Build for a Master Thief

[Nettlekid]

A friend of mine is planning a fairly short-term, high-level but not super-high-powered campaign that I believe will go from around level 15 to level 20. This friend loves Rogue and Assassin-style characters, and is always some kind of sneak in games that we play, being the quintessential "goes into the room first and picks out the best treasure, while calling back 'Nah, there's not that much here!'" sort of player (which is fine because all our normal DMs give like no treasure anyway.) I want to turn the tables by playing a character that steals everything that isn't Sovereign Glued down. I found the feat Master Pickpocket from City of Stormreach that allows you to steal anything on an adjacent creature's person that they aren't currently holding in their hands. Think about that. All their magic items, like amulets and belts and hats (would you count rings as being held in the hand?), sheathed weapons, MacGuffins, all that. Swiped. It also lets you use Sleight of Hand as a free action at a -10 penalty rather than -20, so that's good. Since the DC to steal a small object is a flat 20, that means you can steal stuff as a free action for a mere DC 30. You'd want to pump it higher to beat their Spot checks, but still, it means you can grab stuff.

Starting with that, what kind of build would excel at taking other people's things? They key aspects would involve getting into places, getting stuff, and getting back out. I'd like to be able to help in combat a little, but I don't expect to deal much damage. The swiping thing ought to do, I suppose. For the getting in, since I'm going to want to be able to get through otherwise unopenable entrances, perhaps a few levels of Warlock for Walk Unseen and more importantly, Flee the Scene. Then again, getting a 4th level Teleportation spell somehow could fuel Dimensional Jaunt, which would also work. Or something less orthodox, like Binding Savnok and Malphas together and using Savnok's ability to swap places with an ally on Malphas's bird. Or just Totemist with Blink Shirt, I guess. Or Swordsage with Shadow _____. There are actually a lot of options, now that I think of it.

I guess I just want this to be a very high-Dex, high stealth and thievery build. Since Sleight of Hand and Master Pickpocket do much of the thief work, and if I'm maxing Sleight of Hand I might as well also do Hide and Move Silently, then much of that is done. So what then might you add into this character to make it useful to the party while still keeping the style of the character I'd like to play?

[Emperor Tippy]

Factotum 8/ Invisible Fist Decisive Strike Monk 12

Use Shadowhand Gloves for Balance on the Sky to cover your flying needs. Probably Necropolitian Gray Elf for race (with Dark if LA buy off is allowed).

Factotum 8/ Psion 11/ Monk 1 with good power selection (along with some from spells via StP Erudite) is better but probably less of the feel that you want.

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The top build makes a very good thief, spy, and assassin. Especially with good item selection.

For one thing, you can go Invisible via invisible fist as an immediate action, run as a full round action and then blow your IP on Cunning Surge and manage to clear about a thousand feet in a single turn.

You are quite useful in both melee and ranged combat, can be a thief in pretty much every situation, have the maximum amount of HP (FMI+d12 HD from Neccropolitan), and are just generally capable in most every thief related field.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Lightning Thief by our very own Darrin:

A month or so ago, someone posted about one of the epic uses for Sleight of Hand that allowed someone to move an object or creature 10' (unfortunately, I can't find the thread at the moment). Normally the DC for this is a standard action is 80, but Sleight of Hand allows you to make a check as a free action by taking -20 on the roll (effectively raising the DC +20).

A couple weeks ago, I happened to be paging through the City of Stormreach and ran across some new feats that I hadn't noticed before:

Wand Bonding: Only available to Warforged that can cast arcane spells or infusions spontaneously, but by picking up a wand, allows you to expend one of your spell slots to cast the spell in the wand without expending any of the wand's charges. By carrying a bunch of wands, this would allow a Warforged sorcerer to get around his rather limited number of known spells, similar to Knowstones.

