The following is a home-made profession for _Warhammer Quest_ created by myself, to provide a role for folks more inclined to play stealthy, sneaky types. While I have not had the opportunity to fully playtest the Settlement rules for the Thief, it has stood up rather well in local sessions of _Warhammer Quest_, being particularly useful and interesting, yet not being in any way patently "better" than the existing Warrior types.
To summarize the Thief, he is a Warrior with moderate weapon skill and high Initiative, who has special abilities concerning avoiding traps, picking locks, and other roguish activities.
The cities of the Old World provide some refuge from the dangers of the wilderness, but they breed perils of their own. Survival in the streets is by no means guaranteed, and some resort to shady tactics in order to make a living.
The Thief is one such human who has developed skills of stealth and trickery, able to fare well in the back streets of the cities and to make use of his abilities in the dangers of the dungeon as well. The Thief may have a shady past and stands a chance of being unwelcome in Settlements where his unsavory background is known. Still, it is possible for a Thief to decide to take the path of adventuring, to become a true hero, albeit an unconventional one. There are traps to be disabled, locks to be picked, and enemies to be stealthily avoided or ambushed.
| Wounds | 1D6+6 |
| Move | 4 |
| Weapon Skill | 3 |
| Ballistic Skill | 5+ |
| Strength | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Initiative | 6 |
| Attacks | 1 |
Lock Tools.
Sword, causing 1D6+3 Wounds
None.
The Thief can never be pinned.
Whenever a Trap event is encountered, on a roll of 5+ the Thief spots the trap and warns the affected Warrior in time, thus avoiding it. In addition, on any roll to pick locks, disarm or locate traps, the Thief may re-roll the die, but must keep the second result even if worse. Whenever an opponent hits him, the Thief can attempt to dodge the blow, causing it to miss completely on a 1D6 roll of 6.
| ENEMY'S WS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| TO HIT FOE | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Note: I have used the to-hit charts from the rulebook, rather than patterning this after the to-hit charts for levels 5 and up on the other Advanced Profile cards. Tim Huck (tyranid@aol.com) confirmed that where the statistic cards and rulebook disagree, the rulebook takes precedence.
| Battle- Level |
Gold | WS | BS | Str | M | Damage Dice |
T | Wounds | I | A | Luck | Will | Skills | Pin |
| 1 | 0 | 3 | 5+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1D6+6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | A |
| 2 | 2,000 | 3 | 5+ | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2d6+6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | A | |
| 3 | 4,000 | 4 | 4+ | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2D6+6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | A | |
| 4 | 8,000 | 4 | 4+ | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3D6+6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | A | |
| 5 | 12,000 | 5 | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3D6+6 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | A | |
| 6 | 18,000 | 5 | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4D6+6 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | A | |
| 7 | 24,000 | 5 | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4D6+6 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | A | |
| 8 | 32,000 | 6 | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5D6+6 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | A | |
| 9 | 45,000 | 6 | 2+ | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5D6+6 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | A | |
| 10 | 50,000 | 6 | 2+ | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6D6+6 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | a |
The Thief has the following skills available to him as he goes up his Battle- Levels. To determine which specific skill he learns when given the opportunity roll 2D6.
2 RUN
Given the desperate nature of your situation, you judge discretion to be the better part of valor, and dash past your foes.
Once per turn, you may roll 1D6, and on a roll of 5 or 6 your Warrior has double Move for this turn.
3 HIDE
In order to get a quick breather, you dive behind a wrecked table while nobody is looking...
Once per turn, the Thief may attempt to hide from the Monsters' attention. Roll 1D6. On a roll of 2 or greater, the Thief succeeds, and may not be attacked during this upcoming Monster phase; he may not move or attack while hidden, but may surreptitiously swig potions. On a roll of 1, the Thief's attempt is unsuccessful, and he simply loses his attempt to attack this turn, as well as any chance to try hiding again for this battle, as the Monsters have caught on to his schemes. Once hidden, a Thief may remain there as long as desired, but a roll is required each turn to determine whether or not he has been discovered.
4 CON ARTIST
The stranger walks away, chuckling to himself, confident that he's just sold you a worthless piece of junk for a fortune. He checks the pouch you gave him, and his smile gives away to disbelief as he finds iron slugs instead of gold. Before he can react, you have already slipped away, having relieved him of that nice diamond ring on his finger when you shook hands to seal the deal.
You are a shrewd bargainer, and wise to the ways of trickery. You may avoid any Settlement Event that would normally indicate that your character has been swindled, or where your Warrior is compelled to purchase an item that he'd probably rather not have. Furthermore, if you should choose to do so, you may attempt to pull a "con" of your own in the face of such an event, relieving the would-be trickster of 1D6 x 10 gold multiplied by your Battle Level. However, word will spread quickly, and you will be forced to flee the Settlement immediately, waiting outside until the other Warriors complete their business in town.
