
De9 4>, Con 44, Cha 4;L TH"C; 46 I4H with dagger ;<JL "$ NL S" triple da%age on
bac!stab, thief s!ills, spellsL SD thief s!ills, ring of blinking, ring of immunity to
enchantment Isee belowJ, spells1 $anguages spo!enA Co%%on, thie2es cant1 Thief s!illsA
-- =<, &$ =<, /RT 7;, ,S =;, HS =;, DN =<, CW >;, R$ >; Is!ill 2alues not adDusted
for ar%orless stateJ1 E9perience -oint TotalA 4:,;=< Ias %ageJ, 5=,47; Ias thiefJ1
Spell boo!s Iusually %e%ori8ed spells in boldJA cantrip, charm person, detect
magic, friends, hypnotism, identify, message, protection from e#il, spider climb, unseen
ser#antE alter self, detect in#isibility, 8SP, forget, in#isibility, kno! alignment, magic
mouth, rope trick, scare, !i$ard lock.
Weapon -roficienciesA dagger, longsword, Cuarterstaff, one unlearned1
Nonweapon -roficienciesA "ppraising I.ntL triple proficiency, all chec!s at Q:J,
forgery IDe9L D, %ay use .nt for detecting other people's forgeriesJ, heraldry1
"dditional ,agic .te%sA bags of holding =< ' <CD cu. ft., one of ?CD cu. ft., one of
FD cu. ft.>, !and of identification !ith @@ charges Isee belowJ1
-hysical DetailsA "ge =4, height <'6B, weight 47: lbs1, long and lan! stringy fair
hair, green?blue eyes, weathered pale s!in, slightly hoo!ed nose, long fingers with
!nobby, large !nuc!les1
(ey .diosyncrasiesA ,ar%el has a paranoid belief pertaining to ser2ants of a long?
dead %aster see!ing hi% out to !ill hi%, as e9plained below1 ,ore %undanely, he has an
inordinate fondness for hu%bugs and will cheerfully suc! his way through a large bag of
the% gi2en the chance1 "s a result, %ost of his teeth ha2e fallen out, and his speech
contains %any bree8ily gu%less sibilants1
Co2erA NoneL ,ar%el spends his ti%e in hidingL see below1
#uild and $eadershipA The ,on%urg thie2es' guild has a co%ple9@%i9 structure
Gspecifically, it has a ruling council Iof =J elected by allegedly de%ocratic elections
fro% the guild %e%bership for >?year ter%s1 The leadership style of this council is
strong, Dust, and populist1 ,ar%el isn't %uch affected by all this, because he doesn't get
in2ol2ed in guild politics and council %e%bers Iof whate2er persuasionJ appreciate his
loyalty and usefulness to the guild1
HistoryA ,ar%el Ra2ei8 is Cuarter%aster of the thie2es' guild in ,on%urg, capital
city of the Hold of the Sea -rinces in &erth Isee World of #reyhaw! for so%e additional
detailsJ1 He !eeps the %agical ite%s the guild possesses as a group, stoc!s of specialist
thief eCuip%ent, and ledgers and accounts of the guild I%e%bership dues and the li!eJ1
These are all retained in his bags of holding1 ,ar%el is not an e9pert fence, although he
%ay use his "ppraising proficiency to purchase and chec! ite%s for the guild1
,ar%el began life as an apprentice to a /uryondian %age, and had to suffer ill?
treat%ent as the %age de2eloped an insidious for% of insanity1 His %aster refused to
allow ,ar%el to %a!e his own way in the world, but the unfortunate apprentice got his
chance when the %age was forced to acco%pany a /uryondian na2al foray against so%e
of the declining piratical force of the Sea -rinces1 Their ship was sun!, and ,ar%el too!
the opportunity to !ill his hateful and cruel %aster, grab a couple of tra2elling spell boo!s
with low?le2el spells, and le#itate to safety1 The pirates decided to capture hi% rather than
shoot hi% down, their own flying %age bringing down the unhappy apprentice, and
,ar%el beca%e a reluctant pirate1
"s piracy declined in the Sea -rince's lands, ,ar%el stayed with bad co%pany in
the for% of thie2es1 His %agic helped the%, and they trained hi%1 ,ar%el got safety and
obscurity, staying in the guild house, in return for learning the s!ills of the thief1 ,ar%el
was 2ery fearful that his old %aster %ight ha2e been raisedL his %age's guild %ight co%e
loo!ing for hi%L the old %age's relati2es %ight co%e for hi%L in short, obscurity suited
,ar%el perfectly1 .t e2en o2erca%e his fear of going robbing by night, and ,ar%el
began an ad2enturing life anew as a thief, not wanting to wor! further as a %age, lest
those he feared would be loo!ing for a hapless young %age should find hi% and punish
hi% for !illing his %aster1
,ar%el is not now an acti2e, ad2enturing thief1 He is too 2aluable to the guild to
be allowed to ris! this1 Happily, he has retired to a life of Cuarter%astering1 He %aintains
and ad%inisters the finances of the guild, and shepherds supplies and %agical ite%s for
use by guild %e%bers1 The a2ailability of supplies is always good, due to ,ar%el's lines
of supply and %eticulous chec!s on his stoc!s1 He also e2aluates ite%s brought in to the
guild house by thie2es, who %ust pay a 4;R flat tithe of all earnings to the guild1
,ar%el's tripled "ppraising proficiency %a!es hi% highly 2aluable in this respect1 He
routinely uses detect %agic on anything which loo!s e2en re%otely interesting1 He can
use an identify spell, and also has a wand of identification Iduplicates the effects of an
identify spell, with no Con loss to the %ageJ if se2eral ite%s turn up at once and the
BownerB is in a hurry for any reason Ihe is reluctant to use his wand, since he can't
recharge it, and charges 4<; gp per charge for this ser2iceJ1 .f he is curious or suspicious
about a guild %e%ber, or a seller to the guild, he will use in2estigati2e spells Ior
hypnotis%J to learn %ore1
,ar%el is a gentle enough soul, rather other?worldly at ti%es1 He li!es a spot of
haggling, although it's al%ost i%possible to get the better of hi%1 He has a strange
fondness for heraldry, and %ay purchase ite%s with unusual heraldic design for hi%self1
He has a %odest fortune fro% his own thie2ing days, and is paid a good salary by the
guild1 He rarely lea2es the guild house, and when he does it is in the guise of a %erchant's
cler! Ioften acco%panied by a guild%e%ber who has a co2er identity as a %erchantJ1
,ar%el in #a%e -layA ,eeting ,ar%el is ob2iously easiest for guild%e%bers1
They pay their tithes to hi% I4; gp per year for an apprentice, <; gp per le2el per year
fro% others to a %a9i%u% of <;; gpJ, %ay bring ite%s to hi% to be 2alued, and co%e to
hi% for supplies, or e2en the loan of %agical ite%s1 Non?guild%e%bers can %eet hi% for
the sale or e9change of ite%s, co%e across hi% at a sale of heraldic ite%s, in an antiCue
shop, or e2en possibly for training Ifor thief -CsJGat a 2ery steep priceN
" %aDor role for any Cuarter%aster is as a source of supplies1 The D, can use a
Cuarter%aster to introduce new eCuip%ent ite%s Ithe guild needs cash and the
Cuarter%aster is on a sales dri2eJ1 BHotB %agic ite%s Ie1g1, a sword with a non?erasable
and uniCue design featureJ can be sold to the Cuarter%aster1 New %agic ite%s could be
had for sale IrarelyJ, or e9change I%ore li!elyJ, or e2en borrowed for a security deposit1
The D, should arrange these practicalities as he sees fit1 0ou don't need tables of rando%
deter%inationsL you should use a Cuarter%aster to bring in pet ideas, ite%s you thin! are
nifty, as you want to1 ,ar%el has placed a magic mouth on each of his bags of holding,
of course, so that if anyone other than hi% e2en touches the% the %agic %outh will
screa% out, B#et your paws offN1B &f course, %aybe after all these years a relati2e of the
/uryondian %age wants to !now where the apprentice who !illed his uncle IsayJ has
gone with those spell boo!s, and the -Cs are hired to do the Dob1 Who would e9pect to
find hi% in a thie2es' guildMM
Tactical NotesA ,ar%el is protected against undue influence1 His ring of immunity
to enchantment %a!es hi% i%%une to enchant%ent@char% spells of =th le2el or below1
His ring of blinking helps to protect hi%1 ,ar%el isn't %uch of a fighter, and the guild
will usually ha2e so%e bodyguards with hi% in the e2ent of %aDor transactions or trips
into the outside world1 ,ar%el does not ta!e his bags of holding outside the guildhouse
with hi%N
Durdlan Sil2erpal%,
,aster /ence
"C = Idwarf?si8ed leather armor ;<JL ,) 5L T <L hp :6L P"T 4L D%g by
weapon type Q4 Iusually :d=Q:@ dHQ7 with broads!ord ;?JL Str 4H, .nt 4<, Wis 44, De9
4H, Con 4H, Cha 44L TH"C; 46 I4> with %agical swordJL "$ NL S" triple da%age on
bac!stab, thief s!illsL SD thief s!ills, H;' infra2ision, rings of mind shielding and
in#isibility1 $anguages spo!enA Co%%on, dwarf, gno%e1 Thief s!illsA -- =;, &$ =;, /RT
<;, ,S 4< I5<QOJ, HS 7;, DN =<, CW <;, R$ 4<1 E9perience -oint TotalA 45,H:;1
Weapon -roficienciesA dagger, broad sword, Cuarterstaff1
Nonweapon -roficienciesA "ppraising I.ntL double proficiency, chec!s %ade with
Q4 bonusJ, /orgery Detection Iuse .ntJ, #ather .nfor%ation I.ntJ1
"dditional ,agic .te%A *oots of el#enkindG.
-hysical DetailsA "ge 4== Ihu%an eCui2alent <:JL height ='=BL weight 4H: lbsL
long wa2y blac! hair, thic! beard plaited with gold threading, 2ery large hands with
thic!, sausage?li!e fingers, stri!ingly bad breath1
(ey .diosyncrasiesA Durdlan has an a%a8ing nu%ber of pet ani%als and is 2ery
fond of the%1 He does use the% to s%uggle things inside and to send %essages with, but
he also si%ply li!es ani%als a great deal1 .n cages in his bac! yard, attic, etc1, he has
pigeons, ferrets, guinea pigs, chic!ens IDurdlan li!es o%elettesJ, ha%sters, a slee! blac!
rat na%ed Nasher which does tu%bling tric!s, s%all blac! roc! li8ards, and a pair of
s%all flightless birds fro% Nes%e which are brightly colored and aweso%ely stupid1
Nasher is often in Durdlan's waistcoat poc!et or in the !itchen hunting scraps I-Cs are
warned not to eat any of Durdlan's o%elettes or anything else prepared hereJ1 Durdlan
also has a horrible collection of pottery and cera%ic halflings in a large glass?fronted
display cabinet1
Co2erA Durdlan has a pri%ary co2er and a secondary co2erL this is a co%ple9
business, e9plained fully below1
#uild and $eadershipA The thie2es' guild of ,irabar is ruled by a single
guild%aster, whose style of rulership is strong, %oderately cruel, and %oderately
despotic1 Durdlan operates independently of the guild, and is a consultant to the%, so this
doesn't unduly trouble hi%1
HistoryA Durdlan Sil2erpal% is a fence who wor!s closely with the thie2es' guild
of ,irabar in the northwest of /aerun Isee /R<, The Sa#age 1rontier, for detailsJ1 The
guild here is s%allGso%e :<?=; thie2es at any gi2en ti%e will be in this large cityGbut
trade through Durdlan is bris!1 Durdlan owns a couple of %oneylender and pawnbro!er
shops, and li2es in a s%all terraced house in a street of granite houses all occupied by
dwar2es Ithere are so%e =,;;; dwar2es in ,irabarJ1 His pri%ary co2er is as a
%oneylender, and his fa%ily has long been engaged in this trade, hence their surna%e1
&ther fa%ily %e%bers are %oneylenders, pawnbro!ers, and loc!s%iths, and Durdlan has
a share in se2eral of these, including his brother #lengar's fa%ous Rig?"?,ortice
loc!s%ith's shop1 Durdlan thus has a pri%ary co2er as a %oneylending s%all
business%an1
Durdlan also has a secondary co2er, a screen co2er1 He has been seen in
disreputable co%pany in ,irabar once too often in his 4== years, and the wily dwarf
reali8es that he cannot escape the scrutiny of the law all the ti%e1 So, Durdlan runs a
s%all nu%bers rac!et Iillegal and unlicensed ga%blingJ betting on 2arious e2entsGrat
races IliterallyJ, ship sailing rates and arri2al ti%es and the li!e1 The authorities thus
!now that Durdlan is a bad sort, but belie2e that he is Dust a s%all?ti%e ga%bler and thus
don't bother hi% %uch1 Durdlan's screen co2er Ia petty croo! to co2er for his real big?
ti%e croo! identityJ wor!s perfectly1 The thie2es Durdlan %eets now and then in bac!
alleys Iseen by the agents of the authoritiesJ also see the dwarf in the reinforced cellars of
his ho%eGunseen by the authorities1 There, they bring goods for sale and trade1
Durdlan's pri%ary specialty is ge%stones and Dewelry1 "ppraising such ite%s,
Durdlan is 5<R li!ely to ha2e an accurate esti%ate of their 2alue1 His secondary specialty
is barbarian relics and iconsGite%s of antiCue nature, religious significance, or
e9ceptional wor!%anship1 With such ite%s, fro% the *thgardt barbarians of the north,
Durdlan is 5;R li!ely to esti%ate their 2alue correctly1 With all other ite%s a standard
"ppraising test I.ntQ4, roll 4H or belowJ is %ade1 When he is wrong, allow hi% an .nt
test1 .f this is %ade, he !nows his esti%ate is uncertain and he will state a 2alue so%e
<;R of his original esti%ate1 "n incorrect esti%ate will be fro% 4;?=;R abo2e the true
2alue or 4;?<;R below it Ipercei2ed 2alueX <;R of actual 2alue, plus dice roll 94;R1 "
roll of ; is ta!en as 8eroJ1
Durdlan offers a percentage of the true 2alue of a hot ite% to his supplier1 This is
usually appro9i%ately 7;?<;R, depending on the BhotnessB of the ite%, its absolute 2alue
Iit is harder to sell 2ery pricey ite%s in %any casesJ, the Charis%a of the seller Ino %ore
than Q=R for thisJ, and the li!e1 .f the D, is 2ery uncertain, si%ply offer 7;Q4d:;R1
Durdlan can dispose of hot property fast because he has connections with %any
%erchant fa%ilies in ,irabar who aren't too fussy about where their secret treasures
co%e fro%1 .ndeed, the strongly co%petiti2e nature of these fa%ilies %eans that they are
often eager to ha2e better relics and treasures than other fa%ilies, or e2en to steal their
ri2als treasures and enDoy the% in illicit secrecy1 &ne of Durdlan's fa2orite %e%ories is of
selling a sapphire and e%erald brooch fro% E2eres!a to fi2e different fa%ilies, for e2er?
increasing profit %argins, within the space of a single year, as each fa%ily in turn
co%%issioned thie2es to steal the ite% fro% their neighbors1 Durdlan %ade sure that
when the brooch was secretly held by one fa%ily, the ne9t ri2al along the social line got
to hear of it1
Durdlan has %any friends in the dwar2en %erchant co%%unity who regularly
dispatch wagon trains to $us!an on the coast1 These cara2ans rarely get thoroughly
searchedL the guards ha2e scruples which are alcoholGsoluble pro2ided a few gold coins
are put their way1 This access to a %aDor coastal port Iwhere again the custo%s guards can
easily be bought offJ gi2es Durdlan the chance to sell his goods for e9port, where their
identity as stolen goods will not be !nown1
Durdlan is also ready, for a fat fee, to trade in hu%an cargoes1 That is, he will
conceal people in his ho%e Iloc!ing the% into a cellarJ, and s%uggle the% out of ,irabar
Iusually in barrels or bo9es bound for $us!anJ1 Durdlan is belie2ed to ha2e helped one or
two assassins in this way in his ti%e1
Durdlan in #a%e -layA Durdlan has only a handful of contacts fro% the thie2es'
guild, al%ost all dwar2es1 He ne2er trusts el2es Ihe denies 2ehe%ently that his boots of
el#enkind are anything of the sort, clai%ing they are boots of silent dwarfcraftJ and he
a2oids direct contact with al%ost anyone, wor!ing through inter%ediaries1 He will try to
stay in2isible during a %eeting if he can1 He certainly doesn't li!e the location of his
ho%e being !nown1
Durdlan is a fine fence to sell %any ite%s to, and he rarely atte%pts to swindle his
custo%ers1 He is the person to see for a fast escape fro% the city1 He is also a
%oneylender, of course, and can be encountered in that guise1 His lo2e of ani%als or
bi8arre fondness for cera%ic halflings could also be e9ploited to bring hi% into contact
with -Cs Inot necessarily as a fenceJ1
Durdlan also has connectionsL in wealthy %erchant fa%ilies, the thie2es' guild,
other %erchants, the dwar2en co%%unity, an assassin or two, and a%ongst officers,
guards, and si%ilar %en who will loo! the other way if enough gold is put in their
poc!ets1 .f Durdlan can't do so%ething for a paying custo%er, the odds are that he !nows
a %an who can1 This %a!es hi% a 2ery 2ersatile wal!ing ga%e %echanic for any D,1
Chapter <A Tools of the Trade
ECuip%ent for
the Thief's S!ills
Honder#an leaned a!ay from the thick oaken door regretfully. -. can't
hear a !ord of !hat's being said in there,- he said miserably. His mentor aimen smiled
at him and reached into the #oluminous folds of his robe. Hardly the time for a con0uring
trick, the miserable apprentice thought. *ut aimen s!iftly flourished a polished bron$e
hemisphere topped !ith a cone, the open surface of the hemisphere !rapped about !ith a
thin metal mesh. "ith only the hint of a flourish, he placed the end of the cone to his right
ear and leaned closer to the door, gently placing the mesh,co#ered surface to the !ood. %
smile !ith 0ust the slightest hint of smugness beamed from the older thief's face.
-Try again,- aimen urged his apprentice. Honder#an craned his neck closer and
placed the cone against his o!n ear. /o! he could hear the Guildmaster's #oice)
faintly, to be sure, but the !ords !ere clear enough . . .
-5ust one thing, +aster,- Honder#an said in a ne!ly,respectful tone on the !ay to
the 1ootpad for an ale, -!hat is the !ire mesh for4-
-To keep the ear seekers out, of course.- aimen said mildly. -The Guildmaster is
#ery fond of using them as a defense against snoopers.-
-*ut)but before you ga#e me the listening cone . . . . . tried to listen any!ay, .
placed my ear against the door . . .,- cried the apprentice, suddenly aghast.
-.ndeed you did,'' aimen replied coolly. -*etter nip off and see the clerics for a
cure disease spell. . get ten per cent of their fees in such cases, you kno!. See you later, .
trust . . .-
" wide 2ariety of special eCuip%ent ite%s are a2ailable for thie2es if they
!now where to loo! for the%1 This chapter details %any such ite%s1 ,any of these will
be specific to particular thief s!ills and are listed for each s!ill1 The use of loc!pic!s with
the &pen $oc!s s!ill is an ob2ious e9a%ple1 there are also %any %iscellaneous ite%s
which thie2es are particularly li!ely to find useful in their wor!, and there is a full listing
of these ite%s also1 " tabular su%%ary of li!ely prices and encu%brance 2alues can be
found at the end of this chapter1
"ll this isn't to say that only thie2es should be allowed to use the ite%s detailed
here, of course1 .n so%e cases, other characters cannot use these ite%s effecti2ely1
$oc!pic!s are useless for pic!ing loc!s in the hands of anyone but a thief, for this s!ill is
specifically Iand e9clusi2elyJ a thief s!ill1 %any other ite%s do not necessarily ha2e such
restricted use1 /or e9a%ple, the use of tar paper Isee below for a full detailing of thisJ
could potentially be useful for characters other than thie2es1 ut such an ite% is
particularly li!ely to be encountered in the subculture of thie2es, and to be used by the%
when going about their nefarious acti2ities1 "lso, ta!ing a li2ely interest in eCuip%ent
ite%s which assist stealth, conceal%ent, silent brea!?ins to places where you shouldn't be,
and suchli!e is naturally part of the role?playing of thie2es1 ra2e, hardy warriors and
pious priests really shouldn't be interested in such %attersN
.n the full eCuip%ent listing below, it is entirely for the D, to deter%ine whether
certain ite%s %ay or %ay not be a2ailable in the ca%paign world1 /or e9a%ple, as noted
in the Player's Handbook, co%bination loc!s %ay well not e9ist in a world based on
%edie2al ti%es, and thus the use of a s%all listening cone to assist in opening such loc!s
would be irrele2ant in such a ga%e world1 Then again, certain ite%s %ay well be
a2ailable but not openly so1 &nly fro% shadowy, illegal sources and suppliers will such
ite%s as loc!pic!s be a2ailable1 "2ailability of %any ite%s will depend on the nature of
the society the thief operates within, as detailed in the chapter on #uilds1
Since the ite%s detailed below are not included in the Player's Handbook, they
can be introduced to -C thie2es in different ways1 #oing on a Dob with an N-C thief who
uses one or two specialty ite%s is one way of educating a -C thief1 " second possibility is
regular attendance at the infor%al Bse%inarsB of the Thie2es' #uildG%a!e that -C go
bac! to high schoolN " third possibility is during trainingL part of a thief's training by a
higher?le2el thief %ay include being told about a s%all nu%ber of ite%s rele2ant to thief
s!ills1 .f the -C is allocating a large slice of his 7; percentage points for i%pro2ing one
s!ill Ioften the caseJ, then infor%ation about 4d7 ite%s rele2ant to the use of that s!ill
and also 4d: %iscellaneous ite%s can be regarded as part of what the -C is paying for
during his training1 " fourth and final possibilityGan entertaining oneGis that the -C
hears about such ite%s fro% popular stories and tales concerning a legendary %aster thief
N-C in the ca%paign world, or e2en fro% o2erhearing so%e officers of the law
discussing such %atters at the ne9t table in the ta2ernNN
S!ill ,odifiers
,any eCuip%ent ite%s detailed below will be stated to gi2e a %odifier to
the chance for success for a s!ill chec!1 The s!ill %odifiers should be treated as
suggestions only, although for ga%e balance it's probably best not to gi2e bonus
%odifiers to a thief %uch greater than those suggested1 .n any e2ent, a central rule which
always operates is that the %a9i%u% chance for success after all %odifiers are applied
Ifor race, de9terity, conditions, eCuip%ent, etc1J is 5<RL a BnaturalB roll of 5H?;; on d4;;
always failsN
0ou %ight also wish to allow an analogous 4R chance for successGa natural ;4
always succeeds, regardless of %odifiers1 The poor 4st?le2el thief trying to pic! a
%asterful?Cuality loc! in the dar! with i%pro2ised loc!pic!s rollsG;4N He's done itN The
loc! clic!s open 1 1 1
.n so%e cases, different ite%s of eCuip%ent %ay each add to so%e chance for
success when cli%bing walls, opening loc!s, etc1 .n the case of non%agical ite%s, a
general rule should be that no %ore than a total of Q:; can be added to any chance for
success in such a s!ill test, no %atter how %any ite%s are e%ployed to assist the thief's
natural talent1 The D, %ay also not allow additi2e %odifiers if ite%s ha2e a si%ilar
function1 "n ob2ious case would be the use of cli%bing daggers and spi!es for assisting
the cli%b walls s!illL the thief could not add the indi2idual %odifiers for these two
eCuip%ent ite%s together and clai% an e9tra bonus, since they both do the sa%e thing
Ialthough they ha2e i%portant, indi2idual, additional usesJ1
-ic!ing -oc!ets
This s!ill is usually practiced by si%ple %anual de9terity and swiftness1
E2en so, there is a s%all nu%ber of si%ple ite%s which can help the thief in this art1
"r% Sling
This is si%ply a cloth slingL the thief wears it to appear as if he has a
bro!en or inDured ar%, and speedily withdraws his hand fro% it for the poc!et?pic!ing
atte%pt1
This actually reduces the chances of pic!ing poc!ets by <R, but the payoff is that
the chances for being disco2ered are hal2ed Ibut a natural ;; on d4;; always %eans
disco2eryJ1 This reflects the fact that people si%ply do not e9pect to see a %an with a
bro!en ar% pic!ing poc!ets and the e9pectation deter%ines the perception1 The use of
this unusual strategy is only usefulGbut it is really useful hereGwhen the priority is not
to be disco2ered, rather than to be sure of success1 " thief wor!ing in a city where he is
not a guild %e%ber, or one where legal penalties for pic!ing poc!ets are 2ery harsh,
%ight fa2or the use of this ruse1
" thief ob2iously cannot use this ruse for an e9tended period of ti%e in the sa%e
place Isa2e possibly by posing as a beggarJ1 There is a li%it to how long an ar% can
plausibly need for healing, after all1
,ini?lade
This is a generic ter% for a 2ery s%all Iand usually 2ery sharpJ blade
which can be held Iwith careNJ between the fingers or in the Bedge of the handB1 " 2ery
sharp coin?edge, filed down, can be used in this way, and has the ad2antage of being
readily a2ailable1 " %ore sophisticated Iand rarerJ 2ersion is the ra8or ring, a hollow
signet ring with a flip?top and a 2ery sharp blade within1
The %ini?blade is used to cut a soft containerG%ost ob2iously a purse or pouch
Gso that the thief can get at what's inside it1 .t is the %ost effecti2e techniCue for getting
at coins, ge%s, etc1, inside a purse with drawn and tied strings1 With a %ini?blade the
thief only has to %a!e a si%ple pic! poc!ets roll to effect the larceny1 .f the thief has,
instead, to try to open the purse strings and then e9tract what's inside because he has no
%ini?blade, this needs two pic! poc!ets rolls for success Ione to open the purse, one to
get at the goodiesJGand two rolls for being obser2ed, as wellN
&pening $oc!s
$oc!pic!s
These are essential for the thief to use this s!ill at anything li!e his
BnaturalB ability le2el1 .t is these ite%s which are listed in the Player's Handbook as
