Yeah I know quite bold of me to say so. But just think for a bit for all you who have played actual thief characters – not rogues that just kill, but thieves that break into houses and steal the goods.
Mostly a hard character to play in a group and better suited to either small groups or solo play or if the whole game is about thieves.
Anyway, in this Eclipse build, I take the basis of a Human Rogue and remove the junky bits and add in some mystical abilities that seemed lacking to me. Strangely enough I think the Pathfinder Rogue may have answered some of that and with some d20 Variants you may be able to do this any way or at the very least, do it by multiclassing your character.
Getting Started
Ok Level 1 you have 54 CP. Lets actually not focus this on human, although it is more what I play. Disadvantages 10 – outlaw? hunted? someone might know you etc and you are wanted somewhere. Compulsion (klepto?) or perhaps just overly brave and dont think things through. Anyway the choice is yours, 3 disadvantages (you will need the CP)
Total 64cp
The Basics
Hit Dice: d6. Not a very combat orientated character but 2cp is ok to pay here.
BAB: 0. Again not combat orientated, most likely will go for the standard rogue progression more or less.
Saves: Will +2. 6cp. I always find my rogues suffering in the Will Save department.
Skill Points: 18cp (as you count level 0 in this, your max is 24cp at level 1 on skills) Slightly less than the normal for Rogues but figuring this character requires a high intelligence score anyway. And human Fast Learner gets plugged into skills for more points here.
Total 26cp
Specials
Proficiencies: All simple weapons (3cp) and light armour(3cp). Don’t think you need much more than that.
Trap Finding (if you have to do this as an ability in your campaign): 4cp (I believe Thoth posted this somewhere. Basically an immunity. One of our players instead took it as Tracking specialised for Traps.)
Spell Casting: Yes, I did say perfect Thief right. Well this is how we attain it.
The spell wish list is like this:
Level 0
Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mending, Ghost Sound
Level 1
Disguise Self, Conceal Thoughts(Psionic power but easy to bring across to arcane magic), Charm Person, Expeditious Retreat or Burst, Silent image, Dimensional Hop (very short range teleport), Sleep
Level 2
Alter Self, Knock (for really hard doors), Cure Light Wounds, Darkness, Daze (mass), Silence, Detect Thoughts, Obscure Object (long enough so you can dispose of items stolen), Invisibility, Misdirection, Minor Image, Darkvision, Spiderclimb
Level 3
Dispel Magic (for getting rid of magic traps that are too hard to overcome), Nondetection, Suggestion, Windwall, Major Image,Gasous Form, Shrink Item, Deep Slumber
Level 4
Dimension Door, Minor Creation, Hallucinatory Terrain, Illusory Wall, Polymorph (limited to self only), Stone Shape
Level 5
False Vision, Mislead, Seeming, Shadow Walk, Persistent Image.
That will most likely be the end of the spell list as I see it and it does fit nicely into the adept or bard spell progression. As we want some of those higher spell sooner, I think we will take the Bard Spell Progression. Hmm, looking back at the list I figure the Bard Spell List works quite well minus a few extras that one can buy for 2cp each anyway.
So, Bard Progression and Spell list is 8cp. We are making this Intelligence Based though. Limiting it with no direct damage spells and making it require a spell book and studies like a wizard instead of been spontaneous. Reason for this is so the Thief can customise his spell selection for the job at hand. Seeing that we do not take ‘components’ as a limitation, these spells are not subject to Arcane Failure like a Wizard (Provided we are using Light armour only). We will still have the limited requirement of material reagents though.
So far this totals 18cp
Lets think some more then shall we?
Basically we have a thief that can get in anywhere (using skills at low level and then supplemented by spells at higher levels), change his appearance if seen, put people to sleep to buy him time and even teleport out of prison if he gets caught. (ok we add Dimensional Hop to the spell list then)
I think Adept: 6cp bought for 4 skills. Hide, Move Silently, Spot, Listen. If any of this is combined (in our game spot and listen are combined to perception, you can add 1 more)
We but adept again. 6cp. 4 skills. Disable Device, Search, Open Lock, ? Dont think any other skills make it into this ‘set’.
That brings the total to 30cp. With 24cp spent per the adventurer framework, the other 6cp is from disadvantages or alternatively your first level feat.
So Grand Total is 26cp+30cp or 56cp. Leaving 8cp. You could drop a few disadvantages off here or take a customised feat.
So there you have at, an arcane thief if you will.
Advancement
Of course spell casting will be a big focus here. Taking skill emphasis and focus for adept based skills is also important. Awareness (Uncanny Dodge) and possibly Evasion (Reflexes) or as an alternative, Lucky specialised for Saves only (basically 2/day you get to reroll a failed save for 6cp).
Levels 3 plus might even see you pick up sneak attack as well to further add ability to more dangerous missions.
As a book caster you may also want to add Spell Mastery (so some of the spells you use often you don’t need your spell book for), Easy (specialised for Reagents costing 1gp or less), and possible Occult Sense (Dark Vision) as you grow used to been in darkness all the time.
All in all a fun to play, ‘perfect’ thief.