Table 1.1: Thief Advancement Table
| Experience Points | Experience Level | 6-Sided Dice for Accumulated Experience Points | Level Title | |
| 0 ---- 1,250 | 1 | 1 | Rogue | |
| 1,251 ---- 2,500 | 2 | 2 | Footpad | |
| 2,501 ---- 5,000 | 3 | 3 | Cutpurse | |
| 5,001 ---- 10,000 | 4 | 4 | Robber | |
| 10,001 ---- 20,000 | 5 | 5 | Burglar | |
| 20,001 ---- 40,000 | 6 | 6 | Filcher | |
| 40,001 ---- 65,000 | 7 | 7 | Sharper | |
| 65,001 ---- 100,000 | 8 | 8 | Magsman | |
| 100,001 ---- 150,000 | 9 | 9 | Thief | |
| 150,001 ---- 220,000 | 10 | 10 | Master Thief | |
| 220,001 ---- 440,000 | 11 | 10+2 | Master Thief (11th level) | |
| 440,001 ---- 660,000 | 12 | 10+4 | Master Thief (12th level) | |
| 660,001 ---- 880,000 | 13 | 10+6 | Master Thief (13th level) | |
| 880,001 ---- 1,100,000 | 14 | 10+8 | Master Thief (14th level) | |
| 1,100,000 ---- 1,320,000 | 15 | 10+10 | Master Thief (15th level) | |
220,000 XP per additional level beyond the 15th. Thieves gain +2 hp per level beyond 10th.
Table 1.2: Thief Revised Saving Throws
| Thief Level | Paralyzation, Poison or Death Magic | Petrification or Polymorph | Rod, Staff, or Wand | Breath Weapon | Spell | |
| 1st-4th | 12 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 14 | |
| 5th-8th | 11 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 12 | |
| 9th-12th | 10 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 10 | |
| 13th-16th | 9 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 8 | |
| 17th-20th | 8 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 6 | |
| 21st+ | 7 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 4 | |
Table 1.3: Base Thief Skills for Starting Thieves
| Pick Pockets | Open Locks | Find/Remove Traps | Move Silently | Hide in Shadows | Climb Walls | Decipher Script | Tightrope Walking | Tumbling | Athletics | Escape Artist |
| 20% | 20% | 20% | 15% | 10% | 70% | 0% | 20% | 0% | 10% | 20% |
Table 1.4: Racial modifiers to thief’s skills.
| Race of Thief | Pick Pockets | Open Locks | Find/Remove Traps | Move Silently | Hide In Shadows | Hear Noise | Climb Walls | Decipher Script | Tightrope Walking | Tumbling | Athletics | Escape Artist |
| Dwarf | - | +10% | +15% | - | - | - | -10% | -5% | -5% | +5% | +5% | - |
| Elf | +5% | -5% | - | +5% | +10% | +5% | - | - | +15% | +5% | +5% | +5% |
| Gnome | - | +5% | +10% | +5% | +5% | +10% | -15% | - | - | +5% | - | +15% |
| Half-Elf | +10% | - | - | - | +5% | - | - | - | +10% | - | - | - |
| Halfling | +5% | +5% | +5% | +10% | +15% | +5% | -15% | -5% | - | +10% | +5% | +10% |
| Half-Orc | -5% | +5% | +5% | - | - | +5% | +5% | -10% | - | - | +10% | - |
The profession of thief is not dishonorable, albeit is neither honorable nor highly respected in some quarters. The major ability for a thief is dexterity and a character must not have less than a 9 to become a thief. High intelligence is also desirable. A thief character with dexterity greater than 15 gains a 10% bonus to experience points awarded to him or her by the referee, as well as certain benefits in the performance of their thief skills.
All thieves are neutral or evil, though there are rare sorts that are neutral good who devote themselves to catching and thwarting their evil brethren. These later are the more numerous, for the profession is not productive but parasitical.
Thieves are principally meant to take by cunning or stealth. Thieves use a six sided die for HD. Thieves beyond 10th level gain 2 h.p. per level. They are able to wear light armor and employ a fair number of weapons of the common sort. Although they do not fight as well as fighters, they are able to use stealth in combat most effectively by back stabbing and surprise attacks.