Thie2es' -ic!s, costing 7; gp1 They are usually short lengths of rigid wire and flat,
narrow plates of iron or steel, especially designed and %ade for dealing with loc!s, and
there will be a do8en or so to a set1 They will be supplied either on a ring Ili!e !eysJ or in
a cloth or leather wallet which unrolls1 These ite%s will ne2er be freely a2ailable on the
open %ar!et1
.%pro2ised $oc!pic!s
$oc!pic!s are %ade for the Dob, but it is possible for a resourceful thief to
i%pro2ise a loc!pic! fro% a length of wire, a hairpin or hat pin, or so%e si%ilar ready?to?
hand ite%1 &b2iously, this will ne2er be anywhere as good as the specially?crafted ite%,
but it's better than nothing1 "s stated in the Player's Handbook, a penalty of anywhere
fro% ?< to ?H; can be applied to the use of such i%pro2ised loc!pic!s1 The following
suggestions are gi2en for the D, to select within this range1
To create i%pro2ised loc!pic!s the thief %ust %a!e an .ntelligence chec!,
%odified Ipositi2elyNJ by his e9perience le2elGreflecting the resourcefulness greater
e9perience brings1 .f this chec! is successful, the i%pro2ised ite%s can be used with a
penalty of ?< to ?7; I4dH9<J to the open loc!s roll1 .f the %odified .ntelligence chec! is
failed, the thief can bodge up so%ething, but it is a feeble effortGthe penalty is ?7< to ?H;
I4dH9<, Q7;J for the &pen $oc!s atte%pt1 $oc!s which are of ,asterful Cuality, howe2er,
cannot be opened with i%pro2ised loc!pic!s Iunless the D, allows the ;4Xsuccess rule
hereJ1
Critical /ailureA When opening loc!s, either with loc! pic!s or with i%pro2ised
loc! pic!s, the D, %ay rule that on a s!ill chec! roll of 5H?55 the tool snaps but can be
wangled out of the loc! if a De9terity chec! is %adeL on a roll of ;; the snapped tool is
wedged in the loc! and cannot be re%o2ed Isa2e for disasse%bling the whole loc!NJ1
Special Rule, Co%bination $oc!sA The D, %ay wish to allow the e9istence of
these co%ple9 loc!s in his ca%paign world1 .f he does, then such loc!s are always of
Superior or ,asterful Cuality1 "s an optional rule, a thief who %a!es a successful detect
noise roll when trying to open such loc!s can hal2e the usual negati2e %odifier to his
s!ill for such for%idable loc!s, as he is able to detect the sound of tu%blers fallingN
"cid
.f a thief is faced with a loc! which his best efforts cannot pic! open,
%etal?eating acid is one alternati2e1 Such acids will eat through loc!s if the loc!s fail a
sa2ing throw Ifor %etalJ 2s1 acid Ithis sa2e is 47J1 .f the sa2e is %ade, the loc! cannot be
opened, but it will be ruined Iand unopenableNJ if a second sa2e I%etal 2s1 acidJ is failed1
*se of such acid is difficult and a2oided by %ost thie2es, for 2arious reasons1
*se of %etal?eating acids is difficult because only acids of great strength will do
the Dob effecti2ely1 The D, should greatly restrict the a2ailability of such acidL acids of
the strength of blac! dragon acid and thessalhydra acid Ipossibly also giant slug spittleJ
are a%ong the few !nown effecti2e %etal?eaters1 Thus, a2ailability is 2ery low Iand cost
2ery highJ1
Thie2es usually a2oid such acids in any e2ent1 /irst, the acid is 2ery ha8ardous to
carry1 While it %ay be contained in glass containers Iand possibly cera%icJ, such 2essels
are fragile1 .%agine falling down a pit and hearing the sound of brea!ing glass as double?
strength acid begins to seep through clothing and o2er one's bac! 1 1 1
Second, if the acid does not do the Dob it %ay ruin the loc! and any hope
of opening it in another way, as described1 Third, it is a calu%ny on the professional
reputation of a thief to ha2e to resort to such %eans as acidsN
Chisels
" thief %ay atte%pt to force a loc! open with a loc! chisel and a s%all
ha%%er1 This is not really a highly s!illed acti2ity, and the D, %ight consider e9tending
this to non?thie2es1 The base chance for success is eCual to the open doors percentage
Iwhich is Strength?based, of courseJ1 " thief %ay add one?fifth of his open loc!s chance
to this base chanceG!nowing so%ething about loc!s does gi2e a slight ad2antage here1
&b2iously, forcing a loc! is a noisy acti2ity and any hope of subtlety and surprise
e2aporates with the first blow1
Cutters, /iles and Hac!saws
These instru%ents %ay ha2e to be resorted to if a thief cannot pic! a loc!,
but thin!s he has the ti%e to try these desperately slow %ethods for bypassing the loc!1
With a file or hac!saw blade the thief can try to saw through the loc! apparatusL a pair of
s%all wire cutters %ay also be useful for disabling so%e part of the internal %echanis%1
*sually, only reasonably s%all loc!s can be cut through in this way1 .t %ay also be
possible for the thief to cut around a loc! with a hac!saw blade1
"gain, use of such instru%ents is often fairly noisy Ialthough nowhere near as
noisy as using a loc! chiselJ1 The %ain drawbac! to cutting through or around loc!s is
that it ta!es a 2ery, 2ery long ti%e1 in %ost cases the atte%pt will be certain to succeed,
unless there are special circu%stancesGe1g1, the thief has only one s%all rusty file and
the loc! is a huge co%bination loc! de2iceN
,agnifying #lass@$ens
"t the D,'s discretion, using such an ite% to inspect a loc! %ay add <R
to a thief's chance to open the loc!1 This only applies if the thief has so%e ele%ent of the
loc! apparatus e9posed to his 2iewGif he can see so%ething of the inner wor!ings of the
loc!1
&il and /unnel
So%e loc!s %ay grow rusty with age and disuse, and be harder to pic!
than new loc!s of the sa%e Cuality of %a!e would be1 Seasoned thie2es !now only too
well that the loc!s of doors in dungeons are all too often of this sort1 The D, %ay apply
%odifiers I?<,?4;, etc1J to the open loc!s chance for such doors as he sees fit1 rusted and
e2en fairly dirty loc!s %ay ha2e a little light oil applied to their insides, usually with the
use of a long?nec!ed funnel Iand %aybe with a short length of rubbery tubing on the end
of thatJ1 The negati2e %odifier %ay itself be negated, in whole or in part, by such
lubrication1 .t ta!es 4 round to apply the oil and <?4; IdHQ=J rounds for the oil to ha2e its
effect on the %echanis%1
&f course, using oil to lubricate a loc! helps the thief to open it silently1 .f the D,
wants to %a!e a silent %o2e%ent chec! for loc!?pic!ing, it should be %ade at Q4; if oil
is used1 &il is also useful when it co%es to rusty door hinges in this conte9t1
Ti%e Scales
-ic!ing a loc! ta!es 4d4; rounds, as stated in the Player's Handbook1 .f
the thief has no loc!pic!s or is using i%pro2ised loc!pic!s, this duration beco%es 4d:;
rounds1
&ther ways of bypassing loc!s ta!e rather longer1 *sing a loc! chisel and ha%%er
ta!es one turnL %etal?eating acid ta!es 7dH roundsL cutting around a loc! ta!es :dH turns
Iassu%ing that the door is a wooden one of a2erage thic!nessJL cutting through a loc!
ta!es 7dH turns1 The D, %ay roll rando%ly for ti%e needed, or %ay select a 2alue within
the range shown which reflects the Cuality and si8e of the loc!1 Si8e will %ost affect acid
and cutting round a loc!, whereas Cuality will affect cutting through a loc!, as regards
ti%e needed1
/inding and Re%o2ing Traps
ecause the nature of traps can 2ary, a wide range of eCuip%ent %ight
concei2ably be helpful on different occasionsL a %agnifying glass, for e9a%ple, %ight
help with concealed traps1 There are %any ite%s for which a D, %ight allow a Q<R
%odifier to the find@re%o2e traps roll1 This needs a D, decision on a case?by?case basis1
There is one e9ceptionA loc!pic!s, which are i%portant in a wide range of cases1
$oc!pic!s
These %ay be considered as necessary for disco2ering s%all traps which
are affi9ed to loc!s1 Without the%, the thief cannot use his find traps s!ill nor his re%o2e
traps s!ill for dealing with such traps1 .%pro2ised loc!pic!s ha2e a ?7; penalty to both
s!ill rolls1 The !ind of traps in2ol2ed here are s%all poisoned needles inside drawers or
coffersL spring?triggered poison dart traps inside containersL and so on1
,o2ing Silently
/ootpads
These useful eCuip%ent ite%s ha2e e2en had a type of robber na%ed after
the%, of course1 /ootpads can be i%pro2ised fro% rags or cloth tied to the feet, or built
into footwearGthe latter ob2iously negates any ris! of cloth falling offN
/ootpads are not considered standard eCuip%ent worn by the thief because of the
disad2antage they ha2e1 Their ad2antage is that they add Q< to the chance for %o2ing
silentlyL the corresponding disad2antage is that footpads reduce traction, and so their use
adds a ?< penalty %odifier to any cli%b walls roll the thief has to %a!e while wearing
the%1 Cat burglars are ad2ised to use detachable footpads which can be donned after
getting o2er the wall on the way inN
"s an aside, the nor%al, un%odified %o2e silently chance assu%es that the thief
is wearing nor%al, e2eryday footwear1 .f for so%e reason he is wearing hob?nailed boots
or the li!e the D, %ay readily apply a penalty %odifier of ?4;, ?:; or so to any atte%pt
to %o2e silently1
Silenced "r%or
" special for% of silenced elfin chain is a2ailable to the thief1 Such ar%or
has each indi2idual lin! of chain ar%or wrapped in thin leather or light cloth binding1
This to so%e e9tent BsilencesB the ar%or, at the cost of increasing its encu%brance by
one?third abo2e that of nor%al elfin chain1 .t is also fiendishly e9pensi2e, costing %ore
than plate %ail1 &f course, it is e2en rarer than ordinary elfin chain itself1 /inding a
crafts%an and persuading hi% to %a!e such a suit of ar%or could be a challenging
ad2enture in itself for a thief1 The total profile for silenced elfin chain is shown in Table
:6 below1
Table :6A
S.$ENCED "R,&R IE$/.N CH".NJ
E//ECT &N S(.$$
-ic! -oc!ets ?:<
&pen $oc!s ?<
/ind@Re%o2e Traps ?<
,o2e Silently G
Hide in Shadows ?4;
Detect Noise G
Cli%b Walls ?:<
Read $anguages G
onuses for %o2ing silently and hearing noise abo2e those which apply
for nor%al elfin chain are so%ewhat offset by penalties to pic!ing poc!ets and cli%bing
walls1 Silenced elfin chain is particularly useful to a thief for who% subterfuge and
snea!ing around unobser2ed are 2ery i%portant, but who suspects that there is a high
probability of co%bat at so%e stage during his %issionN
Strapping
" thief %ay use lengths of strappingGusually of stiff, hardened leatherG
to i%pro2e his chances of %o2ing silently if these would otherwise be reduced by such
factors as sCuea!y floorboards Ibut not otherwiseJ1 These straps will usually be 7; to 7H
inches or so in length, and they help distribute the thief's weight o2er a wider area1 Their
use negates any negati2e %odifier arising fro% sCuea!y floorboards, but the thief has to
pic! up the strips and %o2e the% before hi% as he wal!s along1 This reduces his
%o2e%ent rate to only one?half of that which nor%ally applies for atte%pting to %o2e
silentlyGi1e1, one?si9th of nor%al wal!ing %o2e rateN
Hiding in Shadows
"s the Player's Handbook e9plains, this ability is not literally Dust the
!nac! of hiding in areas of shadow while not %o2ing1 .t also co2ers hiding in bushes,
shrubs, behind drapes, in alco2esGanywhere where there is a chance of s!ul!ing about
i%%obile in so%e location which offers co2er and the hope of staying unseen1
Considering appropriate eCuip%ent needs to be considered in this light1
Ca%ouflage Clothing
There %ay be e9ceptional 2ariants on thisGfor e9a%ple, if a thief !nows
that he needs to hide in shadows a%ongst the cri%son curtains of a lady's boudoir he
%ight use a cri%son set of clothing1 "part fro% such singular special cases, there are two
general types of ca%ouflage clothing the thief will find useful in 2arious situations1
Dar!suitA This co%prises blac! or 2ery deep blue clothes, usually fairly
2olu%inous robes or what %ight be ter%ed a Butility suit1B Such clothing will usually be
lightweight so it can be carried about easily, and worn under nor%al clothing if needs be1
.t will always include significant facial co2ering1 .f such a suit is worn, it will add Q<R to
a hide in shadows chance in any area which is shadowy, has a light le2el eCual to dus! or
early dawn, or eCui2alent1
Woodland SuitA This has a si%ilar basic design to a dar!suit but is %ade of light
clothing dyed in irregular patterns of greens and browns1 .t adds Q<R to the hide in
shadows chance when the thief atte%pts to conceal hi%self in any suitable outdoors
setting such as woodland, a field, or the garden of a town house1
Charcoal
E2en wearing a dar!suit, the glint of %oonlight on a pallid white face can
gi2e a thief away1 lac!ing up the face Iand nec!J with charcoal adds a further :R to the
hide in shadows chance for conceal%ent in shadows, di% light, etc1 urnt cor! and soot
are alternati2es1 The thief should not forget to blac!en the bac!s of his hands eitherN
-lant Dyes
"nalogous to the use of charcoal in di% lighting, a thief can use plant dyes
Icrushed lea2es, berries, certain oily bar!s, etc1J to disguise his e9posed face and hands
and add a further Q:R to his hide in shadows chance in suitable outdoor settings1 Such
plant %aterials are usually rather stic!y and s%elly, howe2erN
Weaponblac!
&ne co%%on proble% for the thief atte%pting to hide in shadows is the
glint of a steel weapon in %oonlight, torchlight, and the li!e1 The way to a2oid this is to
use weaponblac!, a thic!, oil?based e%ulsion1 Weaponblac! can be coated on to any
%etal surface and renders it al%ost co%pletely %atte blac! and reflection?free1 .f the D,
wishes, use of weaponblac! can gi2e the thief a Q<R bonus to hide in shadows1 "
superior rule, though, is that use of this substance sa2es the thief ha2ing to %a!e a second
hide in shadows roll if he draws a weapon while hiding, or sa2es hi% fro% any penalty
%odifier if he has a weapon already drawn when he atte%pts to hide in shadows initially1
&nce the weapon has actually struc! a blow, the weaponblac! will be wiped off1
ecause it is oil?based, it is also highly fla%%able1 .f ignited it will burn brightly, turning
the weapon into the eCui2alent of a flametongue Ialthough it does not count as a %agical
weaponJ for 4d=Q4 rounds1 if the thief is not protected fro% fire Ie1g1, with a ring of fire
resistanceJ he suffers 4d= points of da%age per round while holding the weapon1
Detecting Noise
$istening Cones
The si%plest 2ersions of this ite% are cones of bron8e or brass or so%e
si%ilar %aterial, with the wide end placed against the surface through which the thief
wishes to hear and the narrow end placed against his ear1 Such listening cones add Q< to
the chances for detecting noise1 " generous D, %ay allow a thief to i%pro2ise such an
ite% fro% the hu%ble wine glass1 "s noted, with such a hollow cone it is wise to use
%esh o2er the broad end to e9clude ear see!ersN
.f such an ite% is used for a co%bination loc! Ilistening for tu%blers falling to
assist the open loc!s rollJ, the thief %ay well need a special %iniaturi8ed cone to assist
hi%1 The proto?stethoscope %ay be born here 1 1 1
Cli%bing Walls
Clawed #lo2es and Shoes
Clawed glo2es will be fa%iliar to &riental "d2entures players as tiger's
claws, but the D, %ay allow their a2ailability in any fantasy ca%paign1 Clawed
o2ershoes, si%ilar in design to clawed glo2es, also e9isted and %ay be per%itted
Ialthough they are a lot less co%%onJ1 The o2ershoes are slipped o2er the thief's nor%al
footwear1 The thief uses these clawed ite%s for e9tra grip on s%all noo!s and crannies of
whate2er surface he is cli%bing, so the bonus to the cli%b walls roll depends on the type
of surface being cli%bed1
&n 2ery s%ooth surfaces where al%ost no noo!s and crannies e9ist, clawed
glo2es and boots will not add anything to the cli%b walls chance for a thief1 /or
s%ooth@crac!ed surfaces, clawed glo2es add Q<R to the cli%b walls chance, boots add
Q<R also, the two together add Q4;R1 /or any other type of surface, clawed glo2es add
Q4;R, clawed boots add Q4;R, and the co%bination adds Q:;R to the cli%b walls roll1
Rates of %o2e%ent are not altered1
The use of clawed glo2es reduces silent %o2e%ent rolls by ?<R, the use of
clawed boots by ?4;R, and the co%bination by ?4<R, if the thief is atte%pting to %o2e
silently during his cli%b Ie1g1, trying to e2ade detection by guards atop a parapetJ1
Clawed glo2es can be used as a %elee weaponGno weapon proficiency is
reCuired for their use1 " successful hit inflicts 4 additional point of da%age to that
nor%ally deli2ered by a fist blow1 Clawed o2ershoes %ay si%ilarly be used as a weapon,
adding da%age to a !ic! attac!, if the D, allows such attac! options in %elee1
Cli%bing Daggers
Daggers ha2e been used to aid cli%bing by thie2es for generations, so it is
to be e9pected that a %ore speciali8ed for% has been de2eloped for this tas!1 Cli%bing
daggers ha2e relati2ely short blades Iso%e H to 6 inches longJ which are stiff, strong, flat,
and 2ery sharp1 This allows the dagger to be inserted into wood or between bric!s with
greater ease than an ordinary dagger1 They can be used in all surfaces other than 2ery
s%ooth ones1 The handle is also flat and Cuite broad, and usually bound with leather
strips or thic! string to gi2e the hands a good grip, or e2en to allow feet easy purchase
when the dagger is used as a step1 "lso, in place of a nor%al po%%el is a broad, s%ooth
iron ring1 This allows a rope to pass through, or it can be attached to one of the straps of a
housebrea!er's harness Isee +iscellaneous 87uipment, belowJ1
Cli%bing daggers %ay add Q4;R to wall cli%bing chances at the D,'s option,
although their %ain use is with a housebrea!er's harness1 They %ay be used in co%bat,
but because of their 2ery different design fro% that of a nor%al dagger a separate weapon
proficiency is reCuired for their use and da%age caused is but 4d7@4d:1
#rapples
#rappling irons are relati2ely hea2y iron tools, usually with three or four
separate hoo!s branching fro% the end1 The tool is attached to a length of rope for
cli%bing1 The hoo! is designed to be thrown and to catch on protrusions and thus support
the rope and cli%berIsJ1 The thief %ay throw the grappling iron 2ertically up to one?third
his Strength score, rounded up and %ultiplied by 4; Iin feetJ1 Throwing a grapple ta!es
one roundL reeling in the rope and retrie2ing the iron for another atte%pt after a failure
ta!es 4d= rounds1 The chance for success when throwing a grappling iron Ia d4;; roll is
usedJ is shown in Table :5 belowA
Table :5A #R"--$.N# S*CCESS
Catch
and
#rapple Target,iss Slip Catch
Stone -arapet ;4?>: >7?>6 >5?;;
Stone Wall Top ;4?67 6=?65 5;?;;
Tree ranches ;4?HH H>?>; >4?;;
Roc!y $edge ;4?66 65?57 5=?;;
Wooden Wall ;4?>; >4?>= ><?;;
The D, can adDudicate %ore unco%%on instances fro% this table1 "
Bcatch and slipB result %eans that the grapple see%s to ha2e caught solidly, but will slip
free after 4dH rounds of supporting any load1 .f the thief pulls on a grapple for that %any
rounds he can dislodge the grapple, whereas a BcatchB result %eans the grapple is
securely fastened1 .f possible, thie2es should test the grapple by pulling on it for si9
rounds before cli%bingN
Cli%bing a wall using a grappling hoo! and rope adds Q=;R to the nor%al cli%b
walls chance1
NoiseA #rapples %a!e a %oderately loud sound when they land1 .n conditions of
near silence, a successful grapple landing can be heard as %uch as =;; yards away
Idepending on the si8e of the grapple, etc1JL an unsuccessful throw Iwith the clang as the
grapple lands on the groundJ up to 6;; yards away1 &b2iously, these are ideal instances
and in %ost cases the effecti2e range will be considerably lower1 Whate2er range is
dee%ed appropriate by the D,, a padded grappleGone with sac!ing or so%e si%ilarly
hea2y but coarse cloth co2ering al%ost all of the surface of the ironGwill reduce it by
half1
SurpriseNA While this chapter is not concerned with counter?%easures, one
instance is irresistibleA the cruel D, should be ad2ised that shards of glass set into walls
will se2er the rope of a grappling line in :dH rounds1 ro!en glass is best set into the tops
of walls, of course1 " really brutal D, %ay allow a thief near the top of the wall a
De9terity chec! to a2oid falling as the rope se2ers, success %eaning that his hands are
now i%paled on sa2agely sharp wedges of glass which are coated in dust and filth,
probably gi2ing hi% blood poisoning if he li2es long enough to worry about it1
Special /unction "rrows
Throwing grapples is by no %eans the %ost efficient way of attaching a
rope to a wall, battle%ent or si%ilar structure1 #reater range is ensured by the use of
arrows, and %any special arrowheads ha2e been de2eloped to help the thief's chances
with such operations1
Two distinct %ethods are used with special function arrows1 The first is !nown as
the one?rope %ethod1 The rope is si%ply affi9ed to the arrow, and when the arrow has
found its %ar! the thief %erely cli%bs directly up the rope1 This %ethod is si%ple, but the
rope attached %ust be strong enough to bear the thief's weight, and this considerably
reduces the effecti2e range of the bow Iand incurs penalties of ?: to hit and da%age rolls
if the arrow is used in co%bat for any reasonJ1 .t also %eans that the bow shot, being less
accurate and powerful, is less li!ely to pro2ide a good purchase on the target1
The second %ethod is the two?rope %ethod1 Here, a light string is threaded
through a loop attached to the arrow, and both ends of the string are !ept by the thief1 The
string is light enough not to affect the flight of the arrow1 When the arrow has struc! the
target, a stout rope is attached to one end of the string and the string pulled through to
play out the rope, thread it through the loop, and e9tend it fully in place of the string1 This
%ethod is ob2iously %ore ti%e consu%ing than the one?rope %ethodL it ta!es one round
to play out :; feet of rope in this %anner1 Twice the length of rope is needed, of course,
since the rope goes fro% the thief to the target and bac!1 this %ethod is %ore li!ely to
obtain a fir% fi9ing of the arrow into the target1
Either of these two %ethods can be used with any of the special function arrows
below, with the single e9ception stated1 Table 7; gi2es rules for their usage1
Wood iterA This has a broad, flat head with bac!ward?facing barbs1 .t is
specifically designed to gi2e a good grip when shot into wooden surfaces1
Stone iterA The stone biter has a narrow, hea2y head of %etal, with s%all ridges
rather than barbs1 Careful crafts%anship is needed to produce these arrows, with high?
Cuality %etal being used and the arrow sharpened to the greatest possible e9tent1 .t is
designed to gi2e a grip when shot into stone, but will only wor! on relati2ely soft stone
such as sandstone or bric!1
Stone iter I"da%antineJA This is as the abo2e arrow, sa2e that ada%antine is
used in its %anufacture1 This %a!es the arrow capable of biting into all but the hardest
stone surfaces, but also %a!es it e9tre%ely e9pensi2e1
,inor #rappleA This has a s%all, three?pointed grappling hoo! as its head,
perhaps so%e 7 inches in total width1 This is usually shot through a window, o2er a
palisade, etc1, in %uch the sa%e way as a con2entional grappling iron is thrown1
,aDor #rappleA The %aDor grapple is a far %ore co%ple9 piece of apparatus than
the %inor grapple, and because of its %ethod of use it can only be e%ployed with the
one?rope %ethod Isee abo2eJ1 The head of this arrow at first appears to be a fairly long
arrowhead of nor%al width1 .ts true function is shown only when fired1 The rope %ust be
securely fi9ed at one end by the thief, and as the %aDor grapple arrow closes in on its
target and reaches as far as the rope will allow, the sudden tension pulls at the head of the
arrow, which opens out into a large three?pointed grappling hoo!1 This is so%e H to 6
inches in width, fully the eCual of %ost ordinary grappling irons1 The %aDor grapple has
better aerodyna%ics than the %inor grapple and a better chance of gripping, but a
considerably reduced range1
Table 7; shows %odifiers to dice rolls on Table :5 %ade when using a special
function arrow1
Table 7;A
S-EC."$ /*NCT.&N "RR&WS
"rrow Type Special Effects
Wood iter Q4< for Tree ranches and
Wooden Walls
Stone iter Q4; for Stone -arapet and
Stone Wall Top,
Q< to Wooden Wall
Stone iter Q:; for Stone -arapet
I"da%antineJ and Stone Wall Top,
Q< to Wooden Wall
,inor Q4; to Stone -arapet,
#rapple Tree ranchesL Q< to
all others
,aDor Q4< to Stone -arapet,
#rapple Tree ranchesL Q4; to
Roc!y $edge, Wooden WallL
Q< to Stone Wall Top
Ot$er Rles

