Chapter 1 - Training

Thief Special Abilities

To be reformatted and combined with other sources

All thieves start with 10 special abilities and 1 special attack option - backstabbing. Each of these special abilities has a base score to start with. Then there is a modifier based on the race of the thief (the demi-human modifiers are listed here). This starting number is further modified by the Aim or Balance scores of the thief as well as modifiers for any armor or lack there of that the thief is wearing.

These scores can raise in value as the thief trains and adds to them. These scores can raise in value as the thief trains and adds to them. Points are granted at each level of experience. A player can distribute these points into any special ability as he sees fit. A level one thief starts with sixty (60) points to distribute amongst the ten special abilities. No more than thirty (30) points can be assigned to any one ability. At each level of experience, thirty (30) more points can be assigned, with no more than fifteen (15) points assigned to any one ability. No more than ninety-five (95) points can be assigned to any one ability, which includes racial adjustments, DEX adjustments, or Thief Kit adjustments.

The grand total for the chance at a skill may total more than 100%. This does not mean automatic success. When the actual roll is made to complete the task there may be additional modifiers that hinder or help the chance of success. The final ability check will be made on that number, with a result of 96%-100% always ending in failure no matter the target number. (i.e. Total modifiers create a chance of 110% to climb walls, but the player rolls a 97% which results in a failure and fall.)

If the player uses a kit when creating their character there are additional modifiers that come into play.

NOTES:
1. Includes similar feats of manual dexterity, such as legerdemain and slipping poison (see also note 3, below).
2. This ability may also be used in the placement of traps.
3. Assassins and Bounty Hunters are adept at slipping foreign substances (poison, sedative, etc.) into the food or drink of their targets. Success in such a feat of manual dexterity is determined by a pick pockets roll, and the Assassin or Bounty Hunter gets +5% on the roll. This special bonus does not apply, however, to pickpocketing or other tasks covered by this ability.
4. In the wilderness, the bandit gets +5% to this ability.

Armor and Acrobatic Proficiencies

This system of modifiers for armor other than the usual leather may be used for non-thief characters as well as those thieves who may be found wearing heavier protection.

Where to add these modifiers? here or on the NWP page for each?

Skill Explanations

Pick Pockets: The thief uses this skill when filching small items from other peoples' pockets, sleeves, girdles, packs, etc., when palming items (such as keys), and when performing simple sleight of hand.

A failed attempt means the thief did not get an item, but it does not mean that his attempt was detected. To determine whether the victim noticed the thief's indiscretion, subtract three times the victim's level from 100. If the thief's pick pockets roll was equal to or greater than this number, the attempt is detected. A 0-level victim, for example, notices the attempt only if the roll was 00 (100), while a 13th-level character notices the attempt on a dice roll of 61 or more. In some cases, the attempt may succeed and be noticed at the same time.

A thief of higher level than his victim is less likely to be caught pilfering. The chance that the victim notices the attempt is modified by subtracting the victim's level from the thief's level, and then adding this number to the percentage chance the thief is detected. For example, Ragnar, a 15th-level thief, tries to pick the pocket of Horace, a 9th-level fighter. Since Ragnar is six levels higher than Horace, this number is increased by six to 79 (73+6=79). This option only applies if the thief is 4 levels higher than his victim.

A thief can try to pick someone's pocket as many times as he wants. Neither failure nor success prevents additional attempts, but getting caught might!

Open Locks: A thief can try to pick padlocks, finesse combination locks, and solve puzzle locks (locks with sliding panels, hidden releases, and concealed keyholes). Picking a padlock requires tools. Using typical thief's tools grants normal chances for success. Using improvised tools (a bit of wire, a thin dirk, a stick, etc.) imposes a penalty on the character's chance for success. The DM sets the penalty based on the situation; penalties can range from -5 for an improvised but suitable tool, to -60 for an awkward and unsuitable item (like a stick). The amount of time required to pick a lock is 1d10 rounds. A thief can try to pick a particular lock only once per experience level. If the attempt fails, the lock is simply too difficult for the character until he learns more about picking locks (goes up a level) and applies at least 5 points to Open Locks.

Find/Remove Traps: The thief is trained to find small traps and alarms. These include poisoned needles, spring blades, deadly gases, and warning bells. This skill is not effective for finding deadfall ceilings, crushing walls, or other large, mechanical traps. A thief might detect that an area is trapped but not know what the trap is or how to disarm it.

To find the trap, the thief must be able to touch and inspect the trapped object. Normally, the DM rolls the dice to determine whether the thief finds a trap. If the DM says, "You didn't find any traps," it's up to the player to decide whether that means there are no traps or there are traps but the thief didn't see them. If the thief finds a trap, he knows its general principle but not its exact nature. A thief can check an item for traps once per experience level. Searching for a trap takes 1d10 rounds.

Once a trap is found, the thief can try to remove it or disarm it. This also requires 1d10 rounds. If the dice roll indicates success, the trap is disarmed. If the dice roll indicates failure, the trap is beyond the thief's current skill. He can try disarming the trap again when he advances to the next experience level and applies at least 5 points to Find Traps. If the dice roll is 96-100, the thief accidentally triggers the trap and suffers the consequences. Sometimes (usually because his percentages are low) a thief will deliberately spring a trap rather than have unpleasant side effects if the trap doesn't work quite the way the thief thought, and he triggers it while standing in the wrong place.

This skill is far less useful when dealing with magical or invisible traps. Thieves can attempt to remove these traps, but their chances of success are half their normal percentages.

Move Silently: A thief can try to move silently at any time simply by announcing that he intends to do so. While moving silently, the thief's movement rate is reduced to 1/3 normal. The DM rolls percentile dice to determine whether the thief is moving silently; the thief always thinks he is being quiet. Successful silent movement improves the thief's chance to surprise a victim, avoid discovery, or move into position to stab an enemy in the back. Obviously, a thief moving silently but in plain view of his enemies is wasting his time.

