It is character building month and here at the Inn we will be talking about different ways to squeeze every last drop from your character design. When discussing Chivalry and Sorcery thieves you have to take into considering the three main sub-types of thieves it supports: Muggers, Cat burglars, and Con Artists. While it is possible for any GM to build their own vocations that discussion of out of scope for this article.

The fighting thief, this back alley brawler does not have the flexibility of a true fighter but in the confines of a the city they more than make up for this with their thievish abilities. Because so many of this vocations skills are centered around a fighter-lite template, it is best to think of any mugger as a fighter in comfortable armour. In this spirit concentrate on Strength, Agility, and Constitution.

Because of the penalties when using armour a better decision is to rely on weapon and shield combination. Most large two-handed weapons cause a great deal of problems in a city, but a small slashing/stabbing sword or mace is more easily concealable and usable. To make up for the loss of armour it is best to increase your dodge and shield skills. A good combination is dodge and axe. It is very easy for someone to carry a woodsman axe in most areas and having a high dodge is not noticeable by most people.

Against true warriors surprise is the key. Any chance to use the mugging skill will give the mugger an advantage for the rest of the fight. This is especially true since it is a race to see who runs out of fatigue first. If the warrior is out of fatigue and the mugger is still running on something then they won't lose the APs. Giving that most mugger-weapons are smaller and lighter than warrior weapons they can attack more often.

The halfway character than must concentrate on some fighting ability and some break-in skills. My suggestion is to focus on your break-in abilities, which will allow you to bypass many fights without having to resort to fighting off the guards. High intelligence and agility are the key for a successful cat burglar. This will not only get you inside, but allow you to fight off anything that gets in your way.

The con artist is a character that lives by their quick wits and ability to schmooze the silver from the wealthy. Therefore, the obvious attributes are Bardic Voice, Intelligence, and Wisdom. While this ignores any fighting ability attributes — a skilled con artist should not have to resort to fighting. If a con artist is thrust into a fight their prime instinct should be to run as any warrior or mugger will tear them apart. If the character must have a combat ability keep your Agility as your third-highest attribute as it affects a good majority of offensive and defensive capabilities.

A skill that I have seen greatly overlooked for the con artist is their languages. Not only does a large selection of languages give you the ability to impersonate more people, it can also give you access to local slang that will lend weight to your words. Because most people travel little they tend to trust someone that looks and acts in a familiar manner. Couple the language with knowledge of the locality for a 1-2 punch that can keep the money and favors floating for years to come.