&ne?rope %ethodA hal2e all bow ranges, ?< to all %odifiers abo2e sa2e for
%aDor grapple1
S!ikes and 5ine
To be effecti2e, cli%bing spi!es need to be used together with a line1
Ha%%ering in a spi!e ta!es 4d= rounds with a s%all ha%%erL spi!es cannot usually be
ha%%ered into 2ery s%ooth surfaces Ior they will not ta!e, etc1J, with the e9ception of an
ice wall Iwhere spi!es offer the only hope of cli%bing safelyJ1 Ha%%ering spi!es into
surfaces can usually be heard a long way awayGe2en up to a %ile in silent, windless,
outdoor conditions1
*sually spi!es are used as an insurance policy against fallsGif a character
ha%%ers in a spi!e, ropes hi%self to it, cli%bs :; feet abo2e this with the rope tied to his
waist, and falls he will only fall =; feet I:; feet down to the spi!e and a further :; feet
ta!ing up the slac! of the ropeJ1 " spi!e used to arrest a fall in this way has a chance of
co%ing loose, thoughN This chance is 4;R per character supported on the cli%bing line
I4<R per character for ice wall ascensionJ1
;is'ellaneos EDi!"ent
,any %ore eCuip%ent ite%s are detailed here, which %ay be used by
thie2es going about their business1 )irtually none of these are restricted to usage by
thie2es only1 as before, thie2es are the %ost li!ely characters to use the% or to !now
where to find those that are not legally a2ailable1 The D, can deter%ine which ite%s
%ay be a2ailable in his ca%paign, how -C thie2es %ay beco%e aware of the% and the
li!e, as with the pre2iously described ite%s1
The %iscellaneous ite%s ha2e been grouped into 2arious categories depending on
their %ain application1 This is so%eti%es Dust for con2enience, and so%e ite%s ha2e
se2eral potential uses, so the list is worth perusing carefully1 There is a final catchall
%iscellany, preceded by a section de2oted to the se2eral uses thie2es can find for
%odified poles and sta2esN
8r+lary and #$e%t
Cro3bar
This is a si%ple all?purpose tool which can be used for forcing windows
open, le2ering open chests with loc!s which refuse to be pic!ed, and for si%ilar purposes1
"t the D,'s option, use of a crowbar adds Q4; to any bend bars roll the thief has to %a!e
when trying to force open so%e portal1 " crowbar is usually a %etal rod 7 to = feet in
length, with one end slightly croo!ed and often with a sna!e?tongue di2ision in it1 The
D, %ay allow a thief to use a crowbar as a weapon, although a weapon proficiency slot
would ha2e to be used to a2oid a non?proficiency penalty in its usage1 Da%age is dHQ4
2ersus S@, creatures, dH 2ersus large opponents if the thief has proficiency1 &therwise, it
inflicts da%age as a club1
Glass Ctter
This 2ery si%ple instru%ent is usually a s%all dia%ond set into a suitable
handle, or e2en one set into a ring1 The dia%ond %ust be cut to a fine point, and if used in
a ring a hinged top should be used to protect the ge%1 Such a tool will cut through glass
fairly Cuic!ly1 "tte%pting an entry through a window is always superior in principle to
atte%pting to force a door, since windows cannot be as physically tough as doors and are
less li!ely to be loc!edL but if they are loc!ed, a glass cutter is highly useful1
The efficiency of this ite% is considerably increased if used together with Tar
-aper Isee belowJ1
Hosebreaker's Harness
This is a 2ital piece of eCuip%ent for the serious cat?burglar or
housebrea!er1 (nown in thie2es' cant as a Bspider,B it is %ade of lin!ed leather straps, one
around each thigh, one running around the waist, and one o2er each shoulder1 The straps
lin! together to for% a tight harness, which can be worn o2er clothing or leather ar%or1
"ttached to the harness are up to eight or so %ore straps, of 2arying lengths up to : feet1
"t the ends of these straps are s%all %etal rings, upon which %any different de2ices can
be affi9edL tools can be hung, cli%bing daggers fi9ed, and suchli!e1 The principal uses of
the harness are as followsA
IiJ .f the thief is cli%bing a wall using a rope, the rope can be run through one or
%ore of the rings of the harness re%o2ing any chance of falling fro% letting go of the
rope1
IiiJ &nce the thief has reached the point where he hopes to effect a brea!?in, two
of the straps can be fi9ed to either side of hi% Iusually with cli%bing daggers, or perhaps
with wedges in a window fra%e, etcJ1 This pro2ides the thief with a fir% base and allows
hi% the free use of his hands to open a loc!, cut glass, chec! for traps, and for si%ilar
actions1
.%aginati2e thie2es will be able to thin! up %any other uses for this handy and
2ersatile piece of eCuip%ent1
.ey"akin+ Set
This e9pensi2e ite% allows a thief to %a!e duplicates of !eys he holds in
his possession or fro% i%pressions of !eys %ade using a wa9 pad Ia2ailable as a separate
ite%L see belowJ1 The !ey%a!ing set is a nu%ber of %olds, files, s%all blades, %etal?
wor!ing instru%ents and the li!e1 .t also uses a s%all oil?burning apparatus for softening
and %olding %etal, so its use is usually restricted to a safe, secure lair where the thief will
not be disturbed1 Duplicating a !ey ta!es 4d= hours, depending on the si8e and intricacy
of the original1 " s!eleton !ey Isee belowJ cannot be duplicated with a !ey%a!ing set1
The !ey%a!ing set per%its the %anufacture of poor?to fair?Cuality soft?%etal
replicas of !eys, which are rough in appearance and do not rese%ble the wor! of a
professional1 the duplicate !ey will open the sa%e loc!s as the original if the thief %a!es
a successful De9terity test Ithe D, should roll this in secretJ1 .f the thief %ade his
duplicate fro% a wa9 pad i%pression, there is a penalty of Q: to this dice roll1 The thief
always thin!s his duplicate is a successful piece of wor!%anship, of course1 &nly when it
is actually tried on the appropriate loc!IsJ will the thief find out for sure1
The !ey%a!ing set does not pree%pt the role of loc!s%iths or their s!ill1
-rofessional loc!s%iths will duplicate !eys with a 55R chance of success and ha2e
superior tools to the !ey%a!ing set described here1 Each loc!s%ith's set of tools are
indi2idually crafted and %odified to suit the loc!s%ith and are too co%ple9 for thie2es
who are not the%sel2es loc!s%iths to e%ploy1
5i"e3ood Stri!s
These are strips of wood, usually around = to H inches long and an inch or
so high, and 2ery thin1 They are also 2ery tough, howe2er, being %ade of 2ery resilient
wood Ili!e li%ewood, although other, si%ilar woods can be usedJ and often coated on
one or both sides with a 2ery thin coat of toughening 2arnish1 $i%ewood strips are
slipped between a door and its door fra%e so that the thief can raise a latch on the other
side of the door and open it nor%ally Ipossibly after pic!ing a loc!J1 " nor%al latch can
be opened, but a bar is too strong for a li%ewood strip to lift1
S$arkskin
Shar!s!in is %ade fro% thic! cloth, into which are sewn hundreds of tiny
cur2ed and barbed hoo!s, rather li!e %iniature fishing hoo!s1 These hoo!s are 2ery
sharply cur2ed, and are all sewn with the hoo!s lying in the sa%e direction1 Thus, when
stro!ed in one direction the cloth feels perfectly s%ooth, but in the other it grips tightly
and e2en tears s!in or cloth1 Shar!s!in is so called, fairly ob2iously, because it rese%bles
the s!in of a shar!, which is coated in hoo!ed scales1
Shar!s!in can be used as a for% of hanging boardL a sCuare of the %aterial affi9ed
to a surface with hoo!s pointing downward can be used to !eep tools and such in place1
.te%s can si%ply be pressed down on the surface of the shar!s!in, and they will
effecti2ely stic! to it1 This is %ost useful for a thief cli%bing a wall and has utility in
other circu%stances1 Shar!s!in?coated glo2es can be used to assist in cli%bing walls, in
which case they can be treated as clawed glo2es Isee abo2eJ in all respects1
Skeleton .ey
These were not considered earlier under the pic! loc!s s!ill because the
D, will al%ost certainly wish to restrict the a2ailability of these ite%s drastically, if they
are allowed in the ca%paign world at all1
" s!eleton !ey is one which is capable of opening %any loc!s of se2eral different
types, in its %ost 2ersatile for%1 The 2ery best designs will open 2irtually any loc!, but it
is certain that the D, will not want any -C thief acCuiring such an ite%N Rather, four
ways of dealing with s!eleton !eys are suggested here1
/irst, any indi2idual s!eleton !ey %ay open loc!s of up to a certain co%ple9ity
le2el1 S!eleton !eys %ay be of good, e9cellent, or superior Cuality Iwretched and poor
don't warrant the%J, and a s!eleton !ey of any particular le2el of Cuality can open all
loc!s with a Cuality the sa%e as, or lower than, that of the s!eleton !ey itself1
Second, a s!eleton !ey can be treated as being eCui2alent to a thief of a certain
le2elL this can be deter%ined by the D, to suit the le2el of play in the ca%paign world1 .f
a purely rando% deter%ination is reCuired, le2el >?4= IHQd6J %ay be used1 The open
loc!s chance can be ta!en as :;R, plus <R per thief le2el1
Third, a s!eleton !ey can be treated as a B%aster !eyBGthat is, it can open all the
loc!s in so%e particular area Isuch as all the non?residential roo%s in the east wing of the
2a%pire's castleJ1 .n this instance it is really only a glorified substitute for a bunch of
!eys, although it sa2es ti%e ha2ing Dust one !ey to use1 " %ore interesting 2ariant on this
the%e is to ha2e a s!eleton !ey which can open all the loc!s co%%issioned fro% a
particular loc!s%ith Iin the last few years, perhapsJ1 .f the loc!s%ith was well thought of
and often hired, there could be ad2entures built around Dust finding out which locations
he had built the loc!s for, let alone going around opening the% allN
/ourth, a s!eleton !ey can be rated as a %inor %agical ite%, and re%o2ed fro%
the real% of %undane eCuip%ent, if the D, wishes to restrict the a2ailability of such a
!ey without banishing it fro% ga%e play1 .n this case, rating the !ey as eCual in s!ill to a
high?le2el thief and@or adding %aDor bonuses to pic! loc!s s!ill for loc!s up to %asterful
Cuality is the best way to use the !ey1
/inally, note that a s!eleton !ey %ay open a particular loc!, but it does not disar%
any trapIsJ attached to the loc! or portal unless the original !ey would do so1
#ar Pa!er
This is si%ply any !ind of hea2y paper or I%ore usuallyJ cloth which has
been soa!ed in tar, honey, treacle, or anything suitably stic!y1 The thief usually uses it by
slapping it on a window before brea!ing the glass in a window?pane1 The stic!y surface
!eeps all the frag%ents together as the glass brea!s1 Noise is considerably reduced, both
fro% cushioning the i%pact of a ha%%er on glass and by pre2enting bro!en glass fro%
scattering all o2er the floor beyond the window1 .f there is so%eone within fairly close
listening distance, the D, %ay %a!e a secret %o2e silently roll for the thief when using
this stratage%1
Tar paper can also be used with a glass cutter Isee abo2eJ, being affi9ed to the
center of the area of glass to be cut out, so that it can be si%ply pulled out when the cutter
has done its wor!1
9a? Pad
This is a s%all bloc! of wa9 usually !ept in a rigid container to !eep it in
one pieceGthe eCui2alent of a large snuff?bo9 will do nicely1 The thief uses the wa9 to
record an i%pression of a !ey he wants to ha2e duplicated later1 &b2iously, the thief can
only do this if he has access to a !ey, at least for a short ti%e, and if he doesn't wish to
ta!e a chance on borrowing the !ey for a while1 /ro% the wa9 i%pression, the thief can
ha2e a loc!s%ith %a!e a duplicate of the original !ey, or atte%pt to %a!e one hi%self
using a !ey%a!ing set, if he has one1
With 2ery soft wa9, which %ay need heat?softening on the spot, the thief %ay
e2en be able to %a!e a wa9 i%pression of such ite%s as hea2y seals, which %ay be
capable of being duplicated laterGbut an e9pert will be needed for this !ind of
duplication@forgeryN
E,asions
Thie2es often ha2e reason to e2ade detection or pursuit1 So%e of their
s!ills Ihiding in shadows, %o2ing silentlyJ are tailored toward this end1 ECuip%ent
detailed here includes further aids to e2asion, ite%s to assist in a2oiding detection, and
e2en an ite% or two to enable the thief to whistle innocently if he is found and
apprehended at the scene of the cri%e1
Aniseed
"niseed is a si%ple plant?deri2ed natural fla2oring1 " s%all Cuantity of
aniseed e9tract can be used by a thief to ruin any effort to ha2e dogs trac! his scent, if
bloodhounds Ior si%ilarJ are used by pursuers1 Dropping a 2ial of aniseed down at a
suitable place Ie1g1, by the ban! of a strea% the thief crosses, by the base of a wall he
tra2erses, e2en at a crossroadsJ will ensure that the dogs' sense of s%ell is utterly ruined
for 4d=Q4 hours if they reach the spot where the aniseed has been dropped1 " sa2ing
throw 2s1 poison will enable a trained dog to e2ade the aniseed to so%e e9tent, but the
sense of s%ell is still lost for 4d=Q4 turns1 " spell such as neutrali$e poison or slo!
poison cast on an affected dog will eli%inate the effect but the dog will still ha2e to pic!
up the trail further along, so%ehow, to continue trac!ing1 The effect of aniseed on any
other !ind of trained trac!ing ani%al is up to the D,, but aniseed should ha2e a
detri%ental effect on al%ost anything's sense of s%ell1
Caltro!s
These actually co%e in different shapes and si8es, but the basic for% is
that of a %etal ball with four to si9 spi!es or prongs set into it1 When a caltrop is thrown
to the ground it always lands with one spi!e standing %ore or less upright1 " thief %ay
throw s%all caltrops to the ground to slow down pursuers1 Caltrops cannot be used as
%issile weapons, howe2er1
The effect of caltrops depends on how %any are thrown down by the thief1 The
base nu%ber is 4; thrown down in an area of :< sCuare feet1 "nyone entering the area
%ust %a!e a sa2ing throw 2s1 paraly8ation1 " successful sa2e %eans that the character
has stepped on one, suffering 4d= points of da%age, and %ust halt %o2e%ent1 .f half the
nu%ber of caltrops is used Ionly fi2e in a :<?foot areaJ, the sa2e is %ade at Q=L for e2ery
e9tra fi2e dropped in such an area, the sa2e is %ade at an additional ?: Iup to ?H in totalJ1
" character %o2ing at less than one?third his nor%al %o2e%ent rate doesn't need to %a!e
a sa2e1 " fresh sa2ing throw %ust be %ade for each <?foot section entered in which
caltrops ha2e been dropped1
.f a pursuer steps on a caltrop, it %ust be re%o2ed before the pursuer can
continue1 This ta!es one round1 "lso, the pursuer %ust %a!e a second sa2e 2s1
paraly8ation to see if he is te%porarily la%ed1 .f the sa2e is %ade, pursuit can continue
nor%ally1 .f the sa2e is failed, the pursuer can only %o2e at one?third nor%al rate for :=
hours Ior until the da%age is %agically healedJ1
"n ingenious thief can e2en i%pro2ise caltropsGin one infa%ous instance, fro% a
sac! of potatoes found in the !itchen of a house being burgled and a s%all bag of nails
carried by the thief in Cuestion1 ,odifiers to the sa2ing throws of potential 2icti%s can be
allowed for such i%pro2ised 2ersionsN
NoteA /or players and D,s with 9nearthed %rcana, the rules abo2e are based on
the entry for tetsu?bishi in 2riental %d#entures, which has so%ewhat superior rules to
those in the 9nearthed %rcana entry for caltrops1
Catstink
E2en the best?trained dog Iwatchdog or trac!ing dogJ finds it i%possible
to a2oid being distracted when there are cats about1 This is e9ploited by the few
alche%ists who ha2e the recipe for the %anufacture of catstin!1 These few are well?paid
by thie2es' guilds for their wor!, blending 2arious liCuids obtained fro% di2erse parts of
cats with a few secret ingredients to produce a thic!, foul?s%elling, brown?yellow liCuid,
catstin!1
Catstin! is specifically blended to dri2e any dog to distraction, allowing the thief
to get past watchdogs as they frantically try to locate the cat which they can s%ell so
pungently1 Dogs who can s%ell catstin! will not do anything other than try to get at the
source of the s%ell, no %atter how highly trained1 Spells Islo!, neutrali$e poisonJ are
only useful if the dog is wholly re%o2ed fro% the s%ell1 E2en then the effect of the spell
will not be e2ident until one turn has elapsed and the dog returns to nor%al1
Catstin! can also be used to delay dogs trac!ing a thief as he atte%pts to %a!e an
escape, in %uch the sa%e way as aniseed is used, albeit %uch %ore effecti2ely Iand %uch
%ore e9pensi2elyJ1 The s%ell of catstin! can be pic!ed up by dogs up to :;; yards away,
or e2en as far as half a %ile if they are downwind of it1
Do+ Pe!!er
This %ay be dropped on the floor, li!e aniseed, to put dogs off the scent
when pursuing a thief1 .t is less effecti2e than aniseed, howe2er, the pursuing dog being
allowed a sa2ing throw 2s1 poison to a2oid the effect of the dog pepper absolutely1 .f the
sa2e is failed, though, the dog is unable to continue pursuit for 4d=Q4 turns1
Dog pepper %ay %ore usefully be scattered into the air, a s%all pac!et holding
enough to fill a 4;?foot cube1 The pepper will hang in the air for 4d= rounds after being
flung into it1 " dog entering the area during this ti%e gets no sa2ing throw to a2oid the
effect of the pepper1 .f dog pepper is thrown right into a dog's face, the unfortunate
ani%al gets no sa2ing throw and beco%es hysterical for an hour, during which ti%e it is
totally uncontrollable1
Hand 5a"!
This is usually a s%all %etal pot about the si8e of a night?light candle1 .t
has a hinged flip?up lid with a %irror on the insideL a sil2er %irror is often used, so the
ite% is not cheap1 The %irror directs the light, and the lid also wor!s as a snuffer when
closed1 The la%p pro2ides enough light for the thief to wor! by Ie1g1, when trying to pic!
a loc! in a dar! placeJ, while not shedding enough to gi2e the thief away IhopefullyJ1
Certainly, the di%, focused light is unli!ely to be 2isible at all further than so%e :; feet
fro% the thief, and e2en within this range it is 2ery, 2ery di%1
Hollo3 8oots
These co%e in 2arious for%s, but a co%%on design is one with swi2elling
heels1 The heel of the boot is grasped and twisted fir%ly toward the inside surface1 The
heel swi2els and re2eals a s%all, hollow co%part%ent within the boot1 These
co%part%ents are 2ery s%all, and will typically only hold one ge% of %oderate si8e or up
to four s%all ones1 The design of the boot is such that there is not an e9ternally 2isible
built?up heel, but nonetheless a thief wearing these boots suffers a ?< penalty to any %o2e
silently rolls he has to %a!e1
;arbles
The use of these is an old chestnut, but perennially popular with thie2es,
not least because of their effecti2eness1 " s%all bag of %arbles Ia general ter% for s%all
spheres of glass, %etal, etc1J unleashed o2er a stone floor to roll around forces any
pursuers to slow to half nor%al %o2e%ent rate or be forced to %a!e a De9terity test1 .f
this test is failed the pursuer slips up and has to spend a full round getting up again1
ecause %arbles roll around a lot, a s%all bag I7; or soJ will co2er a 4;' 9 7;' Ior
eCui2alentJ area1 S%all stones and pebbles can only be substituted for %arbles if they
ha2e been polished, filed, etc1, so that they are al%ost perfectly roundGa ti%e?consu%ing
business1
Sel%*Prote'tion and Co"bat
The eCuip%ent detailed here offers snea!y co%bat options for thie2es,
which any character with any real decency and sense of honor would usually eschew1
Since by definition so%e of these ite%s sub2ert nor%al co%bat options, the D, should
feel free to %odify and@or restrict the a2ailability of ite%s he feels unsuited to his
ca%paign1 the concealed weapons listed, at the least, should definitely be %ade a2ailable
to thie2es who are %e%bers of "ssassins' #uilds1
8lindin+ Po3der
This is a general ter% for any powder which is highly abrasi2e, irritating
to the eyes, and disabling to the 2icti% as a result1 -owdered stone, pepper, dust soa!ed in
onion Duice, and strong a%%oniu% saltsGblinding powder can be %ade fro% %any
ingredients1
linding powder is only useful if it is thrown right into the eyes of a 2icti%1 This
counts as a called shot I6ungeon +aster's Guide, p1<6J with an additional IdoubledJ
penalty, for a total of ?6 on the attac! roll1 the De9terity bonus of the person throwing the
powder applies to the attac! roll1 /urther, the base "C of the target ignores any ar%or or
shield used, sa2e for the use of a hel%et or hel%L %agical protection such as bracers of
defense or a ring of protection protect the target, as does De9terity Iunless the attac! has
an ele%ent of surpriseJ1
.f blinding powder stri!es a 2icti% the effects are the sa%e as those of the stinking
cloud spell sa2e that they last for :d=Q: rounds and no sa2ing throw is allowed1 .f the
2icti% can wash his eyes with plenty of water, the effect will only last for one round after
the eyes are washed1 "lthough blinding powder can contain so%e unpleasant ingredients,
it has no per%anently da%aging effects on the eyes1
Deat$ .ni%e
This sinister instru%ent can appear to be a bladeless !nife, but it is %ore
often disguised as so%ething %ore innocent such as a case for a co%b or spectacles or
Cuill pen, a tool of so%e sort, etc1 The disguise will not fool any close inspection,
howe2er1 The blade of the !nife is within a barrel inside the handle and is spring?loaded1
The !nife is triggered by pressing a catch on the handleL the blade shoots forward with
considerable force1 The weapon does the sa%e da%age as a nor%al dagger, although one
point of da%age is added for a first stri!e when the blade is triggered1
The ob2ious ad2antage of the death !nife is its capacity for surprise1 Since it
doesn't loo! li!e a weapon until the blade is sprung, a 2icti% can be ta!en totally off
guard by its use1 .f the target does not reali8e a blow is co%ing and the thief %anages to
get the weapon close to the body of the 2icti% so that a lunge can be %ade with it, any
stri!e is treated as a bac!stab, with standard hit and da%age bonuses, gi2en the surprise
ele%ent1 " bac!stab is not always literally a stab in the bac!N
"n en2eno%ed death !nife in the hands of a s!illed assassin is an e9tre%ely
dangerous weapon, and the D, %ay wish to rule that since the blade has to be concealed
for so%e ti%e before a stri!e there is a :<R Ior higherJ chance that the poison will ha2e
dripped fro% the blade before the assassin stri!es with it1
<oldin+ 8o3
ows are 2ery useful for thie2es, but are 2ery hard to conceal because of
their si8e and shape1 " folding bow sol2es this proble%, di2iding neatly in half when
unstrung, %a!ing it a %uch %ore suitable si8e and allowing conceal%entGfor e9a%ple,
in a thigh sheath1 &nly short bows ha2e folding?bow eCui2alents1
The Doint in the %iddle of the bow wea!ens it, howe2er, reducing the effecti2e
ranges to S =, , 6, $ 47, and also %a!ing it ?4 on da%age rolls Ibut any hit causes at
least one point of da%ageJ1
Pin Rin+
This si%ple weapon is a ring with a flip?up lid, below which is a needle
capable of deli2ering a dose of poison Ior !noc!?out drug, etc1J to the target1 The %ost
pri%iti2e 2ersion of this will ha2e the pin si%ply sitting in a s%all reser2oir of liCuid drug
or to9in1 Since ad%inistration of the poison@drug is rather hapha8ard here, the 2icti%
recei2es a bonus of Q: to any sa2ing throw against its effects1 Subtler and %ore refined
designs ha2e a needle capable of drawing up liCuid fro% a reser2oir, so that only a
nor%al sa2ing throw Ior e2en one with a ?: penaltyJ applies1 The D, should decide
which to allow in the ca%paign Iboth can e9ist at the sa%e ti%e, of courseJ1
"n attac! with a pin ring is a called shot Iwith a ?= penalty to the attac! rollJ
because it %ust stri!e e9posed fleshGthe pin will not ad%inister poison through any
significant thic!ness of clothing1 " stri!e to the nec! is the ti%e?honored way of %a!ing
sure the to9in gets into the bloodstrea% Cuic!ly1 The D, %ay rule in unusual cases that
no called shot is needed Ie1g1, the thief surprises a 2icti% in his bathJ or that the pin ring
cannot be effecti2e at all Ie1g1, the 2icti% is clad fro% head to toe in field plateJ1
S3ord Sti'k
This is si%ply a long, slender, rapier?li!e blade concealed within what
appears to be a si%ple wal!ing stic! or cane1 The long and thin blade reCuires a weapon
proficiency slot to be used %ost effecti2ely1 Swashbuc!lers are particularly fond of this
weapon1 Da%age done by the blade is as per a short sword1 .t ta!es one round to draw the
blade fro% the sword stic! and ready it for use1 The %ain use of the weapon, ob2iously, is
the possibility of s%uggling it into places where weapons are not per%itted1
.t is highly doubtful whether anything li!e a sword stic! e9isted in %edie2al
ti%es, but this weapon definitely adds so%e style and dash to a ca%paign1 Since it does
less da%age than %ost swords Iand reCuires a weapon proficiencyJ the D, should
consider allowing it in his ga%e1
9rist S$eat$
This s%all leather sheath is %ade to hold a !nife or dagger, and is strapped
to the forear% Ibelow the slee2e of a gar%entJ so that the weapon can be flipped to the
hand by an ar% %o2e%ent and the blade readied for action1 " de9terous thief can wor! a
blade into his hand by ar% %o2e%ents disguised in the conte9t of changing posture while
sitting in a chair, or si%ilar, see%ingly innocuous %o2es1 "gain, the ob2ious ad2antage is
that of conceal%ent1
)ariants on this the%e are drop sheaths, which are usually sewn into leather
Dac!ets or si%ilar articles of clothing1 Here, release of the dagger fro% the sheath can be
triggered by %echanical %eans Ipressing a Dac!et slee2e stud, etc1J or by %uscular sti%uli
triggering pressure pads Itensing the biceps fir%ly against the fist of the other ar%, etc1J1
#$e =oy o% Sti'ks
This section details se2eral uses for poles, sta2es, or stout stic!s, %any of
which can ob2iously be i%pro2ised as and when necessary1 -C thie2es %ight, howe2er,
prefer suitably %odified poles ready to hand in case of urgent needN
8lade Pole
This is a substitute for a polear%, but is not used as a co%bat weapon1
Rather, a s%all blade is wedged into one end of a pole, and this is used for cutting obDects
at a distance1 The %ost notable use for the blade pole is in cutting trip wires Ie1g1, at a
distance if the thief is unsure whether traps %ay be triggeredJ1
Cli"bin+ Pole
This has to be a stout, strong pole, 4; feet long or so, to be of any real use1
.t has notches cut into it at regular inter2als Iappro9i%ately e2ery : feetJ to enable the
thief to cli%b using it1 .t %ust be set at a suitable angle against the wall, or else it cannot
be e%ployed1 Thie2es will not often ha2e use for such an ite%, but it has its uses for
dealing with 2ery slippery or s%ooth surfaces, walls %ade with bro!en glass shards in the
%ortar, and si%ilar unusual cases1
Hooked Pole
" strong hoo! is set into the end of the pole, which has se2eral uses1 The
first is to yan! disco2ered trip wires, if this is what the thief wishes to do, although a
blade pole is usually superior for dealing with such proble%s1 The %ore co%%on use,
though, is to use the hoo! to catch on obDects so they can be retrie2ed1 Depending on the
si8e of the hoo!, anything fro% a !ey ring or s%all Dewelry cas!et Ihoo!ed through the
catchJ to a rich %an's Doint of beef can be purloined by the thief1 "t the D,'s option, a
s!ill chec! Ia pic! poc!ets rollJ %ay be reCuired for success1 .n %edie2al England,
fishing through windows with hoo!ed poles was so co%%on that a subclass of thief who
%ade a li2ing in this way was co%%only !nown and called Bthe hoo!er1B
;irror Pole
This uses %irrors at both ends of the pole, set at a suitable angle so that the
thief can peer, periscope?li!e, around corners using the instru%ent1
;is'ellany
8lade 8oots
This e9otic title is a catchall for specially %odified boots which ha2e
concealed blades within the%1 The blades ha2e to be s%all, of courseL they are usually
little bigger than %odern?day ra8or blades1 They are usually concealed in secret
co%part%ents in the heels of boots Isee Hollow oots abo2eJ, but slender blades can
e2en be hidden in the soles of boots1 Such blades are of little use as weapons, but can be
used to slit pouches and purses, to cut ropes, and for si%ilar tas!s1
<alse S'abbard
Thie2es can e%ploy stout scabbards which are slightly longer than the
swords which fit into the%, lea2ing a length of scabbard at the end which is a separate,
hollow co%part%ent1 *sually, this can be accessed 2ia a sliding panel at the end of the
scabbard1
This hollow co%part%ent can be used to conceal a great %any !inds of things,
either to s%uggle the% in Ipoisons, dog pepper, blinding powder, etc1J or s%uggle the%
out Ige%s and suchJ1 So%e are so well?designed that the co%part%ent can be entered
fro% abo2e or below, so that the thief can use the false scabbard as a snor!el Ior, %ore
correctly, as an underwater breathing tubeJ if he has to stay concealed in the water for any
reason1
Hand 9ar"in+ 5a"!
This s%all la%p is oil?burning, with a reser2oir of oil and a s%all wic!
sun! into an earthenware shell1 .t is used by the thief to war% his hands, by cupping the%
around it, if cold would otherwise i%pair his talents Itry pic!ing a loc! with fro8en
fingers in a cold cli%eNJ1 )irtually no light is produced, the ai% si%ply being to war% the
hands1 The si%plest 2ersion of this is a cor!ed earthenware sphere which can be filled
with hot oil before the thief sets off on his wor!, to be drawn fro% a poc!et and held in
the hands when needed1
;arked Cards and 8iased Di'e
These are standard trappings for any self?respecting swindler1 There are no
rules for ga%bling in "D+DK :nd Edition, howe2er, so the D, has two options1 /irst,
he can write his own1 Second, the si%ple rule?of?thu%b rules suggested here can be used1
.f the #a%ing proficiency is being used, use of suitably %ar!ed cards or biased
dice allows a ?4 %odifier to the d:; chec! Ire%e%ber that proficiencies wor! when low
dice rolls are %adeJ1
.f the ga%e is actually being played out and the #a%ing proficiency not used,
then the thief -C is allowed Iin effectJ to replace any one card drawn or die thrown if he
has the suitable prop and if a De9terity test is %ade1 Thus, if the -C is playing blac!Dac!
and has drawn a !ing and a fi2e, the effect of using %ar!ed cards is si%ulated by
allowing a redraw on one card, if the player wishes to do so Iin this case, the fi2e, in all
li!elihoodJ1 When rolling the De9terity test, if the d:; roll is 46Q the thief has been seen
cheating Ie2en if he %a!es the De9terity test successfullyJ1 /or ob2ious reasons, the D,
should roll this test in secretN
9ater S$oes
These belong %ost correctly in (ara?Tur, land of 2riental %d#entures and
ninDa, but they could e9ist in any fantasy setting1
Water shoes are si%ply large, wic!erwor! bas!etli!e de2ices which are worn o2er
the feet Iand co%e to %id?calf heightJ1 The thief balances in an upright position and
propels hi%self across the water with a paddle or oar1 The D, %ay insist on a %o2e
silently chec! at so%e stage1 .f anything happens to startle the thief Isuch as an arrow
whi88ing past his head or so%e %onster rising up in the waterJ, a De9terity test %ay be
called for to a2oid falling o2er into the water1
Cost and A,ailability o% EDi!"ent
.n Table 74 below, the cost, weight, and legality of eCuip%ent ite%s are
listed1 These are listed in the sa%e order they appear in the preceding te9t1 " few don't
appearL there are no prices for the poles Iwhich can be rigged up fro% eCuip%ent listed in
the Player's Handbook anywayJ, for e9a%ple1 Cost and weight are as per the Player's
Handbook for%at and clothing ite%s ha2e weights listed for the% but are also denoted by
the letter BC1B They add nothing to encu%brance if worn nor%ally1
$egality of the ite%s is i%portant1 .te%s are listed as $ IlegalL freely a2ailable on
the open %ar!etJ, S IshadyL a2ailable in %ore liberal countries and in dodgy bac!?street
shops under the counterJ, and . IillegalL fro% a thie2es' guild onlyJ1 So%e ite%s get a split
classification, e1g1, B$@S1B This %ay be because they are borderline, or because they are
legal for so%e narrow, specific occupational usage only Iand there %ay be restrictions on
their saleJ1
/inally, ite%s %ar!ed with two asteris!s IOOJ %ay be hard to obtain e2en if not
illegal, for 2arious reasons1 They %ay need rare crafts%en to %a!e, basic ingredients %ay
be hard to find Ie1g1, blac! dragon acidNJ, and such1 The ite% description should %a!e
clear why an a2ailability proble% %ay e9ist1 The D, should deter%ine a2ailability rather
than using a rando% roll1
#able -()
PURCHAS&NG #H&E< EFU&P;EN#
&te" 5e+ality Cost 9ei+$t
"r% Sling $ 7 cp
,ini?lade $ < cp O
Ra8or Ring IironJ S@. : gp O
Ra8or Ring Isil2erJ S@. 4; gp O
Thie2es -ic! . 7; gp 4
"cid, ,etaleating, 4 2ialOO $ <; gp
I$oc!J Chisels, set of 7 $ : gp 4
Hac!saw IeCui2alentJ $ 7 gp 4
Hac!saw lade $ H sp O
,etal /ile $ < sp
Wire Cutters $@S 4 gp
/unnel, s%all $ 7 cp
/ootpad's oots . 6 gp 7 C
Silenced "r%orOO S ><; gpQ <;
$eather straps IpairJ $ 7 sp 4
Dar!suit S 7; gp <
Woodland Suit$@S 7< gp <
Charcoal, bundle $ : cp
Weaponblac! I2ialJ S : gp
$istening Cone IbrassJ $ : gp
Clawed #lo2esOO . :; gp 4 C
Clawed &2ershoes . 4< gp 4 C
Cli%bing Dagger $ < gp 4
#rappling .ron$ 7 gp :
"rrow, wood biter $ 6 sp O
"rrow, stone biter $ 4 gp O
"rrow, stone biter,
ada%antine $ > gp O
"rrow, %inor grapple $@S H gp
"rrow, %aDor grapple $@S 4; gp 4
Cli%bing Spi!es, iron I4;J $ < sp =
Crowbar $ H sp =
#lass?cutter IhandledJ$@. 4:; gp 4
Housebrea!er's HarnessOO . :< gp :
(ey%a!ing Set . H; gp H
$i%ewood
Ias bar! strips, 4;J $ 7 cp O
Shar!s!in Iper sC1 ft1J $@S 4: gp 4
S!eleton (ey . 2ar1
Wa9, bloc! $ 7 cp
"niseed, 2ial $ : sp O
Caltrops I4;J $@S 7 gp 4
Catstin!, 2ialOO S@. =; gp
Dog -epper, pac!et S 4 sp O
Hand $a%p Iwith
sil2ered %irrorJ $@S 4; gp 4
Hollow oots . 4< gp 7 C
,arbles, bag I7;J $ : cp
linding -owder 2ar1 2ar1 O
Death (nifeOOS@. 4: gp 4
/olding ow $@S =< gp :
-in Ring IironJ S@. : gp O
-in Ring Isil2erJ S@. 4; gp O
Sword Stic!OO$@S :< gp =
Wrist Sheath S 7 sp
lade oots . 4< gp 7 C
/alse ScabbardOO $@S 4: gp 4?:
Hand?War%ing $a%p $ : sp
,ar!ed Cards, Dec!OO . < gp
iased Dice, bone, bo9 of = . < gp
iased Dice, i2ory, bo9 of = . :; gp
Water Shoes, pair S@. < gp 4
,agical .te%s for Thie2es
When possible, the D, should select the %agical ite%s he will gi2e out in
his ca%paign1 So%eti%es, though, a fast and rando% selection %ay be needed1 .n this
case, if the D, rolls 55 or ;; on Table 66 of the 6ungeon +aster's Guide Ip1 47<J, he
should not roll for a %agical weapon, but %a!e a si%ple d:; roll on Table 7: below1
The ite%s shown in the later tables fall into three categoriesA
IiJ .te%s restricted to use by thie2es only1 These are indicated by ITJ following the
title of the ite% in the tables1
IiiJ .te%s which do not ha2e to be restricted to thie2es only, but which ha2e %ore
than one effect, with at least so%e of their effects being of 2alue for thie2es alone1 That
is, thie2es will benefit far %ore fro% these ite%s than other characters1 These are
indicated by ITOJ following the title of the ite% in the tables1 The D, %ay well wish to
rule that these ite%s can only be used by thie2es in his ca%paign1
IiiiJ .te%s which can be used by nonthie2es as well as thie2es, but which are
clearly i%portant for such typical thief acti2ities as spying, stealing, snooping, snea!ing
and such1
"s a general note, %ost of the ite%s in this section are of relati2ely low power1
This should allow D,s to introduce one or two such ite%s into e2en a fairly low?%agic
ca%paign with no fear of upsetting ga%e balance1
Table 7:A
,"#.C"$ .TE,S /&R TH.E)ES
d:;
Roll Cate+ory #able
4?> -otions and oils 77
6?44 ,iscellaneous ,agicA Clothing and Jewelry 7=
4:?4< ,iscellaneous ,agicA&ther Snea!y Stuff 7<
4H?45 Weapons 7H
:; Special Isee belowJ
/or each of the later tables 77 through 7H, a si%ple dH roll is used to
deter%ine
the nature of the ite% found1 None of these later tables has any subtables to worry about1
Detection Resistance
,any of the ite%s listed below were designed to enable the thief to a2oid
detection, to pre2ent his ill?gotten gains fro% being disco2ered, and such1 Clearly, the
a2oidance of detection by si%ple low?le2el %agical spells is highly i%portant to %any
thie2es1 "s a conseCuence, so%e of the thief %agical ite%s are enchanted with detection
resistance, reCuiring any spellcaster using a di2ination spell Isuch as detect magic, detect
in#isibility in appropriate cases, etc1J effecti2ely to o2erco%e <;R %agic resistance so far
as the detection goes1 .t also protects the thief against disco2ery by creatures able to
detect in2isible Iallow a flat <;R chance of auto%atic nondetection in cases where such
creatures ha2e no spellcaster le2elJ1 This detection resistance does not gi2e the thief any
general %agic resistance, of courseN
BS- )alueB entries are e9perience point awards which apply for %a!ing the ite%1
"n entry of B*B %eans that the ite% is uniCue and cannot readily be %agically %ade,
since the original was %ade by un!nown %eans1
Table 77A -&T.&NS "ND &.$S
dH S-
Roll .te% )alue
4 8ssence of 6arkness ITOJ 7;;
: 2il of Slickness ITJ 7<;
7 +aster Thie#ery ITJ <;;
= Perception ITOJ 7;;
< Sleep *reathing :<;
H Thie#ery ITJ 7<;
Table 7=A
,.SCE$$"NE&*S ,"#.CA
C$&TH.N# "ND JEWE$R0
dH S-
Roll .te% )alue
4 %mulet of 6ramatic 6eath ITJ *
: *oots of *alance ITOJ 4,;;;
7 Glo#es of 8#asion ITOJ 4,;;;
= +antle of the +undane ITOJ 4,<;;
< obe of Ianishing ITJ :,;;;
H Shado!cloak ITOJ 7,;;;
Table 7<A
,.SCE$$"NE&*S ,"#.CA
&THER SNE"(0 ST*//
dH S-
Roll &te" Vale
4 *ag of Ianishing ITJ <,;;;
: *o'es of 6elightful Transport :,<;;
7 6ust of Trail 6ispersion ITOJ <;;
= :ens of emote Iie!ing ITJ 4,;;;
< :ens of Ialuation ITJ 4,;;;
H Tallin's Tightrope 4,:<;
Table 7HA ,"#.C WE"-&NS
dH S-
Roll .te% )alue
4 Crossbo! of %ngling ><;
: 6agger of .mpaling ITJ 7;;
7 6agger of esource ITJ <;;
= 6agger of Sounding ITJ 7;;
< Scabbard of Poison <;;
H Shorts!ord of *ackstabbing ITOJ >;;
Description of ,agical .te%s
-otions and &ils
Essence of Dar!nessA This pure blac! oily fluid %ust be !ept in tough,
light?proof containers, since it is destroyed after one turn in bright sunlight or one hour
e9posed to daylight1 Essence of dar!ness is pure, concentrated, liCuefied dar!ness itself1
.t can be used in a nu%ber of waysA
IiJ When a dose is swallowed it %a!es the i%biber's entire body, including hair,
teeth, and e2en the whites of the eyes, pure %atte blac! in color1 This can enhance a
thief's chance of hiding in shadows as shown below1
IiiJ Si%ilarly, if one dose is diluted in a gallon or so of war% water, the essence
creates a powerful blac! dye1 " gallon of this diluted for% can be used to dye clothes and
e2en ar%or and weaponsL one gallon of the dye is sufficient to treat the clothes and
eCuip%ent of one character1 The dye ta!es one turn to %i9 and soa! into the ite%s and
one turn to dry1 This process also affects the chances for successful hiding in shadows1
ody only Iwearing nor%al clothesJ Q<R
ody only Iwearing no clothesJ Q:<R
Clothes only Q:;R
oth body and clothesQ=;R
These bonuses only apply when the thief is trying to hide in dar!ened areas,
ob2iouslyL that is, to BtraditionalB hiding in shadows1 Detection resistance operates on a
thief using essence of dar!ness to hide in this way1
IiiiJ 8ssence of darkness is unstable and if a 2ial is struc! by a crushing blow it
will e9plode into dar!ness 4<' radius1 " single dose of the %agical essence will create a
dar!ness <' radius if so struc!1 This property has been e9ploited by %a!ing s%all glass or
cera%ic globes filled with the liCuid which are then thrown forcefully onto hard surfaces
to create Bdar!ness bo%bs1B "t the D,'s option, a thief who has ingested the essence or
applied it to his clothing %ight si%ilarly beco%e the center of a dar!ness <' radius effect
if struc! a se2ere blow I<;R of re%aining hit points, with a 4: hit point %ini%u% for the
effect to operateJ with a blunt weapon1
The effects of essence of darkness last for si9 hours plus 4dH turns, if used
e9ternallyL if ingested, it has the sa%e duration as a standard potion1 Each bottle or 2ial of
the essence found usually contains sufficient fluid for 4d=Q= doses1
Oil o% Sli'kness) The consistency of this %agical substance is 2ariableL
so%eti%es it is found as a s%all 2ial of 2ery 2iscous oil, so%eti%es as a pot of thin,
crea%y white sal2e1 .t is applied by rubbing into the s!in of the hands Ita!ing one roundJ1
When rubbed in, it i%pro2es the speed and coordination of the hands so that all
%anually?based thie2ing s!ills Ipic! poc!ets, open loc!s, find@re%o2e trapsJ are
i%pro2ed by 4;R1 " 2ial or pot of this oil Ior sal2eJ usually contains 4d=Q= applications1
The effect lasts for 4d=Q= turns1 The bonuses to the ability scores cannot be clai%ed by
any thief who is wearing gauntlets or glo2es of any !ind, including %agical onesN
Potion o% ;aster #$ie,ery) This potion gi2es the thief a te%porary
increase in le2els if he has fewer than 47 le2els of e9perience1 The nu%ber of le2els
gained depend on the thief's le2el, as shown below1
&n'rease
5e,el o% 5e,els Added in ea'$
&"biber besto3ed $it di'e skill
4st?7rd < <dH Q:;R
=th?Hth = =dHQ4 Q4HR
>th?5th 7 7dHQ: Q4:R
4;th?4:th : :dHQ7 Q6R
The thief acts as if he were at the e9perience le2el bestowed by the %agic
of the potion1 Da%age sustained is ta!en first fro% %agically gained te%porary e9tra hit
points1 So far as thie2ing s!ills are concerned, the potion affects these all eCually by the
increase shown1 The effects of this potion last for <dH rounds1
Potion o% Per'e!tion) This enhances the senses of the i%biber to a great
degree, with nu%erous effectsA
IiJ " thief gains a 4;R bonus to his open loc!s and re%o2e traps s!ills1
IiiJ " thief gains a :;R bonus to his find traps and hear noise s!ills1
IiiiJ " character's chance for being surprised is hal2ed Iusually this %eans a Q4 or
Q: on the dieJ1
Ii2J " character's chance for detecting secret or concealed doors is doubled1 This
%ay also be applied to detecting hidden or concealed obDects if the D, wishes to use an
.ntelligence chec! for thisL a bonus of Q= applies to such an ability chec!1 "
corresponding bonus of ?= applies to any obser2ation proficiency chec!1
I2J " character has a :<R chance of auto%atically detecting in2isible or detecting
illusions Ifro% spells or spell?li!e effects below <th le2elJ as such1
Howe2er, this enhance%ent also %a!es the i%biber 2ulnerable to ga8e attac!s and
weapons and also sound?based attac!s Isuch as a shout spell or the roaring of an
androsphin9J and all sa2ing throws %ade against such attac!s are at ?:1 The effects of the
potion last for 4d=Q= turns1
Potion o% Slee! 8reat$in+) This potion allows the i%biber to breathe a
colorless, odorless cloud of sleep?inducing gas up to three ti%es within an hour after
drin!ing it1 This cloud is effecti2ely a :;' 9 :;' 9 :;' cube1 Within the cloud, creatures are
affected as if struc! by a sleep spell, the effects of which are e9actly duplicated by the
cloud1 .f the thief does not breathe out a cloud in this way within an hour after drin!ing
the potion, he %ust sa2e 2ersus spells or fall into a deep, co%atose sleep hi%self for
4d=Q= turns1 This potion is ob2iously of great 2alue for the thief in dealing with nu%bers
of low?le2el and peripheral guards when he is trespassing, brea!ing and entering, etc1
Potion o% #$ie,ery) Si%ilar to, but wea!er than, the potion of master
thie#ery, this potion also grants the thief drin!ing it te%porary increases in le2els, hit
dice, and s!ills, if he is of 5th or lower le2el prior to drin!ing it, as shown below1
&n'rease
5e,el o% 5e,els Added in ea'$
.%biber bestowed hit dices!ill
4st?7rd 7 7dH Q4:R
=th?Hth : :dHQ4 Q6R
>th?5th 4 4dHQ: Q=R
"s with the potion of master thie#ery, the indi2idual acts in all respects as
a thief of the higher le2el gained after drin!ing the potion, with the increase in thie2ing
s!ills being eCually spread across all categories by the bonus shown1 Da%age sustained is
ta!en fro% additional te%porary hit points gained first1 The effects of the potion last for
4d=Q= turns1
,iscellaneous ,agicA Clothing and Jewelry
"%ulet of Dra%atic DeathA &nly a few of these pri8ed ite%s e9ist, each
created for a high?le2el thief in the ser2ice of two powerful spellcasters, a %age and an
illusionist, who co%bined their s!ills to create the%1 There are si9 a%ulets !nown, which
differ in only one respectL all ha2e the following co%%on properties1
The a%ulet is acti2ated when the wearer suffers one particular attac! for% Iand
only that attac! for%J which would be sufficient to !ill or wholly disable the wearer Ie1g1,
by petrificationJ1 "t this point the %agic of the a%ulet is acti2ated1 Da%age sustained
fro% the !illing attac! is wholly negated, and a special attac! Isuch as petrificationJ
li!ewise negated1 The thief is at once %ade in2isible1 $astly, a powerful progra%%ed
illusion is brought into operation so that the a%ulet?wearer appears to ha2e been slain or
disabled by the attac!1 This progra%%ed illusion is both co%plete and dra%aticGe1g1, an
a%ulet protecting against %agical fire will show the 2icti% of fireball attac! as a burned
corpse, co%plete with the s%ell of roasted flesh1 &nly direct, tactile chec!s or a powerful
di#ination spell will re2eal the illusion for what it is1 The a%ulet will function only once
per day1 Roll 4dH on the table below to deter%ine the single attac! for% which is
protected against by the a%ulet1
dH RollSpecific -rotection
4 ,agical fire Iincluding red dragon breath, etc1J
: $ightning and Electrical attac!s
7 Cold?based attac!s
= -etrification
< Edged Weapons
H lunt Weapons
8oots o% 8alan'e) The wearer of these soft, low?heeled supple leather
boots is endowed with a %agically enhanced sense of balance1 This has the following
i%portant effectsA
IiJ " thief wearing the boots gains a Q4;R bonus to all %o2e silently rolls and
also to all cli%b walls rolls1
IiiJ The De9terity of any character wearing the boots is increased by one point for
all purposes where the hands are not in2ol2ed1 Thus, a thief cannot clai% a bonus to s!ills
such as open loc!s, but a bonus to "r%or Class %ay apply, and li!ewise a bonus applies
to De9terity chec!s in certain situations Ie1g1, to a2oid a fallJ1
IiiiJ The wearer gains the tightrope wal!ing proficiencyL if this is already
possessed, a ?= bonus %odifier applies to all proficiency chec! die rolls when wearing the
boots1
" wearer of boots of balance cannot also clai% a further bonus for %o2ing
silently fro% %undane aids Isuch as the use of leather strapping to cross crea!y
floorboardsJ1 "lso, the bonuses gained fro% boots of balance cannot be added to the
bonus gained if the wearer also uses gauntlets of de'terity1

