Shadowy Professions

[Voltumna]

In Shadizar City of Wickedness, among the professions listed on the GMs Guide, there is the Thief. What kind of rolls can you make using ranks in Profession (Thief)? Would the profession skill supersede other skills common to the trade?

 

[VincentDarlage]

In Shadizar City of Wickedness, among the professions listed on the GMs Guide, there is the Thief. What kind of rolls can you make using ranks in Profession (Thief)? Would the profession skill supersede other skills common to the trade?

No. That would just allow a person to make a roll about how much income they bring in practising their trade without having to role-play each and every bit of thievery and is meant more for NPCs than PCs. It would do nothing for a "here-and-now" pick pocket roll or something, although I guess a synergy bonus would not be out of the question.

 

[Evil_Trevor]

Other 'uses' for a profesion Thief' roll that aren't covered in the other skills like 'finding a good target' casing a target , assessing how hard/dangerous a potiential 'job' is, knowing what (and who) to steal (from), and what not (and who not) to. Spotting another thief doing this to you or your party. And to keep the player on his feet just ask for a roll at times...

Thiefy "I'll pick the fat guys pocket"
GM "ok roll picketypocks"
Thiefy "ok thats 28" <smarms>
GM "good you take the Guys wallet, give me a Prof-Thief roll"
Thiefy "err ok, thats, ohh 9...."
Gm <smile>

 

[Sutek]

That's close to what I think is the case, but you'd use the Sleight of Hand skill only if you want to play it out and steal something specific - say you know that the fat guy has 20 silver in his pouch, or a gem stone or a key.

If you wan tot skip all that and say "I spend the next week trying to earn a living stealing here and there,"then just roll Prof(thief). That skill as a profession may have nothing to do with actual stealing, but involve one's ability to fence property, sell information or even creative begging as well.

 

[Voltumna]

Other 'uses' for a profesion Thief' roll that aren't covered in the other skills like 'finding a good target' casing a target , assessing how hard/dangerous a potiential 'job' is, knowing what (and who) to steal (from), and what not (and who not) to. Spotting another thief doing this to you or your party. And to keep the player on his feet just ask for a roll at times...

These seem to me gather information, knowledge (local or others) or spot checks. Would you use the profession (thief) instead of these skills to do those things?

Maybe adding a synergy or other kind of bonus like Vincent suggets, after succeding a proffession (thief) check, the GM could throw a bit of relevant information for the character to make his decission about wether he should or shouldn't mess with some one.

Things like spotting ongoing thieving could receive a circumstantial bonus, just because the thief is so used to it, he can easily spot it. It takes a thief to catch a thief, right?