The Ultimate Guide to Thieving in Dungeons and Dragons
What Kind of Thief Are You?
You've made a rogue, but are they a thief? Sure rogues are sneaky but do they pick pockets for fun or only for profit? Do they play it safe or do they test traps to stay nimble and alert? Do they belong to a guild or do they go it alone? Above all, do they carry everything they need to do the job at hand?
In part one of this series on thieving in Dungeons and Dragons, I'd like to begin with asking, “What kind of thief are you?”
Thieves come in all kinds. Taking a few hints from, the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons The Complete Thieves Handbook, here are some of your choices.
The Acrobatic - Someone who entertains you while they rob you blind.
The Adventurer - Dungeon delving, tomb robbing, relic snatching kind of thief
The Assassin - Not all thieves are assassins and vice versus but sometimes there’s killing to be done and money to be made.
The Bandit - Anyone riding in stage coaches or on wooded paths are at risk.
The Beggar - Pulls at your heart strings and you wallet. Deception and cunning are their tools.
The Bounty Hunter - Fame is his game. Leave the shadows to assassins.
Buccaneers - Call them pirates at your own risk but they are the thieves of the seas.
The Burglar - Hide your jewels and trap your gold, no one is safe from the burglar.
Specialist Burglar - Only the best will do. Painting? Jewels? What’s your pleasure?
The Cutpurse - I take what I can get, including the bag of gold on your belt.
Fence - You deal in black market goods and know who pays top dollar.
Scout - You know your way around the woods as a expert wilderness saboteur.
Smuggler -You deal in moving stolen goods from one place to another.
Spy - You deals in stealing information because your nation is counting on you.
Swashbuckler - You are like Robin Hood, merry men optional.
Thug - You are an enforcer for the brains of the operation. A Goliath, Half Ogre or Firbolg would be good options.
The Troubleshooter - You’re the fixer for tough situations.
For when thieves or thieves guilds get out of line
Security consultant to the rich, so you can then exploit that security.
The Swindler - You are always hustling something to someone. From three car monte to a tonic that cures everything from hair loss to warts.
Choosing to be specific in what kind of thief you are allows you to build backstory and gives your DM threads to pull on in creating adventures where your skills come in handy.
So, I ask again, “What kind of thief are you?”