Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-20-2017, 08:39 PM   #1
Kromm
GURPS Line Editor
 
Kromm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
Default An honorable thief.

You can never have enough thieves knights.
Sir Godfrey Stephen Hauteville
249-point Human Thief
Sir Godfrey is an actual knight, not just one of those thugs who goes around misusing the title. His sword (quite well made) is sworn to the service of a baron (albeit an obscure one), and Godfrey enters battle in full armor, bearing a shield painted with his elaborate crest. Sword, armor, and shield are a tad light for the battlefield – but as Godfrey is quick to explain, the best knights fight using wits rather than brawn, making weight and power less important than quality and tactics (though his own tactics are a little dodgy).

There's more than meets the eye here, of course. Godfrey is a thief who got his hands on a fair bit of silver and bought his knighthood from a robber baron. Most of his service for the baron takes the form of skullduggery, notably as stealing evidence of his master's crimes and planting it on unsuspecting parties. Still, Godfrey seems trustworthy enough, has strong social connections in town, and isn't a bad swordsman (just one who prefers to lead from the back – or even better, from behind the enemy's back).

Interestingly, Godfrey has started to believe his own bunk. He delves not just for gold but also to prove his mettle, secretly hoping to truly earn the epithet "hero." He's loyal to his allies, even honorable in his way. The trouble is that when things get tense he comes apart . . . and often tries to conceal this by bloodily ending battles before they begin. Witnesses who wonder what kind of knight would stab a foe in the back are told, "A knight whose keen tactical sense told him that scoundrel was about to betray him!"

ST 11 [10]; DX 15 [100]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 11 [10].
Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 14 [5]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 6.00 [-10]; Basic Move 7 [5]; Move 4.
Dodge 7; Parry 11 (Sword); Block 11 (Buckler).

Advantages
Expert Backstabbing 4 [8]
Flexibility [5]
High Manual Dexterity 1 [5]
Honest Face [1]
Perfect Balance [15]
Signature Gear (Sword) [1]
Wealth (Wealthy) [20]

Disadvantages and Quirks
Bloodlust (12) [-10]
Code of Honor (Outlaw's) [-5]
Cowardice (15) [-5]
Greed (12) [-15]
Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5]

Has aspirations to actual heroism, though he'd never admit it. [-1]
Honest when doing business on behalf of other delvers, as long as they're willing to play the part of his entourage. [-1]
If asked why a knight would be good at theft, says, "One must know the ways of the enemy." [-1]
Regularly submits to Bloodlust in the hope that it will cover up Cowardice. [-1]
Shouts tactical advice, despite lacking education in the art of war (default Tactics is 7!). [-1]

Skills
Acrobatics-14* [1]
Brawling-15 [1]
Carousing-11 [1]
Climbing-18*† [1]
Connoisseur (Weapons)-12 [1]
Crossbow-15 [1]
Escape-16† [1]
Fast Draw (Sword)-15 [1]
Fast-Talk-12 [1]
Filch-15 [2]
Forced Entry-15 [1]
Forgery-11 [1]
Gambling-12 [1]
Gesture-13 [1]
Holdout-13 [2]
Lockpicking-17‡ [4]
Merchant-12 [1]
Pickpocket-15‡ [2]
Riding (Horse)-14 [1]
Savoir-Faire-13 [1]
Search-14 [2]
Shadowing-13 [2]
Shield (Buckler)-16 [2]
Shortsword-16 [4]
Sleight of Hand-14‡ [1]
Smuggling-13 [2]
Stealth-18 [12]
Streetwise-13 [2]
Traps-14 [4]
Urban Survival-14 [2]
* Includes +1 for Perfect Balance.
† Includes +3 for Flexibility.
‡ Includes +1 for High Manual Dexterity.
Equipment
$5,500, 71.1 lbs. (Medium encumbrance)
Bolts, Fine ×12. Damage becomes 1d+4. $72, 0.72 lbs.
Canteen, Full. 1 quart water. $10, 3 lbs.
Clothing. $0, 2 lbs.
Coins. 6 silver, 3 copper. $123, 0.18 lb.
Crossbow (ST 11). 1d+3 imp, Acc 4, Range 220/275, Shots 1(4), Bulk -6. $150, 6 lbs.
Elven Rations, 6 meals. $30, 1 lb.
Light Segmented Plate Armor, Suit, w. Fortify +1. DR 4. $2,800, 48 lbs.
Lockpicks, Good. +1 to skill. $250, 0.5 lb.
Personal Basics. $5, 1 lb.
Pouch. Holds personal basics, lockpicks, rations.$10, 0.2 lb.
Shortsword, Fine. 1d+2 cut (reach 1) or 1d+1 imp (reach 1). Becomes 2d+2 cut/1d+3 imp when backstabbing. $1,600, 2 lbs.
Shoulder Quiver. Holds bolts. $10, 0.5 lb.
Small Buckler, Fine, Ornate +1. DB 1; 1d-1 cr (bash). $440, 6 lbs.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com>
GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games
My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News]
Kromm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2017, 08:45 PM   #2
Kromm
GURPS Line Editor
 
Kromm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
Default Re: An honorable thief.

The fun thing being that even at Medium encumbrance, Godfrey can count on Climbing and Stealth at 16. He might not be the best thief, with all that armor, but he balances thievery, a little combat ability, and utility in town, so he's possibly of greater-than-usual value in a small adventuring party.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com>
GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games
My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News]
Kromm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2017, 09:12 PM   #3
finn
 
finn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Default Re: An honorable thief.

I really like this character. I believe that a Thief is much more fun to play when they have other thing to do than typical Thief skill stuff.
finn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2017, 08:15 AM   #4
zuljita
 
zuljita's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Default Re: An honorable thief.

Thanks for highlighting the versatility of each of the templates instead of going for the obvious option in any of them.
__________________
Running 3 GURPS games: DFRPG, Supers and a weird Evil Hogwart's (ish) game.
Check out my blog: Dungeons on Automatic
zuljita is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2017, 09:05 AM   #5
Kromm
GURPS Line Editor
 
Kromm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
Default Re: An honorable thief.

Quote:
Originally Posted by zuljita View Post

Thanks for highlighting the versatility of each of the templates instead of going for the obvious option in any of them.
That's my goal! On nights when I stay in, making characters has replaced Netflix . . . so it has to be entertaining for me. Less-than-obvious uses of the templates amuse me greatly. My experience is that the templates are very flexible – though you'll sometimes want to exercise the option to choose your own disadvantages instead of those on the template, and to save a few quirk points for atypical skills (like Godfrey's Riding and Savoir-Faire).

The one thing I'm learning as I create these characters is that a lot of expectations are tied up in race and gear. Making a half-ogre caster or dressing a thief in armor* sends a message, even if the rest of the character sheet is vanilla. And of course quirk choice is a big deal, though I was always well aware of that.

* I just realized today that with segmented armor, a shortsword, and a buckler, Godfrey is equipped more like a Roman centurion than a medieval knight!
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com>
GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games
My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News]
Kromm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2017, 09:12 AM   #6
sir_pudding
Wielder of Smart Pants
 
sir_pudding's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
Default Re: An honorable thief.

I tried to follow that example with mine. The holy warrior is more interested in healing than smiting, the halfling barbarian (and a barbarian that isn't reckless), the thief who works for the man.
sir_pudding is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:58 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.