Thieves improve in a wide variety of movement and skullduggery related skills, collectively called thief skills. Thieves begin with exceptional skill in these areas and gradually improve as they gain levels. At first level they can basic skills in these areas above that of the common individual, and additionally 80 points which they may distribute to the skills of their choosing to improve their percentage chance of success by 1% per point spent – but no more than 10 points to any anyone skill. For each level after the first, thieves receive an additional 40 points to distribute – but again no more than 10 points to any skill. Humans are exceptionally versatile and so receive an additional 4 points to spend at every level, while demi humans have racial bonuses or penalties to such skill that alter their base chances of success as shown in table 1.4. Additional, individuals of high intelligence receive 1 bonus point to distribute for each point of intelligence above 11, at each level they obtain including the first.
Table: 1.5: Dexterity decreases or increases base skill as follows:
| Dexterity | Pick Pockets | Open Locks | Find/Remove Traps | Move Silently | Hide in Shadows | Climb Walls | Tightrope Walking | Tumbling | Athletics | Escape Artist | |
| 3 | -45% | -40% | -40% | -50% | -40% | -40% | -45% | -50% | -45% | -50% | |
| 4 | -40% | -35% | -35% | -45% | -35% | -35% | -40% | -45% | -40% | -45% | |
| 5 | -35% | -30% | -30% | -40% | -30% | -30% | -35% | -40% | -35% | -40% | |
| 6 | -30% | -25% | -20% | -35% | -25% | -20% | -30% | -35% | -30% | -35% | |
| 7 | -25% | -20% | -25% | -30% | -20% | -15% | -25% | -30% | -20% | -30% | |
| 8 | -20% | -15% | -20% | -25% | -15% | -10% | -20% | -25% | -15% | -25% | |
| 9 | -15% | -10% | -15% | -20% | -10% | -5% | -15% | -20% | -10% | -20% | |
| 10 | -10% | -5% | -10% | -15% | -5% | | -10% | -15% | -5% | -15% | |
| 11 | -5% | | -5% | -10% | | | -5% | -10% | - | -10% | |
| 12 | - | - | - | -5% | - | - | - | -5% | - | -5% | |
| 13-15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 16 | - | +5% | - | - | - | +2% | +5% | +2% | +2% - | | |
| 17 | +5% | +10% | - | +5% | +5% | +3% | +10% | +3% | +3% | +5% | |
| 18 | +10% | +15% | +5% | +10% | +10% | +5% | +15% | +5% | +5% | +10% | |
| 19 | +15% | +20% | +10% | +15% | +15% | +10% | +20% | +8% | +8% | +15% | |
Note that thieves must have at least nine dexterity to qualify for or advance in the class. Lower scores are given for use of thief skills by other class or in the event of temporary loss of dexterity from some calamity.
Table: 1.6: Intelligence increases or decreases base skill as follows:
| Intelligence | Open Locks | Find/Remove Traps | Hide in Shadows | Decipher Text |
| 3 | -9% | -9% | -9% | -35% |
| 4 | -6% | -6% | -6% | -30% |
| 5 | -4% | -4% | -4% | -20% |
| 6 | -3% | -3% | -3% | -15% |
| 7 | -2% | -2% | -2% | -10% |
| 8 | -1% | -1% | -1% | -5% |
| 9-13 | - | - | - | - |
| 14 | +1% | +1% | +1% | - |
| 15 | +2% | +2% | +3% | - |
| 16 | +3% | +3% | +3% | +5% |
| 17 | +4% | +4% | +4% | +10% |
| 18 | +5% | +5% | +5% | +15% |
| 19 | +7% | +7% | +6% | +20% |
Table: 1.7: Strength Adjustments for Jump Distance:
| Strength | High Jump | Standing Broad | Running Broad |
| 3 | -2 | ’ -3’ | -5’ |
| 4 | -1’ | -2 | ’ -4’ |
| 5 | -½’ | -1’ | -3’ |
| 6 | -½’ | -1’ | -2’ |
| 7 | - | - | -1’ |
| 8-14 | - | - | - |
| 15 | - | - | +1’ |
| 16 | +½’ | +1 | ’ +2’ |
| 17 | +½’ | +1 ½’ | +3’ |
| 18 | +1 | ’ +2’ | +4’ |
| 18/01-18/50 | +1’ | +2 ½’ | +5’ |
| 18/51-18/75 | +1 ½’ | +3’ | +6’ |
| 18/76-18/90 | +1 ½’ | +3 ½’ | +7’ |
| 18/91-18/99 | +2’ | +4’ | +8’ |
| 18/00 | +2’ | +4’ | +9’ |
Dwarves and gnomes have their base high jump (whether standing or running) reduced by 1’, and their base broad jump likewise reduced by 1’ (whether standing or running. Halflings have the same penalties, but further have their base running broad jump reduced by 2’ to 5’.
