Chapter 1 - Class - Character Kits - Halfling Kits
Bilker
The Bilker is a clever halfling thief who entertains his or her victims even as he or she steals from them--and, as often as not, the target of the crime doesn't even realize he or she has been robbed until the Bilker has traveled on to the next town. Bilkers are unusually larcenous for halflings, although it is only fair to point out that the Bilker tends to regard his or her activities as a grand game, and the profits thereof as a just fee for the entertainment he or she has provided. He or she is a diminutive con artist who likes to leave 'em laughing--but also to leave 'em far behind, and quickly.
A Bilker must have Charisma and Dexterity scores of 13 or higher.
Roads to Adventure: The Bilker is forced onto the road, you might say, because he or she tends to outlast his or her welcome rather quickly simply by practicing his or her trade. Like other halfling thieves, he or she will generally avoid victimizing fellow halflings. Unfortunately for all concerned, the Bilker's definition of "victimize" doesn't always match up with the victim's. For example, a Bilker will not consider it theft to gamble with the innkeeper for free drinks every night--the innkeeper, after losing for seven straight nights, may beg to differ.
Naturally, a fresh supply of targets is essential to the Bilker's activities. A Bilker who works smaller towns and villages must of necessity be prepared to stay on the move to keep one step ahead of his or her former customers. A Bilker who decides to exercise his or her talents in a large city might be able thrive for a considerable while, but eventually a gradual increase in the number of victims will inevitably pressure the halfling to move on. Obviously, a fine sense of timing is important for any Bilker who does not wish to end his or her career at the hands of an angry mob. Ever optimistic, he or she often tells friends about a wonderful opportunity that has just arisen to sample the life in some far distant locale--immediately before decamping with the goods!
Role: The Bilker is a curious fellow--undeniably a scoundrel, scallywag, and all-around rascal, yet also a thoroughly likeable person whose powers of persuasion can make him or her a valuable asset to any adventuring party. Many a Bilker has used his or her silver tongue to get friends out of a sticky situation, only to cheat them out of their pocket money the next night. Fellow halflings can almost always see through a Bilker's schemes and view the gullibility of Big Folk with amused disbelief.
A Bilker travels from town to town--usually by himself or herself, sometimes in the company of a group of companions. His or her tricks can range from simple gambling games intended to earn enough to pay for his or her room and board to complex schemes involving the exchange of valuable treasures. Sometimes these are even legitimate transactions in which the Bilker has somehow gotten involved and out of which he or she has engineered a percentage of the profits--perhaps from each party!--in return for his or her services. On other occasions, the transaction might be an out-and-out fraud, where the purchasers acquire something that has been counterfeited. Such complex schemes can involve property deeds, rare objects of art, bogus treasure maps, or beautiful and valuable jewelry that will be recognized as stolen the first time the unwary buyer wears it in public.
Secondary Skills: Gambling is the secondary skill most appropriate to the bilker.
Weapon Proficiencies: The Bilker should be adept at the use of the knife. The hand crossbow, often concealed under a cloak or inside a hat, is a favored missile weapon of Bilkers everywhere.
Bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies: Gaming.
Recommended Nonweapon Proficiencies: A knowledge of Disguise, Local History, Appraising, and Ventriloquism can all prove useful to the enterprising Bilker.
Thieving Skill Emphasis: Manual dexterity is essential to the Bilker's sleight of hand games; hence, Pick Pockets is a favorite. Hear Noise also often comes in handy.
Equipment: The Bilker is a cautious soul; he or she usually appears unarmed in order to disarm suspicion, while carrying a weapon or two concealed somewhere on his or her person. Also, he or she will never be found without the tools of his or her trade--a pack of cards, some dice, a few shells, and knucklebones. After all, you never know when you might be able to get a friendly game together!
Special Benefits: The Bilker is adept at presenting an acquaintance (the "sucker" or "mark") with an interesting gaming opportunity. The game involves the acquaintance guessing about some apparently random chance--which shell is the pebble under, or what number will come up on the knucklebone? The sucker is usually allowed to win a round or two, but by the time the game is over, the Bilker ends up holding the coins.
Use the following procedure to resolve these attempts, once the Bilker has found an appropriate NPC mark: The bet usually centers around a single coin--silver or gold, most likely, but varying by the standards of the surrounding establishment. The Bilker can automatically lose any round he or she chooses. A fair game can be played by rolling 1d10 for the Bilker and another for the NPC, with a tie going to the mark.
If the Bilker wants to rig the game, his or her Dexterity score is subtracted from the mark's Wisdom score (to a minimum Wisdom of 0). The victim must then roll that number or less on 1d20. If the check fails, the Bilker wins the bet. If it succeeds, the mark realizes he or she is being hoodwinked, and an intriguing roleplaying encounter may occur.
The Bilker can repeat the attempt as many times as he or she wants--however, for each attempt, the victim gains a +1 bonus to his or her roll. Thus, a wise Bilker knows when to call it a night.
Bilkers also have the additional ability which helps them sometimes talk their way out of trouble. When confronted by a potentially hostile person or persons, a Bilker may attempt to smoothtalk the other party (naturally, the attempt is only possible if both parties speak a common language, and the ability will not work if combat has already been joined). The Bilker's Charisma score is subtracted from the victim's Wisdom score, and the victim must then roll under the resulting number or he or she (or it) will find himself-herself-itself nodding in agreement with whatever the Bilker is proposing. Naturally, truly outrageous proposals will give the victim a hefty bonus (+1 to +5, depending on the nature of the suggestion). The victim also gains a cumulative +1 bonus for each previous time the Bilker has used this ability on him or her. Still, this ability is very useful to help get a Bilker and his or her friends out of a tight spot. Alas, the effect is temporary, lasting only a minute or two, so a Bilker soon learns to get while the getting is good.
A Bilker's larger schemes and scams should be are left to the player character to create and enact. The DM should take appropriate precautions for whatever NPC faces bilking.
Special Hindrances: The Bilker is a fun character to have around, but he or she usually leaves bad tempers behind when he or she departs. His or her opportunistic behavior makes it difficult for the halfling to make longterm friendships or keep allies, eventually leaving the character to face the woes of his or her own making alone. The longer a Bilker plies his or her trade, the more numerous his or her former victims become, making it almost inevitable that one day, when the Bilker least expects it, his or her path will cross that of an "old friend." Often, the previous victim is very glad to find the halfling thief who made him or her feel like a fool and walked off with a goodly amount of his or her money. The Bilker, naturally, might not be so delighted with the reunion.
