THIEF-ACROBAT
A thief-acrobat excels in getting in and getting out. If every street-level entrance to the Jewelers’ Guildhouse is locked and well guarded, a thief-acrobat simply jumps atop the building from the roof of a nearby inn, throws a grappling hook to the highest minaret, runs up the attached rope to a shuttered window, and quickly picks the lock. Should a thief-acrobat’s escape go awry once she has the goods, her gymnastic combat style keeps her out of harm’s way.
Most thief-acrobats are rogues who worked their way up through the ranks of the local thieves guild before learning the second-story trade from more experienced burglars. Characters of other classes—particularly barbarians and illusionists—often fi nd that the acrobatics and climbing skills of the thief-acrobat prestige class complement their abilities nicely. Adventuring parties often encounter an NPC thiefacrobat in the middle of committing a crime. Sometimes, however, thief-acrobats hire adventurers to help them with particularly dangerous capers, or even to create diversions while they work. Adaptation: Guilds of thieves large and small could have an elite cadre of cat burglars and second-story people. Changing the class’s name slightly can have a great impact on how the prestige class is perceived in your game. Despite its name, members of the thief-acrobat class might have nothing to do with thievery. Labeling the class “adventuring acrobat” or something similar gives the class a reason to exist that has little to do with high-level burglaries. Hit Die: d6. |
REQUIREMENTSTo qualify to become a thief-acrobat, a character must fulfi ll all the following criteria.
Skills: Balance 8 ranks, Climb 8 ranks, Jump 8 ranks, Tumble 8 ranks. Special: Evasion class feature. |
Base Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Fast Acrobatics, Kip Up, Steady Stance
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Agile Fighting +1/+2, Slow Fall 20'
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Acrobatic Charge, Defensive Roll 1/day
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Agile Fighting +2/+3, Skill Mastery, Slow Fall 30'
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Defensive Roll 2/day, Improved Evasion
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Fast Acrobatics, Kip Up, Steady Stance
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Agile Fighting +1/+2, Slow Fall 20'
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Acrobatic Charge, Defensive Roll 1/day
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Agile Fighting +2/+3, Skill Mastery, Slow Fall 30'
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Defensive Roll 2/day, Improved Evasion
CLASS SKILLS
The thief-acrobat’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Search (Int), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the thief-acrobat prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Thief-acrobats are profi cient with all simple weapons.
Fast Acrobatics (Ex): A thief-acrobat can avoid the normal penalties for accelerated movement while using her acrobatic talents. She ignores the normal –5 penalty when making a Balance check while moving at her full normal speed. She can climb at half her speed as a move action without taking a –5 penalty on her Climb check. Finally, she can tumble at her full speed without taking the normal –10 penalty on her Tumble check.
Kip Up (Ex): A thief-acrobat can stand up from a prone position as a free action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability works only if the thief-acrobat wears light or no armor and carries no more than a light load.
Steady Stance (Ex): A thief-acrobat remains stable on her feet when others have diffi culty standing. She is not considered fl at-footed while balancing or climbing, and she adds her class level as a bonus on Balance or Climb checks to remain balancing or climbing when she takes damage.
Agile Fighting (Ex): A whirling, spinning thief-acrobat is a devilishly diffi cult target. Starting at 2nd level, a thief-acrobat gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. When fi ghting defensively or using total defense, this bonus becomes +2. At 4th level, these bonuses increase by 1 (to +2 and +3, respectively). In addition, a thief-acrobat takes no penalty to her Armor Class or on her melee attack rolls when kneeling, sitting, or prone.
This ability works only if a thief-acrobat wears light or no armor and carries no more than a light load.
Slow Fall (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a thief-acrobat reduces the effective distance of falls by 20 feet. At 4th level, this improves to reduce the effective distance of falls by 30 feet. See the monk class feature, page 41 of the Player’s Handbook. If a thief-acrobat has this ability from another class, the distances stack to determine the effective reduction of the falling distance.
Acrobatic Charge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a thiefacrobat can charge in situations where others cannot.
She can charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement or through allies blocking her path. This ability enables her to charge across a cluttered battlefield, leap down from a ledge, or swing across a chasm to get to her target. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks (such as Jump, Tumble, or Use Rope checks) to successfully move over the terrain.
Defensive Roll (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, once per day a thief-acrobat can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. See the rogue class feature, page 51 of the Player’s Handbook. At 5th level, a thief-acrobat can use this ability twice per day.
Skill Mastery (Ex): At 4th level, a thief-acrobat has become so confident in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions.
When making a Balance, Climb, Jump, or Tumble check, she can take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.
Improved Evasion (Ex): A 5th-level thief-acrobat can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful Refl ex save and takes only half damage on a failed save. See the monk class feature, page 42 of the Player’s Handbook.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Thief-acrobats are profi cient with all simple weapons.
Fast Acrobatics (Ex): A thief-acrobat can avoid the normal penalties for accelerated movement while using her acrobatic talents. She ignores the normal –5 penalty when making a Balance check while moving at her full normal speed. She can climb at half her speed as a move action without taking a –5 penalty on her Climb check. Finally, she can tumble at her full speed without taking the normal –10 penalty on her Tumble check.
Kip Up (Ex): A thief-acrobat can stand up from a prone position as a free action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability works only if the thief-acrobat wears light or no armor and carries no more than a light load.
Steady Stance (Ex): A thief-acrobat remains stable on her feet when others have diffi culty standing. She is not considered fl at-footed while balancing or climbing, and she adds her class level as a bonus on Balance or Climb checks to remain balancing or climbing when she takes damage.
Agile Fighting (Ex): A whirling, spinning thief-acrobat is a devilishly diffi cult target. Starting at 2nd level, a thief-acrobat gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. When fi ghting defensively or using total defense, this bonus becomes +2. At 4th level, these bonuses increase by 1 (to +2 and +3, respectively). In addition, a thief-acrobat takes no penalty to her Armor Class or on her melee attack rolls when kneeling, sitting, or prone.
This ability works only if a thief-acrobat wears light or no armor and carries no more than a light load.
Slow Fall (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a thief-acrobat reduces the effective distance of falls by 20 feet. At 4th level, this improves to reduce the effective distance of falls by 30 feet. See the monk class feature, page 41 of the Player’s Handbook. If a thief-acrobat has this ability from another class, the distances stack to determine the effective reduction of the falling distance.
Acrobatic Charge (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a thiefacrobat can charge in situations where others cannot.
She can charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement or through allies blocking her path. This ability enables her to charge across a cluttered battlefield, leap down from a ledge, or swing across a chasm to get to her target. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks (such as Jump, Tumble, or Use Rope checks) to successfully move over the terrain.
Defensive Roll (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, once per day a thief-acrobat can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. See the rogue class feature, page 51 of the Player’s Handbook. At 5th level, a thief-acrobat can use this ability twice per day.
Skill Mastery (Ex): At 4th level, a thief-acrobat has become so confident in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions.
When making a Balance, Climb, Jump, or Tumble check, she can take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.
Improved Evasion (Ex): A 5th-level thief-acrobat can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful Refl ex save and takes only half damage on a failed save. See the monk class feature, page 42 of the Player’s Handbook.