Pick Pockets: 20% - This includes pilfering, filching or producing small objects unobserved and minor acts of prestidigitation including palming cards, fixing dice, cheating at shell games and the like as well as the obvious use of taking an object from the purse or pocket of a victim. For each level of the character above the 3rd, the chance of success is reduced by 5% and a failure of 21% or more indicates the thief has been caught in his dishonesty. A thief may even attempt to filch items from an aware and observant opponent in combat, but the chance of success is halved before penalties are applied for the level of the target, and in such cases a failure of 21% or more means that the intended victim may make a free attack on the impudent thief. Normally, drawstrings, latches, buttons and other fasteners require two successful checks on different rounds before the attempt is successful, as one check must unfasten such latches. However, tools are available for slitting purses or drawstrings and may be employed for a single check when circumstances warrant it.
Open Locks: 20% - Picking a lock requires suitable tools. Some locks are more difficult than others, reducing the chance of success by 10%, 20% or rarely even more in the case of the most elaborate and expensive locks. A lock may be only attempted once and if failed the lock may not be attempted again until the thief has gained a new level in the class.
Find/Remove Traps: 20% - This is the skill of recognizing subtle mechanical traps and hazards as well as the knowledge of how to safely disarm them in cases where the mechanism can be reached or the trigger jammed. A separate roll is required to find and then to remove the trap. Each roll checks a 10’x10’ surface or a single object, portal or device. Normally these rolls have a flat difficulty, provided there is clear illumination and viewing of the trap. The same find roll can also be used to detect secret doors if it is higher than the base 1 chance in 6.
Move Silently: 15% - Move silently implies the ability to move in utter quiet, as an owl or cat, undetectable to even the most sensitive of ears, and not merely moderately stealthy. Armor and encumbrance negatively affects all thief skills.
Hide in Shadows: 10% - While anyone may hide with suitable cover or perfect concealment (as in total darkness), the thief may hide in mere deep shadows or other partial concealment with a successful check and is thereby concealed from most casual observation almost as if they have blended into the darkness. Though of course, a bright light source, or close observation (within 10’) may reveal the thief if no other concealment is employed. A thief may hide in daylight in a similar manner if some equivalent form of concealment to a deep shadow is available, such as a partial screen of foliage or the like.
Hear Noise: 10% - This is the chance to hear remote, concealed, or quite stealthy sounds that are short of complete silence – such as whispering on the other side of a door, the approach of a pack of wolves, or a distant battle some miles from the location. Quite loud sounds may be readily heard at much higher percentage chances, and some sounds are of course loud enough to be obvious when at closer range. A full minute of listening intently without nearby noise or distraction is generally necessary to employ the skill, though other subtle sounds may be heard passively at the DM’s discretion.
Climb Walls: 70% - The normal percentage chance of climbing a wall assumes a fairly smooth and non-slippery surface. If the surface is slippery such as wet, icy or oily, the chance of success is halved. If the surface is smoother – such as polished stone or glass - or rougher than normal, with good hand holds, the chance is modified by up to +/-40% depending on the circumstances. Overhanging ledges increase the difficulty by further 20%. Both adjustments are made after halving the chance of a slippery surface, if present. Generally a climber will make progress equal to 1/3rd of their normal movement rate. A simple failure does not indicate a fall, but rather progression only to the halfway point of their move, at which point they become stuck. Only failure by 21% or more results in a fall from whatever height the thief has attained. Note that for many surfaces a thief cannot fall and so no check is required if the thief is not under time pressure and the climb is relatively short. A climb that requires more rounds than thief’s CON score has an additional 5% chance of failure for each round past that point. Various gear specialized in the aiding of climbing exists, each with its own employment and rules.
