“We’ve got another li’l cutpurse here, do we?” – Livna Silyen, Thief Guildmaster of Var Bandor
From pickpocket to backstabber, thieves are city dwelling criminals. Thieves favor the dagger, the sword, and the whip, and wield what suits their personal style. They may be of any alignment and may follow any god or none.
One of the oldest and most storied professions, thievery has a long history within each of the mortal races. As such, its modern incarnation lifts methods from a multiplicity of roots. It blends the ancient acrobatics of the aelin; the deadly strength of the srryn; the uneven trickery of the nefortu; the murderous precision of the shuddeni; the chaotic whims of the ch’taren; and the theatrical panache of humanity into a union that transcends simple larceny.
Thieves favor the dagger, the sword, and the whip, and wield what suits their personal style. For them, it is less the type of weapon as it is having one at all. Thieves are notorious for their sudden, massive attacks, be they from the shadows or from an unprotected flank. Their preternatural quickness provides them attacks of opportunity others never know, capitalizing on the momentary weaknesses of their foes. However, their ability to simply disappear, loot in hand, may be what makes them most unnerving.
While thieves’ guilds have risen throughout the known world, they are as diverse as the races that compose them. Thus, thieves may be of any alignment and may follow any god or none. Virtually all organizations can appreciate the talents of a competent thief, even (or perhaps especially) those that serve the light, or the law. In the end, the most renowned thieves seek both their own inscrutable goals and the contents of someone’s coffers.
Click an ability name to see more details.
Syntax: Automatic
Small, bladed weapons, daggers are one of the simplest melee weapons, often
favoured by scholars for this reason, most other professions in Avendar also
receiving training in them. Rogues are more intimately trained in their usage,
learning techniques both flashy and subtle. Typically thrusting or slashing
weapons, due to their length, they are poor at warding off blows though it is
likewise difficult to parry against a dagger. Someone wielding a dagger will
have a harder time getting around a shield, a stone phalanx, or a fighter's
fending.
Primary Attribute: dexterity
See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic One of the most commonly-produced and commonly-trained weapons in Avendar, swords are simple to learn the basics of, but may take decades to master. The only weapon with an entire profession dedicated solely to their usage, in the hands of most others, swords are a particularly average weapon. Typically slashing or piercing, they range from slender rapiers to massive two-handed claymores. Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic
A whip is usually composed of a flexible cord or a chain attached to a handle,
the lash typically dealing slashing damage, though they are often enchanted,
as well. Gladiators and Void templars are the only professions that receive
dedicated training in this weapon, though many others learn the basics of
using this weapon, and they are often used in the off hand. Because of their
flexibility, they are notoriously poor at parrying with, but they are
similarly difficult for opponents to use any defense save dodge or evade
against. The length of this weapon makes it throw off one's parrying if a whip
is offhanded, as well.
Primary Attribute: dexterity
See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic
The art of fisticuffs is taught by several of Avendar's martial guilds.
Students will hit harder while unarmed than those who are untrained. If
someone who is trained in both fighting unarmed and dual wielding has even a
single free hand, he will use that as an off-hand attack. Having claws, both
srryn and kankoran will do more damage with this skill than other races.
However, this basic training only goes so far, and those who fight without a
weapon in hand will find themselves unable to parry.
Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity
See also: PARRY
Duration : Instantaneous Cost: 8 mana Range : Single PC or mob Syntax: Backstab <target> A thief learns early on that the swiftest way to a person's pocket is usually through their back. If wielding a weapon that is not blunt, a thief may make a swift strike at an unsuspecting opponent to initiate combat. Should the target be at full health, if they are lacking armor to protect major portions of their body, this attack will deal even more damage than it would otherwise by exploiting their vulnerability. Primary Attribute: dexterity
Range : Single PC or mob Cost: 6 mana Syntax: Steal <object> <target> This skill attempts to remove either a small amount of coins or one item from the inventory of its target. If successful, the item or money moves to the stealing character's inventory and the target receives no echo. Should the attempt fail, the target will be aware of the attempt. In order to steal coins from the target, simply specify 'coins' instead of a specific object in the target's inventory. Items that cannot be dropped or that are flagged as inventory cannot be stolen. Primary Attribute: dexterity See also: PEEK, PLANT
Syntax: Automatic
Peek is an enhancement to the look command. Whenever someone with the skill
looks at a person, an attempt will be made to reveal their inventory and
money.
