Post by Xxsuperheroxx on Feb 18, 2023 11:41:59 GMT -6
Thief Abilities
The following additional explanation of thief abilities will help you to prevent abuse of these activities by thieves, and other characters able to use these abilities in whole or in part, in your campaign.
Roll of the dice for any thief function must be kept absolutely secret, so the thief (or similar character) does not know the result!
Back Stabbing: Opponents aware of the thief will be able to negate the attack form. Certain creatures (otyughs, slimes, molds, etc.) either negate surprise or have no definable "back", thus negating the ability.
Picking Pockets: Failure allows additional attempts. The victim might notice and allow the thief to operate anyway in order to track him or her back to the place he or she uses as a headquarters. Up to two attempts at pick pocket can be made during a round.
Opening Locks: The act of picking the lock to be opened can take from 1-10 rounds, depending on the complexity of the lock. As a rule, most locks will take but 1-4 rounds of time to pick.
Finding and Removing Traps: Use the time requirements for opening locks. Time counts for each function, small or large traps can be found, but not magical or magically hidden traps.
Moving Silently: Silent movement is the same as normal exploratory movement, i.e. 12' per round as the thief creeps up (croodles) upon the area or victim or whatever. Do NOT inform the thief that his or her dice score indicated a lack of success at this attempted stealth, if that is the case. He or she thinks the movement is silent, and the monster or other victim inform the character of his or her misapprehension soon enough.
Hide in Shadows As is plainly stated in PLAYERS HANDBOOK, this is NEVER possible under direct (or even indirect) observation. If the thief insists on trying, allow the attempt and throw dice, but don't bother to read them, as the fool is as obvious as a coal pile in a ballroom. Likewise, if a hidden thief attempts movement while under observation, the proverbial jig is up for him or her. Naturally, a creature closely pressed in melee is not likely to bother with looking for some thief not directly in the line of sight, but if vision would normally extend to the thief's area of activity, then observation rules apply. Unobserved attempts to hide in shadows must likewise stand the hazard of the dice roll. A score greater than the required number shows that the character's ability is not on a par with his or her intent, and though he or she THINKS hiding has been successful, the creature looking in that direction will note a suspicious outline, form, or whatever. Note also that a thief hiding in shadows is still subject to detection just as if he or she was invisible (see INVISIBILITY, DETECTION OF INVISIBILITY table)
Hearing Noise: This is pretty straightforward. The thief, just as any other character, must take of helmet or other obstructing headgear in order to press his or her ear to the door surface in order to hear beyond.
Climbing Walls: This is probably the most abused thief function, although hiding in shadow vies for the distinction. The ability to climb walls is something which is acquired through training and practice, just as are most of the other functions of the thief. The rate at which vertical or horizontal movement is possible depends upon the texture and other conditions of the surface.
Wall Climbing Table, Feet Per Round of Climbing
Wall surface is best described as/condition of surface*
*SLIGHTLY SLIPPERY surfaces DOUBLE chance or vertical chance of slipping and falling TEN TIMES more likely. Thus, a slippery surface cannot be attempted successfully by any thief under 6th level, and even a 10th level thief has a 10% chance per round of slipping and falling.
Be certain to check each round of vertical or horizontal movement for chance of slipping and falling. Surfaces which are inclined inward move toward greater degree of difficulty - a non-slippery one being treated as slightly slippery, and a slippery one being virtually unclimbable. Surface inclined away from the perpendicular on an outward angle may be treated as either a better surface condition or rougher texture, if the degree of incline is sufficient to make climbing easier.
Most dungeon walls will fall into the fairly rough to rough category. Some will be non-slippery, but most will be slightly slippery due to dampness and slime growth.
Read Languages: This ability assumes that the language is, in fact, one which the thief has encountered sometime in the past. Ancient and strange languages (those you, as DM, have previously designed as such) are always totally unreadable. Even if able to read a language, the thief should be allowed only to get about that percentage of the meaning of what is written as his or her percentage ability to read the tongue in the first place. The rest they will have to guess at. Languages which are relatively close to those known by the thief will not incur such a penalty.
The following additional explanation of thief abilities will help you to prevent abuse of these activities by thieves, and other characters able to use these abilities in whole or in part, in your campaign.