Decipher Text: 0% - This is the ability to decode a cryptic, obscure or arcane text. The chance assumes that the reader is familiar with the original language – it is not the ability to understand any language, but rather the ability to read archaic, dialects, jargon, trade languages, slang, ciphers and encoded passages in some language one is familiar with or some closely related ancestor of it. The difficulty may generally be modified +/-20% depending on the strength of the cipher, the obscurity of the dialect, or the antiquity of the message. A thief of at least 10th level may read and employ magical scrolls excluding those of a clerical, but not of a druidical nature with a chance of success equal to their Decipher Text skill less 20% and further minus 5% for each level of the spell beyond the first. A failure by less than 21% indicates that the magic was dangerously performed almost correctly, which is far worse than not being performed correctly at all, for in such cases the spell will perform with an opposite or perverse effect compared to that intended by caster.
Tightrope Walking: 20% - This is the ability to engage in normal movement on a narrow surface such as a tight rope without falling. The chance is halved for engaging in vigorous activity like combat, tumbling or running, while the chance of success is doubled for relatively wide surfaces like wooden beams. Wind and other hazards can decrease the chance of success by up to 20%. On a failure by 21% or more, the character topples off the narrow surface. On a lesser failure, the character must cease moving halfway through their move or halfway across the surface (whichever is less) at which point they lose their dexterity bonus as they try to regain their balance. New attempts may be made on successive rounds.
Tumbling: 0% - This versatile acrobatic skill allows superhuman feats of agility. Three different modes of operation are available
Catfall – At the basic difficulty of the tumbling skill, attempt to reduce the height of a fall for the purposes of damage by 10’. At a 20% penalty the height of the fall can be reduced by 20’, 40% the height by 30’, at a 60% reduced chance of success the height reduced by 40’ for the chance of calculating damage, and so forth up to a maximum penalty of 100% to reduce a fall by 60’. Successful falls may also reduce the chance of striking spears, spikes or other obstacles, but not the damage from such hazards if they are not evaded. In general, if the number of hazards struck is determined randomly, on a successful fall only the minimum number will have effect. If the hazards make attack rolls, the thief may attempt additional tumbling checks to evade each, and if the hazards have a percentage chance of hitting it is halved for thieves that successfully make a controlled fall.
Evasion – At a base difficulty of half the thieves tumbling skill, the thief may evade any weapon like attack which the thief is aware of and which is made by a character with a lower initiative than themselves. These include attacks by magical missiles and ray like spells, including those that normally always hit, but not those with a considerable area of effect such as dragon breath or fireballs. For each HD of the attacker above the 3rd level, the chance of success is modified downward by 5%. By the same percentage chance, a thief may pass out of melee combat as if withdrawing without receiving the normal attack upon their back for doing so, again provided the foe has a lower initiative.
Acrobatic Attack – At a base difficulty of half the thieves tumbling skill, the thief may make a single attack on a target for the round which is treated as an attack on the target’s back (or whatever vulnerable spot the thief chooses). This may be the only attack performed in that round, but it negates the advantage of the shield, and so forth. Iterative attacks are not allowed, but the thief may make a backstab attack. On failure, normal attacks may be performed, but a failure by 21% or more indicates no attacks may be performed in the round.
Athletics: 10% - This is the ability to push ones athletic ability far above the normal. On a successful check, the thief may soar on a jump 50% further than would be ordinary. At a -50% chance penalty on the skill, they may jump twice as far as normal. They may also add their athletics skill to the chance of successfully laying out when on broad jumps or flopping when on high jumps, so that these feats become automatic at higher levels of skill. The rules on jumping are as follows:
• High Jumps, Standing: A normal person may jump a base height of 2 feet vertically.