There were also two ACFs for Warforged monks: Harmonious Form (replaces purity of body, meditate 8 hours to recover twice your character level in HPs) and Shifting Steel (replaces Diamond Body, allows your unarmed strike to do slashing or piercing damage, similar to Versatile Unarmed Strike).

Criminal Background: adds Bluff, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand as class skills, but can only be taken at 1st level. I'm not quite sure how this might come in handy or what PrCs it could help you qualify for, but any feat that adds class skills is probably useful somewhere.

Hardened Criminal: requires Iron Will, but Iron Will is such a common prerequisite for several PrCs (ok, mostly Incantatrix), this feat seems almost like an apology for having to take such a mediocre feat. There's also the Otyugh Hole to pick up Iron Will for 3000 GP. It makes you immune to Intimidate, but I've yet to run into a situation where making an attack roll isn't completely superior to an Intimidate check (and yes, I know there's an exception if you've got an Imperious Command/Demoralize build). That's not the best part, though. When you take this feat, you also pick one of your skills and can now take 10 on any checks with it even under conditions when taking 10 would be impossible. So, yeah, not only can you now get a special rogue ability at first level, but three words: USE MAGIC DEVICE.

Master Pickpocket: The third feat offers up some love for a skill that doesn't get a lot of attention, Sleight of Hand. First, it allows you to steal an object from an opponent in combat as a standard action, which I think is a bit redundant since you could do that without the feat. Second, you get a +4 bous on Sleight of Hand checks when grappling. And third, when you make a Sleight of Hand check as a free action, you take a -10 penalty rather than a -20 penalty. With this feat, the DC to move an object or creature 10' becomes a DC 90. So here's a build that optimizes Sleight of Hand, creates a duplicate to grapple with, and can then trade off Sleight of Hand checks to move anywhere in the world as a series of free actions.

Nitpicky rules-discrepancy-stuff:

Note: There appears to be a discrepancy between the Rules Compendium and the PHB with regards to using Sleight of Hand as a free action. The PBH states: "You may perform a Sleight of Hand check as a free action by taking a -20 penalty on the check." The Rules Compendium does not include this text, but has a table that lists "Make check as move action" with a -20 modifier. I'm not sure if this is a case where "text trumps table", because there is no text in the Rules Compendium that contradicts the PHB. There's also the issue that the core books take precedence over any supplements because they are primary sources, but the Rules Compendium states in the Introduction: "When a preexisting core book or supplement differs with the rules herein, Rules Compendium is meant to take precedence." Anyway, the upshot is if the table in the Rules Compendium means you are no longer able to make a Sleight of Hand check as a free action, then all the work I put into this build was pretty much wasted.




The Lightning Thief, AKA Air Goblin Express
Magic-Blooded Dragonborn Air Goblin (Str -2, Dex +2, Wis -2, Cha +2)
Ability Scores (28 point-buy): Str 6, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 6, Cha 16
With ability increases/magic items: Str 6, Dex 28, Con 15, Int 20, Wis 6, Cha 22

1) Factotum 1. Feat: Deft Hands.
2) Incarnate 1.
3) Incarnate 2. Feat: Skill Focus: Sleight of Hand.
4) Factotum 2. Con 15.
5) Factotum 3. Brains Over Brawn.
6) Incarnate 3. Feat: Master Pickpocket.
7) Incarnate 4.
8) Marshal 1. Dex 19.
9) Marshal 2. Feat: Planar Touchstone: Nobility Domain.
10) Cleric 1. Deity: Aasterinian, Charm Domain, Trickery Devotion.
11) Exemplar 1.
12) Sorcerer 1. Huitzil Familiar. Feat: Divine Soultouch. Dex 20.
13) Soulborn 1.
14) Soulborn 2.
15) Soulborn 3. Feat: Bonus Essentia. Bonus Feat: Expanded Soulmeld Capacity.

