Armor and Thief Skills
Rogues traditionally wear no more than leather armor, since garb any more
bulky greatly hinders the traditional abilities of thieves. The Player's Handbook notes the benefits or penalties of wearing no armor, elfin chain, and studded
or padded leather armor, since these options are also available to thieves. In
some instances thieves will be found wearing still other sorts of armor.
Multi-classed demihumans and dual-classed humans, for instance, may have fighter or
cleric as one of their classes, and may therefore be permitted any sort of
armor whatsoever.
Thieves using the disguise proficiency also should be permitted to wear armor
not normally used by their class, to aid the deception. (Otherwise it becomes
obvious that anyone in leather armor who refuses to don chain mail must be an
assassin or spy.)
For this reason we offer expanded rules to cover the effects of the heavier
and bulkier armor types on thieves' skills. Table 38 lists the adjustments
accorded to each armor type.
Table 38:
EFFECTS OF ARMOR ON THIEF SKILLS
| No
| Elfin
| Studded
|
| Ring or
| Brigandine
| Scale or
| Plate
| Plate
|
Skill
| Armor
| Chain
| or Padded
| Hide
| Chain
| or Splint
| Banded
| Mail
| Armor
|
Pick Pockets
| +5%
| - 20%
| -30%
| -60%
| -40%
| -40%
| -50%
| -75%
| -95%
|
Open Lock
| —
| -5%
| -10%
| -50%
| -15%
| -15%
| -20%
| -40%
| -80%
|
Find/Remove Traps
| —
| -5%
| -10%
| -50%
| -15%
| -25%
| -20%
| -40%
| -80%
|
Move Silently
| +10%
| -10%
| -20%
| -30%
| -40%
| -40%
| -60%
| -80%
| -95%
|
Hide in Shadows
| +5%
| -10%
| -20%
| -20%
| -30%
| -30%
| -50%
| -75%
| -95%
|
Hear Noise
| —
| -5%
| -10%
| -10%
| -20%
| -25%
| -30%
| -50%
| -70%
|
Climb Walls
| +10%
| -20%
| -30%
| -60%
| -40%
| -50%
| -90%
| -95%
| -95%
|
Read Languages
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
Notes 1-4: See Table 37.
No skill can have a chance of success (including all adjustments) greater
than 95%. However, a character can always have a 1% chance of success, even when
trying to pick pockets in full plate armor.
Option: Some DMs may permit thieves to wear any available armor. For most
thieves, however (especially at low levels), it isn't worthwhile to wear bulkier
armor because the penalties cripple thiefly skills. A rogue could favor bulk
anyway, but DMs should emphasize (a) if the player wants a fighting machine he
should play a fighter, (b) the thief can't gain experience and increase skill in
thieving abilities that he doesn't use.
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