• High Jumps, Running: With a run up of at least 20 feet, a normal person may jump a base height of 3 feet. A person may lay out or flop, in order to get over a height with a 75% chance of success and thus gain an additional foot of height; however, if they do so, 5 segments are required to regain one's feet and unless the landing surface is soft 1d4 damage is taken.
• Broad Jumps, Standing: A normal person may jump a base distance of 4 feet from a standing position. If the character wishes to leap in an extended position, 2' of additional distance can be gained, but the character will then land prone and take 2 full segments to get back on his or her feet. A 3' extension can be attempted, but this has but 75% chance of success and a 3-segment period of recovery; a 4' extension has a 50% chance of success and a 4-segment recovery; an extension of 5' has a 25% chance of success and a 5- segment recovery period. Failure on an extension results in a jump of no effect extension.
• Broad Jumps, Running: A normal person my jump a base distance of 7 feet after a run up of at least 20’. The same rules for extensions apply as for the standing broad jump.
• Pole Vault: As an alternative for clearing a distance, a pole of up to 9’ in length which is light enough that it may be grasped and carried may be used to add 2/3rds its length to a broad or high jump with a successful athletics check. A pole of up to 12’ may be used with the same efficiency but at a 25% penalty on the chance of success. And a pole of up to 18 feet may be used with the same efficiency but at a 75% penalty on the chance of success. Failure results in a jump of the normal length. Each percentage of skill a thief has in athletics reduces the chance of failure by 1%.
As an example, a thief with a 75% in athletics wishes to leap a 15’ gap. They may extend their normal jump by 5’ by laying out with 100% chance of success, giving them a jump of 12’. They have a 75% chance of soaring 50% beyond normal for a full jump of 18’. In extremis, they could attempt a jump of 24’ with but a 25% chance of success. A thief with 150% chance in athletics may reliably clear a jump of 24’ without difficulty, and jumps of 14’ without breaking stride (this is before the effects of high strength or racial benefits is accounted for).
Any character leaping a gap which fails by a distance of less than their arm length may attempt a climb check to arrest their fall provided that there is a lip or handhold which they may grab on to. Success leaves them dangling from the edge in or over whatever hazard they wished to cross.
Escape Artist: 10% - Escape artist is the ability to contort the limbs and body so as to escape confinement that would seem secure. Some examples of such usage follow:
• With a normal check, the character may free their hands from ropes. One such check is allowed per day of confinement.
• With a normal check, the character may free themselves from a whip, net, lasso, grab, grapple, or constriction attack by an opponent or monster. However, a 5% penalty on such checks applies for each HD of the opponent above the 3rd. One such check is allowed per round.
• At a penalty of 20% on the check, the character may free their hands and wrists from iron manacles or shackles, or from full torso bindings such as a strait jacket. One such check is allowed per day of confinement.
• With a normal check, the character may pass through a portal which is barely wide enough to fit through as if the portal did not pose an obstacle, slipping through as part of their normal movement. In the case of a passage, wiggling or crawling in a tight confine is normally at the rate of but 1” per full round of focused movement, but a with such a check the thief may move at up to 1/3rd their normal movement rate which belly crawling or squeezing up or down a chimney (climbing checks also may apply in such circumstances).
• With a penalty of 50% on the check, the character may squeeze through portals in passages which are big enough for their head but not as wide as their shoulders. Such movement requires a minute for each 5’ of progress, and a successful check for each additional phase of progress. However, success by more than 50% allows movement as in normally confining space as described in the previous entry.
• At half of the normal percentage, the character may free themselves from the confinement of such spells as entangle, snare, web which create imperfect physical confinement.
• At half of the normal percentage and an additional penalty of 20% on the check, the character my free themselves from spells such as Hold Person, Hold Monster and the like which immobilizes the character by magical means or mental control.
• At half of the normal percentage and an additional penalty of 30% on the check, the character may free themselves from a cursed item which may not normally be removed, if they react as soon as they are aware of the curse – such as a cursed ring, cursed gloves, cursed boots, or the like. In the case of cursed armor, for each round it would be required to remove the armor, increase the difficulty by 10%. By the same chance, the character my free themselves from cursed items that cause confinement such as a rug of smothering.