Manual of Quickness of Action +2, 55000 GP.
Gloves of Dexterity +6, 36000 GP.
Headband of Intellect +6, 36000 GP.
Cloak of Charisma +6, 36000 GP.
Magic item +10 competence bonus, 10000 GP.
Planar Touchstone, 250 GP.
Dragonborn Ritual, 100 GP.

Total: 173350 GP (15th level WBL = 200000 GP)



Take 10 (Exemplar): 10
Skill Ranks: +18
Theft Gloves soulmeld (6 essentia) +14
Wondrous Item +10 competence bonus: +10
Dex bonus: +9
Cha bonus (Motivate Dexterity aura): +6
Int bonus (Brains Over Brawn): +5
Grapple Bonus (Master Pickpocket) +4
Huitzil Familiar: +3
Skill Focus: +3
Deft Hands +2
Bluff Synergy +2
Charm Domain (+4 Cha) +2
Nobility Domain (morale bonus) +2

Total: 90


1) As a standard action, give a rousing speech to yourself and activate the Nobility domain, and if necessary the Motivate Dexterity aura as a swift action.
2) Next round as a standard action, activate your duplicate with the Trickery devotion. Activate the Charm domain as a free action, Divine Soultouch as a free action, and redistribute your essentia into your Theft Gloves as a swift action. Direct your duplicate to grapple you, and let the touch attack and grapple check succeed.
3) As a free action, make a Sleight of Hand check DC 90 to place your duplicate in an adjacent square 5' away.
4) Duplicate repeats, placing you in an adjacent square 10' away.
5) Rinse and repeat.
6) Profit! (And I do mean profit, since you can as a free action steal, strip, or relocate any object or creature in the world that is in any open contiguous square, isn't being held or worn, isn't behind closed doors, isn't nailed down, or isn't larger than a goblin.)

Stuff I didn't use: Shadowcaster fundamental mystery, Sight Obscured (ToM, +5 circumstance), Masterwork Tool (PHB, +2 circumstance), Finger Blades (A&EG, +1 circumstance).

The same basic build could probably be used for a variety of other skills by picking a different soulmeld, but I haven't looked into the possibilities yet.

[Nettlekid]

Factotum 8/ Invisible Fist Decisive Strike Monk 12

Use Shadowhand Gloves for Balance on the Sky to cover your flying needs. Probably Necropolitian Gray Elf for race (with Dark if LA buy off is allowed).

Factotum 8/ Psion 11/ Monk 1 with good power selection (along with some from spells via StP Erudite) is better but probably less of the feel that you want.

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The top build makes a very good thief, spy, and assassin. Especially with good item selection.

For one thing, you can go Invisible via invisible fist as an immediate action, run as a full round action and then blow your IP on Cunning Surge and manage to clear about a thousand feet in a single turn.

You are quite useful in both melee and ranged combat, can be a thief in pretty much every situation, have the maximum amount of HP (FMI+d12 HD from Neccropolitan), and are just generally capable in most every thief related field.

I expected that Factotum would feature prominently. Why Monk 12, for Abundant Step? It seems like there'd be better ways of doing that, and more than 1/day. The Invisible Fist invisibility is quite good, though I don't wonder if it could be mostly replicated (or at least in addition to) Swordsage's Cloak of Deception. Since Invisible Fist has a bit of cooldown, it might be good for the gaps. Not to mention Swordsage has Shadow Jaunt and the like. How is that particular build good at both melee and ranged combat?


Lightning Thief by our very own Darrin:

I saw that build, and was very impressed, but it's not totally the kind of thing I'm looking for. For one, that build seems to focus on the whole "move someone 10 feet" epic usage of Sleight of Hand, while I want to focus on the more basic "steal stuff" usage. Which means I need to hit 30, not 90, so all their many skill boosters aren't totally needed. And that build doesn't seem to have much else to do besides have a really good Sleight of Hand, so I'd want to be able to do other things too, even if that's my main thing.