If one so chooses, one may cease peeking by toggling the autopeek command.
Primary Attribute: intelligence
Duration : 0.5 Hours Cost: 5 mana Range : Single PC or mob Syntax: Dirt <target> This skill attempts to temporarily blind a person by kicking dirt in their eyes. This skill cannot be used on or underwater, or in the air. Primary Attribute: dexterity
Dual wielding is the ability to use an additional weapon in the character's offhand. Weapons being dual wielded will suffer a slight penalty in the amount of damage and have a lesser chance of iterative attacks. Weapon weight must be considered with this skill, as only weapons lighter then the one being wielded in the main hand are capable of being dual wielded. Swordmasters are exempt from this restriction, and can dual wield nearly any two swords they can hold. Certain unwieldy combinations of weapons will be more awkward to defend oneself with. Large-sized races, such as the chaja or alatharya, are able to hold certain kinds of two-handed weapons with one hand, and dual wield them. The balance of spears, staves, and polearms are such that this is not possible for these weapons. The ambidextrous trait, available upon creation and given to gladiators and swordmasters automatically, reduces but does not remove the weight restrictions (though swordmasters have none in either case). Primary Attribute: dexterity See also: PARRY, AMBIDEXTROUS
Syntax: Automatic Dodge is a melee defense skill focused on the avoidance of blows. It is particularly difficult to dodge flails and polearms, and easier to dodge whips. Dodge is the favored defense of rogues, but it is taught in many other schools as well. All aelin receive a bonus to this skill. Primary Attribute: dexterity
Range : Target Door or Container Cost: 3 mana Syntax: Pick <direction/container> Rogues may use this skill to break locks they encounter, either on doors or containers. Some locks, including but not restricted to those warded by runes of earth, cannot be picked. Primary Attribute: intelligence, dexterity See also: RUNE OF EARTH, RELOCK
Syntax: Obscure Rogues may attempt to hide evidence of their kills, such that word does not get to any interested factions. However, if a member of the same faction is present to witness the death, there will be no way to conceal the act from the faction. Primary Attribute: dexterity See also: FACTIONS
Duration : Instantaneous Cost: 3 mana Range : Current Enemy Syntax: Kick Many guilds teach this basic martial manuver, allowing them to slightly augment their damage in combat. Bandits receive further training in making well-placed kicks. Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity See also: KNEE SHATTER
Duration : Level/2 Hours Cost: 3 mana Range : Single PC/Single Adjacent Room Syntax: Listen <person/direction> This skill allows a thief or a watcher to either listen to all conversation in an adjacent room, or spoken by a player to their groupmates. Due to the focus that the user must devote to listening, most, but not all, commands will end this skill. Primary Attribute: intelligence
Syntax: Automatic
As thieves have many skills with which to relieve others of their possessions
and coins, they are also keenly aware of these sorts of skills being used in
their presence. Whether appreciating another rogue's handiwork, or taking
care to safeguard their own possessions, a thief will often notice attempts
to remove items from a person, including their own, when the owner is
ordinarily not usually not so aware.
Primary Attribute: wisdom
Syntax: Automatic Most of the non-scholarly guilds offer their students training in heightening the force of their blows. A higher skill will see better results at these techniques, as will a better weapon. Primary Attribute: strength See also: BRUTAL DAMAGE, PROWESS
Duration : Level/2 Hours Cost: 5 mana Syntax: Detect Hidden This skill allows the user to see people who are hidden from view using the hide skill or its variants. It will also allow them to see more readily into darkened places. Primary Attribute: intelligence, dexterity See also: INFRAVISION, HIDE
Syntax: Automatic Characters with proficiency in this skill will attempt a second attack each round with both their main and any offhanded weapons. Mastery of this skill does not guarantee the attack will be attempted every round, but it does make it very likely. Primary Attribute: dexterity, strength See also: DUAL WIELD
Syntax: Trip <Target> The trip command attempts to bring an opponent down by knocking their feet from under them. Tripping is most successfully Practiced by the quick and nimble, and fails on opponents who are flying or otherwise not tied to the ground. Trip can either be used to start a fight, or in combat, where the argument is optional. Primary Attribute: dexterity
Syntax: Automatic
A basic mercantile skill used to get a better price on items from merchants,
haggling is a skill that is widely taught but a talent applied with the most
success by the charismatic.
