Gentleman Thief

Uppercrust larceny

Description

    The Gentleman Thief was actually born to the nobility, or at
 least the aristocracy, and his breeding shows in every thing he
 does.  His thefts are for show, and done with style and aplomb.

Preferred Skills While the Gt is usually a generalist with his skills, he is careful in their application. Picking Pockets is not used to steal a purse from some anonymous mark on the street, but to remove a beautiful woman's diamond earrings while dancing at the Duke's ball. Likewise, Detect Noise is not applied to doors in dungeons, but to overhearing court intrigues.

Role The GT is a romantic figure, often sharing ground with the swashbuckler. He could have settled down to the life of his peers, but prefers the excitement and thrill he gets from watching their befuddlement as he slowly deprives them of their family heirlooms. He will almost exclusively stick to "big scores" whenever possible. If he is of Good alignment, then he will target the members of the uppercrust whose wealth seems to be doing no one any good. Often, he will keep rare or valuable pieces, rather than selling them, keeping a small room of trophies.

Weapon Proficiencies The GT uses only those weapons that are acceptable to High Society: the dagger, the dart, the hand crossbow, the short bow, and the long sword. Other weapons are, for the most part, beneath his station.

Non-Weapon Proficiencies Bonus: Etiquette Recommended: [G] Dancing, Heraldry, Languages (Modern), Riding (Land) [P] Local History, Read/Write [R] Appraising, Disguise, Forgery, Gem-cutting, Blind-Fighting, Gaming, Reading Lips

Equipment Like other nobleman kits, the GT must have the best of everything. All equipment costs 10-100% more than the average price. If he uses substandard equipment, he will be denied the right to call on his social status until he has restored himself. He is also required to start out with a horse and gear.

Benefits The GT has a knack for moving through the upper-crust of his society. When talking to his fellow nobles, he gains a +3 reaction bonus. He also has the right to request, and be granted, lodging with any fellow noble while travelling. This is free for himself and up to one other travelling companion, per level. See also: Wealth.

Drawbacks Like other patrician kits, the GT must be willing to play host to his peers, and may wind up shelling out quite a bit for their upkeep. Of course, if he is very careful, this can provide an opportunity for more of his nighttime activities. The GT has far more to lose than most other "noble" kits. Indeed, if he is unmasked publicly, he could very well lose the advantages of his kit. This is not as likely as it might first seem, however. Even if a particular vicitm learns of the GT's identity, they may be able to come to an accomodation. In fact, many GTs make sure to learn much about their prospective victims, in order to garner some "leverage" (ie, blackmail material), if their cover is blown. However, if he is unmasked publicly, the GT will suffer a -6 penalty whenever dealing with one of his former peers. However, even then, not all is lost. If an unmasked GT maintains all the standards of his kit, he will gain a +3 reaction bonus when dealing with the middle classes of his culture, as he will be viewed as a kind of romantic hero. Furthermore, if he is seen publicly to achieve some form of repentance, then he can even regain his former status among the nobles, as they will invite him to regale them with tales of his exploits.

Wealth The GT starts out with a bonus of 200 GP to his normal starting wealth of 2d6x10. Note again, that the purchase of a mount and tack will eat up more than half of this, especially when combined with the "most expensive" purchasing requirement.

Race Any race which is advanced enough to have some sort of aristocracy can produce a Gentleman Thief. Note that, despite the name, a GT may be male or female.

Return to: People and Professions
The Classes of Gero
The Overview

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