5 AMBUSH
You catch the sound of approaching footsteps, and quickly slide into the shadows, ready to pounce upon your unsuspecting enemies.
If Monsters enter a room that the Thief is already in (i.e., an Event card drawn as a result of a roll of 1 in the Power Phase) and if there are no other Monsters already in the dungeon section, the Thief has time to hide (the model may be removed from the board) and may reappear after the Monster models have been placed. He may immediately gain a free attack before anyone else can act (with the exception of spellcasters), before going on to the normal Warriors' Phase. This ability does not apply when encountering monsters lying in wait in a room the Warriors have just entered.
6 TAUNT
Against your instincts of self-preservation, you realize that the Wizard is a goner if that Monster lands another blow, and decide to take action. You loudly call into question the Monster's breeding, and make references to its mother (as if it had one!) Whether or not the Monster understands a word you say, your jeering seems to be effective, as the creature turns its head and (gulp!) heads your way!
Once per turn, the Thief may attempt to taunt a single Monster into attacking him instead of another target. If the Monster fails an Initiative test, it is so enraged by the Thief's insults that it must attempt to engage the Thief in hand-to-hand combat in preference to all other targets, and may ignore Pinning in an attempt to reach him. After this next turn, there is no further special effect, though unless the Adventure Book says otherwise the Monster will keep attacking the Thief. This skill requires no special action to complete.
7 SCAVENGE
You have spent many years in the streets, and have learned how to survive with no visible means of support.
The Thief is able to find means to support himself in a Settlement by hook or by crook, not having to pay daily Living Expenses, whether he's inside the Settlement or biding his time outside. On a roll of 1 on 1D6 per day, he can manage to cover the other Warriors' expenses for the day as well.
8 DIVERSION
Using a trick you learned as a street urchin, you divert the stupid Minotaur's attention, costing him a chance to strike.
Once per turn, your Warrior may elect to create a diversion, sacrificing one of his attacks in order to thwart one of the Monsters from making a single attack as well. The target Monster must be in the same dungeon section, though not necessarily in hand-to-hand combat with your Warrior.
9 EVADE
Nimbly stepping to one side, you dodge the incoming axe, flinching slightly as the razor-sharp blade whistles past your ear and buries itself in the table next to you.
This skill gives your Warrior the ability to dodge incoming blows by stepping to one side. If a Monster successfully hits your Warrior, roll 1D6. On a score of 1, 2, 3 or 4 he hits your Warrior as normal. On a score of a 5 or 6 your Warrior can evade the blow by stepping into any empty adjacent square. If there are no squares free he must take the blow as normal.
10 ESCAPE
Realizing that in your current state you are the "weak link in the chain" as far as the party is concerned, you find an opening and disappear into the darkness until this matter has been settled.
Your Warrior may attempt once per turn to leave the battle entirely. Roll 1D6. On a 1, your Warrior tries to escape, but is blocked; he only succeeds in wasting any opportunity to act or move this turn. Otherwise, he may make a full move in any direction that would lead him out of the room, bypassing interposing models, so long as his movement takes him into an unoccupied space. (This may not be used to take him past models which are guarding a particular character or treasure, nor past obstacles which the Warriors have no means of quickly bypassing, such as a locked door.) If this is not feasible, another option is that he may simply slip into hiding for the remainder of the battle; remove the model from the board. In either case where he disappears from the battle, he of course forfeits any chance at gaining any special treasure acquired at the end of the fight.
This same ability may be used in Settlements as well. If an Event should come up where the Warrior is in a dangerous situation (other than a Catastrophic Event), he may escape the Event entirely on a roll of 2 or greater on 1D6.
11 TRAPPER
You hold up your hand, halting the Barbarian before he blunders into the deadly trap. Examining the trigger, you pull out your tools and get to work. Perhaps this device could be used to your favor....
When a trap is encountered, it may be detected in time now on a roll of 4 or more, regardless of which Warrior would have encountered the trap. Furthermore, your Warrior may attempt to jury-rig the trap in such a way so that it may present a problem to any Monsters who waylay the Warriors while in this room.
On a roll of 1 on 1D6, the attempt fails, and your Warrior sets off (and is targeted by) the trap. On a roll of 2 or 3, the trap is disabled harmlessly. On a roll of 4 or more, the trap will go off whenever a Monster Event occurs in this room, targeting a random monster if applicable.
12 ASSASSINATE
Spying a gap in your enemy's armor, you mercilessly fill it with your stiletto.
The Thief may choose to use this special attack instead of a normal attack, foregoing any additional attacks he may be able to make per turn. The blow ignores the target's armor, and on a natural roll of 6 to hit, Toughness is ignored as well. Killing Blows are not possible while using an Assassination attempt, and it may only be used with a hand-to-hand weapon, not a ranged attack.
* The Thief is restricted to the same weapon and armor selections as the Elf.
* When or if your Warrior should visit the Alehouse, roll 2D6-3 to determine the results of that visit.
