BECMI Thief Skills - My 2024 variant rules
by HåvardA few things before we begin:
1) These rules will change how Thieves feel. It will probably make them feel much more competent. That is not something I have a problem with, although I do prefer if the classes are fairly balanced against eachother.
2) These rules assume the General Skill system is used. I will add optional rules to use this system, while not using General Skills.
3) I assume that when General Skills are attemtped unskilled, the character will roll under half their ability score. The same will apply for these skills.
4) Thief abilities not mentioned here, such as Backstab are unaltered.
New General Skills
| NEW SKILL | ABILITY | REPLACES |
| Perception | Wisdom | Hear Noise, Find Traps |
| Athletics | Strength | Climb Walls |
| Stealth | Dexterity | Hide in Shadows, Move Silently |
| Thievery | Dexterity | Open Locks, Pick Pockets |
| Acrobatics | Dexterity | - |
At first level, the Thief gains all of these skills in addition to their starting General Skills. Non-Thieves may select these using their General Skill picks.
Talents
Starting at 5th level, the Thief may select one new Talent per level.
Talents Available at 5th level:
- Skill Mastery – Grants +5 to one of the General Skills listed above.
- Master Thievery – Thief tools can be improvised at no penalty.
- Trap Master – You no longer have to declare when checking for traps. Traps are never triggered at failed remove traps check.
- Read Languages (INT)
Talents available at 9th level
- Detect Invisibility (useable 3/day. At 20th level useable 9/day) - Requires Skill Mastery with Perception
- Spider Climb (useable 3/day. At 20th level useable 9/day) - As AD&D spell - Requires Skill Mastery with Athetics
- Invisibility (useable 3/day. At 20th level useable 9/day) - Requires Skill Mastery with Stealth
- Knock (useable 3/day. At 20th level useable 9/day) - Requires Skill Mastery with Thievery
- Feather Fall (useable 3/day. At 20th level useable 9/day)- Requires Skill Mastery with Acrobatics
Thievery, additional rule
If attempting to pick the pockets of a character of higher level than the Thief, the opponent gets a Saving Throw vs. Spell. If the Victim succeeds their ST, then the attempt fails. If the Thief also fails his General Skill check, then the Thief is caught red handed.
Without General Skills
If you don't use the General Skill rules, just assume that non Thieves may attempt the Thief ability actions if they roll below half of their ability score.