Best Thief?

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What kit is the best for thieves? and equipment? What sort kind of things can you do with there stronghold?

*thieves rule*

 

Kit? Well, it all depends on your playing style. If you like direct combat, use the Swashbuckler. If you like using the shadows and poison to your advantage, use the Assassin. If you like luring your prey to special snares, then the Bounty Hunter is your choice. Then again, the standard Thief isn't a bad choice at all either. It all depends on your playing style.

Equipment? Hmmm . . . , a short sword or dagger, IMO, suits the thief best, but keep a crossbow, short bow, darts, or throwing knives just in case. For heavier equipment, katanas and long swords are usable too, but that's just not too role-playing for me.
Specifically, I guess a the Cutthroat (Short sword +4) or the Fire Tooth (Dagger +3, +2 Fire Damage, Returns to thrower) are both nice. There are also some really good long swords and katanas too, and Gesen's bow is a must-have if you use a short bow.

For armor, pick the Shadow Dragon Scale Armor (AC 1, 50% Acid Resist), or the Night's Gift (+5 Leather Armor, +20% to hide in shadows).

For a stronghold, a thief gets to run a thieves' guild.

 

Well, the best thief kit is probably a swashbuckler which is already practically a fighter/thief already. Why?

1) one of the few classes to put 3 points in two weapon style.
2) +1 bonus o AC, and continues so every five levels
3) +1 hit/dam every five levels! (wowsers!)
4)he can point two puts in any weapon a thief can use. Ie, he will specialize and not be proficient with a weapon.

I would be a halfling or elf for this kit and go for 19 dex!!! It is tres formidable. HOwever, the bad thing is that you don't get a backstab multiplier. So, the swashbuckler may be the best kit on paper, but my favourite thief kit is the assassin.!! why?

1)get to poison weapons once per day every 4 levels. (i just think this skill is soo cool)
2)+1 hit/dam bonus
3) and here comes the kicker. x7 backstab!

I just like playing the assassin because of the mystique that surrounds the character. My only pet peeve is that she should have given the assassin mage spells!! like

Change Self Alter Self Deeper Darkness Dimension Door
Detect Poison Darkness Invisibility Freedom of Movement
Ghost Sound Pass Without Trace Misdirection Improved Invisibility
Obscuring Mist Undetectable Alignment Nondetection Improved Invisibility
Spider Climb

but, you'll have to play 3e PnP to be a cooler assassin .

bTW: "there is no life better than a thieves guild!"



[This message has been edited by strange_machine (edited January 21, 2002).]

 

I play a swashbuckler now and he is pretty excellent but deep in my heart I still prefer the good old pure and plain thief most. Plenty of thieving ability ... backstabbing, what more can you want ?

If you're looking for punch choose a fighter-thief ....

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited January 21, 2002).]

 

They can get spells! Just dual class one at level 13! Awsome character!

The Assassin IMO is the best theif kit. Why?

+1 hit and damage: This is nothing major but it's nice to have, adding that little pinch on a backstab . Actually one point of damage won't make much of a difference at all, but like I said, there's nothing wrong with a little bonus.

Posion Weapon once every 3 levels: Awsome, simply awsome! This even works against the toughest monsters like Iron Golems and Liches! I used it to great affect in the Illithid lair as well. Basically adding 12 or 24 damage depending if they make the save or not, it posions all of your attacks until it wears off. Great for inturrupting spell casters!

Up to x7 backstab: Wow x7 is *a lot* isn't it? Not much to say about this, other than making the Assassin one of the best backstabbers, maybe even better than a fighter/theif.

Only 15% skill points per level: Yes, it looks bad, but there are many ways to get around it, by racial bonuses, good dexterity, and various items found in the game. Besides, by the time you end the game, you'll have more than enough skill points. I suggest putting only 50 in hide in shadows and move silently in the beginning, that way you have enough for lock picking. There are various armors that increase stealth, and this will make due until you can put some more points into it.

