Why do we need thieves??

[kronovan]

"Why do we need thieves??" Because...

 

[Umbran]

Indeed. It's also largely why the kender of Dragonlance are the way they are as well. They're basically halfling thieves without their best suited vocation being a moral failing.

That is... arguable.

 

[1QD]

Also, backstab is a power.

Broken down to a skill. But yes, it is as close as a system gets to a special power that no other profession can do.

 

[Staffan]

The core character types you need are:

• Warrior
• Leader/internal or moral support
• Mage/techie
• Sneak/infiltrator/thief
• Face

It is not an accident that these map onto the archetypes from both the Leverage TV show (Hitter, Mastermind, Hacker, Thief, Grifter) and Exalted (Dawn, Zenith, Twilight, Night, Eclipse), as well as the most important classes in D&D (Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Rogue, Bard).

 

[nyvinter]

The core character types you need are:

I was just about to reply with "hitter, hacker, grifter, thief, and mastermind. Sometimes with a replacement in the form of maker and/or fixer."

 

[cbwjm]

If I run pre-3e editions, thief skills will be replaced with proficiencies which means that anyone can pick them up, but the thief gets them for free. So I won't get rid of the thief, but they no longer have sole access to their various skills. 3e onward, since anyone can pick up other skills it's easier to have a fighter that can pick locks; however, since the thief turned into the rogue which has more than just the skills, it is a little more justifiable to keep it in.

 

[Crusadius]

Conan was a thief. And a barbarian. So did he multiclass? Or just go "give me all your stuff else I squeeze your head"? I think his backstab was just stabbing through the front to get to the back.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Broken down to a skill. But yes, it is as close as a system gets to a special power that no other profession can do.

Can you elaborate on that? I neither understand what you mean by "broken down to a skill", nor do I understand how you are defining "special power" and "profession", or what system or systems you are talking about.

 

[jdrakeh]

The same reason that specialists are needed in real life. You wouldn't hire a swordsman to do the work of a cat burglar. You wouldn't hire a safe cracker to do the work of a pickpocket. Whether using a skill-based system or a class-based system, specialist thieves have a place in the world.

 

[cbwjm]

Conan was a thief. And a barbarian. So did he multiclass? Or just go "give me all your stuff else I squeeze your head"? I think his backstab was just stabbing through the front to get to the back.

He picked locks by shearing through them with a swing of his sword.