Glo,es o% E,asion) These glo2es are %ade of e9ceptionally supple, thin
calfs!in, and when put on they blend with the s!in and beco%e 2irtually undetectable
Iand are detection resistantJ1 " thief wearing the% gains a Q4;R bonus to open loc!s s!ill
and can undo al%ost any !not auto%atically in one round1 "ny character wearing the
glo2es gains a proficiency in escapology, being able to %anipulate his hands in such a
way that he can escape fro% %anacles, chains, irons or si%ilar restraints if a De9terity
chec! Iwith a Q: bonus if the character is a thiefJ is %ade1

;antle o% t$e ;ndane) This 2ery ordinary, e2en shabby, brown or grey
cloa! %a!es its wearer appear utterly un%e%orable1 .t gi2es a <R bonus to hide in
shadows in all circu%stances and %a!es the wearer 6;R undetectable if in a crowd
Idetection resistance applies here alsoJ1 .t also %a!es the wearer al%ost i%possible to
recogni8e after ha2ing been seenG2ery useful in a2oiding identification after a cri%e1
*nless a witness Iand it %ust be an eye witnessJ %a!es a chec! against one?fourth of his
.ntelligence the wearer of the %antle will ha2e appeared so %undane and boring in
appearance that the witness will be unable to relate hi% to the thief Iregardless of whether
the thief is wearing the %antle the ne9t ti%e the witness sees hi%J1

