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Old 03-07-2020, 10:46 AM   #14
Michael Thayne
 
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Join Date: May 2010
Default Re: The necessity of thiefs

Kromm, years ago:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kromm View Post
I don't think you can leave out the scout and thief, though . . . they're the outdoor and indoor sides of the "not getting bushwhacked" coin. Without one of each, the PCs will spend a lot of time being jumped, trapped, and tricked. How you get your melee firepower and spells is less vital. Just about any warrior template can bring melee to the table. Sacred spells are easier to grasp than wizardly ones, owing to the lack of prerequisite chains and a smaller list that doesn't induce decision paralysis.
I'm not sure I agree with the "needing both" part—skills that are useful for not getting bushwhacked indoors will also be useful for not getting bushwacked outdoors and vice-versa. And they aren't the only two options—if you aren't specifically dealing with a lot of mechanical traps and locks, Assassin (from a sidebar in Ninjas) might be preferable to Thief. That said, I have seen parties get a lot of mileage out of a guy who can sneak ahead and take out sentries. It's not just about disarming traps. Stealth is really value if the GM isn't just expecting the PCs to charge headlong into every fight.
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