01/15/2025

Welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts!

Today we are going to look at the final group of classes -The “Thief” Group. There are 9 new classes in this group. While there are some new Talents that I like, most of these classes just end up falling short of being a new class (like most of the other groups). I feel that most of these classes are just the core Thief class with a cool background/concept.

Assassin

“Assassins are trained to stalk and kill unsuspecting victims for pay. They are practiced hunters of the most dangerous game. They don’t have thieving abilities but hit hard in combat and disappear into the shadows without a trace.”

Assassins get 3 talents: Backstab, Shadowed, and Venom.

Backstab is the same as the core Thief class.

Shadowed in a new Talent. It gives Advantage on stealth checks (Thief also gets this), but +2 to stealth check if motionless. I am fine with this talent.

Venom gives the Assassin free poison to use on weapon attacks. They need 3 rounds to apply the poison to the weapon.

I like the Venom talent but it is useless since this supplement has a whole list of poisons in the back (which I do like) that anyone can use to coat their weapons to do additional damage (and some of them do more than that). The Assassin just gets it for free.

So besides the free poison, the Assassin is just a Thief without any of the Thief abilities to lockpick and disable traps with Advantage.

Brigand

“Brigands are criminals that live in the dark and dangerous shadows beyond the reach of the law. They do what they must to survive.”

Brigands get 3 talents: Knockout, Shadowed, and Thievery.

Shadowed is the same as Assassin and Thievery is the same as the Thief.

Knockout: You carry a small sap (free gear slot) that you use to attack an unsuspecting target from behind. This is a DEX check vs an opposed CON check. Success will render the target unconscious for 5 rounds.

The Brigand feels like a Thief that is going to spend every fight trying to hide, ambush a creature to Knockout, then stabbing the unconscious monster until death, and repeat. This would get old after a while.

Buccaneer

‘Buccaneers are pirates that have given up life at sea to pursue their own goals.”

Buccamceers get 3 talents: Sailing, Stunts, and Thievery.

Sailing gives Advantage to sail a boat. This is the same as a Thief with a sailing background. The Thief would also have Thievery so nothing new here.

Stunts allow the Buccaneer to do stunts (DEX check) to do extra damage. This is something the GM could just allow for ANYONE to get the players to start describing attacks as more than “I swing my sword”.

In the end, the Buccaneer is just a Thief with a sailing background/concept and not needed as a class.

Burglar

“Burglars embody the infamous thief in the night that robs the innocent. Adventurers have usually given up that kind of life, but remember you get XP for recovering treasures! The best course of action might be to just sneak by the monsters.”

Bugalar gets 3 talents: Palm, Shadowed, and Thievery. (Does every sneaky class get the Shadowed talent in this supplement?)

Palm allows the Bugalar to secretly grab objects. Pretty much pickpockets and steal small items which is a Thief ability. This is pretty much just another Thief and to needed.

Charlatan

“Charlatans are con men who prey upon the weak-minded and use their trusting nature against
them.”

Charlatans get 2 tlanets: Charming and Thievery.

Charming allows the Charlatan to roll a CHA check against DC 12 (DC 18 if hostile towards Charlatan) to fast-talk a subject. It is not a compulsion but the subject will comply if it doesn’t hurt them negatively. This is something that all players should be able to do. I would give bonuses or Advantage if the player roleplayed out the scene or told me what they were saying to make it convincing. There doesn’t have to be a talent to do this.

Rogue

“Rogues are classic thieves that make their way in the world through violence.”

Why make a class that is the “classic” version of a core class?

The Rogue gets 4 talents which are pretty much the same as the core Thief: Backstab, Shadowed, Taking Cover, and Thievery.

Taking Cover is the only new talent and it just allows the Rogue to impose Disadvantage on ranged attacks with only 25% cover.

So, if they can’t see down past your knees, they have a hard time hitting you? I bet this guy wished he had that talent:

Spy

“Spies are secretive agents that gather information clandestinely.”

Spy gets Charming, Earshot, and Thievery. What, no Shadowed? You would think a Spy would be able to sneak around…

We have already talked about Charming and Thievery is the same as Thief.

Earshot: You can hear effectively out to far distance if it is quiet in your immediate surroundings. You can use this ability to listen in on conversations without detection.

If it is quiet, can ANYONE really hear out to far distance? Isn’t that only about 60 ft or so.

Thug

“Thugs are street criminals that have learned how to get what they want by threatening or actually using violence. They are adept fighters in their own right but they would prefer to just take what they want without opposition.”

Thugs get 3 talents: Intimidation, Shadowed, and Unstoppable.

Intimidation: In addition to your normal attack, you can choose one opponent (of equal or lesser level) and make an opposed CHA check. On a success, they are terrified into inaction and forfeit their turn.

If this was a talent that took the action, it would be better. As a free action that just happens each round the Thug attacks, it is a little overpowered. A Thug could terrify an enemy into inaction every round with no cost to the Thug.

Unstoppable: You can charge through an opponent’s location, knocking them prone, on an opposed STR check. You roll with advantage. Standing back up uses their move action.

This talent is awesome but it should be included in other classes like the barbarian or allowed to be added to the Fighter if it fits the background/concept. This would allow the character to break through enemy lines to get into the secondary ranks in a fight. Of course, now that character is alone in the group but it fits with certain concepts.

Urchin

“Urchins are street children that have grown into criminals due to desperation.”

Urchins get 3 talents: Dirty Tricks, Innocuous, and Thievery.

Dirty Tricks is the same as Gladiator and other classes in this supplement. Thievery is the same as the Thief.

Innocuous: If you can act during the surprise round and there is any cover within near distance, you can hide behind it. You are treated as if invisible. You can move to another near piece of cover and remain invisible. The effect ends if you attack.

I like this talent for some reason. It shows that some people are just so “background” that they can become invisible and not be noticed. The rest of the class isn’t good. I would take this talent and make it an option for certain backgrounds/concepts.

That’s it for classes. Next, we will look at the additional weapons, armor, and equipment in this supplement.

Keep on gaming!