Hide in Shadows: A thief can try to disappear into shadows or any other type of concealment -- bushes, curtains, crannies, etc. A thief can hide this way only when no one is looking at him; he remains hidden only as long as he remains virtually motionless. (The thief can make small, slow, careful movements: draw a weapon, uncork a potion, etc.) A thief can never become hidden while a guard is watching him, no matter how good he is--his position is obvious to the guard. However, trying to hide from a creature that is locked in battle with another is possible, as the enemy's attention is fixed elsewhere. The DM rolls the dice and keeps the result secret, but the thief always thinks he is hidden.

Hiding in shadows cannot be done in total darkness, since the talent lies in fooling the eye as much as in finding real concealment (camouflage, as it were). However, hidden characters are equally concealed to those with or without Ultravision. Spells, magical items, and special abilities that reveal invisible objects can reveal the location of a hidden thief.

Detect Noise: A good thief pays attention to every detail, no matter how small, including faint sounds that most others miss. His ability to hear tiny sounds (behind heavy doors, down long hallways, etc.) is much better than the ordinary person's. Listening is not automatic; the thief must stand still and concentrate on what he's hearing for one round. He must have silence in his immediate surroundings and must remove his helmet or hat. Sounds filtering through doors or other barriers are unclear at best.

Escape Bonds: There comes a time in every thief’s career when his luck runs out and he is apprehended. The ability to escape bonds such as ropes, leather thongs, manacles, chains, and even straight jackets is a feat of contortion and determination. The thief must roll to break free of every device binding him. If he’s tied at the wrists and at the ankles, he must make two successful rolls to free himself. This skill takes five rounds to use. A thief might hurry his efforts, but he suffers a –5% penalty for each round he tries to shave from the required time. Locked items also require the thief to successfully pick the locks. A failure on any attempt means that the thief cannot loosen that bond or pick the lock.

This skill is open to all rogue characters. If the DM agrees, it may be available to other classes on a case-by-case basis. Attempts at bribery are not restricted to those familiar with its intricacies, anyone may attempt to bribe someone else. Those with this skill will be able to determine a "fair" price and avoid a potential double-cross. Whenever a character without bribery skill attempts to use this skill, they must make a Charisma check at -4. Failure indicates that the bribe is refused and that the character may be turned over to the watch for his actions. Those with this skill will obviously suffer no such penalty. It's important that the DM not allow the use of bribery skill to replace the role-playing aspects of such transactions. Players who role-play such attempts well should be given a positive modifier to their bribery check while those who do not should suffer for it. As you can see, there is much more to bribery than just saying "I'll offer him 10 gold pieces to look the other way." It's much more interesting to negotiate skillfully yourself, with phrases like "Hello, Sir Walter! I'm so happy you could attend. I didn't have time to get a gift for your lovely wife, so why don't you take this small gem and pick something up for her yourself?"

The amount of money required for a bribe varies with the NPC’s status, according to the table below:

NPC Status Bribe Peasant/Slave 2d4 cp Freeman/Soldier 3d8 cp Merchant/Officer 5d10 cp Noble/General 5d100 cp

Bribery procedure: It is best to role play an attempt at bribery, but here are a few guidelines:

• First, the DM must decide if the NPC in question can be bribed, not everyone is susceptible. No character can be bribed to do something that falls outside his job or station. A simple peasant or a palace guard would not agree to assassinate his king or liege lord for a few coins. However, the peasant might offer a party shelter for the night or hide the thief from a search party. A guard might agree to look the other way while the party sneaks out the gate.
• Likewise, a simple bribe never induces a character to compromise something he believes in or do something that places the character in danger. For instance, an acolyte cannot be bribed to look the other way while the party defiles a holy water font. In any case, an NPC bribed through the use of this skill does not perform any action that takes more than a few minutes of effort or places himself in danger—the task must strike the character as something that is quick and harmless.

Once the DM decides that the NPC can be bribed, use Table 59 (Encounter Reactions, from the Dungeon Master Guide) to determine how the NPC responds when meeting the thief. Secretly roll 1d20 and find the NPC’s reaction on the table. Do not tell the player what the reaction is, simply role play the NPC’s response to whatever the thief does.

If the die roll results in a friendly reaction, the NPC probably does what the thief wants without a bribe. If not, the thief has to offer something—money, services, a magical item, information, or anything else valuable—to sweeten the NPC’s reaction. To determine the exact amount required, roll on the bribery table, above, and multiply the result by the difference between the reaction roll and the highest number on Table 59 that is a friendly result.

The player should never be told exactly the NPC’s station, the base bribe value, or the initial reaction roll. Good role‑playing on the DM’s part should allow a perceptive player to guess the first and the last.

For example, Jobare, the King of Thieves, approaches a peasant in a friendly manner and starts fishing for information about the local baron. The DM rolls a 13 for the peasant’s reaction and checks the number on the first column in Table 59 (because Jobare is acting friendly); the peasant is cautious. The DM decides that the peasant is suspicious, and thinks the thief is a spy or bandit. “Boy, stranger, you sure do ask a whole lot of questions,” says the peasant while backing away slowly.

The DM secretly rolls 2d4 and discovers that the base value of the bribe is 5 cp. However, the highest number that gives a friendly result on the first column of Table 59 is a 7, the difference is 6 (13–7), so Jobare has to give at least 30 cp (5x6) to make an effective bribe. Once Jobare pays the required amount, the player can make a bribery roll. If it succeeds, Jobare can ask a few simple questions and get equally simple answers.

Thieves also get the special attack ability of backstabbing.

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