Roll of the dice for any thief function must be kept absolutely secret, so the thief (or similar character) does not know the result!
Back Stabbing: Opponents aware of the thief will be able to negate the attack form. Certain creatures (otyughs, slimes, molds, etc.) either negate surprise or have no definable "back", thus negating the ability.
Picking Pockets: Failure allows additional attempts. The victim might notice and allow the thief to operate anyway in order to track him or her back to the place he or she uses as a headquarters. Up to two attempts at pick pocket can be made during a round.
Opening Locks: The act of picking the lock to be opened can take from 1-10 rounds, depending on the complexity of the lock. As a rule, most locks will take but 1-4 rounds of time to pick.
Finding and Removing Traps: Use the time requirements for opening locks. Time counts for each function, small or large traps can be found, but not magical or magically hidden traps.
Moving Silently: Silent movement is the same as normal exploratory movement, i.e. 12' per round as the thief creeps up (croodles) upon the area or victim or whatever. Do NOT inform the thief that his or her dice score indicated a lack of success at this attempted stealth, if that is the case. He or she thinks the movement is silent, and the monster or other victim inform the character of his or her misapprehension soon enough.
Hide in Shadows As is plainly stated in PLAYERS HANDBOOK, this is NEVER possible under direct (or even indirect) observation. If the thief insists on trying, allow the attempt and throw dice, but don't bother to read them, as the fool is as obvious as a coal pile in a ballroom. Likewise, if a hidden thief attempts movement while under observation, the proverbial jig is up for him or her. Naturally, a creature closely pressed in melee is not likely to bother with looking for some thief not directly in the line of sight, but if vision would normally extend to the thief's area of activity, then observation rules apply. Unobserved attempts to hide in shadows must likewise stand the hazard of the dice roll. A score greater than the required number shows that the character's ability is not on a par with his or her intent, and though he or she THINKS hiding has been successful, the creature looking in that direction will note a suspicious outline, form, or whatever. Note also that a thief hiding in shadows is still subject to detection just as if he or she was invisible (see INVISIBILITY, DETECTION OF INVISIBILITY table)
Hearing Noise: This is pretty straightforward. The thief, just as any other character, must take of helmet or other obstructing headgear in order to press his or her ear to the door surface in order to hear beyond.
Climbing Walls: This is probably the most abused thief function, although hiding in shadow vies for the distinction. The ability to climb walls is something which is acquired through training and practice, just as are most of the other functions of the thief. The rate at which vertical or horizontal movement is possible depends upon the texture and other conditions of the surface.
Wall Climbing Table, Feet Per Round of Climbing
Wall surface is best described as/condition of surface*
| Surface Described as | Surface Non-Slippery | Surface Slightly Slippery | Surface Slippery |
| very smooth-few cracks | 6' | 3' | 0' |
| smooth but cracked-somewhat rough | 12' | 6' | 3' |
| fairly rough and some cracks-very rough | 18' | 9' | 6' |
| rough and with ledges or many projections | 24' | 12' | 9' |
*SLIGHTLY SLIPPERY surfaces DOUBLE chance or vertical chance of slipping and falling TEN TIMES more likely. Thus, a slippery surface cannot be attempted successfully by any thief under 6th level, and even a 10th level thief has a 10% chance per round of slipping and falling.
Be certain to check each round of vertical or horizontal movement for chance of slipping and falling. Surfaces which are inclined inward move toward greater degree of difficulty - a non-slippery one being treated as slightly slippery, and a slippery one being virtually unclimbable. Surface inclined away from the perpendicular on an outward angle may be treated as either a better surface condition or rougher texture, if the degree of incline is sufficient to make climbing easier.
Most dungeon walls will fall into the fairly rough to rough category. Some will be non-slippery, but most will be slightly slippery due to dampness and slime growth.
Read Languages: This ability assumes that the language is, in fact, one which the thief has encountered sometime in the past. Ancient and strange languages (those you, as DM, have previously designed as such) are always totally unreadable. Even if able to read a language, the thief should be allowed only to get about that percentage of the meaning of what is written as his or her percentage ability to read the tongue in the first place. The rest they will have to guess at. Languages which are relatively close to those known by the thief will not incur such a penalty.