Primary Attribute: charisma
Syntax: Automatic The acrobatic arts, learned by both bards and thieves, serve to protect them from harm during feats of entertainment, larceny, and the occasional brawl. While most defenses evolved directly from combat, this skill is instead an exercise in pure grace on the battlefield. Characters who dodge well will blend tumbling into their movements; when it seems all but assured they would be hit by a blow, they move at the last minute to avoid it. Characters entangled in a bolo or with shattered legs will not tumble well, but are more likely to do so if there are particularly large, immovable objects to duck around. Tumbling also assists the rogue in avoiding the full force of a bash or shield bash, and characters skilled in acrobatics are more likely to avoid entangling nets. Primary Attribute: dexterity See also: DODGE, BASH, SHIELD BASH, ENTANGLE, BOLO, BONESHATTER
Syntax: Automatic Fast healing is a skill taught by most guilds, that their students might apply their knowledge to quicker recovery of bodily injuries, increasing the rate at which they gain hit points. Primary Attribute: constitution See also: hit points
Range : Single PC or mob Cost: 6 mana Syntax: Plant <object> <target> <optional container> Plant attempts to surreptitiously give an object to another character. You cannot plant an object you could not ordinarily give someone (such as items that cannot be dropped, or if the target can carry no more weight). It is possible to plant items into containers carried or worn by the target, though it is harder to plant into worn containers. Primary Attribute: dexterity See also: PEEK, STEAL
Range : Target Inventory Item Syntax: Conceal <item> Conceal will apply the hidden status to a given item, much as the hide skill will do so for a person. It is only possible to conceal an object indoors or within a city. Certain places and objects of power cannot be hidden from sight in this manner. Items will remain concealed until retrieved, something occurs that would also remove ordinarily dropped items, or until someone searches the room. Primary Attribute: intelligence
Range : Target Groupmate Cost: 3 mana Syntax: Cower <target> If a thief is the subject of attacks in combat, he may use this skill to cower behind a groupmate, causing the opponent to attack them instead. Primary Attribute: dexterity See also: RESCUE
Range : Target Door or Container Cost: 6 mana Syntax: Relock <direction/container> This skill is used by thieves to lock doors or containers in the absence of the correct key. Containers must be closable, and both doors or containers must be lockable; it is not necessary for an ordinary key to exist. However, when relocking a door that is not ordinarily locked, the lock may come undone after a time. Primary Attributes: intelligence, dexterity See also: PICK LOCK
Duration : Instantaneous Weapon: See Text Range : Single PC or mob, up to 1 room away Syntax: Throw <weapon> <target> <direction> Fighters, fire templars, thieves, and bards are able to throw weapons at their foes. Fighters and fire templars are able to throw spears, while the latter two throw daggers. Daggers are small enough to be thrown midcombat, while spears may only be thrown to initiate it. Heavier weapons will deal more damage, but there is a limit to the weight of an item that can be thrown. It is possible to throw a weapon into an adjacent room, but this cannot be done if there is anything present that prevents scanning into the room. If a thrown weapon strikes its target, it will be moved to the target's inventory, elsewise it will land on the floor there. Primary Attributes: strength, dexterity
Duration : 0.5 hours Cost: 8 Mana Reuse Delay : 3 hours Syntax: Dash Thieves, for one reason or another, must often execute a swift departure. Those so skilled, on a moment's notice, may prepare themselves to run with all their speed to get away: they will incur absolutely no lag when moving from room to room. However, this pace cannot be maintained indefinitely, and the thief will be unable to dash again for a short time. Thieves who are dashing away will not be slowed by vital strikes. Primary Attributes: Dexterity, Constitution
Duration : Instantaneous Range : Current Weapon-Wielding Opponent Syntax: Disarm Combat-oriented classes can use this skill to knock a weapon from their foe's hands. Two-handed weapons are more difficult to disarm, while certain other weapons such as whips and flails are easier to use to disarm others. Most weapons will fall to the ground when disarmed, though those that bear the nodrop or inventory flags remain in the character's inventory. Items with the noremove and nodisarm flags cannot be disarmed with this skill. Mobiles who are able to see at the time they are disarmed will immediately pick up their weapon. This skill must be used while already in combat, and only against the person the user is currently fighting. Primary Attribute: Dexterity
