Thief new player guide

This is a page for the Thief specific page for the Newbie Help Guide. Whenever possible, overlap with the general guide should be minimized.

Note: This guide should strive to minimize the amount of spoilers it contains. While the general mechanical information is not a problem, guild locations, methods of entry, and any quest should be described in the most general sense. The purpose of this guide it to enlighten a brand new person, not spoil the mystery.

For details, rules, and the other pages involved, see Category:Newbie Guide Contest.

Start

Getting Started

Let's just say this now: If you don't know how to join the guild, you won't be learning how to do it here.

But if you have already joined, congratulations! You're on your way to taking your first steps into becoming a true Thief of Elanthia. Granted, you may not exactly know what it is we do or what being a Thief means, it's the purpose of this little guide to help you figure that out. So, without any further ado, read on and maybe learn a bit about what you've gotten yourself into.

Survival Skills

Just like those pesky Ranger types, we're survivalists at heart. This means that most of your time in the world will be spent working on those skills which will help you survive all the obstacles you will face within it. From the very start you will be required to train eight survival skills, though the choice is upon you as to which those will be. Despite having this minor amount of freedom, there are two skills which you must train: Stealth and Thievery. Why? Because that's a large part of what being a Thief is all about.

Evasion

Simply put, evasion is the skill which determines how well you avoid attacks. Aside from classes in the subject, the only way to learn is to get out there and use it within combat settings.

Athletics

The main use of the Athletics skill is to overcome natural obstacles, such as climbing a tree or swimming a river. Provided below are some simple suggestions where to practice this skill based upon which area you have chosen to start at within the game.

Perception

Perception is rather simple and no all that dangerous to learn. Collecting rocks is the most common outside manner to learn perception, while collecting torn cloth inside is helpful. Collecting is done with the _Collect_ verb. To reduce clutter kick piles after collecting. It will also teach the skill Outdoorsmanship. Initially you may need to gain a few ranks by doing simple foraging, use _forage_ verb.

Additional you can gain perception through normal box popping, during the disarm ID, and pick ID steps, and also the disarm analyze steps.

Stealth

Being Stealthy is part of being a Thief, and sneaking around town may seem like a grand Thiefy thing to do.

However challenging things are needed to train skills. Hiding in combat, is one of the most straightforward means to training hiding. As well if you want to be an accomplished stealth attacker, following up hiding with backstab is the traditional close quarters one-two Thief 'punch'.

Hiding and firing a bow an also be done. However critters sometimes wander around unless engaged. This can lead to arrows going missing.

Perhaps jarring from reality, hiding repetitively and at close quarters isn't problematic, it trains well and can get a Thief out of a pinch. Practice often, and don't forget to repeat.

Skinning

One of the most popular choices of survival skills, skinning also has the benefit of being one of the easiest to train. However, in order to make use of it you must combat creatures which can be skinned.

For more information see Skinning.

Backstab

This skill is specific to our guild and our guild alone.

Ambushes

A minor amount of backstabbing can be trained by use of our guild-only ambushes.

For more information see Ambush and Thief Ambushes.

Combat Skills

Beyond being a master survivalist, Thieves are also skilled killers. Because of this, the guild requires that you keep up with not only weapon skills but also armor skills as well. The choice of what weapon and armor to use are purely yours to make, however this guide will give you a little advice in what to choose and how those choices will impact your advancement later on.

Weapons

As a member of the Thieves' Guild, you will be required to learn the use of at least two weapon classes in addition to the parry skill. In order to facilitate that parry learning, it is encouraged that one of your weapon choices be something that you can use at melee with an opponent.

In order to make full use of our abilities later on, it is also encouraged (but not required) for you to practice use of either a bow, crossbow, or sling. Skill with these weapons will serve you well when using either the Reduced Load or Snipe abilities described below.

Reduced Load

Once you get enough skill with your ranged weapon (either bow, crossbow, or sling) and have enough skill with your stealth, you'll start to notice that you are able to load your weapon quicker while in hiding. This is a good thing!

Snipe

Upon achieving your 40th circle within the guild, you will be allowed to learn the Snipe ability from Guildmaster in Crossings. This ability will allow you to fire you weapon from hiding and remain hidden.

For more information see Snipe.

Armor

Thieves are required to train only one of the armor skills, the choice of which is up to you. It is, however, recommended that you do train your shield because a number of attacks are easier to block than they are to dodge.

Other Information

Slips

While most abilities can be learned from a Guildmaster or are granted upon reaching a specific circle within the guild, the use of slips is not. Achieving access to the slip abilities must be taught to you from either a fellow Thief or another who has access to them. Slips do not grant any sort of edge when training, but can offer the Thief who knows them a little bit of versatility when using them while hiding. These abilities automatically grow with you as you gain more circles and Thieves are able to perform the first at 10 circles.

For more information see Slip.