Robe o% Vanis$in+) This si%ple and innocent?loo!ing robe is a boon for a
thief needing to elude pursuers Cuic!ly1 The thief only needs to grasp the he%s of the
robe and clutch it 2ery tightly about hi% and he will si%ply see% to 2anish, although the
thief will Dust ha2e been affected as per a rope trick spell Ino rope is 2isible, of courseJ
and also %ade in2isible1 detection resistance applies to the e9tradi%ensional space
created1 The rope trick effect will last for up to si9 turns but the in2isibility created is of
the nor%al sort Iper%anent until so%e offensi2e action is underta!enJ1 Wise thie2es will
%a!e sure that other %agical aids to escape Inotably a potion of flyingJ are on hand to
%a9i%i8e the 2alue of this robe1 The robe can be used up to three ti%es per day to create
its %agical effects1

S$ado3'loak) This large, cowled cloa! is %ade fro% pure blac! 2el2et1
When worn by a thief it i%pro2es hide in shadows chances by :<R and %a!es a thief
<;R li!ely to be in2isible in near?dar!ness Ie2en to infra2ision, ultra2ision, etc1J1 .t can
also be used to cast darkness, darkness ?C' radius, and continual darkness once each per
day Iat 4:th le2el of %agic useJ1 /inally, once per day the wearer can actually transfor%
into a shadow Icf1 +onstrous Compendium .J for up to 4: turns, beco%ing a shadow in
all respects sa2e for %ental ones Ithus, the wearer cannot be da%aged by non%agical
weapons, undead ta!e the wearer for a shadow and ignore hi%, etc1J1 Sa2es against light?
based attac!s Ie1g1, a light spell cast into the eyesJ are always %ade at ?: by the wearer of
a shado!cloak.
.f a cleric successfully %a!es a turning atte%pt against the wearer in shadowfor%,
the cloa! wearer is per%itted a sa2ing throw Ithis is at ?= if the cleric is actually able to
da%n@destroy shadowsJ1 .f the sa2e fails, the wearer suffers 4dH points of da%age per
le2el of the cleric and the shado!cloak is destroyed1 .f the sa2e is %ade, the character
ta!es half da%age and %ust flee in fear fro% the cleric at %a9i%u% rate for one turn1
;is'ellaneos ;a+i') Ot$er Sneaky St%%
8a+ o% Vanis$in+) This appears to be a si%ple pouch capable of carrying
so%e :?7 lbs1 or so1 .n fact, it operates as a bag of holding capable of carrying up to <;
lbs1 weight while ha2ing an encu%brance of only 7 lbs1 /urther, the bag of #anishing can
ha2e its drawstrings tugged tightly once per day and it will si%ply disappear for si9 turnsL
the eCui2alent of a rope tric! spell will operate on the bag Ialthough it will stay with its
ownerJ and it will also ha2e detection resistance operating upon it1
This bag is in2aluable for s%uggling, as should be ob2ious1 The only proble% is
that each ti%e the rope tric! function is used there is a <R chance that the contents will
2anish into the Ethereal -lane and the bag will be e%pty when it is chec!ed later1

8o?es o% Deli+$t%l #rans!orts) These wooden bo9es are H?inch cubes,
and co%e in identical pairs Ioften decorated with great attention to detailJ1 When a
nonli2ing obDect of suitable si8e is placed in one and the lid closed and a co%%and word
spo!en, the obDect will disappear, only to reappear Ieffecti2ely teleportedJ in the %atching
bo91 This function operates up to three ti%es per day1
While bo'es of delightful transports are ob2iously 2ery useful, they ha2e certain
li%itations1 .t is not possible for the obDect?teleport to cross any planar barriers1 "nd,
while the distance between the bo9es is not i%portant in affecting the teleport range, there
is always a <R chance that the obDect dispatched will not reach its destination, instead
appearing at so%e rando% location 4;d4; %iles away1 Thus, dispatch of 2aluables is not
reco%%ended1 The bo9es are %ore often used to send %essages, which can always be
sent in duplicate Iwhich gi2es 2ery high chances for at least one successful dispatchJ1
The %aDor li%itation on use of these bo9es, though, is that no enchanted obDect
can be teleported using the%1 E2en the placing of a si%ple /ystul's +agic %ura spell on
an obDect will pre2ent its being teleported using these bo9es1 Hence, %agical ite%s such
as rings, potions, a%ulets and other such things, s%all enough to fit into one of these
bo9es, cannot be teleported to a distant location1

Dst o% #rail Dis!ersion) " generous pinch of this %agical dust, when
scattered o2er the beginning or origin of a trail Isuch as at the botto% of a wall
surrounding a house the thief has burgled, at the point he reaches the groundJ will pre2ent
its being followed by all nor%al sensory %eans Irangers, bloodhounds, etc1J1 The dust is
usually found in a s%all bo9, or pac!ets, with one BfindB usually being sufficient for
4d=Q= uses1

5ens o% Re"ote Vie3in+) These s%all, clear ge%s Ithe ter% BlensB is a
slight %isno%er hereJ appear to be worthless Cuart8, but in fact possess a powerful
dweo%er1 .f the owner attunes hi%self to a lens of remote #ie!ing Ia process which ta!es
four hours of %editationJ, he can then BseeB through the lens whate2er scene is happening
in front of the lens and within its field of 2ision, where2er the lens %ay later be1 There is
no range li%it, sa2e that no perception across the planes is possible1 No auditory
infor%ation is detected through the lens, and no spells can be cast through it1 " lens of
remote #ie!ing is also detection resistant1 "t any one ti%e, any thief %ay be attuned with
a nu%ber of such lenses not e9ceeding one?half his .ntelligence score Iround fractions
downJ1 These ite%s are usually found singly, and are of ob2ious 2alue in spying1

5ens o% Valation) This highly?pri8ed ite% consists of a lens so%e 7
inches in dia%eter with a handle so%e H inches long1 The lens allows the 2iewer to
esti%ate the true worth of any non%agical obDect to within <R, on studying it for fi2e
rounds or longer1 &f course, this will be an a2erage price, and special conditions of
supply or de%and %ay %a!e this 2aluation wildly inaccurate1
,erchants usually go to considerable lengths to pre2ent any lens of #aluation
fro% being used on their goodsN .n the thie2ing co%%unity, it is %ost sought?after by
fences, who can widen their operations in a %aDor way if they possess this ite%1

#allin's #i+$tro!e) This %odified rope of climbing will only sna!e forward at an
angle of up to =< degrees upward or downward, but it also enables its owner and up to
fi2e %an?si8ed or s%aller creatures touched by its owner to wal! upon it as if they had
the tightrope wal!ing proficiency, with a Q= bonus to any proficiency chec!s reCuired1
"nyone not touched by the rope owner atte%pting to wal! on it will suffer a ?= penalty to
any sa2es or chec!s %ade while on the rope1 .n all other ways, this ite% is identical to a
nor%al rope of climbing.
9ea!ons
Crossbo3 o% An+lin+) This appears to be a Cuite nor%al light crossbow,
although it has a thic! wrist strap attached which is of unusual design and toughness1 &n
co%%and it can fire bolts with special properties up to three ti%es per day1 The %agical
bolt fired counts as a ;< bolt for deter%ination of attac! rolls Iand da%age if
appropriateJ1 When fired, this special bolt is trailed by a pencil?thin sna!ing line of faint
blue light Iwhich radiates %agic fairly stronglyJ which connects it to the crossbow1 When
the bolt i%pacts, the head e9pands into a s%all claw which e%beds itself in the target,
such that the bolt grips it strongly1 y the use of a second co%%and word the crossbow
user can Breel inB the target, the thin BcordB of %agical energy shrin!ing to drag the target
to the archer1
The speed at which the target is retrie2ed depends on its weight, friction, etc1L the
%a9i%u% speed is H; feet per round1 The D, %ay need to e9ercise his Dudge%ent in
%ost cases1 .f the target is hea2ier than the archer or is i%%o2able or braced in so%e way,
then the crossbow%an %ay actually be dragged to the target rather than the re2erse
applying1 This can be e9ploited, of course, to pull a thief up to a ceiling or up a wall1 The
%agical cord is "C ?: and ta!es 4< points of da%age Inon%agical weapons do no
da%ageJ to destroy1

Da++er o% &"!alin+) These daggers are Q: to hit and da%age, and on a
natural roll of :; Iand also of 45 if this is sufficient to score a hitJ on a bac!stab attac!
they i%pale the target, inflicting an additional 4d=Q:@4d7Q: points of da%age and also
staying in the wound, where they cause an additional 4d=Q:@4d7Q: points of da%age
each round until re%o2ed1

Da++er o% Resor'e) These daggers usually ha2e handles of ebony or
i2ory, or so%e si%ilarly 2aluable and e9otic substance, and ha2e 4d7Q4 s%all studs in the
cross guards1 The dagger has attac! and da%age bonuses, but it also has additional tools
located within it, and depressing one of the studs will cause the corresponding ite% to
spring fro% the hilt of the dagger, ready for use Ionly one tool at a ti%e can be usedJ1
These bonuses and tools depend on the nu%ber of studs in the weapon, as shown belowA
NoG Hit:
o% da"a+e #ools Des'ri!tion
stds bons a,ailG o% tools
: Q= : $oc! pic!s adding
Q<R to &pen $oc!s rolls,
plus tool for re%o2ing
stones fro% horses hoo2es'
7 Q7 7 "s abo2e, plus :ens of
6etection Isee D,# p14>7J
= Q: = "s abo2e, plus Gem of *rightness with 7d4;
charges
Da++er o% Sondin+) This oddly?designed dagger is Q4 for attac! and
da%age deter%ination, but it has a peculiar, hollow bron8e bulb at the end of its po%%el1
.f this is gently tapped against a hollow surface, it gi2es a resounding ring Cuite different
fro% the dull tone e%itted if struc! against solid stone1 Tapping it gently against walls
allows the thief a < in H chance for finding a secret door, rising to 44 in 4: if the thief is
el2en or half?el2en1 "lso, the thief can search for secret doors at twice the nor%al rate
when using this dagger1 .n other cases, the thief is 6;R li!ely to be able to deter%ine
successfully the appro9i%ate thic!ness and nature of the %aterial the dagger is used to
sound1

S'abbard o% Poison) These scabbards ha2e reser2oirs in which poison
can be stored, and when a blade is placed in the scabbard and then drawn, the 2eno% will
auto%atically and %agically be drawn fro% the reser2oir to coat the blade1 The 2eno%
will be wiped fro% the blade after one successful hit on a target, or e2aporate after :d=
rounds in any e2ent1 "ny 2eno% can be used, for the dweo%er gi2es the 2eno% 2irulence
against whate2er creature is struc!1 The scabbard holds enough poison for si9 doses, but
%ust be %anually refilled when e%pty1 :<R of these scabbards are the right si8e for long
swords, :<R suitable for short swords, and <;R for daggers1 "ll restrictions which apply
to the use of poison weapons apply here, of course, and only e2il characters would
routinely use such a de2ice1

S$ort s3ord o% 8a'kstabbin+) .n the hands of any character this is a Q:
%agical weapon, but in the hands of a thief it is especially potent1 When a thief %a!es a
bac!stab atte%pt with this short sword, it allows hi% to attac! as if four le2els higher
than his actual e9perience le2el, with corresponding i%pro2e%ents in TH"C;, attac!
rolls, and da%age %ultiplier on a successful hit1
S!e'ial Reslts
.f the D, rolls a BSpecialB result fro% Table 7:, then a uniCue ite% should
be de2eloped for the thief1 This ta!es careful wor! by the D, to design the ite%, and also
to deter%ine a suitable history for it1 ,ulti?property ite%s in the listings abo2e Isuch as
the potion of perception, boots of balance, amulet of dramatic death, etc1J can be ta!en as
inspirations1 " specially?designed ite% should ha2e se2eral functions, none of e9ceptional
strength, and with an e%phasis on protection and nondetection rather than strong
offensi2e potential1
" history for the ite% is well worth the effort1 &ne ob2ious possibility is that
so%eone, so%eti%e, will co%e to try and get the ite% bac!N Certain N-Cs %ay be
hunting the pre2ious wearer@user of the ite%, and while they do not ha2e a description of
the pre2ious user they !now what the ite% loo!s li!e1 -erhaps they ha2e been hired to do
away with that pre2ious user1 So, when they see it on the person of the -C 1 1 1 The
history of the ite% can ha2e great potential for ad2enture loc!ed within it, which the D,
doesn't need to e9ploit i%%ediately1 "lso, the player whose character gets the ite% should
not be told the history of the ite%L that's so%ething he will ha2e to find out for hi%self
and, again, there %ay be ad2entures loc!ed within this search1 This is especially true if
co%%and words are needed to acti2ate certain properties1
Don't %a!e too %uch of such ite%s, or other players %ay feel their characters are
being put in the shade and o2ershadowed by all the attention the thief is getting1 ut a
uniCue ite%, so%ething the thief !nows he is the only person on &erth Ior (rynn or in the
/orgotten Real%sJ to ha2e, adds color and character to any ad2enturing partyN

C$a!ter 1) #$e Arts o% De'e!tion) Classi' Cons
The old rogue slurped his ale noisily, complaining to the bartender, -The
thie#es these days, they'#e lost the art of it all. :ike a bloody bunch of bandit half,orcs3
Their idea of an elegant theft is a rich #ictim bashed neatly on the head, so his fancy
clothes don't get scuffed so much and can be fenced more dear.- The young bartender
raised his eyebro!s, a little !ary but curious about !hat the !i$ened old coot had to say.
-/o!, in my day, the thief !e all looked up to !as one !hose only !eapons !ere his !its
and a steady, speedy hand. .t !ould be hours before his #ictim e#en kne!'d he !as
robbed, and then he couldn't be sure !ho done it.
-There !as this one guy, "illie)Cool "illie, they called him, 'cause he ne#er lost
his cool. He kno!'d %:: the scams . . . -
Since day one, there ha2e been people eager to get a free ride, to swindle
others out of anything they can1 These people, it has been obser2ed, are typically the best
targets for the swindler1 "fter all, how li!ely are you to report a con %an, when the reason
he succeeded was that you thought you were ta!ing ad2antage of hi%M -laying off other
peoples' greed is the !ey to a successful swindling career, on whate2er scale it is
perfor%ed1
"n astute swindler is always on the loo!out for opportunities for a good rac!et1
So%e of these situations and sca%s ha2e been nearly i%%ortali8ed, and are classicsA Not
only does it see% e2eryone !nows the%, but e2eryone still uses the%Gand they still
wor!1 "n e9cellent boo! filled with real?life anecdotes of classic cons is The Compleat
S!indler, by Ralph Hancoc! with Henry Chafet8 INew 0or!A ,ac%illan, 45H6J1
What follows is a sa%pling of sca%s for the no2ice pigeon pluc!er1
S$ort*C$an+e S3indles
&n the si%ple le2el, you ha2e the short?change swindle1 This is so%ething
you do to %erchantsGor %erchants do to youN Through fast?tal!, distraction and sleight?
of?hand, you tric! the% into gi2ing you as change %ore %oney than you paid the%1
The story at the end of this chapter illustrates the short?change swindle1
Ga"blin+
#a%bling is a finer rac!et1 #a%bling is irresistible to %any people, and
the swindler lo2es to ta!e ad2antage of this wea!ness1 E2ery sort of ga%blingGdice,
coin?%atching, the shell ga%e, races and gladiatorial contests Ithe fantasy eCui2alent of
%odern organi8ed sportsJGpresents an opportunity for the swindler to %a!e a load of
sil2er1 " swindler needs ga%bling proficiency to wor! any of the following sca%s, and
any other character who %a!es a ga%bling proficiency chec! will probably be wise to the
swindler's tric!s1
Di'e Ga"es) Dice?throwing de2eloped in ancient ti%es, and has re%ained
popular since Ie2en into R-#sJ1 "n astute ga%bler understands the odds of winning in
any dice ga%e, such as craps, and a s!illed swindler !nows how to rig the ga%e in his
fa2or1 $oaded dice Iwith i%perceptibly rounded faces, or weighted pips, and so forthJ are
one way, but the true %aster can e2en throw dice so that they will land as he wishes1 To
do this tric!, a swindler %ust %a!e a successful pic! poc!ets roll, at ?=;R, for each die1
Coin ;at'$in+) Coin %atching is a si%ple, age?old ga%e, appearing in 2arious
for%s since the days of the pharaohs, and is si%ple to run a sca% around1
The fa2orite 2ariation for two swindlers wor!ing a suc!er is Bodd %an winsBL
Three coins are tossed, or re2ealed si%ultaneously Ili!e the roc!?paper?scissors ga%eJ1 .f
two are heads or tails, and the other is the opposite, the holder of the odd coin wins1 .f all
three are the sa%e, no one wins1
To set this up as a sca%, there should be two swindlers1 &ne plays the steerer,
gaining the confidence of the pigeon, while the other pretends to be a foolish stranger1
The steerer conspires with the real target, ostensibly to swindle the %oney of the stranger,
his true partner1 .n the course of the ga%e, the steerer winds up with all the %oney1
&f course, he's not able si%ply to share it with the pigeon, since they'2e
supposedly Dust pulled a fast one on the foolish stranger1 They ha2e instead agreed
beforehand to %eet so%ewhere and share the spoils1 &f course, the steerer ne2er shows
up to share and the would?be con artist is left penniless1 /urther%ore, since he was duped
on account of his own greed, trying to do what was done to hi%, he'll probably swallow
his chagrin and ne2er report the incident to the local authoritiesN
#$e S$ell Ga"e) The shell ga%e is another age?old classic1 The swindler sets up
at so%e e2ent, li!e a circus, fair, or e2en a busy street corner1 He has a single pea and
three shells, which he rearranges1 .t is a test of obser2ation, he saysA "nyone who can
identify which shell co2ers the pea, after they'2e been shifted around, will win whate2er
he bet1 .f he guesses wrong, he loses his %oney1
So%eone ta!es on the challenge, and winsN &f course, this is an acco%plice of the
shell %an I!nown as a BcapperBJ1 The crowd thin!s the swindler is playing honestly1 Then
a real target places his bet1 He, too, will win1 The swindler will nurse the target's self?
confidence to raise the sta!es, and then I%ysteriouslyNJ the 2icti%'s powers of
obser2ation will decline, and he'll fail to spot the right shellN This of course is done
through sleight?of?hand1 ITo do it unnoticed, the thief needs to %a!e a successful pic!
poc!ets roll1J
Fa'kery
Fuac!ery is the real% of the %ounteban!, the seller of Bsna!e oilB and all
%anner of e9otic potions, unguents and char%s, each supposed to be a %edical wonder,
but usually worthless Iif not actually dangerous to its userJ1 E2en in a world where %agic
is real, Cuac!s can %a!e bris! profits fro% those who cannot tell a real potion fro% fa!e1
<or+ery and Conter%eitin+
/orgery %ay also be a swindler's calling, including counterfeiting1
.nterestingly, forgery was not a serious cri%e in the %iddle agesL barter too! precedence
abo2e coinage or credit notes, and it's hard to counterfeit a bushel of wheat or forge
li2estoc!1
"s the Renaissance ca%e, howe2er, and ban!ing de2eloped, so did the forger's art
Gand the punish%ents beca%e serious1 "s late as the first half of the 45th century in
England, %en and wo%en were hanged for the cri%e of forging one?pound notes1
The 2alue of forgery, therefore, and the ris!s in2ol2ed, will depend on the nature
of co%%erce and trade in your ca%paign1
=e3elry S3indles
/or the well?trained rogue, Dewelry swindles can be both the %ost lucrati2e
and the easiest, because it is so difficult for the untrained eye to identify or to Dudge the
2alue of a precious stone1 esides dealing in paste and glass fa!es, Dewelry swindlers %ay
pass off a lesser stone as so%ething %ore 2aluable Ie1g1, Cuart8 for dia%ondJ, or pay
so%eone Iespecially nai2e but treasure?laden ad2enturersJ for a dia%ond as if it were
Cuart81 " ni%ble?fingered rogue %ay also replace fa!e Dewels for real ones, and the owner
%ay ne2er !now the differenceN
Sly N-C Dewel swindlers are a great way for D,s to relie2e characters lac!ing
ge% cutting proficiency of their cash and Dewels Ipro2ided they don't spew out at the
start, BThe dragon's treasure includes 4: opals at 4,;;; gp eachBJ1
-Ho! much d'. o!e ya4- asked the old rogue, upon finishing ale and tale.
-1our coppers,- said the bartender.
The rogue fished in his pockets. -Hmm,- he said. -%ll . ha#e is this gold piece.
Ha#e ya got change4-
-*elie#e . do,- said the bartender, taking the gold coin and putting out an
electrum coin, four sil#ers, and si' coppers in change.
-Say, !hy don't you get me a slab of cheese for the road4- asked the rogue,
sliding o#er t!o coppers for it.
"hile the bartender retrie#ed the cheese from beneath the counter, the rogue
opened his pouch to put the remaining coppers inside. -"ell look here& Guess . had a
sil#er after all&- he declared. He mo#ed his hand to!ard the others, palming his ne!,
found sil#er and hiding the electrum beneath the other coins, !hile appearing 0ust to set
the ne! sil#er coin !ith the rest. -Say,- he tells the bartender. -.'d be hatin' to take all yer
change like that. "hy dontcha gimme an electrum for these fi#e sil#ers4-
-Sure,- said the bartender, handing him an electrum. The old rogue turned to!ard
the door. -"ait&- said the bartender. -Je left an electrum coin here !ith the sil#er&-
-So . did& Thank you. Honesty's a difficult 7uality to find these days& "ell, to keep
you !ith enough change, !hy don't . 0ust gi#e you this sil#er-)he then produced the coin
he had palmed)-and you gi#e me back the gold piece4-
-%ll right,- said the bartender. -Ha#e a nice day, then&-
%s he !alked do!n the street from the ta#ern, fi#e sil#ers richer, the old rogue
permitted himself a grin and a little skip of delight. %ll these years, and Cool "illie
hadn't lost his touch.
Robbin+ t$e Robbers
Thie2es as a class are people who enDoy toeing the line, when it co%es to
ris!?ta!ing1 So%e renegade thie2es ta!e it a step further, often a step too far, and dare to
steal fro% other thie2es, or e2en thie2es' guilds1
.t's dangerous acti2ity, but it does ha2e certain ad2antages1 /ore%ost, the guilds
and thie2es can't 2ery well report thefts to the authorities Iassu%ing they don't control
those authorities through bribes or blac!%ailJ1
"nd, of course, authorities per%it the theft of stolen ite%s when its purpose is
reco2ery, to return the goods to the original owner, as bounty hunters do1
Sanction and so%e degree of protection %ight also be gained fro% a ri2al guild1
,ob wars pro2ide %any opportunities for the daring thief, willing to run around in the
crossfire, scoring loot1 The tric! is not to be identified as stealing fro% the wrong people
Ii1e1, the guild that wins in the endJ1
-erhaps the biggest ad2antage of all, and the reason that thie2es will bra2e the
ris!s, is the enor%ous wealth that can be concentrated in the hands of a single cri%inal,
especially an i%portant officer of the guild1
ut there's no shortage of ris!s1 /irst off, intelligent thie2es understand
the%sel2es and, by e9tension, other thie2es1 Each thief needs to be a troubleshooter, in a
way, designing protection for hi%self and his possessions, and %a!ing sure that it's proof
at least against any thief of his s!ill or less1 This %eans that in stealing fro% another thief,
you can e9pect a fairly difficult Dob1
So%eti%es, howe2er, a thief %ay be surprisingly flippant about not protecting his
wealth1 The people who can get away with this are incredibly powerful cri%e lords, with
2ast wealth and %yriad connections1 They ha2e the resources to find anyone who dares to
steal fro% the% and deli2er a fitting punish%ent1 "%ong such punish%ents, a si%ple
assassination is 2ery %ild and hu%ane1
*nderstand that the underworld is often harsher on thie2es than the established
authorities1 The underworld does not presu%e innocenceL and sweet re2enge is %ore
i%portant to a wronged cri%e lord Iand his ego and ruthless reputationJ than the reco2ery
of any but the %ost precious property1
C$a!ter 2) Ne3 Rles %or #$ie,es
This section introduces rules of ad2anced co%ple9ity that players and
D,s %ay wish to use in the ca%paign1 While they are reco%%ended for use in a ga%ing
en2iron%ent where thie2es are co%%on, they are not e9clusi2ely li%ited to the thief
character1
"s an e9ception to this generality, those optional rules that %odify specific thief
acti2ities are, of course, useable only by thie2es1
New rules are pro2ided for loc! and trap construction, re%o2al, and %odificationL
for specific ani%al training, tric!s co%%on and useful to thie2esL to a%plify the poison
rules presented in the "D+DK :nd Edition 6ungeon +aster's GuideL to allow thie2es to
possibly !noc! out a 2icti% with a surprise blow fro% the rearL and to detail the
encu%brance effects when ar%ored characters atte%pt to perfor% acrobatics1
Ad,an'ed 5o'ks and #ra!s
The ga%e wor!s perfectly well under the assu%ption that a loc! is a loc!,
regardless of its %a!e or %echanis%1 Traps generally earn greater detail IBa poison
needle flic!s out of the panel beside the loc!,B for e9a%pleJ, but e2en so, the actual
wor!ings of the de2ice are not usually described1
Howe2er, loc!s and traps are in fact found in great 2ariety, and while %any %ight
pro2ide little challenge to the s!illed thief, so%e will pro2e daunting e2en to the %ost
e9perienced 2eteran1 " de2ice can be listed with a %odifier of Q or ? up to 7;R, reflecting
the ease or difficulty with which a thief %ight pic! the loc! or find and re%o2e a trap1
The %odifier is applied to the thief's chance of success with the obstacleL a U7; loc!, for
e9a%ple, lowers the thief's chances of pic!ing it by 7;R1 .f his nor%al percentage is
H<R, then his chance with this loc! is only 7<R1
Des'ribin+ #y!es
The %ore detail the D, can pro2ide regarding the obstacle facing the
thief, the greater the player's options in facing it1
$oc!s can include si%ple latches, !eyhole loc!s with a single or %ultiple
tu%blers, pu88les that in2ol2e perfor%ing se2eral procedures in a set seCuence Ipushing a
stone, turning a handle, and pulling outward, for e9a%pleJ1
Traps ha2e %any %ore 2arieties1 #enerally a %o2ing part, such as a cage, bloc!,
blade, needle, sluice gate, or trapdoor, is triggered by the act of a characterGa step on a
surface, or a pull on a handle, for e9a%ple1
" good trap design will include at least so%e 2ague description of how the two
ele%ents are connected1 $e2ers, springs Iboth leaf and coilJ, pi2ots, bellows,
deadweights, bloc! and tac!le, and hinges are all ele%ents used in trap design1
;odi%yin+ C$e'ks
The %aDor considerations for deter%ining the difficulty of a trap are the
s!ill of the loc!s%ith or trap %a!er, the %aterials used for the Dob, and the purpose of the
loc! or trap1 So%e e9a%ples for loc!s are listedA
Q4<R Typical latch on s%all house, guest roo% of an inn, storage closet, etc1