Syntax: Automatic Requires: Special With this skill, members of acrobatic classes such as thieves and bards may use a fluid or fabric item worn in the about body slot to confound foes and ward off attacks. The longer any individual combat continues and blows are foiled, the more effective this will be, as the rhythm of the situation aids movement. At best, it will be slightly more effective than parrying with a sword. Leaving combat disrupts the flow, and this process must begin anew. In general, materials that are flexible and will bend easily may be used-- cloth, leather, lace, water, et cetera, while metals may not be. Primary Attribute: Charisma, Dexterity See also: DODGE, PARRY
Syntax: Automatic Characters with proficiency in this skill will attempt a second attack each round with both their main and any offhanded weapons. Mastery of this skill does not guarantee the attack will be attempted every round, but it does make it very likely. Primary Attribute: Dexterity, Strength See also: DUAL WIELD
Duration : 1.5 Hours Cost: 8 Mana Range : Single PC or Mob Syntax: Waylay <target> This skill lands a sharp blow to the target's head, attempting to knock them out. A waylaid character will be awoken if they incur any sort of damage. It is far more difficult to waylay a person who is able to see the user. Primary Attribute: Strength
Duration : Instantaneous Cost: 5 Mana
Range : Single PC or Mob
Syntax: Lunge <target>
Many adventurers are able to make a highly accurate lunge at an enemy, dealing
damage with their main-hand weapon. Being struck by this skill leaves that
target open to attack, and causes them to incur a penalty to their armor class
for a brief period.
Primary Attribute: Strength, Dexterity
See also: ARMOR CLASS
Duration : 6 Hours Cost: 20 Mana Range : User's Current Room Reuse Delay: 75/Level Hours Syntax: Trap/Trap Grease When used without the grease argument, this skill will set a tripwire in the room, which will deal damage to the next person who walks in. A grease trap will take effect at the same time. Characters walking over this grease have a chance to slip and fall in it, potentially smearing the grease on themselves for up to three hours. A character who is smeared with grease will have difficulty holding onto weapons, and someone who is afflicted by fire damage while covered in grease will additionally be set on fire for one hour. Characters who are flying will not set off these traps when they walk into a room. Primary Attribute: Intelligence
Syntax: Automatic A basic technique for focusing one's thoughts, meditation is a skill taught by all guilds that their students may recover mana more quickly. Primary Attribute: Intelligence, Wisdom See also: TRANCE, MANA
Syntax: Automatic While most characters rely on their own charm and some basic haggling skills, thieves so frequently barter with merchants that they have fine-tuned this ability. Thieves are able to negotiate better deals than the average buyer or seller. Primary Attribute: Charisma
Duration : Instantaneous Range : User Only Syntax: Retreat <direction> With this skill, a watcher or thief may attempt to flee from combat in a specified direction. Primary Attribute: Intelligence, Dexterity
Duration : Level/16 Hours Cost: 8 Mana Range : Single PC or Mob Syntax: Slice <target> This skill attempts to hamstring a foe. Slice will deal damage and a dexterity penalty to the target; successive slices will increase the penalty. While affected by this skill, the victim will take damage every time he moves and be lagged. This skill requires the use of a weapon that is not blunt. Primary Attribute: Dexterity See also: LAG
Weapon: Dagger Range : Target Inventory Item Syntax: Sleeve <item> Sleeve allows a thief to conceal up to two daggers inside their sleeves. Should engage in combat while unarmed, they will immediately remove a dagger from their sleeve, wielding it automatically. Sleeved items can only be conventionally detected by the thief wearing them. Sleeved items grant none of their bonuses while they occupy this slot. Primary Attribute: Dexterity
