What is it about rogues?

[Nightchilde-2]

I haven't seen one of these types of characters in a while, but the OP's pretty much described every character ever played by my ex-wife. EVAR.

As a GM it was annoying because I was constantly having to figure out how much money random passersby on the street were carrying in their pocket, constantly had to keep a watch out for inter-party conflict etc. etc.

It was annoying. For everyone concerned (except, of course, my ex-wife).

Yeah you can defend it with the "roleplaying" tag, but RPGs are a group effort, and when one person is ganking the rest of the party or hogging all the spotlight to go on a pick-pocketing rampage, then we got an issue.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Yeah you can defend it with the "roleplaying" tag, but RPGs are a group effort, and when one person is ganking the rest of the party or hogging all the spotlight to go on a pick-pocketing rampage, then we got an issue.

Or when one person is ganking the rest of the party or hogging all the spotlight to go on a hell-fire and brimstone rampage, then we got an issue...

Or when one person is ganking the rest of the party or hogging all the spotlight to go on a drunken barbarian rampage, then we got an issue...

Or when one person is ganking the rest of the party or hogging all the spotlight to go on a Evil Necromancer rampage, then we got an issue...


etc.. etc..

Perhaps its better to stick with:
When one person is ganking the rest of the party or hogging all the spotlight, then we got an issue...


Its not the Rogue's {class} fault, they are just drawn that way!


And yes, that sounds very annoying.
However, there was once a Forgotten Realms supplement {that I lost} that had about 4 pages of charts to randomize pick-pocket attempts. Everything from what the target looked like, where they were headed, and how difficult it was to get to the random loot!
.. I miss that booklet!

 

[Gort]

I always wanted to completely subvert this cliche by playing a Dwarf rogue. He would be scrupulously honest, extremely good with locks and traps (trained as a locksmith dontcherknow) and would carry a big hammer with the rune for "open Sesame" on it.

You know, because some locks are just too much effort to open.

I had to put up with this cliche at a recent game - it was actually several cliches at once. It was a disguised tiefling (groan) rogue who worshipped the Raven Queen and thus was absolutely fine with killing any prisoners we came across (double-groan) who would steal anything she could get away with (triple-groan).

All the while I'm just thinking, "Why would I join up with this person? They're a wealth-obsessed death-cultist! Isn't this the kind of person I stab every day for being evil?"

But no, it's a player, so I have to put up with them.

I quit that game because it was thoroughly badly GMed though, so it's all good.

 

[Jack Colby]

Blame Mr. Gygax, he said rogues need to do that or they are performing their class poorly in DMG (back in 2nd edition).

Wrong. Gygax wasn't involved with the 2nd edition, and if he wrote about this in 1st edition, he was talking about Thieves, not Rogues.

Try to learn and understand the game's roots before criticizing.

 

[TheWyrd]

One thing I do is skim on the side, but keep it as a sort of side reserve that I don't tap into. To give an example, Haley from OotS certainly skimmed/skims/will skim on the side, but she doesn't use it on magic items, but instead is saving up for Plot Reasons. Likewise, my kobold rogue stole everything that was shiny and not bolted down, and would've had much more gold then anyone else in the party if I didn't save it to for Future Horde purposes.

Hording or Whoring. Either one probably defines where the Rogue's 'skimmed money' is going.

 

[Starbuck_II]

Wrong. Gygax wasn't involved with the 2nd edition, and if he wrote about this in 1st edition, he was talking about Thieves, not Rogues.

Try to learn and understand the game's roots before criticizing.

2nd edition, 1st edition, all D&D to me. And calling it theif defends it?

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Of course it does. What person would play a character called a "thief" without intending on stealing? May as well roll a fighter who doesn't, you know, "fight."

 

[Jhaelen]

Of course it does. What person would play a character called a "thief" without intending on stealing? May as well roll a fighter who doesn't, you know, "fight."

Well, so you think a fighter is defined by fighting his allies?

 

[Drowbane]

But a thief who steals from his allies is a corpse.

Sig worthy!!

The last thief-PC who stole from one of my PCs ended up Baleful-Polymorphed into a rat (or was it a weasel?).

 

[ExploderWizard]

Well, so you think a fighter is defined by fighting his allies?

To me, a given set of skills defines the things the character excels in. Exactly who those skills get used on depends on the personality and alignment of the individual. A fighter fights. His/her reasons for fighting are what define the character beyond the class. Its the same for thieves. These guys are trained to steal. Who they choose to steal from is up to them.


One exception- WARRIORS. I never could stand warriors, always dying for hopeless causes.....