; $oc! on a %erchant's house, weapons loc!er, wine cellar of a large inn, etc1
U4<R Door to a cell or !eep, security chec!point within a dungeon, loc! on a ge%
cutter's shop or %oneychanger's house1
?7;R $oc! on a %aDor 2ault or %ost intricately designed cell door
These guidelines should be used by the D, to establish a 2ariety of
challenges in the ca%paign setting1 The %any 2arieties of traps are too great to list, but
the sa%e principle of %odification applies1
The new eCuip%ent listed in Chapter < includes a 2ariety of aids for Dust such
delicate wor!1 y utili8ing greater detail in the description of a loc! or trap, %ore
opportunities for the use of this eCuip%ent will arise1
8ildin+ 8etter 5o'ks
" character with loc!s%ith proficiency can try to build a superior loc!, but
only if the proper %aterials are a2ailable1 .n %ost cases this %eans an iron or steel loc!,
though special considerations can be adDudicated by the D,1 The loc!s%ith %ust %a!e a
proficiency chec! for the loc!1 " roll of 4 or less indicates a loc! of superior
crafts%anship1 Subtract 4 fro% the die roll for e2ery proficiency slot beyond the first
spent on the loc!s%ith s!ill1 /or e9a%ple, a crafts%an with three slots of loc!s%ith s!ill
creates a superior loc! on a roll of 4, :, or 71
The %odification for such a specific loc! is deter%ined by rolling 4d4;, resulting
in a 4?4;R %odifier1 Each i%pro2ed loc! will be at least as good as the one before it,
howe2er, so re?roll results that are lower than the %odifier for a pre2ious loc! %ade by
that sa%e s%ith1 When the loc!s%ith %a!es loc!s with a 4;R %odifier, he is allowed to
roll :d4;1 When he reaches :;R, he recei2es 7d4;, but is no longer guaranteed to beat his
pre2ious high roll1 He does get to roll 7d4; until he gets a result of :; or greater,
howe2er1
/or e9a%ple, a loc!s%ith builds a superior loc! and rolls a >R %odifier1 &n his
ne9t superior loc!, he rolls and discards a H, 7, and <, before rolling a 4;1 He !eeps the
4;, since that is the first roll to eCual or beat his pre2ious high of >1 &n his ne9t superior
loc!, he rolls :d4;, using the first adDusted roll of 4; or higher1 .f he e2entually gets a :;,
he rolls 7d4; until he gets a result of :; or greater1 "ll his subseCuent superior loc!s,
then, will gain at least :;R %odifiers, with the occasional one perhaps as high as 7;R1
;lti!le 5o'ks
" si%pler way to %a!e a roo% or chest %ore secure against thie2es is
si%ply to protect it with %ore than one loc!1 .ron?bound chests with two or three built?in
loc!s were not unco%%on in rich treasure 2aults1 Certainly a powerful and suspicious
wi8ard would not entrust his spellboo!s to a cabinet with only a single loc!1
5o'k!i'kin+:#ra!
Re"o,in+ Noise
" thief atte%pting to open a loc! or re%o2e a trap with co%plete stealth
can try to do so1 He suffers a ?4;R chance to his ability rating, but will perfor% the tas!
Cuietly on any roll e9cept ;4?4;R1 .n the latter case the loc! or trap %a!es a sharp clic!,
snap, or other sound, audible to anyone within earshot1
.f a thief fails a silent atte%pt, he cannot try to open the sa%e loc! nor%ally1
Ani"al Assistants
" thief with an e9ceptional ability at ani%al handling and training can
so%eti%es train creatures to assist hi% in his profession1 This section discusses three
possible creature assistantsA dogs, ferrets, and %on!eys1 &ther types can be used gi2en
the appro2al of the D,L de2elop and define the abilities of the ani%al using these three as
e9a%ples1
"ll ani%al training acts described below are useable with the standard proficiency
rules1 The %ain additions are specific tas!s that can be learned by these creatures1
When an ani%al learns one of the specific tas!s below, its chance of perfor%ing
the tas! are deter%ined by the proficiency of its trainer1 The proficiency chec! reCuired of
the ani%al is the sa%e as for its trainer1 /or e9a%ple, a ferret is trained to fetch ge%s by a
character with three slots of ani%al handling proficiency and a Wisdo% of 4<1 He needs a
proficiency chec! of 4> or less to train the ferret for the tas!1 The ferret, conseCuently,
needs a roll of 4> or less to fetch the ge%s properly1
-layers should record the stats for ani%als on the -C character sheet1 $ist the
tas!s each ani%al has been trained for, recording this proficiency nu%ber beside the
notation1
"t the D,'s option, so%e ani%als %ay ha2e such e9ceptional intelligence, or
strength, or speed, that their ratings are granted a Q4 or, rarely, a Q: %odifier to specific
tas!s1
Dogs can ser2e pri%arily as protectors, reCuiring little training before they
beco%e alert and aggressi2e watchdogs1
Dogs can also be trained to trac! a character or other ani%al1 The dog reCuires
so%e scent infor%ation about the obDect being trac!ed and a general location of the trail1
" proficiency chec! is %ade to find the trail1 "nother chec! %ust be %ade e2ery 4?=
turns, and also whene2er the trail ta!es an unusual turn Ithrough water, along tree li%bs,
etcJ1 Dogs specially bred for this Iincluding %any houndsJ gain a Q4 or Q: to this
particular ability1
Dogs can so%eti%es be trained to perfor% the BThief's /etchB tric!, below1
#enerally, s%all and ni%ble dogs are used for this tas!1
/errets can fit through openings as narrow as :B, and thus ha2e an ability to go
places other ani%als cannot1 /errets can be taught the BThief's /etchB tric! to acCuire
ge%s, coins, or other s%all obDects1
,on!eys are the %ost adaptable of these ani%als1 " %on!ey can be trained to be
selecti2e in its fetching1 #ateways, high windows, and other obstacles can easily be
tra2ersed by a %on!ey1 " %on!ey will fight to defend itself if cornered or sei8ed1
,on!eyA "C >L ,) 4:I5 cli%bingJL HD4@:L TH"C; :;L D%g 4?=
#$e #$ie%'s <et'$
"ni%als can be trained to retrie2e specific types of ite%s fro% a general
area such as a roo% or yard1 Specific obDects include coins, ge%s, Dewelry such as chains
or bracelets, or e2en ite%s of food and drin!1 "dditional training sessions can train the
ani%al to perfor% its tas! with stealth1
The ani%al can be sent by gesture in a specific direction1 .t will see! for
so%e ti%e in the area indicated, finally returning to its %aster1 #enerally, the ani%al will
spend 4d6 turns on the search1 Howe2er, additional training sessions can add another 4d6
turns to this duration1
.f an ani%al is disco2ered or frightened during this tas!, it will atte%pt to flee to
its %aster1 .t can be trained to flee in a different direction, or e2en to attac!, if a good
trainer ta!es the ti%e to do so1
Poison and Sedati,es
The D,# pro2ides detailed rules on poison types and effects1 The
following rules add se2eral types of non?lethal poisons, introduce poison gases, and
describe so%e poison antidotes1
Sedati2es are ingested poisons that disable, rather than inDure, a character1 "
sedati2e can be ad%inistered in food or drin!, with different rates and effectsA
;et$od Onset 9eakness Dration
Eaten =?=; 4?H :?4:
%in1 %in1 hours
Drun! :?4: 4?H 4?=
%in1 %in1 hours
Sedati2es are treated as regular poisons, e9cept that their first effect is a
period of wea!ness when all ability scores and the character's %o2e%ent rate are reduced
to half1 This lasts 4dH rounds, after which the character sa2es 2s1 poison1 /ailure renders
hi% unconscious1 Success %eans that the wea!ness lasts for another hour1 The character
then sa2es each hour, with the wea!ness re%aining until a successful sa2e is %ade1
-oison #ases are rare, e9pensi2e, and highly dangerous1 " typical dose is a clay
or glass Dar weighing < pounds1 .f the Dar is shattered or opened, gas fills a 4;' 9 4;' 9 4;'
cube1 .t disperses after one round unless contained on all sides1 The gas lasts for :dH turns
in an enclosed roo%L :dH rounds in a roo% with at least one open door, window, arrow
slit, etc1
.t %ight be possible for creati2e players to create larger doses of poison gas, but
such lethal de2ices are left to the D,'s discretion1
-oison gases generally ha2e the effects of poison type D, ta!ing effect after one or
two %inutes, inflicting 7; points of da%age I:dH with a successful sa2eJ1 The da%age is
inflicted each turn the character breathes the gas1
"n e9tre%ely lethal poison gas is reputed to e9ist, si%ilar to poison type J Ionset
in 4d= %inutes, causes death or :; points of da%age with sa2eJ1
*nli!e inDected or ingested poisons, howe2er, poison gas does not re%ain in a
character's syste% after death1 Thus, atte%pts to raise characters who ha2e perished this
way do not ha2e to contend with the 2eno% in the character's syste%1
Poison Antidotes
HO!tional Rle6
.n "D+DK :nd Edition rules, a character with healing proficiency is able
to aid poisoned indi2iduals1 This is described in Chapter /i2e of the Player's Handbook1
We reproduce those rules here with additional options, including ones for those
ca%paigns that are not using nonweapon proficiency rules1
Ca"!ai+ns 3it$ot
Non3ea!on Pro%i'ien'ies
Treat rangers, characters with forester secondary s!ills, and thie2es with
the !its assassin, bounty hunter, and scout as ha2ing herbalis% proficiencyL treat clerics
and paladins as ha2ing healing proficiencyL and treat druids as ha2ing both1
Healin+ Pro%i'ien'y
and Poison
The basic healing proficiency rules for poison, fro% the Player's
Handbook, are as follows1
" character with healing proficiency can atte%pt to aid a poisoned indi2idual,
pro2ided the poison entered through a wound1 .f the poisoned character can be tended
i%%ediately Ithe round after the character is poisonedJ and the care continues for the ne9t
fi2e rounds, the 2icti% gains a Q: to his sa2ing throw Idelay his sa2ing throw until the
last round of tendingJ1 No proficiency chec! is reCuired, but the poisoned character %ust
be tended to i%%ediately Inor%ally by sacrificing any other action by the proficient
characterJ and cannot do anything hi%self1 .f the care and rest are interrupted, the
poisoned character %ust i%%ediately roll a nor%al sa2ing throw for the poison1 This
result is unalterable by nor%al %eans Ii1e1, %ore healing doesn't helpJ1 &nly characters
with both healing and herbalis% proficiencies can atte%pt the sa%e treat%ent for poisons
the 2icti% has swallowed or touched Ithe character uses his healing to diagnose the
poison and his herbalist !nowledge to prepare a purgati2e1J
Note that these rules concern antidotes only obliCuely, through the herbalis%
proficiency in instances of ingesti2e and contact poisoning1
Antidote E%%e'ts
"ntidotes can be %anufactured for %ost poisons1 To use an antidote you
%ust %atch it with its poison Isee the assassin !itJ, or Dust ad%inister an antidote and
hope that by chance it is the right one1 IThe D, %ay per%it the e9istence of so%e
antidotes that counter %ore than one poison, e1g1, both types " and inDected1J "n
antidote will ta!e effect if ad%inistered i%%ediately or at least before the to9in's onset
ti%e1 .t then either negates the poison entirely Iif the poisoned character %ade his sa2ing
throw in the first placeJ or reduces its effect to sa2ing throw le2el1
Prod'in+ Antidotes
,ost of the ti%e an antidote has not been prepared in ad2ance, and a
character with herbalis% proficiency will atte%pt to produce an antidote fro% scratch1
Doing this presupposes an assort%ent of herbs, %osses, and such necessary
%aterials, already selected and close at hand Ie1g1, gathered, dried and stored in a pouchJ1
.f the herbalist needs to gather the %aterials as well Iand there are %aterials around to be
gatheredGnot the case in %ost dungeonsJ, at least half an hour is reCuired to do so1 When
%aterials are a2ailable, putting together and ad%inistering an antidote ta!es 4dHQ= I<?4;J
%inutes1
.f ti%e for gathering %aterials and %a!ing the antidote turns out to be greater than
the poison's onset ti%e, the efforts are in 2ain1 .f not, a proficiency chec! %ust be %ade to
deter%ine the antidote's success or failure1 The chec! suffers a ?4; penalty if the poison
has not been identified1 .f the chec! is successful, the antidote ta!es effect1
/or e9a%ple, the assassin Therius is ad2enturing with his co%panion, &rlene,
when she is struc! by a poisoned blade1 The opponent is swiftly dispatched and Therius
turns his attention to her wound1 &rlene, %eanwhile, has failed her sa2ing throw1 The D,
!nows that the poison is Type &, inDected, with an onset ti%e of :; %inutesL he notes this
infor%ation secretly1 &ne %inute has already gone to finishing co%bat1 .f the poison is
not successfully treated, &rlene will be left paraly8ed for nine hours1
Therius is a >th le2el thief Iassassin !itJ with herbalis% proficiency and
.ntelligence 4=L he does ha2e a !it of useful herbs with hi% Dust for such e%ergencies as
this1
He first sets out to identify the poison1 His base chance is 7<R I>th le2elJ Q <R
I.nt 4=J X =;R1 This is his chance of learning fro% &rlene's sy%pto%s1 He rolls a =6 on
percentile dice and fails1 His ne9t atte%pt is by sight, e9a%ining the slain opponent's
blade, with a :;R chance of success1 This also fails1 Concerned about ti%e Ithree %inutes
ha2e already tic!ed byJ, Therius puts a dab on his tongue1 He needs to roll 7< or
lower 1 1 1 and gets a :HN He spits out the poison, recogni8ing it as type &1 The D,
doesn't bother to see if the poison affects Therius, since a paralytic poison at half strength
would ha2e no effect1
Therius wor!s to produce an antidote with the %aterials in his pouch1 This ta!es
hi% si9 %inutes1 He then %a!es a proficiency chec!, needing a 4: or lower Ibecause
herbalis% has a ?: %odifierGsee Player's Handbook, Chapter /i2eJ for success1 He rolls
a 47GfailureN Nine %inutes ha2e tic!ed by1 He hurriedly atte%pts again to concoct the
antidote1 This ti%e it ta!es a full 4; %inutes 1 1 1 Therius rolls a 5 this ti%e, howe2er, so
he succeeds Dust in the nic! of ti%e1
The antidote totally halts the paralytic poison, since that is what the result of a
successful sa2ing throw would ha2e been1
;++in+>t$e #$ie%'s .O
" thief can atte%pt to !noc! out a 2icti% under certain circu%stances by
stri!ing fro% behind with a blunt instru%ent1 .n order to be eligible for a %ugging attac!,
a target %ust be eligible for a backstab, as e9plained in Chapter Three of the Player's
Handbook1 .n addition to all restrictions go2erning a bac!stab, a thief cannot %ug a
2icti% %ore than twice as tall as the thief1
The eligible thief character si%ply %a!es a %ugging attac! instead of a nor%al
bac!stab1 The thief gains his Q= bac!stab bonus and the 2icti% loses shield and De9terity
bonuses1 .f hel%ets are detailed in the ca%paign, the 2icti% has "C 4; unless the head is
protected1
.f the thief scores a hit, the 2icti% %ust %a!e a sa2ing throw 2ersus petrification
or fall unconscious for :d6 rounds1 ,odify the sa2ing throw by the difference in le2el or
hit dice between the %ugger and the 2icti%1
/or e9a%ple, -will the thief IT5J snea!s up behind the ogre sentry I= HDJ1 -will's
blow is successful, so the ogre sa2es as a le2el = warrior1 Nor%ally he would sa2e on a 4:
or better, but the difference in -will's le2el I5J and the ogre's HD I=J %odifies his
necessary sa2e to 4>1 Howe2er, the D, rolls a 45 for the ogre, so -will's atte%pt only
%a!es the sentry %ad1 "nd loud1
Ar"or and A'robati'
Pro%i'ien'ies
This syste% of %odifiers for ar%or other than the usual leather %ay be
used for non?thief characters as well as those thie2es who %ay be found wearing hea2ier
protection1
Elfin chain %ail is light and thin and can be worn under nor%al clothing1 "ll other
types of ar%or e9cept si%ple leather are stiff or bul!y, and can only be co2ered by a full
body cloa!1
="!in+) /or an acrobat wearing ar%or and atte%pting a Du%ping %aneu2er
other than pole 2aulting, co%pute the height or length of the Du%p as described in the
-layer's Handboo!, Chapter /i2e1 Then adDust this distance according to the ar%or of the
character, as shown on Table 7>1 Should the resulting total be less than 8ero, the character
fails the acrobatic feat entirely Iprobably by tripping and landing flat on his faceJ1
-ole 2aulting is a different %atter1 To successfully get off the ground in ar%or
bul!ier than leather reCuires a proficiency chec!, adDusted, as indicated on Table 7>,
according to the pole 2aulter's ar%or1 .n addition, a pole 2aulter with ar%or hea2ier or
bul!ier than studded or padded can 2ault no higher than the height of the pole1
#i+$tro!e 9alkin+) "dDust%ents listed on Table 7> indicate the penalties
associated with each sort of ar%or if it is worn while tightrope wal!ing1 The D, should
also ta!e into account how hea2y the character and all his ar%or, weapons and eCuip%ent
are, and whether the rope or bea% or other surface on which the character wal!s is
capable of supporting such weight1
#"blin+) Defensi2e and offensi2e tu%bling %aneu2ers are li%ited by the use of
ar%or1 "s the Player's Handbook states IChapter /i2eJ, a character with tu%bling
proficiency can i%pro2e his ar%or class by = against attac!s directed solely at hi% in any
round of co%bat, pro2ided he has the initiati2e and forgoes all attac!s that round1 The
row BTu%blingGDefensi2eB on Table 7> indicates what "C bonus, if any, the character
can get when he is wearing 2arious sorts of ar%or1 When in unar%ed co%bat, a character
with tu%bling proficiency is also nor%ally able to i%pro2e his attac! roll by :1 The
bonus, if any, that the character has when in ar%or is shown in the row BTu%blingG
"ttac!1B
The third function of tu%bling proficiency is the ability to a2oid falling da%age1
.f the character %a!es a successful proficiency chec!, he ta!es only half da%age fro%
falls of H; feet or less, and none fro% falls of 4; feet or less1 ,odifiers to this proficiency
chec! are listed in the row BTu%blingG/alling1B
#able -2)
E<<EC#S O< AR;OR ON ACRO8A#&C PRO<&C&ENC&ES

