The Thief
The Thief
Locked doors, guarded purses, and watchful eyes are problems to be solved. The Thief survives by knowing when to keep quiet, when to lie, and when one well-placed knife will settle the matter. Burglars, smugglers, spies, tomb robbers, cutpurses, and professional troublemakers can all follow this path. Some steal for wealth, some steal to survive, and some simply cannot leave a locked door alone.
Basic Detail
HD Type: d8
Bonus HP Per HD: 6
Attack Curve: Medium
Magical Prowess: Null
Sub-Type: Generalist
Skill Growth: 6 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at first level)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Balance, Beguile, Conceal, Counterfeit, Craft (Alchemy), Discern Intent, Disguise,
Escape Artist, Gather Information, Haggle, Investigate, Knowledge (Common), Listen, Lock Picking, Move Silently,
Sabotage Device, Sleight of Hand, Spot, and Use Rope.
Known Skills: 10 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapon Proficiency: Dagger and Short Sword
Armor Proficiency: Light
Saves: 2 High, 2 Low
Primary Mental Attribute (PMA): Intelligence
Suggested Attribute Distribution: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 12
Progression
| HD | Perk | Base Attack | High Save | Low Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PilfererD, Lesser OpportunistA, Fay SpaceA, and Weapon FixationF | +0 | +2 | +0 |
| 2 | Improved Feigned StrikeF | +1 | +3 | +0 |
| 3 | Weapon OffensiveF and Pilferer trap bonus +2 | +2 | +3 | +1 |
| 4 | PiercerA | +3 | +4 | +1 |
| 5 | Locksmith +2D | +3 | +4 | +1 |
| 6 | Weapon DefensiveF, Battle ProwessF, and Pilferer trap bonus +3 | +4 | +5 | +2 |
| 7 | - | +5 | +5 | +2 |
| 8 | Improved OpportunistA and Locksmith +3 | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 |
| 9 | Improved Weapon FixationF and Pilferer trap bonus +4 | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 |
| 10 | FocusA, Improved Weapon OffensiveF, and InfiltratorD | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 |
| 11 | - | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 |
| 12 | HamstringA, Weapon MasteryF, Pilferer trap bonus +5, and Locksmith +4 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 |
| 13 | - | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 |
| 14 | Improved FlankingF | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 |
| 15 | Greater Feigned StrikeF, Pilferer trap bonus +6, and Skulker +4D | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 |
| 16 | Greater OpportunistA, Locksmith +5, and Skulker +5 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 |
| 17 | - | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 |
| 18 | Supreme FlankingF, Quick FeetF, and Pilferer trap bonus +7 | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 |
| 19 | - | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 |
| 20 | Shadow FadeA, Poultice of SluggishnessA, Cover IdentityD, Locksmith +6, and Skulker +6 | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 |
F Feat, A Ability, and D Definition
The Breakdown
The Thief should make Reflex and Will their high saves. Keep Move Silently and either Conceal or Beguile near the skill point cap; Opportunist requires them as it improves. The first two attribute increases should go into Dexterity. This meets the prerequisites for Greater Opportunist and Supreme Flanking without relying on magical equipment.
Pilferer: Gain trap finding, allowing the Thief to locate traps with a DC higher than 20. Gain a +1 bonus to AC and saves against traps, increasing by +1 every 3 HD. Hidden doors also prompt an immediate Investigate check with the same bonus.
Lesser Opportunist: Deal +1d6 damage per 2 HD, to a maximum of +3d6, when attacking a flanked, flat-footed, or helpless foe. The extra damage matches the attack's primary damage type and can apply to multiple attacks.
Fay Space: Gain an extradimensional space with a carrying capacity equal to the Thief's medium load. Storing an item is a free action. Retrieving one begins as a full-round action, becomes a move action at 5 HD, and becomes a free action at 10 HD.
Weapon Fixation: Choose the dagger. Gain a +1 training bonus on attack rolls made with it. The dagger remains the selected weapon for the rest of this prebuilt's weapon feats.
Improved Feigned Strike: Feigned strikes become move actions, allowing the Thief to follow a successful Beguile check with an attack against the now flat-footed target.
Weapon Offensive: Gain a +2 training bonus on damage rolls made with the dagger.
Piercer: Gain the ability Piercer. Take a 5 ft. step and make a precise attack that ignores 5 points of damage reduction and deals maximum weapon damage on a hit.
Locksmith: Recognize a lock's difficulty as a free action and reduce the time required for a lock-picking attempt by one difficulty category. Also gain the listed competency bonus to Lock Picking.
Weapon Defensive: While wielding the dagger, gain a +1 parry bonus to AC.
Battle Prowess: Add the Thief's Dexterity modifier to the number of attacks of opportunity they can make each round.
Improved Opportunist: Increase the maximum bonus damage from Lesser Opportunist to +6d6.
Improved Weapon Fixation: The dagger's training bonus on attack rolls increases to +2.
Focus: Gain the ability Focus. Spend focus points on a single well-placed attack to improve its attack roll, damage, and weapon damage dice.
Improved Weapon Offensive: The dagger's training bonus on damage rolls increases to +4.
Infiltrator: Climb at half speed and Move Silently at full speed. The Thief can take a -5 penalty to climb at full speed and may ignore total penalties lower than 5 while climbing or moving silently.
Hamstring: Gain the ability Hamstring. Sacrifice some damage on an attack to potentially leave the target permanently hamstrung.
Weapon Mastery: The dagger's total training bonuses increase to +4 attack and +8 damage. Its total parry bonus also increases to +2 AC.
Improved Flanking: Increase the circumstantial attack bonus from flanking to +4 and count as 3 HD higher when flanking a creature with Uncanny Dodge.
Greater Feigned Strike: Feigned strikes become swift actions, leaving the rest of the Thief's turn available to take advantage of a flat-footed target.
Skulker: Tracking DCs against the Thief increase by 5. Also gain the listed competency bonus to Conceal and Move Silently.
Greater Opportunist: Remove the damage limit from Opportunist. Its bonus damage now continues increasing by +1d6 for every 2 HD.
Supreme Flanking: The Thief counts as occupying every square within an additional 5 ft. when determining whether a foe is flanked.
Quick Feet: Take no damage after succeeding on a Reflex save against an effect that normally deals half damage.
Shadow Fade: Gain the ability Shadow Fade. Become a fast-moving shadow that is difficult to spot, then emerge with an attack capable of damaging attributes and stunning the target.
Poultice of Sluggishness: Gain the ability Poultice of Sluggishness. Apply an alchemical poultice that slows a target and penalizes its AC, Reflex saves, attack rolls, and damage rolls.
Cover Identity: Establish a false identity that grants +10 to Beguile and Disguise checks made to maintain it. Mind reading and scrying reveal the cover identity instead of the Thief's real thoughts and history.