Unfortunately, having a shady reputation means that somebody is likely to know about it. Any time a Thief enters a Settlement, roll on the following chart, subtracting 1 from the roll if the Settlement is a Village, or adding 1 to the roll if the Settlement is a City.
|
0-4 |
While you may draw a few suspicious looks, you are able to enter the Settlement normally. |
|
5 |
Someone fingers you as a criminal, and the guards detain you for one day, during which you may not visit any Traders nor any Special Locations. You must still pay Cost of Living expenses. However, no evidence is presented, and you are released without incident. |
|
6-7 |
Your reputation precedes you! You are barred entrance from the Settlement, and must wait outside until the other Warriors complete their business there. |
The seediest quarters of the Settlement provide a Thief with his home element. There are various shady places of business which only those with the proper hand signals and contacts can ever find. Hence, this is a special location only open to the Thief, where the tools of his trade can be found.
Payment and Black Market Goods While at the "Black Market", the Thief may buy any of the following items if they are in stock.
Cost Equipment (Buy) Stock Lock Tools 200 7 1D6 Bags of Flash Powder 75 8 1D6 Vials of Blade Venom 100 8
Lock Tools Lock tools allow the user to open any lock as long as it is not magical or the rules for the lock specifically state otherwise.
To see if your Warrior can open a lock, roll 1D6. On a score of 4, 5 or 6, the lock opens. On a score of 2 or 3 the lock refuses to open at the moment, though your Warrior may try again next turn. On a score of 1, the lock tools are snapped off in the lock and are now useless.
Remember: The Thief may re-roll any lock-picking attempt, so if a roll of 1 comes up on the first try, it may be re-rolled, but the second result must be kept even if it is another 1. If you are using "Specialist Actions" as described in the Roleplay Book, it is possible for a Thief to get a bonus of +1 for specializing in lock-picking, but a natural roll of 1 still results in broken lock picks.
Only one set of lock tools will be available at the Black Market.
Flash Powder Flash powder may be set off at any time to confuse the Warriors' enemies. After it has exploded, any Warriors who have not yet fought this turn get +1 Attacks.
Your Warrior may buy any number of Bags of Flash Powder, up to the number available.
Blade Venom Blade venom is a poison that may be applied to weapons in order to make them more potent in battle. Applying venom to a blade takes a turn during which the Warrior may take no other action. One dose is enough to coat a single weapon's blade. It will then inflict +2 Wounds per successful hit until the poison wears off. At the end of each subsequent turn, roll 1D6. On a roll of 1, all blade venom in use wears off.
Your Warrior may buy any number of doses of Blade Venom, up to the number available.
Contraband While at the Black Market, your Warrior may also buy "pawned" goods obtained through shady means. He may purchase any item normally available at any of the Traders, with the normal roll for availability, though at half the normal price.
The drawback is that there is a chance that the item will be spotted and recognized on the Thief's person, or else that a snitch will turn him in. Each day in the Settlement after visiting the Black Market, roll a number of D6 equal to however many items the Thief purchased. (In the case of multiples of a single type of object, such as Bandages, etc., just count this as a single object.) If any of the dice come up as a 1, the Thief is in trouble, and is forced to leave the Settlement immediately!
Recovering Stolen Goods The flip side of dealing in the Black Market is that you can find particular items that were stolen from someone you know. If any Events have resulted in an item of Treasure or Equipment being stolen from the Thief or any Warriors in his party, on a roll of 4+ he can locate the item and, with a bit of persuasion can recover the item at a quarter the normal value (round up) without any fear of being picked up by the town guards for having the previously-stolen item. (Of course, if he just keeps it for himself rather than dealing with the previous owner, his fellow Warriors may not think so highly of him.)
If the Warriors find their horse or mule stolen upon leaving the Settlement, the Thief may immediately locate and buy back the animal at 25% the normal value, without having to roll for availability or having to visit the "Black Market" specifically.
For those intent upon using official Citadel miniatures, the Felix model from the "Felix and Gotrek" blister pack should do nicely. Otherwise, there are countless off-brand miniatures for "thief" types produced by various miniatures companies. For my own games, I even utilized a Ral Partha "ninja" model.
The Thief is the sort of character that is particularly useful not only if you're playing this as a simple random dungeon board game, but if you should try it as a moderated role-playing game as well. With a character who specializes in such things, you can have someone in your party to bypass locks and traps, to sneak ahead and spy around, and have a better chance at performing various covert operations rather than just having the Warriors charge in headlong.
One thing that inevitably comes up, though, is "Can I pickpocket the other players"? If you are using the standard rules where gold represents your Warrior's experience, I would strongly recommend that you NOT allow this in any shape or form. The Warriors are supposed to be allies, and the game is deadly enough without the Warriors turning on each other!
_Warhammer Quest_ is a trademark of Games Workshop, and its use here does not constitute a legal challenge to that status. This article may be considered copyrighted by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock (me =) ), though it may be freely distributed so long as no alterations are made and no fees are charged for its use.