Two Rule Questions From ITL / Melee

[CitizenK2]

1. Do Polearm-using fighters engage opponents who are two hexes distant in their front arc?

2. The IQ 12 Talents section has an entry for “Thief” which notes that Thief is a job, not a talent. Fair enough ... but is there any significance to this non-talent appearing in the IQ 12 talent list? It seems like most of the thief-like talents are already IQ 11 or lower...

Thanks!

[RVA_Grandpa]

I can answer this one for you.

Originally Posted by CitizenK2

1. Do Polearm-using fighters engage opponents who are two hexes distant in their front arc?

Pole weapon users can attack an opponent that is two hexes away, but since they are not adjacent to them they are not engaged.

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by CitizenK2

2. The IQ 12 Talents section has an entry for “Thief” which notes that Thief is a job, not a talent. Fair enough ... but is there any significance to this non-talent appearing in the IQ 12 talent list? It seems like most of the thief-like talents are already IQ 11 or lower...

Thanks!

This is a placeholder for a removed talent and a revision from the first edition.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by CitizenK2

2. The IQ 12 Talents section has an entry for “Thief” which notes that Thief is a job, not a talent. Fair enough ... but is there any significance to this non-talent appearing in the IQ 12 talent list? It seems like most of the thief-like talents are already IQ 11 or lower...

In the original edition of TFT, 'Thief' was a talent so I believe it's inclusion on the list now is simply an artifact and reference to what once was (in case some old timer like me went looking for it).

[CitizenK2]

Gotcha! So it's the equivalent of when a technical manual has a blank page except for the phrase "This page intentionally left blank." :-)

[KevinJ]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

In the original edition of TFT, 'Thief' was a talent so I believe it's inclusion on the list now is simply an artifact and reference to what once was (in case some old timer like me went looking for it).

I went looking...

The old Thief Talent was broken up into a couple new talents. When I found the placeholder I was happily surprised. Splitting Thief up made more sense than a 'thief' talent.

This is the text from the old ITL book. I hope I don't get a visit from the MIBs for this.
THIEF (2). Ability to pick locks and pockets, and commit similar
acts of depredation. To pick an ordinary lock, roll 3 dice vs. DX;
you may try once per minute until you succeed. This skill is useless
against magically locked doors, and some locks require more than 3
dice to pick. Roll 3 dice vs. DX to pick a pocket or steal a purse;
failure means you're noticed. Roll only 2 dice if some distraction is
arranged to fool your victim. The Thieves' Guild teaches this talent;
see THIEVES' GUILD.
A non-thief may attempt to pick a pocket (rolling 5 dice). A
non-thief trying to pick a lock rolls DOUBLE the number of dice
that a thief would.

Now you know... the rest of the story.

[larsdangly]

Exactly; it's just a tongue in cheek note to players of the original game. I too really like the disassembled version, as it makes it easier to mix and match relevant abilities to create characters who are not thieves but also not not thieves (e.g., an Indiana Jones type).