No El%in Stdded Rin+ or 8ri+andine
S'ale or Plate Plate
Skill Ar"or C$ain orPadded Hide C$ain or S!lint
8anded ;ail Ar"or
road Du%p,
Running Q4' G ?4@:' ?7' ?<' ?>' ?4;' ?4<' ?:;'
High Du%p,
Running Q4' ?4@:' ?4' ?:' ?=' ?6' ?4;' ?:;' ?46'
road Du%p,
Standing Q4@:' G ?4@:' ?:' ?7' ?=' ?<' ?>'
?4;'
High Du%p,
Standing Q4@=' G ?4@:' ?4' ?:' ?:4@:' ?: 4@:' ?7' ?7'
-ole 2aulting G ?4' ?4' ?7' ?<' ?6' ?4;' ?4:' ?4<'
Tightrope
Wal!ing G ?4 ?4 ?7 ?< ?H ?6 ?4; ?4:
Tu%bling
Defensi2e Q= Q= Q7 Q4 Q: Q4 ; ; ;
"ttac! Q: Q: Q: ; Q4 Q4 ; ; ;
/alling G ?4 G ?7 ?< ?H ?6 ?4; ?4:
#eneral NotesA $eather ar%or is ta!en to be the standard, with no positi2e
or negati2e adDust%ent to thief s!ills1 No de9terity bonuses apply to thief functions
Ithough penalties doJ when wearing ar%or other than si%ple leather1
41 This category applies when wearing bracers of defense or a cloa!, but no large
protecti2e de2ices1
:1 .ncludes bron8e plate %ail1
71 Enco%passes both field plate and full plate ar%or1
=1 ITable 76J "ssu%es that ar%or worn is co2ered by another gar%ent1 Elfin chain %ail is
light and thin, and can be worn under nor%al clothing1 "ll other types of ar%or e9cept
si%ple leather are stiff or bul!y, and can only be co2ered by a full body cloa!1
Ar"or and #$ie% Skills
Rogues traditionally wear no %ore than leather ar%or, since garb any
%ore bul!y greatly hinders the traditional abilities of thie2es1 The Player's Handbook
notes the benefits or penalties of wearing no ar%or, elfin chain, and studded or padded
leather ar%or, since these options are also a2ailable to thie2es1 .n so%e instances thie2es
will be found wearing still other sorts of ar%or1 ,ulti?classed de%ihu%ans and dual?
classed hu%ans, for instance, %ay ha2e fighter or cleric as one of their classes, and %ay
therefore be per%itted any sort of ar%or whatsoe2er1
Thie2es using the disguise proficiency also should be per%itted to wear ar%or not
nor%ally used by their class, to aid the deception1 I&therwise it beco%es ob2ious that
anyone in leather ar%or who refuses to don chain %ail %ust be an assassin or spy1J
/or this reason we offer e9panded rules to co2er the effects of the hea2ier and
bul!ier ar%or types on thie2es' s!ills1 Table 76 lists the adDust%ents accorded to each
ar%or type1
#able -4)
E<<EC#S O< AR;OR ON #H&E< S.&55S
No El%in Stdded Rin+ or 8ri+andine S'ale or Plate
Plate
Skill Ar"or C$ain or PaddedHide C$ain or S!lint8anded
;ail Ar"or
-ic! -oc!ets Q<R ? :;R ?7;R ?H;R ?=;R ?=;R ?<;R ?><R ?5<R
&pen $oc! G ?<R ?4;R ?<;R ?4<R ?4< ?:;R ?=;R ?6;R
/ind@Re%o2e Traps G?<R ?4;R ?<;R ?4<R ?:<R ?:;R ?=;R ?6;R
,o2e Silently Q4;R ?4;R ?:;R ?7;R ?=;R ?=;R ?H;R ?6;R ?5<R
Hide in Shadows Q<R ?4;R ?:;R ?:;R ?7;R ?7;R ?<;R ?><R ?5<R
Hear Noise G ?<R ?4;R ?4;R ?:;R ?:<R ?7;R ?<;R ?>;R
Cli%b Walls Q4;R ?:;R ?7;R ?H;R ?=;R ?<;R ?5;R ?5<R ?5<R
Read $anguages G G G G G G G G G
Notes 4?=A See Table 7>1
No s!ill can ha2e a chance of success Iincluding all adDust%entsJ greater than 5<R1
Howe2er, a character can always ha2e a 4R chance of success, e2en when trying to pic!
poc!ets in full plate ar%or1
&ptionA So%e D,s %ay per%it thie2es to wear any a2ailable ar%or1 /or %ost thie2es,
howe2er Iespecially at low le2elsJ, it isn't worthwhile to wear bul!ier ar%or because the
penalties cripple thiefly s!ills1 " rogue could fa2or bul! anyway, but D,s should
e%phasi8e IaJ if the player wants a fighting %achine he should play a fighter, IbJ the thief
can't gain e9perience and increase s!ill in thie2ing abilities that he doesn't use1
C$a!ter 4) #$e #$ie% Ca"!ai+n
Terrak, the +aster, looked through the ha$y air of the hideout. The acrid
scent of charcoal smoke mingled !ith the s!eat dripping freely from his assembled
thie#es. .ndeed, the air in the attic remained al!ays fetid, for e#en on a cool night such
as this they dared not open any passage to the outside. So precarious !as their position
in the city, so firm !as the *lack 6uke's grip on the populace, that any hint of their
presence here !ould bring s!ift and brutal reprisal.
1or the hundredth time, Terrak e'amined the members of his small band. They
!ere bra#e men and !omen, and he trusted them all. They !ere bound to him not by any
bonds of lo#e)though he kne! they respected him)but instead by a common, flaming
hatred. He !ondered, again, if such a ragged assemblage could actually be a threat to
one as mighty as the 6uke. *ut then he sighed, kno!ing they had no choice.
Straight across from him, Terrak sa! %rdina, the !ea#er. The old !oman
practiced her trade skillfully during the day, and none suspected that her bottles of dye,
or her carefully !rapped bundles of cloth, !ere used to smuggle the gains of the band
around the city, and e#en to locations beyond the high !all. 8#en no! the band gathered
in the attic of her shop, since she had risked her co#er and her life to pro#ide them this
temporary hideout.
"istfully, Terrak remembered the guildhall, built !ith the profits of his long
labors, and e#en the s!eat of his o!n bro!. The building had contained secret passages,
hidden compartments, deadly traps, and easily defensible combat stations. *ut it had all
gone up in smoke !hen the *lack 6uke's enforcers had attacked. Terrak's eyes misted as
he thought of Serana, his beautiful, young Serana, calling to him !ith her last !ords
before the flames had taken her, had taken so many of them.
*ut the +aster Thief hardened his mind and his plans. .ndeed, it had been those
same precautions, the secret doors and the hidden compartments, that had allo!ed this
small remnant of his band to escape. /o! they gathered here, dry kindling a!aiting the
spark that !ould ignite the flames of their re#enge.
Terrak turned to an old man beside him. -%nd so, orden, the 6uke's treasury
a!aits us no!4-
The man nodded his balding head. Terrak reminded himself that the man !as not
as old as he looked. The 6uke, ho!e#er, had sei$ed orden's !ife for use as a concubine
many years earlier. *y threatening her !ith death, the ruler had forced the talented
orden to keep his books and pro#ide him !ith information. /o!, the 6uke's threat to
claim the man's daughter for a similar fate had finally dri#en orden to fight against his
brutal lord.
-.ndeed, +aster.- orden spread a piece of parchment on the floor. -Jou see here
the layout of the 6uke's mansion. . ha#e marked the secret passage to the #ault, though .
could not gain the key to the lock. . am sorry, but the 6uke keeps it on a key around his
neck.-
Terrak !a#ed a!ay the man's apology. 2nce they found the lock, he kne! Keno
could open it. .ndeed, the lockpicker e#en no! instincti#ely fle'ed his fingers and licked
his lips. Keno, too, had lost his !oman in the 6uke's raid. Terrak kne! he !ould perform
!ith skill on this night.
-%nd the painting4- asked Terrak, carefully !atching the other members of his
band. He sa! ocko fle' unconsciously, grasping the stump of his right arm !ith his left
hand. ocko had lost his hand as a mere boy, !hen the 6uke's !atchmen had caught him
stealing bacon in the marketplace. ocko !as bra#e, but not terribly bright. He, of all of
them, had e'pressed the most misgi#ings about the plan to steal the piece of art along
!ith the 6uke's treasury of gems.
-emember, the 6uke is ruled by his #anity abo#e all else,- Terrak reminded
them, directing his measured stare at the unflinching ocko. -That painting of himself,
the !ork he paid thousands of gold pieces for that it may hang in his great hall, ser#es as
a symbol of his #anity. .t has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the entire city. .ts theft !ill
put a large dent in the 6uke's armor of rulership&- =%t least, . hope it !ill&>, Terrak
concluded silently.
-/o!, the challenges,- the +aster Thief continued. He looked at Kyrin, to his left.
-. !ill ha#e the !agon ready,- the girl ans!ered solemnly. She had been 0ust old
enough to understand her loss !hen her parents had died in the inferno of the
guildhouse. Terrak kne! that she spoke the truth.
-Here are the magic mouths.- Terrak gestured at the parchment as orden
nodded.
-+y spell of silence !ill be ready,- nodded another thief, a thin and !iry man of
indeterminate age. 2nly the golden sheen of his blond hair suggested his true race. The
half,elf !as a skilled thief, but at times his talents as a magic,user !ere e#en more
#aluable to the band.
-These !alls are oiled to pre#ent scaling,- e'plained orden, gesturing around
the periphery of the courtyard.
% snicker came from a young !oman across the room, and Terrak allo!ed himself
a slight smile of his o!n. The *lack 6uke !ould need more than slippery !alls to stop
*ria the acrobat and her grappling hook. -5ust remember to drop a rope for the rest of
us,- reminded the +aster.
-%nd finally, the guards,'' pointed orden. -They are commanded by Puroch,
!hose loyalty the 6uke e'torts by holding his family at knifepoint.''
-The family is no! safe in hiding4- asked Terrak, looking at the old
!ea#er!oman.
She nodded !ith a toothless grin. -Puroch !ill 0oin us no!.-
Terrak looked again at his small, capable band. He kne! them all, understood
their strengths and their !eaknesses. He !ould not betray them, and he kne! they !ould
not betray him.
-"e cannot hope that the theft of a painting and a fe! gems !ill bring the po!er
of this duke crashing do!n,- he said softly. -*ut if, by this theft, !e can force the entire
city to see him for the madman he is)and his madness !ill be plain to all !hen he
disco#ers the defaced painting hanging abo#e the outer gate of his mansion&)!e can do
him great harm.-
-%nd too, !e can pa#e the road to our return. Soon, my loyal comrades, !e !ill
become the influential guild that !e !ere once before&-
Ele"ents o% t$e #$ie% Ca"!ai+n
The thief ca%paign rese%bles any other "D+DK ga%e ca%paign in %any
respectsA There %ust be a challenge for the -Cs to face, the challenge %ust be balanced to
the strength of the characters, and the rewards %ust be enDoyable enough to !eep
e2eryone ha2ing a good ti%eGbut not so abundant as to drastically inflate the finances of
your ca%paign world1
ut it is in the specifics of play that so%e of these ca%paign aspects can ta!e on
uniCue and entertaining features when applied to a ca%paign in2ol2ing %any thief
characters1
This section e9plores so%e of these features, pro2iding detail to D,s and also
players1
Cltral Considerations
The cultural o2er2iew of the ca%paign setting is an i%portant
consideration for the ad2enturing careers of all -Cs, none %ore so than the thief1 So%e
cultures ha2e a strong and deep?running tradition of thie2ery while others will be Cuite
foreign to the concept1
#enerally, the %ore pri%iti2e a ci2ili8ation, the less the li!elihood of a strong
thief ele%ent within it1 Sa2age tribes%en or aborigines, of course, ha2e few possessions
that a thief would dee% worth stealing1 While characters fro% these bac!grounds %ight
co2et the possessions of other cultures, their %ethods of acCuisition will be less subtle
than those of a TTci2ili8ed'' thief1
&f course, nothing prohibits a character fro% a sa2age or barbarian bac!ground
fro% Doining the thief class1 .deally, the character will ha2e the opportunity to learn a
little about his chosen trade before he %eets up with an e9perienced city watch patrol1
Rural cultures, too, will be less li!ely to pro2ide interesting settings for thief
ad2entures than will urban locales1 Thief characters can of course learn their trades in
s%all town or country settings, but unless they ha2e a steady strea% of tra2elers passing
through fro% which to select their 2icti%s, such thie2es will ha2e difficulty %aintaining a
career of any long duration1
ut perhaps an e2en %ore significant cultural consideration is the 2iew of that
culture towards personal property and an honest day's labor1 .t is in this conte9t that a
city, with a strong class of %erchants, an i%portant econo%ic syste%, and a reliance upon
trade, beco%es the ideal setting for the thief's acti2ities1
The culture of such a bustling city cannot help but gi2e rise to laws and law
enforcers, to obDects of 2alue, and to interesting inhabitants1 "ll of these ite%s, as they
relate to the thief's acti2ities and opportunities, are discussed below1
#$e So'ial Ca"!ai+n En,iron"ent
Thie2es, %ore than any other character class, %ust interact with N-Cs in
order to utili8e the full capabilities of their class1 *nli!e the fighter or the %agic user,
who can face an opponent fro% the safety of spell or %issile range, or in the heat of
%elee co%bat, the thief %ust often co%%unicate with his ene%ies, staying ali2e as %uch
by his wits as by his strength1
.t is incu%bent upon the D,, of course, to pro2ide the necessary en2iron%ents
for his players' enDoy%ent1 /or thief characters, and particularly in a ca%paign with
nu%erous thief?types, this %eans the creation of nu%erous N-Cs, detailed sufficiently for
s%ooth interaction with the -Cs, and a society or culture with enough features to pro2ide
%oti2ation and a%bition to thie2es and to allow plenty of roo% for ad2enture1
So%e of the significant features of such a ca%paign includeA
#$e So'ial O,er,ie3 o% #$ie,es
How does this society 2iew thie2esM "re they 2igorously e9ter%inated
where2er they can be foundM "re they encouraged to lea2e town by the closest a2ailable
gateM &r are they an integral part of the city's infrastructure, contributing to its econo%ic
life e2ery bit as directly Iif not, perhaps, as constructi2elyJ as the trading of %erchantsM
The answers to these Cuestions deter%ine, to a great e9tent, what !ind of status a
thief %ight hold in the society1 &f course, status is al%ost always enhanced by wealth, but
a wealthy thief, in %any societies, is still regarded as %ere scu%, howe2er cleansed and
saniti8ed he %ay be on the surface1
.n areas where thie2es are 2igorously persecuted, thief characters will ha2e to
operate al%ost entirely underground1 E2en the location of such a %aDor establish%ent of
the thie2es guild will be a carefully guarded secret1 The guild headCuarters %ight %o2e
around freCuently, changing locations at the first hint of detection1
Thie2es in these types of societies will probably need to ha2e se2eral alternate
hideouts lined up, ready for use at a %o%ent's notice1 The nu%ber of thie2es wor!ing
together, whether in a guild or a %ore infor%al band, will be s%all1 -aranoia a%ong the
%e%bers will be co%%on, and e2en the hint of betrayal will li!ely %eet with grueso%e
conseCuences1
.ndeed, thie2es in societies that stri2e to root the% out will often be forced to
resort to a co2er occupation or identity, si%ply to %aintain appearances with neighbors,
casual acCuaintances, and e2en curious %e%bers of the city watch1 The de2elop%ent of
the co2er can in2ol2e as %uch ti%e and detail as player and D, want to spend1 .n this
type of culture, a thief's success at his co2er can affect his fortunes e2ery bit as %uch as
his perfor%ance on the Dob1
While a co2er pro2ides a thief character with an inherent professional wea!ness,
it can also pro2ide wonderful opportunities for roleplaying1 "dditionally, a thief who
wor!s to preser2e a co2er %ight find hi%self wor!ing in an area that is nor%ally closed
to thie2es1 This entails a corresponding increase in the li!elihood of encountering
lucrati2e targets for theft1 "lso, there will often be a relati2e lac! of co%petition fro%
other thie2es in such an en2iron%ent1
Con2ersely, societies where thie2es are at least tolerated, and those where thie2es
are accorded ran! of so%e status, present thief player characters with other challenges1
ecause of the notoriously chaotic nature of the class, thie2es are constantly adDusting the
status of %e%bers within their ran!s1 Thie2es who would succeed %ust struggle to stand
out fro% the %asses1 Where e2ery street has its cutpurses and e2ery neighborhood its
petty boss, the thief -C will find hi%self in the %idst of sa2age co%petition1 He will
nearly always be forced to choose sides1 "lthough this selection can include the choice of
independent operations, of course, %ost thie2es loo! upon those who are not declared
friends as undeclared ene%ies1 Co%petition fro% other thie2es and thief organi8ations
beco%es a %aDor conflict for these characters1
Detailed and Varied Non*Player C$ara'ters
&b2iously, N-Cs are a %aDor part of any social ca%paign en2iron%ent1
/or a ca%paign with %aDor roles for thie2es, this %ust be one of the pri%ary areas of D,
concern1
Details are i%portant, as always1 ecause of the nu%ber of N-Cs needed, D,s
will probably want to de2elop a con2enient shorthand procedure for !eeping trac! of all
these characters1 .t is not necessary, for e9a%ple, to include stats and proficiencies and
eCuip%ent for each shopowner and inn!eeper in the player character orbit1 &ften a na%e
for the character and a one or two word personality description will suffice to gi2e the
D, all he needs to roleplay the N-C in an interesting and consistent %anner1
IRe%e%ber, if the inn!eeper is Bgreedy and bigotedB the first ti%e the -Cs encounter
hi%, he is li!ely to be that way ne9t ti%e as well1J
&f course, N-Cs who %ight logically be e9pected to enter co%bat with the -Cs
Iguards, ri2al thie2es, thugs, bullies, etc1J will need to be detailed with the rele2ant
co%bat infor%ation1 &ther N-Cs who fill the roles of the potential targets for -C thie2ery
I%erchants, nobles, dandies, cara2aners, fences, influential cri%inals and thie2es, etc1J
will need additional infor%ation on 2aluables possessed, how those goods are securedG
including notes on loc!s, traps, secret co%part%ents, and the li!eGas well as enough
co%bat infor%ation to allow the D, to Cuic!ly adDudicate an encounter should %atters
co%e to blows1
Chapter Twel2e of the "D+DK :nd Edition D,# includes 2aluable infor%ation
on defining the personalities of N-Cs Ipg144=J and on creating fast, realistic characters
when needed Ipgs144<?44>J1
The D,, after wor!ing out an easy way of recording his N-Cs, %ust then !eep
this infor%ation close at hand where it can be easily referenced1 He is then ready for any
encounters the characters %ight decide to find1
" 2ariety of N-Cs is e2ery bit as i%portant as the detail used to record the%1 .n
all ca%paigns, the player characters will interact with fol!s fro% all wal!s of lifeGin a
thief ca%paign such interaction is co%%on and e9pected1
So%e of the N-Cs will need to be peers of the -CsGfellow thie2es and rogues
inhabiting the sa%e area1 These N-Cs can ser2e as ri2als, te%porary helpers, sources of
infor%ation, and e2en sort of a %easuring scale for the -C's successes1
Thie2es will often de2elop contacts with N-Cs e2en lower in status than the
thie2es the%sel2es1 These characters can include beggars, urchins and orphans, harlots,
and other low?life types1 " stable of these N-Cs can pro2ide the -Cs with a ready source
of infor%ation IBHere's a copper, !idGgo and count the guards outside the storehouse for
%eNBJ, as well as pro2iding a touch of belie2ability to the ca%paign bac!ground1 These
low?life N-Cs will, of course, ha2e the sa%e 2ariety of personalities and abilities as other
N-Cs1 ecause the -Cs represent persons of power to the%, howe2er, player character
actions can ha2e a great rebounding effect in their relations1 /or e9a%ple, a thief that
always shares a Ihowe2er s%allJ portion of his ta!e with the gang of urchins constantly
roa%ing the neighborhood will find those urchins to be useful loo!outs and helpful,
willing sources of infor%ation1 The thief who spends his ti%e cursing and !ic!ing the
youngsters away fro% his abode %ay Dust find the% leading an elite unit of the city watch
straight to his door1
-otential targets for robbery include a whole 2ast real% of N-CsA wealthy
%erchants, powerful nobles, influential foreigners, e2en thie2es and other ad2enturers
who ha2e enDoyed a certain a%ount of financial success in their endea2ors1 " 2ariety of
characters is essential here because this gi2es the -Cs the opportunity to deter%ine for
the%sel2es what will be the site of the ne9t furti2e operation1
Here your group %ight try pacing the ga%ing sessions to gi2e the players
co%plete freedo% of choice, while not burdening the D, with the tas! of detailing e2ery
%ansion, noble house, and %erchant shop in town1 Si%ply use the e9pedient of closing a
ga%ing session with the -C planning %eeting for the ne9t operation1 Then, when the
target for the theft has been selected, the D, has the ne9t wee! Ior ne9t few hours,
depending on how often you playJ to prepare a detailed layout of the setting1
No ca%paign is co%plete without at least one, or ideally se2eral, strong 2illains to
ser2e as antagonists for the player characters1 )illains, of course, do not ha2e to be
cri%inals or other low?life types1 They can be nobles, go2ern%ent officials, law
enforce%ent officials or %agistrates, foreign a%bassadors, powerful wi8ards or sinister
clericsGin short, all types of characters can %a!e good 2illains in a thief ca%paign1 "nd
don't o2erloo! the grand%aster of the thie2es guild or so%e other powerful cri%inal who
%ight be a ri2al of the -CsL these !inds of long?running feuds can !indle the fires of
%any an e9tended ca%paign ad2enture1
Whoe2er the D, pic!s as a central 2illain for the ca%paign, a few general
principles apply1 The 2illain %ust be a powerful characterGone who can inspire fear, or
at least grudging respect, in the -Cs1 -ower can be e9pressed in financial resources Ian
estate, fortress, collection of treasures, etc1J, authority Isuch as a troop of guards or
co%%and of the city watchJ, personal abilities Isuch as %agic powers, %agical artifacts,
co%bat s!ill and weaponry, or sheer intelligence or charis%aJ, or, ideally, so%e
co%bination of all these characteristics1 Certainly in order to see% for%idable, a 2illain's
power %ust e9ceed the co%bined power of the -Cs1
Scenes in2ol2ing the 2illain should be paced and staged carefullyGthe -Cs
probably will not find hi% in a bac! alley rolling drun!s1 I.f they do, that should tell the%
so%ething about the drun!NJ )illains, being powerful and influential indi2iduals, are not
stupid1 When they are encountered, they will usually be surrounded by their lac!eys and
hench%en Iso%e of these can be Cuite stupid, at the D,'s optionJ1
.n fact, the 2illain's lac!eys should be co%%on antagonists of the player
characters throughout the ca%paign1 .t is well worth a D,'s ti%e to de2elop so%e of
these hench%en as detailed N-CsG%inor 2illains in their own right1 What is the Sheriff
of Nottingha% without his loyal house guards, after allM
"ny 2illain worth his blac! %ustache will ha2e one or two escape routes planned
fro% e2ery location where he is li!ely to be encountered1 These will only be used in
e%ergencies, of course, but can ser2e an i%portant ca%paign function in that, as a 2illain
escapes fro% near?certain death ti%e after ti%e, the players will de2elop their own
%oti2ation in wishing to go after hi% and end the conflict once and for all1 This
resolution, ideally occurring after %any ga%ing sessions, then beco%es a %aDor triu%ph
in the -Cs' careers1 &f course, if they blow it, the last battle can %a!e a glorious final
chapter in a -C career 1 1 1
" final category of N-Cs, i%possible to o2erloo! in the thief ca%paign, are those
characters entrusted with the enforce%ent of law, or Dustice, or powerGwhate2er pre2ails
in your ca%paign en2iron%ent1 E2en should you ha2e created an anarchistic society,
people will ta!e steps to protect their belongings and so%e of these steps usually in2ol2e
big, tough fighters1
.t is interesting and enDoyable to ha2e se2eral of these characters beco%e 2ery
well?de2eloped N-Cs in the ca%paign1 The gruff sergeant?%aDor of the city watch, for
e9a%ple, %ight ha2e a few stern words for the -Cs each ti%e they are apprehended1 "
2illainous thug in charge of a platoon of %ercenary guards %ight de2elop a personal
grudge against the -Cs that can grow into a %aDor ca%paign storyline1 E2en a se2ere
%agistrate can be a recurring character, especially if -C lawbrea!ers are coerced into
helping the forces of Dustice in e9change for their freedo%, li2es, or whate2er1
The D, need not go o2erboard on details for these N-Cs1 "fter all, ha2ing 4;;
N-Cs in the ca%paign isn't %uch use if the D, has to shuffle 4;; pieces of paper e2ery
ti%e a player character as!s a Cuestion1 .t is best to wor! out to your own satisfaction the
le2el of detail reCuired for consistent, enDoyable play, while allowing a brief enough
for%at that the D, does not beco%e o2erwhel%ed with record!eeping and N-C
creation1
UniDe 8ildin+s and Str'tres
Whether these are te%ples, fortresses, 2aults, inns, palaces, or %ansions,
the buildings in a thiefly en2iron%ent should be well detailed1 Deter%ine, as %uch as
possible, details such as window place%ent, e2en on higher floors1
/eatures of construction can be i%portantL a bric! wall %ay pro2e easier to cli%b
than a surface of s%ooth plaster1 "re there trees or clinging 2ines near the wallsM "re the
grounds well?%aintainedM I,any a thief has failed a %o2e silently chec! because the
lea2es rustled beneath his feetNJ
"dd entertaining features to your buildings such as balconies, atriu%s, wide
stairways with railings, chandeliers, swi%%ing pools, secret passages, and so on1
Hanging draperies can %a!e wonderful e%ergency transportation, and a wine cellar,
icehouse, or other speciali8ed roo% can also be put to interesting use1
E9peri%ent with unusual settings as wellGDust because your thie2es ad2enture in
a social en2iron%ent doesn't %ean that you can't put a dungeon under a noble's %anor, or
a hidden ca2ern leading to and fro% the lair of a ri2al band of thie2es1 "fter the -Cs ha2e
plundered se2eral houses, you %ight offer a tower or a pyra%id for a change of pace1
.nso%uch as a great portion of a thief's career %ight be spent s!ul!ing about the
buildings of the ca%paign world, it is well worth the D,'s ti%e to prepare the% carefully
and i%aginati2ely1
A 9ell*De%ined E'ono"i' Syste"
This can be as si%ple as consistent obser2ation of the prices and costs
listed in the -layers Handboo!, or as co%plicated and in2ol2ed as a D, cares to %a!e it1
ecause so %any thie2es %easure their acco%plish%ents in financial ter%s, howe2er,
so%e sort of consistent %easure of worth is e9tre%ely i%portant1
"nother consideration within the econo%ic syste% is the effect of theft on the
ite%s being re?sold1 Certainly a Deweled tiara can be appraised at 4,;;; gp1 Howe2er, if
word of its theft has tra2eled far and wide, -C thie2es %ight ha2e difficulty getting
so%eone to pay half the listed a%ount1
&ther aspects of econo%ics often o2erloo!ed in a ca%paign can be 2ery rele2ant
for thie2es1 ribes are often necessary in order to gain infor%ation or to persuade a guard
to loo! the other wayG!eep rigorous trac! of this cost of doing businessN -rotection
%oney %ight be offered by 2icti%sL con2ersely, if a %erchant is paying protection %oney
to so%eone else Ia thie2es guild, for e9a%pleJ, those being paid will lea2e no stone
unturned in see!ing the one who has flaunted their warnings1
"ll such e9tra costs and hidden conseCuences should be deter%ined by the D,, at
least to the e9tent of their i%pact upon the ca%paign en2iron%ent1 .t can be left up to the
-Cs to disco2er for the%sel2es how these little e9tras can i%pact Iperhaps e2en shortenNJ
their illicit careers1
&nterestin+ ObEe'ts D'Art and Ot$er #reasres
" well?defined cultural store of 2aluable obDects always gi2es a thief
so%ething to thin! about, and can pro2ide so%e wonderful i%petus for roleplaying1 IB.
si%ply %ust ha2e that last )an Hoot originalNBJ These ite%s add a great deal of color and
life to a ca%paign, encouraging players and the D, ali!e to thin! in ter%s other than
si%ply the gp 2alue of a treasure1 .ndeed, a 2aluable art obDect %ay be worth far %ore
than its base 2alue to a collector1 y the sa%e to!en, such an obDect %ight be recogni8ed
far and wide as stolen propertyGa co%plication that can %a!e disposal of the goods an
ad2enture in its own right1
-art of this ca%paign aspect in2ol2es establishing a consistent econo%ic syste%
for the world, of course, as %entioned abo2e1 ut ta!ing the ti%e to specify treasures and
their worth within that econo%ic syste% carries the concept to a le2el of detail that
greatly enhances any ca%paignGbut particularly one in2ol2ing %any thie2es and their
illicit acti2ities1
&bDects can be classified by type and artist, %ost ob2iously, but also by such
things as %aterials Iespecially in the area of ge%s and DewelryJ, intricacy of design, and
si8e1
.t doesn't so %uch %atter !hat you choose to in2ent and define here1 .t is %ore
i%portant for the D, to create enough detail about so%e area that the %ost treasured
pieces are !nown to one and all, and enough other facts about the art to allow -C thie2es
to %a!e proper 2alue Dudge%ents1
&f course, establishing an artistic le2el of a culture is an ingredient of any