[Emperor Tippy]

Why Monk 12, for Abundant Step? It seems like there'd be better ways of doing that, and more than 1/day.
For the speed boost mostly. There aren't many other small dips that would really serve you better for what you want. Monk 6 nets you as many bonus feats as Fighter 6 which is nice as thief builds (especially Factotum ones) tend to be feat starved. Monk 9 gives you poison immunity, combine with the feat Hidden Power: Psionic Minor Creation lets you go the poison user route for a small price (and opens up the various Psionic feats for potential usage). Abundant Step is somewhat useful, not great but useful. Monk 9 with Invisible Fist gives you the ability to use Blink as an immediate action with a duration equal to Wisdom modifier rounds and usable every 3 rounds.

Basically, its taken because of an absence of anything really better to take unless you want to go Psion; and it fits thematically.


The Invisible Fist invisibility is quite good, though I don't wonder if it could be mostly replicated (or at least in addition to) Swordsage's Cloak of Deception. Since Invisible Fist has a bit of cooldown, it might be good for the gaps. Not to mention Swordsage has Shadow Jaunt and the like.
Invisible Fist invisibility is far less for combat (not that it can't be used with Cunning Strike to get off a truly massive sneak attack against a lone guard or the like at need) than it is for ghosting security. Think of it like cloaking in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Besides, you can get Cloak of Deception for the cost of a feat if you really want. Or you can just spend 4,500 GP to add Novice Shadow Hands onto your Master Shadow Hands that are on your Gloves of the Master Strategist that are also +6 Dex gloves; that gives you once per encounter Cloak of Deception.

The problem with Shadow Jaunt is that you need both Line of Effect and Line of Sight and the range is short (worse than a move action for you). You are better off getting a Skin of Proteus and spending a feat on Assume Supernatural Ability to get it's Dimension Door Su.


How is that particular build good at both melee and ranged combat?
Very.

Against a single target that you are willing to engage in melee you either do one massive sneak attack by blowing your IP for a +30d6 or so sneak attack or you use Cunning Surge first to get in range, use Decisive Strike as a full round action, and then go to town with Cunning Surge+Cunning Insight (for Int to Damage) with a dagger or shortsword (so that Shadow Blade, and possibly Craven if you are in Assassins Stance; might want to trade one Monk level for Rogue to ensure qualification for Craven) and just keep whacking away. Decisive Strike makes every attack you deal against that foe for the rest of the round deal double damage. So double Int to Damage, Double Dex to Damage, Double Strength to Damage, (potentially) Double HD to Damage, Double Collision to Damage, etc.; and 10 or so such attacks. Each at your full AB (which could end up Int boosted against particularly tough foes).

Ranged, you can kite all day thanks to greater speed and agility in the air (Balance on the Sky is nifty like that) and use Cunning Surge to deliver a ton of full AB attacks (which can, depending upon items become even nastier).

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The general idea is that you should always be the one getting a surprise round and going first (absent Foresight) and that the combat should be over in the Surprise Round.

Get a couple of Selective Antimagic Field scrolls for dealing with enemy casters and you should be good.

[Arc_knight25]

Swashbuckler X/Rogue (min2)/Thief-Acrobat5 with Daring Outlaw feat to have your Swashbuckler and rogue levels to stack for SA, Grace and Dodge AC bonus.

More the get in and get out unnoticed thief, but the Swashbuckler BAB and the Daring outlaw feat give them a little more punch.

[nedz]

Low gold campaign, steal their spells instead.

Spellthief 1 / Beguiler 4 / Unseen Seer 10
Requires Master Spellthief feat, at level 6

Exiting into Arcane Trickster is possible, though you have to grab Mage Hand which can be got through a feat, a dip, an cheap item or 3 more levels of Spellthief.

You can still do all of you usual skulduggery.

Ed:
Grab Arcane Disciple with the Travel or Portal domains for Fly, Dim-Door, Teleport etc.