Ability minimums: None
Prime requisite: DEX
Hit Die type: 1d4
Combat aptitude: Semi-martial
Maximum level: 14
Armour: 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 specialised skills unavailable to other characters. However, thieves are not always to be trusted.
Adjust ability scores: During character creation, thieves may not lower STR.

When attacking an unaware opponent from behind, a Thief receives a +4 attack roll bonus and doubles any damage dealt.

From 4th level, a Thief has an 80% chance to read non-magical text in any language (including dead) or basic codes. If the roll fails, the Thief may not try the same text again before gaining an experience level.

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

• Climb sheer surfaces (CS): A roll is required for every 100′ to be climbed. 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 can be attempted only once per trap.
• Hear noise (HN): In a quiet environment (e.g. not in combat), a Thief can attempt to listen at a 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 not possible.
• Move silently (MS): A Thief can attempt to 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 cannot retry the same lock before gaining an experience level.
• Pick pockets (PP): The Thief ’s roll is penalised by 5% for every level above 5th that the victim is. Even if the Thief’s chance of success is 100% or higher, a roll of 00 always fails. 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).

Hear noise: Is rolled on 1d6. If the roll is within the listed range of numbers, the skill succeeds.
Other skills: Are rolled on d%, with a result of less than or equal to the listed percentage indicating success.

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.

From 10th level, a Thief can decipher and cast spells from arcane scrolls. There is a 10% chance of error: an unusual or deleterious effect instead of the expected one.

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.

THAC0: Attack matrix row to use. (Ascending AC attack bonus in [].)
*: Modifiers from CON no longer apply.
D: Death / poison; W: Wands; P: Paralysis / petrify; B: Breath attacks; S: Spells / rods / staves.