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Thief🔗
Requirements None
Prime requisite DEX
Hit Dice 1d4
Maximum level 14
Armor Leather, no shields
Weapons Any
Languages Alignment, Common

Thieves are adventurers who live by their skills of deception and stealth. They have a range of specialized adventuring skills unavailable to other characters. However, thieves are only sometimes to be trusted.

Adjust ability scores: In step 3 of character creation, thieves may not lower STR.

Back-stab🔗

When attacking an unaware opponent from behind, a thief receives a +4 bonus to hit and doubles any damage dealt.

Combat🔗

Valuing stealth above all, thieves can only wear leather armor and cannot use shields. They can use any weapon.

Read Languages🔗

A 4th level or higher thief can read non-magical text in any language (including dead languages and basic codes) with 80% probability. If the roll fails, the thief may not try to reread the same text before gaining an experience level.

Scroll Use🔗

A thief of 10th level or higher can cast arcane spells from scrolls. There is a 10% chance of error: an unusual or deleterious effect is created instead of the expected effect.

Thief Skills🔗

Thieves can use the following skills, with the chance of success shown below:

  • Climb sheer surfaces (CS): A roll is required for each 100’ climb. If the roll fails, the thief falls at the halfway point, suffering falling damage.
  • Find or remove treasure traps (TR): A roll is required to find a treasure trap and then another to remove it. This may be attempted only once per trap.
  • Hear noise (HN): In a quiet environment (e.g., not in combat, a thief may attempt to listen at the door or to hear the sounds of something (e.g., a wandering monster approaching.
  • Hide in shadows (HS): Requires the thief to be motionless—attacking or moving while hiding is impossible.
  • Move silently (MS): A thief may sneak past enemies unnoticed.
  • Open locks (OL): Requires thieves’ tools (see Adventuring Gear). A thief can only try this skill once per lock. If the roll fails, the thief may not try the same lock again before gaining an experience level.
  • Pick pockets (PP): If the victim is above 5th level, the thief’s roll is penalized by 5% for every level above 5th. There is always at least a 1% chance of failure. A roll of more than twice the percentage required for success means that the attempted theft is noticed. The referee should determine the victim's reaction (possibly using the reaction table under Encounters.
Level CS TR HN HS MS OL PP
1 87 10 1–2 10 20 15 20
2 88 15 1–2 15 25 20 25
3 89 20 1–3 20 30 25 30
4 90 25 1–3 25 35 30 35
5 91 30 1–3 30 40 35 40
6 92 40 1–3 36 45 45 45
7 93 50 1–4 45 55 55 55
8 94 60 1–4 55 65 65 65
9 95 70 1–4 65 75 75 75
10 96 80 1–4 75 85 85 85
11 97 90 1–5 85 95 95 95
12 98 95 1–5 90 96 96 105
13 99 97 1–5 95 98 97 115
14 99 99 1–5 99 99 99 125

Rolling Skill Checks🔗

Hear noise: It is rolled on 1d6. The skill succeeds if the roll is within the listed range of numbers.

Other Skills: All rolled on d%, with a result of less than or equal to the listed percentage indicating success.

Player Knowledge🔗

The referee should roll for hear noise, hide in shadows, and move silently on the player’s behalf, as the thief does not immediately know if the attempt was successful. If a hide in shadows or move silently roll fails, the referee knows that the thief has been noticed and should determine enemies’ actions appropriately.

After Reaching 9th Level🔗

A thief may construct a secret hideout, attracting 2d6 apprentice thieves of 1st level. Apprentices are usually loyal to the character but are not automatically replaced if killed. The character may use their apprentices as the beginnings of a Thieves’ Guild.

Thief Level Progression🔗

Saving Throws
Level XP HD THAC0 D W P B S
1 0 1d4 19 [0] 13 14 13 16 15
2 1,200 2d4 19 [0] 13 14 13 16 15
3 2,400 3d4 19 [0] 13 14 13 16 15
4 4,800 4d4 19 [0] 13 14 13 16 15
5 9,600 5d4 17 [+2] 12 13 11 14 13
6 20,000 6d4 17 [+2] 12 13 11 14 13
7 40,000 7d4 17 [+2] 12 13 11 14 13
8 80,000 8d4 17 [+2] 12 13 11 14 13
9 160,000 9d4 14 [+5] 10 11 9 12 10
10 280,000 9d4+2* 14 [+5] 10 11 9 12 10
11 400,000 9d4+4* 14 [+5] 10 11 9 12 10
12 520,000 9d4+6* 14 [+5] 10 11 9 12 10
13 640,000 9d4+8* 12 [+7] 8 9 7 10 8
14 760,000 9d4+10* 12 [+7] 8 9 7 10 8

* Modifiers from CON no longer apply.

D: Death / poison; W: Wands; P: Paralysis / petrify; B: Breath attacks; S: Spells / rods / staves.