ca%paign1 Thie2es, howe2er, are %ore apt to beco%e in2ol2ed in the gaining and losing
of such ite%s than are characters of other classes, and because of this the thief ca%paign
calls for a little e9tra attention to be paid here1
Whether these obDects are paintings, statues, Dewelry or ge%wor!, tapestries or
rugs, ornate crystal, or religious icons, a well?defined set of e9isting treasures helps a
thief put his own acCuisitions and losses into conte9t1 Dungeon ,asters will find the ti%e
spent creating a detailed cultural and artistic bac!ground for the ca%paign well spent1
-layer character thie2es will doubtless find one or two %ore things that Dust %ight
cause the% to lic! their chops1
9ell*De%ined 5e+al Syste"
This does not %ean that your ca%paign has to ha2e a law?and?order basis
with plenty of tough penalties for thie2es, and a gung?ho tea% of watch%en and sheriffs
to see that unlawful perpetrators are Cuic!ly apprehended1
.nstead, a well?defined legal syste% in a ca%paign %eans that the D, %ust gi2e
careful thought to the role of law and order in the ca%paign culture1 .t is far %ore
i%portant for penalties to be consistent than for the% to be harsh1
&nce the D, has established a consistent legal structure for the society, a
wor!ing !nowledge of that structure should be co%%unicated to the players1
.n any e2ent, the laws of a society will usually be for%ed to reflect the standards
and e9pectations of the %aDority Ior at least the %ost influential portionJ of the populace1
"s always, ga%e balance is i%portant here as well1 Societies with harsh penalties
for thie2ery tend to discourage such nefarious acti2ities1 ecause of the ris! in2ol2ed,
potential gains should be correspondingly higher than in locations with %ore easy?going
%agistrates1
" few words about specific penaltiesA While the death penalty for lawbrea!ers is
not an unrealistic sanction in a %edie2al?based societyGand, indeed, %any a nail?biter of
a rescue has pulled a character fro% the shadows of the gallows, heads%an's a9e, or
whate2erGit is not the %ost enDoyable thing to roleplay1
/ar better to ha2e a character who has gotten hi%self in deep trouble be subDected
to le2erage fro% the law, perhaps being coerced to betray his co%panions or spy upon a
powerful ri2al thief in e9change for his freedo% and pardon1 This way the sanction is a
de2ice propelling the character into another ad2enture instead of a one?way tic!et out of
the ca%paign1
Conter*#$ie% #a'ti's
This is an area all too often neglected in ca%paign and city design1 .t
reflects the truis% that people who ha2e been robbed, or who !now they are susceptible
to robbery, will ta!e steps to guard their belongings1
Counter?thief tactics include structural features such as loc!s, walls, traps and
alar%sL N-Cs such as guards, Dudges and in2estigatorsL %agical procedures for locating
lost obDects or protecting ite%s of 2alueL and any other steps property?owners and
societies %ight ta!e to ha%per the acti2ities of thie2es a%ong the%1
The degree of counter?thief tactics e%ployed in a ca%paign can be a useful
balancing tool for the D,, as well as a source of endless challenge and ad2enture for the
-Cs1 "s with any roleplaying ga%e situation, the degree of challenge should be
co%patible with the a%ount of reward offered1 Not e2ery s%all strongbo9 in a city will
ha2e %agical loc!s and a full?ti%e patrol of high?le2el guards1
Howe2er, the protections e%ployed by a society to counter thie2ery will also
relate directly to the a%ount of thie2ery to be e9pected1 .n places where robberies are
co%%on but wealth is 2alued, those who ha2e the wealth will ta!e 2igorous steps to
protect it1
Such protections do not all ha2e to be of the co%%on natureGe9tra guards, a trap
built into the loc!, etc1 So%e N-Cs will certainly hide their loot in une9pected locations
Gthe night%are of %any a cat?burglar1 "nother occasionally e%ployed tactic is the
substitution of so%e worthless obDect for the real thing1 " nasty twist on this latter case
has the thief actually stealing so%ething har%ful to hi%self or others1 /or e9a%ple, the
thief who has Dust poisoned his guild%aster with what he thought was a potion of eternal
youth finds hi%self in a 2ery aw!ward situation indeed1
8a'k+rond o% &nterestin+ Con%li'ts
" thief ca%paign can probably run for a long ti%e on the central conflict
of BHa2es 2s1 the Ha2e?notsB1 -layers and D,s ali!e will find a lot %ore fla2or and depth
in a setting with a little broader bac!ground of conflict, howe2er1
Conflicts appropriate to a thief ca%paign are little different fro% those that should
li2en up any ca%paign1 E2ery social setting will ha2e tension between the 2arious legs of
the power structure, whether these are ruling houses, political parties, or e2en different
%e%bers of the sa%e ruling fa%ily1
Conflict between different classes or social strata is another co%%on point of
tension in society1 The rich %ight see! to do%inate the poorer fol!, who stri2e in their
own right to gain a share of the good life1 .n a %ercantile society there %ight be a %iddle
class of %erchants and artisans who see! to insulate their pri2ileges fro% those less
fortunate, while at the sa%e ti%e stri2ing for financial better%ent for the%sel2es and their
fa%ilies1
Religious conflict is a co%%on feature of ca%paigns, particularly appropriate in
worlds with a wide pantheon of 2aried gods1 Thie2es and others can often be e%ployed
by the clerics of different te%ples in order to spy upon, pilfer, or sabotage the centers of
ri2al religions1
Conflicts a%ong thie2es the%sel2es, and ob2iously between the law and brea!ers
of the law, should be standard features of the ca%paign1 The conflict between a thie2es'
guild and independent Iusually player characterJ thie2es has beco%e a cliche, but it still
creates a tense bac!ground for a thief's acti2ities1 Just try to establish that this is not the
only conflict around which the ca%paign is based1
Conflicts, as always, are %ost effecti2e when they can be personali8ed1 .n a
religious conflict, for e9a%ple, detail the influential clerics on each side1 .f a thief -C
encounters a challenge fro% an N-C thief wor!ing in the sa%e territory, gi2e that N-C a
face and a personality1 When conflicts are personali8ed, player characters de2elop a
natural %oti2ation and enthusias% for their resolution1
C$allen+es #o #$ie% C$ara'ter Class Abilities
/inally, the thief ca%paign should ideally include a %ultiplicity of
opportunities for thie2es to e%ploy their own uniCue talents1 ,ost significantly, this
%eans %any opportunities to pic! loc!s, to find and re%o2e traps, to cli%b sheer
surfaces, and so on1
The D, should additionally tailor the challenges to the specific type of ad2enture
suitable to the thief or thie2es in the ca%paign1 " character with great proficiency in
disguise, for e9a%ple, should ha2e opportunities to use a co2er identity, or to find wor!
as a spy1
y successfully creating challenges that %atch the particular strengths of the
player characters Iof all classesJ, the -Cs ha2e a chance to car2e out a solid niche for
the%sel2es in the ca%paign world1
#$e #$ie,es' Gild
Whether or not to place a guild in your ca%paign setting is a decision
central to the ga%ing careers of your thief player characters1 #uilds can pro2ide %any
interesting conflicts, and also reCuire a certain a%ount of D, co%%it%ent in order to
e9ist belie2ably in a ca%paign world1
ConseCuently, the creation of a guild is not a decision to be ta!en lightly1 &f
course, they are %ore or less standard in %any ga%ing en2iron%ents, and if e2eryone in
the ca%paign e9pects there to be a thie2es guild, there probably should be a guild1
Thie2es guilds can pro2ide %any opportunities for ad2enture, as detailed in
Chapter =A Thie2es #uilds1 ,any of the ideas there can be used in creating a guild for
your own ca%paign en2iron%ent1
Re%e%ber also, should you decide not to ha2e a guild in your own ca%paign
world, that the absence of a guild does not %ean there aren't plenty of thie2es running
around out there, loo!ing for their share of the spoils and wor!ing acti2ely to defend their
Bturf1B
8asi' Storylines <or #$ie% Ca"!ai+ns
-erhaps the player character thie2es will be content at the start of a
ca%paign to plunder this noble %ansion and that opulent gallery, staying one or two steps
ahead of the city watch1 Such ca%paigns reCuire little planning beyond the ne9t ga%ing
session for the D,, and wor! well with players who can only attend occasional ga%ing
sessions1
Howe2er, the repetition of obDecti2es and %oti2ations can pre2ent players fro%
e9ploring the full possibilities of their characters and the ga%e1 E2en if each %ission
in2ol2es a different setting, new %onsters, and uniCue, challenging traps and N-Cs,
players and D,s ali!e %ay find the%sel2es wanting %ore1
The addition of a basic storyline can add a the%e tying the ca%paign together,
gi2ing the player characters a cause higher than %ere plunder for their e9ploits1
Storylines allow for greater de2elop%ent of N-Cs, and also pro2ide the -Cs with %ore
opportunities for interacti2e roleplaying Ias opposed to co%bat and other physical
encountersJ1
Se2eral suggested storylines are presented here1 ,any dungeon %asters prefer to
create their own, and this is encouraged1 The e9a%ples are brief enough that each
ca%paign's will be specifically tailored for a uniCue fit1
#$e Great Arti%a't
This is the type of story that gets the old thie2es tal!ing late into the night,
sipping their %ugs and re%iniscing wistfully about the big Dob that they ne2er Cuite got
around to1
The great artifact is a uniCue obDect, a one of a !ind wand or ge% or statue
or anything else of tre%endous worth1 .t is fa%ed for its power Ili!e a %agic ite%J or its
sy%bolic 2alue Ili!e the crown Dewels of a proud go2ern%entJ or perhaps si%ply for its
%indboggling worth financially Ithe %int or gold repository of a powerful city?state,
perhapsJ1 &ccasionally, an artifact will co%bine features of all these types, and %ore1
&bDects labelled as BartifactsB in the "D+DK ga%e syste% usually fall into this category1
Whate2er its nature, so%e generalities about the theft of the great artifact apply1
.ts worth is fabulous1 "lthough it %ay not be sought by e#eryone, there are plenty who
would gi2e anything to own it1
The great artifact's acCuisition should be a process reCuiring %any ga%ing
sessions1 -erhaps se2eral additional Cuests are reCuired before the theft of the artifact can
e2en beginGa !ey %ust be obtained before the %agically warded chest can be opened,
for e9a%ple1
The protections of the artifact should be %any, and their effecti2eness should
increase the closer the -Cs get to their goal1 These barriers should ideally include
obstacles to the %ental, as well as the physical, abilities of the characters1 &ften a great
deal of planning and coordination can be reCuired of a band of thie2es, in order to pull off
the theft e2eryone thought was i%possible1
.ndeed, there %ight be a body of lore surrounding the artifact1 -layer characters
willing to do their ho%ewor! %ight be able to find sur2i2ors of pre2ious e9peditions, or
at least hear tales handed down fro% earlier years1 Such cautionary tales, of course, %ay
contain %ore fiction than fact1 They %ay also be couched in obscure language Ias, for
e9a%pleA Beware the witching %oon when the hog wal!s upon the waterBJ, containing a
%eaning that only beco%es clear when certain conditions co%e to pass1
The Cuest for the great artifact does not ha2e to end with its acCuisition, by the
way1 &nce its re%o2al beco%es public !nowledge, any obDect of such great 2alue
beco%es the focus of attention for bounty hunters, %aster thie2es, and whoe2er had the
obDect stolen to begin with1 Especially in the case of potent %agic, the -Cs %ight find
the%sel2es holding onto a lot %ore than they bargained for1
#$e ;ysterios Client
The %ysterious client is usually an N-C1 He or she can be a player
character, howe2er, if that player is briefed by the D, pri2ately beforehand1
Howe2er the client is played, the role is that of a person Ior perhaps a deityJ who
contacts the %ain group of -Cs and as!s the% to perfor% so%e tas! worthy of their
thiefly abilities1
This storyline is easy to start because the client can always direct the -Cs toward
the first encounter1 The %ost i%portant feature here is for the D, to surround the client
with an air of %ystery1 -erhaps the characters ne2er see the client's face, or learn his or
her na%e1 ,aybe all of their co%%unications are in writing, and they are allowed no
infor%ation as to where the client can be found1
,ysterious clients can be drawn fro% any and all character classes, or e2en fro%
the ran!s of %onsters1 " powerful and intelligent %onster that cannot %ingle freely with
hu%ans %ight see! thie2es to perfor% so%e of its business1 .n the ulti%ate e9tre%e, of
course, the client turns out to be a powerful god or other e9traplanar being, and the -Cs
are in2ol2ed in really big ti%e trouble before they !now what's happening1
The tas! reCuired of the thie2es by the client can include theft, of course1 &ther
possibilities include the search for a lost obDect, often reCuiring in2estigati2e wor! as well
as stealthL the gaining of infor%ation by reCuiring the characters to ser2e as spies or
scoutsL or other e2en %ore nefarious tas!s in2ented by the client or the D,1
Role Re,ersal
"n interesting challenge to player characters, and particularly thief player
characters, is the tas! of protecting so%e obDect fro% an i%%inent theft1 This story can be
co%bined with the %ysterious client plotline to create another twist1
The -Cs can be assigned to %o2e the obDect so%ewhere, guarding it on the way,
or si%ply to protect it where it is1 The challenge arises fro% anticipating the plans of
whate2er thie2es %ight be inclined to %a!e the atte%pt1
#enerally, the -Cs will be tested with one or two easy probes before the real
challenges occur1 The guardianship role can easily be e9tended through se2eral ga%ing
sessions, as %ore and %ore 2igorous atte%pts to acCuire the loot are %ounted1
This storyline is not as well suited for a longrunning ca%paign as are so%e of the
others1 Howe2er, characters who spend %ost of their ti%e atte%pting to obtain ite%s of
2alue %ight find the change of perspecti2e interesting1
<ol 8etrayal
This storyline is best co%bined with one of the others1 .t fits well in the
thief subculture and can be wrapped around any significant non?player character in the
ca%paign1 .t pro2ides -Cs with strong %oti2ation and can dra%atically sha!e up a
ca%paign that starts to run too s%oothly1
The N-C who betrays the% should be an i%portant figure in the ca%paign, and
one who is fairly well !nown to the player characters1 He can be their e%ployer, or a
respected neighbor, or e2en a %entor or fa%ily %e%ber to one of the -Cs1 .deally, in one
of the latter cases, the N-C has a deep and co%pelling %oti2ation for the betrayal1 ,ost
characters, e2en including thie2es, would not be too li!ely to sell their brother or
grand%other down the road for a s%all profit1
The betrayal should be set up carefully by the D,1 -erhaps one or two clues
%ight indicate the N-C's true nature, but only if the players are e9ceptionally alert1 The
betrayal itself should not be the end of the story, howe2erL the -Cs should ha2e a long
and difficult road to follow in their Cuest for an accounting1
The betrayal situation wor!s best in ca%paigns where there are %any well?
detailed N-Cs1 .f it is used capriciously in a setting with few N-Cs, players %ay beco%e
inclined to distrust e#ery N-C introduced to the ga%e1 This is frustrating for players and
D, ali!e1
#$e S!y
This plotline wor!s %ost effecti2ely for s%all groups of player characters,
or e2en indi2iduals1 ,ore co%ple9 e2olutions can in2ol2e large groups, all cooperating
on an intelligence?gathering %ission, but these are harder to run and %ore confusing to
play1
-erhaps %ore than any other, a spying storyline allows the D, to draw upon a
2ast store of no2els, fil%s, and other %edia1 -lotlines in2ol2ing spies, e2en when set
outside the fantasy area, can often be con2erted into challenging roleplaying situations1
Substitute a crystal ball for satellite reconnaissance, clairaudience for a phone tap, and a
flying carpet for a helicopter, and you will be able to reproduce %any a %odern thriller in
an "D+DK ga%e setting and for%at1
The spy storyline offers another ad2antage to %any players in that it ser2es as a
non?e2il alternati2e for thief player characters1 &f course, spies can be e2il, but a spy %ay
also be %oti2ated by grander a%bitions than perhaps the co%%on thief1 " character or
group sent to infiltrate the ran!s of a %enacing warlord or bandit !ing can perfor% great
ser2ice for the good of society if they can succeed in their %ission1
Playin+ &n And Rnnin+ t$e #$ie% Ca"!ai+n
&ne of the great strengths of the "D+DK ga%e and its attendant
ca%paign worlds is the di2ersity of character types that will be present, both as N-Cs and
generally as -Cs1 The %i9ture of co%bat, stealth, sorcery, and spiritual abilities all add to
the whole in ways that can help !eep the ga%e fresh and i%aginati2e e2en after %any
years of play1
Howe2er, this should in no way inhibit players with si%ilar interests fro% creating
-Cs of the sa%e class1 .ndeed, there are %any situations where such groups %a!e ideal
ad2enturing partiesGa s%all group of captains co%%anding se2eral co%panies of
soldiers upon a %ission of conCuest, for e9a%ple, %ight all be fighters1
Nowhere does this speciali8ation lend itself so well to a ca%paign setting as when
a band of thie2es gather to e%bar! upon %issions of stealth1 The presence of a fighter,
with his hea2y boots and clan!ing ar%or, can be a serious hindrance to such a group1
Characters of all other classes will find sheer surfaces to be serious obstacles, e2en as the
thie2es are already scra%bling down the far side1 "nd indeed, no character can %o2e so
Cuietly, or re%ain hidden so effecti2ely, as can a thief1
The tactics discussed in this section do not i%ply that a ca%paign %ust be
populated e9clusi2ely with player character thie2es1 -layers who wish to run characters
of other classes should be able to do so, and the D, should be sure to pro2ide
appropriate challenges to all characters1 Howe2er, if %ost -Cs choose to play thief
characters, a 2ariety of ad2enture opportunities bec!on1 "dditionally, interesting roles
and acti2ities for other character classes are easy to generate1
9iIards 9orkin+ 9it$ #$ie,es
&f all the other classes, wi8ards %ight best perfor% with a band of thie2es1
They ha2e no %etal ar%or or hea2y weapons to %a!e noise, and spells such as le2itate
and silence can pro2ide co2er for the%sel2es, and e2en enhance the abilities of the
thie2es1 ,agic users can be found in all align%ents, and %any ha2e no particular %oral
Cual%s about engaging in theft and other illicit acti2ities1
Wi8ards can pro2ide a 2ariety of useful ser2ices to thie2es as well1 E2en at low
le2els, spells such as sleep, charm person, spider climb, and Tenser's floating disk offer
ob2ious possibilities on a %ission of thie2ery1
,any a thief guild has one or %ore wi8ards of low to %ediu% le2el in its e%ploy,
e2en occasionally a%ong its leadership1 &f course, e9tre%ely high le2el wi8ards
generally grow beyond the need for such co%panionship1 High le2el wi8ards associated
with thie2es generally treat the latter as if they were slightly odiferous ser2ants1
5e,els o% ;a+i' in t$e #$ie,es' Ca"!ai+n
$i!e any good ca%paign, the le2el of %agic in use is a function of the
players' and D,'s desires, the cultural setting, and perhaps to an e9tent the e9perience
le2els of the -Cs1 ,uch of this decision should be based on the %agical capabilities of
the -Cs Iwhether or not the thie2es ha2e a wi8ard wor!ing with the%, for e9a%pleJ and
the degree of reward to be gained by o2erco%ing %agical challenges1
.n general, %ost challenges to thief -C %issions should be found in for%s the
characters can cope withA %echanical traps instead of %agical ones, for e9a%ple, pro2ide
a better ga%ing obstacle to thie2es1
Howe2er, a D, can certainly e%ploy %agical traps to protect things he doesn't
want the -Cs to get their hands on1 "lso, such traps add an ele%ent of tension to a
%ission that helps !eep e2eryone on their toes1 " %ission of thie2ery in2ol2ing an
intrusion into the lair of so%e powerful wi8ard should al!ays ha2e an air of %agical,
%ysterious danger1
;lti* or Dal*Classed #$ie,es
Thie2es who can also perfor% the tas!s of one or %ore other character
classes also offer clear ad2antages when acco%panying a %ission1 The fighter@thief, for
e9a%ple, will find %any opportunities to wield his sword and perhaps a shield while his
stealthy co%rades go about their wor!1
Howe2er, thief characters who also e9hibit !nowledge of another character class
will so%eti%es undergo the scorn and %istrust of their %ore BpureB co%rades1 )ery rarely
will a thief@wi8ard or thief@cleric rise to a position of pro%inence in a thie2es guild1
/ighter@thie2es are subDect to less preDudice, perhaps because their abilities are clearly
understandable to thie2es1 /ighter@thie2es are nonetheless considered by %ost thie2es to
be of so%ewhat lower status than the%sel2es1
Hen'$"en and Hirelin+s o% #$ie,es
Though thief characters often function as lone wol2es, or in s%all, stealthy
groups, they will often ha2e need of the s!ills, or so%eti%es si%ply the reinforcing
nu%bers, of others1 Since thiefly acti2ities generally flourish in urban en2iron%ents, there
is usually no shortage of N-Cs for the characters to %eet and use and hench%en or
hirelings1
Hirelings are particularly easy to co%e by, and can include crafts%an and
%erchants as well as those of the ad2enturing classes1
Hirelings, howe2er, are not generally trusted with the !nowledge of a guild or
hideout1 They will be contacted in their own place of residence or wor!, their infor%ation
or ser2ices gained there, and then they will be left by the %ysterious thief who disappears
into the alleys and bac!streets1 E2en when hirelings are used on a %ission, they will often
be Doined at a rende82ous outside the guild, and left there when the %ission is o2er1
This is not a hard and fast rule, howe2er1 -articularly in cases where a guild
location is well !nown, or where hirelings are necessary to the functioning of the guildG
there aren't enough -Cs and hench%en to %aintain a watch, for e9a%pleGa hireling will
be brought into the lair1 &f course, generally so%e effort will be e9pended describing to
the hireling the conseCuences of his betraying the great a%ount of trust that has Dust been
shown hi%1 .ndeed, in large thie2es guilds it is unrealistic to assu%e that %ost %e%bers
will be -Cs or the hench%en of those -Cs1
Hench%en, of course, are another %atter1 They will generally be trusted to !now
al%ost e2erything the -C !nows1 "s with any -C, so%e hench%en %ight be gained fro%
the ran!s of hirelings who ha2e ser2ed loyally and bra2ely through the years1
.deally, howe2er, the player and D, should gi2e so%e thought to interesting
bac!grounds for other hench%en, based specifically on the player character's bac!ground1
This is especially i%portant if the character ad2entures in the sa%e city or nation where
he spent his childhood and youth1 .t is li!ely that some contacts would ha2e been %ade
during that periodGcontacts that now offer the potential of 2aluable help to the
aggressi2e young thief1
.n the tangled world of the thief, such longrunning relationships are often the best
way to de2elop a trustworthy co%panion1 -layers and D,s should co%bine to define a
hench%en character drawn fro% a -C's bac!ground1 Such a character should not be too
powerful, but should be gi2en a few useful abilities1 .f the hench%en is of an ad2enturing
class, he should be of lower le2el than the player character1
Dens and Hideots
&f course, the guildhouse is the %ost co%%on type of thie2es' den, but
nearly all thie2es will reCuire so%e sort of secret lair fro% which to conduct their illicit
acti2ities1 Dens and guildhouses will 2ary by si8e, in relationship to the nu%ber of thie2es
li2ing or wor!ing thereL and by obscurity, appropriate to the le2el of secrecy the guild
needs to %aintain in the co%%unity1
So%e societies e9pect thie2es to flourish in their %idst, and a%ong these cities the
guild will often be a large, perhaps e2en pro%inent building1 &f course, it is not li!ely to
ha2e a sign posted, describing the building's nature, but a few discreet inCuiries will
usually allow one to disco2er the guildhall1 .ts location will certainly be !nown to the city
watch or other law enforcers1 .ndeed, so%eti%es a watch captain or lord?%ayor %ight
allow a thie2es guild to function in a !nown location si%ply to !eep better tabs on it1
ut %ore often the guildhall's location will be a secret, guarded Dealously and
ruthlessly by the guild1 $i!ewise, a den or hideout ser2ing as a shelter for a s%all group
of thie2es will ha2e a discreet and carefully protected location1
-ri2acy can be found underground, of course1 Subterranean thie2es lairs offer the
ad2antage that their presence is easily concealed fro% the outside world1 Howe2er, %any
hu%ans and de%i?hu%ans Ie9cluding dwar2es, of courseJ disli!e the chilly, da%p nature
of underground li2ing Cuarters1 Thie2es who ris! their li2es to gain obDects of 2alue are
not li!ely to hide their wealth and the%sel2es away in a hole in the ground1
"dditionally, the underground lair presents proble%s in construction1 $arge
a%ounts of dirt %ust be hauled away, %uch labor is reCuired in order to create a lair of
any si8e1 oth considerations add %aDor difficulties to the secrecy of lair construction1 "
wi8ard with a dig spell, on the other hand, can %a!e the e9ca2ation a whole lot easier, but
doesn't sol2e the proble% of dirt disposal1
The easiest type of lair to set up is found in so%e already e9isting structure, or
perhaps group of structures1 " long row of town houses, for e9a%ple, %ight be
interconnected into a single, con2oluted guildhouse1 &r the attic of so%e %erchant's shop
can be ta!en by a s%all band to use as a hideout until they can get so%ething better1 &f
course, if the %erchant doesn't !now about the thie2es, chances of disco2ery increase
dra%atically1 The best hideouts are buildings inhabited only by thie2es, or by thie2es and
those who are in league with the%1
.n so%e cities it will be necessary for the hideout to %aintain so%e !ind of co2er1
-erhaps it is enough that the neighbors thin! it abandoned1 ,aintaining this appearance
reCuires diligence on the part of the thie2es, howe2er, for a pattern of noise or light
detected fro% the BabandonedB house will be sure to arouse suspicions1
.f a co2er is necessary, often a cooperati2e %erchant or crafts%an will labor in
part of the house, %aintaining the pretense of a place of business1 Such a wor!er %ight
e2en be a thief, but unless he can put forth a reasonable appearance of !nowing his co2er
occupation, the crafts%an and the hideout can both be in danger1
#uildhouses and dens %ay also be %aintained as pri2ate residences1 Such locales
are not so li!ely to be 2isited by strangers as are co2er locations in places of business1
Howe2er, the residents of the house will probably be !nown to the neighbors, at least by
sight1 $arge nu%bers of strangers %ay gi2e rise to suspicion1
The hideout should ideally ha2e se2eral entrances, at least one of which is a bloc!
or two away fro% the actual den1 " large guildhouse will ha2e se2eral such access points,
usually connected 2ia underground passages or secret corridors passing through
surrounding buildings1
Thus, in a secret guild, the nu%ber of people entering and lea2ing the hall will not
be 2isible to neighbors or other obser2ers1 .ndeed, if an access route is sufficiently
torturous, a 2isitor can be brought into the guild without being shown the building's e9act
location1 He %ight !now nothing %ore than that the guild is within se2eral bloc!s of a
certain alley where he stepped through a secret trapdoor in the ground1
" %aDor guildhall will also ha2e se2eral built?in traps to deter unwelco%e
intruders1 .f enough thie2es %an the lair I%ore than a do8en or soJ, a full?ti%e watch will
be %aintained1
&nly the %ost per%anent of thie2es' dens will ha2e a built?in 2ault or storage
cha%ber for the loot1 When such a cha%ber e9ists it is only used for the te%porary
storage of obDects that cannot Cuic!ly be fenced1 Thie2es !now only to well that such
storage sites are all too easily penetrated1 .t is %uch %ore li!ely that the thie2es will
%aintain their hoard in so%e other, nearby but secret location1 &f course, thie2es who are
2ery bra8en about their acti2ities, or 2ery confident that they face no co%petition in a
gi2en locale, %ay well !eep large a%ounts of 2aluables in their guildhall1 Such a hoard
%ight e2en be a source of pride to the guild, a sort of challenge to the unwary1