Weapons: Well, it's really up to you. I would take Short Swords or Scimitars for Kudane +2 and Belm +2, which give another attack per round, but you could easily go for long swords or katanas for that extra damage on backstabs. Also Daggers are great, with Firetooth which does 2d4+3 +1d3 fired damage. Also take Short Bows, for Tugian, Tasheron's and later Gensen's. You could also go for Crossbows, but there aren't really that many good ones in SoA. If you did go for Crossbows, get the Light Crossbow of Speed +1. Also take Single Weapon style, for a little AC bonus when using your sword.

Armor: Black Dragon Scale or that other one that increases stealth. The extra Stealth bonus may be more useful than the AC if you scimped out on it earlier.

Assassins are a very fun and potent class to play as are any theives in general.

 

Lord Sarevok,

if you dual class to get spells then he wont be a pure thief anymore, which sucks. They gave the stalker mage spells i dont see why they did not give assassin mage spells! Considering in Faerun, assassins are known to practice arcane magic.

 

Strange Machine maybe the programmers believed that if you added mage spells to the assians skill list he would be to overpowered. thinkabout it, one disavantage to 4 avantages not possible at all. IT all comes down to the fact they tried to make every character just as strong as another. We just look at the kits as which one is the best for the power-gamer.

 

Well, I *do* find it annoying that practicly everyone in the game can cast Demension Door, but you a Child of Bhaal, cannot. But Assassin's are thieves, and in BG2 theives can't cast spells unless they are dual or multiclassed. BUT any class can really be an Assassin, if you think about it. Just play like one...

I like the Assassin/Mage combo for the roleplaying value, even though a Swashbuckler/Mage might be a better class.

[This message has been edited by Lord Sarevok (edited January 22, 2002).]

 

I hate to simply join the parade, but I had immeasurable fun with my Chaotic Neutral Assassin. Poisons, ridiculously high backstab multiplier, and I chose a light crossbow of speed as my range weapon. Kinda sniper-like, plus different magical bolts you can grab are way cool - bolts of biting and of lightning are each very very handy in certain fights. (Dragons, for some reason, universally hate lightning...) Just my 2 cents' worth. Do what feels good! (sneak sneak sneak - shhhhhunk!! "Nivek - Critical Hit; Nivek does 5x backstab damage to Monster Y; Nivek does 55 damage to Monster Y; Monster Y - save Vs. Poison; Monster Y - Death") Heh, heh, heh...

 

With my character Barduk Shadowblood, who is a full level Fighter/thief, fighting a dragon looks like this:

(Dragon) takes 65 points damage
(Dragon) takes 53 points damage
(Dragon) takes 70 points damage
(Dragon) takes 58 points damage
(Dragon) takes 65 points damage
(Dragon) takes 65 points damage
Dragon - Death

I luuuuv spiketraps...

And this is me backstabbing a mage with my two Angurvadal's:

Backstab successful
hit x 5
(mage) takes 175 points damage
(mage) - death

niiiice.

Now all i need to do is to find Drizzt

 

Thorin, the game is modelled after PnP game play. I only suggested it because the assassin PnP can cast arcane magic. Plus we are not talking about powerfull spells, etc. I'm talking abou peasy spells like invisibility, improve haste, detect poison, free action, alignment detection, improved invisibility, etc... Stuff that make sense for an assassin to have. I dont think he will be over powerd with those type of spells, but be more of real Faeraniun 'assassin'. However BG is a crpg, and the storyline/event is actually independant Faerun timeline.

 

I'm playing a halfling fighter/thief and have never felt the need for spells.
Hast and invisibility are covered by potions and there are plenty of items about for other magical effects.
"The Slasher", as he's called, dual-wields Belm and an axe+3 (can't remember the name) and I've put a lot of points into stealth. He wears the girdle of hill giant strength for extra damage and a backstab often results in people exploding into itty-bitty pieces - nice!

 

Barduk,

This is the *SoA topic, remember ? Please don't post your *ToB* stuff here !

First: Spiketraps are ToB high-level abilities.
Second: You find *one* and only *one* Angurvadal sword in Watcher's Keep - me likes to think you're not only a cheater but a fool - there are some other excellent longswords around as well ... ... well, some people need 2 x str-22 to play safe ... ... anyway, still better than dualwielding 2x crom faeyr ... but hey ! Even at risk to diasppoint you: Using 2 items that give str-22 will *not* result in a total strength of 44 !!!

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited January 24, 2002).]