Range : Single PC or Mob Cost: 16 Mana Syntax: Loot <object> <target> When presented with an unconscious target, a thief may boldly steal the very rings, hats, or necklaces from their bodies. This will not initiate combat but is trickier than simply stealing. It is not possible to loot an item that is flagged as inventory, nodrop, or noremove. Primary Attribute: Dexterity See also: STEAL
Syntax: Automatic When subject to a spell which targets them, thieves may deliver a quick blow with their weapon. This strike is not sufficient to disrupt the actual casting. Thieves wielding daggers will be able to strike with full force, while other weapons will only deal half damage. Primary Attributes: Intelligence, Dexterity
Duration : Instantaneous Cost : 8 Mana Range : Single PC or Mob Syntax: Circle <target> If a thief is not currently the target of attacks in a fight, they may circle around an enemy who is already in combat, dealing a large amount of damage. This skill is more effective against targets who are not using shields. It is more difficult to circle around someone who is currently scouting around themself. This skill may be used with a dual wielded weapon. It is not possible to use this skill with a blunt weapon. Primary Attribute: Dexterity
Syntax: Automatic Cost: 12 Mana Thieves with this skill who chooses to exercise discretion to leave combat early (that is, should they flee, retreat, escape, et cetera) will automatically attempt to hide and sneak once they've done so. The hiding will only work on terrain that can normally be hidden on, naturally; sneaking is terrain-independent. Fleeing as the result of another character's action, such as via withdraw, will not result in this attempt. The mana cost of both sneak and hide will be charged when succeeding at this skill in addition to a nominal cost for scramble itself; the addition has already been included in this file and will be lesser where hide is not permissible. Primary Attribute: Intelligence, Dexterity See also: HIDE, SNEAK
Range : Single PC or Mob Cost: 16 Mana Syntax: Cutpurse <target> <container> This skill may be used to slice open a target's container, such as a backpack or robe. This will cause all of its contents to fall to the ground, destroy the container, and initiate combat. You cannot cut a container flagged nodrop, nodestroy or inventory. It is not possible to use this skill repeatedly on the same target within a short span of time. Primary Attribute: Dexterity See also: STEAL
Syntax: Automatic In a fight, if a thief's opponent attempts to flee, the thief may attempt to take advantage of the victim's back, landing an extra attack against him. Primary Attribute: Dexterity
Syntax: Automatic Cooldown: 3 hours The focus a thief places on speed hones his reflexes to sometimes mitigate the strength of a sudden, particularly harsh blow by rolling with it. Thrown spears, bolts of fire or ice, and rays of light cast from another room, and the breath of dragonkin are also subject to this reflexive roll. After such a swift, unplanned movement, a thief may not benefit from this skill for a time after its use. Primary Attributes: Dexterity, Constitution
Syntax: Automatic This skill allows a thief who is backstabbing someone to make an attempt to strike with their offhand weapon. This will be less effective than the first strike but still be significant. They must be dual wielding and not using a blunt weapon to use this skill. Primary Attribute: Dexterity
Duration : Level/4 Hours Cost: 20 Mana Syntax: Shadow With a life spent hiding, comes a mastery of the shadows. Thieves who learn the art of shadow mastery can completely conceal themselves in cities, resulting in virtual undetectability. While so hidden, almost all commands are restricted; most will both lag him and break the effects of shadow mastery. It is not possible to initiate combat while under shadow mastery; all attempts will automatically fail. Because it is not possible to act while affected by this skill, the thief will not time out due to inactivity. This skill also carries an upkeep cost of 10 mana per half-hour. Even if he would ordinarily have a positive mana regeneration despite the upkeep cost of the skill, the thief will see no such gain. As with hide, it is not possible to enter shadow mastery if one is affected by ethereal flame, faerie fog, or similar skills, if the room is affected by ethereal blaze, or while bleeding. Primary Attribute: Intelligence, Wisdom See also: LAG, HIDE
Each character in Avendar has an adventuring class. The class determines the character’s abilities. Guilds are established throughout the land to help train characters in their class’s abilities. Click the class name below to view the details about the class’s abilities. The…