There is no upper limit to the skill a thief may obtain in a particular skill, though there may be practical limits to how high a skill may be usefully raised, these are often quite high. For example, a 20th level thief having obtained 200% in the Tumbling skill has a 100% chance of dodging any attack they are aware of by creature of 3HD or less if they have the higher initiative. However, this chance drops to just 15% against a foe of 20HD.
Should any member of a different class wish to attempt thief skills they perform with a chance equal to half the base chance of a 1st level thief. Bonuses for dexterity, race, intelligence and armor are added before this chance is halved, while penalties for the like are applied after the base chance is halved. Rough fractions down. Thus an 18 intelligence M/U has a 7% chance of deciphering script and a 13% chance to find or remove a trap, while an 18 dexterity human fighter in leather armor has a 37% chance of climbing a typical wall but just a 2% base chance reduce a fall by tumbling, and a 1% chance to evade an attack by doing so (and no chance at all versus attacks by foes of 4HD or greater). If a player character seeks to attempt such marginal acts too often, playing as it were a rather incompetent thief rather that first seeking to solve problems after their present calling, they should be encouraged to take up the class.
Thieves gain iterative attacks with weapons they are proficient in as a fighter of ½ of their level, rounded down. If a character is both a thief and a fighter, if they are a higher-level thief than they are a fighter, then they may add ½ the difference between their thief levels and their fighter levels, rounded down, to their effective fighter level for determining iterative attacks. However, this calculation does not change the attack matrix that the character attacks on.
Thieves attack on the same matrix as Clerics.
Since they lack proficiency with the shield and have high dexterity, thieves frequently fight with two weapons, normally a dagger in their off hand.
Thieves begin with proficiency in two weapons and gain an additional proficiency every four levels. All thieves may gain proficiency in the club, sap, (bo) stick, dagger, dart, garrote, or sword (short or broad). Human thieves may additionally gain proficiency in the longsword, staff, or light crossbow. Elven thieves may additionally gain proficiency in the longsword or short bow, while half-elven thieves may gain proficiency in the weapons from the lists of both parentages. Dwarven and gnomish thieves may gain proficiency in the hand axe and light crossbow, while gnomish or Halfling thieves may gain proficiency in the sling. The rare neutral good thieves may gain proficiency in the net, lasso and mancatcher.
Each time a thief gains a level, roll a d20 and add the result as a percentile to the thief’s dexterity score. When this score exceeds 100, increase the thieves’ dexterity by 1, carrying over the remainder. This may continue up to the maximum for their race.
Thieves begin with 3 NWP and gain a new NWP every 2nd level thereafter.
While a thief is not as skilled at arms or pressing an attack as a fighter, when a thief strikes a foe from behind, they are able to make the most of it doing double damage on the attack. Only a dagger, club, or sword may be used for such attacks. The damage from a backstab increases to x3 at 5th level, x4 at 9th level and x5 at 13th level or higher. At 10th level or higher, the master thief may also backstab any creature that he or she has surprised during the surprise round, irrespective of the angle of the attack.
All thieves may speak the “Thieves Cant” in any language that they know, an argot or dialect of the language known widely among thieves in which the profession and things related to it may be discussed cryptically in a manner that the uninitiated will not be able to follow, thus allowing plans to be done in secret and likewise affirming to other thieves that you are initiated and skilled in the trade. However, while they may not be able to understand the cant of thieves, many magistrates of the law and even some shopkeepers will recognize it from its cadence and patter, and so identify the speaker as a thief. Knowledge of the “Thieves Cant” does not count against the number of languages that may be known.
A thief that has attained 10th level may create for themselves a small castle or fortified home within or not more than a few miles from a city. If they do so, the renown of the thief is such that they will attract 6-24 admiring thieves as loyal followers who may then form a new guild of thieves. However, this is sure to bring the enmity of any against existing thieves in the area who no doubt have a prior claim on the area as their exclusive territory. Such a feud cannot end until all the master thieves on one side have been eliminated, the player character removes themselves to a distant locale. The operations of a thieves’ guild and the potential earnings thereof are beyond the scope of this book, but are sure to bring a wide scope for daring, foul deeds, and adventure.
